pickProps to the author for this slow roll of a years-flipping mystery. There were just a handful of characters here and I think that adds to the challenge of creating a good mystery. At several points I thought it could be either of the three primary characters with just enough mention of supporting characters to think - well, maybe that character. I do seemed drawn to mysteries set in the PNW.
This year I used only red bulbs in a effort to make it look a little different from previous years. Now on Thanksgiving I can thankful that the decorating is done! And I can get back to the tagged book. #tistheseason #merrymerry
so-so⭐️⭐️⭐️
The good:
Fast pace
Hard to put down
Atmospheric
The not-so-good:
Timeline flips were disorienting
Ending was very rushed and almost felt like it was written by a different person
"Twist" was pretty obvious
It wasn't bad, especially for a debut.
Good but not great. This book didn't wow me like I had hoped it would. It was interesting though and I will look forward to giving this author another try when she writes another book. This was her debut.
Full review: https://lsmoore49.blogspot.com/2024/07/middletide-by-sarah-crouch.html
so-soIt‘s basically a hybrid of Where the Crawdads sing and Gone girl but not as well written. Was it just me that had the solution half way through? There was only one obvious solution. And expensive for a kindle book. Might make a good tv movie but for better value and way better writing, buy the other two instead.
pickWhat an impressive debut novel! This literary thriller, told in 2 timelines, mostly in the 1990s in a small Puget Sound town, is a genuine delight to read! Elijah longed to escape the town, but when his career flounders, he returns in this homecoming/love story wrapped in the mystery of the hanged beautiful town doctor. Brief chapters keep up the pacing & there are surprising plot points, too! Would make for a great book club choice!
pickThis was a great debut mystery novel and it sucked me in from the very first page. I believe that Sarah Crouch is a fantastic new voice in the mystery genre and I definitely look forward to more novels by her. This novel followed Elijah Leith from 1973 when leaves the small town he grew up in only to return and then be accused of a horrible murder years later in 1994. Thank you so much to the publisher for sending me an advance copy!
pickA failed writer returns to his small hometown only to be accused in the mysterious death of a resident lawyer. As a former flame and his close friends uncover the truth, more secrets and lies are exposed in this mystery that is compared to Where the Crawdads Sings meets The Girl on the Traun.
so-soThis was definitely a so-so novel for me. A very slow build, so I kind of had to push through the first half. I didn't quite guess the ending and parts of it were pretty implausible as it was revealed. Overall, it was a decent read.
pickThis one‘s a really nice, slow meditation on home and belonging first, and a mystery second. Although the main plot catalyst is a murder, I largely read “Middletide” as an examination of human nature and our relationships with the spaces we inhabit.
Just one this month, but I love the Pacific Northwest as a setting and thriller besides. What did everyone else get? #BOTM
panDo you ever read a book and it makes you wonder if maybe a whole genre just isn‘t for you anymore? For me, that was Middletide, a literary thriller about a failed author returning to his PNW hometown. When the dead body of the town‘s doctor is found on his isolated property, Elijah finds himself under scrutiny. This book is a love letter to the Pacific Northwest, beautifully bringing its scenery to life, but that‘s where my praise ends. ⬇️
#BOTM and it‘s my birthday month, so I chose a guilty pleasure read for my free add on🥳
HUZZAH! The May Book of the Month choices are live! 🥳🎉🎉🎉 Lots of exciting books this month, here is what I chose! What did everyone else pick? 💕📚 #botm
What are your #BOTM picks?
I am, as usual the past few months, disappointed.
All the prediction sites got me excited, but they were wrong. 😞 I did end up thinking Middletide could be interesting. That way I got Annie Bot as an add on, which I really want, but missed when it came out.
How lovely is the cover of this #arc ?? And it sounds like a good read too!
Now, how will I find the time to read it amongst all the other reading plans I have 🤔
Middletide: A Novel | 
