Goodnight, Beautiful is a fast-paced domestic thriller with a tense storyline, a taut plot and liberal use of wicked twists as well as Molloy’s speciality, misdirection/red herrings. Prepare yourself for a riveting rollercoaster ride that never lets up and ends up leaving you breathless. I couldn't get through the pages quickly enough.

Sam & Annie get married after a whirlwind romance, leave New York to move to Sam’s home town and to be near his mum, who is in a nursing home.
But Sam mysteriously goes missing after leaving his new psychology office .... and who is he going to meet that night? His new wife is wondering if she really knows this man, after learning things while everyone is looking for Sam.

I really liked both of the main characters, actually few funny bits. Usually the twist are further in in the book but not this one ....”What?! No that can’t be right!! “ left my lips a few times lol!

Publication Date - 18th March 2021

Thanks Netgalley !

#netgalley #hodder&stoughton #goodnightbeautiful #aimeemolloy

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This seems to have divided the crowds, I see a lot of people really enjoyed it, and some like me were less enthusiastic.. I thought it was certainly different, and I liked that, but I didn't like the characters, and couldn't really care what happened to them. Shame ,and I am glad other readers enjoyed it I guess this is a book that you have to read and make your own decision..

Not my cup of tea. It's well written but I didn't like the characters and the story fell flat.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

To be honest I couldn't get into this book because I didn't connect to the characters really. For a different reader I feel. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me review this book.

This is the first book I have read by Aimee Molloy.

This story is a little slow to get into at the beginning but then it really picks up.

There are many different points Of view so you really can’t guess what’s happening.
Complex twists and turns that once I’d got into kept me gripped.

This book took me a little while to get into but once I finished Part 1 (approx 25%) I flew through it and it all clicked into place. I'm not a lover of unreliable narrators and prefer to believe everything I'm reading, so this one really took me by surprise and I actually really enjoyed it once I got into it. I did feel that the characters felt a little flat and one dimensional at the start but having read the whole story I could see that this was intentional and it worked beautifully. There were so many twists and turns and while I wasn't sure what was happening in the beginning it all worked out fabulously and boy what a thrilling read it was. I read the second half of the book in one sitting because I was totally engrossed and wanted to know what was going to happen. The tension was palpable and the author did a fabulous job of keeping me turning the pages. All in all, while I didn't connect with the story or the characters at the beginning, this story did pull me into its pages and brought me on an exhilarating journey that was expertly executed. As such I have given it four stars and look forward to reading more from the author.

Dr Sam Statler and his wife have moved to start a new life together. He with his thriving practise and spacious new office but nothing is ever as it seems. As they both find out when Sam goes missing in a rainstorm and Annie learns of his crippling debt. Sam isnt missing though, he's been kidnapped but can they both figure out the truth of everything.

This was an interesting twisted story. Split into three parts that pull the story together to an ending that is very well done. The story jumps perspective and at the start you're not sure who is who but thats the way its meant to be and I liked figuring out who it was each time. This story does follow similar paths of another well known story which happens to be a favourite of mine. This was an interesting take on it and the motives of the kidnapper and his actions are cleverly written. A well written thriller with some brilliant twists along the way.

I can’t believe I almost gave up on this book very early on because simply didn’t enjoy the opening chapter. I would have missed a brilliant read if I had chosen not to carry on. I read a couple of reviews which were very positive and they together with the fact that I hate not finishing a book encouraged me to continue and boy am I glad I did. This book is excellent. The plot, the characters, the timing and the humour are all equally clever. It’s not like any other thriller I’ve read and it doesn’t slot into an easy category because it’s much more than a thriller but thrilled and on the edge of your seat you will be!
I’m already looking up Aimee Molloy books although reading the authors Acknowledgments I think this was a very original venture even for her.
Easy to score it an outstanding five stars.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

what a strange book....with 3 different pov you are left hanging with your mouths open until the final point of view and then it all makes some sort of sense


i totally had it all wrong and then that last pov and it all made sense...

a different way of writing but compelling all the same...

will be keeping an eye out for more of this authors works

Traditionally with my reviews I outline the plot; however, this isn’t the sort of book that really works well with. You’ve got access to the blurb – read that, and accept there is a heck of a lot more to it than you’re being led to believe.
This is the first book I’ve read by Aimee Molloy, and if this is even vaguely typical of her writing, it most definitely won’t be the last. There is so much misdirection in this, handled expertly, that I was completely spellbound.
I essentially inhaled Part I, and found myself in a bit of a tailspin as I began Part II and wondered what on earth I’d missed. That is all I’m going to say. Read it, come back to me and nod sagely when you realise what I’m talking about. Massive applause for that.
This is an intriguing story, freaky as hell and gloriously twisty. The characters are interesting, not the typical cliched one-dimensional easily forgot idiots this genre tends to produce. In fact, one character in particular had me chuckling, even if I wasn’t to.

If you follow my reviews, you’ll know I’m not big on giving out 4 or 5 stars – my mouth is not a bakery, I do not sugar coat the issues I have with novels. So, for this to be a 4 (probably a 4.5 if I’m being honest), that means something.

