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The Dangers of an Ordinary Night
Perfect for fans of Celeste Ng and Megan Abbott, Lynne Reeves'
The Dangers of an Ordinary Night
is an exploration of the explosive family secrets that are often hidden in plain sight.
On a chilly fall evening at the prestigious Performing Arts High School of Boston, best friends Tali Carrington and June Danforth go missing after auditioning for a play. They're last seen in grainy, out-of-focus surveillance footage that shows them walking side-by-side. Two days later in a town south of Boston, Tali is found disoriented and traumatized by the ocean's edge, while June is pronounced dead at the scene.
Tali's mother, Nell, is so bent on protecting her daughter from further emotional harm that she enlists the help of Cynthia Rawlins, a renowned therapist for families. Meanwhile, Detective Fitz Jameson is assigned to the investigation and dives into the lives of high-performing students who may be harboring dark secrets.
As Nell, Cynthia, and Fitz confront their own contributions to the tragedies and scandals that beleaguer them, their lives turn out to be more deeply intertwined than they'd ever imagined. And they must decide what lengths they're willing to go to protect the people they love while also saving themselves.
On a chilly fall evening at the prestigious Performing Arts High School of Boston, best friends Tali Carrington and June Danforth go missing after auditioning for a play. They're last seen in grainy, out-of-focus surveillance footage that shows them walking side-by-side. Two days later in a town south of Boston, Tali is found disoriented and traumatized by the ocean's edge, while June is pronounced dead at the scene.
Tali's mother, Nell, is so bent on protecting her daughter from further emotional harm that she enlists the help of Cynthia Rawlins, a renowned therapist for families. Meanwhile, Detective Fitz Jameson is assigned to the investigation and dives into the lives of high-performing students who may be harboring dark secrets.
As Nell, Cynthia, and Fitz confront their own contributions to the tragedies and scandals that beleaguer them, their lives turn out to be more deeply intertwined than they'd ever imagined. And they must decide what lengths they're willing to go to protect the people they love while also saving themselves.
282 pages, Hardcover
First published November 9, 2021
243 people are currently reading
1266 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 158 reviews
October 1, 2021
"Once someone lies to you, it's impossible to know when you're telling the truth."
A psychological suspense that harbors dark secrets in a little town south of Boston. This coming of age adheres to an investigation of the lives of high performing students stirring up guilt and regret impacting everyone's lives. As some advocate for others, they soon lose their own voice for themselves. The writer, as nom de plume, opens up to different cohorts with her main objection revealing the impact of addiction on a family. It will leave you in the depth of what people encounter beyond the addiction, who it effects and especially the caretakers who will sacrifice everything for some normalcy.
After an audition for a play at the Performing Arts High School of Boston, Tali and her friend go missing. When found, only Tali is alive while June is dead by the water's edge. Tali's story comes in bits and pieces of her memory with the consideration whether or not drugs are involved with the memory of being kidnapped. The investigation discovers a wide range of characters are involved, which is scandalous, deceptive and at what cost will love ones protect their own.
The story has a deep twist while some of the story became difficult to grasp, it was an overall depiction of our youth today...the influence, the lost compass and family deterioration.
Thanks NetGalley and Crooked Lane for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
A psychological suspense that harbors dark secrets in a little town south of Boston. This coming of age adheres to an investigation of the lives of high performing students stirring up guilt and regret impacting everyone's lives. As some advocate for others, they soon lose their own voice for themselves. The writer, as nom de plume, opens up to different cohorts with her main objection revealing the impact of addiction on a family. It will leave you in the depth of what people encounter beyond the addiction, who it effects and especially the caretakers who will sacrifice everything for some normalcy.
After an audition for a play at the Performing Arts High School of Boston, Tali and her friend go missing. When found, only Tali is alive while June is dead by the water's edge. Tali's story comes in bits and pieces of her memory with the consideration whether or not drugs are involved with the memory of being kidnapped. The investigation discovers a wide range of characters are involved, which is scandalous, deceptive and at what cost will love ones protect their own.
The story has a deep twist while some of the story became difficult to grasp, it was an overall depiction of our youth today...the influence, the lost compass and family deterioration.
Thanks NetGalley and Crooked Lane for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
May 30, 2021
Two teens - Julie and Tali disappear after a stage rehearsal. After two days, one turns up dead, the second alive but with little remembrance of what happened. It's up to detective Fitz to figure out who killed Julie. Is it Peter, the grieving father or Zeke, Tali's father struggling to pay is gambling debts? Is it Sam, boyfriend of the two girls or maybe Ana, Sam's overbearing mother who would do anything for her son's career? Or could it be Nell, Tali's mother? Little by little dect. Fits unravels the truth aided by Cyn, a child psychiatrist who has some relation troubles of her own.
The book is well crafted, the language is beautiful and the characters realistic, not necessarily likable but certainly not one-dimensional. I especially liked Fitz with his own history, and the chemistry with Cyn. They certainly could form a pair to start a series in this psychological thriller genre. All in all, it was a fast and intruiging read and with every twist and turn, I wanted to know more. The end was original but slightly unrealistic in my opinion, but it didn't deter me from having a very good reading experience.
Thanks to Netgalley, Crooked Lane Books and the author for a free copy in exchange of a review.
