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The Murder After the Night Before
Something bad happened last night. My best friend Posey is dead. The police think it was a tragic accident. I know she was murdered.
I’ve woken up with the hangover from hell, a stranger in my bed, and I’ve gone viral for the worst reasons.
There’s only one thing stopping me from dying of shame. I need to find a killer.
But after last night, I can’t remember a thing...
I’ve woken up with the hangover from hell, a stranger in my bed, and I’ve gone viral for the worst reasons.
There’s only one thing stopping me from dying of shame. I need to find a killer.
But after last night, I can’t remember a thing...
336 pages, Paperback
First published February 29, 2024
About the author
Katy Brent
4 books390 followersKaty Brent is an author and award-winning journalist from the UK. She has worked on newspapers, magazines and websites since 2005, writing about popular culture. How To Kill Men and Get Away With It is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,342 reviews
March 2, 2024
Molly Monroe woke up with a blazing hangover with a partially dressed hot dude in her bed; what she didn't know then was that she was trending worldwide on social media having been filmed performing a sex act in public in Central London; oh, and her best friend lay dead in the bathroom! 'Teen mag' journalist Molly refuses to believe her fellow journalist and flatmate died in an accident and sets about investigating the death whilst her name and image are trending like crazy and she is being vilified and ridiculed on multiple aps, and being dissected in the mainstream media!
The narrative voice was one of the few things I really liked with Katy Brent's
How to Kill Men and Get Away With It, but this book blew off my face, what a ride. Another great narrative voice alongside a story, a plot, a mystery that I just couldn't put down. A very much recommend 21st century read. I enjoyed this on multiple levels; I feel that the last piece of the writing jigsaw now for Katy, is a bit more flesh on her supporting characters. All-on-all, I am very much queueing up for her next book; indeed I would very much like another book on Molly Monroe off-key woman investigative journo!
2024 read
The narrative voice was one of the few things I really liked with Katy Brent's
How to Kill Men and Get Away With It, but this book blew off my face, what a ride. Another great narrative voice alongside a story, a plot, a mystery that I just couldn't put down. A very much recommend 21st century read. I enjoyed this on multiple levels; I feel that the last piece of the writing jigsaw now for Katy, is a bit more flesh on her supporting characters. All-on-all, I am very much queueing up for her next book; indeed I would very much like another book on Molly Monroe off-key woman investigative journo!
2024 read
April 13, 2024
I don’t know whether to reach for a bottle of wine, or to put the kettle on?
The Murder After the night before is definitely an easily digestible one sit read, I’ll give it that.
We are following Molly who after a very drunk filled night out with her colleagues, wakes up the morning after with 101 problems. The main 3 being:
1. There is a strange man in her bed
2. She is currently going viral on Twitter for performing a sexual act on an unknown man
3. Her best friend and roommate has been schmurdered!
The beginning of the book definitely drew me in with Molly and all her mess, but I was also squirming with all the millennial lingo the author was using as metaphors. It was borderline cringy but it eventually subsided (or I mentally ignored it).
Once Molly finds that her friend has been k!lled, this contemporary thriller takes on more of a mystery turn and the author throws us a bunch of unlikable characters all with a potential motive to be the perpetrator.
Sounds good right? Well for me it only half worked. The problem was I didn’t care about a single character, they didn’t feel real, they came across very caricature-ish, and they all seem to permeate the weirdest reactions to very serious situations.
The mystery element of this book became so convoluted, it gave me a slight headache.
The police work (lack of) of Molly’s friend Posey was sooo shoddy it gave me the serious ICK! There is just no way that you see copious amounts of bruises on a deceased woman and still write it off as accidental. No photographs taken, no post mortem… just vibes and assumptions! 😣
Speaking of Posey, I wasn’t interested in who had k!lled her. We don’t get much of a backstory or a true idea on her character. The only thing she was depicted as was being a nympho journalist and to be honest not a very good friend.
Common sense was not common in this book!
With just a few examples of the annoyance I felt with this book, I will say that the author does a nice writing style that makes you want to finish the book, even if it’s annoying you.
It was an ok read. I did like how social commentary was intertwined and there was some funny moments.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Pre Review
Am I purely reading this because I’m so enamoured by the gorgeous cover?… Hell Yeah! 😂
Here’s to me “judging a book by its cover”and hoping it serves me well!!🤞🏾💖💖
The Murder After the night before is definitely an easily digestible one sit read, I’ll give it that.
We are following Molly who after a very drunk filled night out with her colleagues, wakes up the morning after with 101 problems. The main 3 being:
1. There is a strange man in her bed
2. She is currently going viral on Twitter for performing a sexual act on an unknown man
3. Her best friend and roommate has been schmurdered!
The beginning of the book definitely drew me in with Molly and all her mess, but I was also squirming with all the millennial lingo the author was using as metaphors. It was borderline cringy but it eventually subsided (or I mentally ignored it).
Once Molly finds that her friend has been k!lled, this contemporary thriller takes on more of a mystery turn and the author throws us a bunch of unlikable characters all with a potential motive to be the perpetrator.
Sounds good right? Well for me it only half worked. The problem was I didn’t care about a single character, they didn’t feel real, they came across very caricature-ish, and they all seem to permeate the weirdest reactions to very serious situations.
The mystery element of this book became so convoluted, it gave me a slight headache.
The police work (lack of) of Molly’s friend Posey was sooo shoddy it gave me the serious ICK! There is just no way that you see copious amounts of bruises on a deceased woman and still write it off as accidental. No photographs taken, no post mortem… just vibes and assumptions! 😣
Speaking of Posey, I wasn’t interested in who had k!lled her. We don’t get much of a backstory or a true idea on her character. The only thing she was depicted as was being a nympho journalist and to be honest not a very good friend.
Common sense was not common in this book!
With just a few examples of the annoyance I felt with this book, I will say that the author does a nice writing style that makes you want to finish the book, even if it’s annoying you.
It was an ok read. I did like how social commentary was intertwined and there was some funny moments.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Pre Review
Am I purely reading this because I’m so enamoured by the gorgeous cover?… Hell Yeah! 😂
Here’s to me “judging a book by its cover”and hoping it serves me well!!🤞🏾💖💖
June 22, 2024
This was amazing! »» 4.5 🌟
As a side note, I listened to the audiobook as I DID receive the arc to read but missed the archive date. Trust me, no one was and is sadder than me about my stupid mistake. I will definitely get a copy for a future reread! ❤️
Nevertheless, this was such an amazing journey! Molly (the MC) is such an inspiration. This does not mean that she is perfect and without any flaws. But she is herself. She is a strong, intelligent, curious feminist fighting her personal battles from the past, the very resent past, and the present. She is charming, funny, and never fails to say what she thinks, which might result in her actually speaking her thoughts aloud without realizing at some points of the story.
This is an amazing thriller with, yes, your typical "who-done-it," but not only for a murder... Molly, being the strong woman that she is, even though she sometimes may not feel like it, tries to solve the murder of her best friend while battling her own personal drama and discovering some disturbing truths? or not truths along the way. It's so much more than I expected, and a book with a few important messages!
