Thank you Netgalley for a copy of That night for a honest review.

This pains me, it really does.
I love Gillian's books, I've read all her previous books and loved them all but this one just fell short for me. The main reason being that I just didn't care about the characters, I found I kept getting Cathy and Frannie mixed up at the start of the book and I didn't full grasp who has killed Will till the middle portion of the book because I kept getting them mixed up ( this maybe more down to me than Gillian writing)
I was bored for the first half but once we reached the 50% mark with more of the trial and the breakdown of the Plant family work life dynamics I found myself getting more and more into the story.
I'm not sure about my feelings for the ending and the result of the murder trial, I didn't love it nore hate it, however I did feel the book was ended on the right note and I wasn't left disappointed or more importantly left 'wanting'
It ended resolved and I am glad for that.

Over all its worth a read but I'm sad to say it's not Gillians best work.

3 stars from me.

Review left on goodreads and when available will post to Amazon and also waterstones.

OMG I loved this book!
I’ve read and very much enjoyed all of Gillian McAllister’s novels but this is her best one yet! I read the whole thing in two sittings and I loved it! That Night follows the three Plant siblings – Joe, Cathy and Frannie. They all live next door to each other, they work at the same vet practice and they own a holiday home in Verona together. One night whilst on holiday Frannie calls Cathy in the early house begging for her help. When she gets there Frannie is distraught, as is Joe who has also arrived, and a man appears to be dead! The novel follows each of the siblings along with Joe’s wife Lydia as we see their perspectives and how they each feel about the others. We also have a timeline in the present day but it’s not clear for a while who exactly this person is. This is such a gripping thriller that has you racing through the pages wanting to know how and why, wanting to make sense of what has happened and wondering what you would do in their shoes. It’s also a brilliant look at sibling relationships and how each relates to the other, and the jealousies and the feeling of being left out that can linger well into adulthood. This was such a brilliant thriller and I highly recommend it! Giving it a full ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Loved this book. A really good plot and engaging characters that kept me interested till the end. I would reccomend this book.

This was my first introduction to Gillian McAllister and after hearing so much about her books I certainly wasn't disappointed and see I have plenty of hers to add to my TBR pile.

Great book, great story - how far would you got to protect your family?

Thank you to Penguin Michael Joseph UK, Gillian McAllister and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book! I’m reading away happily watching the story unfold and then I’m like ‘oh I wasn’t expecting that’ carry on reading and then I had another ‘omg wow’ moment. I loved how the story unfolded and think it was brilliantly written, I couldn’t put it down as I needed to see what happened next.

Frannie, Joe and Cathy are over the top close with each other. They work together in the family’s veterinary practice, live next door to each other, and holiday together in the Italian villa which they own. They would do anything for each other. Now I have to say here, I did not like any of them and could understand how Joe’s wife felt, sitting on the outside of this trio.

They were on holiday in Italy when a phone from Cathy sent the siblings running to her side, in the middle of the night. She had run a man over, and he was dead. Cathy was near hysterical, terrified that she would go to prison and not be allowed to see her young son. A plan was made-up, to cover up the accident and dispose of the body. The story is told by the siblings, as news of the missing man hits the town.

Now saying that I do not like the siblings is one thing, feeling compelled to read just how far these three will go is another. I liked how the story developed with the involvement of the police and how they were creating a picture. The story jumps between the police and the siblings as more about the man comes to light.

To be a good liar you have to have a good memory but when there are three people not telling the truth is becomes complicated. I liked the pace of this story as it was developing at two speeds, the steady investigation and the paranoia which was rapidly setting in between the siblings.

I was impressed at the twists and turns throughout. Excellent storyline.

I wish to thank the publisher and Net Galley for an e-copy of this book, which I have reviewed honestly.

My brain has been tied in knots with this one – I’m quite exhausted!

During their annual holiday in Italy, one of three siblings has an accident where she kills a man with her car. Panicking about being sent to a foreign jail for many years – away from her son – she asks the others for help which they give. However, when the police begin to ask questions, the tension ramps up affecting their relationships and the pressure is immense. Doubts creep in. Can their crime go undiscovered? What’s the truth? And who can they trust if not themselves?