The book is well crafted, the language is beautiful and the characters realistic, not necessarily likable but certainly not one-dimensional. I especially liked Fitz with his own history, and the chemistry with Cyn. They certainly could form a pair to start a series in this psychological thriller genre. All in all, it was a fast and intruiging read and with every twist and turn, I wanted to know more. The end was original but slightly unrealistic in my opinion, but it didn't deter me from having a very good reading experience.
Thanks to Netgalley, Crooked Lane Books and the author for a free copy in exchange of a review.
November 10, 2021
The Dangers Of An Ordinary Night is a suspenseful read with a good twist.
The story is about two girls that go missing one night, when they're found, one of them is dead and the other has no memory of what happened. We meet the characters and unfold the events of the night gradually in the story.
There were a lot of aspects I liked about the book, it spoke about how parents and their marriage affect the kids, that everyone has a past they're dealing with and how it is important to seek emotional help when required.
The first half of the book was good, it started really well and then it got a bit slow in the middle, the last part was good though, I liked the end.
I'd recommend The Dangers Of An Ordinary Night to readers looking for a quick thriller read.
Thanks you Netgalley, publisher - Crooked Lane Books and author, Lynne Reeves for the ARC.
The story is about two girls that go missing one night, when they're found, one of them is dead and the other has no memory of what happened. We meet the characters and unfold the events of the night gradually in the story.
There were a lot of aspects I liked about the book, it spoke about how parents and their marriage affect the kids, that everyone has a past they're dealing with and how it is important to seek emotional help when required.
The first half of the book was good, it started really well and then it got a bit slow in the middle, the last part was good though, I liked the end.
I'd recommend The Dangers Of An Ordinary Night to readers looking for a quick thriller read.
Thanks you Netgalley, publisher - Crooked Lane Books and author, Lynne Reeves for the ARC.
November 18, 2021
The Dangers of an Ordinary Night couldn't deliver everything that I wanted! The character dynamics and entire conflict wasn't as engaging as I hoped and I really needed some redeemability for some of the characters. There are still some interesting aspects from the conclusion that hold surprise though.
September 3, 2021
The Dangers of an Ordinary Night. I was immediately drawn to that title. On an ordinary and unassuming night, your life could crumble down around you. You never see it coming and it leaves a path of devastation in its wake.
That's exactly what happens to the parents of Tali Carrington and June Danforth. One is found dead and one is left traumatized. This book explored the aftermath of this horrible event in heartbreaking detail. The characters are very human in their flaws and emotional depth. The writing is beautiful, powerful and will leave you wondering about the what ifs in life.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
That's exactly what happens to the parents of Tali Carrington and June Danforth. One is found dead and one is left traumatized. This book explored the aftermath of this horrible event in heartbreaking detail. The characters are very human in their flaws and emotional depth. The writing is beautiful, powerful and will leave you wondering about the what ifs in life.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 18, 2021
This is my first Lynne Reeves.
The teaser on the book jacket “had me” it states
this is perfect for fans of Celeste Ng and Megan Abbott.
True, I don’t always believe those teasers but I was willing to give this a try!
Story starts when teenager best friends Natalie aka Tali Carrington and June Danforth both students at a Performing Arts High School in Boston go missing after auditioning for the next performance. Two days later June is dead and Tali is found traumatized on the coastline between Boston and Cape Cod.
Awww that teaser! I had my doubts going into this but the story and characters had me curious.
I soon found the characters were unlikeable and was having a hard time staying focused.
I hung in there ~ it ended up an okay read ~ certainly not terrible but just wasn’t a Wow read for me.
Want to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for professional review purposes.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for November 9, 2021
The teaser on the book jacket “had me” it states
this is perfect for fans of Celeste Ng and Megan Abbott.
True, I don’t always believe those teasers but I was willing to give this a try!
Story starts when teenager best friends Natalie aka Tali Carrington and June Danforth both students at a Performing Arts High School in Boston go missing after auditioning for the next performance. Two days later June is dead and Tali is found traumatized on the coastline between Boston and Cape Cod.
Awww that teaser! I had my doubts going into this but the story and characters had me curious.
I soon found the characters were unlikeable and was having a hard time staying focused.
I hung in there ~ it ended up an okay read ~ certainly not terrible but just wasn’t a Wow read for me.
Want to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for professional review purposes.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for November 9, 2021
June 12, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of
The Dangers of an Ordinary Night.
The premise sounded interesting so I was pleased when my request was approved.
Sadly, this didn't capture my interest as I had hoped.
** Minor spoilers ahead **
The characters were all unlikable; I abhor female characters who turn a blind eye to a spouse's fatal flaws, especially when it may damage and/or endanger child(ren).
I realize we, as human beings, are in denial about bad things our partners may be capable of, but Nell is a doormat and wishy-washy.
That's not her fault. It's the fault of the author's that her character read that way to me.
All of the adults have personal issues that affect their behavior and how they handle the case of two missing teenage girls; the investigating detective, Fitz, is struggling with a shameful secret from his past; the social worker, Cynthia, is still trying to make sense of the deceit her own partner got away with right under her nose; Nell and June's father, a widow, are embroiled in an emotional affair, and Tali's dad is a loser.
In many ways, the mystery of Tali's reappearance and June's death takes a backseat to all the mental turmoil the adults are experiencing in their own lives.