I would definitely recommend this to anyone interested in a thriller, murder mystery, and feminist story full of twists and turns from the very beginning to the very end! 🫶🏻
Victoria Morrison did an amazing job with the audiobook! Thank you for making me grin in public with your accents! ❤️
I can't wait to read How to Kill Men and Get Away with It. It's been on my tbr for way too long, and after this book, I just know, that it will be amazing.
Thank you, Netgalley, HQ Digital, and Katy Brent for the arc in exchange for an honest review!
Please don't stop approving any future requests. I promise that I will never miss an archive date ever again. 🥺
As a side note, I listened to the audiobook as I DID receive the arc to read but missed the archive date. Trust me, no one was and is sadder than me about my stupid mistake. I will definitely get a copy for a future reread! ❤️
Nevertheless, this was such an amazing journey! Molly (the MC) is such an inspiration. This does not mean that she is perfect and without any flaws. But she is herself. She is a strong, intelligent, curious feminist fighting her personal battles from the past, the very resent past, and the present. She is charming, funny, and never fails to say what she thinks, which might result in her actually speaking her thoughts aloud without realizing at some points of the story.
This is an amazing thriller with, yes, your typical "who-done-it," but not only for a murder... Molly, being the strong woman that she is, even though she sometimes may not feel like it, tries to solve the murder of her best friend while battling her own personal drama and discovering some disturbing truths? or not truths along the way. It's so much more than I expected, and a book with a few important messages!
I would definitely recommend this to anyone interested in a thriller, murder mystery, and feminist story full of twists and turns from the very beginning to the very end! 🫶🏻
Victoria Morrison did an amazing job with the audiobook! Thank you for making me grin in public with your accents! ❤️
I can't wait to read How to Kill Men and Get Away with It. It's been on my tbr for way too long, and after this book, I just know, that it will be amazing.
Thank you, Netgalley, HQ Digital, and Katy Brent for the arc in exchange for an honest review!
Please don't stop approving any future requests. I promise that I will never miss an archive date ever again. 🥺
November 13, 2023
3.5 rounded up
“ I am Molly Monroe, I’m 32 and a writer for a preteen magazine and I’m very definitely not okay. It’s the morning after the Sparkle magazine Christmas party and I feel like I’m dying. Can you die from a hangover? However, what’s even worse is there’s a stranger in my bed and I’m so confused, although he hastily assures me he just wanted to get me home safely because I got so hammered. I’m horrified, embarrassed and rather sick… Turns out this is Jack and the story he tells me about last night makes no sense whatsoever. There are a few other things that are odd too, and those bad feelings I have just won’t go away but it’s all a total blackout. What happened last night?? What I learn when I eventually stagger into work shocks me to the core. It’s bad people, very bad, the absolute worst. Only this is just the start as things are set to deteriorate very rapidly when I discover my flatmate and best friend Posey is dead. The authorities believe it’s a tragic accident but things don’t add up and so it seems it’s up to me to prove that Posey has been murdered. As to why that’s another story.”
This latest novel from Katie Brent starts off humorously, it’s witty and irreverent until it’s not, I’m actually really glad the author adopts a different tone in this one, as here we have a valid social commentary which becomes justifiably heavy at times. There’s a lot going on to keep you interested as just for starters Molly is on the receiving end of social media toxicity, which is deeply unpleasant to say the least. It also looks at sexual assault, the disparity between the sexes and misogyny,. It’s very current and extremely relevant but is presented in a very accessible way via Molly.
The characterisation is very good, especially of Molly. I like her, she is most certainly flawed, (who isn’t!) and she sure blunders about a bit, but she’s a good person who is prepared to go the extra mile for her journalist friend, Posey. The Posey storyline is a really good one, and there are numerous anomalies in the investigation that Posey is undertaking before her death. There’s a building intriguing mystery surrounding her death and there several surprising twists and turns. What Molly uncovers is that there are many secrets and lies being concealed, and there are multiple shocks in store for her. Parts of this are emotional, sad and dark, but Molly pursues the truth relentlessly and bravely.
I enjoy this novel, however, I’m not too sure about the ending as there’s a lack of resolution, hence the 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
With thanks to NetGalley, and especially to HQ for that much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
“ I am Molly Monroe, I’m 32 and a writer for a preteen magazine and I’m very definitely not okay. It’s the morning after the Sparkle magazine Christmas party and I feel like I’m dying. Can you die from a hangover? However, what’s even worse is there’s a stranger in my bed and I’m so confused, although he hastily assures me he just wanted to get me home safely because I got so hammered. I’m horrified, embarrassed and rather sick… Turns out this is Jack and the story he tells me about last night makes no sense whatsoever. There are a few other things that are odd too, and those bad feelings I have just won’t go away but it’s all a total blackout. What happened last night?? What I learn when I eventually stagger into work shocks me to the core. It’s bad people, very bad, the absolute worst. Only this is just the start as things are set to deteriorate very rapidly when I discover my flatmate and best friend Posey is dead. The authorities believe it’s a tragic accident but things don’t add up and so it seems it’s up to me to prove that Posey has been murdered. As to why that’s another story.”
This latest novel from Katie Brent starts off humorously, it’s witty and irreverent until it’s not, I’m actually really glad the author adopts a different tone in this one, as here we have a valid social commentary which becomes justifiably heavy at times. There’s a lot going on to keep you interested as just for starters Molly is on the receiving end of social media toxicity, which is deeply unpleasant to say the least. It also looks at sexual assault, the disparity between the sexes and misogyny,. It’s very current and extremely relevant but is presented in a very accessible way via Molly.
The characterisation is very good, especially of Molly. I like her, she is most certainly flawed, (who isn’t!) and she sure blunders about a bit, but she’s a good person who is prepared to go the extra mile for her journalist friend, Posey. The Posey storyline is a really good one, and there are numerous anomalies in the investigation that Posey is undertaking before her death. There’s a building intriguing mystery surrounding her death and there several surprising twists and turns. What Molly uncovers is that there are many secrets and lies being concealed, and there are multiple shocks in store for her. Parts of this are emotional, sad and dark, but Molly pursues the truth relentlessly and bravely.
I enjoy this novel, however, I’m not too sure about the ending as there’s a lack of resolution, hence the 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
With thanks to NetGalley, and especially to HQ for that much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
June 28, 2024
The Murder After The Night Before is a fast paced read that you don’t need your full concentration on the character were well fleshed out & yes…. Flawed but aren’t they all.
Molly Monroe 32 works on a magazine for pre teens but wants to write her own memoir as her backstory has a lot to offer, until one day after a booze fuelled night out she performs a sex act which goes viral over Twitter(aka X) not only has she got herself in deep 💦 water she finds a man in her bed she doesn’t recognise… you’d think that would be enough to cope with right!!! No she finds out her best friends Posie is murdered in the bath 🛁 she is also a journalist.
The police come in to sort the murder out but posie also wants to find the culprit?
Who killed her best friend & why?
There are so many twists & turns in this novel I loved every minute from beginning to end I liked Molly but at times she got on my nerves a bit saying that it didn’t take away my enjoyment a must read for those who like twisty Thrillers.
