I have been a great big fan of Ms. Gerritsen for many, many books, and her books never disappoint. The main character is Ava, a food writer who lives in Boston. She is renting a grand old house on the Maine coast. It was built long ago by a sea captain who ultimately died at sea. As she spends time there living and writing, she experiences strange goings on...could the house be haunted? This book is quite different from her gritty medical thrillers, as it is more in the supernatural genre. Gerritsen is such a good writer and I look forward to her next book!

The Shape Of Night – Tess Gerritsen

I was fortunate to receive this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an objective review.

Ava, a food writer, fleeing from a situation that shames her, has left Boston for the summer and has rented a home in Maine. The house, Brodie’s Watch, was built in 1861 by a sea captain, Jeremiah Brodie, who later perished in a shipwreck. But his home still stands as a sentinel to the sea, with renovations ongoing in hopes of an eventual sale.

Upon Ava’s arrival, she senses that the house has accepted her, and soon she thinks she sees someone standing on the deck of the widows walk. She searches the home for an intruder, but there isn’t one. She chalks up her sighting as a trick of the light but makes a mental note to research the background of Captain Brodie for her new book. After too much whiskey one evening, she heads to bed, and wakes suddenly after feeling something touch her breast and hears a voice say, “You are the one I’ve been waiting for…”. A search of the house again reveals no intruders. He again appears a few nights later, and Ava feels herself being drawn into his spell.

Curious about her experiences, but unsure who to talk to, Ava seeks out the advice of a ghost hunter named Maeve who. Listens attentively. She also assures Ava that she will research the news archives a bit to see if there is any history of tragic events that have occurred that could indicate a pattern, or a problem other than a ghost.

As Maeve digs deeper into Captain Brodie’s background, she learns some unsettling things – she also learns that all of the women who have entered and resided in the house have inexplicably died, and she fears Ava’s home may harbor a demon. Meanwhile, in Ava’s dreams, the Captain continues to visit, and the events that follow make him seem all too real, and Ava finds herself drawn to him and the house in ways she can’t explain.
Needing to know the truth about the ghost in the house, Ava turns to Maeve for help. Maeve assembles her team of ghost hunters in an effort to document Captain Brodie’s visits. Will they find a ghost or a demon? Or is it possible that a living killer in their midst may be responsible??

I was a bit curious to see how this stand-alone book would turn out after reading all of Tess Gerritsen’s early works. This seemed like a bit of a departure from the norm for her, so I was a bit ambivalent…that lasted only until the first few pages – then I was hooked!! I could not put the book down and read it in a day! I may have fallen under the Captain’s spell a bit myself! I really enjoyed this book, was sorry to see it end as I turned the last page, and I highly recommend it to any who love a good, paranormal who-dun-it!

A captivating and seductive tale exploring the dark embrace of grief and guilt, reminding us that nothing can haunt us as insidiously as our personal demons. This is the incomparable Gerritsen at her finest!

To be honest, books about ghosts and paranormal activity are not my cup of tea. However, because this book was written by Tess Gerritsen and I have enjoyed her previous books, I decided to give this one a try. Still not a fan, but I have to say this story kept my interest even if only to see how the author was going to finish it. The plot of this book didn’t seem very well developed to me, but the descriptive phrases about the area, and the emotions of the characters were very well done. The fear felt by the characters was palpable. This was an easy read.

The Shape of night is an absolutely fabulous read. This is my first Tess Gerritsen novel, but it won’t be my last. She develops the characters so you feel you are on every page, not wanting the chapter or the book to end. A mystery, set in a beach town in Maine, the author has a wonderful lesson for the reader, which you already knew, but she so aptly reinforces. I hope I get to meet the heroine again in her next novel

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for the chance to read The Shape of Night by Tess Gerritsen.

Tess Gerristen is one of my favorite authors and she didn't disappoint with her new novel.

Suspenseful with a lot of twists and turns.
The characters were easy to identify with and I loved the strong lead female character!
I couldn't put it down and highly recommend buying a copy of The Shape of Night.

I reviewed this book on Goodreads under the name Jeannie Huie today. I was glad to get to read the ARC. The book was definitely different from Gerritsen's other books. It is suspenseful and interesting, but there was more sex than I felt comfortable with!