I guessed whodunit right from the start, but the plot read like that.
The writing wasn't bad, but at times the pacing dragged especially when POVs bounced around and the adults were moaning about the mistakes they made.
All of the characters were weak, and there was very little suspense or urgency to the narrative.
Tali wasn't a sympathetic character, and the more interesting characters were the deceased, in my opinion like June and her mother.
Doubtful I'll read another book by this author again.
The premise sounded interesting so I was pleased when my request was approved.
Sadly, this didn't capture my interest as I had hoped.
** Minor spoilers ahead **
The characters were all unlikable; I abhor female characters who turn a blind eye to a spouse's fatal flaws, especially when it may damage and/or endanger child(ren).
I realize we, as human beings, are in denial about bad things our partners may be capable of, but Nell is a doormat and wishy-washy.
That's not her fault. It's the fault of the author's that her character read that way to me.
All of the adults have personal issues that affect their behavior and how they handle the case of two missing teenage girls; the investigating detective, Fitz, is struggling with a shameful secret from his past; the social worker, Cynthia, is still trying to make sense of the deceit her own partner got away with right under her nose; Nell and June's father, a widow, are embroiled in an emotional affair, and Tali's dad is a loser.
In many ways, the mystery of Tali's reappearance and June's death takes a backseat to all the mental turmoil the adults are experiencing in their own lives.
I guessed whodunit right from the start, but the plot read like that.
The writing wasn't bad, but at times the pacing dragged especially when POVs bounced around and the adults were moaning about the mistakes they made.
All of the characters were weak, and there was very little suspense or urgency to the narrative.
Tali wasn't a sympathetic character, and the more interesting characters were the deceased, in my opinion like June and her mother.
Doubtful I'll read another book by this author again.
November 9, 2021
The Dangers of an Ordinary Night by @lynnereevesgriffin is a brilliantly written thriller, a suspenseful and haunting emotional roller coaster.
Tali Carrington and June Danforth go missing after they audition for a play at Performing Arts High School of Boston. Two days later June is found dead in a town south of Boston while Tali is found confused and traumatized.
Then we get to know about Nell, Tali’s mother, Cynthia Rawling a family therapist, and Fitz Jameson who is the detective assigned for the investigation. The investigation uncovers a wide range of characters involved and continues with a deep twist.
Tali Carrington and June Danforth go missing after they audition for a play at Performing Arts High School of Boston. Two days later June is found dead in a town south of Boston while Tali is found confused and traumatized.
Then we get to know about Nell, Tali’s mother, Cynthia Rawling a family therapist, and Fitz Jameson who is the detective assigned for the investigation. The investigation uncovers a wide range of characters involved and continues with a deep twist.
December 5, 2021
While I have a deep appreciation for the solid writing and natural dialogues here, I didn’t end up finding any character I wanted to cheer for and read more about, and I wasn’t comfortable with the romance angle. I’m always appreciative of an author’s efforts to provide enrichment to the reader, in this case a comprehensive bibliography of plays she mentions throughout the book. I’m looking forward to this author’s next work. 3 stars.
December 24, 2021
The story loses its focus at times, and the red herrings come across more as loose ends…such that the mystery’s resolution is ultimately unsatisfying.
November 22, 2021
Brava to Lynne Reeves for a who-done-it that delivered on so many fronts. Not only was a constantly second-guessing myself on the identity of the true culprit, I was ensconced in Boston's Back Bay, the world of the theatre and high-stakes parenting, a subject on which I obsess a lot! This book is the perfect length for a train ride or airplane flight. Time will disappear as you get sucked into the complex lives of its characters. They were really well developed and have continued to stay with me long after reading the (quite satisfying) ending.
August 7, 2021
Atmospheric writing, deeply flawed characters struggling to find their way to what is right, and a plot that bulldozes along in a way the feels absolutely real. What a read!
Perhaps the most compelling part of The Dangers of an Ordinary Night is the way it shines a light on the impact of addiction and the devastating choices that go with it on the people who love and try to care for the addict: how they struggle, how painful it is, how little control you have in the lives of people you love if they are determined to destroy themselves. And how hard it is to pull back before you’re destroyed yourself. Author Lynne Reeves has done a real service with this domestic suspense novel, and you can see her professional background and a school and family counselor shine through her writing as she brings this story to life.
Highly recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book.
Perhaps the most compelling part of The Dangers of an Ordinary Night is the way it shines a light on the impact of addiction and the devastating choices that go with it on the people who love and try to care for the addict: how they struggle, how painful it is, how little control you have in the lives of people you love if they are determined to destroy themselves. And how hard it is to pull back before you’re destroyed yourself. Author Lynne Reeves has done a real service with this domestic suspense novel, and you can see her professional background and a school and family counselor shine through her writing as she brings this story to life.
Highly recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book.
November 14, 2021
Nice multi POV story, with the characters well woven together so you don’t feel like you’re missing out on some of them while you’re with the others. A fun worthwhile read.
October 30, 2021
The Dangers of an Ordinary Night by Lynne Reeves is a very highly recommended character driven domestic thriller.
