THE NIGHT THAT WAS DELETED Book Review

The Night That Was Deleted by Elainie La Force, eBook, 72 pages

Synopsis from Goodreads: She vanishes from a room he guarded all night. The hotel claims she never checked in. Ernie James is unemployed at twenty-nine, living in his parent's Brooklyn basement. So when his cousin lands him a gig with Amson Guards protecting a high-end escort named Rochelle Parker, he takes it without a second thought. Easy money. Drive her to the hotel. Ensure nobody disturbs her. Drive her back home safely.

It goes well for two weeks, until the night Rochelle doesn't come out of the room. The room is empty, and the bed is untouched. When Ernie starts asking questions, the hotel staff look at him like he's lost his mind. Because according to their records, Rochelle Parker was never there at all. Something is wrong. Deeply, fundamentally wrong. But as Ernie stands in the lobby, he has to wonder: is something sinister going on here? Or is he losing the only thing he has to his name; his mind?

BOOK REVIEW: I don't even know how to review these short novellas anymore because everything I want to gush about would give things away! This gives all the mysterious thriller vibes that you want. It's a quick and easy read, I think the author even said it can be like a 40 minute read. You want a head scratcher? This is it!

Let me see. What can I elaborate on from the synopsis that won't give anything away...okay. The whole thing was amazing so I can't give you a favorite part but as it says, Ernie goes into the hotel room and it looks like no one was even there. He truly feels like he is losing his mind. Rochelle went in and didn't come down and I think when he confronts the front desk might be a favorite scene of mine. He basically says something along the lines of if she isn't a guest then why do I have a key to which the manager is like bro that's hotel property give it! You almost feel like you're going crazy with him. I also want to jump to the Author's note stating how she got the idea for the story in March...yeah a month ago...at a KFC! That's just hilarious!

5 stars! So far it's her second novella that I've read and I'm hooked on this author! When your story is only 72 pages, you have very little time to set a scene or give us any insight into the characters yet she does! We have our setting in New York. We have our main character basically calling himself a loser for living at home with his parents and can't keep a job for too long. We hit the ground running with the mystery and I didn't see it coming and I will never feel the same about the smell of bleach every again! Definitely check it out now! As of 4.17.26 this book is only available as an eBook and is in the KU member library at the time this is posted. You definitely want to follow this author though.

5/5 Stars

2026 Reading Challenge: 22/55 complete