I’m a big fan of Lisa Gray, and while I have especially enjoyed her Jessica Shaw series, Dead of Night is one of her best standalone novels. A secluded winding road leads to a mysterious California mansion on a cliff. The seclusion prompts blocked writer Serena to rent the house for the summer in her attempt to start writing again.. As she soon learns about the past disappearances involving the house, her mystery-writer talents start to return— but someone doesn’t want Serena to explore the mysteries of the past. Lots of pieces keep this whodunit lively and exciting. 4.5 stars rounded up.

As a huge fan of Lisa Gray, I was eagerly anticipating Dead of Night—and once again, she did not disappoint! I flew through the pages, completely absorbed in the gripping story and well-drawn characters. I didn’t want it to end!

The twists hit hard, just as I’ve come to expect from Gray’s writing. While I was secretly hoping for a happier outcome for one particular character, the ending still packed a powerful emotional punch and felt true to the story.

A fantastic, fast-paced read that proves once again why Lisa Gray is a must-read author for me.

Excellent twisty storyline.
Keeps you guessing right to the end.
Thoroughly enjoyable.
Thanks for the opportunity to read and review

Serena is the bestselling author of a mystery/crime series. Since the death of her partner, she has been struggling to get back into writing. Serena decides that a change of scenery might help with her writer's block, so she swaps her New York life for a clifftop house in a small California town. Unbeknownst to Serena, the house has its own story - a young family suddenly disappeared in the middle of the night three decades ago. The storyteller in Serena immediately needs to know more. As she begins to dig into the house's past, Serena finds herself in danger.

I absolutely loved this book! It was super well written, thrilling, and addictive. I was immediately pulled in from the beginning and had a tough time putting this one down. It is so addicting that I finished it in one day.

Lisa Gray nailed the unexpected twist and turns, cliffhangers, and emotionally charged chapters. I was a fan of To Die For and The Final Act, but enjoyed this one even more! I do not want to give too much away but I will say that you will be in for a wild and crazy ride!.

Thank you Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Special thanks to @thrillerbookloversthepulse @amazonpublishing @

𝙈𝙔 𝙍𝙀𝙑𝙄𝙀𝙒:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The prologue had me in a choke hold of suspense.

This one is amazing, in true lisa gray fashion. This unputdownable thriller will have you cringing in terror as you try to piece together the puzzle around the Duprie's and Cliff House. Serena needs answers, but does she deserve them?

I loved Lisa's last book SO much last year, and this one is an amazing follow up.
The ending had my jaw on the floor. How did I not see that coming?!
Lisa Gray is officially cemented as an auto buy for me after both her latest books being 5 freaking stars each!

This one has all the great elements:
🌙 Multiple povs
🌙 Multiple timelines
🌙 Dark secrets
🌙 Death threats
🌙 Dissappearance
🌙 Twists

Preorder this one ASAP!

𝙋𝙐𝘽 𝘿𝘼𝙔:
May 15, 2025

ℚ𝕆𝕋𝔻❓️⁉️❓️ Have you ever traveled anywhere by bus? Where'd you go?

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#mysteryandthrills #thrillersandsuspense #thrillerfriendsunite #thrillerlover #thrilleraddict #thrillerjunkie #thrillergirlie #bookbuzz #upcomingthriller #deadofnight #lisagray #thrillerbooklovers #thepulse #pulsepoint
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Dead of Night by Lisa Gray is a compelling blend of suspense, well-drawn characters, and atmospheric tension that kept me turning pages well into the evening. The plot unfolds with precision, drawing readers into a small-town mystery full of dark secrets and slow-burning intrigue.

The protagonist is both relatable and flawed, and Gray does an excellent job of balancing personal struggles with the unraveling investigation. The writing is sharp and evocative, painting a chilling setting that perfectly complements the story's tone.

While some of the twists were a bit predictable for seasoned thriller fans, the journey was nonetheless satisfying, with enough surprises to keep the momentum strong. The pacing occasionally dipped in the middle, but the payoff in the final chapters was worth the wait.

Overall, Dead of Night is a solid, well-written thriller that fans of crime fiction will definitely enjoy. Looking forward to more from Lisa Gray!

