Intelligent and gripping a wider social drama played out within one family. There’s been a rash of books along this theme this year though and I have the same criticism of all of them.,we really wouldn’t vote this in, would we??

'Women were told to stay indoors until the killer was caught, the implication being that it would be our fault if it happened to us. But we'd had enough of being blamed for things that men did. We said no.'

This book is set in the future where women have taken a stand against male violence and men are forced to wear tags on their legs and have a curfew where being outside overnight results in a prison sentence. However, when a woman is murdered, its argued over whether this act could have been committed by a man.

The plot of the book is what drew me in - the idea of a world where women were safe to be out late? Safe to go for a run? Safe to enjoy themselves? As a woman, I was curious about this world and I devoured its pages.

We follow the lives of Cass (a member of the next generation who have only known a world with curfew), Sarah (Cass' Mum who became a tagger - someone who checks and fits mens tags - and whose husband broke curfew), Helen (Cass' teacher who teaches about curfew and who is pursuing starting a family), and Pamela (a police officer in the present day who fights to prove that a man killed their victim). Through these women, we get to discover how curfew had changed womens lives for the better, the history of it, the arguments for and against it, and whether it is as faultless a system as it seems.

I loved how all the personalities of the women were different and they were so incredibly realistic but I did have an issue with the character of Cassie.
Spoilers👇
She does a complete 180 on her ideology in the last few chapters and I'm just not convinced someone could change their beliefs that fast or reconvene with a despised parent so easily.
Spoilers👆

Curfew isn't the only system in place in this book to protect women against male violence, there's also a screening process which men and women who want to move in together and marry have to go through, in order to reduce the number of domestic abuse incidents. It was another interesting idea but was again, highlighted for its flaws.

The question constantly asked in this book is; are these measures a positive change? Because our viewpoint is always from a woman and I'm a woman myself, its easy to see the positive impact curfew has brought. Less women are being killed or ending up with partners of domestic abuse, and women don't have to fear for their lives after it gets dark or if they're going out early in the morning. Its not arguable that curfew is a system that works. However, do we really need to go to such drastic action for protection? Is it right to restrict all mens freedom? I swung back and forth between agreeing with the ideas in this book and disagreeing because clearly something needs to change in our society, a society where 2-3 women in the UK are killed by men every week, but I'm still not sure such drastic change is the answer.

While I was reading this book I was stuck between feeling that men were getting an unfair portrayal and feeling that the bias in this book was intentional and reading the authors note confirms that this book was designed to be that way. Cowie talks about her own experience with domestic abuse and the response to the #MeToo movement with #/NAMALT and Id definitely recommend reading it.

After Dark is a chilling Dystopian novel which presents a future world where men are tagged and are forced to stay indoors between the hours of 7am and 7pm. This has come about after a series of chilling murders and the government’s decision to bring in this rather draconian law.
This has been dubbed The Handmaiden’s Tale in reverse and in some ways it is. The emasculation of the male species, forced by law, into a world where women call the shots.
The story is narrated from multi-viewpoints. Pamela, a policewoman on the edge of retirement, brought in to investigate a gruesome murder. Sarah, whose husband is currently in prison after breaking the curfew. She works as a tagger, fitting and regularly checking tags. Cassie, her 18 year old daughter, questions everything about the Curfew law. She is missing her father and her relationship with her mother has hit rock bottom. And finally Helen, Cassie’s teacher. She teaches the basics around the Curfew law and is currently receiving counselling with partner Tom – a legal requirement to assess whether it’s okay for them to live together.
This is a completely different read for me, but one which held my attention. I guess I found it difficult to come to terms with a world where such a severe ‘punishment’ was handed out to one half of society, deemed guilty simply because of the fact they were men. And if it changed life for them then it also did the same for women, and not in a good way. I can’t think of anything worse than waking up to find myself in a world like this. The story is a powerful one, the characters well defined – some although not all of them likeable. And it’s only at the end of the book that the murderer is revealed. All in all, a gripping and thought provoking read.
My thanks to Netgalley, Jayne Cowie and Random House for an ARC of After Dark in exchange for an honest review.

