“One Night Gone”

“One Night Gone”

Written by Tara Laskowski

Reviewed by Diana Iozzia

“One Night Gone” initially begins with a killer premise, but later develops into the run of the mill domestic thriller, with just an average ending. The story is told in two different perspectives, Maureen’s from thirty years ago, and Allison’s from present day. Both girls have come to Opal Beach, a small, fictional boardwalk town near Wildwood, New Jersey. We have come to the conclusion that Maureen will disappear. Now, will Allison be in danger?

Both perspectives are written very well, but the downfall of this book is truly plot-based. I found the danger of each character to be very simple and stereotypical, for female characters in this genre. Unfortunately, I was not wowed by the true villains, although I was surprised by how many red herrings that were placed into this book. The plot is very twisted and wrenches into many different directions, but the ending just did not live up to its expectations. There is a great twist within it, but the one great twist does not make up for the entire conclusion.

Being from New Jersey, I have a very fond love for the Jersey Shore, so I absolutely loved the setting. The vivid imagery of the beach, the carnival, the boardwalk, and the diners definitely made me feel nostalgic. In the next few months, I plan to move to a different country and get married, so the nostalgia for the boardwalks definitely hit home. They’re just not the same elsewhere.

I truly enjoyed the characters, prose, and dialogue, and I absolutely recommend this author. I’d like to read her future mystery thriller novels. I just hope she becomes a bit more unique with her endings. I do recommend this book for those who have not fully dived into the deep abyss of psychological thrillers. As a major reader of this genre, this book blends into many others like it. I do want to mention that if you are a fan of reading Ruth Ware, Michele Campbell, and Shari Lapena’s writing, you might enjoy this.

I received a complimentary advance reader’s edition for reviewing and reading purposes. Thank you again to Graydon House Publishing and Harlequin Books.