The Night She Died by Jenny Blackhurst

Author : Jenny Blackhurst
Title : The Night She Died
Published : 2018
Publisher : Headline
Pages : 368
Genre : Psychological Thriller

   On her own wedding night, beautiful and complicated Evie White leaps off a cliff to her death. What drove her to commit this terrible act? It's left to her best friend and her husband to unravel the sinister mystery. Following a twisted trail of clues leading to Evie's darkest secrets, they begin to realize they never knew the real Evie at all.

   Earlier this year I had the opportunity to read another of Blackhurst books How I Lost You. It was a book that captivated me from start to finish. So when I came across The Night She Died I thought it might just be time to spend some time with this Author. With a synopsis like this, it would be hard to turn a blind eye to such a book. I have to admit I'm a sucker for books that deal with secrets and how people choose to hind parts of themselves from the world. I always find it interesting the way in which these people not only set out to device the world but also themselves. I wonder how much we all do this. 

   The book jumps around a fair bit, not only between Evie and Rachel who were best friends. But also in time, as we get to see the events that lead up to the fateful night and also the search for clues as to why Evie did what she did. Between these two there is a lot to take in and as with anyone we get to witness the things they have hidden from each other. How small things can spiral out and become so much more. I wonder how much could be avoided if people simply talked to each other. But let's be honest that would make for a much more dull read. Here the author once again bounces people of each other as she causes us to search out the truth, and how we don't always see what is right in front of us.

   The book is a good one for these longer nights we are now facing. For me, it did not take long to get through as I raced my way through in the hunt for the truth. The author brings a great style to her books. For me, I find them easy to sink myself into. This is not only a great tense thriller but she also brings a great deal with head games being played out. For me, she is another one of those authors that sets out to show women can be just as vile and nasty as any man can be. That the forces that drive them can twist their minds to doing the unspeakable. This is one of those books where you might just not like it's heroes but as I have stated before this is a good thing. I don't feel that you should always like heroes. It gives you a new dynamic to play with and allows for plots to go to some very dark and twisted places. It is a form that this author plays with well. She delves deep into how words unspoken and a love not returned can twist up inside you and turn bad in the blink of an eye.

   I would say this is a book that I just could not get bored with much like my previous visit to this author's work. The more I read of such novels the great I find myself seeking out these female-driven narratives. They are for me at least very captivating and this author has once again shown me she is up there with the best. It is a book that I would happily recommend.