I did quite enjoy this book, but found it a little tricky to get into. I think that there were a lot of timelines, so it took me a while to understand and get into it.

The focus of Abigail Deans latest novel is on Stonesmere primary school where Ava Ward has taught for over twenty years. This idyllic, beautiful Lake District town will never be the same again and nor will many peoples lives. It’s July and Day One where the eldest children of the school perform a play for the four-year-olds who will join in September and this will hopefully remove the fear of the September day one.

This year Ava’s class are breaking tradition and each will perform a brief monologue based on their individual research. The performance starts, and it’s just as its Kit Larkin’s turn and what initially Ava thinks is a photographer at the back of the room
with a tripod, proves to be a helmeted man, visor down, with a rifle in his hand. He begins firing at the audience then at the stage as Ava desperately tries to protect her charges. At the epicentre of the tragedy is Marty (Martha), Ava’s daughter. What exactly did Marty see for? What might she know? In the months that follow, conspiracy theorists led by Ray Cleave, cast doubt on the reported events. Ray encourages “truther“ journalist Trent Casey to endeavour to expose the “sham“ of the killings. Sit back, get comfortable and witness how things spin completely out of control and establish exactly what the truth is of that fateful, tragic day.

First of all, I think I’ve just got my breath back and put my jaw back into place. I thought Girl A was good (five stars from me) but if it’s at all possible, I think this is even better. This is such a powerful novel that it evokes the whole spectrum of emotions. The tension is as taut as piano wire, which, after such a terrifying start doesn’t seem possible but it sure builds and how. The author keeping you guessing right to the very end which seems to add further to the tension. At the beginning there is panic. confusion and horror and then after the event, is living with lives shattered into a thousand pieces. The reader views much of this via Marty and Trent and what a contrast we have with these two. Who is the most unreliable?? There is some input from Kits father and he is one of the standout characters, at times, he moves you to tears. However. all the characters are well portrayed and some are not as you might think. The friendship between Marty and Leah Perry becomes of huge importance, and I don’t think friends can get much better than Leah who sacrifices so much for Marty. The “Truthers“ make you angry, they are an insult to good people, but it sure adds another dimension to the gripping storytelling, and the community they target will never, ever be the same again.

The plot is so intriguing, it’s totally immersive, trust me, you won’t want to put this down once you’ve started it. It’s an enigmatic puzzle, the pieces of which don’t seem to fit no matter how hard you try to make them do so. From the very start, there is a sense of foreboding which overhangs Stonemere until the truth is out. The ending is really good, taking the plot full circle, which makes it feel worse somehow as it seems to hit you harder.

Finally, the setting in the Lake District is an excellent choice as this stunning area is so peaceful and so popular with visitors and of course is such a stark contrast to the violence inflicted. This puts me in mind of the horror of Dunblane in Scotland, which we will never forget, nor should we. I don’t think I’ll ever forget this book either as it’s an outstanding piece of fiction.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins, HarperFiction for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

Oh my word this is a book you race through, desperate to know what happens next, wondering what the truth is behind it all. The set up is one that has been used countless times, a school shooting - though I'm not sure I've read one with a UK setting before - but this is different because someone close to it all is involved and has to lie about what she did. The story therefore goes off on twists and turns, the chronology surprises you by jumping all over the place but it keeps you on your toes to puzzle it all out. It's like a whodunnit but you know the answer. Your judgement at the end of it would make an interesting book club discussion! What a brilliant writer though. Just when you think this is going to be quite ordinary, it turns into something different and rather good. I would read something else by Abigail Dean, without doubt.

I really liked the premise of this one but didn’t quite enjoy it as much as I thought I would.
It was an interesting look at the true crime phenomenon and conspiracy theorists, I thought Trent was a great character. I didn’t really like Marty but not sure you’re supposed to really. Would have liked to see more from the day of the shooting as some of those parts were very moving. I loved the end passages particularly with the school teacher.

