by Tara Laskowski
Synopsis
It was the perfect place to disappear...
One sultry summer, Maureen Haddaway arrives in the wealthy town of Opal Beach to start her life anew—to achieve her destiny. There, she finds herself lured by the promise of friendship, love, starry skies, and wild parties. But Maureen’s new life just might be too good to be true, and before the summer is up, she vanishes.
Decades later, when Allison Simpson is offered the opportunity to house-sit in Opal Beach during the off-season, it seems like the perfect chance to begin fresh after a messy divorce. But when she becomes drawn into the mysterious disappearance of a girl thirty years before, Allison realizes the gorgeous homes of Opal Beach hide dark secrets. And the truth of that long-ago summer is not even the most shocking part of all...
Review
I was super intrigued about One Night Gone when the opportunity arose to read and review it. The cover conveys that there is something quite spooky happening. And while I wouldn’t describe what happens as “spooky” there was definitely an eerie feeling that accompanies you as you read Tara Laskowski’s debut novel.
A word that has been used to describe this book is “atmospheric” and that is the perfect way to describe this work! From the first page where we meet Maureen until the very end, the reader is able to actually place themselves on Opal Beach, feeling both the unsettling feeling of business unfinished and the beach air against your skin. Laskowski does a fantastic job in writing two characters in two different time periods in alternating points of view for her novel. I did not feel lost in the narration at any time, both characters conveyed a different feel for me as I read their stories, and the feel of the book itself provided itself an almost third background character. I say this because it is almost as if Opal Beach was more of a character in the book than a backdrop. It was truly gripping to read.
This book is more of a soul search for Allison than it is a thriller involving two women. Through finding out what happened to Maureen, Allison finds more of herself after her devastating divorce. It was truly a journey for the character and I enjoyed tagging along. So, as much as I recommend this book to everyone - keep this in mind when you pick up the book. Happy reading!