Vanished,,. Disappeared… No trace left… What really happened to the Duprie family that September night back in 1994? Flash forward to now.. Serena is needing a change of scenery and pace after a tragic event. She books a vacation rental and plans to catch up on her writing and enjoy some r&r. However, fate has different plans. When she arrives at the old Duprie house set on a picturesque cliff, she quickly realizes that this write-cation might not be as slow- pace and relaxing as she first planned. From her first few hours in the town, she finds out that some people are not so welcoming– notes left on her car, snooty townspeople, and a maid who definitely doesn’t pass the sus test. Serena uncovers piece by piece of mystery surrounding the Dupries and learns that the daughter they claimed may have been a missing baby taken from a bus depot. Throughout the book, Lisa Gray sprinkles red herrings, twists, turns, and OMG moments that will have readers staying up way too late to finish the book and solve the mystery. Dead of Night is now available wherever you get your books.

I absolutely love a good book with a crime writer but firstly a huge thanks to the publisher and all opinions expressed are mine.

This book follows a successful writer Serena who goes to a secluded house to focus on writing a book because she has a deadline. How timely that a crime writer moves into a house with history. The family that owned her airbnb disappeared one night and never to be seen and that inspires her new read, Thrilling ‘shady characters’, family history and definetely a page turner. It is written so well and I enjoyed it.

This was a great thriller with multiple POV's. I really liked the short chapters, and it somehow made it easier to follow the book and stay connected. This story had some great twists (and even a few that I didn't see coming.) All in all, a great read. I'll be sure to check out this author's future works.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this ARC. This book is out now! Make sure to add it to your TBR.

Thank you Thomas & Mercer for a digital copy of this book. The opinions are my own and freely given.

This book is told in 3 different timelines - NOW, 1983 & 1993.

Now Serena Winters is a writer who is overcoming some personal issues and she is urged to "go away" to write her next novel. She does this in a secluded home that has a strange history. She starts to investigate this and uses the past events to inspire her next novel.

The story starts in 1993 and that is the basis of Serena's reseach. A family disappearing in the "dead of night" never to be seen again. The story in 1983, I couldn't at first figure out how it intersected with 1993 but then it hit me.

I loved this story. The house was creepy, I wasn't sure which of the towns residents could be trusted.

Dead of Night by Lisa Gray is a gripping, fast-paced thriller that hooked me within the first page.
This is a fantastic read that you will devour in one sitting as you will be unable to stop to do anything else!
Loved all the twists and turns throughout the book.
I loved the pacing of this, and that it still had a satisfying conclusion without feeling rushed or overly drawn out.
This book has twists and turns that you do not see coming.
This book keeps you on the edge of your seat and wanting more.

A Writer’s Search For A Story Exceeds Expectations

Bill Duprie comes home from work and finds a bag full of cash on the table. His wife, Dani, tells him she saw a woman looking at her outside the grocery store. He asks if she followed her or tried to talk to her. As the answer is now, he thinks that it is nothing to worry about. Dani still insists that they leave tonight as they did three years ago. Bill worries about what they will tell Charlotte, their ten-year-old daughter, who is now older and will ask questions if they move in the middle of the night. Dani adds she saw the same woman yesterday, just looking at her. Bill says that they will leave in the morning. He needs some sleep for the long drive. Then, they hear a car pull up in the driveway, and a car door opens. There is a knock at the door. They open it. The woman whom Dani had seen was standing there with a gun pointed at them.

This novel consists of three threads. The first and foremost thread starts with Serena Winters, a successful novelist suffering from writer’s block, who decides to find a summer home to break her writer’s block. Boy, this scenery shift proves successful when she discovers the tragic events involving previous residents. Besides providing excellent material for her novel, she wants to solve the mystery. The second thread portrays the lives of the Dupries. The last thread tells the sad story of Ruby Bryant, who had only two bright spots in her life and lost them both. The heroine, Winters, has many difficulties that she must overcome. On the day she arrived, someone left a note on her windshield telling her to leave. That night, someone enters her rental to take and move things around. These break-ins continue throughout the novel. Then, a man down the road uses binoculars every time she drives by. Next, she starts receiving threatening emails. These are all external. She is harboring a dark secret that is eating away inside her. The extensive use of flashbacks provides the reader with the background of the Duprie family and another important character in the story, Ruby Bryant. Many twists, turns, and red herrings kept me on the proverbial edge of my seat while reading. This novel also has a little cozy mystery feel. It solidly captured my interest.

