This is a great read! Psychological fiction at its most gripping!

The story revolves around Abi, a woman in her 30s picking up the wreckage of her life following a relationship breakdown and a criminal conviction.

Living a simple life that consists of working the nightshift at the supermarket and running in the hours of darkness, Abi finds herself in the unfortunate position of being the sole witness to a hit and run accident. Abi reports the accident to the police but as the body has mysteriously disappeared by the time the police arrive, Abi finds herself written off as delusional. As this novel plays out we discover ourselves being unsure who to trust as Abu navigates her way through a host of unpleasant encounters!

This is an utter delight, for those who like their escapism dark and sinister, this is an absolute must!!

,My thanks to Netgalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.

Author Joanne Ryan is known for her tongue-gnawing thrillery twists. Fortunately, Alone in the Dark has them in spades. I gorged on this psychological thriller like I hadn't eaten for days. The premise, anxious tension, suspense and rapid-fire pace drove me nuts with anticipation.

Abi's relationship with Will changed dramatically after a few months. They went their separate ways but she was left scarred and cautious which affected her daily life. Abi was also at fault in an accident so couldn't drive. If that weren't enough, what she saw on a solo run in the dark made her skin crawl. A car seemingly accelerated and hit a man who was running. After the two people in the car drove off, Abi checked the victim who looked dead and reported it to the police. However, after giving her statement, nothing about the accident was on the news except for a man who was missing resembled the man she saw. She was left with several dilemmas and as each one dawned on Abi, she realized she had reason to be frightened and paranoid.

Though occasionally predictable, I didn't care as I was so invested in the Then and Now timelines. The writing is gorgeously atmospheric with just the right amount of darkness. This ARC came at exactly the right time.

Do know there is domestic abuse.

My sincere thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this captivating novel.

Abi is out for her usual nighttime run when she witnesses a car hit somebody. The car flees the scene. Abi runs to check on the victim, but realizes quickly that he died. Abi does not have her cell phone on her, so she runs to the nearest pay phone to call the police. Once she returns to the scene of the crime, the police have arrived. But, there is no body.

Nobody believes Abi. But she knows what she saw. She knows a man died. And someone else ou there knows the truth too....

I REALLY enjoyed "Keep Your Friends Close" by Joanne Ryan (super twisted and crazy) so I was super excited to read her latest novel. Unfortunately, this one was a bit of a let down for me. It lacked the twists and craziness that I love. The story was super predictable, especially the "main twist". Spotted that one from a mile away.

It is a very quick and easy read. I did enjoy the flip between the past and present, as it kept me wanting to turn the pages. The beginning started off quite good. I was intrigued and captivated. But, I lost interest pretty quickly. I found Abi's internal monologue receptive and annoying. So much of this was completely irrelevant to the story and took away from the suspense aspect.

Overall, a very average and predictable read that lacked the elements I enjoy in a thriller. To me, this is a bit of an outlier for Joanne Ryan. Still looking forward to her future reads/ones I haven't read yet!

Thank you Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

In the shadowy realm of psychological thrillers, Joanne Ryan’s “Alone in the Dark” emerges as a uniquely gripping and utterly addictive tale. With a twist that defies expectations, this novel weaves suspense, mystery, and psychological intrigue into a captivating narrative.

Abi, our resilient protagonist, seeks solace in her nightly runs—a refuge from life’s burdens and past trauma. But one fateful evening, she witnesses a chilling event: a car striking a man. As Abi rushes to help, she discovers the man is already dead. Yet, when she returns with the police, the body has vanished. Everyone dismisses her account, except for one person who insists on her silence.

Ryan masterfully builds tension, leaving readers questioning reality and unraveling secrets. The plot twists are like hidden trapdoors—just when you think you’ve figured it out, the ground shifts beneath you. The pacing is relentless, urging you to turn pages late into the night.

The characters are multifaceted, their motives shrouded in shadows. Abi’s determination and vulnerability make her relatable, while the enigmatic figure urging her silence adds layers of intrigue. The atmospheric setting—dark alleys, secrets lurking in plain sight—becomes a character itself.

Alone in the Dark is a fascinating novel, a stellar mystery and psychological thriller, where the tension builds slowly, and before you know it, the protagonist is in an unimaginable mess! The fun is in how the author resolves it.

As a book reviewer, I appreciate Ryan’s ability to surprise her readers!

