Another dark and addictive read from Abigail Dean, which reminded me a little of elements of Three Hours and We Need To Talk About Kevin.

The book begins with an absolutely devastating scenario, and then goes in a totally unexpected direction. I never know quite where to place these books, as we’re exploring the impact of a traumatic crime on the characters, rather than trying to work out who did it or sitting on tenterhooks waiting for something terrible to happen - it’s so different to other suspense novels, but really delves deep into the psychology and after effects.

Obviously there is an element of mystery and drama to it, as we have this battle between the awful “truthers” and the people of Stonesmere - in particular with Marty and Trent as he unravels the truth of where she was on the day it all happened. I felt so much rage at these people who could look at another person’s tragedy and insist it never happened - you’ll definitely feel a lot of emotions reading this!

Whilst I do think the ending could’ve been a bit more exciting, as I kept waiting for something more to happen, I still found this a really compelling and fascinating story, unlike anything I’d read before!

On Day One, a small village is ripped apart by a horrifying shooting at a local school. The first people on the scene are told by a beloved teachers daughter,Marty, that she saw her mother die protecting her students. But her story doesn't quite add up, and soon, Internet conspiracy theorists start their whispers of cover ups and faked tragedies. As a town reels and should be able to pull together distrust and paranoia infests instead.

This is a really engrossing story that shouldn't feel impossible but sadly really doesn't. There are too many keyboard warriors sat safely at home throwing around accusations. That's bad enough, but there are a few who feel entitled to harass mourning families. This is the main theme of this novel with flashbacks to the shooting and the buildup to it. These are sensitively handled and written extremely well.

The narrators of the audiobook are excellent. Sarah Durham is a well established reader who can always be relied on. Nigel Pilkington and Emma Atkins are new to me but also add so much to the reading experience.

It is a great story, sometimes shocking, often sad.

Anyone who read Girl A would be sprinting to Waterstones to grab this beaut, so well written, her writing style is just perfection, a loved the thrill ride of this murky lil number, kinda reminded me of The Push and also We Need to Talk About Kevin in parts

Left me guessing right thru nd a like it when books are pitched at a level where ya mite be able to have a good stab, but not always get the ending right, it’s tricky to get that balance but she does it so well. The did she, didn’t she had me uber focused

A loved the Welsh setting, av also just read A Terrible Kindness so feel like av learnt a bit as well as smashing two good books

A did it on audio and the narrator is perfectly matched, a unique twisty thriller that got gobbled up in literally 3 days, nd a wudda done it in one go if a hadn’t been working, am poised on the edge of me settee for the next

Smashing read, defo recommend

#oneday #thriller #bookstagram

I really enjoyed this book which was written in such a sympathetic and respectful way as it looks as sensitive topics. I loved the way the story unfolded and written from different accounts and multiple timelines created tension and mystery. I would definitely recommend.

I requested this title for audio review, not realising I’d read the ebook recently. However, the audio version has added a whole new dimension to the book and I’ve no hesitation in recommending the audio title. I’m usually quite hardened to thrillers but I found this really chilling. So much so that listening to it in the early hours, I turned it off as I began to find the tension and threat in the story quite unsettling.

This is a truly tense thriller. Clever plotting and relatable characters. Loved the book and the narrated version is, in my view, even better.

When a gunman opens fire in the Stonemere village primary school, the community and indeed the nation become embroiled in the quest to understand the true events of the day.

While the community's loyalties are tested, as they seek to find the truth and recover from that shocking day. They must stand together to fight the social media lies spread by the Truthers...who cruelly claim that the massacre didn't happen and the dead were just actors.

Following a number of those impacted by the atrocity, in the lead up to and aftermath of the Day One massacre. We're encouraged to look beyond the initial story to determine the truth in this reverse crime thriller.

One of those thrillers that I sadly failed to appreciate.

Thanks HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction , Hemlock Press for the ARC and HarperCollins UK Audio and NetGalley for the audiobook in exchange of an honest review.

