What do you think?
Rate this book
Middletide
In this gripping and intensely atmospheric debut, disquiet descends on a small town after the suspicious death of a beautiful young doctor, with all clues pointing to the reclusive young man who abandoned the community in chase of big city dreams but returned for the first love he left behind. Perfect for fans of All Good People Here and Where the Crawdads Sing
One peaceful morning, in the small, Puget Sound town of Point Orchards, the lifeless body of Dr. Erin Landry is found hanging from a tree on the property of prodigal son and failed writer, Elijah Leith. Sheriff Jim Godbout’s initial investigation points to an obvious suicide, but upon closer inspection, there seem to be clues of foul play when he discovers that the circumstances of the beautiful doctor’s death were ripped straight from the pages of Elijah Leith’s own novel.
Out of money and motivation, thirty-three-year-old Elijah returns to his empty childhood home to lick the wounds of his futile writing career. Hungry for purpose, he throws himself into restoring the ramshackle cabin his father left behind and rekindling his relationship with Nakita, the extraordinary girl from the nearby reservation whom he betrayed but was never able to forget.
As the town of Point Orchards turns against him, Elijah must fight for his innocence against an unexpected foe who is close and cunning enough to flawlessly frame him for murder in this scintillating literary thriller that seeks to uncover a case of love, loss, and revenge.
One peaceful morning, in the small, Puget Sound town of Point Orchards, the lifeless body of Dr. Erin Landry is found hanging from a tree on the property of prodigal son and failed writer, Elijah Leith. Sheriff Jim Godbout’s initial investigation points to an obvious suicide, but upon closer inspection, there seem to be clues of foul play when he discovers that the circumstances of the beautiful doctor’s death were ripped straight from the pages of Elijah Leith’s own novel.
Out of money and motivation, thirty-three-year-old Elijah returns to his empty childhood home to lick the wounds of his futile writing career. Hungry for purpose, he throws himself into restoring the ramshackle cabin his father left behind and rekindling his relationship with Nakita, the extraordinary girl from the nearby reservation whom he betrayed but was never able to forget.
As the town of Point Orchards turns against him, Elijah must fight for his innocence against an unexpected foe who is close and cunning enough to flawlessly frame him for murder in this scintillating literary thriller that seeks to uncover a case of love, loss, and revenge.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published June 11, 2024
About the author
Sarah Crouch
1 book159 followersSarah Crouch is known for her accolades in the world of athletics as a professional marathon runner. Middletide is her debut novel, and is set in the Pacific Northwest where she was raised.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,149 reviews
June 22, 2024
3.5⭐️
With complex characters and an immersive setting, Middletide by Sarah Crouch is an interesting character-driven novel with an intriguing mystery at its core.
Set in the small town of Point Orchards, Washington, the novel begins in 1994 with the discovery of the body of Dr. Erin Landry hanging from a tree on the property of Elijah Leith. Elijah had been living alone in his late parents’ cabin after returning to his hometown in 1988, after his first novel failed to launch his literary career. Elijah hopes to rekindle his relationship with his former high school sweetheart, Nakita, whom he had left to pursue his dreams of becoming an author, breaking his promise to return after four years. Nakita, grieving the recent loss of her husband, isn’t quite ready to move on. Elijah was also friends with Dr. Landry, whose marriage collapsed after the death of her young daughter in a road accident. Erin’s death is initially ruled a suicide, but when Sheriff Jim Godbout discovers that the details from the crime scene are uncannily similar to the plot of Elijah’s novel, Elijah soon becomes the prime suspect. It is up to him and the few people who believe in his innocence to find the truth behind Erin’s death.
I loved the premise of this novel. The prose is sparse yet elegant and the narrative, presented through past and present timelines, flows well. After a slow start, the narrative gains momentum in the second half of the story. I was invested in the characters and the mystery did hold my interest till the end. The characters were well thought out, but I thought certain aspects of the story could have been explored in more depth, with less telling and more showing.
I did feel, however, that certain components of the story were of no consequence to the plot. The procedural aspect had its moments, but some details weren’t entirely convincing and the courtroom scenes weren’t particularly intense. The ending felt a tad rushed, but I did like how the mystery was unraveled despite the predictability.
Though I won’t call this an entirely satisfying read, there is a lot to like about this debut novel and I look forward to reading more from this promising new author in the future.
Many thanks to Atria Books for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on June 11, 2024.
Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph
With complex characters and an immersive setting, Middletide by Sarah Crouch is an interesting character-driven novel with an intriguing mystery at its core.
Set in the small town of Point Orchards, Washington, the novel begins in 1994 with the discovery of the body of Dr. Erin Landry hanging from a tree on the property of Elijah Leith. Elijah had been living alone in his late parents’ cabin after returning to his hometown in 1988, after his first novel failed to launch his literary career. Elijah hopes to rekindle his relationship with his former high school sweetheart, Nakita, whom he had left to pursue his dreams of becoming an author, breaking his promise to return after four years. Nakita, grieving the recent loss of her husband, isn’t quite ready to move on. Elijah was also friends with Dr. Landry, whose marriage collapsed after the death of her young daughter in a road accident. Erin’s death is initially ruled a suicide, but when Sheriff Jim Godbout discovers that the details from the crime scene are uncannily similar to the plot of Elijah’s novel, Elijah soon becomes the prime suspect. It is up to him and the few people who believe in his innocence to find the truth behind Erin’s death.
I loved the premise of this novel. The prose is sparse yet elegant and the narrative, presented through past and present timelines, flows well. After a slow start, the narrative gains momentum in the second half of the story. I was invested in the characters and the mystery did hold my interest till the end. The characters were well thought out, but I thought certain aspects of the story could have been explored in more depth, with less telling and more showing.
I did feel, however, that certain components of the story were of no consequence to the plot. The procedural aspect had its moments, but some details weren’t entirely convincing and the courtroom scenes weren’t particularly intense. The ending felt a tad rushed, but I did like how the mystery was unraveled despite the predictability.
Though I won’t call this an entirely satisfying read, there is a lot to like about this debut novel and I look forward to reading more from this promising new author in the future.
Many thanks to Atria Books for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on June 11, 2024.
Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph
Read
March 15, 2024I want to thank Atria for sending an ARC of this book to me. Unfortunately, I’m not the right reviewer—or even the best reader---for this novel. I was thrown off at first when I discovered that the author made up an Indigenous group, a fictional Indian tribe in her Pacific Northwest setting. I wanted to see how it would play out---if it would work for me or not. Nakita is the love interest for main character and failed author, Elijah. Nakita lives on a reservation, and her father is the Christian pastor of the tribe in this tale.
Wait, but what?! They practice Christianity? Her dad is the leader, and a pastor? And Nakita lives in a big, rambling, multi-story house? I had just finished reading two Tommy Orange books in a row, and was eager to read more about Native identity and customs. But instead, the message seemed to be something else entirely regarding Crouch’s imagined Indigenous tribe. I will let the reader interpret in their own way, but I just didn’t connect there.
As far as the murder mystery, it has a twist, but I could see the author behind the gauzy curtain. The story is tied up in a sweet bow. For fans of Where The Crawdads Sing, this may be a fit. A lot of nature and eating sustainably is involved in the narrative, which brings the reader back to the land and to organic preparation of food. Again, for the right reader, this book may hit the sweet spot of romance, courtroom thriller, police procedural, and mystery.
Wait, but what?! They practice Christianity? Her dad is the leader, and a pastor? And Nakita lives in a big, rambling, multi-story house? I had just finished reading two Tommy Orange books in a row, and was eager to read more about Native identity and customs. But instead, the message seemed to be something else entirely regarding Crouch’s imagined Indigenous tribe. I will let the reader interpret in their own way, but I just didn’t connect there.
As far as the murder mystery, it has a twist, but I could see the author behind the gauzy curtain. The story is tied up in a sweet bow. For fans of Where The Crawdads Sing, this may be a fit. A lot of nature and eating sustainably is involved in the narrative, which brings the reader back to the land and to organic preparation of food. Again, for the right reader, this book may hit the sweet spot of romance, courtroom thriller, police procedural, and mystery.