This author's prose is sharp, evoking emotions and painting vivid scenes. The puzzle-solving aspect keeps readers engaged, and the resolution leaves you breathless.

In summary, “Alone in the Dark” is a rollercoaster ride through fear, deception, and the human psyche. Joanne Ryan proves herself a master of suspense, and this novel is a must-read for fans of Lisa Jewell, Sue Watson (and one of my personal favorites) Freida McFadden.

I am kind of confused with this book. I found the start quite gripping, but then I find Abi’s internal monologue quite repetitive, plus some of her interactions with Mel and Sally didn’t do much for the plot. I liked the Then vs. Now chapters, it had me turning to the next page, mostly during the middle-ish of the book. The plotwists, however, didn’t do it for me. I found the main ones quite predictable. I think I might rate this book a 2.4/3 star, as I don’t know how to feel about it. I won’t be posting this review on my social media, mostly because of the upcoming release. I am really thankful for my ARC, and I am kind of frustrated because this book didn’t entertain me as much as I thought it would. Im sorry.

Book Title: Alone in the Dark
Author: Joanne Ryan
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Pub Date: August 18, 2024
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pages: 275

Story is told by Abigail Redmond and starts off with “Then’ and ‘Now’

Now ~ Early (5am early) one morning, while out running she sees a man who is also running only he is wearing a suit n tie certainly more appropriate for the office than exercise. Next thing he is hit by a car. The driver and passenger get out and seem to be satisfied so drive off.
She doesn’t have her phone so rushes to find a phone to call the police. However, when the police arrived the man has vanished.
A week or so later she sees a TV appeal for a missing man and she is sure that he is the one she saw injured. On trying to report it, she finds her statement isn't what she said. What on earth is going on and who is trying to keep things hidden?

Then ~ Her boyfriend Will has a dark side and has turned abusive. In addition to hurting her, he locks her in a cupboard and goes off to work. She is hopeful someone from her work will check in on her. However, he already thought of that and called in to report she is sick and cannot make it to work today.
She finally escapes his terror only now she has no one to turn to as the police think she has reality issues.

Back to Will – Abi knows she cannot escape him and her only option is to kill or be killed.

This is actually a quick read but there sure was a lot going on.

Read and love " Don’t Let Her In" - Trust me one wacko neighborhood!

The blurb states ~ A completely jaw-dropping psychological thriller, perfect for fans of K.L. Slater, Lisa Jewell and Sue Watson.
I believe another author should be added - To me this reads like a Freida McFadden – one of my favorite Psychological Thriller writers. She is so clever ~ known as “The Plot-Twist Queen” so this story seemed like something she would write!

Looking forward to the next Joanne Ryan thriller!

Thank NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for August 19, 2024.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of Alone in the Dark by Joanne Ryan due to be published August 19, 2024.
I had previously read Don’t Let Her In by Joanne Ryan so I was excited to get this book!
Abi goes for her usual quiet nighttime run when she sees, or thinks she sees a murder. No one will believe her – not her friends, her boyfriend, or the police. Is she going crazy? What will she have to do to convince people it was real?
This was a true thriller and had all the elements – secrets, lies, twists, and a few Oh Mys! It was a page turner that I could not put down and read in a day. The ending was a surprise, also.
I highly recommend this one to anyone who loves a good psychological thriller!
#NetGalley #JoanneRyan #BoldwoodBooks #AloneInTheDark

This is a complex and well written thriller that I was hooked on from the first page. I liked the conversational tone of the narrative and was wept along with the story. Really enjoyed it.

Okay, the blurb was very intriguing. And the book starts really well. I liked the conversational style of writing in the beginning. I liked how Abi begins to feel for Cameron.

But then, the story meanders, telling things that I didn't want to know; things that didn't add anything to the story. Also, the same conversational style of writing begins to sound like an internal monotonous, lengthy monologue. Her feelings for Cameron didn't seem to go anywhere. But then, something very significant happens that makes me really curious but then in the next chapter the main story meanders yet again. It seemed that the author was holding it but for this genre, it was somewhat frustrating.

And then, an impatient reader that I am, I begin to lose interest.

I am disappointed. Not sharing my review anywhere else. Thank you for the copy. Sorry it didn't work for me.

