Although I figured out the mystery halfway through, this was still a fun, if dark, book. Anything set in a book store usually sparks my interest and overall I really enjoyed this puzzle-y read.

This story is a whole bunch of things, and not what you'd expect when you first start reading it.

It starts almost cozy with the bookstore setting, but I found out soon this was definitely not to be considered a cozy mystery. By the end of the book the mystery vibe had gone over to the full-out thriller side, but without any looming danger for the main character. The book is about solving a crime to get the bigger picture of why a favorite patron offed himself, but it soon becomes to be personal for the main character when it ties into her own past and another unsolved crime. It's definitely a brain teaser on how this will all eventually come together and make sense.

I don't fully get why she hates her father so much as an adult - I know they were both running from a horrible situation, but still...Overall the characters are well done, if not sad and grim. The author doesn't shy away from tragedy and giving characters genuine emotional hurdles to deal with. Definitely not a happy-go-lucky book, especially at the end, but a well-written one.

The tragedy happens at the bookstore, but not much time is really spent inside it other than the main character dropping by for pep talk and plot movement with favorite co-workers and other patrons. Beloved books do play a part in an unconventional way, however, in a clever riddle that fully reveals itself eventually.

Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore didn't shy away from regret and tragedy, but there were uplifting themes such as forgiveness and reconciliation. They were just blended in with bitter secrets that have finally come home, which made it heavy reading. Don't go into this one expecting a quick and light mystery, for its anything but.

It begins with a suicide: Joey, a young man in his twenties who is a regular bookstore patron, hangs himself from a shelf in the Bright Ideas Bookstore—which is where this novel's main character, Lydia, is an employee. Joey leaves behind messages meant only for Lydia; it is from there this suspenseful novel unfolds.

There is so much I want to say about this novel, but I'm finding myself at a loss for words—that's how you know it was good. That, and the fact that I finished this in a single day: something that almost never happens. This novel is populated with some of the most fully drawn characters I've come across in some time: Lydia's friends and families and the bookstore itself are all unique and divine creations and will surely stick with the reader for a long time.

How would I classify this novel? It is certainly a mystery, and maybe horror, too? Sullivan certainly isn't afraid to go to dark places, and there are several scenes herein that gave me the certifiable creeps. Yeah, a horrific mystery sums it up well!

Simultaneously a thrill ride and love letter to book lovers, Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore is not to be missed. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free copy, which was given in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! I saw it floating around Goodreads for a while, and then it popped up on Netgalley's most-requested and I decided to go for it--and I'm SO happy I did!

The premise sucked me in immediately, death in a bookstore and all the secret mystery surrounding the event! The setting was perfect for any book nerd like myself, and I thought the opening scene was masterfully done. The pace meandered a little bit after that BANG of a start, but I still found myself turning the pages into the early hours of the night because every time I even thought of stopping, a new clue popped up to keep me intrigued.

I'm not sure I ever really connected to any of the characters (actually, my favorite character was the one who dies in the first scene lol), but I'm also not sure if that mattered. I was drawn into the back story, and some of the flashbacks scenes were my favorite in the book. I wish a few things were explained further because they felt a little like plot devices (why her relationship with her father changed so much, for one). The ending was a little abrupt for me, and was written in an odd way (most of the action happens off screen, and you are sort of told about it and then the story wraps up a few pages later). But the fact that I wanted more shows how sucked into the book I was.

I definitely recommend for fans of great writing, suspense, and mystery! A fun summer beach read with more depth than I expected!

Lydia Smith loves working at the Bright Ideas Bookstore. She can talk books all day and spend time with the BookFrogs, a group of misfits who wander the aisles and find a sort of home there. But one night, she makes the terrible discovery that Joey has committed suicide in the bookstore. Lydia learns that he left her everything he owned, including a puzzle hidden inside his books. The messages he left encourage her to revisit the darkest moments of her childhood that she has spent a lifetime trying to forget. Did Joey know who was behind the crime that terrorized a community and destroyed Lydia's family?

Readers love books that are about bookstores and fellow readers. But this is not your grandma's cozy mystery about a bookseller who solves crimes in a small town when she's not knitting sweaters for her cat. Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore is dark and a bit creepy and delves deeply into the consequences of suppressing the difficult things in our lives. It's also about the relationships we have and the ones we choose, and about knowing when to leave and when to give people another chance. It's about loneliness and finding the people who will accept you, even with all the scars of your past.

This book is one that seems to play before your eyes as you read. It's easy to picture Lydia shelving books at Bright Ideas Bookstore or spending an afternoon long ago with her childhood friends in the local donut shop. This is also a really well-written mystery. We know early on that the central question is about the crime committed in Lydia's childhood. But Matthew Sullivan has added so many layers that it's impossible to tell who might be responsible or why. As the reader, you are working just like Lydia is to uncover another clue about Joey or remember one pivotal moment from her past. Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore is a great choice for book lovers who like their mysteries dark and twisty.


Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore
By Matthew J. Sullivan
Scribner June 2017
336 pages

Oh my god! I loved this book so much! I wasn't sold in it when I first saw the plot, but was intrigued. In the end, it was one of the most inventive books I've read lately. Part crime mystery, part human interest, Sullivan's novel is a complete masterpiece.

Very unique mystery novel that was really well written. I really enjoyed the story and the twists with it. I highly recommend it.

My Review: 4 stars

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Midnight At The Bright Ideas Bookstore is a mystery, a family drama and thriller all in one. I was immediately attracted to it from its cover and title. I try and hit most books that are about or take place in bookstores. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, The Little Paris Bookshop and Goodnight June are among a few of my favorites. This one definitely had me hooked from the start.

With a third person narration, we learn a lot about the characters, however I wanted more information about the main protagonist, Lydia. Although there was enough about her to enjoy the book, I did find myself wondering why she and her father had such a big break and why she left at eighteen. Maybe I missed something. There were a lot of trusts broken, secrets concealed and puzzles to unravel, which I appreciated as a reader.

There were two plot lines and two time periods running through the same narrative and thankfully they were not broken up by now/then. This author gave the reader the benefit of the doubt that we could figure it out on our own. The code breaking as a suicide note was particularly interesting to me as this character really lived and died within the books. His history was tragic at best and he too could’ve benefited being a little more fleshed out as well.

I must say there is a gruesome scene in the book that read right and was important to the storyline, however I know there are some readers who may not agree as they avoid all macabre scenes in literature. For me, it was absolutely necessary so we could fully understand why this event took such a toll on Lydia. I look forward to seeing what this author brings us next.

Quotes I liked:

I’ve begun to think of it as more graveyard than library. End of the line, you know. Where book-of-the-month club comes to die.”

-“I guess it just bugs me to be paying so little. Something’s wrong in the air, you know, when a book costs less than a bullet. Or a Coke.”

– “It wasn’t me. I mean I did it, I’m responsible, but I was just a teenager, so it wasn’t really me.”

-“Seriously, I like your whole book thing. Just having them around makes me feel smarter.”

-“She could hear Raj sniff next to her and then exhale a long gust, the kind intended to clear cobwebs from the soul, to pry out its nails.”

Although “Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore” starts off forced and a little bumpy, the tone soon smoothes out and the story moves along. Especially noteworthy is the story of Lydia as a young girl and the trauma that becomes her “defining moment.”

Lydia is the star of this book, mostly as a young woman, a bookseller who cares about the books and the people who buy books. She even finds a space in her heart for the “BookFrogs,” a set of lost, sometimes perplexed, uniformly odd men who haunt the bookstore in lieu of a wider experience in the outside world. When one young BookFrog commits suicide in the bookstore, it is to Lydia that he leaves his worldly belongings. That consists mostly of books with holes cut in them, sometimes lots of holes. Thus the mysteries are set: What happened to Lydia when she was young and what sort of message, if any, was the young BookFrog sending to Lydia?

The story is a little heavy on coincidence, but there’s a definite charm to it. Lydia, her friend Raj, and Lydia’s father have interesting parts and quirks. As a matter of fact, every character, minor or major, has quirks. And, of course, in a setting close to my heart, Lydia does work in a bookstore. (And that is where the dead body is discovered.)

I wish for Raj and Lydia, who spend the book looking for their true stories, what the anonymous delivery man (brief, quirky appearance) said when delivering life-changing papers, “May your news bring peace.”

This was a crazy ride that kept me guessing til the end. Book books are always my favorite and this one definitely did not disappoint. I think it would make a great movie too! The characters were 3 dimensional and the plot was interesting. Well written

Highly original mystery, with an urban noir kind of gritty vibe. Lydia Smith is a bookseller at the Bright Ideas Bookstore in Denver, a haven for lost souls and fringe dwellers. Lydia herself is a bit like that. She was involved as a child in a spectacular murder case, and her father's subsequent efforts to whisk her away resulted in a very odd and abnormal childhood. She connects with the Book Frogs, as she calls them, who frequent the bookstore, especially Joey. So, when she finds Joey's body, an apparent suicide, with a childhood picture of her clutched in his hand, she begins searching to find long-buried truths.

A strong and distinct new voice and a riveting read. I received an ARC via Net Galley in return for my honest review.

Good attempt at a first novel. Book needed editorial help.