Set in a small town in the Lake District this story is a difficult read about a primary school shooting and the impact it had on the locals, the U.K. and further afield.
It is reminiscent of the Dublane murders with a conspiracy mob similar to Qanon and school shootings in the USA.
It moves from the day of the shooting to the aftermath, follow up at the inquest and eight years later - focussing on the locals particularly Ava, a schoolteacher, her husband and her daughter Marty.
Trent comes into the story early on as a wannabe journalist who becomes obsessed with the shooting and those involved in a cover up/conspiracy.
The book is well written and I couldn’t put it down. Not sure how much I enjoyed it.
Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read an arc of this book in return for a fair review.
4 Stars ⭐️

This book explores the role of conspiracy theorists in true crime. Ideal for fans of complex character studies, told across various timelines and from multiple viewpoints, and presented as a very slowburn thriller.
With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an independent review.

A moving school shooting tale which unravels slowly from the viewpoint of several characters. I found myself gripped, wanting to know more but at the same time I found it quite sad and depressing too.

I've given it 4 star as I didn't feel it was a good as Girl A, but it was still a thought provoking read.

I stuck with it but I found it a bit hard going. The pace is very slow and the timeline darts all over the place.
It was an interesting take on how people react nowadays to crises. There was a parallel thread on character Trent, who got sucked into a group of "Truthers" determined to prove that the school massacre was a hoax.
I didn't feel I understood enough about the motivation of the shooter. He was barely present, although he impacted the lives of two prominent characters. And there was still some confusion as to how the event actually unfolded.
I suspect it's a novel that I will think about and mull over, which to me suggests it's complex and thought provoking, with different characters having a different person the tragedy.

When reading this novel I was reminded of the Dunblane shooting with a terrible outcome- it too was a primary school. To say I enjoyed it just doesn’t feel right, but it is a very good novel. The story was slow to begin with, but eventually the pace improved. It is set around a school concert with parents attending. Abigail definitely made it very atmospheric and you could feel yourself trying to work out what actually happened and what part Marty had in it- if any!

Gripping, hard hitting and heartbreaking.
I loved Abigail Dean’s debut Girl A and eagerly awaited her next novel. Day One is a tough but thought provoking read. I enjoyed trying to work out who was lying and why. My young daughter asked me why anyone would want to read a book about a school shooting and I think the answer is that it makes you appreciate what you have. I disagree with other reviewers that found it hard to follow due to the amount of characters and timeline jumps, I think this made it a more interesting read. I look forward to more from this author.

Thank you Netgalley, HarperCollins and Abigail Dean for this ARC.

Another amazing novel from Abigail Dean. As good as, if not bette than Girl A and that is a compliment!

Her writing style is fantastic and I can't wait to read whatever she writes

This is my first Abigail Dean book and it won't be my last.

THIS is how you do suspense; not cliffhangers slapping you in the face every second page, but subtle nuances that seem out of place only to unfurl horribly later. The right amount of omission only for the reveal to be completely unexpected.

After a school shooting occurs in a quaint Lake District town, everyone is rocked. But instead of the aftermath of such a tragedy being sympathetic and supportive, the families find themselves at the heart of a conspiracy. There is a community that doesn't believe their children ever existed.

I cannot even begin to comprehend how painful this would be to experience - like not only to lose someone you loved so deeply but to have people insist that that person didn't even exist to begin with? And it's even worse because it's happened - there is a whole group that believe Sandy Hook was staged (WHICH IS SO INSANE). While this book is more a mystery of what really happened at Day One and where Marty really was, it does touch on how difficult and strange it is to grieve, and also how the is never a "correct" way to grieve. The victims' families are hounded because they are portrayed as not "being sad enough" in the media, but how are you supposed to look? And most of these people are so hell bent on their agenda that it doesn't matter what is said in defence, it will never be good enough.

Usually (and if you've read any of my other reviews you'll probably know this) a big pet peeve of mine is inconsistent narrative structure - like an "alternating" POV that isn't actually alternating, or randomly introducing a different timeline halfway through the book. This book jumps all over the place - from Day One to Year Eight, from Ava to Marty to Trent, and back again, and yet I do not care. It took a bit to get into the pace of it, but the writing is so extraordinary I am more than willing to overlook it!

Truly such a wonderful portrayal of a difficult but fascinating situation, and all the people that are affected by it, and how easy it is to trust those you shouldn't. (also...love Zombie <3)

cw// school shooting, murder, suicide, implications of grooming, inappropriate relationships, domestic abuse

3.5 Stars. A difficult subject matter told beautifully by the author, using several POV characters and timelines. Thought provoking despite sensitive topics, such as a school shooting and conspiracy theories surrounding the events. This is a character driven slow burn with well drawn characters who felt completely authentic. The author's writing style is impressive, immersive and completely engrossing. Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley UK for the ARC.