June 11, 2024
Available 6/11/2024
Happy Publication Day
This is a wonderful debut novel. It is set into Pacific Northwest. It is written in multiple timelines before the event and the current time. Switching of the times was very confusing to me.
The story begins with two fishermen who discover a dead body hanging from a tree, January 1994. The body is identified as Erin Landry, a prominent doctor.
The body is discovered on the property of Elijah Leith, a reclusive former author.
Elijah and Nikita were high school sweethearts making their future plans.
Nakita was a member of the fictional Squalomah indigenous people. She lived at a nearby reservation. Elijah couldn’t wait to leave and go to San Francisco to become an author . Shortly before Elijah leaves they make a pact to return to their favorite spot in four years. Akita goes to meet Elijah put he never shows up.
Success as an author is not in the cards for Elijah. Out of money and ambition the prodigal son returns to reunite with Nakita,
As Erin‘s body is found on Elijah‘s property, he becomes the main suspect in the investigation. It seems his published book is very similar to the way Erin’s body was found dead. Elijah claims to be innocent.
This was a very intriguing murder mystery. The plot was very unique.
I loved the setting of the Pacific Northwest. The atmospheric prose was just beautiful.
A very suspenseful murder mystery.
Thank to NetGalley and Atria publishing for the arc.
Happy Publication Day
This is a wonderful debut novel. It is set into Pacific Northwest. It is written in multiple timelines before the event and the current time. Switching of the times was very confusing to me.
The story begins with two fishermen who discover a dead body hanging from a tree, January 1994. The body is identified as Erin Landry, a prominent doctor.
The body is discovered on the property of Elijah Leith, a reclusive former author.
Elijah and Nikita were high school sweethearts making their future plans.
Nakita was a member of the fictional Squalomah indigenous people. She lived at a nearby reservation. Elijah couldn’t wait to leave and go to San Francisco to become an author . Shortly before Elijah leaves they make a pact to return to their favorite spot in four years. Akita goes to meet Elijah put he never shows up.
Success as an author is not in the cards for Elijah. Out of money and ambition the prodigal son returns to reunite with Nakita,
As Erin‘s body is found on Elijah‘s property, he becomes the main suspect in the investigation. It seems his published book is very similar to the way Erin’s body was found dead. Elijah claims to be innocent.
This was a very intriguing murder mystery. The plot was very unique.
I loved the setting of the Pacific Northwest. The atmospheric prose was just beautiful.
A very suspenseful murder mystery.
Thank to NetGalley and Atria publishing for the arc.
May 17, 2024
I know I didn’t read the blurb before taking the advanced reader opportunity here – if I like a cover and it gets presented to me generically as “mystery” or “thriller” I’ll read the book. I also don’t know why my hopes were so high for this one, but they were. Maybe if I had lower expectations it would have worked better for me.
I thought the story here was about a young doctor whose body is found hanging in a remote area only accessible by water and the attempt to figure out if it was suicide or murder (and if murder, the whodunit). And it was about that, but it also timehopped right away to some teenage love story that I absolutely was not digging whatsoever. I’ll blame myself for not being aware of the “Crawdads” comparison (a book which I loved, by the way, but either because right time/right place is everything for me or because it was “fresh” enough that I got absorbed). This love story portion did not seem particularly fresh, nor did all the "homesteading" about a boy who returns to his small hometown after failing as a novelist who knows all about how to not only forage everything edible off the land as well as how to can veggies and make homemade jams and preserves, but somehow doesn't think about fishing until he has a real Homer Simpson "DOH!" moment and wishes he knew how to make a pancake. Srsly? Not to mention the real rush towards justice at the end with a nearly zero page trial thrown in complete with surprise exhibits and witnesses that 100% does not happen in real life. And don't even get me started the big “twist” when it came to the reveal. Chrissy Teigen eesh face for sure.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
April 17, 2024
You can never go home again but many try to. Elijah Leith, an author, had left his small town for fame and fortune. Not only leaving the town, he also left the love of his life, Nakita, but as Elijah fails to get what he seeks, he returns to Point Orchards, to the home his father built.
His adjustment to life is shaky but gradually he cleans the cabin, and starts to grow his food, and desperately tries to connect with his lost love. When that also fails Elijah is lonely so he turns his attention to the town doctor, Dr. Erin Landry, beautiful but also grieving for a daughter who died. As things progress, Erin is found hanged from a tree, in what appears to be a suicide, but attention and situations place the blame on Elijah and he is arrested and brought to trial.
The books starts slowly and seems to meander for the first half. It isn't until the last 50-60% that the story takes off and intrigue begins.
This is the author's first attempt and she had a good story but just needed to move it along at a faster pace in my opinion.
Thank you to Sarah Crouch, Atria Books, and NetGalley for a copy of this story due out in June.
His adjustment to life is shaky but gradually he cleans the cabin, and starts to grow his food, and desperately tries to connect with his lost love. When that also fails Elijah is lonely so he turns his attention to the town doctor, Dr. Erin Landry, beautiful but also grieving for a daughter who died. As things progress, Erin is found hanged from a tree, in what appears to be a suicide, but attention and situations place the blame on Elijah and he is arrested and brought to trial.
The books starts slowly and seems to meander for the first half. It isn't until the last 50-60% that the story takes off and intrigue begins.
This is the author's first attempt and she had a good story but just needed to move it along at a faster pace in my opinion.
Thank you to Sarah Crouch, Atria Books, and NetGalley for a copy of this story due out in June.
May 28, 2024
Middletide is a satisfying slow burn debut which is heavy on atmosphere, loss, grief, and mystery. Slow burns usually don't work for me, and there were times in the beginning I wanted to give the pace a gentle push along, but the later part of the book made up for slow beginning.
Two fishermen find the body of their town doctor, Dr. Erin Landry hanging from a tree on the land of Elijah Leith. Elijah had big plans of being a famous author when he left town after a relationship with Nakita, who lives on a nearby reservation. He returned home in shame after his father's death and tries to keep a low profile while living in his parents’ cabin. Living off the land, he hopes to rekindle his relationship with Nakita, who is experiencing her own grief. Natika and Elijah aren't the only characters experiencing grief in this book. Dr. Erin Landry recently lost her daughter in a car accident.
Loss and grief are dripping off the pages in Middletide.
This book becomes a mystery as an investigation ensues to determine if the doctor's death was a suicide or murder. When investigators learn that her death mirrors a homicide in Elijah's poorly selling book, eyes turn to him.
As things begin to unfold, I became more and more invested in the plot. It snuck up on me and I enjoyed the mounting sense of dread and tension. I wanted answers as to what led to Dr. Erin's death. The book is told through past and present timelines. Readers are given glimpses into Elijah's and Nakita's young lives and love. Then we see them years later, after they have both experienced many life experiences. I enjoyed this touch but wished I got to know each of them a little more.
The mystery, while intriguing, did have some pacing issues as I mentioned.
Overall, this was a satisfying debut novel and I do look forward to reading more of what Sarah Crouch writes in the future.
3.5 stars
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
Two fishermen find the body of their town doctor, Dr. Erin Landry hanging from a tree on the land of Elijah Leith. Elijah had big plans of being a famous author when he left town after a relationship with Nakita, who lives on a nearby reservation. He returned home in shame after his father's death and tries to keep a low profile while living in his parents’ cabin. Living off the land, he hopes to rekindle his relationship with Nakita, who is experiencing her own grief. Natika and Elijah aren't the only characters experiencing grief in this book. Dr. Erin Landry recently lost her daughter in a car accident.
Loss and grief are dripping off the pages in Middletide.
This book becomes a mystery as an investigation ensues to determine if the doctor's death was a suicide or murder. When investigators learn that her death mirrors a homicide in Elijah's poorly selling book, eyes turn to him.
As things begin to unfold, I became more and more invested in the plot. It snuck up on me and I enjoyed the mounting sense of dread and tension. I wanted answers as to what led to Dr. Erin's death. The book is told through past and present timelines. Readers are given glimpses into Elijah's and Nakita's young lives and love. Then we see them years later, after they have both experienced many life experiences. I enjoyed this touch but wished I got to know each of them a little more.