The first chapter provides most of Winters’ background, with her interaction and discussion with Margot Hoffman. The rest of the novel shows how well she connects with the characters, and when she realizes the danger is real. Two B-storyline threads add to the understanding of the Winters’ character. The first is her relationship with Hoffman. Throughout the novel, this thread provides insight into Winters’ character. To complement that thread is another thread that covers Winters’ hot and cold relationship with the Police Chief. These aspects added to my enjoyment of this novel.

This novel has a few aspects that can cause some readers a little angst. A short, intimate scene crucial to Winters’ character is present. Profanity is noticeable but not excessive, except for one instance where I thought it was excessive and gratuitous. Impious language is also evident but at a low level. Only one scene is present where violence occurs as it is occurring. It should not be objectionable to most readers. Lastly, this novel is stand-alone, so there are no issues with what happens in a previous novel.

What I particularly enjoyed in this novel was the complexity of the plot, which engaged my interest to the end. I have racked my brain and could not find any aspect that I did not like. The ending tied up the last significant loose end. In a way, the ending was bittersweet for me. My previous experience with this author includes a series of four and three independent novels. She is in my Must-Read category. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel and looking forward to her next novel. I rate this novel with five stars.

I received this novel's free prepublication e-book version from Thomas & Mercer through NetGalley. My review is based solely on my own reading experience. Thank you, Thomas & Mercer, for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.

An author that never fails to engage and keep me hooked when reading her books,this fir me was a quick read and mainly as was intriguing and so kept reding to find out how ended,some surprises in the story and the timelines worked well
Once agin the author delivers a fine and enjoyable read

Loved this book. Lisa Gray has an amazing writing style and held my attention till I was finished.
A missing couple and child, a mystery writer renting the property they were last seen in..
A young girl and baby who is stolen.
A few twists and I honestly did not guess the ending. Amazing.

Dead of Night is a suspenseful thriller infused with almost gothic elements. Suffering writer's block since the death of her partner, bestselling author Serena Winters decides a change of scenery might help. Leaving NYC for a magnificent clifftop house on the California coast, Serena discovers that the house has a past as mysterious as the books she writes: 30 years ago, the family living there disappeared in the middle of the night. With the story serving as inspiration for her next book, Serena finds herself drawn into the mystery of what happened, but her interest in the story draws attention from someone in town who obviously doesn't want the mystery solved because Serena starts to receive threatening notes and questioning her sanity. Gray does an excellent job of turning a beautiful beach house into an ominous setting, with an ever-watchful neighbor, locked door to the basement, and sinister noises in the night. The story alternates between Serena's perspective in the present and that of two other characters connected to the house 30 years ago. Excellent pacing, relatable characters, and an intriguing plot make this book a 5 star read for me!

I binged this book. The opening pages were laced with mystery, and once I got into Serena Winters' POV, I was hooked. As an author, I could understand her struggle to get her next book going and her need for inspiration. I loved how in the process of seeking a change of scenery, she tumbled into the mystery of missing family. The POVs from the other characters, including a missing wife and a young girl, rounded out the plotting well. This story has that addictive popcorn thriller vibe that readers are seeking nowadays.

Now this is a cool thriller!!! I loved the excitement and fast pace! It’s my first read by Lisa Gray & won’t be my last! Running to add all of her many books to my TBR shelf!

Goodness me, this was such a good book. Highly entertaining. Would definitely recommend to others, that's for sure!

This was the first book that I’ve read by this author and it was just okay for me. I would have liked it to have been more fast-paced and more character driven.

When a grieving writer temporarily moves to a small town in California in order to deal with the twin challenges of a lack of ideas for her next book and the realisation that her partner was cheating on her before he died (and that she played an unwitting role in his death), the last thing she expects is inspiration from a most unusual source.

But it turns out that the rental house that she is living in has a macabre history, after a family went mysteriously missing several decades before. Nevertheless, however fascinated Serena may be by what may have happened to them, there is someone who does not want her following up this particular story...

A really excellent read, this was a story that had me gripped. And this book has earned Lisa Gray a place on my auto read list!