Emma In the Night by Wendy Walker
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Release Date: August 8, 2017
Length: 298 pages
Buy on Amazon

{A Bit of Backstory}

Single Sentence Summary

Three years ago sisters Cass and Emma Tanner went missing, and when Cass returns alone, she has vengeance on her mind.

From the Publisher

“ One night three years ago, the Tanner sisters disappeared: fifteen-year-old Cass and seventeen-year-old Emma. Three years later, Cass returns, without her sister Emma. Her story is one of kidnapping and betrayal, of a mysterious island where the two were held. But to forensic psychiatrist Dr. Abby Winter, something doesn’t add up.” 

The Draw

• I read Wendy Walker’s first book, All Is Not Forgotten, and wanted to try her sophomore effort.
• Change of pace. I hadn’t read a psychological thriller in quite a while.
• Strong recommendations, including Amazon’s Best Books of August 2017 and Sarah@sarahsbookshelves.

{My Thoughts}

What Worked For Me

An Unreliable Narrator – Eighteen-year old Cass narrates half the chapters and the reader is never quite sure about Cass. She is desperate for her sister, Emma, to be found, but are the tales she tells about where Emma is true or an illusion? Is she sane or a little crazy? What isn’t she telling us? Adding to her unreliability are Cass’s thoughts. She has a lot figured out about those around her and even more about herself. Cass is an angry girl bent on revenge. She can barely keep the “scream inside” contained.

“I wanted to scream at him. I need things, too! I need to tell my story before it explodes right out of my chest! No one seems to care about my things.”

You’ve got to love her!

A Dysfunctional Family – The Tanner/Martin family was a family at war, literally! They fought; they spied; they strategized; they delivered devastating blows; they were awful. Leading the war was Judy Martin, the girls’ narcissistic mom. Judy wanted all the attention, all the love. When she didn’t get it there were consequences. Devastating consequences. Her two husbands were largely inept when it came to reining her in, but her stepson, Hunter, was a worthy opponent. He fought a battle of lust and hate with both Judy and Emma, who had her own battle going with mom. Cass, often a victim in their skirmishes, watched it all unfold, gathering her own arsenal.

“I looked at my mother and smiled, because she was about to find out that she was not the smartest woman in the world. And I had just raised the stakes in a game she didn’t even know she was playing.”

Foreshadowing – At the end of the chapters narrated by Cass, there was always a last line that left me wondering. These made me want answers and compelled me to keep going.

What Didn’t

Forensic Psychologist Abby Winter – I wasn’t enamored with the parts of the story told from the perspective of this young FBI psychologist. Her personal connections with the lives of Cass and Emma seemed unlikely and a bit of a stretch. Had these been more fully developed, I might have seen a more relevant purpose. Professional choices Abby made I also found questionable.

Wise Beyond Her Years – Cass had a lot of thoughts on everything. Too many thoughts for my taste. She got a little rambly at times and the depth of her 18-year old psychological insights didn’t feel real.

{The Final Assessment}

I liked Emma in the Night very much. The story was fast and compelling with a unique spin. I can’t say that the twists or the ending surprised me, but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment. I thought the way Walker wove the whole thing together really worked. If you like a good psychological thriller, you should definitely add Emma in the Night to your reading list! Grade: B+

If you liked this book you might also enjoy:

• All is Not Forgotten by Wendy Walker – Walker’s debut tells the story of a girl given a drug to help her forget after a violent assault. (My Review)
• Dead Letters by Caite Dolan-Leach – A twin seeks answers in the very mysterious death of her sister. (My Review)
• Don’t You Cry by May Kubica – The story of a woman’s search for her roommate who’s gone missing. (My Review)

Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher (via NetGalley) in exchange for my honest review.

Disclosure: There are Amazon Associate links included within this post.