The mystery, while intriguing, did have some pacing issues as I mentioned.
Overall, this was a satisfying debut novel and I do look forward to reading more of what Sarah Crouch writes in the future.
3.5 stars
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
May 8, 2024
Audiobook: fantastic!
Wow! Her debut book!
This one had coming of age, murder mystery, romance, courtroom proceedings, small town, family relationships….plus- no language or sex. Loved that! Great pacing and great development for the shorter page length.
Wow! Her debut book!
This one had coming of age, murder mystery, romance, courtroom proceedings, small town, family relationships….plus- no language or sex. Loved that! Great pacing and great development for the shorter page length.
May 11, 2024
I have so many thoughts, most of them negative, about this book. Characters were affectless, expressionless, and utterly bland. The plot was ridiculous; the central romance was noxious, and the murder investigation at its center and rushed trial were comically unrealistic.
A fictional indigenous tribe was at the center of this story (for what? Let native people tell their own stories.). The inclusion is confusing without any exploration of native culture or customs, and the author dances around details of the reservation and apparently indigenous characters. This omission is notable, as the non-native characters and non-reservation locations receive much more description and attention.
The prose wasn’t the worst. Crouch painted the forests, rivers, and mountains of the Pacific Northwest beautifully. The nature writing was similar to “Where the Crawdads Sing” with less scientific jargon.
I do not know why I even finished this book. Perhaps just because It’s a short read-less than 300 pages-and I wanted to solve the riddle of this murder. I haven’t hated a book this much since “The Maidens” came out. Don’t recommend.
A fictional indigenous tribe was at the center of this story (for what? Let native people tell their own stories.). The inclusion is confusing without any exploration of native culture or customs, and the author dances around details of the reservation and apparently indigenous characters. This omission is notable, as the non-native characters and non-reservation locations receive much more description and attention.
The prose wasn’t the worst. Crouch painted the forests, rivers, and mountains of the Pacific Northwest beautifully. The nature writing was similar to “Where the Crawdads Sing” with less scientific jargon.
I do not know why I even finished this book. Perhaps just because It’s a short read-less than 300 pages-and I wanted to solve the riddle of this murder. I haven’t hated a book this much since “The Maidens” came out. Don’t recommend.
May 26, 2024
Sarah Crouch's rural thriller has been likened to Delia Owen's Where the Crawdads Sing. Since I was nowhere near a fan of Owen's runaway bestseller, I almost passed over this ARC, but I decided to give it a try because I am drawn to stories with an indigenous element.
The author is an acclaimed marathon runner and two of the lead characters in this story similarly share a love of long distance running - and, eventually, each other!
But, alas, the path to young love is rarely smooth and the young lovers are parted by time and Elijah Leith's "fatal flaw" - his overriding ambition to escape the constrictions of his small coastal town and make it big in the literary world.
Fast forward a decade and a half later: young Elijah is forced to return to Point Orchards, penniless and dispirited. This rambling story is told from the third person, omniscient narrator point of view, which I found a bit distancing.
There were also the usual issues with a novice publication: character development was lacking, there was a tad too much telling and not enough showing, and the plot stretched my credulity one too many times.
Those of us who have anything to do with the legal profession often avoid reading amateur court room dramas: we can't help cringing at the blatant gaffs during those sensationalized court room scenes. Apart from the obvious ethical breach of a doctor dating her patient, the "copycat death" of Dr. Erin Landry and the reasons for her "murder" were too far fetched for me: I just wasn't buying the motive and the actual execution of the crime. (I kind of agreed with Elijah's literary critic on this one!!)
SPOILER ALERT:
My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. I'm rating this a 3.5 out of 5. This was a decent first novel: characterization and credibility need a bit more work, but I applaud the author's ingenuity. I guessed the culprit from the outset, but not the actual motive.
The author is an acclaimed marathon runner and two of the lead characters in this story similarly share a love of long distance running - and, eventually, each other!
But, alas, the path to young love is rarely smooth and the young lovers are parted by time and Elijah Leith's "fatal flaw" - his overriding ambition to escape the constrictions of his small coastal town and make it big in the literary world.
Fast forward a decade and a half later: young Elijah is forced to return to Point Orchards, penniless and dispirited. This rambling story is told from the third person, omniscient narrator point of view, which I found a bit distancing.
There were also the usual issues with a novice publication: character development was lacking, there was a tad too much telling and not enough showing, and the plot stretched my credulity one too many times.
Those of us who have anything to do with the legal profession often avoid reading amateur court room dramas: we can't help cringing at the blatant gaffs during those sensationalized court room scenes. Apart from the obvious ethical breach of a doctor dating her patient, the "copycat death" of Dr. Erin Landry and the reasons for her "murder" were too far fetched for me: I just wasn't buying the motive and the actual execution of the crime. (I kind of agreed with Elijah's literary critic on this one!!)
SPOILER ALERT:
My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. I'm rating this a 3.5 out of 5. This was a decent first novel: characterization and credibility need a bit more work, but I applaud the author's ingenuity. I guessed the culprit from the outset, but not the actual motive.
May 29, 2024
Middletide was such a surprising treat. I think I read 125 pages in one sitting as I was starting this. This was about a murdered woman found on a man's remote property and he becomes the sole suspect. This was well crafted and so well written, I was shocked to find that it's a debut novel.
This is the book that (in my heart) Crawdads should have been. I hate to even compare the two, but the nature described in this book and the remote spots reached by small boat, not the mention the murder reminded me of that other book (which I found overrated). I couldn't stop reading this book or thinking about the characters.
I will gladly look forward to more books by Crouch in the future.
This is the book that (in my heart) Crawdads should have been. I hate to even compare the two, but the nature described in this book and the remote spots reached by small boat, not the mention the murder reminded me of that other book (which I found overrated). I couldn't stop reading this book or thinking about the characters.
I will gladly look forward to more books by Crouch in the future.
March 15, 2024
Moody mysterious debut novel surrounding an investigation into the death of a newly local woman. Was it suicide, murder or something else? The author infused the story with a minimum of characters freeing the reader to enjoy the development of each. I received an ARE via goodreads giveaway.
May 24, 2024
God bless the girl for tryin’, but Middletide is a book desperately in search of some guidance from somebody.
Hinderances to enjoyment:
•Weird timeline. Back, forth, inbetween. And why was it SO IMPORTANT to set the book in the early 1990s? There was literally NOTHING that happened in the book that relied on a ‘90s setting to be relevant.
•Waaaaaaaaay too much time spent on describing homesteading and chores, recipes, wood-chopping, etc etc. We get it. Our protagonist is a man returning to his roots in the woods. You don’t have to tell us about his tomatoes or his wild blackberry jam canning. This is what we call “filler.”
•Why do we always have to know how everything and everybody smells?
•The writer knows next to nothing about medicine. MDs do not write “dissertations” unless they are doubling in graduate degrees, say, Medicine & robotics, or Medicine & public health, and there’s no evidence suggesting that the town doctor held multiple degrees. Doctors don’t draw blood during office visits, not since 1970. They don’t jab your arm with a needle; they apply a pressure wrap and then find a usable vein.
•Apparently, the author believes it’s OK to be a pastor for 30 years, then pop back into the courtroom and do double-duty in your first career—defense attorney. Suspects on trial do not talk to law personnel—“anything they say can and will be used…” . The case-cracker witness doesn’t just pop up in the courtroom to save the day with irrefutable testimony without being challenged by the prosecution. A witness must be listed in an APPROVED list of witnesses before the trial even starts. And there is NO WAY the prosecution could keep the victim’s diary secret from the defense. It’s called “Discovery,” people. (See: “My Cousin Vinny.”)
•Why invent an entire Native American tribe for the purposes of this book? Tribal lore/customs/politics had ZERO to do with the development of plot nor characters. Very weird and unnecessary.
