REVIEW: AS NIGHT FALLS, BY JENNY MILCHMAN

 

 

Sandy and Ben Tremont are living an idyllic life in the Adirondacks in a hilltop mansion, with their 15-year-old daughter Ivy.  And yes, having a teenaged daughter is a challenge for Sandy, since they seem to be at odds more often than not.

 
But not everything is as wonderful as it appears.  Sandy is keeping a big secret about her past, one that is about to resurrect itself and bring havoc upon them all.

 
Miles away, two convicts have just escaped from prison, and they have a destination in mind.  They are headed for that hilltop with evil in mind.  And a plan.

 
Will it be a plan for vengeance?  Or is something more going on?  Nick Muncey sees himself as a winner, and for most of his life, he got everything he wanted.  He had to learn new games in prison, but now, for his escape partner, he has chosen big and simple Harlan, who listens and does what Nick wants.

 
When the two of them arrive at the Tremont home, it is not immediately apparent why Nick has chosen this place, but soon we are able to put together the connections.

 
As Night Falls is a suspenseful and frightening tale of one night that turns disastrous, and a past that formed the man who would bring danger into all their lives.

 
The story flows back and forth between the present and the 1970s and 1980s, when Barbara Muncey was raising her son Nick…and a daughter she ignored.  Nick was allowed to create havoc over and over until the day that he finally ended up in prison.  But his days of plotting and scheming are not over, and terror grips the Tremont family.

 
The characters were three-dimensional and felt very real, especially the frightening ones. Ben was the least formed character, and Ivy was somewhat stereotypical with her teenage sulkiness and whining…and then, suddenly, she became a daughter to be proud of.

 
To avoid spoilers, I will only say that the intensity does not slacken throughout, although there were some slow and lagging parts in the middle; perhaps the lagging was a way of intensifying the danger, but it didn’t really work that way for me.  Overall, however, the story was gripping, and one that I would recommend for those who love suspense thrillers.  4.5 stars.