A very average mystery book with a dash of Fifty Shades of Gray. Having never read this author before, I cannot compare this book to any of her others.

I'm not a fan of the supernatural, but when Tess Gerritsen writes, you can get caught up in anything! This was a quick, if unbelievable read. It's certainly entertainment for the beach or an airplane ride. But if like me, you're not a fan of the supernatural, you might want to pass. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review this title!
#TheShapeOfNight #NetGalley

I am a fan of Tess Geriritsen and was eager to read her new book. However, I am not a fan of ghosts and demons who demand rough sex. I think that premise is a stretch of my ability to suspend disbelief. I know the reader is expected to realize the main character is reacting based on guilt and failed loyalty but I could not accept such simplistic plot details. It felt very contrived. The novel is well written and I especially liked the back story of the cook book writer and her creation of recipes based on seafoods from another century. The mystery she solves eventually is not especially complicated and I guessed the outcome fairly soon. The ending lacked resolution for me and did not coordinate with the prologue that merely described her continuing dreams of the house and its history. Perhaps this book will appeal more to lovers of the paranormal and ghosts.

This book was excellent! Totally kept my attention and I wanted to find out what would become of the main characters. Highly reccomended.

Ava is a successful food writer from Boston who is working on a new cookbook of recipes adapted from those of old seafaring families. She has rented a house in a quaint village on the Maine coast. She hopes this move will give her the privacy she needs to write, and also provide her with an atmospheric setting in which to write. In addition, she has another, more compelling reason for relocating to Maine - - to escape the memories of a tragic incident that she was involved in and that she desperately wants to forget.

However, when she arrives at her new home, she feels an overwhelming sense of eeriness and foreboding. The house isn’t the cozy, welcoming place she had hoped for. She wonders if she should stay there…..

This is a modern day Gothic novel of obsession, secrets, sensuality, suspense and murder that will draw you in from the first page and hold you spellbound until the end! Passion, supernatural forces and the murder of a young woman combine to make this a book that is hard to put down.

Thank you to Net Galley, author Tess Gerritsen, and Ballantine Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House publishers for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC of this haunting thriller!

This was a good mystery story, but a bit more paranormal than I really love. I am a huge Gerristen fan and I liked that this was different from her other books, I just wasn't a huge fan of the whole ghost relationship idea. I did enjoy the mystery of the story and felt like it was a good read that some people will love! For me it was good and I will continue to read Gerritsen's work! Thank you netgalley for an arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

#NetGalley #The Shape of Night #Hachette Books

I love Tess Gerritsen’s books featuring Rizzoli and Isles. Although this book is completely different from the Rizzoli and Isles series Tess Gerritsen did not disappoint. Very well written story that drew me in and kept me on the edge off my seat.

Ava Collette a cookbook author trying to run from her past rents a house on the coast of Maine to finish a new cookbook. The house is actually a old mansion built by a old sea captain, Captain Brodie. Captain Brodie has been dead for over a hundred years. Soon after arriving at the house Ava starts hearing strange noises and happenings that she can't explain, she realizes that the spirit of Captain Brodie is still in residence. Trying to block out her past, her bad choices and the guilt she feels, Ava drinks heavily. Ava starts having strange interactions with Captain Brodie. We then start to learn about the things she is running from.

Ava learns that the previous woman that was renting the home fled the house in a hurry, leaving a note for the realtor stating she had a family emergency. Ava wonders if the woman left because she was terrified by Captain Brodie's presence and if she also had interactions with Captain Brodie. Ava meets with a local historian and finds that most of the women that lived in the house looked very similar to her and were pretty much recluses that never left the house. Ava becomes obsessed with the house, the former inhabitants and the history of the house. This obsession along with the heavy drinking and a dead body that is found washed ashore in town has her wondering what is real and what is not. There are many twists and turns as the history of the house unfolds along with a few mysterious deaths and paranormal activity.

I have been on a suspense kick lately and will always turn to Tess Gerritsen and her amazing novels for a change in genres. The Shape of Night was sexy, mysterious and full of suspenseful moments. There were times I was on the edge of my seat as Ava tried to uncover the mysteries of Brodie's Watch and the mysterious sea captain who visited her at night!! 

