I loved it!
Not gonna lie: the art cover gives me everything. I absolutely love a mystery or horror novel set in the woods or any similar natural settings.
And this book didn't disappoint me. I found it to be very atmospheric, and I was sold by the first few chapters.
This is a duo timeline story, but pretty much with the same characters.
Also, something I really enjoyed is that MIDDLETIDE is the title of the book the main character has written, so it's a book about books, which I also love. What's more, that book is a mystery crime novel, and there is a similar crime happening in this small town, which totally held my attention even more.
There is romance, but not over the top, drama, but not melodrama, suspense and realistic characters going through traumas and redemption.
I really liked this one. It was that kind of read that even when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking of it.
I could easily see this turned into a movie with stunning cinematography and soundtrack.
My only reservation would be the diary. Somewhere in the middle of the story one of the character's diary surfaces and it is used to throw some pieces of the puzzle for us, the readers. I particuarly didn't like that. I felt like I had to totally suspend my disbelief in order to believe that a 30-something year old woman would keep a diary. I mean, I could easily believe a teenage girl doing that, for sure.
Anyway, I'd prefer the author chose a different narrative form to give the reader the pieces of information (also increasing the mystery of the story) she wanted to.

All in all, I had an amazing time with this book and I genuinely liked the ending.
I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who's into slow-paced mystery stories set in the woods.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read a free eARC of this novel.

3.5 stars -- a solid debut that encapsulates the PNW well!

Elijah always knew he wanted to get out of his tiny town of Point Orchards. He left his high school sweetheart behind to attend college but more than thirteen years later he has no choice but to return. His dreams of making it as a writer were dashed when his single book flopped and the only way he can afford to support himself is to move back into his father's cabin and work his father's old job at the auto shop. But the last thing Elijah wants is to inherit his father's life. He's ready for a reset and he's ready to win back the woman who's heart he broke many years ago.

What he isn't ready for is to be accused of murdering a beloved young local doctor. But all the evidence points directly to him -- including her death being eerily similar to the plot of his one novel that has limited readership. His recounting of the brief month they dated is completely different than the one left in the diary she left behind -- but without the technology of DNA the local sheriff's department does not have much to prove, or disprove, his involvement in her death.

This was a slow build but filled with tension and deep emotion. I didn't know who to believe for most of the plot, but it was beautifully written and a steady flow. I would not call it a thriller or a mystery but more of a small town drama centered around a mysterious death. I look forward to more from this author!

My goodness. First time reading this Author and will not be the last. Run....don't walk....to get this amazing book!!!
Thank you to Netgalley for providing this digital copy in exchange for a review.

This book tells the story of suscpious death of the towns doctor. Starts off a little slow but picked up towards the middle. Very interesting ending to the book.

Thank you NetGallery and Atria Publishing for the ARC.

Hold tight, friends, because I have things to say.

This was a stunning literary thriller debut – and I feel this point must be reiterated: it’s a literary thriller. This isn’t your summer night popcorn thriller under the stars. This is your snuggle under the covers with a candle and some kind of warm drink with whipped cream on top literary thriller. There IS suspense and murder and twists and turns – but there is also rich, descriptive, atmospheric language and dark nights of the soul. There is depth here – and slow burn – and you must go in knowing this.

Personally, I always connect better with deeper writing on audio, and if this is you, I definitely recommend this format. The narration by @kaleogriffith is so well-done, and he really brought the story to life for me.

I finished this book over twenty-four hours ago, and here I am still thinking about it and uncovering new layers. This book isn’t done with me yet, and I can’t read anything else until it is. That’s unusual for me.

I think this is going to be a big hit this summer, and I hope you will read it and love it as much as I did.

This is @sarahcrouch1989’s debut novel, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next. I will be first in line to read it.

