After Nightfall

Written by A.J. Banner

Narrated by Teri Schnaubelt

From the bestselling author of The Good Neighbor comes a gripping thriller about an engagement party gone fatally awry.

Imagine your closest friend utterly betraying you. Years later, when she seeks forgiveness, you invite her to your engagement party as a gesture of reconciliation. But seething hostilities rise to the surface, ruining everyone’s evening. After an awful night, your friend’s battered, lifeless body is found at the bottom of a rocky cliff.

Newly engaged Marissa Parlette is living this nightmare. She should be celebrating her upcoming wedding, but she can’t shake the image of her friend lying dead on the beach. Did she fall? Was she pushed? Or did she take a purposeful step into darkness? Desperate for answers, Marissa digs deep into the events of the party. But what she remembers happening after nightfall now carries sinister implications: the ugly sniping, the clandestine meetings, the drunken flirtations. The more she investigates, the more she questions everything she thought she knew about her friends, the man she once trusted, and even herself.

Bestselling author A. J. Banner keeps readers on a razor-sharp edge in this intricately plotted novel of psychological suspense…in which nothing is as it seems.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Aug 7, 2018
• ISBN: 9781543681376

A.J. Banner

Born in India and raised in North America, A. J. Banner received degrees from the University of California, Berkeley. Her first novel of psychological suspense, The Good Neighbor, was named by Harper’s Bazaar as a book that could be the next Gone Girl. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and five rescued cats.

Reviews for After Nightfall

[Megan Sue Born · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

What kind of trash ending was that? Also the victim-blaming, selfish, and inconsistent main character was rubbish. Anyone who has experienced domestic violence should avoid this book.

[natalieriley · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

EVERYONE is suspect in this murder mystery thriller! Marisa invites an estranged best friend to her engagement dinner party to hopefully repair their friendship. The evening is drama filled. The next morning, her friend is found dead on the beach from falling off the cliff. No one can be trusted as Marisa is determined to find out what happened to her friend.

[zmagic69 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

There isn’t a single female in this book who isn’t neurotic, and makes really bad decisions.
I only finished the book so I could see which mental defective did it.
The men all portrayed as weak, stereotyped, and completely uninteresting.
It doesn’t even bother with an actual ending.
How did this book ever get published?

[Jess · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What a well done whodunit. Quick read that let me guessing and suspicious of everyone all the way to the big reveal. Although my goodness, who wouldn’t be suspicious of the woman who finds so many dead bodies. Sheesh. I was actually surprised the finger wasn’t pointed more at her!
Looking forward to reading more by Banner.

[vecharo · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Flighty, unfocused and unbelievable. Even books of fiction needs a ring of truth. Reader did an alright job. Some parts were over done while others didn’t capture the moment.

[lorikboyd · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The suspense builds from the very beginning...Marissa and Nathan are having a dinner party, and college roommate and ex BFF is flirting with Nathan. This was suppose to be a special night, but turned into something completely different.

This book is full of suspense. Each character has a story to tell and it will keep you guessing. Enjoyed the Author’s writing style, a very complex story that unravels slowly to keep you guessing and wondering. I had to reread the last few pages twice. Not sure I was content with it, but it kept me thinking about it. And isn’t that what a good book does!

I received an ARC of this book. Opinion is mine alone.

