This book had an unexpected thriller aspect to it, which i really enjoyed! I enjoyed the development of all of the characters, and I liked the how the epilogue really brought things full circle with Lydia's other relationships that were side stories.

What a great book. An unexpected pleasure.

Another beach day, another great read. I really enjoyed Matthew Sullivan’s Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore. This novel caught my eye because it has a brilliant cover and an intriguing plot involving a bookstore and a mystery. It kept my attention, but it ended up being a much heavier book than I anticipated.

I should have known it would be heavy as the description tells readers it begins with a suicide committed in a bookstore by a frequent patron. However, I did not realize the novel would become an intricate mystery about a decades-old horrific murder. With that being said, I liked it! I liked the main character, Lydia, and I wanted to know more about her. I appreciated how the character we only meet through suicide still is able to tell his stories through books.

The horror of the events in the past shocked me, but also intrigued me. I wanted to continue reading until all the questions were answered. I did, however, figure out who the Hammerman was earlier than the big reveal. That did not take away from wanting to read the rest of the novel. I still was shocked and satisfied by the ending.

I loved the bookstore setting as any bibliophile will. I recognized the frequent visitors and the booksellers, which made the book even more enjoyable.

My only complaint is that I wish the years between the horrific unsolved mystery and the present were explained in more detail. All I got was that Lydia and her father had a strained relationship. I wish this would have been developed. Lydia is very angry with her father and has not seen him in years, but it is not really explained. I imagine this is because Sullivan wanted readers to be unsure about him; however, I think some more background on the in-between years would have been helpful in understanding her character and their relationship.

Overall, this is a book I definitely recommend – especially to people who love books and mysteries.

This is one heck of a book. At first I didn't get it--how the story would progress. Don't stop reading this book! A unique story of inner conflict and relationships predicated on a murderiys spree. The story is woven with unexpected changes in tempo and truths. What is truth?

My review is here: http://www.robertsheard.com/reviews/midnight-at-the-bright-ideas-bookstore

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I will never look at a claw hammer again in the same way again, without remembering this suspenseful and poignant novel. The author touches on so many social issues: homeless people, immigrants, childhood violence and family secrets. That a bookstore is the setting with bizarre, yet believable characters is so well-done.

This is a beautifully written book. It drew me in from the first few pages. “Their fighting felt like weather, like clouds had been trapped behind that swinging kitchen door and were presently rolling down from the ceiling”. OMG, I was entranced by writing like that. I wanted to highlight almost every other sentence, because they were like jewels on the page.

I can't believe this is a debut novel. It portrays itself as a mystery, but it's much more than that. Sullivan’s ability to describe characters is spot on perfect, even the minor characters are fully fleshed out. You get such a sense of them right off the bat. I know, I know. I'm gushing!

This book is written as an enigma, just like the codes that Joey leaves for Lydia. Almost immediately, Joey commits suicide by hanging himself in the bookstore. Lydia is the one to find his body. He leaves her his meager belongings, mostly his books, with holes cut in the pages. There are ties between him and a crucial incident in Lydia’s past. This book has layers upon layers and goes in a direction I never saw coming.

My thanks to netgalley and Scribner for an advance copy of this book.

Young Lydia survives an attack by the "Hammerman" that left her best friend's family dead. As the only survivor, she is forever known as "Little Lydia" and spends her adult life running from that persona, her experience, and her father. She doesn't form emotional attachments with people but has a soft spot for a troubled young man named Joey that hangs out in the bookstore where she works. One day, Lydia discovers Joey has committed suicide by hanging himself in the bookstore.

I initially came for the mystery, stayed for the puzzles, and was ultimately rewarded by a thoughtful story with a satisfying conclusion. The protagonist was well thought out and believable in her actions and thoughts - Lydia's emotional avoidance and PTSD. The twists in the story were not transparent and sadly that's quite refreshing these days. I believe this is the author's first novel and it is an impressive debut that I would highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley, Scribner, and Matthew Sullivan for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book is a decent read with a gruesome murder that gets solved in the end. Lydia has a complicated life that gets sorted out. Her love of books helps her in solving an apparent suicide and reconnect with her very bookish dad . The characters in the bookshop are atypical but interesting. A different type of read.

