The Night the Lights Went Out

By: Karen White

Narrated by: Carolyn Cook, Susan Larkin, Tiffany Morgan

Length: 15 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

From the New York Times best-selling author of the Tradd Street series comes a stunning new novel about a young single mother who discovers that the nature of friendship is never what it seems....

Recently divorced, Merilee Talbot Dunlap moves with her two children to the Atlanta suburb of Sweet Apple, Georgia. It's not her first time starting over, but her efforts at a new beginning aren't helped by an anonymous local blog that dishes about the scandalous events that caused her marriage to fail.

Merilee finds some measure of peace in the cottage she is renting from town matriarch Sugar Prescott. Though stubborn and irascible, Sugar sees something of herself in Merilee - something that allows her to open up about her own colorful past.

Sugar's stories give Merilee a different perspective on the town and its wealthy school moms in their tennis whites and shiny SUVs and even on her new friendship with Heather Blackford. Merilee is charmed by the glamorous young mother's seemingly perfect life and finds herself drawn into Heather's world.

In a town like Sweet Apple, where sins and secrets are as likely to be found behind the walls of gated mansions as in the dark woods surrounding Merilee's house, appearance is everything. But just how dangerous that deception can be will shock all three women....

©2017 Karen White (P)2017 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“An atmospheric and entertaining look at the friends who keep your secrets - and the friends who keep you guessing until it's too late.” (Kirkus Reviews)

“If Big Little Lies met To Kill a Mockingbird and had a compulsively readable love child, that book would be The Night the Lights Went Out. I couldn't stop reading!” (Lauren Willig, New York Times best-selling author)

Predictable

One could quickly figure out where this story was going. No real surprises. One exception was the identity of the author of the blog. Once identified, I was a little confused as to why she would have wanted to embarrass the the people she did. Narration was good to excellent. This book is a good summer "beach read".

Awesome performance!

Good story, as usual by this author. Loved the variety of character voices. Really made it come alive and easy to follow.

Loved this book!

I loved the storyline of this book! The narration was very good. Karen White has done it again. Can't wait for her next one!!!

Slow start but great finish

The start was a bit slow but picked up and got exciting. I would recommend it

Great story

I loved it!!! Wonderfully written. The characters were awesome. A good southern story! Enjoyed every minute of it!

Best book I've read in a while

Great story. Enjoyed the narrator as well. Worth the "read" for sure! I couldn't pull myself away. A little predictable at times but still a good story.

love!!!

great story! I need me a sugar :) also great narration, looking for my next book by this author!

Awesome

I couldn't stop listening! Karen White never disappoints me. Great story and good narration. Ready to shop for another KW title 😆

Holds your interest, plus + !

Loved the book. Found myself trying to hurry to finish to see what happens! I had my guesses and was almost right. Wonderful story about the past and the present. Be careful whom you befriend and what secrets you leave behind. Will listen again. I recommend this book (another Karen White great one)!

Fabulously Sparking Southern Novel

This was my first book by the best selling author, Karen White, and l was so impressed by the depth of her character development and the breadth of the story she tells. This story was both immediately engaging and entertaining. Can't wait to read more Karen White books! Thanks to my friend, Marion Hoffman for the recommendation!

The overall story alternates between Merilee and Sugar. Sugar's portion of the story occasional jumps from the 2016 to the 1930's and 1940''s for Sugar's backstory. These transitions and jumps in the book are effortless for the reader.

I absolutely loved the inclusion of the "The Playing Fields" blog. The posts are creatively interspersed throughout the book and add much humor and levity. And while White keeps the the Sweet Apple community in the dark about the identity of the blogger, you will know who it is at the end, if not before!

And what's not love about Sugar Prescott. She is by far my favorite character in the whole book. She reminds me so much of my grandmother, Mamie, who was born and raised in Magee, Mississippi. Everyone in town knew Mamie. She was always baking something wonderful. Mamie cooked lunch for the Lion Club every Wednesday for 30 years and she made the best fried chicken, chicken and dumplings, and sweet pickles ever! And she was not shy about telling people what she thought, just like Sugar.

The Night The Light Went Out has so many intertwining stories that the book is definitely not boring. There are friends to meet, stories to uncover, secrets to share and mysteries to solve. Throw in a romance, a tornado and the lights going out and this book is just down right great!

Favorite Quotes:
"Life shouldn't be an unbroken road of wonderful. It's the curves in the road that build character and show us our mettle."

"Life's journey doesn't mean much without friends."

"Every path has its puddles, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't travel them. We just need to remember to wear our boots and bring our friends and those who love us."