The unorthodox timeline, the strange juxtaposition of dates and relationships, the homesteading piece, the oh-so-bizarre “evidence” cited as the reason for the antagonist’s revenge—it was all slightly off-kilter for me, seriously making me wonder if this recent BOTMC offering wasn’t, in fact, AI-generated.
Hinderances to enjoyment:
•Weird timeline. Back, forth, inbetween. And why was it SO IMPORTANT to set the book in the early 1990s? There was literally NOTHING that happened in the book that relied on a ‘90s setting to be relevant.
•Waaaaaaaaay too much time spent on describing homesteading and chores, recipes, wood-chopping, etc etc. We get it. Our protagonist is a man returning to his roots in the woods. You don’t have to tell us about his tomatoes or his wild blackberry jam canning. This is what we call “filler.”
•Why do we always have to know how everything and everybody smells?
•The writer knows next to nothing about medicine. MDs do not write “dissertations” unless they are doubling in graduate degrees, say, Medicine & robotics, or Medicine & public health, and there’s no evidence suggesting that the town doctor held multiple degrees. Doctors don’t draw blood during office visits, not since 1970. They don’t jab your arm with a needle; they apply a pressure wrap and then find a usable vein.
•Apparently, the author believes it’s OK to be a pastor for 30 years, then pop back into the courtroom and do double-duty in your first career—defense attorney. Suspects on trial do not talk to law personnel—“anything they say can and will be used…” . The case-cracker witness doesn’t just pop up in the courtroom to save the day with irrefutable testimony without being challenged by the prosecution. A witness must be listed in an APPROVED list of witnesses before the trial even starts. And there is NO WAY the prosecution could keep the victim’s diary secret from the defense. It’s called “Discovery,” people. (See: “My Cousin Vinny.”)
•Why invent an entire Native American tribe for the purposes of this book? Tribal lore/customs/politics had ZERO to do with the development of plot nor characters. Very weird and unnecessary.
The unorthodox timeline, the strange juxtaposition of dates and relationships, the homesteading piece, the oh-so-bizarre “evidence” cited as the reason for the antagonist’s revenge—it was all slightly off-kilter for me, seriously making me wonder if this recent BOTMC offering wasn’t, in fact, AI-generated.
May 27, 2024
MIDDLETIDE is a slower-paced, character driven mystery set in Point Orchards, Washington where our protagonist Elijah Leith has returned after seeking fame (unsuccessfully) in Cali. as a writer. He settles in at his late father’s cabin, becomes employed at the local garage.. with the remembrance of his first love Nakita never far from his mind. But still reeling from the loss of her husband, Nakita keeps her distance from him. Some time after Dr Erin loses her daughter in a car accident and her husband leaves.. Elijah becomes her patient, they date a few times until he ends it. Then Dr Erin’s body is found on his land, presumably a suicide, but other factors come into play nodding toward homocide. Coincidentally, the only book he did publish called MIDDLETIDE, spoofs her death to a “T.” So of course, Elijah is arrested for her murder with every turn flipped upside-down pointing directly to him as the guilty party. Crouch has an interesting take on the mystery involved, the lingering romance, and in the way it all comes full circle. Is a fantastic, mind-boggling debut that kept me turning pages nonstop. 4.5 stars — Pub. 6/11/24
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
May 12, 2024
Where to begin?
The only positive comment I have about this book is that the author’s depictions of the landscape were quite atmospheric. I was reminded of Where the Crawdads Sing, which I believe was the author’s intention.
Now for the issues I had with this book:
• The characters. Elijah is an incredibly unlikable narrator (insists that Nakita date him despite her grief over losing her husband, then lambasts her because she won’t “move on”). He seems incapable of understanding women or the complexity of grief in MULTIPLE parts of the novel. I can get behind an unlikable narrator if there is even one SHRED of a redeeming quality present in the text, but Elijah didn’t show a single sign of being even remotely interesting OR complex.
• The erasure of Indigenous customs, history, and narratives. The author “drew inspiration” from Indigenous cultures, then decided to create her own imaginary tribe, with little to no significance to the overall story. This reads as an attempt to make the novel “diverse” while abdicating any responsibility to ensure Indigenous cultures are properly represented.
• The plot. It was just bad. Over half the story is spent describing Elijah’s day to day routines. This formula doesn’t work for a book billed as a thriller/murder mystery. The identity of the “murderer” is incredibly unrealistic (which I find ironic considering Elijah’s fictional novel was criticized for being too unrealistic) and frankly, I found myself hoping that Elijah really DID kill Erin just so that I wouldn’t have to see any more of his narcissistic personality. Also, what’s up with the women in this book? Both Nikita and Erin fall neatly into cookie cutter stereotypes, which doesn’t work for me.
This book was just not for me.
The only positive comment I have about this book is that the author’s depictions of the landscape were quite atmospheric. I was reminded of Where the Crawdads Sing, which I believe was the author’s intention.
Now for the issues I had with this book:
• The characters. Elijah is an incredibly unlikable narrator (insists that Nakita date him despite her grief over losing her husband, then lambasts her because she won’t “move on”). He seems incapable of understanding women or the complexity of grief in MULTIPLE parts of the novel. I can get behind an unlikable narrator if there is even one SHRED of a redeeming quality present in the text, but Elijah didn’t show a single sign of being even remotely interesting OR complex.
• The erasure of Indigenous customs, history, and narratives. The author “drew inspiration” from Indigenous cultures, then decided to create her own imaginary tribe, with little to no significance to the overall story. This reads as an attempt to make the novel “diverse” while abdicating any responsibility to ensure Indigenous cultures are properly represented.
• The plot. It was just bad. Over half the story is spent describing Elijah’s day to day routines. This formula doesn’t work for a book billed as a thriller/murder mystery. The identity of the “murderer” is incredibly unrealistic (which I find ironic considering Elijah’s fictional novel was criticized for being too unrealistic) and frankly, I found myself hoping that Elijah really DID kill Erin just so that I wouldn’t have to see any more of his narcissistic personality. Also, what’s up with the women in this book? Both Nikita and Erin fall neatly into cookie cutter stereotypes, which doesn’t work for me.
This book was just not for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
April 30, 2024Why I Love It
By Jerrod MacFarlane
Don’t be fooled by the verdant woods. The sleepy and bucolic Pacific Northwest knoll at the center of Sarah Crouch’s debut Middletide is harboring plenty of secrets, and they are starting to grow. Slowly but surely…
Meet Elijah Leith. He is a failed writer who has returned to the town of Point Orchards with his tail between his legs. As if that weren’t bad enough, not long after his return a dead body is found hanging from a tree in his yard. This guy really cannot catch a break. But the law doesn’t care about Elijah’s bad fortune and wants to finger someone for the murder. So our protagonist must move quickly to exonerate himself. Along the way, plenty of twists and turns are thrown at him and the reader.
But there’s so much more to hook you into this remarkable tale. Scintillating prose, ominous and enveloping atmospherics, rekindled love, and a keen eye for the natural world. All of this makes for a unique and uniquely compelling read.
This story will go places you don’t expect. Gird yourself and prepare to not want to put this one down once you pick it up. (And don’t read any spoilers.) You are in for a suspenseful and deftly written treat.
By Jerrod MacFarlane
Don’t be fooled by the verdant woods. The sleepy and bucolic Pacific Northwest knoll at the center of Sarah Crouch’s debut Middletide is harboring plenty of secrets, and they are starting to grow. Slowly but surely…
Meet Elijah Leith. He is a failed writer who has returned to the town of Point Orchards with his tail between his legs. As if that weren’t bad enough, not long after his return a dead body is found hanging from a tree in his yard. This guy really cannot catch a break. But the law doesn’t care about Elijah’s bad fortune and wants to finger someone for the murder. So our protagonist must move quickly to exonerate himself. Along the way, plenty of twists and turns are thrown at him and the reader.
But there’s so much more to hook you into this remarkable tale. Scintillating prose, ominous and enveloping atmospherics, rekindled love, and a keen eye for the natural world. All of this makes for a unique and uniquely compelling read.