Best friends Natalie (Tali) Carrington and June Danforth, both seventeen, are kidnapped after auditioning for a play at the Performing Arts High School of Boston. Two days later they are found south of Boston on Watties Beach. Tali is covered with cuts, bruises, and disoriented while June is dead from exposure. Tali's mother Nell blames her father, Zeke, who didn't notice that Tali never came home, but Zeke who has repeatedly let his family down with his gambling addiction has other issues that Nell should have noticed in this dysfunctional family. Therapist Cynthia (Cyn) Rawlins is there to help Tali and her family deal with the kidnapping and aftermath. Detective Fitz Jameson has personal insight into the case and suspects more is going on in the Carrington home and at the school.
The novel opens with June trying to escape someone and what leads to her death, so you know the person responsible seems to know June. When the two young women are found, the real mystery begins to be uncovered. There is a complexity and emotional depth underlying every character and all these people are experiencing and/or trying to recover from some trauma. The characters are all flawed. They may not all be especially likeable, but they all resemble real people and therefore are relatable in many ways. Cyn and Fitz are especially sympathetic characters. Nell also elicits an empathetic response, even if the choices she makes will not be understandable to all readers.
The writing is excellent, confident and layered. The plot is even paced while the clues and additional information work together to create a complex picture of a mystery and the complex individuals who are a part of the incident and the resolution. Each of the 27 chapters are given the titles from 27 plays, tying the plot into the theater, the Performing Arts High School, and the students. I found this to be a compelling domestic thriller which I enjoyed immensely from start to finish. 4.5 rounded up.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2021/1...
Best friends Natalie (Tali) Carrington and June Danforth, both seventeen, are kidnapped after auditioning for a play at the Performing Arts High School of Boston. Two days later they are found south of Boston on Watties Beach. Tali is covered with cuts, bruises, and disoriented while June is dead from exposure. Tali's mother Nell blames her father, Zeke, who didn't notice that Tali never came home, but Zeke who has repeatedly let his family down with his gambling addiction has other issues that Nell should have noticed in this dysfunctional family. Therapist Cynthia (Cyn) Rawlins is there to help Tali and her family deal with the kidnapping and aftermath. Detective Fitz Jameson has personal insight into the case and suspects more is going on in the Carrington home and at the school.
The novel opens with June trying to escape someone and what leads to her death, so you know the person responsible seems to know June. When the two young women are found, the real mystery begins to be uncovered. There is a complexity and emotional depth underlying every character and all these people are experiencing and/or trying to recover from some trauma. The characters are all flawed. They may not all be especially likeable, but they all resemble real people and therefore are relatable in many ways. Cyn and Fitz are especially sympathetic characters. Nell also elicits an empathetic response, even if the choices she makes will not be understandable to all readers.
The writing is excellent, confident and layered. The plot is even paced while the clues and additional information work together to create a complex picture of a mystery and the complex individuals who are a part of the incident and the resolution. Each of the 27 chapters are given the titles from 27 plays, tying the plot into the theater, the Performing Arts High School, and the students. I found this to be a compelling domestic thriller which I enjoyed immensely from start to finish. 4.5 rounded up.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2021/1...
November 8, 2021
This is kind of a side note, but when I watched a lot of tv I noticed the trend of making the dad a less intelligent and likely to do stupid things character. It seems that this is the trend in many suspense books now. And let me tell you, I did not like Zeke and knowing that Nell had been putting up with his gambling and lies for over a decade really annoyed me. I get the whole "he made a mistake" thing, but finding out how long and how often he had made them, well that just begs for psychological help. Too bad it took a kidnapping and death to get there!
Now that I have that out of my system, this was a really good suspenseful book. I'll admit I had fancies of the killer being a different person, but I knew the odds were super low. I almost thought we might get to the end of the book and not even find out who had actually done it! But, Ms. Reeves did a wonderful job of having this solid mystery surrounded by a whole lot of family drama, school drama, and other questionable events. The author even managed to sneak in some romance! This book definitely kept my attention!
Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
Now that I have that out of my system, this was a really good suspenseful book. I'll admit I had fancies of the killer being a different person, but I knew the odds were super low. I almost thought we might get to the end of the book and not even find out who had actually done it! But, Ms. Reeves did a wonderful job of having this solid mystery surrounded by a whole lot of family drama, school drama, and other questionable events. The author even managed to sneak in some romance! This book definitely kept my attention!
Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
November 25, 2021
On a chilly fall night in Boston, best friends Talli Carrington and June Danforth go missing after auditioning for a play at the Performing Arts High School. Two days later they are found in a nearby town. Talli, disoriented and traumatized. June, pronounced dead at the scene. Talli’s mother, Nell, immediately seeks the help of Cynthia Rawlins, a brilliant family therapist, to assist Talli in navigating through her trauma. Detective Fitz Jameson joins the investigation, and it’s personal. He immediately dives in and begins exploring the lives of the high-performing students who may have something to hide.
Y’all 👏🏼 This 👏🏼 Book 👏🏼 I was kept guessing the entire time! The suspense was absolutely perfect and I didn’t see the ending coming AT ALL. It was a tad slow in the middle but it didn’t last long. Here come the twists + turns! Just so well written and overall a very intriguing read. Thank you MBC, Crooked Lane Books, + the author for my gifted copy.
