I was very pleasantly surprised by this book-- it was a tiny bit slow at first but picked up and once I figured out the timelines I found it to be super readable with some twists and turns that really paid off.

Wish this book would have moved faster for me. Little slow, nice drama.

Thanks to author, publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book. While I got the book for free, it had no bearing on the rating I gave it.

Not an uplifting story, and includes some drama. White has a good writing style and created a realistic and spirited characters in a contemporary world.

Thanks very much for the free ARC for review!!

THE MIDCOAST-Adam White
Setting is Maine-the area around Damariscotta-not the Maine of Portland, Bar Harbor.A lobsterman from the town becomes wealthy-running drugs and robbing wealthy second homes.Asm interesting look at life in the less glamorous area of Maine, and the tragic consequences that result from the illegal activity. For me, an average read. I expected and wanted more.

THE MIDCOAST is an unusual read. Told through the eyes of Andrew, a high school English teacher, we learn the story of the town of Damariscotta, Maine. When Ed and Steph, the movers and shakers of the town, are brought low, Andrew sets about to learn their story - and it is a remarkable tale. Atmospheric, with rich, realistic characters, THE MIDCOAST sucked me in and kept me up for most of one night. Great read!

The Midcoast
A Novel
by Adam White
It's spring in the tiny town of Damariscotta, a tourist haven on the coast of Maine known for its oysters and antiques. Andrew, a high school English teacher who recently returned to the area, has brought his family to Ed and Steph Thatch’s riverside estate to attend an extravagant reception for the Amherst Women’s Lacrosse Team, where everyone’s wearing an Amherst shade of purple. Back when they were teenagers, Andrew never could have guessed that Ed—descended from a long line of lobstermen—would one day send his daughter to a place like Amherst, but clearly, the years have been good to Ed. Andrew’s enjoying the party, if a little jealously—a part of him wishes he could afford for his own family even a fraction of what Ed’s provided for his.

As Andrew wanders through the Thatches’ house, he stumbles upon a police file he’s not supposed to see. In the file are pictures of a burned-out sedan: a blackened trunk, a torched body. Andrew's confusion and envy turn to horror. And when the police arrived an hour later, the true story of the Thatches—a family Andrew thought he understood—begins.

A propulsive drama that cares as deeply about its characters as it does about the crimes they commit, The Midcoast explores the machinations of privilege, the dark recesses of the American dream, and the lies we tell as we try, at all costs, to achieve it.

This book is just ok for me. It was more or less about Andrew and the Thatches. I didn't read much in the way of feeling any real feel for the book. I am not saying the book is boring and just skip it, it does have history and good old Maine.

I expected to enjoy this novel more than I did. It is a well-written debut novel, but I didn’t relate to the characters.
Andy moves back to his home in Maine and is caught up in the lives of the Thatch family, people he knew from his living there as a young man. Sadly, the book revolves around that relationship and his writing about it, neither of which engaged me.

Thank you NETGALLEY for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Maine is not one state, but several. It is permanent resident Maine vs. Masshole Summer Tourist Maine. It is Downeast Coastal Maine vs. inland rural Maine. It's Chamber of Commerce “increase the tax base” developers vs. preservationist “Tree Huggers”. Aboriginal, tribal descendants live uncomfortably with ancestors of 17th century trappers and loggers. “Newcomers” are defined as those who have lived in-state less than 10 generations. True Mainers are classically taciturn, suspicious, and fiercely independent. This libertarian bent means that rules and regulations may be in place for others, not for native Mainers.

Immense wealth stands in stark contrast to hardcore poverty. It's hard to move from one strata to another. When it happens, eyebrows are inevitably raised.

Adam White touches on all this and more in his debut novel, “The Midcoast”. White weaves a dramatic tale primarily set in a small coastal town, where things aren’t always quite what they seem. Year-round residents know everyone and everything. It’s hard to hide when something is not right. “The Midcoast” is a smart take on several contemporary themes including substance use, college admission inequities, and urban vs non-urban lifestyle choices. Adam White clearly understands his Maine.

Thank you to Hogarth Books and NetGalley for the eARC.