Set in a female dominated dystopian world approximately 20 years in the future from publication I felt this had vibes of a plot similar to those John Marrs would pen. Following the murder of a female MP the laws have been changed radically, meaning that all men are tagged and are subject to a curfew between 7pm and 7am which should mean that women feel much safer on the streets after dark. Children are taught in school about Curfew and the reasons behind it. But not everyone is happy about the changes.
Cass's father was put in jail for having breached his Curfew, but the facts behind the situation aren't clear cut and Cass is angry at a system which she believes is just the feminists' way of controlling men. But she doesn't know a life other than the one she's living, what things were like before. She focuses her anger on her mum Sarah (who works at a tagging centre applying and checking the tags) and the other women at the Mother House where they live, a safe haven where men are not allowed access.
When a woman's body is found near where they live, the detectives on the case automatically assume that a woman must have committed the crime as it happened during Curfew hours; all except one, Pamela, who is older than the others on the team and remembers life before Curfew and knows how devious people can be when they have something to hide. Would she manage to persuade the other women on the team to consider all the options before a miscarriage of justice could possibly occur and put an innocent woman behind bars?
I enjoyed pondering the many and varied arguments which this book provokes. Could this scenario ever be brought into place in our society? Is it a fair system or does it penalise the masses for the actions of the few? How open to abuse would the tagging system be? There are so many angles to look at with this book and it certainly got my grey cells firing for a long while after I put it down.
I would definitely recommend this book - it is perfect for book clubs and there are even some useful questions for consideration at the end to kick start conversations.

After dark describes a world where men, because they are the vast majority of perpetrators of violence against women, are subject to curfew with an electronic tag. When a woman’s body is found it seems impossible that a man can have been able to kill her or is it?

⭐️ 2 ⭐️

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC, in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

I thought After Dark was well-written and the premise sounded excellent but unfortunately it wasn’t for me.

I didn’t like/couldn’t connect with any of the characters, and I found the story quite slow-paced.

Sadly I DNF at around 45%.

I think I read curfew and murder and missed that this was a dystopian story with an unlikely premise to say the least. Not my choice of genre but it was a quick if unsatisfactorily read for me.

If you love a thought provoking dystopian mystery that's full of twists and turns After Dark is for you. I really enjoyrd following the main characters and the timely questions this book raised with me regarding women's safety, whilst still being an excellent thriller/mystery in its own right.

This book feels a little close to home with what has been in the news of late - the timing has made this book difficult to read, and more difficult to review.
I enjoyed the book, and it would be great for a book club as there are some interesting discussions to be had on the themes of the book.

However, I found the teenage character to be a bit stereotypical, and because of that a bit annoying.

The book was good - but I wouldn't say I enjoyed it.

To start with i wasnt 100% into this, I enjoyed it while reading, but once I'd put it down, I didn't get that urge to keep picking it back up, however, once I got to just over halfway I was completely absorbed and looked forward to jumping back in, excited to find out if my predictions were right.
After reading so many books where women are second class citizens it was nice to read a book where the reverse is true.
The story is told from the perspectives of several women involved, and although didn't particularly warm to any of the characters,that's not something that would ruin my enjoyment of a book.
It was definitely a thought provoking read, more so once you read the authors notes at the end.
I actually ended up really enjoying it and would recommend it, especially as a book club/buddy read as there are a lot of points for discussion.
4⭐️
Would definitely read more by this author








The delicious desert company

After Dark is set approximately sixteen years in the future, just before 2039/40 in London and foresees a potential alternative dystopian future where women feel safe both in public after 7 pm when men are subject to a curfew. Also, in the home, prior to cohabiting together, men and women must attend counselling courses, have their relationships assessed and only be allowed to cohabit if a certificate is awarded.

Well crafted and certainly provocative, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel. It provides food for thought and poses some interesting concepts and questions. A highly creative, unique, bold and dark tale with a great ending.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Random House UK via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

This novel is also called The Curfew.