Y’all 👏🏼 This 👏🏼 Book 👏🏼 I was kept guessing the entire time! The suspense was absolutely perfect and I didn’t see the ending coming AT ALL. It was a tad slow in the middle but it didn’t last long. Here come the twists + turns! Just so well written and overall a very intriguing read. Thank you MBC, Crooked Lane Books, + the author for my gifted copy.
November 30, 2021
Filled with plenty twists and turns, THE DANGERS OF AN ORDINARY NIGHT is a fast-paced and mysterious thriller that delivers a good story while also giving plenty of food for thought.
The story revolves around the disappearance of two teens and through the course of the investigation, the book takes a look at not only the challenges and the difficulties of what kids, particularly teens, are facing while growing up in today’s society, but also the consequences and the outcomes of too much parental influence and interference. There are also plenty of family secrets at play in the investigation, and that really helped to deepen the mystery.
Part thriller, part coming-of-age story, this is a quick read that will keep you turning the pages until the big reveal at the end, and it’s definitely one I had a hard time putting down. 3.5 stars, and I’ll certainly be seeking out more from this author.
*Many thanks to MBC Books for sending me an arc for review.
The story revolves around the disappearance of two teens and through the course of the investigation, the book takes a look at not only the challenges and the difficulties of what kids, particularly teens, are facing while growing up in today’s society, but also the consequences and the outcomes of too much parental influence and interference. There are also plenty of family secrets at play in the investigation, and that really helped to deepen the mystery.
Part thriller, part coming-of-age story, this is a quick read that will keep you turning the pages until the big reveal at the end, and it’s definitely one I had a hard time putting down. 3.5 stars, and I’ll certainly be seeking out more from this author.
*Many thanks to MBC Books for sending me an arc for review.
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August 16, 2021I love Celeste Ng and Megan Abbott, and I grew up in Boston, so this blurb immediately caught my attention.
June and Tali are students at the Performing Arts High School in Boston. One night, late after callbacks, the two girls disappear. One of them survives. One of them doesn't. But what happened those missing days on the beach?
Overall, I thought this was a fun, twisty thriller. I enjoyed seeing the pieces of the puzzle come together. I did really enjoy that the setting was in Boston and the surrounding area - I was able to recognize and picture many of the places mentioned, which was a fun treat. This was a quick and satisfying read - I was able to finish it in a day.
I would probably more accurately rate this as 3.75 stars. Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
June and Tali are students at the Performing Arts High School in Boston. One night, late after callbacks, the two girls disappear. One of them survives. One of them doesn't. But what happened those missing days on the beach?
Overall, I thought this was a fun, twisty thriller. I enjoyed seeing the pieces of the puzzle come together. I did really enjoy that the setting was in Boston and the surrounding area - I was able to recognize and picture many of the places mentioned, which was a fun treat. This was a quick and satisfying read - I was able to finish it in a day.
I would probably more accurately rate this as 3.75 stars. Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
May 12, 2021
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.
June and Tali go missing after an evening audition at their stage school. Two days later they are found on a beach - June is dead and Tali is injured and traumatized. This is told from the perspectives of Nell, Tali's mother; Cyn, the therapist assigned to Tali; and Fitz, one of the detectives. Cyn and Fitz have such substantial backstories that I assume the author is planning to make this the first in a series. I liked them, and I liked them together, although I couldn't help thinking that if the police and Cyn had been better at their jobs, they would have got to the bottom of things more quickly.
The plot moved along fairly quickly, and the ending was reasonably satisfactory. It certainly kept me guessing, and I would gladly read more by this author.
June and Tali go missing after an evening audition at their stage school. Two days later they are found on a beach - June is dead and Tali is injured and traumatized. This is told from the perspectives of Nell, Tali's mother; Cyn, the therapist assigned to Tali; and Fitz, one of the detectives. Cyn and Fitz have such substantial backstories that I assume the author is planning to make this the first in a series. I liked them, and I liked them together, although I couldn't help thinking that if the police and Cyn had been better at their jobs, they would have got to the bottom of things more quickly.
The plot moved along fairly quickly, and the ending was reasonably satisfactory. It certainly kept me guessing, and I would gladly read more by this author.
May 20, 2023
A serious subject covered well in plot-form. Profanity (F). Narrator is just right (her usual). 3-1/2⭐️⭐️⭐️🔅
January 24, 2025
Was looking forward to reading this book, but sadly it was mostly forgettable.
January 16, 2023
Did not expect that ending it was so good.
November 10, 2021
The Dangers of An Ordinary Night by Lynne Reeves is a riveting and suspenseful story that will rock the reader from one intense emotion to another with each layer of drama that builds in this sleepy little town where secrets are kept out of shame and something far more sinister should it become necessary. The characters are vivid, the motives are greedy & selfish and the real reasons behind all of it are harsh and frightening. They are tangible realities that can and do affect many..,many people, many
families,institutions and little towns everywhere. The Dangers of an Ordinary Night will terrify and unnerve you, break your heart and also make you hope for any person and family that has ever dealt with addiction and recovery. It will remind you of what families are and should be made of and it will make you question things from a broader point of view with a deeper appreciation of how so many of us and those we love may already be truly susceptible to "The Dangers of An Ordinary Night."
