She Treads Softly: One Dark Night

Wednesday, August 6, 2025

One Dark Night

One Dark Night by Hannah Richell
8/19/25; 384 pages
Atria Books

One Dark Night by Hannah Richell is a highly recommended atmospheric investigative mystery and gothic thriller.

On Halloween night a group of teens had a bon fire and party at Sally in the Wood, a near the folly that is said to be haunted by the ghost of a murdered girl. The next day the body of a murdered teen is found and the investigation begins with DS Ben Chase and DCI Hassan Khan taking a close look at teens from the nearby boarding school, Folly View College. Ben Chase's ex-wife Rachel is the school guidance counselor and his daughter Ellie attends as a scholarship student.

Many of the students know who was there and all the attendees are eventually interviewed. Ellie doesn't admit that she was there until forced to do so. It's clear that the teens and others are keeping secrets that are slowly exposed, and there is plenty of doubt about what happened that resulted in the death.

The pace remains fast and the tension increases right up to the explosive ending in this well-written twisty thriller. The Gothic vibes run strong here, especially at the beginning. The narrative unfolds through multiple perspectives, which gives the novel depth. The woods, the caves, and the folly on top of the hill provide plenty of chilling atmospheric touches throughout the plot.

All the characters are fully realized and presented with both strengths and weaknesses. The relationship between Rachel and Ellie is very realistic and believable. All the teen's responses, secrets, and attitudes are present and plausible.

One Dark Night is good choice to read around Halloween for those who enjoy atmospheric investigations. Thanks to Aria Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

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John Updike's six rules for reviewing:

1. Try to understand what the author wished to do, and do not blame him for not achieving what he did not attempt.

2. Give him enough direct quotation--at least one extended passage--of the book's prose so the review's reader can form his own impression, can get his own taste.

3. Confirm your description of the book with quotation from the book, if only phrase-long, rather than proceeding by fuzzy precis.

4. Go easy on plot summary, and do not give away the ending.

5. If the book is judged deficient, cite a successful example along the same lines, from the author's oeuvre or elsewhere. Try to understand the failure. Sure it's his and not yours?

To these concrete five might be added a vaguer sixth, having to do with maintaining a chemical purity in the reaction between product and appraiser.....Review the book, not the reputation.... Better to praise and share than blame and ban. The communion between reviewer and his public is based upon the presumption of certain possible joys in reading, and all our discriminations should curve toward that end.