Abi our narrator is in some kind of a rut. She lost her job after being arrested for drunk driving, she broke up with her boyfriend (though we soon learn that the breakup is actually a good thing) and she’s a little bit lost in life, so to keep the anxiety away she goes for a run really early in the morning. One morning she sees a man getting hit by a car, but by the time she calls the police the body is gone, and nobody seems to believe what she saw.

Abi is frustrating at times - which makes her an interesting character - she makes incredibly bad and stupid choices, like the way she tries to escape her abusive ex, or the way she’s way too trusting of that new guy who she just happens to meet when everything is going on. There were moments when I wanted to shout “oh come on”. But she’s trying her best and her heart is in the right place. She has values and she sticks to them, even when it gets her in trouble. Now the twists weren’t that surprising to me (a couple characters were walking red flags) but I’d rather have good characters than twists after twists so I’m not seeing this as a flow. I wish I could spoil the last scene cause it made me so happy.

Alone in the dark is a riveting thriller and will not disappoint. This novel is full of complex suspense between witnessing a hit and run as well as dealing with a toxic ex. There are many things in this book that a reader may relate to, encouraging them to become invested in this story. Im giving this a 4 star.

I absolutely loved this book, I devoured it in one day! It was completing gripping from the beginning, and had an amazing twist.

another gripping addictive twisty book from this author. Abi s life at the moment is not perfect but she is getting there she now lives on her own. she loves running to help her mind but one night she sees something that she can't just forget. a man has been runover she has no mobile, so she goes to a pay phone and rings the police, when she gets back there a policeman is there but no man on the road. Abi thinks he is ok. until she sees a news report .and Abi can't leave it lie but at what cost who can you believe and who can you trust an amazing read that will keep you gripped until the very end.

One of my favourite authors so i dropped everything to read this latest masterpiece.
Our main character comes across a hit and run, the body vanishes and then things get really weird!
Joanne Ryan has a way of writing that makes the characters so believable with a storyline that is thrilling, exciting and edgy.
Tried to pace myself with this one but i ended up finishing in two sittings.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my early copy.
Bring on the next one Joanne.

I read this book in one sitting. It was engaging and addictive as I really wanted to know what happened to Hannah. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am thankful to NetGalley and Joanne Ryan for allowing me to read it early. 5 STARS!!!

Another brilliant thriller from Joanne Ryan, this one was totally addictive and I couldn't put it down. Full of shocking twists and turns until the fantastic ending. Loved it!

Thank you to Netgallery and the publisher for this ARC. The publication date is the 19th August. I read this book in one sitting I loved it! It was an interesting plot that kept me intrigued until the end.

I felt sorry for the character of Abi as no one believed her and I didn’t like the character of Will at all (you will see why when you read it!)

Overall, a twisty plot with many twists and turns thrown in that kept me wanting to read on.

Abi is out running when she witnesses a car hitting a man who is in a suit. The people get out of the car to check the man, and then drive away.
She calls the police - having to look for a public call box, and when she returns to the scene, there is a police car, but no body.

Everyone thinks she has lost the plot, but she feels she is being watched, and finds a threatening message written on the bathroom mirror.

I honestly could not put this book down. I started it when I went to bed and just had to finish it before I went to sleep!

I really felt for Abi, as she was not believed, and her past came into the equation, people thought she was delusional.

The plot and the twist were fantastic, and I wholeheartedly recommend this book for those that want a fast paced psychological thriller.

5/5 stars from me.

Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read this book.

She witnessed a murder… but nobody’s dead
It’s a quiet night, like any other, when Abi goes for her usual night time run. Running is her escape from all the stresses of life, the thing she does to feel stronger than the man who once hurt her so badly. But then as she turns a quiet corner she sees a car hitting somebody. Rushing forward as the driver screeches off into the night, she realized the man in the road has already died! She goes to call for help, and when she returns to the scene of the hit-and-run, she finds a policeman already waiting. But there’s no body. No one else is there! Great read! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! It had great suspense, intriguing, action, murder, mystery, gas lighting, and a few crazy twists and turns! I highly recommend reading this one! Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood books for sharing this book with me!

Love Joanne Ryan books so was excited to read this one! I can't wait for this to come out and for y'all to lose your minds. if you had doubts about preordering, don't. you're going to want to read this one. I raced through it this weekend. Such a smart idea. Twisty, warped, credible. Brilliantly plotted and compelling. Deserves to be such a hit.