Set in a future dystopia, the book is set in Britain where female safety is prioritised and has become the cornerstone of legislation, men are put under a strict 7pm curfew and must wear an electronic tag from the age of 10 years which monitors their movements, couples have to go to counselling sessions with a psychiatrist before being deemed "fit" to cohabit (i.e. if it's a toxic relationship that is predicted to go badly, the psychiatrist won't give you a "pass certificate") and the likes. Within this world, we meet various characters and the way these new laws affect their daily lives. The concept itself is brilliant and I note that the US have secured rights to present as a TV show in the future which I think will be worth a watch (if they change the ending). It started off as a enthralling plot and the writing felt convincing, the likelihood of living under a curfew given the government enforced lockdowns we've had recently due to covid-19 pandemic (the book was actually finished before covid but published after!) I was shocked when I would finish the initial chapters to reflect on the distortion of this new reality. There is a murder mystery, and flicking between police investigator Pamela's perspective to the daily lives of the women before the murder took place kept the suspense and mystery alive. I only wish the big reveal was executed better - I had to go back and re-read the paragraphs and was disappointed with how the truth was presented to the reader, it almost felt predictable and also very weak in how it was written. In a world where we currently deal with female infanticide, increasing violence and crimes against women, I want to laud the author for coming up with the idea to write 'After Dark'. I would still recommend the read, but I would also comment that without a perspective from the male characters, it definitely feels like a very biased read, none of the characters are likeable as there is alot of prejudice littered throughout, i.e. objectifying Cass was a huge no-no for me but if this is an alternate reality then the only way to write the book is with that freedom of expression (that's how I justified reading through to the end anyway else there were some aspects which I definitely did not agree with). Overall though, I did love the idea and understand the reason for the book. With cases such as the murder of Sarah Everard by a police officer and schoolteacher Sabina Nessa in 2021 being the few of many such tragedies, it appears only an extreme measure can protect women and maybe a change in law would be the answer, nothing as curtailing and intense as ordering a curfew on men but this book certainly makes you think on what else could be done to make the world a safer place. Thank you NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

After Dark is a book I am struggling to review, because it ignited so many feelings in me and I don’t know how to effectively sum this book up! One thing that’s easy to state, though, is that I was completely hooked from start to finish.

The novel is dark, focusing on the investigation of a crime (the type of novel I love!) set in a dystopian Britain where men are under curfew at night. Not only that, but they have to wear electronic tags around their ankles which alerts the authorities if they break the curfew. As a result, they’re no longer able to work in careers like policing, where they’d need to be out of the house overnight. It’s all in a bid to stop spiralling levels of violence against women – something that is all too familiar to us in the present day, sadly.

We encounter several different characters in After Dark – there’s Pamela, a police officer investigating the murder of a young woman, whose body was found at nighttime. Pamela doesn’t believe that all men should be ruled out of committing the crime, just because they in theory shouldn’t be able to leave the house undetected.

Then there’s Sarah, who works at a tagging centre and whose teenage daughter Cass holds a lot of resentment for her mother as she believes she is to blame for her father being in prison.

And Helen, a teacher who is determined to move in with her new boyfriend, despite warnings from others about him.

I loved the way this novel reveals twists and surprises along the way, and we find out some of these characters are more connected than we first thought. I thought After Dark was incredibly intelligent and interesting. The political side of the police’s investigation is also an interesting one. The author does a fantastic job of making you consider whether curfew is actually a good thing – despite the fact that it has reduced male violence against women HUGELY. Is it really fair to tag and restrict half of the population from the age of 10 because of the actions of a few awful people?

It’s surprisingly easy to read – I raced through it in no time (partly because I just could not put it down!) and loved the characterisation.

I don’t want to give too much away so I’ll finish by saying that if you enjoy intriguing, thought-provoking mysteries that really make you think ‘what if?, and you’re a fan of crime fiction with a twist, then this is (in my opinion) the perfect novel for you!

