Wow! Like totally WOW!

This is a highly addictive and haunting tale.
A lone gunman walks into a Lake District primary school during the annual performance of the play"Day one" and opens fire on the children then on himself. This heartbreaking yet compelling story is predominantly told after the events of Day one.
The story follows Marty, the first person spotted fleeing the school after the event, who's Mum was the class teacher killed during the fatal shooting. The other main character is Trent, a naive local boy and conspiracy theorist, who is sceptical of the reported version of the events.
So many engaging storylines, such a gripping, engrossing book bravely tackling such disturbing, delicate topics.

😷Abigail Dean wrote this during lock down at a time when she felt conspiracy theories were taking over the world. She says this is a story about grief, friendship , family and memory ....but also about the Conspiracy theories, the people that believe them, the people that peddle them and the people they hurt.

If you're looking for a book that you could finish in one sitting then this is the one for you, I literally couldn't not put this bad boy down!

I have found this story very difficult to read, i cannot get any sense of continuity. The chapters all focus on a different character and also have different timelines. I feel that i still don’t ’know’ anyone in the book and can’t engage with the characters.
Definitely not one for me

Despite the many 4 and 5 star reviews for Day One, I struggled with the multiple time frames and POVs. Very early on the culprit was signalled which made the remainder of the book quite tedious. I didn’t like Marty and none of the other characters were strong enough to have an opinion on. The writing was excellent in places - particularly about grief and also about how young minds work with their insecurities and fears. I’m sorry but I can only give this book a 3 star review.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review. I really enjoyed Abigail Deans previous book so I was looking forward to reading this new book. I have to say I am really impressed with the depth of knowledge and understanding that is portrayed through some brilliant character writing. The whole concept of looking at such a tragedy from various perspectives was fascinating to me. The book delves into the toxicity of social media platforms in the wake of a massive tragedy and I found it thoroughly enlightening and deeply disturbing that this is how the world is now! A brilliant read that I would highly recommend. 5 stars from me.

Rating: 3.0/5

As she did with her debut novel, "Girl A", Abigail Dean has built her story around an event that creates ample opportunity for heart-wrenching and emotional feelings to be evoked. A community in the idyllic surroundings of the Lake District is about to be rocked by a multiple shooting at a local school. What led to the shocking event and the nationwide effects of the aftermath is gradually revealed as the narrative unfolds.

There are elements of this story that are handled admirably and that deliver real poignancy. There is one chapter in particular that is incredibly impactful. It depicts a ten year old boy and it touchingly captures the essence of a child at that tender age and the thought processes he goes through. For the sake of avoiding spoilers, I will say no more than that.

However, although I preferred this novel overall to "Girl A" there are certain similar traits that I felt undermined its potential impact. As in "Girl A" the time frame moves around an awful lot - though it is at least signposted far more clearly in this book. In total, there are twenty different time frames referenced throughout the course of the novel. In addition, there are also nine different character viewpoints employed in delivering the narrative. The consequence of this is that the storytelling becomes somewhat disjointed and, at times, quite dull. It also makes it difficult to determine precisely what message the author is trying to convey. There are unquestionably interesting observations of various individuals reacting to the diabolical events at the school, but the central thrust of the narrative is confused. It isn't until around the 85% mark that the author reveals the precise truth surrounding the events of Day One - but by, that stage, any growing sense of curiosity or need to comprehend the full picture had long since disappeared.

Overall, "Day One" is a worthwhile read, but also one that frustrated me, because it squandered the opportunity to deliver something far more emotionally involving and thought-provoking.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

I loved Abigail's debut Girl A, and I was not disappointed by her second novel It begins with a shocking event shaking the community. It's very tense, and I thought the characters were plausible. I loved the twists in the plot, it was very engaging. A poignant and thought-provoking title.

A very different book from Abigail Dean's first, 'Girl A', but equally gripping. When a gunman enters a primary school in the Lake District one of the people he kills is a beloved teacher. Her daughter, Marty, maintains she witnessed the massacre. The murders have far reaching effects in the community where, thanks to social media, some people disbelieve the events completely.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins Uk/HarperFiction for the opportunity to read and review Day One.

A gunman enters a primary school in a small fictional town in the Lake District. The story follows Marty, a daughter of one of the teachers killed on that day, and Trent, an aspiring journalist who becomes involved with conspiracy theories claiming it never actually happened. It has echoes of the real life US Sandy Hook school shooting, and the people who claimed it never happened at all.

I found this book quite gripping. It was interesting going between the two characters and their very different stories. There's something about Martha's story that doesn't feel quite right, and it keeps you going to the very end.

This was a good read and I really liked Abigail's writing style.

This was my first novel by author Abigail Dean but unfortunately I did not finish it.