[pomo58 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

After Nightfall from A.J. Banner is a bit of a slow-burn psychological suspense novel. If you're looking for a thriller rather than a suspense novel you might want to save this one for when you feel like the methodical pace of a psychological suspense story rather than the quick forward momentum of most thrillers.Like any story that includes a mystery the number of possible suspects is both high and very well established. Well into the book you will be able to make a plausible case for almost every person. Which means, of course, that at at least one point you were right. Just don't confuse that with "knowing" who did it early in the book, no one will believe you.The novel moves in jumps to a certain extent. It seems like we are simply learning more information that keeps the list of suspects long then something happens that makes one of them stand out. Then we learn more and the other suspects begin to look possible again then something new happens to throw suspicion in yet another direction. For some, the periods of learning information, the part where the psychological part of the psychological suspense is established and amped up, feels slow. It isn't slow but if you don't care to learn about the characters then you probably should steer clear of psychological novels, whether suspense or thriller, since the psychological part requires background and attention to minutiae. That is how the state of mind of a character is established and played with.I don't have the same problem with the end as some people. The mystery was solved. I tend to like not having every single other issue fully and completely resolved as long as the main mystery is taken care of. Throwing doubt into other aspects of the story, and especially what will happen after the book ends, allows the reader to exercise some creative control. If you don't want to use your creativity and just want everything wrapped up with a bow, well, the ending might bother you. But the rest of the book is, I think, good enough to still make it worth reading for you.I think I covered who might enjoy, or not enjoy, the book in the previous paragraphs. I was actually torn between 4 and 5 stars but opted to round up because so many of the negative ratings seemed to be upset for the book not being what it never set out to be. When people resort to such hyperbole, especially when it is in many of their "reviews" or they only read a few pages but feel knowledgeable enough to rate and review the entire book, they can easily be discounted. Like any book this won't please everyone, but ignore the overblown hyperbole, both positive and negative, and pay attention to the ones that actually seemed to engage with the book.Reviewed from a copy made available through Goodreads First Reads.

[kstadt929 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Marissa finds her best friend dead on the beach. Was she killed? What happened? The premise drew me in, but the book itself left something to be desired. There was a lot going on and the connections didn’t quite fit. The end of the book...just kind of stopped with no wrap up of events. It was interesting enough for me to wonder what would happen, but the way everything unfolded did not keep me in suspense or make me want to read more

[susan0316 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a fantastically well written suspense novel that had me guessing until the last chapter. There were clues and false clues all through the books and I knew who the bad guy was several times and then found out a few pages later that I was totally wrong. At Marissa's engagement party, her best friend flirts shamelessly with her new fiance. Was it the wine or did Lauren need to be loved and admired by everyone around her? Lauren leaves the party after telling Marissa that she need to talk to her about her fiance. The next morning when Marissa is on an early walk, she finds Lauren's body at the bottom of a cliff. Was it an accident or was she pushed by Marissa's fiance? Lauren's husband? Lauren's daughter? or someone unknown. Marissa is determined to solve the crime even if it puts her in danger.I was surprised at the end but after I went through the clues that had been given, it made perfect sense. Sometimes in suspense books, the 'bad guy' doesn't make any sense but in this case, it all came together perfectly.Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

[jenniferlynn-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Loved the book!! Throughout the story I didn't know who to believe and I kept changing my mind on who killed Lauren. I didn't want to stop reading because I needed to know who was behind it all and why. I never guessed the ending and was taken by surprise. A good surprise because I was shocked at who was the killer. Marissa and Nathan are throwing an engagement party for a few close friends and family. No one seemed to really enjoy themselves at the dinner. Nathan's daughter was upset. Hedra, Nathan's sister-in-law, was also upset and became flustered when questioned about a bruise on her wrist. Then there was Lauren. She continuously flirted with Nathan and left early with the excuse of picking up her daughter. Lauren was once Marissa's best friend and they have recently become reacquainted. Before Lauren leaves she tells Marissa she needs to tell her something important. Marissa never gets to find out what Lauren was going to tell her. Early the next morning, Marissa finds Lauren dead on the beach, below a steep cliff. She immediately suspects murder and starts investigating on her own. Marissa keeps finding clues and always seems to be there to call 911 when someone is injured. The detective starts to suspect Marissa is involved in Lauren's death. Loved the story, writing style and characters. Marissa was my favorite by far, most of the others I would never want as friends. I'm not sure how Marissa could be friends with Lauren and Jensen again, especially with what happened in college. Lauren seemed like an awful friend. I wanted to feel bad for Hedra, but I just couldn't. The book was definitely full of twists and turns. It was a great mystery. I definitely recommend the book and can't wait to read more from the author. Thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and the author, A.J. Banner, for a free electronic ARC of this novel.

[bonnie.franks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book grabbed me right from the beginning and never let go. I formed my alliances, reformed my alliances numerous times, guessed and surmised and knew I was right and felt I was wrong.....and etc. Wow! Loved it. A great murder mystery for sure. Everyone is suspect. At some points I started to think maybe I did it.In all seriousness, this is a mystery not to be missed. It has it all and kept me reading until the very end for sure. Loved or hated the characters, formed attachments, just an enjoyable read.This book is great for anyone who ever had a friend or was betrayed by a friend. It's also great for anyone who ever fell in love. Alright, this book is great for everyone! Read it! You'll love it!This book was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.