Day One had a brilliant premise and a great setting in the small idyllic town of Stonesmere. I am not sure if it's the audio, but the initial part didn't grab me as I expected it to, although it was a high octane scene where a gunman ends up killing teachers and students during the school's flagship play being acted out.

The timelines in the alternating narratives were a bit confusing as I found it hard to shift between the character POVs and the day of the Day One play. Also, there were quite a few characters that get introduced and it was tough to keep track of them and interpret who was who.

In my view, the threads with the conspiracy theorists and the debate with the truthers didn't add much value to the plot and resulted in me losing interest as the book progressed.

The other major issue for me was that I couldn't connect or get invested in any of the characters, be it Marty, Larkin or Trent. This is very important in my view, as my enjoyment depends on how much I care about the characters and how much I feel a part of the storyline.

Unfortunately, I couldn't form a coherent visualisation of the reason behind the shooting, the connection of the gun man with the characters. The what and the whys felt unreasonable and immaterial towards the end.

I am sure other readers would still enjoy this, but it was just not for me.

Having LOVED Girl A, I counted myself very lucky when my NetGalley request for the audioARC of Day One was approved.

Given that a school shooting is at the heart of the novel, I was slightly wary, but I trusted that Dean would be more interested in the impact of the incident on the small community in which it took place than in the shooter himself. My trust was not misplaced, and Day One delivers my favourite kind of fiction - an examination of what happens to people who survive a crime.

In this case, we have Marty, whose schoolteacher mother dies with her class, and who is sure that she died saving them. We also meet other survivors, like Samuel, who suffered life-changing injuries, and, of course, Marty's Dad, who is as shocked as we readers are to discover early on in the book that somehow it was his gun that was stolen and used in the crime.

There is also an interesting narrative that accompanies Trent Casey, a young man who gets swept up with a group of cynics fervent to prove that Marty and her village are lying and that no school shooting ever took place.

Can Marty recover from the events leading up to the shooting, from her survivor guilt, and from the persecution she and the community face from the "Truthers" who fail to see them as the grieving families they are? Can she live up to her mother's image of her as someone who will live a good and wonderful life?

In leaving us with this question, Dean performs the magic of moving our attention away from the gunman and his motivations to the heart of the village his terrible actions impact. It's a rare trick, to move us from the loud to the quiet; from the quick drama to the longterm effects, but Dean manages it with aplomb.

She also manages to leave us with hope, on a summer day reminiscent of Mary Oliver's poem:
"Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?"

In short: I loved this book and, having listened to the audioARC, am off to buy a copy of the hardback so I can read it slowly and really take it all in.

Three Word Review: Marty's wild life.

A gripping story about a school shooting, told from the POV of many of the people who were there, both at the time it happened and afterwards. The thing I like most about Abigail Dean's books, both Girl A and Day One, is that she really puts you into the shoes of the characters, so you can see and experience the traumatic events in the story through their own eyes and really come to understand their actions and how they came to be this way. This can be confusing at first because the characters don't know the whole story, and in this book it takes many different perspectives to piece together everything that happened but it is well worth the wait.

Nigel Pilkington, Emma Atkins and Sarah Durham did a fantastic job of narrating the audiobook, I could really feel the emotions all the characters were going through. It was a bit difficult to follow the story by only listening to the audiobook, because there are some parts where I wanted to go back and reread a previous chapter, but luckily I was able to get a copy of the ebook as well and with both it was a fantastic reading experience.

I loved the way this was written, following each of the characters after the tragedy, and skipping back to their version of Day One, later on reflecting on how that day shaped their future. It's also a thought-provoking read on the origins of and obsessions with conspiracy theories. Easily read, and thoroughly addictive.