I read around 60% of the novel but I just felt that my mind was not engaged with this book. The story follows different characters at a shooting in a lovely primary school and the aftermath and devastation that it causes. and

It follows the daughter of one of the murdered teachers, someone who used to know the alleged shooter and many other characters. I think for me personally, there was too many people and I just could not get on with it.

The premise of the novel sounded extremely engaging and I was looking forward to reading this novel. I have Girl A to read by author Abigail Dean which has amazing reviews, but sadly I did not stick with this novel.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for allowing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Day One is a gripping examination of a community devastated by a school massacre. Abigail Dean explores some tough themes, as she explores the aftermath and the effects on the local community and its victims. Told from the POV’s of view of various characters, and a timeline that moves back and forth, this is a complex tale with a strong sense of reality. I found Day One to be an emotive read.

As the author explores the unreliability of memories, the reader slowly discovers what really happened that day. I liked how the author looks at the way people can witness to the same horrific event, and yet their memories may differ from their counterparts. With empathy, the author writes about the themes of loss and grief in the aftermath of such a tragedy, prompting the question of what motivates someone to commit such a heinous crime. Conspiracy theorists also provide their perspective, convinced that it was a hoax. One of the strengths of this book is the differing points of view; as the reader, you are never sure who is telling the truth right up to the end.

If you're looking for a fast-paced plot, this may not be the book for you, as One Day is very much a character driven story. A slower pace means the author spends time developing the characters and their back stories. The characters aren’t without flaws and some are very unlikable, but each one is intriguing in their own right. The author insight to her character’s emotions is intense. You feel the guilt, anger and grief radiating from the pages. Day One is a devastating, thought provoking read that I would highly recommend.

My thanks to @harpercolins for my gifted ARC

I might be in the minority here but I found this quite slow and disjointed. I found myself skipping pages to know what really happened. Also, the writing wasn't for me and it didn't hold my attention, unfortunately.

I’m afraid I struggled with this book. It is based in the aftermath of a school shooting, a difficult subject to read about. I also found the characters uninteresting and the different POV difficult to follow.

I really tried to get into it, but, despite persevering, it just didn’t hold my interest.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for the opportunity.

This is a slow burner of a school shooting story set in a small town in the Lake District, with the story being told from the perspective of the murdered school teacher’s daughter and a conspiracy theorist/ journalist with connections to the area investigating what he believes to be a hidden truth about the circumstances. The story is well-written, with believable characters and although there is an underlying mystery, it is more effective as a depiction of the effects of a tragic event on a small community.

With thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of the book.

Wow this book is absolutely fantastic. I really loved reading the different points of view of the same day. The subject matter is quite sensitive however so I would recommend it with a warning.

I found this emotive. Heart breaking and tragic. With a plot that left me needing more. Great pacing even with the consistent time flips. Easy to follow and very very emotive

First book I have read tackling school massacre.
Abigail Dean is tackling another eye-catching but not often written about issue.
A primary school in a small lake district town, the residents are the usual mixture of personalities, the popular, excluded and odd. Popular teacher Ava who puts her pupils first and is well loved. Daughter Marty is well liked and a local football celebrity, Leah comes from a large family and is bullied.
When the school puts on an annual production of Day One, the pupils are well rehearsed and looking forward to their involvement with Ava to encourage them.. When a disruption occurs it takes people a while to realise they are being targeted by a shooter, who targets the cast of the play and the audience.
The massacre has far reaching effects exposing lies, secret relationships and a group of people who disbelieve in the massacre entirely.
The book is fast paced in parts but does not reveal the full truth till the end.
Thank you Abigail and NetGalley.

Tough, dark themes dealt with in a heartfelt and tender way. Enjoyed the multi-perspective storyline. Huge fan of Abigail Dean's and I hope that this book is an enormous success for her.

A dark read, dealing with a day that should have been better than ordinary at school because this a day when the youngest class puts on a stage show for the little one of the new year intake. Almost like a holiday atmosphere, with stage nerves. It starts well, just as planned - until someone notices a man with a gun pointed at the stage.
The author painstakingly recreates The Day from different perspectives, with a little chapter for each character and day, then moves forward and occasionally backwards, gradually building a picture of who, what, when and why.
A moment frozen in time that deeply affected the main characters with subsequent effects that reveal all the secrets hidden in ordinary lives.

I really enjoyed this book. A lone gunman enters the primary school in Stonesmere, a pretty village in the Lake District and kills a teacher and a number of children. The story deals with the aftermath of this horrific event, in particular the role of Marty, the 19year old daughter of the teacher who was murdered. People are taking to social media to comment, in particular a group of conspiracy theorists who don't believe the killing really happened. This is a real page turner that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

Insightful, harrowing and tender. This book tackles a hard subject matter with delicate flair and pose. The structure of the novel the plot and characters are all strong. Much the like authors first book this book ask you to ask questions of the wider world and examines how we live within it. This book will move you and interest you. It is not just a book about the aftermath of a tragedy it's so much more. Highly recommend