Perhaps it should be a 5, perhaps I will come to regret not marking it up but, there is something that just niggles at the edges for me. Whilst this is a masterpiece, on so many levels, the homage to Misery just felt a little … I don’t know. To quote Annie Wilkes, it’s a cheat.

There was more than a simple head-nod in King’s direction, Molloy instead went full on nodding-dog at it, and as a result, I think I was left feeling like it wasn’t authentic enough. It’s not plagiaristic, but as a reader (and a writer) it made me feel uncomfortable. Probably didn’t help that I have only just read Misery in the last few weeks, so it’s a little fresh (and therefore repetitive in some ways) coming so soon.

That said, it is purely personal preference/opinion on that side of things, and I can entirely understand why anyone would give this a 5. It is desired – I’m just a tight sod. Sorry.

If you’re looking for a traditional psychological thriller, not simply a cookie-cutter mystery book, then this is definitely for you.

After a whirlwind romance Annie is looking forward to spending more time with her new husband Sam when they move to upstate New York. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city should be the perfect place to deepen their relationship, however Sam is eager to establish himself in his new Therapist office. Long office hours and little quality time does not a happy marriage make, so when a stormy night results in a missing husband Annie has to prove to everyone that she does know Sam more than people think.

As usual with thrillers I went into this book knowing as little as I could get away with. However on reading the synopsis after finishing it actually doesn't give away too much which is good. So when I started reading I settled in for a standard missing husband story and the story starts in the lead up to the disappearance. I don't want to give anything away about how the story unfolds but I was blindsided more than once and I thought I was in for a five star read. However I soon came crashing down in the last part of the book as it fell completely flat for me. When this book was good it was really good as it led me in certain directions I didn't even realise at the time but then the run up to the end and the final conclusion just felt a bit cobbled together. There were sparks of brilliance at times which meant I was a captive audience but then the ingenuity faded and I was left thoroughly cheated.

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC.
Oh My! This is an excellently-written thriller brimming with obscurities and mis-direction which I found difficult to comprehend at first, resorting to re-reading parts to get my head around it. By the end I was in total awe of this author's expertise in weaving this complex plot - full of surprises and red-herrings. Amazing.
I can't write too much without going into the realms of spoilers but it centres around Dr Sam Statler and his wife Annie Potter. Having moved from New York City to the suburbs of Chestnut Hill - Sam's home town, Sam's mother Margaret is in an expensive local nursing home and he is a psychologist. One stormy night Sam disappears..................................

There is just so much to this story I couldn't put it down, I just had to get to the bottom of what exactly was going on - just when you think you've got a handle on one aspect, the author throws a curve-ball, exploding your thoughts apart.

A really good and intriguing read.

Newlyweds Sam Statler and Annie Potter are head over heels, and excited to say good-bye to New York and start a life together in Sam's sleepy hometown in upstate New York. Or, it turns out, a life where Annie spends most of her time alone while Sam, her therapist husband, works long hours in his downstairs office, tending to the egos of his (mostly female) clientele. Little does Sam know that through a vent in his ceiling, every word of his sessions can be heard from the room upstairs. The pharmacist's wife, contemplating a divorce. The well-known painter whose boyfriend doesn’t satisfy her in bed. Who could resist listening? Everything is fine until the French girl in the green mini Cooper shows up, and Sam decides to go to work and not come home, throwing a wrench into Sam and Annie's happily ever after.

This is an absolutely outstanding book. The thriller genre seems bogged down at the moment with very basic thrillers but this book brings the genre back to life! This book threw me for a loop. There aren’t many times I have to stop, go back, re-read and still think about what has just happened because I did not see that coming!

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

Thank you to the author, Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a read - this is the first psychological thriller in a while that I have not been able to put down, and where the twists and turns were (mostly) unpredictable. The story is told from various POVs, but especially at the beginning you're not sure whose POV you're reading, and what is going on. The author did a great job of teasing out the relationship between the married couple, bit by bit, and the villain is suitably creepy. Once it becomes clear who the villain is, about halfway through the book, the plot settles down quite a bit and becomes more predictable. Nevertheless, a fast-paced and very entertaining read.

An interesting twisty read, but I felt the author was trying to be too clever at times and didn't always pull it off. I don't want to give spoilers but Albert's motives were never particularly clear, and the reliance on the plot of "Misery" made it feel unoriginal at times.
Thank you to netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for an advance copy of this book.

Newlyweds Sam and Annie are head over heels in love, and excited to say goodbye to New York and start a new life together in Sam's sleepy hometown in upstate New York. Sam is a therapist works long hours in his downstairs office. Little does Sam know that through a vent in his ceiling, every word of his sessions can be heard. The pharmacists wife, contemplating a divorce. The well lnown painter who doesn't satisfy her in bed. Who could resist listening? Everything is fine intil the French girl in the green mini shows up and Sam decides to go to work and not come home.