[debkrenzer · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

For me, this was an okay read. It had good characters, good plot twists and action. However, it just seemed to go on just a little too long.Usually, I'm the one who is suspecting everyone in the book of "doing it" (the killing). However, in this book, Marissa, one of the main characters is making my head spin with all the characters that she is suspecting. And seriously? Everyone on that street has an emergency visit from the cops? That's a little extreme. And yes, I am rolling my eyes.An okay read that seriously should have been shortened and with just a few less accidents and events going on.Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

[girlwellread · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A special thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.Marissa Parlette and her former best friend, Lauren, have recently reconciled after not speaking for years. Marissa had extended an olive branch and invited Lauren and her husband to her engagement party. Only things aren't going so well, Lauren is blatantly hitting on her fiancé and doing so in front of her own husband. After a tense and awful night, Marissa's body is found at the bottom of a cliff. Did she fall? Was she pushed? Or did she willingly step off?Desperate to make sense of the tragedy, Marissa digs in. The party seems to have brought out the worst in her guests, even her fiancé is suspect. The more Marissa questions, the more she is left confused. Marissa ends up questioning everything she knows about her friends, the man she loves, and even questions herself.I had the pleasure of reviewing The Twilight Wife and was impressed, but unfortunately this story fell a little flat for me, but Banner redeemed it at the end. The plot is interesting with enough twists to keep the reader vested in the story. When looking at the synopsis, this appears to be a clever book with an interesting cast of characters that are connected enough to add another layer of mystery. However, the characters were not developed enough and neither was the backstory. For me this was the difference between 3 and 4 stars.

[teachlz · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

ll” by A.J.Banner Lake Union Publishing. August 21,2018WOW!!! My head is actually spinning after reading “After Nightfall” by A.J. Banner. This is a captivating, intense, intriguing, enthralling, suspenseful and riveting novel!! A.J. Banner knows how to write that tense and on-edge story with her descriptions of the landscape and her characters. The Genres for this novel are Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, and Thriller.The authors describes her dysfunctional characters as complex, and complicated. Each character could be a suspect. There are betrayals, lies, secrets, and twists and turns. Marissa Parlette , is celebrating her engagement. She has invited her fiancé’s brother and wife, and a friend from the past, who is back in her life. This friend married Marissa’s former boyfriend years ago, and now has bought a house next door to Marissa’s fiance.Not to worry, she won’t be around long. After flirting with the men at the table and Marissa’s fiance, the friend is found dead as the bottom of a rocky cliff. Was it a fall, or was she pushed? There are more clues discovered that seem to indicate that she was murdered.There are threats, temperamental outbursts, and danger. Someone has also been in Marissa’s house. She is left a friendly welcome home plant, but discovers her bedroom trashed.This is an amazing book that you really get involved with. It is very hard to put down. I highly recommend this sharp book for readers that enjoy an intense mystery. I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

[jenn88-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Marissa Parlette's best friend betrayed her in college and now, after years of not talking, she pops back into her life and seeks forgiveness. As a gesture of reconciliation Marissa invites Lauren to her engagement party. But Lauren has too much to drink. She's flirting. The night doesn't go quite as planned and the morning is even worse - Lauren's body is found at the bottom of a rocky cliff. Marissa is desperate to find the answers surrounding her death. She was scared of heights, so did she fall? Was she pushed? Did she mean to end her life? As she digs around for answers she begins to understand that everyone has secrets.

I love that cover! I was only going to read a chapter because I knew if I had plans to read it all the library books I have on hold would all come at once. After that first chapter I wasn't so sure I'd like the book that much. But then I was flying through the pages. I couldn't get enough. What happened to Lauren?! All the little tidbits are weaved together to create a clever story. Everyone is seen as suspicious, they all have secrets. I loved how the book ended. I was surprised at the big reveal, again I appreciate the cleverness, but I wasn't totally crazy about it. But this was still a tense, enjoyable page-turner for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC.