Wow, Ashley Winstead can write! I loved In My Dreams I Hold A Knife, it was such a great thriller. I read this one in two days. Truthfully I don’t like the Gothic genre, but this one was just great. It amazes me how different the two books are to each other, which proves what a great writer Ashley truly is. There is so much going on here and it comes together beautifully at the end. I highly recommend.

Dark Southern gothic at its finest. Ruth Cornier, daughter of fire and brimstone preacher in an ultra conservative God fearing community, yet one that is totally superstitious as well, only receives love from her books and close friendship with Everett, the town outcast.
A novel of the many degrees of good and evil, where men will do what they want because they are men under the guise of religion, and their evil justified for the greater good. A story of what we will do for love, for power, and for hate. A novel of many deep layers that make you want to discuss what the author is trying to say, so perfect for book groups.
When old bones are found in the swamp, and murders uncovered, the townsfolk are more than happy to blame the creature called the Low Man, leaving Ruth and Everett to discover what’s really going on. Their feelings and relationship with each other is beautifully written and the only bright light in this mystery. Which is why I loved this book up until the very end and it’s conclusion because I’m not happy with the ambiguity of it.

𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒂 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒂 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏. 𝑺𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚'𝒓𝒆 𝒂 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆. 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒕 𝒐𝒖𝒕, 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒂 𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒂𝒏 𝒊𝒏𝒗𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒘𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅. 𝑺𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚'𝒓𝒆 𝒂 𝒌𝒆𝒚 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒙𝒂𝒄𝒕 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

Where do I even start with this stunning offering from Ashley Winstead? This Southern gothic thriller was so deeply atmospheric, the characters so nuanced and complexed, and the mystery at the heart of the story was just perfectly executed.

Bottom Springs, Louisiana, is home to Ruth Cornier, a librarian and daughter of the charismatic pastor of Holy Fire Baptist Church. Ruth's entire upbringing has been centered around submission, making herself small, and obeying the teachings of her father. As someone who has had a complicated relationship with organized religion, this storyline immediately spoke to me.

But there's something dark lurking in this lush, idyllic town--deep in the bayous, swamps, and woods, the townspeople believe a vampiric figure dubbed the Low Man is rumored to hunt on moonless nights and kill sinners. When a skull is found deep in the swamp next to ominous carved symbols, the town is gripped by fear. Ruth and Everett, an old friend with a dark past, are shaken by the discovery and know more about the victim than they are letting on. But when a second skull is found, the two begin to question if the Low Man is more than just a folk tale.

Everything about this book is perfection. The prose was so descriptive and lyrical that I found myself in Bottom Springs, the humidity as oppressive on my skin as the religious dogma that permeated the book. I loved most of all the relationship Ruth had with Everett, whom she affectionately called 'Ever', and how he led her to question everything she thought she believed in. The ending left me so moved, so speechless, that I'm just now writing a review for a book I finished a week ago. Thank you so much to the author and Sourcebooks for this coveted early copy.

Yes yes yes Southern gothic meets horror meets romance meets psychological thriller AKA all the best genres rolled into a hellcat of a book! Graphic, creepy and weird- may not be for everyone/ but gals that loved “In My Dreams I Hold a Knife” will definitely appreciate this.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I’ve read all of Ashley Winstead’s books, she is an auto buy author after reading In My Dreams I Am Holding a Knife. I appreciate what she was trying to do with this story—a preacher’s daughter, her outcast best friend, and a small town murder mystery. There were some red herrings alluding to the supernatural. The first half was slow, but the action does pick up. O did not love the ending, but that’s just me.

Wow what a read! Can't wait to discuss this book with someone. Southern thriller at its best. Will keep you reading late into the night.

Y’all. She did it again. Ashley Winstead definitely Ashley Winsteaded in her newest culty thriller, Midnight is the Darkest Hour. It is everything (and more) that you’ve come to expect from Ashley’s thrillers - edgy, twisted, dark, tense, sexy, and atmospheric — Boldly strutting to the boundary’s edge with the swagger of a fighter pilot. Sprinkle in some small-town religious devotion, a badass biker gang, and some mysterious symbols that could only mean something nefarious is afoot and you’ve got yourself a binge worthy read.

Oh! And get ready to meet your new broody book boyfriend, Everett. The way he and Ruth are intertwined throughout their lives is what anyone who has ever been broken dreams of…a protector. He’s not the star quarterback. He’s not even popular at school. He’s quiet, bookish, mysterious, and devilishly handsome – and is the only person who truly understands Ruth.

Being from Louisiana myself, I felt at home reading this book. The moss covered Cypress trees, suffocating summer temperatures, and wildlife found in few other places were expertly written and give even more of an eerie vibe to the overall feel of the story.

The climactic ending?! I’m not even going there. You’ll just have to see for yourself. All I’ll say is that I was completely on edge and my Apple watch clocked exercise minutes because my heart rate was so high.

Super enjoyable! It felt like a Southern Gothic novel for the younger crowd. Would strongly recommend for anyone who enjoyed Twilight and Where The Crawdads Sing.

I enjoyed Winstead's "In My Dreams I Hold a Knife" but was extremely put off by "The Last Housewife" because of graphic and upsetting scenes. This latest release has restored my faith in her, however. It was everything a thriller should be and included cultish elements, atmosphere, and red herrings. Despite having a slow start, this thriller quickly gained speed, and while I guessed the end, the VERY last sentence completely threw me for a loop.

Ruth, daughter of the strict reverend of Holy Fire Baptist, is a good girl whose actions are firmly rooted in the belief of good and evil. When a body is discovered in the Louisiana bog, the ultra-religious townsfolk believe that it is the power of witches, the Low Man, or the Devil himself. Little do they know the that evil lurks within their very church's walls.

Eerie, Engrossing, and Unexpected, this was a worthwhile read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC to review!

Ruth Cornier is the reverend's daughter. In their small corner of Louisiana surrounded by swamp land, religion runs deep. All in town believe her father's word. However, after a series of events, Ruth begins seeing the truth through the eyes of Everett Duncan. The two become fast friends as teenagers and continue to find themselves every summer. Ruth chose to follow the word of the church and stay put. Everett seeks so much. When a skull is found in the swamp, Ruth begins questioning everything. How much does she really know? Has she turned her shoulder to darker matters her whole life?
Ashley Winstead does it again. This book follows right along with her previous work. She takes on dark subjects and let's the reader digest a story and form opinions. Midnight focuses on religion and community, not as dark as The Last Housewife.

I just texted a friend (who also has a NetGalley account) to request this title and read it today as I MUST discuss. Oh, if there were more books like this out there. This is the best book I've read in a while. Shoot- I can't even give a preview without giving it away or repeating the blurb. All I can say is do not wait. Read this book right now. As a Louisiana girl, I get it. As a church girl, I get it. As a loved of the "bad boys," I so get it...and Ever is the best of the bad. I could not put it down and can't wait to see the splash it makes this fall!

3.75

i am so in love with ashley winstead's first two thrillers (in my dreams i hold a knife & the last housewife). so i hate to say i struggled with this one. probably because it was less on the thriller/cerebral side, and spent most of its time on a slow burn romance between the two mc's that i honestly did not care for.

a lot of the undertones of this book (esp. regarding the romance) are heavily based on twilight, which i thought would be kind of fun but most if it was just a big eyeroll. i love all of the book's themes on paper: misogyny, organized religion as evil, morality/justice, and the specific violent hatred people have toward teenage girls. but something wasn't adding up here for me!

of course, the sentence-level writing was wonderful as always, and there were some truly stunning lines. i wish that we had seen more of ruth's home life, and more scenes with the reverend in general <spoiler>so that the climax would have felt more earned</spoiler>. i haven't quite figured out how to interpret the ending yet, but in the discussion at the back of the book, the author encourages the reader to play god and decide what happens. i guess i'm just a fickle god.

thank you netgalley for the arc.

Ashley Winstead is quickly becoming one of my go-to authors.
In the small town of Bottom Springs, Louisiana, Ruth Cornier has been sheltered all her life by her Reverend father, who rules the town and church. The townspeople hang on his every word and will do anything to protect the swampy town.
When two skulls turn up in the swamp with ritualistic symbols carved in them, the town/church is adamant that it must be the supernatural element "the Low Man" that has haunted the town for years. But is it really a supernatural creature the town is cursed with or something more sinister?
I love Winstead's writing. The descriptions of the small town run by religious zealots, the swampy areas where Ruth and Everett spend their time, and Ruth's need to be loved so much that she fantasizes about her own Edward Cullen (Twilight) are remarkable.
I did think there would be more supernatural elements in the book, perhaps verging on vampirism, but that is not the case.
I do appreciate the trigger warnings in the beginning of the book.
That ending, though! I was not a fan! Although Winstead discusses the reasoning behind the ending at the back of the book, I wanted something more concrete. I needed closure and didn't get it.
Overall, great writing. Ruth and Everett are great characters. Sexism and religious fundamentalism run rampant, not the supernatural elements one might expect from the description.