Abigail Dean’s debut novel about how a sibling group negotiate the trauma inflicted on them during a brutal joint childhood, was published after much fanfare in 2021 and it appears the same publicity efforts were put behind her second novel ‘Day One’. The title refers to the day a school massacre happens in a small US-American community. The novel describes the aftermath of this tragic event that splits a previously harmonious community in half: on the one side now are the mourners of loved ones deceased in the atrocities, on the other side are conspiracy theorists who insinuate the shootings were nothing but a lie. What side will Martha, the daughter of a beloved teacher, take?

The novel is compellingly written, but I have to agree with earlier readers who commented on the confusingly large array of characters here and the ‘double-naming’ of some of them. (The protagonist, for example, is varyingly referred to as Martha or as Marty). Whilst it shows great authorly skill to develop so many characters, a concentration on just a few character studies would have added extra depth to the literary treatment of a harrowing topic. Overall, I would give this novel three stars and would like to end this review by thanking the publishers and NetGalley for the free digital ARC that I received.

Nobody does slightly somber downtrodden prose quite like Abigail dean.

Following what appears to be the Sandy Hook shooting this story runs parallel to that - if you followed the news coverage at the time - this probably isn’t anything new for you.

The book focuses on the aftermath of the shooting and it’s fascinating to see good character development, strong main character voices and well thought out direction even if the pace is a little slow.

Overall, I enjoyed this - but I’d have preferred an original story.

I hate to give negative reviews but have to be honest. This one was really not for me. I did persevere with it until the end but found it very disappointing. Abigail Dean is a fantastic writer there’s so doubt about that. She writes beautifully and the beginning of the novel was really captivating. However, I feel that from the middle of the book the content just wasn’t there. It really jacked something for me. No wow factor at all. I feel that the whole novel built up to something that just didn’t ever happen. Sorry couldn’t recommend.

I adored Abigail Dean's debut and so this was on my radar as soon as it was announced. Both of her offerings have been fiction, based on real crimes, and I have to say she handles writing about such topics with the utmost respect and sensitivity.
On Day One, Stonesmere is torn apart by a school shooting. The book tells of the aftermath in the years that follow, for both the village as a whole, and some specific people: survivors, those who have lost loved ones, and the "truthers" - conspiracy theorists who believe the massacre was all a lie.

I really felt for Marty and even more so as she got more caught up in her lie as things progressed. Not only did she lose her mum, she had so much other trauma to deal with.
It was interesting to see things from Trent's point of view- seeing how someone "normal" can go down the wrong path, when vulnerable and influenced by the wrong people.
There was a theme throughout of wanting to believe something is true *so* hard that you convince yourself it actually is. As well as this,
there were so many interesting points raised that could be discussed endlessly; Abigail Dean's writing is incredibly clever - the book was both heartbreaking and absolutely gripping.

An interesting read although I did struggle through the first few chapters. A shooting at a school, a girl who says she was there but wasn’t, families wanting answers, and a reason why the shooter did it.
I found it a little confusing but it was an okay read

This is a brilliant book and very believable I found it both disturbing and emotional. Without giving away too much of the plot, a special celebration is planned for a local school. During the event a series of tragic events unfold which has lasting and unexpected repercussions. Frightening and easy to imagine this actually happening.

I’ve gotta say that this two star rating is probably more my fault than Abigail Dean’s. First of all, I requested this book on Netgalley without reading the synopsis. I saw Dean’s name and thought it was bound to be a good read. Next, I have very recently read both ‘Columbine’ (a real life investigative account of the Columbine school shootings) and ‘Bright Young Women’ (a re-imagined take on the Ted Bundy killings). So, for me, Day One was a disappointment. I don’t think it’s a story that needed to be told. If you want to read a book about a school shooting, read ‘Columbine’. Even though this is super well written (let’s not take my stingy 2* rating detract from that!), I would much rather Dean have told an original story than (as in the case of ‘Bright Young Women’) re-imagine an old tale which just.. doesn’t need to be heard again.