Forgot to say it was set in Vauxhall London.
Molly Monroe 32 works on a magazine for pre teens but wants to write her own memoir as her backstory has a lot to offer, until one day after a booze fuelled night out she performs a sex act which goes viral over Twitter(aka X) not only has she got herself in deep 💦 water she finds a man in her bed she doesn’t recognise… you’d think that would be enough to cope with right!!! No she finds out her best friends Posie is murdered in the bath 🛁 she is also a journalist.
The police come in to sort the murder out but posie also wants to find the culprit?
Who killed her best friend & why?
There are so many twists & turns in this novel I loved every minute from beginning to end I liked Molly but at times she got on my nerves a bit saying that it didn’t take away my enjoyment a must read for those who like twisty Thrillers.
Forgot to say it was set in Vauxhall London.
June 18, 2024
Molly has a really bad night. Like, really bad. What started as a work holiday party turns terrible when she proceeds to get black out drunk. She wakes up in bed only to have a stranger laying next to her. His name is Jack, and he claims to have found her stumbling drunk and bawling her eyes out. He manages to get her address out of her, grabs an Uber, and gets her home. He stayed to make sure she didn't hurt herself. A complete gentleman, they are both completely clothed after all. Or is he?
Molly heads to work with a hangover like no other only to find herself being summoned into HR upon arrival. Apparently, a video from the night before went viral. In it, she is performing fellatio on a stranger on a busy London street.
She stumbles back home hurt and appalled at herself. How could she have let this happen?
Needing her flatmate and best friend desperately she goes to her room only to find her dead in the en suite. The police claim it was just a terrible accident but Molly has reasons to believe otherwise. Now all she has to do is prove it. Will she succeed? You'll have to read this to find out.
When I first started this book I thought it was going to be a dark comedy. The first chapter had me grinning from ear to ear but let me tell you this book is much deeper than that. This is a book about sexual assault, about misogyny, about internet trolls spewing hate, about woman being gaslit and ignored and there is nothing lighthearted about any of that so be prepared for a dark descent. Molly was a great character that I couldn't help but to feel for. I wanted so badly for her to find the answers she's looking for. Molly also makes a couple of surprising friendships along the way giving her the support she so desperately needs. Sometimes it's the least likely people that turn out to have your back. I was pleased and surprised at the end and I hope future readers will be too. 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for my complimentary copy.
Molly heads to work with a hangover like no other only to find herself being summoned into HR upon arrival. Apparently, a video from the night before went viral. In it, she is performing fellatio on a stranger on a busy London street.
She stumbles back home hurt and appalled at herself. How could she have let this happen?
Needing her flatmate and best friend desperately she goes to her room only to find her dead in the en suite. The police claim it was just a terrible accident but Molly has reasons to believe otherwise. Now all she has to do is prove it. Will she succeed? You'll have to read this to find out.
When I first started this book I thought it was going to be a dark comedy. The first chapter had me grinning from ear to ear but let me tell you this book is much deeper than that. This is a book about sexual assault, about misogyny, about internet trolls spewing hate, about woman being gaslit and ignored and there is nothing lighthearted about any of that so be prepared for a dark descent. Molly was a great character that I couldn't help but to feel for. I wanted so badly for her to find the answers she's looking for. Molly also makes a couple of surprising friendships along the way giving her the support she so desperately needs. Sometimes it's the least likely people that turn out to have your back. I was pleased and surprised at the end and I hope future readers will be too. 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for my complimentary copy.
March 25, 2024
3.5 stars rounded up- a quick paced and often fun read from the author of "How to Kill Men and Get Away with It". While I didn't think this one was quite as good, it still kept me very engaged & flipping pages like crazy. I did find the FMC Molly a bit exasperating at time - she's a serious drunken mess at the beginning and the murder mystery here seemed to have a lot of parts that seemed rather obvious. Still, there was something about her perseverance and spirit that I really liked. I also found the on-line bullying & misogyny to be both very believable & also too OTT. I'll be checking out the author's next release.
April 4, 2024
"The bad stuff will keep coming, Molly, no matter what you do. But the good stuff, the moments that take your breath away, the moments when you can’t see anything bad because you’re so dazzled by happiness, those moments you’ve got to work for."
Plot Summary: When Molly Monroe wakes up with a killer headache and no memory of the night before, she understandably freaks out a bit. The handsome (clothed) man in her bedroom can only tell her that A. They did NOT have sex and B. When he found her, she seemed very upset about something. Once she leaves her apartment, she finds out that she's now the star of a viral video that was taken the night before. The folks on the internet behave....exactly as you would expect. Just when you think her day can't get any worse, she returns home to find her roommate and best friend Posey, dead in her bathtub. The police rule it an accidental death, but Molly knows better, especially since Posey was investigating the disappearance of a teenage girl named Lulu Lawrence. Especially since she was being threatened to drop her investigation.....
TW: sa, murder, slut shaming, cyberbullying, attempted drugging, attempted murder, death threats, death of a parent (flashbacks) anxiety and depression, gaslighting, grief
What I liked about the book:
1. Great cover, beautiful cover. But seriously, this cover is what made me want to buy the book 😂 I was a huge fan of Katy Brent's previous novel: How To Kill Men and Get Away With It. So, when I saw that she had written another book, that it was 99 cents on Kindle and that it had THIS cover? I had to buy it.
2. Brent does such a good job of depicting how women are depicted in society as a whole, but especially how women are treated online. Every woman with a social media account knows what I'm talking about it. CAN I GET AN AMEN? When Molly's video goes viral the comments she receives are horrific, and sadly realistic. It doesn't matter that Molly was too intoxicated to consent to anything. The internet doesn't care that she was straight up sexually assaulted: that won't stop the demons on twitter from victim-blaming! She's the "character of the day" and the internet does what it does best: kicks her while she's down and calls her a slut. Once the news of Posey's death reaches the public, the ridiculous conspiracy theories are added on to all the slut shaming. Molly is now accused of being *insert every derogatory term created about women* AND a murderer! How deliciously relevant *glares at the internet* YES, I'VE SEEN ALL THE UNHINGED CONSPIRACY THEORIES ABOUT THE PRINCESS OF WALES, I HOPE Y'ALL FEEL LIKE SH*T NOW, EVERYONE NEEDS TO GO OUTSIDE AND TOUCH GRASS. *Clears throat* Ok back to the book....
3. I also love that Molly wasn't a "perfect victim." Women shouldn't have to be perfect angel babies for the public to care about them when someone hurts them. Period. Molly is dealing with a lot, and she's doesn't handle her struggles in the heathiest way. She's still grieving the death of her mother (she died when she was 17), she wants to be a serious journalist, but at 32, she feels stuck writing at a teen magazine, so she drinks to escape from it all. Molly felt real. Even when she was annoying the hell out of me, she felt like a flawed, complicated, 3-dimensional human being. More of this please. Additionally, Posey isn't the perfect victim either, Molly finds out that Posey had made some disastrous choices in her romantic life. But guess what: she didn't deserve what happened to her and she still deserves justice.