Gah! This book is very different from Gerritsen's Rizzoli and Isles series but still compelling. There were times I had to take breaks as the mystery and supernatural elements had me in all different directions! This was altogether good and while I was confused at some points, overall this was a great read. 

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review! 4 stars! ~Ratula

Full Review: http://bit.ly/2JJrZlv

I was really looking forward to reading this book, but then I was really disappointed.
It surprises me that the author who writes the strong, independent women in her Rizzoli and Isles series wrote such a predictable story which I consider a romance. It reminded me at first of the old movie and TV series "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir". But Mrs. Muir wasn't into S&M. I would have liked the story much better without all the ghostly sex scenes.
I will acquire this book for our library and look forward to what our patrons think of it, but I cannot recommend it.

This is an interesting book. This is not a Rizzoli and Isles book and is a different and refreshing change in Tess’ storytelling. The book is about Ava, a cookbook author, and her retreat to Maine to write a cookbook. She has a relationship with a ghost of a sea captain. My favorite character is Hannibal, the Maine coon cat. As the story between Ava and the Captain unfold, lots of things occur in the small town until they come to a head. I really enjoyed this book.

The shape of night is an intriguing tale of regret, seduction and redemption. Following a terrible tragedy, Ava Collette, popular food writer is drinking her sorrow away in a secluded New England village working on an overdue book project. She finds solace in the historical home “Brodie’s Watch” built by Jeremiah Brodie, a 19th century Sea Captain. It is not long before she realizes she is not alone in the house and the mysteries of the past fused with her overwhelming guilt threaten to all but consume her.

I found this a departure from other works I have read by Gerritsen. While the writing style was enjoyable and engaging, I did find the plot a little confusing. There were key peripheral characters that were underdeveloped leaving a lot of loose ends. Additionally, I was not a fan of the steamer elements of the book, it was just kind of weird. The premise was good and I enjoyed the descriptions of Maine’s coastal region and small village life however, it all just fell a little flat for me.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

I loved this book!! The descriptions of Maine were so intense that I felt like I could smell the sea air. The characters were interesting. Usually I can figure out the ending well before I reach it....not so in this case.

#The Shape of Night #BallentineBooks/Raandom House#NetGalley

Thanks to the publishers, NetGalley, and to the talented authorTess Gerritson for my advanced digital copy of this wonderful book!

A delicious mix of creepy ghost story,suspenful murder mystery, with a large dash of obsession, personal anguish, and dangerous hidden secrets. Tess Gerritson, one of my favorite authors, has written a stand-alone-novel very different from others in her genre. I found The Shape of Night to be a multi-layered, unusual and fast paced novel. As this review is my own opinion, I highly recommend this book to readers who love a good story!

Ava Collette, a complex, troubled food author with an alcohol problem attempts to escape her own demons and guilty secrets. She moves from her Boston apartment to a village in Tucker's Cove, Maine where she rents a remote house, high on a hill overlooking the sea. Here she hopes to be able get past her writer's block and finish her long overdue cook book in the large and rumorored "haunted house." Brodie's Watch was built by Captain Jeremiah Brody, a sea captain who perished at sea well over a century ago. In spite of all rumors of the house and the ghostly Captain, Ava soon feels the house welcoming her. She is able to work on her book as long as she is sober and before she stumbles to bed. This is when she encounters Captain Brody, the brooding and sensual visitor who frequents her nights.

Haunted by her own demons from a life altering experience involving her sister and brother-in law in Boston, Ava finds that reality is blurred by her alcohol induced ghostly lover, what is real and what is not? Is the sexy sea captain a ghost, an evil demon or just a manisfitation from her guilt ridden secrets? As Ava begins to research the history of Brody's Watch and the alluring Captain Brody, she discovers that death plays a prominent part in the occupants of Brody's Watch. Even then a strong obsession for the house holds Ava until murder hits too close to home!
The plot thickens as the characters evolve and develop, pulling the reader to the end of the story, where a surprise ending awaits!

I highly recommend The Shape of Night to those who love a good story!



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