She Treads Softly: That Night

Sunday, July 19, 2026

That Night

That Night by Gillian McAllister
8/18/26; 400 pages (originally published 7/8/21)
William Morrow

That Night by Gillian McAllister is a recommended character driven mystery, for the right reader. This is a re-release of the novel which was originally published on 7/8/21 in the UK.

While on vacation in Italy, three siblings, Cathy, Joe, and Frannie Plant, cover-up a death. Frannie calls her siblings late one night, they come running, and find her by a body that she just hit with her car. They then work together to clean up the crime scene and bury the body. It turns out the man was an English expatriate, but also a police officer. He was carrying a warrant that may have been for Joe. The story follows the aftermath and their emotional turmoil.

Normally I have very much enjoyed everything I've read by McAllister and she is a reliable, go-to author. This earlier novel by her was an exception. Right from the start it felt like such a familiar trope: a close group of people, siblings in this case, cover up the murder of someone to protect a member of their group, and then everything escalates and the fallout begins. The story could have been told in half the pages. McAllister does increase the interest somewhat with the format of “Then” and “Now” chapters following two different timelines. "Then" chapters follow the death and aftermath, while the shorter "Now" chapters are leading up to a trial.

None of these characters are likable or relatable in any way, but the strength in the novel is the character development. Joe is full of anger. Frannie is a spoiled brat. Cathy is the closest to a sympathetic character as she deals with loneliness, low self esteem and guilt. The character development is most certainly there but still... I'm just going to go on record that there has been no time in my life when I would have covered up a crime and buried a body for my siblings, no matter how much they cried or whined. I would have called the ambulance and police asap, and let what happens to happen. Actions have consequences.

McAllister gets points for adding complications to the narrative, a few disclosures, and for character development, raising my score to 3 stars. I am still very much looking forward to her future novels. That Night will be enjoyed by those who enjoy popcorn mysteries with a familiar plot. Thanks to William Morrow 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.