For lovers of independent bookstores, page-turning mysteries, and well-developed characters, this book is for you. Just in the first chapter, I felt like I was back as a bookseller at Village Books here in Bellingham, re-shelving books at the end of the day, dealing with the 'regulars', and closing out the cash drawer. However, unlike the main character of Lydia, I never found a dead body hanging upstairs, thank goodness. Yep, that is how this story begins. As Lydia is drawn into Joey's secret life before, and inherits his collection of books where a secret code is hidden, her own past trauma is explored as well. Survivor of a terrible in-home invasion and murder scene, Lydia has demons of her own, as well as a difficult relationship with her father. As all of these pieces of her past crash into the secrets of Joey and his suicide, it truly creates the perfect story. Sullivan, a bookseller in his previous life as well, has created a masterful story in his first outing on the publishing side. Picked for June's Indie Next listing, this book is sure to be a huge hit for all people who love a juicy plot set in a unique locale.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. Lydia, a bookstore employee, knows both her books and her regular customers. This intriguing book combines elements of mystery and suspense with a human interest story. It is well-written and really kept my interest as Lydia's story unfolds.

4.5 - 5 stars

Wow, this was a good book! When Lydia discovers one of her favorite customers has ended his life between the late night stacks she is left wondering why. Then a single clue, found in the pocket of the deceased, leads Lydia back to an even darker question- one she has worked hard for years to bury and quit asking herself. In order to solve one mystery, Lydia must dig through her own tumultuous past, and pray that she's still left standing when the dust settles.

Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore was an exciting read that I could hardly put down. A puzzle within a mystery within another mystery. It was rather like opening a set of Russian nesting dolls, each with its own hair raising possibilities. The concept was inventive as well as intriguing, and because it was all very well constructed no part was too easy to work out.

Like the name suggests, the main setting for this book happened, you guessed it, to be within the walls of a grand old bookstore. As a bibliophile myself, I adored this aspect of the storyline. Even more delightful was how completely the story tied back in to a recurring bookish theme. Without a question this was a fabulous hook for this bookworm!

My utmost thanks go out to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with this review opportunity. It's been wonderful!

3 out of 5 stars to [book:Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore|32620349], a new mystery and thriller novel set to release on June 13, 2017, by author [author:Matthew J. Sullivan|5690035].

<b><i><u>Why This Book</u></i></b>
For all us readers, who wouldn't love a book with such a title? And when you read the description, learning about a horrific murder from the past, a suicide in the present, and mysterious connections between all the characters, your intrigue and suspense spidey senses will climax. I found it on NetGalley and thought it sounded like a good debut author to take a chance on. And so, I requested it, got approved and dropped it into the reading schedule for this month... as it will be released to the general public in about 3 weeks.

<b><i><u>Overview of Story</u></i></b>
Lydia's mother died during childbirth, and she was raised by a father who knew next to nothing about being a parent. Refusing the help from any other family or friends, he did his best to raise his daughter, making a few mistakes along the way. During her childhood, Lydia befriends Raj, whose parents own and operate a Gas Station & Donut shop in their Colorado hometown. Lydia and Raj seem destined to be together in the future. When Raj and Lydia meet another young girl, the three try to maintain a friendship, but something disastrous takes place, changing the future of their lives.

Years later, Lydia works at a book store several towns away, but she no longer speaks with her father. One night, her friend Joey, a "BookFrog" released from prison for a childish prank that went wrong, commits suicide. He leaves behind a few clues and notes for her to find, which lead to her finding something that connects him to her past and the vicious murder of her friend and friend's parents. Lydia begins to realize her father may have been more involved than he led her to believe. Raj re-emerges in her life, and together, they try to track down Joey's biological family, in the hopes they can discover all the connections. And when they do, everything implodes on them.

