This review originally posted at More Than Just Magic 
 I am so tired of hearing books compared to Gone Girl. Seriously. It's getting to the point that as soon as I hear that book mentioned I back away slowly before anybody sees me. So fear not. I will not be referring to Gone Girl in this review. This book is not "like" Gone Girl or "better" than Gone Girl or anything like that. Instead, Night Film is a stand out unique and frightening novel that grabs hold of you and doesn't let go, despite it's 600+ pages. 
 We follow the mystery of Ashley Cordova's death with journalist Scott McGrath. I have to admit that right off the bat I didn't like Scott McGrath as a person. As a character he's very complex. But as a person? I just wanted to kick him sometimes. Especially when he talked about the women in his life. But I enjoyed that he wasn't the most likeable protagonist. It kept things interesting and kept you more invested in the mystery than the players. 
 And what a crazy mystery is was! Night Film is nothing like you would expect. It's dark, twisted and will keep you on the edge of your seat. As you fall further and further into the mystery of "who is Cordova?" and "what happened to Ashley?" you soon learn that nothing is as it seems and nobody can be trusted. I love a mystery that can keep me on my toes and doesn't fall back on traditional conventions or twists to keep the story moving. Night Film is a wholly original tale and it is guaranteed to surprise you. 
 In addition to the mystery, one thing that really impressed me about Night Film was the amount of planning and research that must have gone into this book. Pessl leaves no detail out, no rock unturned. Even Cordova's films. All completely fictional but she clearly has full plots and characters mapped out for each one. I don't know how she kept everything straight, but she did. 
 One final thing that really sets Night Film apart is the multimedia angle. The book is full of pictures, websites, newspaper articles etc. And there's even an app you can get for more information. I was worried all these extras would seem gimmicky, but they had the opposite effect. They really made me feel like I was the one investigating the Cordova family. The unique format gave the whole book a really modern feel that might appeal to younger or more reluctant readers. 
 Recommendation: Don't be intimidated by its large size. Night Film is a dark and haunting read that stays with you. If you like mysteries, thrillers or spooky stories of any kind this is the book for you.