This story will go places you don’t expect. Gird yourself and prepare to not want to put this one down once you pick it up. (And don’t read any spoilers.) You are in for a suspenseful and deftly written treat.
May 29, 2024
I had thought for sure about midway through that this would be a 4 star book for me. I really fell in love with debut author Sarah Crouch's writing.
And when the book was a leisurely story of a man returning home broken after a failed writing career and rediscovering who he is by repairing his father’s house and trying to reconnect with his childhood love, I really enjoyed it.
But the mystery part of the story, ooooffff.
Right after New Years in 1994, a small town's young, beautiful physician was found hanged on a local man's farm. As suspicion starts to close in on that man, Elijah, the story winds back to several crucial moments in time to explain how we got here and the story of the great love of Elijah's life. This great love is not the beautiful physician, although she's definitely part of the story too.
Who killed Doctor Erin? Why did her death so closely resemble the one in Elijah's obscure and out-of-print first novel?
When Elijah is learning how to raise chickens, reconnecting with Nakita, or hanging out with his father's friend Chitto, I was fully invested, even if the story had a deliberate thoughtful pace. His relationship with Chitto made me cry a few times.
But then the mystery takes center stage for the last 80 pages or so. First of all, it's pretty obvious what happened. It's also very silly. And the climactic revelation scene contains one of my most disliked mystery tropes: I had a few pages of hoping against hope it wouldn't go that way, then I wanted to throw the book at the wall when it did.
Excuse me, officer? Can we just go back to the part where Chitto is explaining to Elijah at the farmer’s market how he makes his wooden flutes? This story already had a richness to it that, for me, made the mystery element superfluous. I would put the issues in this book mostly down to this being Crouch's first novel, she's not confident in all of her narrative choices yet, and she pulls her punches when she doesn't need to.
This was working really well for me until the last third. I want to close on this most important thought: Sarah Crouch can write beautifully and I can't wait to read her next book.
And when the book was a leisurely story of a man returning home broken after a failed writing career and rediscovering who he is by repairing his father’s house and trying to reconnect with his childhood love, I really enjoyed it.
But the mystery part of the story, ooooffff.
Right after New Years in 1994, a small town's young, beautiful physician was found hanged on a local man's farm. As suspicion starts to close in on that man, Elijah, the story winds back to several crucial moments in time to explain how we got here and the story of the great love of Elijah's life. This great love is not the beautiful physician, although she's definitely part of the story too.
Who killed Doctor Erin? Why did her death so closely resemble the one in Elijah's obscure and out-of-print first novel?
When Elijah is learning how to raise chickens, reconnecting with Nakita, or hanging out with his father's friend Chitto, I was fully invested, even if the story had a deliberate thoughtful pace. His relationship with Chitto made me cry a few times.
But then the mystery takes center stage for the last 80 pages or so. First of all, it's pretty obvious what happened. It's also very silly. And the climactic revelation scene contains one of my most disliked mystery tropes: I had a few pages of hoping against hope it wouldn't go that way, then I wanted to throw the book at the wall when it did.
Excuse me, officer? Can we just go back to the part where Chitto is explaining to Elijah at the farmer’s market how he makes his wooden flutes? This story already had a richness to it that, for me, made the mystery element superfluous. I would put the issues in this book mostly down to this being Crouch's first novel, she's not confident in all of her narrative choices yet, and she pulls her punches when she doesn't need to.
This was working really well for me until the last third. I want to close on this most important thought: Sarah Crouch can write beautifully and I can't wait to read her next book.
May 12, 2024
Hoo man. Note to self: never get a BOTM pick based just on the cover
I have no idea who in their right mind gave this author the green light to make up a fictitious indigenous tribe for a real world setting, let alone a tribe with a name that’s not even a half-step away from sounding like a real slur.
Why is the tribe’s leader a Christian priest? Why have one of the native characters die from lung cancer (from pipe smoking) and another die from a hunting accident (but it’s okay! Because his family is rich from owning one-fifth of a casino).
Even outside of the bizarre fantasy tribe decision, the writing itself is not good. Characters are walking and talking cliches, and the narrative is just a rigamarole of tell, tell, and more tell with zero show. I don’t have a single emotion towards any of these people other than bemused annoyance at best or downright hostility at worst (though that’s at least reserved exclusively for the protagonist, Elijah, a real bastard with as much likability as a top poster on /r/incels).
If the author had not made up a fake indigenous culture for this book, it just would have been a bog standard (albeit misogynistic) mystery with a bunch of horrible relationships of cardboard cutouts. This needed more editing passes, and perhaps a sensitivity reader to boot.
I have no idea who in their right mind gave this author the green light to make up a fictitious indigenous tribe for a real world setting, let alone a tribe with a name that’s not even a half-step away from sounding like a real slur.
Why is the tribe’s leader a Christian priest? Why have one of the native characters die from lung cancer (from pipe smoking) and another die from a hunting accident (but it’s okay! Because his family is rich from owning one-fifth of a casino).
Even outside of the bizarre fantasy tribe decision, the writing itself is not good. Characters are walking and talking cliches, and the narrative is just a rigamarole of tell, tell, and more tell with zero show. I don’t have a single emotion towards any of these people other than bemused annoyance at best or downright hostility at worst (though that’s at least reserved exclusively for the protagonist, Elijah, a real bastard with as much likability as a top poster on /r/incels).
If the author had not made up a fake indigenous culture for this book, it just would have been a bog standard (albeit misogynistic) mystery with a bunch of horrible relationships of cardboard cutouts. This needed more editing passes, and perhaps a sensitivity reader to boot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 13, 2024
Thank you so much to Atria books for the chance to read and review this book prior to release!
WOW! I was utterly blown away by this debut. I really couldn't think of one negative thing to say even if I tried.
Starting from the outside in, the cover definitely caught my attention and this was definitely a case of judging the book by its cover and I'm so glad I did!
This reading experience was enjoyable from start to finish. I was quickly drawn into the story when within the opening pages of the book a dead body was discovered by two fishermen one morning in the 1990s. By the second chapter, I was taken into an entirely different period of time and introduced to two young lovers in the 1970s. The way the two timelines interlaced together to unfold the story of Elijah Leith, a failed author and a suspect in a murder trial completely captivated me.
This book truly had it all! It was full of romance, mystery, small town gossip, 90s nostalgia, revenge, etc. etc.
This book encapsulates the dictionary definition of a literary thriller, which is: "a book containing elegant prose, thematic richness, and propulsive plots."
Every single character is rich and deep and multi-faceted; I could talk about all of them for hours. I teared up at the end of this book simply because it was honestly that wonderful. I can't give it a higher compliment than that.
You will be hearing about this book A LOT, especially closer towards its publishing date which is June 25th! You're not going to want to miss out on this!
WOW! I was utterly blown away by this debut. I really couldn't think of one negative thing to say even if I tried.
Starting from the outside in, the cover definitely caught my attention and this was definitely a case of judging the book by its cover and I'm so glad I did!
This reading experience was enjoyable from start to finish. I was quickly drawn into the story when within the opening pages of the book a dead body was discovered by two fishermen one morning in the 1990s. By the second chapter, I was taken into an entirely different period of time and introduced to two young lovers in the 1970s. The way the two timelines interlaced together to unfold the story of Elijah Leith, a failed author and a suspect in a murder trial completely captivated me.
This book truly had it all! It was full of romance, mystery, small town gossip, 90s nostalgia, revenge, etc. etc.
This book encapsulates the dictionary definition of a literary thriller, which is: "a book containing elegant prose, thematic richness, and propulsive plots."
Every single character is rich and deep and multi-faceted; I could talk about all of them for hours. I teared up at the end of this book simply because it was honestly that wonderful. I can't give it a higher compliment than that.
You will be hearing about this book A LOT, especially closer towards its publishing date which is June 25th! You're not going to want to miss out on this!
March 27, 2024
One of my favorite thrillers of the year so far! This book had everything! A great atmospheric setting, suspense, mystery, loss, and romance. I was glued to the pages from the beginning. I fell in love with the characters and their stories. The character development helped to really connect to them. I sympathized with their struggles and losses and cheered on their personal growth. The setting was so descriptive I could watch this entire story play out in my mind which really added to the reading experience. I had a few theories on what really happened, but all of them were wrong. I can't express how much I enjoyed this book! I will definitely be on the lookout for more from this author. Do yourself a favor and don't miss this one!
Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
June 26, 2024
✰ 2 stars ✰
“The ironic thing is that all I ever wanted was for people to read my book. I just never thought in a million years someone would use it against me.”
The idea was strong, the execution was not. 🙁 I'm sorry that this debut was not even on the Middletide of the range in which I rate or read things, for the lack of cohesiveness, let alone the believability of necessity into certain aspects made me question - why? Why, for starters, create a fake tribe, which ultimately plays no significant part in the narrative? Why spend so much time building up one character's entire life story, simply to paint him as a lovestruck recluse, which time, instead, could have been spent on delving deeper into building a more believable structure to the mystery? Why have so much attention given to a romance that felt so forced and flat that I was struggling to believe why I should care? Why was reading this such a chore? 😫
What could have saved it? It is hard to say, considering how much was not really working in its favor. For starters - allowing more time to be spent in the present; the constant back-and-forth of an unreliable time frame did not allow us to get immersed in the atmospheric way in which the author built up the first scene. It was striking - a very haunting glimpse of a murder that left me confused and curious at how it would eventually be explained. 😥 However, when one takes into account the eventual explanation - sorry, reasoning, behind the murder, it is very impractical and not at all capable of being acted out in the way that it was... Not that much detail was spent into going into it, that is - but it just feels too implausible for me to believe how 'a mystery novel about a murder that was made to look like a suicide.', when not once did anyone investigate the crime without relying on the source marterial, instead. 😐
I was not able to feel this as a thriller - at all; rather a very slow-paced romance that felt forced in its depiction. I'm all about long-lost love rekindling - soulmates forever. 'I won’t let anyone take away our second chance.' 🙄 Nakita was such a flat character - heck, even Elijah Leith was! But, at least he was trying; I could see in the writing that it was trying to make me care about his conviction, as well as his desperation to prove his innocence. But, it was a rigmarole of scenarios and situations that was trying too hard to be ethereal - one that drew on the secluded remoteness of their small town, which did not develop any further than a handful of characters existing in Point Orchards. So much unnecessary time was spent in depicting Elijah's every-day life through the years that added nothing to the plot. Some of the dialogue and train of thought for certain scenes - especially during Elijah's trial were tasteless - almost as if being read from a script. 🤷🏻♀️
“He would be a fool to let her go again without a fight.
“Maybe the only way to move on,” he said firmly, “is to take that first step toward someone else.”
It was not like Elijah was entirely unlikable; he was burned - twice over and he returned home, in the hopes that maybe he could start over. I felt for his despair over being a failed author and not having his hard work paid off; perhaps, then so much emphasis was put into showing how proud he was of the little achievements in his daily life - one that asserted his own skills of not having everything stacked against him - be it personally or professionally. 'Perhaps pride was the thing he was really addicted to. The pride of seeing his own work on the page or on the plate.' 😟 But, starting over came with a hefty price - one which he didn't even realize. The idea that the murder was drawn from his own novel was an intriguing concept; but with caricatures of law enforcement who behaved almost unrealistically if not comically in their handling of the case made it hard to feel the threat and danger to Elijah's life. 😮💨
And as much as I can appreciate the author's efforts to tie his past with his present, it was not enough for me to be drawn into the story. The imbalance to his crime, to his ill-fated romance, to his struggle to win her back and the mistakes he made while doing so - did not mesh well, too disjointed for it to be impactful. Maybe I just did not like Nakita - her actions, her temperament, her usefulness - everything about her made me wonder what he saw in her, in the first place. I don't know what purpose her belonging to a make-believe tribe played either, but urgh, just not happy with this. 🙂↔️ 🙂↔️ 'There’s got to be some evidence, something I can use to prove I’m not guilty' - and believe me, I tried to find it, too; but the actual way in which it played out left me empty. I was hoping the end it would reach somewhere, hoping that after the lackluster build-up, I would reach an explosive conclusion, but - 😮💨😮💨
It hurts to be so critical to a debut, but if you really want to thrill the audience with a riveting atmospheric mystery, then the pacing and the execution have to really reel you in. Perhaps with a little more fine tuning to the story, it could have been a more effective read. I mean, it is highlighted as an atmospheric thriller, but how am I supposed to be thrilled, when Elijah is waxing poetry about his long-lost love or the lengthy descriptive details are devoted to the minutia of his daily life, only for the action to pick up steam at an uneven footing? Just really disappointed this time around. 🙎🏻♀️ I wish it had not been, but... I feel like all I did was sigh my way through this, but what can you do? 😔
“The ironic thing is that all I ever wanted was for people to read my book. I just never thought in a million years someone would use it against me.”
The idea was strong, the execution was not. 🙁 I'm sorry that this debut was not even on the Middletide of the range in which I rate or read things, for the lack of cohesiveness, let alone the believability of necessity into certain aspects made me question - why? Why, for starters, create a fake tribe, which ultimately plays no significant part in the narrative? Why spend so much time building up one character's entire life story, simply to paint him as a lovestruck recluse, which time, instead, could have been spent on delving deeper into building a more believable structure to the mystery? Why have so much attention given to a romance that felt so forced and flat that I was struggling to believe why I should care? Why was reading this such a chore? 😫
What could have saved it? It is hard to say, considering how much was not really working in its favor. For starters - allowing more time to be spent in the present; the constant back-and-forth of an unreliable time frame did not allow us to get immersed in the atmospheric way in which the author built up the first scene. It was striking - a very haunting glimpse of a murder that left me confused and curious at how it would eventually be explained. 😥 However, when one takes into account the eventual explanation - sorry, reasoning, behind the murder, it is very impractical and not at all capable of being acted out in the way that it was... Not that much detail was spent into going into it, that is - but it just feels too implausible for me to believe how 'a mystery novel about a murder that was made to look like a suicide.', when not once did anyone investigate the crime without relying on the source marterial, instead. 😐
I was not able to feel this as a thriller - at all; rather a very slow-paced romance that felt forced in its depiction. I'm all about long-lost love rekindling - soulmates forever. 'I won’t let anyone take away our second chance.' 🙄 Nakita was such a flat character - heck, even Elijah Leith was! But, at least he was trying; I could see in the writing that it was trying to make me care about his conviction, as well as his desperation to prove his innocence. But, it was a rigmarole of scenarios and situations that was trying too hard to be ethereal - one that drew on the secluded remoteness of their small town, which did not develop any further than a handful of characters existing in Point Orchards. So much unnecessary time was spent in depicting Elijah's every-day life through the years that added nothing to the plot. Some of the dialogue and train of thought for certain scenes - especially during Elijah's trial were tasteless - almost as if being read from a script. 🤷🏻♀️
“He would be a fool to let her go again without a fight.
“Maybe the only way to move on,” he said firmly, “is to take that first step toward someone else.”