<b><i><u>Approach & Style</u></i></b>
The story is told in past tense by a third person narrator, who follows Lydia around for most of the book. It jumps time frames from when she was about ten years old to the present, when she's in her thirties. The primary story is discovering who murdered Lydia's friend and her family, when Lydia was a child. It's also about learning who Joey was and why he chose to leave clues for Lydia about both of their pasts. There are a few romantic elements between Lydia and her current boyfriend, as well as Lydia and Raj, her childhood friend who stirs up feelings again in the future. Woven into the story is the common theme of how the characters all love books throughout their lives.

<b><i><u>Strengths</u></i></b>
There are a lot of different connections between the primary 10 characters, and it keeps you wondering just enough to feel some suspense. The murder scene with the "Hammerman" is dark and grotesque, giving just enough to your imagination while revealing a few core details of the hammer's physical and emotional impact. I loved the scenes as children. I could see their friendship blossoming. I could sense the growth when meeting new people. I liked the father / daughter relationship. I felt a little slimy with the woman who seemed to sleep around a lot. Sullivan has great character descriptions and imagination. They all felt real, usually through their actions and with minimal physical descriptions.

<b><i><u>Characters</u></i></b>
Lydia is the primary character. She's strong-willed, but has had some issues with relationships throughout her life. I don't think she was as flushed out as a character as she should have been. There were a few holes surrounding: (a) why she and her father stopped speaking, (b) why she ran away, (c) why hasn't she had many relationships beyond the guy she's currently dating. It almost feels like there are some missing parts of her life which could have lead to the suspense of what happened all those years ago.

Joey dies almost immediately, so you don't get enough time with him. There are a few scenes that will immediately draw you to him, but not enough to warrant seeing him as a tragic man. He's suffered, and suffers a lot more when you learn in the last few chapters what became of him in the days leading up to his death; however, I wanted a longer story to have a better understanding of his lonely life.

Lydia's dad became a recluse too quickly, and I didn't buy his "love" for one of the other characters. Needed more story and detail around this section. He felt like two different people between where he began and how he ended.

<b><i><u>Open Questions & Concerns</u></i></b>
Although the motive and the killer became obvious about two-thirds thru the book, I felt there were too many open holes. I thought there were other murders happening, which confused me as to why the killer murdered anyone but the ones whom (s)he had a vengeance against.

The time gap left too much to my imagination. I wanted to know what happened in Joey's life and in Lydia's life to turn them into who they were. There were some details, but I often was left to my own devices, which is not always a good thing!

The ending in the epilogue was weak. It should have explored more about the immediate after-effect of all the drama.

There was another hole (until the ending) over why the person who knew what the killer had done never steps up and says anything. Even if (s)he was scared, this was one of those situations where the police could have protected him/her. It seemed too much like a plot device, especially given everything else that was going on.

<b><i><u>Author & Other Similar Books</u></i></b>
Although the author co-wrote another book, it's his debut as a single author of a thriller and suspense novel. It's a typical suspense novel, jumping around between time periods and characters, dropping clues about the murderer along the way. I cannot think of anything it directly compares to, but has strong elements of family and trust.

<b><i><u>Final Thoughts</u></i></b>
The book is worth a read. It's a good mystery, full of drama and emotionally-crippling scenes. It's got a little horror and some suspense. Think of it like a good piece of cake, but it's a bit dry at times and is missing a little more filling to hold it together before it's devoured. As a result, you've got some crumbs on the floor, a funny little taste in your mouth and a bit of a thirst to read some more. I like the author's style and would definitely read another book by him, assuming the plots are tidied up a bit more and the ingredients are fully flushed out.

<b><i><u>About Me</u></i></b>
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. <i>Note</i>: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.

Loved this! 10 stars! Everything I like in a book. A bookshop, quirky characters, random family, a little mystery. Perfect read! Will be buying this to read quotes aloud to my husband, and maybe another copy to throw at my friends. READ THIS! My only question is will there be more Bright Ideas books?