The thing I love most about Ashley Winstead is that she always, always keeps me guessing. As an avid thriller reader, I tend to guess the ending or at least some of the main plot twists in most books, but not hers, and I love that. Although a little far-fetched, this story hits close to home as someone from Louisiana and someone who is all too familiar with religious hypocrisy. The main character, Ruth, is a bit frustrating in her naivety, and several times I wished she would just catch on to the obvious, but otherwise I felt a deep well of sympathy and empathy towards her and her best friend, the outcast Everett. The ending caught me totally off-guard as well, and I couldn't stop thinking about it for hours!

Ashley Winstead, I love you. Ever since I read In My Dreams I Hold a Knife in a matter of days, she's become one of my instant-read authors.

Midnight was just the right amount of creepy, without being so heavy that I had to put it down at times (as I did with Housewife, just brutal at parts).

I love that I found myself rooting for the "villain," and the way that Ashley's narratives throw a huge wrench into the question of good vs evil, right vs wrong. And that ending?! Literally, how could you do that to us?!

This is sooooo good! Definitely one of those impossible to put down stories. The theme/premise is so relevant to our world right now and I feel like this should be required by everyone. Makes you really think about right and wrong and justice. I love this: “The cruelest people we know are from church. Let that sink in”. Exactly what I’ve been saying for years. I’m already telling everyone to get this on their list of books to watch for.

Ruth Cornier is the Reverend James Cornier's daughter in Bottom Springs, Louisiana, where you keep your neighbors close and your secrets even closer. I hesitate to say more than that, because going into this book largely in the dark was the best decision.

What I've come to appreciate most about Winstead is her complete aesthetic buy-in with her writing. This book is like a soap opera, from its dramatic revelations to Ruth's obsession with Twilight, and Winstead's writing reflects that. Whether or not it was intentional, Midnight Is the Darkest Hour evokes the best aspects of David Lynch's iconic Twin Peaks: a small town and a crime, which leads to labyrinthine discoveries of more crimes, more secrets, and of man's capacity of evil. Though Winstead's book is not explicitly supernatural like Twin Peaks is, there is always the barest hint that it might be. And despite each new reveal being slightly more ludicrous than the last, you are on the hook until the book's final, gasp-inducing moment.

But most like Lynch's masterpiece, there is harsh truth and believability within the melodramatic confines of the story. Inside of Winstead's haunting swamp setting is a story about women's pain and subjugation, about religious trauma and the evil lurking among society's most respected figures. It is brilliant because it borders on the absurd--but every reader will recognize the frightening realities buried in each secret.

I am always here for the Twilight renaissance. Ashley Winstead is a great storyteller. A little quirky, but I love it.

Bottom Springs, Louisiana is a small southern town steeped in both the word of the Lord and the creepy stories about a vampire/ghoul, said to stalk the parish. Librarian Ruth Cornier may have been born there, but she’s never felt like she belonged. When a human skull carved with strange symbols is unearthed the town and its inhabitants reach their tipping point, and Ruth teams up with fellow local and odd man out, Everett, to try to uncover the real source of evil in Bottom Springs. A literate Southern Gothic

Full Disclosure: I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of Midnight is the Darkest Hour by Ashley Winstead from Sourcebooks via NetGalley as part of the C2E2 Book Club. I'm not normally a book club person, but I have a ticket to C2E2 and figured why not get a free book to read.

Midnight is the Darkest Hour was a really good choice for me. It's very gothic with earth magic, strange symbols, and rituals. I like stories of tiny religious sects and alternative Christian groups. Is there something supernatural wreaking havoc on a devoutly Christian town, or is the answer something far more sinister? Was there a deal with the Devil? What makes a monster? The answer may surprise you. Fans of Twilight may appreciate the love that series gets in this book. If you aren't a Twilight fan, don't worry, it is not so much to distract from the rest of the story.

Bonus points for putting the trigger warnings right at the front of the book for people who need them.