It was not like Elijah was entirely unlikable; he was burned - twice over and he returned home, in the hopes that maybe he could start over. I felt for his despair over being a failed author and not having his hard work paid off; perhaps, then so much emphasis was put into showing how proud he was of the little achievements in his daily life - one that asserted his own skills of not having everything stacked against him - be it personally or professionally. 'Perhaps pride was the thing he was really addicted to. The pride of seeing his own work on the page or on the plate.' 😟 But, starting over came with a hefty price - one which he didn't even realize. The idea that the murder was drawn from his own novel was an intriguing concept; but with caricatures of law enforcement who behaved almost unrealistically if not comically in their handling of the case made it hard to feel the threat and danger to Elijah's life. 😮💨
And as much as I can appreciate the author's efforts to tie his past with his present, it was not enough for me to be drawn into the story. The imbalance to his crime, to his ill-fated romance, to his struggle to win her back and the mistakes he made while doing so - did not mesh well, too disjointed for it to be impactful. Maybe I just did not like Nakita - her actions, her temperament, her usefulness - everything about her made me wonder what he saw in her, in the first place. I don't know what purpose her belonging to a make-believe tribe played either, but urgh, just not happy with this. 🙂↔️ 🙂↔️ 'There’s got to be some evidence, something I can use to prove I’m not guilty' - and believe me, I tried to find it, too; but the actual way in which it played out left me empty. I was hoping the end it would reach somewhere, hoping that after the lackluster build-up, I would reach an explosive conclusion, but - 😮💨😮💨
It hurts to be so critical to a debut, but if you really want to thrill the audience with a riveting atmospheric mystery, then the pacing and the execution have to really reel you in. Perhaps with a little more fine tuning to the story, it could have been a more effective read. I mean, it is highlighted as an atmospheric thriller, but how am I supposed to be thrilled, when Elijah is waxing poetry about his long-lost love or the lengthy descriptive details are devoted to the minutia of his daily life, only for the action to pick up steam at an uneven footing? Just really disappointed this time around. 🙎🏻♀️ I wish it had not been, but... I feel like all I did was sigh my way through this, but what can you do? 😔
June 8, 2024
4.5 stars.
Smart, intense, riveting. I found this to be a marvelous story from a new debut author. This author's talent radiates off of every page. It reminded me of Carolina Moonset by Matt Goldman, which I also loved. The storyline twists and turns and keeps the reader guessing.
In the small lakeside town of Point Orchards, not far from Seattle, the body of a woman is found by two local fishermen hanging from a tree next to a secluded lake. Meanwhile, the town's prodigal son, Elijah, has recently returned home from the big city after failing to make his dreams come true as a writer. Why does the woman's death mimic the only book he has written and published? Was her death suicide or murder?
Throughout the investigation and the court case that follows, Elijah deals with feelings of low self-esteem about his writing and guilt that he has surrounding his father and his old girlfriend, and now he is a murder suspect.
I highly recommend this well thought out mystery and I would read anything this author writes in the future.
Smart, intense, riveting. I found this to be a marvelous story from a new debut author. This author's talent radiates off of every page. It reminded me of Carolina Moonset by Matt Goldman, which I also loved. The storyline twists and turns and keeps the reader guessing.
In the small lakeside town of Point Orchards, not far from Seattle, the body of a woman is found by two local fishermen hanging from a tree next to a secluded lake. Meanwhile, the town's prodigal son, Elijah, has recently returned home from the big city after failing to make his dreams come true as a writer. Why does the woman's death mimic the only book he has written and published? Was her death suicide or murder?
Throughout the investigation and the court case that follows, Elijah deals with feelings of low self-esteem about his writing and guilt that he has surrounding his father and his old girlfriend, and now he is a murder suspect.
I highly recommend this well thought out mystery and I would read anything this author writes in the future.
May 13, 2024
It is so deeply unfortunate that this is the state of our publishing industry. I acquired this book from Book of the Month, while not a fool proof way of assuring quality literature, they are not typically putting out books with this level of poor writing. This book is poorly written. It should have never been published under a traditional publishing house and it most certainly should not have made its way to Book of the Month.
The courtroom scenes are laughable. Certain liberties with criminal procedures to advance plots are perfectly fine in courtroom dramas, however, such an absurd trial totally untethered to any sort of reality is not something that should appear in any sort of serious book. The author obviously has not seen any sort of criminal trial, and makes a law and order episode seem naturalistic.
The characters are one note, the love story is unrealistic, and it’s a giant waste of your time to read this book.
The courtroom scenes are laughable. Certain liberties with criminal procedures to advance plots are perfectly fine in courtroom dramas, however, such an absurd trial totally untethered to any sort of reality is not something that should appear in any sort of serious book. The author obviously has not seen any sort of criminal trial, and makes a law and order episode seem naturalistic.
The characters are one note, the love story is unrealistic, and it’s a giant waste of your time to read this book.
May 9, 2024
3.5 stars. I loved it until the ending which felt forced and rushed. It didn't justify what happened in the story.
April 3, 2024
The first true literary thriller I’ve read
Thank you, Atria Books, for the gifted copy of Middletide by Sarah Crouch {partner}
Genre: Literary Thriller
Format: 📖
Pub Date: 6.11.2024
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆.5
I wasn’t sure what to expect from Middletide. I’d seen a few early reviews raving about the brilliant story, so I decided to pick it up (without really looking into what the story was about). I would highly recommend doing the same, as it really adds to the mystery of the story itself.
There’s a little something for everyone nestled into the mages of this 288-page novel - mystery, small-town secrets, romance, revenge, and forgiveness. It blew me away that the author, Sarah Crouch, could pack so much into such a short book.
There’s also the added bonus of a non-linear timeline, which kept me guessing as I tried to put together the pieces of the puzzles. But I was shocked at how the story ended up coming together. Middletide is one of those books I could (and will) read again to find all the little details I missed during my first read.
✨ Debut Novel
🔀 Non-linear timeline
📖 Book about a book
🌫️ Atmospheric
👏🏼 Perfect for a book club
I recommend going into Middletide without knowing much about the story and then letting the author take you along for a ride as you learn about what happened on one quiet morning in Point Orchards in 1994.
______
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chaptersofc...
Follow me on Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/chaptersofc...
Follow me on StoryGraph:https://www.instagram.com/chaptersofc...
Thank you, Atria Books, for the gifted copy of Middletide by Sarah Crouch {partner}
Genre: Literary Thriller
Format: 📖
Pub Date: 6.11.2024
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆.5
I wasn’t sure what to expect from Middletide. I’d seen a few early reviews raving about the brilliant story, so I decided to pick it up (without really looking into what the story was about). I would highly recommend doing the same, as it really adds to the mystery of the story itself.
There’s a little something for everyone nestled into the mages of this 288-page novel - mystery, small-town secrets, romance, revenge, and forgiveness. It blew me away that the author, Sarah Crouch, could pack so much into such a short book.
There’s also the added bonus of a non-linear timeline, which kept me guessing as I tried to put together the pieces of the puzzles. But I was shocked at how the story ended up coming together. Middletide is one of those books I could (and will) read again to find all the little details I missed during my first read.
✨ Debut Novel
🔀 Non-linear timeline
📖 Book about a book
🌫️ Atmospheric
👏🏼 Perfect for a book club
I recommend going into Middletide without knowing much about the story and then letting the author take you along for a ride as you learn about what happened on one quiet morning in Point Orchards in 1994.
______
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chaptersofc...
Follow me on Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/chaptersofc...
Follow me on StoryGraph:https://www.instagram.com/chaptersofc...
July 2, 2024
Some books force you to slow down and settle into a story. Some books make you consider if the ending is really what is important or if how we got there is even better.
Middletide is one of those stories.
From page one I was interested and captivated by this small town story. It felt immediately character driven and that's the kind of story that always appeals to me. It's something that helps me to get inside characters heads and dwell there for a moment. This story isn't demanding and it's often more quiet. From the lonely, lost boy who's dreams have turned sour, to the lost love of his life...I was attached to their story and how it would unfold.
This story was soft and sweet but always slightly on edge due to the looming murder mystery overtaking the town. I loved how the author added Native American elements, and that it made me want to go pick up stories from indigenous authors. I loved that we got some Christian elements that were often subtle but some of the more impactful lessons in the book.
The last 25% had me on edge wondering how our characters would endure, and I loved some of the fun twists that I found unpredictable. If you're willing to be still and immerse yourself in a slower paced but poignant story with characters that feel rooted in reality...Middletide is a debut that I would highly recommend.
The audio was fantastic! Highly enjoyed it and feel like it only increased my enjoyment of the story.
Middletide is one of those stories.
From page one I was interested and captivated by this small town story. It felt immediately character driven and that's the kind of story that always appeals to me. It's something that helps me to get inside characters heads and dwell there for a moment. This story isn't demanding and it's often more quiet. From the lonely, lost boy who's dreams have turned sour, to the lost love of his life...I was attached to their story and how it would unfold.