It's closing time and Lydia is locking up at Bright Ideas, the local bookstore she works at. But something tonight just doesn't feel right. Are all of her regular bookfrogs gone or are some still in the building? What Lydia finds is that all but one of her bookfrogs are gone... but one is not leaving her. Joey, the quiet kid that claims books saved his life, has hanged himself on the upper level of the store. Under complete shock, panic, pain, guilt, Lydia finds a childhood picture of herself in his pocket... But why would he have that? He only shopped at her store, they weren't exactly friends.
Turns out, Joey thought very highly of her and actually left all of his belongings to her. All of his belongings and many, many secrets for her to uncover.
But uncovering Joey's secrets means she has to uncover many of her own. Can she relive her experiences of the HammerMan? Can she handle rekindling her friendship with Raj? Is she prepared for the overwhelming amount of pressure bestowed upon her all because of Joey, a boy she barely knew?
Turns out, Joey has secrets he didn't want to keep.
Raj had secrets he didn't even know existed.
Lydia knew who the HammerMan was all along.
But did her father have more information than he knew?

I love, love, love this book and am so appreciative of NetGalley for providing me an advanced copy of it!
Mark your calendars, Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore hits shelves June 13th!

Page One - I was engaged, Page Two, I was hooked. This is a well written mystery and sometimes thriller. Although a few of the chapters were choppy the story was convincingly told.

Lydia, running from her past, is working at the Bright Idea Bookstore and caring for her those lost and homeless lovers of books who are known as the Bookfrogs. . The story unfolds when Lydia finds a photograph of herself in one of the Bookfrog's pocket. Her past comes rushing back when she examines this photograph. She is ten years old and blowing out the candles on a chocolate cake surrounded by her best friends, Raj and Carol. And the story takes off and never stops until the last page.

I wish the last chapter had contained just a bit more, crystallizing the ending more clearly for me. Never mind, it was a really good read. Thank you Scribner and NetGalley for an ARC.

This was an enjoyable read. It kept me engaged and the story fell nicely together in a totally believable way.

This is one of the best psychological thrillers I have read in a long time. I was intrigued with the storyline from the beginning and completely blindsided by the end!

Matthew Sullivan’s debut novel begins in a place that probably all of us are familiar with: a bookstore. That haven from the outside world that offers us a way to bring some of that essence home with us to keep for our very own, and in the case of the Bright Ideas Bookstore in Denver, it offers a special sort of haven for Lydia’s BookFrogs, those patrons who come and settle in, read, on a daily basis. They’ve become part of the store’s ambiance.

And on this day, at the end of this day, Lydia’s trying to close up Bright Ideas for the night. Only, she realizes that she hasn’t seen Joey leave. Joey, the youngest of the BookFrogs, ”haunted but harmless—a dust bunny blowing through the corners of the store. She heads up the stairs, knowing she’ll find him lost in a book or lost in thoughts, but when she sees him, she can’t believe what she’s seeing.

Joey. Hanging.

Everything Lydia knows about Joey doesn’t amount to very much. He had no real family or friends, no stories he’s shared about his life except that one. It comes as a surprise when his landlady contacts her to let her know that Joey had left her what belongings he did have.

There’s a combination of factors that add layers to this mystery upon mystery upon mystery. A boy with no real past, seems to be speaking in code to Lydia through messages she pieces together from his books from the apartment. But what is it he’s trying to tell her? And why her?

What did he know about Lydia, what did he know about her past? All this looking into Joey’s past can’t help but stir Lydia’s past up, a past she would have preferred never to think about again.

A puzzle that weaves in and out of the past and present, flawlessly, with an unexpected twist or two, and memories come creeping back up and what a tangled web it all makes.



Pub Date: 13 Jun 2017

Many thanks for the ARC provided by Scribner

Lydia is a clerk at a used bookstore, creating order in her life by caring for her Bookfrogs - the eccentric, sometimes troubled regular customers of the store. Her carefully crafted life is threatened, though, when one of her favorite Bookfrogs hangs himself in the store. Soon Lydia is forced to confront a past she's kept carefully hidden. This was a really compelling novel, although I found the ending a bit too pat.