🌿Read if you like:
✨Books within books
✨Literary thrillers
✨Pacific Northwest settings
✨Atmospheric natural settings
✨Revenge tales
✨Redemption tales

I really enjoyed this book that felt like a combination of Where the Crawdads Meet, 28 Summers, Every Summer After, and Outer Banks on Netflix. Is it a love story? Is it a murder mystery? Is it a legal drama? I loved that it was a bit of all three. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for my ARC of this excellent debut novel by Sara Crouch. This was also one of the May 2024 BOTM options. Trigger warning for content around the loss of a child.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books and Sarah Crouch for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Middletide.
This is a well written, very descriptive mystery about a suspicious death in the Pacific Northwest. The setting is so elaborately embellished that I felt I was right there observing the action taking place. I would have liked more backstory to Erin Landry as she is quite important to the plot. She is rather predictable and maybe needed more bizarre behaviors to make this story more thrilling. The multiple timelines could have been confusing but the story was easy to follow as the number of characters was limited.
I enjoyed this story as I always like books about authors and their struggles to publish books and be successful. There are always events in life that we regret and should have done differently. It was refreshing to see a character be honest with himself and take the blame for mistakes he made.

Middletide is a beautifully written literary mystery/thriller. The suspicious death of a beautiful young doctor turns a small town upside down. The evidence points to a reclusive young man who moved back to Point Orchards after his writing career failed to take off.

This is not a fast-paced popcorn thriller. It is a quiet thriller that completely sucks you into the character’s emotions. Where Middletide really shines is the wholly immersive setting. Sarah Crouch creates an atmosphere of complete seclusion and loneliness deep in the woods. The time jumping was a little disorienting in the beginning, but once the characters are established it becomes easier to keep track of the years.

Spoiler/Trigger: Middletide deals heavily with grief and child loss. As a mom who has also lost a child, I really resonated with Erin. It is incredibly heart wrenching that she didn’t get the help she needed in her grief for her daughter, it can be all consuming to try to figure out the “why” and to need something to blame for the unimaginable loss. Why my baby? Why not me? Overall, I was really really sad for Erin. I think Sarah did a good job not framing Erin’s character as an unhinged person but a person very deep in grief. I appreciated Elijah’s final thoughts about the situation. “I Hope wherever you are, that you’re together. That you’re with her again.”

I found this book thoroughly enjoyable. The timeline takes place before and after the crime.

When two fisherman found the town doctor hanging from a tree, the hunt began for the murderer. It quickly became obvious to the sheriff that Elijah Leith was the guilty party. He wrote a book with the exact same plot line as this crime, he lived near the site of the murder, and the victim’s car was found on his land. Once Elijah was arrested, he knew he had an uphill battle to prove his innocence.

This book has everything I love in a novel - suspense, romance, an atmospheric feel and a great plot. As a debut author, Sarah Crouch does an amazing job with characterization. It’s not hard to fall in love with Elijah and Nakita’s love story and their battle to save Elijah.

Thank you, NetGalley and Atria books for the advanced reader copy of this 4-star novel.

Sarah Crouch's remarkable debut novel captivates readers with its compelling storyline. Elijah Leith, a writer whose dreams are shattered in San Francisco, finds himself back in the picturesque Pacific Northwest. The shocking death of the talented and alluring doctor, Erin Landry, sends shockwaves through the community, and Elijah becomes the prime suspect in her murder. Through skillful storytelling, Crouch weaves together multiple timelines, crafting a gripping thriller that held me captive from start to finish. This page-turner consumed my attention in a single day, leaving me eagerly anticipating future literary offerings from this promising new author.

Thank you to Net Galley and Atria Publishing for the ARC to read and review.

This book was an absolute delight to read!!! What an amazing debut!!

If you're after a small town, twisty murder mystery with parts reminiscent of books such as Where The Crawdads Sing and These Silent Woods.

I read this one in 24 hours, it's an absolute page turner. Fantastic characters, fantastic atmospheric Pacific Northwest setting and a twisty plot that I didn't see coming!

5 fantastic stars!!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my e-ARC of Middletide.

Unfortunately, this one was a miss for me. So many readers raved about this one, and I wanted to see what it was all about, but I’m DNFing at 44%. It just felt like nothing much was happening, and I didn’t love the back story as much as the present (which we didn’t get nearly enough of). I’ll definitely be checking out other books from this author in the future though!