This story was soft and sweet but always slightly on edge due to the looming murder mystery overtaking the town. I loved how the author added Native American elements, and that it made me want to go pick up stories from indigenous authors. I loved that we got some Christian elements that were often subtle but some of the more impactful lessons in the book.
The last 25% had me on edge wondering how our characters would endure, and I loved some of the fun twists that I found unpredictable. If you're willing to be still and immerse yourself in a slower paced but poignant story with characters that feel rooted in reality...Middletide is a debut that I would highly recommend.
The audio was fantastic! Highly enjoyed it and feel like it only increased my enjoyment of the story.
May 6, 2024
2.5 stars rounded up to 3 stars
Middletide is part mystery and part police procedural set in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. It's told in multiple timelines throughout the main character, Elijah's life. The "present day" timeline takes place in 1994.
The first 2/3 of this book moves really slow. I don’t mind a slow burn, but it didn’t work for me here. I think the biggest issue is that I didn’t feel any connection to the main character. In fact, he really annoyed me. He spends far too much pining for his ex-girlfriend from high school, who he hasn't seen or talked to in almost 20 years. And licking his wounds because the first book he published was not a success. He did not seem like someone who could function or live as an adult.
The last third of the book finally picked up and then moved very quickly.
This isn't a horrible debut. The descriptions of the atmosphere, land, and homesteading were great. It just could have used some tweaks to pacing and characterization.
Middletide is part mystery and part police procedural set in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. It's told in multiple timelines throughout the main character, Elijah's life. The "present day" timeline takes place in 1994.
The first 2/3 of this book moves really slow. I don’t mind a slow burn, but it didn’t work for me here. I think the biggest issue is that I didn’t feel any connection to the main character. In fact, he really annoyed me. He spends far too much pining for his ex-girlfriend from high school, who he hasn't seen or talked to in almost 20 years. And licking his wounds because the first book he published was not a success. He did not seem like someone who could function or live as an adult.
The last third of the book finally picked up and then moved very quickly.
This isn't a horrible debut. The descriptions of the atmosphere, land, and homesteading were great. It just could have used some tweaks to pacing and characterization.
March 15, 2024
My rating: 2.5
NOTE: I received an ARC free from Atria Books through the Goodreads Giveaway.
Middletide tells the story of a prodigal son’s—Elijah Leith—return to a small Oregon town in which both his exit (marked by the frenzied hubris of youth) and reentry (attended by a strong dose of humility) have been duly noted by watchful locals. His quest to become the next Great American Author temporarily on hold. An uneasy return and readjustment are complicated by the violent death of a beloved townswoman, a death in which Elijah becomes a central person of interest.
Elijah returns to his familial home, empty now with his father’s recent death. Rehabilitating the property, unkept during his father’s illness and subsequent death, proves a physical and mental outlet as he licks his wounds, regroups, and anticipates the eventual reunion with his childhood sweetheart. The work, his father’s best friend, the girl, and time are what he needs to begin again. A suspicious death and a police investigation complicate his plans.
Crouch shows a distinct fidelity to descriptions of her main characters’ lived environment, a determination to communicate fully their surroundings. This is especially true in the description of Elijah’s homestead and his property’s hidden cove. I wanted to work that land and relax alongside the water’s edge. She does this work to a lesser degree in her description of the Native American reservation but neglects to fully replicate that effort there or elsewhere in the book. That failure had a strange effect in that it made Elijah’s property feel like the only real place in the book, a distinct metropole in the center of fugue-like hinterlands that are un/under-defined, not fully realized. I might not have noticed this disparity had Crouch shown the same descriptive commitment to the book’s characters; she did not.
For all the effort placed in describing physical surroundings of the people, they felt much less present or real. Surroundings seem deeper and more complex than the people. The people are flat, one-dimensional; they come and they go, leaving nothing of themselves behind. I did not care about these characters at all. I did not like one and hate the other. I did not cheer for some nor await the comeuppance of others. I just did not care about the people. I did want Houdini fed and warmed, Elijah’s front door repaired, and the jogging path from his home to the cove cleared in timely fashion. That signaled, to me at least, a bit of a problem.
Finally, the pacing here is weird. My initial thought was that the story moved far too slowly. I appreciate a slow burn and will spend the requisite time, even a bit more, to get to a juicy point. Here, the journey proved too long, flat, and unrewarding of the effort. And still, somehow, the story’s resolution, is rushed, contrived, and unconvincing. A book that is a quick read, but somehow feels glacial in its pacing, and yet wraps up a bit too quickly…is that even a thing?
Overall, I found story disappointing, unrefined. It felt like the clock struck the hour, the book was due, and this version was the result. Good idea, okay execution.
NOTE: I received an ARC free from Atria Books through the Goodreads Giveaway.
Middletide tells the story of a prodigal son’s—Elijah Leith—return to a small Oregon town in which both his exit (marked by the frenzied hubris of youth) and reentry (attended by a strong dose of humility) have been duly noted by watchful locals. His quest to become the next Great American Author temporarily on hold. An uneasy return and readjustment are complicated by the violent death of a beloved townswoman, a death in which Elijah becomes a central person of interest.
Elijah returns to his familial home, empty now with his father’s recent death. Rehabilitating the property, unkept during his father’s illness and subsequent death, proves a physical and mental outlet as he licks his wounds, regroups, and anticipates the eventual reunion with his childhood sweetheart. The work, his father’s best friend, the girl, and time are what he needs to begin again. A suspicious death and a police investigation complicate his plans.
Crouch shows a distinct fidelity to descriptions of her main characters’ lived environment, a determination to communicate fully their surroundings. This is especially true in the description of Elijah’s homestead and his property’s hidden cove. I wanted to work that land and relax alongside the water’s edge. She does this work to a lesser degree in her description of the Native American reservation but neglects to fully replicate that effort there or elsewhere in the book. That failure had a strange effect in that it made Elijah’s property feel like the only real place in the book, a distinct metropole in the center of fugue-like hinterlands that are un/under-defined, not fully realized. I might not have noticed this disparity had Crouch shown the same descriptive commitment to the book’s characters; she did not.
For all the effort placed in describing physical surroundings of the people, they felt much less present or real. Surroundings seem deeper and more complex than the people. The people are flat, one-dimensional; they come and they go, leaving nothing of themselves behind. I did not care about these characters at all. I did not like one and hate the other. I did not cheer for some nor await the comeuppance of others. I just did not care about the people. I did want Houdini fed and warmed, Elijah’s front door repaired, and the jogging path from his home to the cove cleared in timely fashion. That signaled, to me at least, a bit of a problem.
Finally, the pacing here is weird. My initial thought was that the story moved far too slowly. I appreciate a slow burn and will spend the requisite time, even a bit more, to get to a juicy point. Here, the journey proved too long, flat, and unrewarding of the effort. And still, somehow, the story’s resolution, is rushed, contrived, and unconvincing. A book that is a quick read, but somehow feels glacial in its pacing, and yet wraps up a bit too quickly…is that even a thing?
Overall, I found story disappointing, unrefined. It felt like the clock struck the hour, the book was due, and this version was the result. Good idea, okay execution.
May 6, 2024
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my e-ARC of Middletide.
Unfortunately, this one was a miss for me. So many readers raved about this one, and I wanted to see what it was all about, but I’m DNFing at 44%. It just felt like nothing much was happening, and I didn’t love the back story as much as the present (which we didn’t get nearly enough of). I’ll definitely be checking out other books from this author in the future though!
Unfortunately, this one was a miss for me. So many readers raved about this one, and I wanted to see what it was all about, but I’m DNFing at 44%. It just felt like nothing much was happening, and I didn’t love the back story as much as the present (which we didn’t get nearly enough of). I’ll definitely be checking out other books from this author in the future though!
May 11, 2024
Honestly not great. I find it funny that in this novel , the main characters book is trashed for not being believable and the plot being outlandish and this is exactly what ended up happening with this story. Just very lazy writing and a lot of build up for really nothing and left me with some big questions at the “conclusion”. I’m really disappointed as this was part of a book of the month subscription that so far has been great and has helped me to explore books I may not have picked on my own, but this was a dud.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,149 reviews