What I didn't love about this book:
1. I know law enforcement can be incompetent, but Posey has bruises on her body and they're like "Welp. Looks like she had too much to drink and accidentally drowned" DETECTIVE OLIVIA BENSON WOULD BE ASHAMED.
2. Most of the men in this book were straight up cartoon villains. There's Patrick, the awful married nextdoor neighbour who Posey was having an affair with, there's Jesse, the awful married but separated landlord who Posey had a one-night stand with, then there's Posey's boss, Oliver, who was initially her friend but gaslights her when she wants to further investigate Lulu's disappearance. The only "good guy" in the book is Jack/Josh and even he's keeping secrets. I pretty much guessed who murdered Posey at around 50 percent of the book. I was actually disappointed that I was right 😭 I think Brent could've done something really cool- subverted expectations and whatnot- and had the "good guy" be the murderer. That's actually more realistic, women aren't just afraid of the straight up monsters in society, the "good guys," the "nice guys" can be equally terrifying. But oh well *deep sigh*
3. Molly's chaotic "investigation." I acknowledge that she was grieving but MY GOODNESS THIS GIRL WAS MAKING SO MANY WRONG CHOICES. I would describe the vibes of her investigation as "PARKOUR." Accusing folks of being murderers left and right, but letting those same men into her home when she alone was just.....wow. Immediately trusting Josh/Jack when he was a complete stranger (I get that he was one of a few people being nice to her BUT STILL) When her boss Robyn offered to go with her to question a potential suspect and she was like "NAH, I'LL JUST GO ON MY OWN." MA'AM. Also, she didn't back up any of Posey's files, there was no saving on thumb drives, no emailing information to herself. NOTHING. There was no plan, no strategy, just vibes and the Virgo in me was SCREAMING.
Despite the book's flaws, I could not put it down. I appreciate how Brent handles dark subject matters with respect and sensitivity. I had a hunger to know if there would be any kind of resolution at the end and that last chapter was heartbreaking and CHILLING.
I know I usually only do songs for couples, but Molly Monroe's song is When the Party's Over by Billie Eilish. I listened to it immediately after I read the book, and it was perfect.
Plot Summary: When Molly Monroe wakes up with a killer headache and no memory of the night before, she understandably freaks out a bit. The handsome (clothed) man in her bedroom can only tell her that A. They did NOT have sex and B. When he found her, she seemed very upset about something. Once she leaves her apartment, she finds out that she's now the star of a viral video that was taken the night before. The folks on the internet behave....exactly as you would expect. Just when you think her day can't get any worse, she returns home to find her roommate and best friend Posey, dead in her bathtub. The police rule it an accidental death, but Molly knows better, especially since Posey was investigating the disappearance of a teenage girl named Lulu Lawrence. Especially since she was being threatened to drop her investigation.....
TW: sa, murder, slut shaming, cyberbullying, attempted drugging, attempted murder, death threats, death of a parent (flashbacks) anxiety and depression, gaslighting, grief
What I liked about the book:
1. Great cover, beautiful cover. But seriously, this cover is what made me want to buy the book 😂 I was a huge fan of Katy Brent's previous novel: How To Kill Men and Get Away With It. So, when I saw that she had written another book, that it was 99 cents on Kindle and that it had THIS cover? I had to buy it.
2. Brent does such a good job of depicting how women are depicted in society as a whole, but especially how women are treated online. Every woman with a social media account knows what I'm talking about it. CAN I GET AN AMEN? When Molly's video goes viral the comments she receives are horrific, and sadly realistic. It doesn't matter that Molly was too intoxicated to consent to anything. The internet doesn't care that she was straight up sexually assaulted: that won't stop the demons on twitter from victim-blaming! She's the "character of the day" and the internet does what it does best: kicks her while she's down and calls her a slut. Once the news of Posey's death reaches the public, the ridiculous conspiracy theories are added on to all the slut shaming. Molly is now accused of being *insert every derogatory term created about women* AND a murderer! How deliciously relevant *glares at the internet* YES, I'VE SEEN ALL THE UNHINGED CONSPIRACY THEORIES ABOUT THE PRINCESS OF WALES, I HOPE Y'ALL FEEL LIKE SH*T NOW, EVERYONE NEEDS TO GO OUTSIDE AND TOUCH GRASS. *Clears throat* Ok back to the book....
3. I also love that Molly wasn't a "perfect victim." Women shouldn't have to be perfect angel babies for the public to care about them when someone hurts them. Period. Molly is dealing with a lot, and she's doesn't handle her struggles in the heathiest way. She's still grieving the death of her mother (she died when she was 17), she wants to be a serious journalist, but at 32, she feels stuck writing at a teen magazine, so she drinks to escape from it all. Molly felt real. Even when she was annoying the hell out of me, she felt like a flawed, complicated, 3-dimensional human being. More of this please. Additionally, Posey isn't the perfect victim either, Molly finds out that Posey had made some disastrous choices in her romantic life. But guess what: she didn't deserve what happened to her and she still deserves justice.
What I didn't love about this book:
1. I know law enforcement can be incompetent, but Posey has bruises on her body and they're like "Welp. Looks like she had too much to drink and accidentally drowned" DETECTIVE OLIVIA BENSON WOULD BE ASHAMED.
2. Most of the men in this book were straight up cartoon villains. There's Patrick, the awful married nextdoor neighbour who Posey was having an affair with, there's Jesse, the awful married but separated landlord who Posey had a one-night stand with, then there's Posey's boss, Oliver, who was initially her friend but gaslights her when she wants to further investigate Lulu's disappearance. The only "good guy" in the book is Jack/Josh and even he's keeping secrets. I pretty much guessed who murdered Posey at around 50 percent of the book. I was actually disappointed that I was right 😭 I think Brent could've done something really cool- subverted expectations and whatnot- and had the "good guy" be the murderer. That's actually more realistic, women aren't just afraid of the straight up monsters in society, the "good guys," the "nice guys" can be equally terrifying. But oh well *deep sigh*
3. Molly's chaotic "investigation." I acknowledge that she was grieving but MY GOODNESS THIS GIRL WAS MAKING SO MANY WRONG CHOICES. I would describe the vibes of her investigation as "PARKOUR." Accusing folks of being murderers left and right, but letting those same men into her home when she alone was just.....wow. Immediately trusting Josh/Jack when he was a complete stranger (I get that he was one of a few people being nice to her BUT STILL) When her boss Robyn offered to go with her to question a potential suspect and she was like "NAH, I'LL JUST GO ON MY OWN." MA'AM. Also, she didn't back up any of Posey's files, there was no saving on thumb drives, no emailing information to herself. NOTHING. There was no plan, no strategy, just vibes and the Virgo in me was SCREAMING.
Despite the book's flaws, I could not put it down. I appreciate how Brent handles dark subject matters with respect and sensitivity. I had a hunger to know if there would be any kind of resolution at the end and that last chapter was heartbreaking and CHILLING.
I know I usually only do songs for couples, but Molly Monroe's song is When the Party's Over by Billie Eilish. I listened to it immediately after I read the book, and it was perfect.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2024
3.5/5 - Katy Brent's series of books is disturbing but also - I'm not sure I can read the next one. If you haven't read these books - there are A LOT of content warnings that should be firmly in your mind before you start.