Dean returns with another heart-wrenching novel that will leave its impressions on you long after you turn the final page…

GIRL A was an absolute phenomenon and a book that caught me completely off guard. It’s etched itself on to my soul and I will never forget the experience of reading it. That’s quite an act to follow with a second novel, but Dean has well and truly done it again, as DAY ONE is another beautiful, heartbreaking novel that will stay with me forever. It focuses on the aftermath of a tragic school shooting in a small costal town, giving Dean the opportunity to explore all the reverberations of such a monumental event on the community over the following years. Much of the narrative around the events that day hinge on lead character Marty’s testimony (her mother is a teacher at the school, who loses her life), but as the narrative unravels, it’s clear that her testimony may not be entirely truthful. As we question why this may be, Dean also introduces Trent (a former resident of the town) who becomes embroiled in a group of conspiracy theorists who do not believe the man accused of the crime is guilty. This book is an incredibly complex and detailed exploration of how narratives around public tragedies are constructed, but it’s also an undeniably human story, with great depth of emotion and the peeling back of layers of personal tragedy. Marty’s life will forever be marred by the shooting, but also by her actions in the lead up to it. Dean perfectly weaves the mystery around Marty, the shooter, and Trent. I was eager to discover just how interwoven characters and events were and I enjoyed how the narrative moves around through different timeframes to gradually unpick the shocking moments of the opening chapter. To achieve this, Dean moves the story through many different years, which really reiterates how deep an impact such a tragedy carves on a place, community, and the wider population. Whilst exploring this, Dean also tackles a number of impactful themes, particularly around manipulation and abuse. Like with GIRL A, these are approached with sensitivity, therefore adding a truly affecting layer to the story. Whilst I definitely felt compelled to turn the pages and discover the truth at the heart of this story, this book is so much more than that. It’s an engrossing, slow burn masterpiece that will wrap you up in the lives of its characters; shroud you in layers of conspiracy theories; break your heart over the fundamentally human core; and ultimately shine a light of hope in the wake of the darkness.

I was also lucky to receive early access to the audiobook, which allowed me to combine listening and reading the physical book. The audio is absolutely fantastic and really brings the story to life. The narration really captures all the many layers of emotion. I both read and listened to the final chapter and OH MY WORD! It’s powerful, but when I listened to it, it hit me even harder. The beauty of Dean’s words is so vibrant when read aloud. If you enjoy audiobooks, I highly recommend this one.

The book's adept use of shifting timelines adds a captivating layer of complexity to the narrative. Seamlessly transitioning between past and present, the story unfolds in a non-linear fashion, keeping readers on their toes as they navigate through the interconnected events.

This dynamic storytelling technique enhances the depth and richness of the plot, allowing readers to piece together the puzzle of the characters' lives and motivations. By weaving between different moments in time, the author creates a sense of anticipation and intrigue, compelling readers to delve deeper into the story.

The back-and-forth between past and present not only provides a deeper understanding of the characters and their experiences but also adds a sense of tension and suspense to the narrative. It's a refreshing approach that keeps the story engaging and leaves readers eagerly turning the pages to uncover the next twist or revelation.

Overall, the seamless integration of multiple timelines makes for a compelling reading experience. It's a testament to the author's skillful storytelling ability, providing readers with a thought-provoking journey through time and memory.

Wow! Just wow!
I have just finished list to this audiobook, my 1st from this author. It is beautifully written, with believable, relatable characters.

Day One is the annual performance held at the local primary school in Stonesmere. This performance has been a tradition for many years. The older children in the school, welcoming the newest pupils to join the school the following September. On this particular Day One the teacher is Mrs Ava Ward, with her class the main act. However this Day One does not go to plan. A gun man enters the school and the tragedy that follows is horrific. Small children left for dead, families broken and children and parents left injured and terrified.

Everyone remembers something different from the day, their recollections depending upon where exactly they were when the incident happens. This results in some memnof the public believing this tragedy never act happened. These conspiracy theorists led on by things they read and hear online.

In this story we hear Ava’s version of events as it occurs, her daughter Martha’s experiences during and after. The versions of several people affected and that of one particular conspiracy theorist Trent, who knew the shooter when he was younger and struggles to Belle could do something so horrific, led on by others he investigates and reacts to what is happening.

This story is told from Day One and continues over the next 8 years in small snippets. Chapters from the main characters at different points of those years.

