Jonetta's Reviews > After That Night

the setup…
Dr. Sara Linton was the attendant in Emergency when Dani Cooper arrived, an assault victim in deep distress. As she valiantly fights to save her, Sara is the only one to hear pertinent details that confirm she’d been drugged and raped. Now she’s at the alleged rapist’s trial, one she’s been dreading because he’s the son of a former colleague who knows what happened to her fifteen years ago. When she finishes testifying, she later learns that there might be a connection between what happened to Dani and Sara’s rape all those years ago.

the heart of the story…
I’ve read this series in order, including its predecessor, so Sara’s rape fifteen years ago was not a secret. However, that’s about all that was revealed…no details, not even the name of the rapist other than he was captured. This was the story I didn’t even know I wanted! See, everyone else in Sara’s life was as much in the dark about the details as I was because that’s how she chose to deal with it, not wanting to be forever viewed as a rape victim. In sharing her story, she also provided insight about the crowd she hung around with, including her ex. It was not only illuminating but loaded with plenty of suspects for the here and now. Equally compelling was how Will and Faith navigated the political snake pit to investigate without a local invitation and to keep Sara’s confidence.

the narration…
I love how Early handles the storytelling for this series. I’ll never go back to reading because she makes the characters come alive and with distinction. She also makes it hard to find a stopping point.

the bottom line…
This was riveting stuff…Sara’s life fifteen years ago, the horror of what was happening to these women, the misogyny of law enforcement and the revelations in the end. It’s gritty, yes, but it’s the cultural elements impacting women in a really bad way that are hard to stomach. It’s relevant and shines a dark light on issues we continue to face today. On a lighter note, Sara and Will’s upcoming nuptials and continuing affection add some brightness that warmed my heart. I will definitely be listening to this again because I raced through it and know I missed some things. It’s an outstanding story.

Posted on Blue Mood Café

(Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)