CWs:
- Nonconsensual s3x
- Unauthorized recording & distribution of non consensual s3x
- Police non-response to victims of s3xual trauma
- Stalking and the police doing nothing about it
- domestic violence
It's short and a great feminist read for those who need to see the bad guy caught - but perhaps a little too dark for an every day read.
Starting this today to rinse out another romance I just read from my mind palace.
**Thank you to HQ Digital for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤
Find Me On Instagram 🦋 || More Bookish Thoughts & Reviews Here 🖤
CWs:
- Nonconsensual s3x
- Unauthorized recording & distribution of non consensual s3x
- Police non-response to victims of s3xual trauma
- Stalking and the police doing nothing about it
- domestic violence
It's short and a great feminist read for those who need to see the bad guy caught - but perhaps a little too dark for an every day read.
Starting this today to rinse out another romance I just read from my mind palace.
**Thank you to HQ Digital for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤
Find Me On Instagram 🦋 || More Bookish Thoughts & Reviews Here 🖤
February 8, 2024
A hot mess like its protagonist.
I loved How to Kill Men and Get Away with It but sadly this felt nothing like it. The book and Molly's rambling grated on my nerves from the very start and while it did get better, the storyline did not.
None of the characters were likeable. Molly came across as being super gullible and naive, trusting a complete male stranger she'd just met. Not only was she self-pitying and horrible to people, I couldn't stand how she was incapable of doing very basic life things. Yes she's 'grieving', but her personality was just... yuck.
The plot was all over the place and super unconvincing. It felt like the author was just forcefully connecting things and characters to link them together, because nothing really made sense. the whodunit was equally underwhelming and I didn't buy it at all.
Nevertheless, I appreciate the social commentary in this novel, especially how it highlights sexism and slutshaming. Its exploration of grief is equally commendable. But as a thriller, this was a terrible one.
Thank you HQ Digital for the ARC.
I loved How to Kill Men and Get Away with It but sadly this felt nothing like it. The book and Molly's rambling grated on my nerves from the very start and while it did get better, the storyline did not.
None of the characters were likeable. Molly came across as being super gullible and naive, trusting a complete male stranger she'd just met. Not only was she self-pitying and horrible to people, I couldn't stand how she was incapable of doing very basic life things. Yes she's 'grieving', but her personality was just... yuck.
The plot was all over the place and super unconvincing. It felt like the author was just forcefully connecting things and characters to link them together, because nothing really made sense. the whodunit was equally underwhelming and I didn't buy it at all.
Nevertheless, I appreciate the social commentary in this novel, especially how it highlights sexism and slutshaming. Its exploration of grief is equally commendable. But as a thriller, this was a terrible one.
Thank you HQ Digital for the ARC.
February 19, 2024
This was a hot mess. From the unrealistic, largely unlikeable main character who seems to be the most naive individual living in London, to the cast of suspicious men that seem to mysteriously pop out of the wood work every five pages. I spent the majority of my time reading this shaking my head and loudly proclaiming how stupid Molly Monroe is. Stupid for not realising what happened to Posey, stupid for seeming to let a random man she's just met into every intimate aspect of her life and stupid for telling anyone and everyone her theories over who killed Posey - therefore putting herself and everyone else in danger.
On top of this the plot made no sense. Why would the police disregard apparent, and obvious, bruising on Posey that Molly can immediately recognise as strangulation marks? How does one random lawyer, who lives next door to two not exactly rolling-in-cash girls, seem to have unlimited power over the press? How is it that everyone Molly talks to seems to be coincidentally linked? There are seven million people who live in London, but apparently in Molly's world there's about ten. Why is Molly's backstory left until the second to last chapter to expand on? Leaving it so late adds nothing to the plot and only increased my confusion when it could have served as a driving force behind Molly wanting so desperately to understand what happened to Posey. And leaving a supposed 'reveal' until the last chapter felt incredibly sloppy.
I'm no lover of domestic thrillers, however this was just bad.
On top of this the plot made no sense. Why would the police disregard apparent, and obvious, bruising on Posey that Molly can immediately recognise as strangulation marks? How does one random lawyer, who lives next door to two not exactly rolling-in-cash girls, seem to have unlimited power over the press? How is it that everyone Molly talks to seems to be coincidentally linked? There are seven million people who live in London, but apparently in Molly's world there's about ten. Why is Molly's backstory left until the second to last chapter to expand on? Leaving it so late adds nothing to the plot and only increased my confusion when it could have served as a driving force behind Molly wanting so desperately to understand what happened to Posey. And leaving a supposed 'reveal' until the last chapter felt incredibly sloppy.
I'm no lover of domestic thrillers, however this was just bad.
February 18, 2024
So many questions. Specifically, how did she get a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc through security at Heathrow?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 19, 2024
After a drunken night out at her company Christmas party, Molly wakes up with the mother of all hangovers, fully clothed with a stranger in her bed, and trending on Twitter for reasons she does not remember after a video of her has gone viral from the night before.
All she wants to do now is die of shame – that, or be consoled by her best friend, Posey, who also happens to be her flat mate.
Molly searches everywhere for Posey, but by the time she finds her, she is no longer alive. What happened last night, and how does Molly not remember? Who was the guy in her bed, does she know him? Does she even know Posey?
This was my most enjoyable read of the year so far – despite the topic and overall tone of the book, Katy Brent still managed to make me laugh out loud from page 6.
Molly is a relatable main character; she feels real because of her flaws and her acknowledgement of them. This is one reason I felt so connected to the book and was constantly thinking about it when I put it down.
The other reason is that I had absolutely no idea where the story was going at any given time. Though there are multiple suspects right from the get-go, I never could have guessed how it would unfold, and even when the book was over 90% through, my jaw was still dropping (literally) at the twists and turns.
This gave me the same feeling I had with A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, except this is not a YA. It takes a special thriller to get me this engaged, I am so happy I got to read this one!!
It’s a 5/5 thriller, I can’t recommend it enough!
All she wants to do now is die of shame – that, or be consoled by her best friend, Posey, who also happens to be her flat mate.
Molly searches everywhere for Posey, but by the time she finds her, she is no longer alive. What happened last night, and how does Molly not remember? Who was the guy in her bed, does she know him? Does she even know Posey?
This was my most enjoyable read of the year so far – despite the topic and overall tone of the book, Katy Brent still managed to make me laugh out loud from page 6.
Molly is a relatable main character; she feels real because of her flaws and her acknowledgement of them. This is one reason I felt so connected to the book and was constantly thinking about it when I put it down.
The other reason is that I had absolutely no idea where the story was going at any given time. Though there are multiple suspects right from the get-go, I never could have guessed how it would unfold, and even when the book was over 90% through, my jaw was still dropping (literally) at the twists and turns.
This gave me the same feeling I had with A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, except this is not a YA. It takes a special thriller to get me this engaged, I am so happy I got to read this one!!
It’s a 5/5 thriller, I can’t recommend it enough!