It`s 2023 and all men are tagged and have a night curfew this stops the abuse and murder of women, this puts women dominating the work force and hate all men, then a women is found dead in the park over night so how did it happen if all men are not allowed out.
I don`t usually read books on dystopia but this one was easy to read with plenty of twists.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I thought the premise of this book would be an interesting one to explore, especially given the rise in violence against women recently. Would placing men under curfew solve the problem? It certainly would feel good to walk at night without having to worry about being followed. However it's obvious from reading this story that shifting the balance of power too much in women's favour doesn't work either.

Most of the characters in this book are awful, especially Sarah and her teenage daughter. I just couldn't believe how they were both acting and so couldn't find anyone to root for.

I also found the pacing of the book extremely slow. I was more interested in the investigation side of the murder rather than the events leading up to it. It seemed to take an eternity for the body to be identified which I found frustrating for a story set in the future with new technology.

So all in all this one was a disappointing read unfortunately.

This book lives in a world where due to intolerable high levels of male violence & dominance, a Curfew has been put in place, and men have been tagged to keep track of their whereabouts at all times to provide 'complete' safety for women....or so they thought. A woman has been found murdered and the savage, violent attack suggests it's personal...is it possible a man did this and if so, how?

Really interesting, relevant, disturbing and thought provoking. Told from the perspective of various different characters, the politics seem to fall into either for or against men. I initially felt that the book didn't show any sort of equilibrium with examples of 'good men', or LGBTQ representation, however the author has penned a very specific dystopian thriller and society, and although there are very relevant themes to modern day society IRL, this is a different fictional world.

This book is very debatable and forces a lot of question's about our society and how women are treated within it. It's also a very well written thriller which keeps you engaged and on your toes at all times. The ending felt a little rushed and I would have appreciated more narrative around it. However I definitely would recommend this book.

This is an exciting relevant novel on the kind of society we could be living in today, an altered state of law, led by women for the safety of women. Highly believable and totally gripping.
Sarah and daughter Cass live in an all women complex after her divorce for safety and company. Cass is nearly 18 and doesn't want to live with the new restrictions on society that protect women. Don't want to say too much here, as this story unfolds brilliantly.
This book makes you question so much, from your own experiences, your friends and family, to what we hear on the news and reading statistics in the papers. Remarkable and well thought out, and will stay with me!!
Highly recommended for a very thought provoking read.
Thank you for the opportunity to read early NetGalley!

A thought provoking and gripping dystopian thriller. Interesting world building and gripping story.
It's well written and I found it interesting even if I'm not sure if I would be interested in living in a world where there's not parity but disparity even if the other way round.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

An absolutely brilliant dystopian thriller - hard to believe this is a debut novel!

SYNOPSIS:
"Welcome to the world where women hold the power. They dominate workplaces, public spaces and government. They are no longer afraid to cross a dark car park, catch the last train, or walk home alone. With the Curfew law in place, all men are electronically tagged and must stay at home after 7pm. It changed things for the better. Until now.
A woman is murdered late at night and evidence suggests she knew her attacker.
It couldn't have been a man because a Curfew tag is a solid alibi... Isn't it?"

WHAT I LOVED:

✔️ The whole premise of the book, like the reverse of The Handmaid's Tale, and that fact it all so could easily become terrifyingly true.

✔️ The fact this whole story with men under curfew made me intermittently think how nice it would be to be able to go places without worrying if a curfew is in place... that it is terrifying.

✔️ The multi-character perspectives, I enjoyed reading each one.

✔️ How relatable the worries and concerns of the women in this book were.

✔️ The murder mystery plot, kept me guessing until very close to the end.

✔️ The absolutely binge-worthy-ness of this book, it's most definitely a contender for a book you can read in one sitting.

✔️ I was gripped from beginning to end by this dark, clever dystopian vision with a murderer at the helm.

Highly recommend it for fans of dark dystopian page-turners, but be warned many women will find this whole concept oh so very relatable and perhaps not quite dystopian.

I read someone else who had written, "the most frightening books are those that could come true" this book feels like that!

The book was unique (from the books I usually read). I thought it was a thriller - but it was not. It was a sci-fi dystopia which was a surprise to me.
I enjoyed it, it was very thought provoking.
Although there's a part of me that still feels like it could have been even more deeper.