THANK YOU NETGALLEY and Author Lynne Reeves as well as Crooked Lane Books and Penguin Random House for the advanced readers digital copy. #thedangersofanordinarynight #netgalley
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families,institutions and little towns everywhere. The Dangers of an Ordinary Night will terrify and unnerve you, break your heart and also make you hope for any person and family that has ever dealt with addiction and recovery. It will remind you of what families are and should be made of and it will make you question things from a broader point of view with a deeper appreciation of how so many of us and those we love may already be truly susceptible to "The Dangers of An Ordinary Night."
THANK YOU NETGALLEY and Author Lynne Reeves as well as Crooked Lane Books and Penguin Random House for the advanced readers digital copy. #thedangersofanordinarynight #netgalley
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November 22, 2021
Well written family drama with lots of different secrets that impact all the characters in destructive ways. Ending was a semi-surprise. Highly recommend to readers of psychological suspense.
September 21, 2021
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ - Rounded up!
This book was haunting, beautifully written, sad and suspenseful all rolled into one. Such an emotional roller coaster for me.
It’s hard for me to call The Dangers Of An Ordinary Night a typical thriller. It’s a slow mystery that revolves around a devastating crime that’s every parent’s nightmare. It’s also about family relationship dynamics and how those you love the most are sometimes not what they seem.
Tali and June are talented young actresses that attend a performing arts school. After an audition they both disappear and are found two days later. June is dead and Tali is disoriented without any memory of what happened.
The aftermath is the real storyline here and I devoured every page. The characters are plenty including a detective with his own damaged past (my favorite character by far), a psychologist struggling with her own personal trauma and the parents of both girls. Tali’s Dad has addiction issues and is suspected of being somehow involved with the girl’s disappearance. ALL the characters here are deeply flawed and yet, I was drawn to them all.
This is a richly layered storyline and I loved the writing here and was surprised at how deeply I felt so much emotion while reading this yet still so intrigued by the mystery of who done it. It really drives home the message that you may not know those you love as well as you think you do. I was blindsided and did not expect it to go where it went at all. I loved the theater backdrop also, it was a added an atmospheric vibe.
No spoilers. 🤐
I don’t think this one will be for everyone, it’s a bit drawn out which is the only reason I took off half a star and there were lots of characters to keep track of which could get confusing a bit. For me personally, I love a slow burn character driven thriller with slow execution. This was that and more. I had to sit with my thoughts on this one after finishing it and those for me are the best kinds of reads. Such an emotional yet suspenseful read. Check it out and get it on your TBR now - it’s out in the wild in October.
Thanks to the author and MBC books for my early review copy. This will be one of my top reads of the month for sure!
This book was haunting, beautifully written, sad and suspenseful all rolled into one. Such an emotional roller coaster for me.
It’s hard for me to call The Dangers Of An Ordinary Night a typical thriller. It’s a slow mystery that revolves around a devastating crime that’s every parent’s nightmare. It’s also about family relationship dynamics and how those you love the most are sometimes not what they seem.
Tali and June are talented young actresses that attend a performing arts school. After an audition they both disappear and are found two days later. June is dead and Tali is disoriented without any memory of what happened.
The aftermath is the real storyline here and I devoured every page. The characters are plenty including a detective with his own damaged past (my favorite character by far), a psychologist struggling with her own personal trauma and the parents of both girls. Tali’s Dad has addiction issues and is suspected of being somehow involved with the girl’s disappearance. ALL the characters here are deeply flawed and yet, I was drawn to them all.
This is a richly layered storyline and I loved the writing here and was surprised at how deeply I felt so much emotion while reading this yet still so intrigued by the mystery of who done it. It really drives home the message that you may not know those you love as well as you think you do. I was blindsided and did not expect it to go where it went at all. I loved the theater backdrop also, it was a added an atmospheric vibe.
No spoilers. 🤐
I don’t think this one will be for everyone, it’s a bit drawn out which is the only reason I took off half a star and there were lots of characters to keep track of which could get confusing a bit. For me personally, I love a slow burn character driven thriller with slow execution. This was that and more. I had to sit with my thoughts on this one after finishing it and those for me are the best kinds of reads. Such an emotional yet suspenseful read. Check it out and get it on your TBR now - it’s out in the wild in October.
Thanks to the author and MBC books for my early review copy. This will be one of my top reads of the month for sure!
December 15, 2021
One of the things I can't stand in a book is completely unredeemable characters. If every character in the book is unlikeable it is really hard to keep reading, which was the case in this one. In addition all of the characters felt flat. The story is supposed to be about two missing teens but ends up being mostly about the adult characters and their abundant mental health issues. Overall this one was not for me.
August 26, 2021
Enthralling from the first page. I loved the changes in narrator and points of view giving you an insight into each character. If you’re looking for a good read that will keep you guessing and wanting to read more, this is it. I will definitely be reading more by this author and will recommend this book to friends! Highly recommend
November 23, 2021
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.The Dangers of an Ordinary Night by Lynne Reeves is a thrilling psychological adventure that will keep you guessing.
What happened to June? Why did Tali survive?
Nell Carrington
Nell is Tali's mother. She is sick with worry and blames herself for not being home and leaving her gambling husband in charge of their teenage daughter. She hasn't had an easy life, but Nell works hard and truly loves her daughter. You could say that Tali is the best part of Nell's life. I immediately was rooting for Nell. She has a good head on her shoulders, has a good job, and tries to help her husband with his gambling problem. However, Nell has some issues that she needs to face, and standing up for herself is one of them.