I really feel as if I’ve been through the wringer with this one – over and over again! Gillian McAllister always knows how to plot a thrilling story and this time even she has excelled herself. I shouldn’t have been surprised with the veterinary connection; like many others I follow the author and delight in seeing pics of Wendy, her dog who has a real personality (don’t they all)! Such a cleverly written story, twisting this way then that but always keeping the reader on tenterhooks and just a bit in the dark. The revelation, when it came, was both surprising and shocking – but right. All neatly tied up by the final page, the suspense is palpable throughout this novel undoubtedly making it a full five star read. Highly recommended.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is – as always – my honest, original and unbiased review.

I’ve read this authors books before and always enjoyed them but I think this one is definitely a cut above the rest!

This was a great, intricate storyline set in two locations. Both in Verona, Italy and Birmingham, UK. The locations are so very well written and really brought the places alive in my minds eye as I read the authors descriptions. From the food, the Verona market and the woodland, the places were alive, I could feel the heat and taste the food, as well as imagine the beautiful setting of the villa.

I found character development really good in this story too. The relationships between the main characters were well formed and you could really feel a great bond between them. Spending a huge majority of their daily lives together, including living next door to each other, at work and holidays together, the individual relationships really did shine through. Especially as you work your way through the timeline of ‘then’ and ‘now’. This brought the two narratives together nicely.

A great pace that throws in curveballs when least expected, this is a fabulous novel for thriller lovers with plenty of shock reveals.

That Night - Gillian McAllister

Having enjoyed books from this author before I was really looking for ward to getting stuck into this one, however unfortunately I really struggled to get into it. I didn't find it gripping me or me having the need to carry on reading it, I do love a good page turner. I can see so many great reviews for this one, so I am obviously in the minority here, I will still give this authors books a go in the future. Maybe I was just having an off reading week! Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK of allowing me the chance to read this e-arc and give my honest opinions.

I enjoyed reading this book, but I didn't think it was amazing. There are some clever twists and turns, and plenty to catch you out, and keep you wanting to read more .Well written, with interesting characters, all of whom have their different hang ups.

But for me , I wanted to believe the story, and it just seemed too far fetched at times, which stopped me really immersing myself in it.

I’d like to thank Penguin Michael Joseph UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘That Night’ by Gillian McAllister in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Joe, Cathy and Frannie Plant are a close family and spend holidays together at their Italian villa in Verona. Late one night Joe and Cathy get a phone call from Frannie desperate for help, saying she’s killed a man, and against their better judgment they help dispose of his body by burying him in a deep grave. When the man is reported missing the Italian police question them but as there’s no body they’re allowed to return home to England. But one lie leads to another and soon there are so many lies they don’t know who to trust.

‘That Night’ is a compelling thriller that tells of what happened in Verona eighteen months ago to the events at the present time. The story is so cleverly written that I was completely wrong-footed, making me think that something was happening when in fact it was something else completely different. I’ve been gripped from the very first page, through each dramatic occurrence, each twist and turn, until I’ve reached last few chapters where the conclusion is as surprising as it is shocking. This is a disturbing and tense thriller that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading and can recommend without hesitation.

It's got to be your worst nightmare, colliding with a pedestrian on a rural road, at night and abroad. Not too great for the pedestrian either! It's all too easy without reference traffic to slip back in to driving on the left and that's what Frannie admits to but to her close siblings only, as they coalesce to hide the crime. I say close siblings because ostensibly they are, living, working and hoilidaying together. However, if they were truly close then I doubt the crime would have even occurred. Only the reader can examine this point after they have read the whole book because things aren't as they are initially portrayed.
That Night by Gillian McAllister explores how law abiding people react when their own moral codes have been crossed for the sake of family. The reader can identify with the quandry and I guess that's what keeps you reading. Frankly I was amazed at how long they kept things together. Cathy seemed to have good knowledge of the depth a body needs to be buried but lacked the understanding of the grave slumping over time. It was always going to be discovered.
A cleverly thought through story but I thought it over lengthy for which I deduct a star.

