Emma in the Night is Wendy Walker's second novel, though I haven't yet had a chance to read All is Not Forgotten. This novel tells the aftermath of a broken family trying to put some pieces back together when one of their two daughters returns after randomly vanishing in the night three years ago. Cass returns to her mothers house, pleading for everyone to find her sister Emma. Cass managed to escape from the island where they'd been held, but her sister Emma is still stuck, along with Emma's daughter. Will the police, FBI and forensic psychiatrist who were on the sister's case beforehand be able to wade through the messy family dynamics to find and save Emma in time?
I've really gotten into psychological thrillers lately, and I kept on trying to get more out of this then I was actually getting. I didn't feel a good connection with the characters, something felt off the entire time. I'm usually very easily able to get attached to the characters, but whether it was the narrative in which the story was told or the writing style, I had a hard time feeling empathy and anything but anger at the mother. The novel ended with a well thought out twist that thankfully tied up all the strings in a satisfying way, but because of the lack of emotional connection, I wasn't as happy a reader as I usually am and like to be.
Many thanks to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for allowing me access to this novel in exchange for a honest review.