January 5, 2024
This book was so much fun to read! Yes people die, there are lots of dark subjects in it but it was so well written. Like her first book, How To Kill Men and Get Away With It, the darkness is written with humour. It will make you laugh and cry at the same time. Parts of the story were very relatable at times and I didn’t want to stop reading it.
Our main character Molly is a hot mess, and that is before the night of her Christening party. She is grieving her mother, she drinks too much and hates her job writing for a teenage girl magazine. I hints come to a head at the party, when she drinks way too much and wakes up the next day with the mother of all hangovers and a strange man in her bed. Her day is about to get worse when she finds that she is the star of a viral video on twitter and then there is her roommates death.
This is a clever murder mystery, fast paced page turner. There was always something going on and it was never predictable. And the ending 😱
Thanks so much to HQ and NetGalley got my advanced copy of this book to read. Get it on your TBR, publishes on February 1st and is the perfect summer read for us Aussies.
Our main character Molly is a hot mess, and that is before the night of her Christening party. She is grieving her mother, she drinks too much and hates her job writing for a teenage girl magazine. I hints come to a head at the party, when she drinks way too much and wakes up the next day with the mother of all hangovers and a strange man in her bed. Her day is about to get worse when she finds that she is the star of a viral video on twitter and then there is her roommates death.
This is a clever murder mystery, fast paced page turner. There was always something going on and it was never predictable. And the ending 😱
Thanks so much to HQ and NetGalley got my advanced copy of this book to read. Get it on your TBR, publishes on February 1st and is the perfect summer read for us Aussies.
March 31, 2024
“but the good stuff, the moments that take your breath away, the moments when you can’t see anything bad because you’re so dazzled by happiness, those moments you’ve got to work for.”
· · ────── ·𖥸· ────── · ·
my expectations were sky high for this one.
i think maybe a little too high cause i’m obsessed with katy’s first book.
this one isn’t bad, the story itself is interesting and you can’t helpt but feel for molly and what she’s been through.
i also love katy for always spreading awareness for the issues women deal with on a day to day basis.
“because how can you just keep writing, what’s essentially the same story, over and over again and it not break you? woman is murdered. woman is missing. woman is raped. and that’s on top of all the other shit we have to deal with. the unwanted groping. the everyday sexism. the fucking pay gap. the domestic workload. the emotional labour. everything is on your shoulders when you’re a woman.”
i really wished i loved this more, but it just didn’t grab me as much as her first book did.
· · ────── ·𖥸· ────── · ·
tw: SA/online harassment/ revenge porn.
· · ────── ·𖥸· ────── · ·
❥𝒒𝒖𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔:
“you’re not being hysterical. that’s the patriarchy trying to silence you.”
“and while we’re all trying to be hashtag kind, at least outwardly, the pack mentality of a public pile-on is a compulsion too tempting for many to ignore.”
“shit happens so balance it out.”
“posey porter, i solemnly swear that if anything happens to you, i will spare your mother the indignity of having to sort through your dildo box.”
· · ────── ·𖥸· ────── · ·
my expectations were sky high for this one.
i think maybe a little too high cause i’m obsessed with katy’s first book.
this one isn’t bad, the story itself is interesting and you can’t helpt but feel for molly and what she’s been through.
i also love katy for always spreading awareness for the issues women deal with on a day to day basis.
“because how can you just keep writing, what’s essentially the same story, over and over again and it not break you? woman is murdered. woman is missing. woman is raped. and that’s on top of all the other shit we have to deal with. the unwanted groping. the everyday sexism. the fucking pay gap. the domestic workload. the emotional labour. everything is on your shoulders when you’re a woman.”
i really wished i loved this more, but it just didn’t grab me as much as her first book did.
· · ────── ·𖥸· ────── · ·
tw: SA/online harassment/ revenge porn.
· · ────── ·𖥸· ────── · ·
❥𝒒𝒖𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔:
“you’re not being hysterical. that’s the patriarchy trying to silence you.”
“and while we’re all trying to be hashtag kind, at least outwardly, the pack mentality of a public pile-on is a compulsion too tempting for many to ignore.”
“shit happens so balance it out.”
“posey porter, i solemnly swear that if anything happens to you, i will spare your mother the indignity of having to sort through your dildo box.”
June 14, 2024
3.5 ☆
once again…men 🤢🤮
the initial premise of this (first few chapters) actually terrifies me…like the fact any random stranger can film u doing ANYTHING and post it online for millions to view and judge?… god my anxiety
also the ending was kinda crazy????
“you’re never too old to need your mum” 😢
“she’s another reminder that our society is still patriarchal. it’s still built on misogyny, women’s sexuality is still used to shame us into submission and obedience”
once again…men 🤢🤮
the initial premise of this (first few chapters) actually terrifies me…like the fact any random stranger can film u doing ANYTHING and post it online for millions to view and judge?… god my anxiety
also the ending was kinda crazy????
“you’re never too old to need your mum” 😢
“she’s another reminder that our society is still patriarchal. it’s still built on misogyny, women’s sexuality is still used to shame us into submission and obedience”
February 16, 2024
“I’ve woken up with the hangover from hell, a stranger in my bed, and I’ve gone viral for the worst reasons.
There’s only one thing stopping me from dying of shame. I need to find a killer.”
This is the first novel I’ve read by this author, and WOW did it pack a punch - a wholly original and hilarious thriller. Yes, a thriller - Brent, cleverly weaves emotional and witty narrative, interspersed with dark topics including murder, internet trolling, sexual assault, sexism and suicide (check TWs)
Main character Molly is pretty flawed, but in a relatable way. She’s grieving the loss of her mother, isn’t satisfied with her career and drinks to excess. The morning after her work Christmas party, Molly wakes up with a hell hangover and with a man she does’t know in her bed. Things only go downhill when she finds out a sexually explicit video of her from the Christmas party has gone viral AND her best friend is dead!
Through her clever investigative journalism skills, Molly sets out to uncover the truth …
Overall, a wickedly clever and entertaining read. Brent doesn’t shy away from exposing the disparity of sexism and slut shaming when Molly is targeted by social media and the toxicity of internet trolls - both from men and women - the commentary was infuriating and brutally honest.
Utterly engaging, with secrets exposed, twists and turns aplenty, an exploration into grief and a wholly satisfying ending. You’ll laugh out loud, you’ll gasp … you’ll rally for Molly.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to @netgalley @harlequin for an e-arc. Thanks to @libro for the audiobook, the narrator did a wonderful job - was a fantastic listening experience.
There’s only one thing stopping me from dying of shame. I need to find a killer.”
This is the first novel I’ve read by this author, and WOW did it pack a punch - a wholly original and hilarious thriller. Yes, a thriller - Brent, cleverly weaves emotional and witty narrative, interspersed with dark topics including murder, internet trolling, sexual assault, sexism and suicide (check TWs)
Main character Molly is pretty flawed, but in a relatable way. She’s grieving the loss of her mother, isn’t satisfied with her career and drinks to excess. The morning after her work Christmas party, Molly wakes up with a hell hangover and with a man she does’t know in her bed. Things only go downhill when she finds out a sexually explicit video of her from the Christmas party has gone viral AND her best friend is dead!
Through her clever investigative journalism skills, Molly sets out to uncover the truth …
Overall, a wickedly clever and entertaining read. Brent doesn’t shy away from exposing the disparity of sexism and slut shaming when Molly is targeted by social media and the toxicity of internet trolls - both from men and women - the commentary was infuriating and brutally honest.
Utterly engaging, with secrets exposed, twists and turns aplenty, an exploration into grief and a wholly satisfying ending. You’ll laugh out loud, you’ll gasp … you’ll rally for Molly.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to @netgalley @harlequin for an e-arc. Thanks to @libro for the audiobook, the narrator did a wonderful job - was a fantastic listening experience.
May 19, 2024
This was my first time reading a novel by Katy Brent and I plan to check out her other work.
Molly Monroe awakens with a vicious hangover, next to a stranger, and to add insult to injury she’s gone viral for performing a sex act in public. After being bombarded with humiliation, she finds her dear friend and roommate, Posey, dead.
Molly immediately suspects foul play, but her credibility has taken the mother of all hits and the death is ruled accidental by authorities. Undeterred, Molly begins her own investigation into Posey’s work and personal life. There’s a lot of surprises, twists, and secrets that make this a good mystery. Molly is a flawed character, but her determination to get to the truth, despite the toxic online nastiness being hurled at her and people referring her to mental health services each time she finds a lead, is admirable. I like a gal that can dig her heels in, in the midst of a shit storm. Molly Monroe is one such gal.
Katy Brent did more than write a murder mystery with this novel. She took on topics such as sexual assault, misogyny, and gave an up close look at the unequal footing women find themselves standing on so often.
I would’ve liked to have seen the ending come together a little stronger, but overall I enjoyed this and wanted to see good things happen for Molly.
Molly Monroe awakens with a vicious hangover, next to a stranger, and to add insult to injury she’s gone viral for performing a sex act in public. After being bombarded with humiliation, she finds her dear friend and roommate, Posey, dead.
Molly immediately suspects foul play, but her credibility has taken the mother of all hits and the death is ruled accidental by authorities. Undeterred, Molly begins her own investigation into Posey’s work and personal life. There’s a lot of surprises, twists, and secrets that make this a good mystery. Molly is a flawed character, but her determination to get to the truth, despite the toxic online nastiness being hurled at her and people referring her to mental health services each time she finds a lead, is admirable. I like a gal that can dig her heels in, in the midst of a shit storm. Molly Monroe is one such gal.
Katy Brent did more than write a murder mystery with this novel. She took on topics such as sexual assault, misogyny, and gave an up close look at the unequal footing women find themselves standing on so often.
I would’ve liked to have seen the ending come together a little stronger, but overall I enjoyed this and wanted to see good things happen for Molly.
April 18, 2024
Compared to the genres I usually read, this was fairly light, but no less compelling. I really loved the character development and the vivid descriptions, as they really added to the enjoyment of the book. The twists at the end were worth the wait and not what I expected at all. That’s how I know this was a good read! 3.5 stars rounded up.
May 6, 2024
3.5 stars!
This witty murder-mystery is very well thought out when it comes to the grand reveal (for real, I thought I had it all figured out but noooo. Well played Brent)
However I found the main character to be insufferable. But maybe that's part of the charm?
Either way, a solid contemporary read with many twists and turns.
This witty murder-mystery is very well thought out when it comes to the grand reveal (for real, I thought I had it all figured out but noooo. Well played Brent)
However I found the main character to be insufferable. But maybe that's part of the charm?
Either way, a solid contemporary read with many twists and turns.
May 26, 2024
This is a dark, witty, thrilling, and fun read. The book explores themes such as sexual assault, infidelity, alcohol issues, bereavement, and murder. However, the style of writing does this in an emotional, darkly funny way. I listened to the audiobook and thought this was done well.
Molly life is a disaster, and most people in her shoes would probably have hidden away from the world. But she is driven by the love she has for her best friend to find out what has happened as she knows that Posey's death was no accident. As a reader, I wanted things to come good for Molly as she has really gone through it. Her character is mixed, she is loyal, determined, and has lots of heart, but she is also impulsive and at times makes poor choices, and she is not a good judge of character!
The book is full of characters that are unlikeable and could be the perpetrator, which kept me guessing until the end!
Molly life is a disaster, and most people in her shoes would probably have hidden away from the world. But she is driven by the love she has for her best friend to find out what has happened as she knows that Posey's death was no accident. As a reader, I wanted things to come good for Molly as she has really gone through it. Her character is mixed, she is loyal, determined, and has lots of heart, but she is also impulsive and at times makes poor choices, and she is not a good judge of character!
The book is full of characters that are unlikeable and could be the perpetrator, which kept me guessing until the end!
August 21, 2023
This is the second book I've read of Katy Brents (I recommend checking out "How to Kill Men and Get Away With It). Not as darkly comic as her debut novel, but still had some funny moments and a tale fitting of our age. Overall, it was very well written and the story tied up neatly in the end, which was no mean feat. I really liked the characters, especially Molly and the story touches on assault, suicide, murder and the overwhelming power of social media trolls. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
March 22, 2024
This wasn't for me. It was engaging enough to read, sure, but - to me - there were several red flags. I had hoped they were red herrings, but no, they were flags.
April 23, 2024
EXCUSE ME. HOW GAVE THIS BOOK PERMISSION TO BE SO GOOD
March 2, 2024
'The Murder After The Night Before' isn't the light, witty but dark book that the cover and the title had led me to expect. It's a hard-hitting thriller that delivers the full emotional impact of murder, sexual assault, revenge porn/shame porn, all aggravated by the main character's habitual binge drinking, low self-esteem, grief and constant simmering anger.
The book feels witty at first because humour is one of the techniques that Molly Monroe uses as a coping mechanism. So, initially, the fact that Molly wakes in her own bed with no knowledge of how she got there or of the identity of the hot, fully clothed man who is lying next to her seems comic rather than sinister.
The humour is quickly pushed aside by a growing sense of dread followed by overwhelming grief as Molly starts to discover what happened the night before.
Within hours, Molly's life is in ruins and she has almost no one she can trust, including herself. As she struggles to knit together the fragments of memory that remain to her, Molly starts to dread finding out what she actually did on the evening when her best friend was killed.
I was impressed by Katy Brent's ability to make depression and shame and grief feel so real while still weaving an absorbing, page-turning mystery.
'The Murder After The Night Before' isn't a light read. Much of the action is driven by misogyny. There is abuse on almost every page: ranging from gaslighting and old-boy-network cover-ups through online shaming to sexual assault and murder. The impact of all of these things on Molly Monroe is amplified by her history of binge drinking, her doubts about her own mental health, her low self-esteem, her habit of being viciously judgemental when she has been drinking, her social isolation, her grief for her murdered friend and her growing guilt about having at best failed her friend and at worst having contributed to her death.
'The Murder After The Night Before' has twenty-eight chapters. The first twenty-six chapters (93% of the book) were a five-star read that kept me so engaged with Molly that I was reluctant to put the book down.