That Night is another winner from Gillian McAllister, I have read all her other books and love them and this one is joining them.
Joe, Cathy and Frannie are siblings, they work together, live in three separate houses next to each other so there is nothing they won’t do for each other. Or is there? It’s July and the three of them and Frannie’s son, Paul, have gone to their villa in Verona. One night Joe and Cathy get a call from Frannie saying she’s had a car accident and killed a man.
As the writing is so good you feel you are one of the characters and I found myself questioning every decision they made and wether I’d have done the same. There are a lot of twists along the way and I never knew quite which way this was going to go which kept me up till the small hours finding out. I finished this in a day which speaks for itself. I’m not going to go into this book too much as your definitely better coming in blind but get prepared as it’s a fast tensile read. I can’t wait for the next book next year.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

4.25*
I am a fan of this authors books.
The Plant siblings, Frannie, Cathy and Joe are very close, they work together they live close to each other. They holiday together at their villa in Italy. The relationship between Joe and Frannie seems obsessively close.
On holiday one night Frannie is involved in a road traffic collision with a local man instead of calling the ambulance she calls her siblings, eventually...
there’s nothing they can do, he is dead. They decide to bury the body.
But that’s not the end of the story. It is the beginning.
The time frame alternates between the past and the present. The tension and suspense is built well during various points during the first half, but generally I found the pace slow.
In the second half we have the added tension of the fracturing of the siblings through guilt and regret. They are unable to move on with their lives. This is when it became totally immersive for me, and the pace picked up.
This book is about love, mistakes, guilt and regret, but mostly love.
Wow there are some interesting revelations along the uway.
This is a book of 2 halves for me.
The slower paced scene setting first half is 3.75*
The second riveting half is 4.75* with lots of revelations.
Over all I’m scoring this at 4.25* I thoroughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend this book

I really struggled with this book. It didn't grip me and I found it hard to connect with any of the characters. It's a shame as I have read her other books and really enjoyed them.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC copy.

Frannie, Joe and Cathy. Three siblings that are so close they live, work and holiday together. When Frannie kills someone in a traffic accident while on holiday, Cathy and Joe are the first people she calls. Together they decide to bury the body and say nothing but protecting Frannie will cost them more than they can ever imagine.

I really enjoyed this book and although parts of it were gripping sometimes I was frustrated with the characters. I did guess which way the story was heading but it still had some great twists in it. A good read and definitely recommended.

I'm struggling to write a review for this one as it's hard to discuss this book without spoilers. I enjoyed it, it was an engaging read but quite predictable. There was only one twist I didn't see coming but overall it was entertaining if a little frustrating.

The main characters are 3 siblings & I didn't really find myself warming to any of them, which I think was my problem with the action.

I did really enjoy the way the story was laid out, flipping between the then & now, leading you along with the thinking of the characters and their actions then all leading to the now.

If you're happy to suspend belief a little and go along for the ride then check this one out.

As soon as I see a new book release from Gillian, I just have to read it. I love all her previous books and I most certainly wasn’t disappointed with this one.

It is all about family bonds and the lengths they would go to in order to protect each other. Cathy, Joe and Frannie live and work so closely with each other that they have an unbreakable bond and would do anything for each other, including lying!

It is written in the “then” and “now” chapters which help the story unfold at a perfect pace, just adding a bit more tension chapter after chapter until the big reveal ( which was unexpected)!

The story starts very quickly, based in Italy, as Frannie hits someone in the car and instead of calling the police, she calls her siblings and this is where the cover up begins. They now have a secret which they need to keep between themselves, but can they hide it from everyone when they return home to England. How hard can it be to keep secrets and lie to others close to you? Only time will tell.

Many thanks to netgalley, the publisher and the author for an arc. Really pleased to have read this one!

Published on 8th July.

Some great twists that kept me reading.
Siblings Cathy, Joe and Frannie are very close, they are all vets that live next to each other.
While on holiday in Italy Frannie accidently runs over and kills a neighbour she calls Cathy and Joe for help after lots of arguing they bury the body and return back to the UK hoping that his body will never be found.
Unfortunately they find out he was a local policeman and the local police will not stop until they find out what happened to him.
The story goes from past to present which gives a bit more history to the family.
You do question the characters reaction WHY!!!
None of the characters are not likeable but the storyline keeps you reading.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Excellent psychological thriller. Kept me on my alert all the way through. Lots of unexpected tense situations.
The family bond between three siblings is apparent all the way through the book. Their lives are closely entwined both with work in the family veterinary practice as well as their homes are a row of joined properties. They know each of the idiosyncrasies of one another.
Totally gripping and I loved reading the book.