Once Tali is found alive, but June isn't. Nell feels lucky that she has the daughter that wasn't hurt. The events put their lives under a spotlight. Tali is handling it all quite well. She has landed the lead in the next play at school, and she seems to be bouncing back just fine.
Detective Fitz Jameson
Fitz is a police detective assigned to the kidnapping case. We get to know Fitz and his family somewhat. Fitz and his sister Kiera are twins. He has a younger brother too that isn't around. Fitz never wants to see his brother again. Fitz lost a friend in high school, and everything in his life changed. He gave up his dream of becoming a concert pianist and now only plays at a local bar one night a week.
I like Fitz. Although, he seriously needs to let go of the guilt. He sees things that other cops don't, and he is respectful to the people he is questioning. I would be a friend to him and his sister if I met them.
Cynthia "Cyn" Rawlins, Therapist
Cyn's life just exploded. Her therapist boyfriend was just caught sleeping with a patient. They lost their practice and apartment. He lost his license, and Cyn. So, you could say that Cyn is dealing with a lot in her life. Yet, Cyn takes Tali's case and agrees to meet her when she is found. The Carringtons are Cyn's last client before handing her off and starting her new job as a teacher at the local college. However, Cyn gets sucked into Tali, Nell, and Zeke's life, and she decides to stay on as their family counselor.
I like Cyn. She is intelligent, pretty, and has a hard time forgiving herself for not seeing what her ex was doing before. Cyn is also resilient. She needs to give herself time and jump back into the living.
The Mystery
Who kidnapped June and Tali, and why did they kill June and not Tali? Who is the mysterious stranger that took the girls, and how is Zeke involved? These are the things that kept running through my mind as I was engrossed in the story. Some plot twists keep us guessing. It is amazing how kids change as they grow up. My heart goes out to Peter as now he is entirely alone.
Five Stars
I immensely enjoyed this book. The author hooked me from the first page. I felt so sorry for June. My rating for The Dangers of an Ordinary Night by Lynne Reeves is five stars. I highly recommend it to all your psychological thriller readers out there,
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Dangers of an Ordinary Night by Lynne Reeves.
Until the next time,
This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove
What happened to June? Why did Tali survive?
Nell Carrington
Nell is Tali's mother. She is sick with worry and blames herself for not being home and leaving her gambling husband in charge of their teenage daughter. She hasn't had an easy life, but Nell works hard and truly loves her daughter. You could say that Tali is the best part of Nell's life. I immediately was rooting for Nell. She has a good head on her shoulders, has a good job, and tries to help her husband with his gambling problem. However, Nell has some issues that she needs to face, and standing up for herself is one of them.
Once Tali is found alive, but June isn't. Nell feels lucky that she has the daughter that wasn't hurt. The events put their lives under a spotlight. Tali is handling it all quite well. She has landed the lead in the next play at school, and she seems to be bouncing back just fine.
Detective Fitz Jameson
Fitz is a police detective assigned to the kidnapping case. We get to know Fitz and his family somewhat. Fitz and his sister Kiera are twins. He has a younger brother too that isn't around. Fitz never wants to see his brother again. Fitz lost a friend in high school, and everything in his life changed. He gave up his dream of becoming a concert pianist and now only plays at a local bar one night a week.
I like Fitz. Although, he seriously needs to let go of the guilt. He sees things that other cops don't, and he is respectful to the people he is questioning. I would be a friend to him and his sister if I met them.
Cynthia "Cyn" Rawlins, Therapist Cyn's life just exploded. Her therapist boyfriend was just caught sleeping with a patient. They lost their practice and apartment. He lost his license, and Cyn. So, you could say that Cyn is dealing with a lot in her life. Yet, Cyn takes Tali's case and agrees to meet her when she is found. The Carringtons are Cyn's last client before handing her off and starting her new job as a teacher at the local college. However, Cyn gets sucked into Tali, Nell, and Zeke's life, and she decides to stay on as their family counselor.
I like Cyn. She is intelligent, pretty, and has a hard time forgiving herself for not seeing what her ex was doing before. Cyn is also resilient. She needs to give herself time and jump back into the living.
The Mystery
Who kidnapped June and Tali, and why did they kill June and not Tali? Who is the mysterious stranger that took the girls, and how is Zeke involved? These are the things that kept running through my mind as I was engrossed in the story. Some plot twists keep us guessing. It is amazing how kids change as they grow up. My heart goes out to Peter as now he is entirely alone.
Five Stars
I immensely enjoyed this book. The author hooked me from the first page. I felt so sorry for June. My rating for The Dangers of an Ordinary Night by Lynne Reeves is five stars. I highly recommend it to all your psychological thriller readers out there,
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Dangers of an Ordinary Night by Lynne Reeves.
Until the next time,
This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove
November 24, 2025
Skip it! Reeves has given us a shallow, overwritten, unsatisfying whodunit whose only redeeming characteristic is its brevity.
After the plot is laid out in chapter 1, we're introduced to a host of adults and their Problems, which go completely unresolved despite taking of the majority of the focus of this short book. The main conflict of the dead girl feels like a b-plot, with very few developments and advancements. The case is solved because characters make illogical but somehow uncannily correct moves while ignoring evidence and leads (Why did no one ever actually talk to that drug dealer??), ending in one of those ridiculous "the gang's all here!" climax scenes where all the main players and suspects show up and the villain then monologues about why they did it and how it felt and yada yada.
