The Murder After The Night Before by Katy Brent

 

Molly Monroe wakes up the morning after her work Christmas party to find a stranger in her bed and no recollection of how he got there. She has no memory of the night before. A strange man in her bed is the least of her problems when she later learns that a video of her has gone viral. As if things couldn’t get any worse, she then discovers her flatmate, and best friend, is dead.

Every so often you read a book that you wish everyone else was reading at the same time so you could talk about it, The Murder After The Night Before is one of those books. Last year I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of the audiobook, How To Kill Men And Get Away With It by Katy Brent. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, finding the lead character, Kitty Collins, a breath of fresh air and hoping for a sequel. The Murder After The Night Before isn’t that sequel (I believe a sequel is due in 2025), it’s a standalone novel but I think it’s on a completely different level.

Katy Brent has outdone herself with a novel that shines a light on the seamier side of culture. From the very beginning, you feel unsettled. Our lead character, Molly Monroe, has no recollection of the events of the previous night. This means Molly is just as much in the dark as the reader. As Molly tries to put the pieces together you have an uneasy feeling that something isn’t quite right. That uneasy feeling persists as Molly makes her way to work, explaining away the strange looks she’s getting as a result of her hungover appearance. It is only once Molly gets to work that the full horror of the situation is revealed.

At this point in the story, I was filled with absolute rage as we witness the hateful side of social media. Misogyny is rife and users feel they can say whatever they want, with no regard to the consequences. The way in which men and women are judged differently by society is very clear.

Molly is in shock and it is understandable that she chooses to hide away. She is shunned by people she once relied on, even her best friend and flatmate seems to be ignoring her. When her friend is found dead Molly initially blames herself. As she slowly pieces together the memories she is missing Molly learns that her friend, who was a journalist, was investigating the disappearance of a young girl. A disappearance that the media doesn’t seem interested in. As we discover the way in which people with power control the media disbelief turns to anger. As Molly learns that stories such as her viral video are used to deflect attention the reader can’t help but consider the way in which the general public is manipulated by the press.

As the conclusion approaches you are extremely concerned about Molly’s well-being. I was also on a knife-edge regarding one character in particular. While all the answers are revealed in the end, I do feel that there is a little loose thread that could allow us to see the return of @MollyMonroeNotMunro.

The Murder After The Night Before by Katy Brent will be published on 1^st February 2024 in paperback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and HQ for a review copy.