I felt that the last two dropped the ball. The pace and the timeline changed. The encounter between Molly and her dad is well-written and provides an insight into how Molly's character was formed but I felt it came too late in the narrative. Placed as it was, it felt wedged in. The description of the murder was also well-written, but the change in point-of-view was jarring and placing it after the identity of the murderer had already been revealed made it feel like an add-on rather than the central scene it might have been. The final chapter made me a little impatient. In contrast to the vivid realism of the rest of the book, this was hard to believe, took too long and felt like a forced silver lining.
Despite the ending, 'The Murder After The Night Before' is a great piece of work and I recommend it to you.
The book feels witty at first because humour is one of the techniques that Molly Monroe uses as a coping mechanism. So, initially, the fact that Molly wakes in her own bed with no knowledge of how she got there or of the identity of the hot, fully clothed man who is lying next to her seems comic rather than sinister.
The humour is quickly pushed aside by a growing sense of dread followed by overwhelming grief as Molly starts to discover what happened the night before.
Within hours, Molly's life is in ruins and she has almost no one she can trust, including herself. As she struggles to knit together the fragments of memory that remain to her, Molly starts to dread finding out what she actually did on the evening when her best friend was killed.
I was impressed by Katy Brent's ability to make depression and shame and grief feel so real while still weaving an absorbing, page-turning mystery.
'The Murder After The Night Before' isn't a light read. Much of the action is driven by misogyny. There is abuse on almost every page: ranging from gaslighting and old-boy-network cover-ups through online shaming to sexual assault and murder. The impact of all of these things on Molly Monroe is amplified by her history of binge drinking, her doubts about her own mental health, her low self-esteem, her habit of being viciously judgemental when she has been drinking, her social isolation, her grief for her murdered friend and her growing guilt about having at best failed her friend and at worst having contributed to her death.
'The Murder After The Night Before' has twenty-eight chapters. The first twenty-six chapters (93% of the book) were a five-star read that kept me so engaged with Molly that I was reluctant to put the book down.
I felt that the last two dropped the ball. The pace and the timeline changed. The encounter between Molly and her dad is well-written and provides an insight into how Molly's character was formed but I felt it came too late in the narrative. Placed as it was, it felt wedged in. The description of the murder was also well-written, but the change in point-of-view was jarring and placing it after the identity of the murderer had already been revealed made it feel like an add-on rather than the central scene it might have been. The final chapter made me a little impatient. In contrast to the vivid realism of the rest of the book, this was hard to believe, took too long and felt like a forced silver lining.
Despite the ending, 'The Murder After The Night Before' is a great piece of work and I recommend it to you.
April 4, 2024
3 Stars!
This started so strong for me and I was here for it, but I think that how certain things spiralled and all of the links it just felt too much and I don't know if I could really believe it in my head if that makes any sense.
I just think that when it's portrayed as besties 4eva and yet there were so many secrets and then friends not being friends and all of the shady business with SO many people it just got to a point where I was like AND THEN... but x7.
Personally I think if it had been filtered slightly I'd of given this a 4 star rating but it was enjoyable in some parts.
This started so strong for me and I was here for it, but I think that how certain things spiralled and all of the links it just felt too much and I don't know if I could really believe it in my head if that makes any sense.
I just think that when it's portrayed as besties 4eva and yet there were so many secrets and then friends not being friends and all of the shady business with SO many people it just got to a point where I was like AND THEN... but x7.
Personally I think if it had been filtered slightly I'd of given this a 4 star rating but it was enjoyable in some parts.
December 30, 2023
I liked the overall writing style and how fast paced this book was, and I'm totally here for any book that wants to send a good message about sexual assault and slut and victim shaming. Oh, and I love the cover! Unfortunately, the things I like stopped there. Here's what I wasn't the biggest fan of:
It was SO predictable. Any plot twist that was meant to be a huge shock was something I had figured out a long time before it happened.
The final chapter was too abrupt and really deserved more. I feel cheated after reading an entire book and having that be the end.
Why is Molly's backstory not revealed until the end? She drove me insane for so much of the book, but had I known what the end revealed, I would have understood her as a person so much more! It made so many things about her make sense and there was no reason at all for it to be held back for the entire story.
There were more things I didn't like about this book than things I did like, which obviously isn't ideal.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
It was SO predictable. Any plot twist that was meant to be a huge shock was something I had figured out a long time before it happened.
The final chapter was too abrupt and really deserved more. I feel cheated after reading an entire book and having that be the end.
Why is Molly's backstory not revealed until the end? She drove me insane for so much of the book, but had I known what the end revealed, I would have understood her as a person so much more! It made so many things about her make sense and there was no reason at all for it to be held back for the entire story.
There were more things I didn't like about this book than things I did like, which obviously isn't ideal.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
May 12, 2024
I really enjoyed this one!! I recommend the audiobook.
February 5, 2024
I devoured this in 1 day!
Synopsis: Something bad happened last night. I’ve woken up with the hangover from hell, a stranger in my bed, and I’ve gone viral for the worst reasons. But I can’t remember a thing… My best friend Posey is dead. The police think it was a tragic accident. I know she was murdered. There’s only thing stopping me from dying of shame. I need to find a killer.
I listened to this on publication week as an audiobook and I am so glad I did - the narrator is brilliant. If I could describe this book in one sentence it would be 'If Dolly Alderton wrote a mystery'. I was hooked. Brent's first novel 'How to kill men and get away with it' was fun but very unrealistic - where as I felt that this one was really well executed.
This is a well written drama about internet trolling, murder, investigative journalism and the dangers faced by women. It’s got many elements, all of which are neatly tied up by the end and it definitely held my interest the WHOLE time. Humour is well balanced throughout alongside the darker, more emotional side of the story - and this book does deal with topics such as sexual assault and suicide (please check trigger warnings).
Though there are multiple suspects right from the outset, I couldn't have guessed how it would unfold, and even when the book was almost complete, there were STILL twists and turns being thrown my way!
I'd definitely recommend this book and considering that I read so many thrillers, this one really stood out.
Synopsis: Something bad happened last night. I’ve woken up with the hangover from hell, a stranger in my bed, and I’ve gone viral for the worst reasons. But I can’t remember a thing… My best friend Posey is dead. The police think it was a tragic accident. I know she was murdered. There’s only thing stopping me from dying of shame. I need to find a killer.
I listened to this on publication week as an audiobook and I am so glad I did - the narrator is brilliant. If I could describe this book in one sentence it would be 'If Dolly Alderton wrote a mystery'. I was hooked. Brent's first novel 'How to kill men and get away with it' was fun but very unrealistic - where as I felt that this one was really well executed.
This is a well written drama about internet trolling, murder, investigative journalism and the dangers faced by women. It’s got many elements, all of which are neatly tied up by the end and it definitely held my interest the WHOLE time. Humour is well balanced throughout alongside the darker, more emotional side of the story - and this book does deal with topics such as sexual assault and suicide (please check trigger warnings).
Though there are multiple suspects right from the outset, I couldn't have guessed how it would unfold, and even when the book was almost complete, there were STILL twists and turns being thrown my way!
I'd definitely recommend this book and considering that I read so many thrillers, this one really stood out.
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