Having left the love of his life behind for San Francisco, pursuing his dream to write the great American novel, Elijah slinks home defeated fifteen years later. He never showed up when he and Nikita were going to meet back up and now she’s married another. He did write his novel but one bad review had him leaving his dream forever behind. Instead he returns to the cabin he grew up in learning to love and live from the land, and finding himself again. But his book has an impact more than he can ever imagine and it’s the key to solving a mystery that could destroy his life. An impressive debut with wonderful characters and a can’t put down plot.

I love novels that take place in the PNW! This was an interesting one but fell a little flat in the end. I think the first part was done really well and I loved the slow atmospheric build of it. For me, there was too much of the lead up and not nearly enough of the conclusion. I would have loved a little more of a middle, it was missing a lot of the detective stuff that I find interesting. I found the ending abrupt, rushed and a bit unbelievable.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria! I really enjoyed this debut novel. It reminded me of where the crawdads sing in a way but at a different age and a different setting. Overall, I really enjoyed and would recommend!

Atmospheric and enjoyable! Further review to come.

Thank you to net galley and the publisher for providing an eARC

Spanning a period between 1973 and 1994, Sarah Crouch’s atmospheric debut features failed young author Elijah Leith, who left his Pacific Northwest town of Point Orchards at age 18 to find success in writing his great American novel. But 15 years later, he’s back and living alone in his long gone parents’ isolated cabin and still infatuated with his childhood love, Nakita. Elijah’s lone published book (called “Middletide”) only sold 48 copies and he used his last copy as tinder for a fire. Six years later, after reestablishing himself as a resident of Point Orchards, the body of the local young doctor, Erin Landry, is found hanging from a tree on the Leith land with a possibly forged suicide note. And the close-to-retirement sheriff eventually realizes this murder is very similar to the plot of Elijah’s failed book. It’s apparent law enforcement wants a quick solution to the murder case and there’s a convenient suspect. It’s up to Elijah to exonerate himself.

Crouch masterfully describes the life of a young man whose big city dreams are initially shattered, but who comes to terms with small town life again, only to discover he has an unseen enemy. As Elijah’s new novel is meant to be a love letter to the surrounding land, so, too, is Crouch’s. I think this will be rightfully compared to “Where the Crawdads Sing” and deservedly so. 4 stars!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Dr. Erin Landry has blue-green eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO The forests of the Pacific Northwest do act as a main character.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for a free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

5.0/5.0 ⭐

Flawless blend of mystery, coming-of-age, and romance. Perfectly suited for fans of 'Educated' and 'Where the Crawdads Sing', Sarah Crouch's debut 'Middletide' is set to be published June 2024.

Set in the small town of Point Orchards, Dr. Erin Landry's suspicious death stirs up whispers of foul play from the community. All eyes turn to Elijah Leith, the prodigal son whose reclusive return sparks intrigue and suspicion. Jaded and aimless, Elijah slowly begins to rebuild his life and work to make amends with Nakita, the woman he once betrayed, all while the investigation into Erin's death tightens its grip.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this novel.

Trigger Warnings:
<spoiler>suicide, murder, death of a parent, death of a child, minor animal death (hunting), minor domestic violence </spoiler>

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Many thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! Excellent debut novel with a great moody atmospheric setting. I had a complete vision in my mind of the forest, lakes & cabin in the Pacific Northwest. The switching back & forth of timelines was often aggravating as I wanted to know more before the switch. They say you can never go home again, but the Prodigal Son does try to do exactly that for a second chance. An intriguing murder mystery. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Suspicious death of a beautiful doctor in a small town....This book has a vibe all of its own..ominous, atmospheric, suspenseful, with a handful of shocking revelations!

Remarkable! This book consumed my life for 24 hours! I was completely immersed in this incredible debut. Between the amazing characters, the unreal setting, and the heart pounding mystery, this book was everything and so much more! There were themes of love and loss threaded into the plot and it allowed me to connect with the characters. I love how this story was structured with the different timelines, both of which were equally addicting to read!

Also a moment for the cover!! It is one of my new favorites! I felt like I was dropped directly into the Pacific Northwest! Thank you Sarah Crouch for writing such a gripping mystery! Can’t wait for more of your books!