We follow three adults connected to the crime, the found girl's mom (boring), the detective assigned to the case (maudlin), and the psychiatrist assigned to the found girl (forgettable). They are really more of showcases than characters; the only mistakes they make are in the past, and in each case the mistake was trusting or falling for the wrong person. See what happens there? Nothing they've done wrong is ever ACTUALLY their fault, because they can blame it on their too-big hearts. So we get whole chapters dedicated to hearing about what sad circumstances ten years or fifteen years or two weeks ago set these characters up to be Sad now, and that Sadness is meant to give the novel depth and intrigue but instead makes it feel overwrought and dramatic in a soap-opera, tragic backstory without current character depth way. The side characters and suspects are more engaging, even though they're clearly just caricatures and stereotypes.
All this "character development" in our MCs is a setup to display various therapy-esque conversations with what is clearly the author's self-insert character, a sexy middle-aged woman with incredible breasts (I kid thee not, this is part of her first physical description) who always knows what to say or ask or do and who ends up being half of the unconvincing, seemingly obligatory romantic pairing, as if we care about the tentative love life of a melancholy therapist when there's a dead girl's murder to solve. Think I'm being mean? Lynne Reeves, self-professed "internationally recognized family counselor" has given the psychiatrist in her book the name Cyn Rawlins. Lynne Reeves. Cyn Rawlins. You see it.
Anyway, potential spoilers from here.
The reveal at the end was just painfully done. Not only was the confession scene itself like something out of a Murder, She Wrote episode, but the fact that we were given so little in the way of foreshadowing also made it unsatisfying and flat. Oh, but she is an actress, so it's fine that she was able to fool literally everyone--and she's probably narcissistic and psychotic, so having no emotional fallout also is perfectly acceptable. The red herrings are all obviously false leads, but there is almost no evidence-building and actual detective work going on to give real clues. Like I said, you just had to recognize the obvious murder-of-the-week-level characters and settings for the inevitable tropes to fall into place. There's some backstory that's supposed to link to the reveal and make it... atmospheric, I guess, like the found girl's mother's family owned the property where the girls were "kept," or something . . . it fell flat, and I was so tired of the endless boring conversations that I stopped reading closely.
Save your time and money; Reeves just wants to roleplay psychotherapy conversations and uses her novels to share the transcripts.
After the plot is laid out in chapter 1, we're introduced to a host of adults and their Problems, which go completely unresolved despite taking of the majority of the focus of this short book. The main conflict of the dead girl feels like a b-plot, with very few developments and advancements. The case is solved because characters make illogical but somehow uncannily correct moves while ignoring evidence and leads (Why did no one ever actually talk to that drug dealer??), ending in one of those ridiculous "the gang's all here!" climax scenes where all the main players and suspects show up and the villain then monologues about why they did it and how it felt and yada yada.
We follow three adults connected to the crime, the found girl's mom (boring), the detective assigned to the case (maudlin), and the psychiatrist assigned to the found girl (forgettable). They are really more of showcases than characters; the only mistakes they make are in the past, and in each case the mistake was trusting or falling for the wrong person. See what happens there? Nothing they've done wrong is ever ACTUALLY their fault, because they can blame it on their too-big hearts. So we get whole chapters dedicated to hearing about what sad circumstances ten years or fifteen years or two weeks ago set these characters up to be Sad now, and that Sadness is meant to give the novel depth and intrigue but instead makes it feel overwrought and dramatic in a soap-opera, tragic backstory without current character depth way. The side characters and suspects are more engaging, even though they're clearly just caricatures and stereotypes.
All this "character development" in our MCs is a setup to display various therapy-esque conversations with what is clearly the author's self-insert character, a sexy middle-aged woman with incredible breasts (I kid thee not, this is part of her first physical description) who always knows what to say or ask or do and who ends up being half of the unconvincing, seemingly obligatory romantic pairing, as if we care about the tentative love life of a melancholy therapist when there's a dead girl's murder to solve. Think I'm being mean? Lynne Reeves, self-professed "internationally recognized family counselor" has given the psychiatrist in her book the name Cyn Rawlins. Lynne Reeves. Cyn Rawlins. You see it.
Anyway, potential spoilers from here.
The reveal at the end was just painfully done. Not only was the confession scene itself like something out of a Murder, She Wrote episode, but the fact that we were given so little in the way of foreshadowing also made it unsatisfying and flat. Oh, but she is an actress, so it's fine that she was able to fool literally everyone--and she's probably narcissistic and psychotic, so having no emotional fallout also is perfectly acceptable. The red herrings are all obviously false leads, but there is almost no evidence-building and actual detective work going on to give real clues. Like I said, you just had to recognize the obvious murder-of-the-week-level characters and settings for the inevitable tropes to fall into place. There's some backstory that's supposed to link to the reveal and make it... atmospheric, I guess, like the found girl's mother's family owned the property where the girls were "kept," or something . . . it fell flat, and I was so tired of the endless boring conversations that I stopped reading closely.
Save your time and money; Reeves just wants to roleplay psychotherapy conversations and uses her novels to share the transcripts.
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