Quirky Cat
Book Summary:
Ethan Marsh’s life was changed one night in July. He went to sleep in a tent next to his best friend, only to wake up to a nightmare. Thirty years later, Ethan never really got over that trauma. He still wakes up at night hearing the same sounds.
He also feels haunted. Haunted by his past. By Billy - alive or dead, he’s not certain. Admittedly, moving back into his childhood home probably wasn’t the best move for his mental health, but it felt like the right option at the time. Maybe now he can finally get some answers.
My Review:
It's time to try another Riley Sager novel! I'm in the minority here, but I feel like Sagar's books can be a bit hit or miss for me. So I promised myself that Middle of the Night would be the last of his I read (for a bit, at least) if I didn't enjoy it.
The good news is that I liked it decently! It's one of my favorites by him. I loved how Middle of the Night played with the past, present, preconceptions, and the persistence of memory. That was all really well done.
A huge chunk of Middle of the Night focuses on building up the mystery and atmosphere of the world. You'll get to know the circumstances of Billy's disappearance very well. You'll also learn a bit about the town and the time. It's the final hundred pages of this book that really kick off. So, if you keep waiting for the twist - keep reading. It's there.
I didn't love the final twist(s) in Middle of the Night, so I'm not rating this book higher. Although well-written and compelling, the ending didn't meet my expectations.
Highlights:
Thriller/Horror
Missing Person
Haunted Past
History Repeats
Trigger Warnings:
Kidnapping
Death of Spouse
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