Dr Sam Slater is a phychologist and reformed womaniser who's recently got married. Sam and Annie also take care of Annie's mother who has dementia. This story will have you second guessing everything. This is a cleverly crafted twist filled read. I can't say too much about this book as i don't want to spoil it for potential readers. I do recommend this bok.

I would like to thank #NetGalley, #HodderStoughton and the author #AimeeMolloy for my ARC #GoodnightBeautiful in exchange for an honest review.
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Goodnight Beautiful is set in Chestnut Hill, New York, the childhood home town of psychologist Sam Statler. He’s happily returning with his wife, Annie Potter to set up an office space in which he can meet with his clients, a move necessitated by his need to be physically closer to his mother who is now residing in a facility caring for those with dementia. The Statler family are well known within the community, Sam with a reputation as a ladies man, his mother a secretary of long standing at the local high school and his absent father remembered mainly as the man who left his family for an underwear model. But Sam is now a reformed character celebrating his marriage on a weekly basis with the woman who’s finally managed to pin him down. Finding an office space to rent in the historic Lawrence house is the icing on the cake and life is looking rosy for this couple until one stormy night when Sam,having left his office for the evening fails to turn up for a romantic assignation with Annie. A community wide search begins for her missing husband but unfortunately that’s as much detail I can sensibly relay without giving away any spoilers. The strength of this thriller lies in the gullibility of the reader and I was a willing victim!

I really only have positive thoughts about this compulsive thriller that stands out from the crowd , even though there isn’t anything particularly original about the methods employed for obscuring the truths that have a tendency to creep up on you without warning. Perhaps it’s simply the author’s delivery and timing of pertinent details that makes reading this like a breath of fresh air. If I have one negative thing to say about this thriller it’s that as a British gal with no interest or knowledge in baseball, these references completely passed me by. I was worried this would detract from my enjoyment of the plot but fear not,in in the scheme of things this subject matter is background information only. Once I’d overcome my initial worry this author had me eating out of the palm of her hand gobbling up every morsel of this storyline that delivers on every count.

I liked how Molloy has used Sam Statler, as a psychologist and therefore an expert in the complexities of the mind as her main character who now finds himself caught up in the mind games of others around him. Whilst he’s a complicit partner in the sexual role play games he enjoys with wife Annie, there’s also his mother’s condition of pre senile dementia to cope with and his almost non existent relationship with absent father and fellow baseball lover. The state of this relationship is really the only black cloud on the horizon but one that has shaped his life as a child growing up into the man he is today, desperate not to repeat his father’s mistakes. As details of this couple’s daily life emerge, there’s something incredibly enticing about this author’s writing, making this thriller one NOT to miss.

So what makes this read so addictive? Well, for me it is the way in which Molloy has understood how the majority of readers will interpret and assimilate the information she presents to her audience, tricking you into forming assumptions without you even realising you’re doing it. With deliciously deceptive writing, twice she stopped me in my tracks, having to flip back a few pages to make sense of what I’d just read because I couldn’t believe how masterfully I’d been played. With the first twist comes the realisation that you could be in the company of an unreliable narrator but if that isn’t enough to convince you how cleverly masterminded this plot is then just wait for the next jaw dropping surprise! My face was a picture of shock and horror as I laughed at how easily, once again,I’d fallen for the bait. Unusually for a thriller there is wry humour to some of these characters exchanges that I greatly appreciated and didn’t expect to come across. This is a storyline that keeps on giving!

I’ve begun to fall a little bit out of love with books of this genre since the market is flooded with thrillers that in my opinion are often good but not outstanding. Occasionally you chance upon one that is deserving of all the rave reviews and with Goodnight Beautiful the author has restored my faith! Believe the hype and read the book today! I promise you it is time well spent. My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read.

Goodnight Beautiful by Aimee Molloy, Pub Date 18/03/2021
This story centres around Dr Sam Statler and his wife, Annie. He is a therapist; he and Annie have moved back to his home town of Chestnut Hill, New York.
They are whirlwind newlyweds just starting to plan their lives together when Sam disappears.
A cleverly twisted psychological thriller,
Aimee has been called a 'master of clever misdirection. Having read previous books and now this one, I can only agree. A thrilling read, it keeps you on your toes to the last full stop.
I cannot say anymore without creating spoilers.
A recommended read
I want to thank NetGalley, Hodder and Stoughton, author Aimee Molloy for a pre-publication copy to review.

This is such a fabulous, gripping, read. It's got great characters with real depth, a cracking plot, a nod to the great Stephen King and twists and turns aplenty.
It's rare that a storyline makes me shout out loud and this did!

For me, this is a book that, when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it.

A young couple move from New York to the country due to the husband's mother being ill. He's a psychiatrist and unbeknownst to him, his sessions can be heard within the house, via an air vent. Who wouldn't listen?
What follows is so well written I was absolutely hooked and I'm gutted now that I've finished it.

I understand from the author's acknowledgements that this almost became a different story. Thank goodness she trusted her instinct and Congratulations Aimee Molloy on delivering a first class 5* thriller of a read.

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Hodder and Stoughton and the author for the opportunity to preview this cracker.