I felt so many emowhen listening to this, the characters felt so realistic and relatable.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this title. I am keen to explore more from this author

Thank you to Harper Collins UK Audio and NetGalley for my audiobook of Day One by Abigail Dean.

I literally couldn’t do anything else but listen to this book it had me enthralled from the very first chapter.

There are multiple timelines which all lead back to Day One, which is the name of the event where a horrific school shooting takes place.

Abigail Dean has created a complex cast of characters with backstory’s which add depth. Some characters you were rooting for and some you were hoping for their downfall. This story is told from multiple perspectives and as the story progresses you see how they are all interlinked.

There are 3 Narrators - Emma Atkins. Sarah Durham and Nigel Pilkington. I unfortunately found it difficult to connect with Nigel as a narrator however as the story developed I understood why and it was probably due to the character they were narrating.

I know this is one that will stay with me. You’ll enjoy this if you like complex characters, slow burn storytelling and intense stories.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6359624519

Day One, a day that a school shooting happened at Stonesmere at a primary school. Opening with the horrific events that aren’t easy to read or listen to. We hear the story of the people of the town, the survivors and the people that believe the whole 5ing is a conspiracy.

The narrators were fantastic, making the characters easy to recognise and there are many. I listened to this over a few days and each time I pressed play I was completely lost in the story.

This is an emotional story, so many senseless deaths. I was also shaking my head at some of the characters opinions on other characters and events. How easily people can be manipulated.

Thanks so much to Harper Collins UK and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy. Published on March 28th.

Another great thriller from Abigail Dean - pacey, twisty and dark with complex characters and brilliant scene setting. I think perhaps this just wasn't to my personal taste as I did struggle to get into it but it was definitely still a great thriller with emotive, interesting narration.

Powerful, emotive, disturbing, nuanced and thought provoking.

This was an excellent piece of work, slow paced yet shuddering with tension, the telling of the story from multiple perspectives and the timeline was so very well done.

I haven’t read anything quite like this before.

All the stars 🌟 #Jorecommends

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK Audio for permission to listen to this advanced copy in return for an honest review.

**Listened to the audio book and read the electronic copy**

This book is EVERYWHERE!! Sooo much hype! I was super excited to get my teeth into this.
The book started well, and immediately I was 'in'!
However, the more the book went on, the more it lost me. It was just too long, and didn't keep the same momentum that it started with. I was waiting to find out what happened, but so much of this book was filler, and then it made me forget what I was waiting for.
I feel like Abigail Dean tried to do too much with it, and therefore it didn't really do anything. It would have benefited from 100-200 pages less I feel.

The audio narrators were great, and did an excellent job at changing up the accents to help with the huge amount of characters. I definitely preferred listening to the audio book than the written text.

Overall is was just OK - I just wanted more - it promised so much, and started with so much - but just didn't deliver!

Thank you to NetGalley for my audio book Day One by Abigail Dean. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to both narrators and they did a great job conveying the emotions that follow a school massacre in the little picturesque village of Stonesmere.

Day One is a concert that is put on for the youngest learners to ease them into their first school year. The older children perform and this is when a single gunman entered the school hall and shot a beloved teacher and school children.

We get the point of view from various characters including Martha (Marty), the teacher’s daughter, who was supposed to be in the school hall – why was she captured on the CCTV arriving minutes after the shooting?

Trent, a former pupil of the school and Ray, a conspiracy theorist, try and convince people online that the shooting never actually happened. ‘The Truthists’ as they like to call themselves. The story jumps around from the events at Day One and then fast forward to Year 8 and back again to two months after Day One. You get snippets and try and figure out what is the truth and who is telling the truth. By the end of the book, you really know the backstory of all the characters and what you initially thought is true, is not the same at the end of the book.

I really wanted to enjoy this, the description sounded intriguing and I was expecting a fast paced tale of a school shooter but unfortunately not really much happened. I found myself speeding up the narration to get to the end, waiting for a bit twist or reveal that it had been building up to but it was a little underwhelming.