I’m always immediately intrigued by books that deal with libraries, bookshops, or readers in general. As someone who has been a lifelong bookworm, this type of setting or character is obviously something that connects with me. I’m also a fan of mysteries, so Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore was certainly a book I was excited to read. On Goodreads, I rated this 5 stars. No, it’s not completely perfect and I did guess an aspect of the mystery before it was revealed, but that doesn’t matter. I found myself eager to read this one and was always very engrossed while doing so.

Lydia Smith has a past history with violence and a murderer dubbed the Hammerman. This person was never caught, but they’ve haunted Lydia’s life ever since. In the present time, she is working at a bookstore called Bright Ideas. A young man who frequented the shop often is found dead by Lydia one night. This discovery leads Lydia on a quest of sorts to learn more about Joey. She finds herself digging further into her past at the same time too, delving into secrets and wondering if the Hammerman is still nearby.

Like I said, there is one aspect of the mystery that I guessed before it was ever revealed, but there was still plenty for me to be surprised by. It didn’t take away my enjoyment of the book. The book follows Lydia in the present, but it also gives some perspectives from the past when the Hammerman terrorizes a small town. Both timelines are easy to follow and just add more suspense and intrigue to the mysteries Lydia hopes to unravel.

I didn't know how highly addicting this book was going to be when I started it. Once I started reading, I didn't stop till I was finished. I wouldn't say that this is a great mystery but it did have a certain way of keeping you entertained. It begins with a death in the first few pages that happens at the bookstore that Lydia works at. You soon find out that there's more to Lydia than you first realize. The young man that dies, leaves clues in books for Lydia to figure out. So the book goes back and forth between the mystery of the young man and something that happened in Lydia's past. Will the two mysteries converge? You'll have to read it to find out!

**Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This debut novel is a 5 star and deserves 100 more stars. It is a fantastic read ! For Bibliophile's like me nothing is better then a mystery set in a old bookstore with mysterious characters.
This book has every element that makes it a great mystery. The author has a wonderful fast pace writing style, a very intricate plot, great location, and the perfect sleuth with many clues to please every seasoned mystery reader. The characters all add to the plot in the perfect blend of suspects and bookstore lovers.
In fact its such a enjoyable read I will not give away the book here. Every reader must enjoy this for yourself. Clear your schedule for the day as you will not put it down .
Its by far one of my favorite mysteries of the year. I was entranced by every page of Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore. I read it in one sitting. Not only is it an excellent, mystery its the authors debut novel.
Thank you for the ARC which did not influence my personal opinion

As a book lover this book cover spoke to me! I needed to read it, so I was uber excited when I got it. I dove right into this book and was SHOCKED! Each page in this book was filled with intense content that kept me glued to my kindle!
Lydia is amazing she is a bookseller with a haunted past. She loves everyone who patrons The Bright Ideas Bookstore and when tragedy hits her she is trying to solve a mystery.
I will not speak ( or type) another word about Midnight At The Bright Ideas Bookstore's storyline you can go into this wonderful book blindly! But I will continue to gush about the writing! Matthew J. Sullivan writes an amazingly addictive book with just as amazing characters. After I finished this book I went straight to amazon to one click another book by Matthew and was SHOCKED to see that this is his first book! Mr. Sullivan you have my attention and I can not wait to see what else you write!

The suicide scene in the beginning of the book is almost too gruesome. It was like a horrible wreck. You don't want to read on, you know it can't be good, but you are drawn to take in every detail. At first, I stopped reading, thinking this may not be the book for me. But then, I had to see what the effects of the suicide were on those involved in the story. Pages kept being turned to reveal a bit more and soon, the book was over. I will admit, I did choose this book because I kept coming back to the cover which doesn't really hint at what is within, other than books. There is so much more. I am really glad I didn't pass this one by or stop with the initial shock of the suicide.

4.5 stars. The missing half star is because of the epilogue. I could have lived without that unnecessary bit.

Otherwise this is a book that grips you and does not let you go. It starts with a hanging at the Bright Ideas Bookstore. One of the regulars, Joey, hangs himself. a few days later his favorite clerk finds out that he has left clues for her. Clues that will explain his motivation and open up old wounds. Readers will be swept along with by both stories and will not be disappointed with either the climax or the resolution... sans the epilogue, of course.

This is not at all what I expected from a novel set in and around a bookstore. Often books about books are a little twee and cute but Sullivan throws you into a mystery right from the very beginning. I am a huge mystery and crime fan and this did not disappoint. I must admit, I do a lot of reading during the night and one scene in particular (where we meet the Hammerman) gave me chills.

Who is Joey? Is he just a simple BookFrog like all the others or does his connection to Lydia go far deeper than she could ever realise?

A skillfully told story that slowly unfurls its clues and keeps the reader hooked. I look forward to more from Matthew Sullivan after this!