Middletide is a thoughtful and moving novel that examines the ties that bind us to our past and the choices that shape our future. Sarah Crouch’s deft storytelling and complex character development make this a standout read for fans of literary fiction and character-driven narratives. It’s a compelling reminder that even the quietest places can harbor the most profound stories.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc copy of this book. I really like the story itself. Without giving anything away, I will just say that I don't think I have ever read a storyline like this one. That being said, this book just was not for me. I did not like any of the characters. I read this book over the course of several days and that made the multiple timelines confusing for me. This one wasn't for me but I do think others will enjoy it.

This debut novel is a remarkable achievement, drawing compelling comparisons to "Gone Girl" and "Where the Crawdads Sing." The plot is undeniably captivating. However, the courtroom drama wasn't executed as well as I would have liked. The depiction of withheld evidence and the sudden appearance of a surprise witness strained credulity, impacting the overall believability. Additionally, the unresolved detail about the doctors clean feet at the end was particularly frustrating, as it undermines the plausibility of the suicide narrative. The tire scenario also seemed implausible. Despite these flaws, the book is enjoyable, though it would benefit from deeper character development.

Thank you for allowing me to read this ARC. I particularly appreciated the PNW setting and think the cover is gorgeous.

**Review of "Middletide"**

"Middletide," a captivating debut by Sarah Crouch, unfolds in the picturesque yet ominous backdrop of Point Orchards, a small Puget Sound town. The narrative opens with the shocking discovery of Dr. Erin Landry's lifeless body hanging from a tree on the property of Elijah Leith, a prodigal son and failed writer who has returned home under a cloud of suspicion.

Sheriff Jim Godbout initially believes the death to be a suicide, but as he delves deeper, he uncovers eerie parallels between the circumstances of Erin's death and events described in Elijah's unpublished novel. With the town turning against him, Elijah finds himself in a desperate struggle to clear his name and unravel the mystery behind Erin's demise.

Elijah, a once-promising writer now grappling with disillusionment and regret, becomes a compelling protagonist as he navigates his tumultuous return to Point Orchards. His attempts to rebuild his life, reconnect with his past love Nakita, and restore his childhood home add layers of depth to the narrative.

The novel's strength lies in its evocative atmosphere and intricate plotting. The author skillfully weaves together themes of love, betrayal, and redemption against a backdrop of small-town intrigue and suspicion. The portrayal of Point Orchards and its inhabitants enhances the sense of unease and suspense, drawing readers deeper into the unfolding drama.

"Middletide" is reminiscent of literary thrillers like "Where the Crawdads Sing" and "All the Good People Here," offering a blend of mystery and emotional depth. The exploration of Elijah's character development and the complex dynamics within the community make for a compelling read, with twists and turns that keep the reader guessing until the final revelation.

Overall, "Middletide" is a scintillating literary thriller that grips from the first page to the last, exploring themes of love, loss, and the search for identity amidst suspicion and betrayal in a small-town setting. Crouch's debut promises a promising future in the genre.

I'm giving this 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

This was super slow, but once it got going, parts of it were interesting. The writing was beautiful and atmospheric, and I enjoyed the setting and time period. Unfortunately, that's about all I have to say about it. Much of the book was boring and forgettable.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I’m not the reader for this book unfortunately. The made up tribe isn’t the type of story I’d like to read, I would’ve Rather the author use a real tribe and do research on doing it justice. The mystery was okay. Thank you for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest revie

Overall i liked this - not leaning into extremes either way. enough character and plot to keep going, will probably recommend to mom.

I was drawn to this book on Net Galley by its gorgeous cover and intriguing premise. The story centers around a reclusive, aspiring writer and his return to home, set alongside a fictional Indigenous community created by a white author, which immediately concerned me. The community feedback on this aspect turned me off, it felt uncomfortable and inauthentic. Unfortunately, the execution didn't deliver above this icky start. The characters, including the protagonist who is supposed to be a gifted writer, felt like flat caricatures rather than fully realized. His intelligence and talent didn't come through. The romance was equally disappointing, it felt one-sided and lacked the necessary chemistry. Despite these issues, I was curious about how the mystery would unfold, but the resolution was also unsatisfying. While it had potential, the lack of character development and the problematic representation of Indigenous culture made it a disappointing read. I don’t recommend this book.

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I'm giving this book a 3.5 star rating rounded up to 4. I will absolutely be recommending this book to people who like mysteries as I feel like that was the best part of this book. I was guessing up until the very end about what actually happened, and even after the final resolution, I had my suspicions that we didn't have the whole truth.

My criticism would have to be that there was a bit too much exposition about Elijah coming back and learning to "live from the land." I don't necessarily feel like that helped move the story along. I don't think it needed to be completely removed, but it was just a bit excessive in my opinion. I think that comes probably from the fact that this book is meant to be atmospheric and I'm not always SUPER into the atmospheric aspects of books, so that is likely a personal preference.

I wanted to love this book! I love nature-based novels. I did enjoy the rich descriptions.

However, I didn’t enjoy the story, and I was bothered throughout by the invented indigenous tribe written by someone not indigenous. It felt forced, and I couldn’t see the point of including it.

Overall I would not recommend this read.

I am grateful to Aria Books and NetGalley for providing me with a digital advanced reader copy (ARC) of "Middletide," written by Sarah Crouch. Although I received approval to read this novel before its June 11, 2024, release date, I only recently had the opportunity to delve into it. I apologize for the delay in reading the book and submitting a review.

"Middletide" tells the story of Elijah Leith's returning to Point Orchard, WA, after leaving 20 years ago, and being accused of murdering Erin Landry, the town doctor, when her body is found hanging on his property. Elijah becomes the chief suspect in the murder since it was described in a novel Elijah wrote years ago titled "Middletide." Elijah and his friends fight for his innocence and his life. Did Elijah murder Erin? Why? Or did another town member? What took place for this suspicion to arise?

The sheriff and his deputy's investigation could have been more thorough, adding to the suspense of the story. Their focus on one person as the murderer seemed to lack logic. The love story between Nakita and Elijah, filled with angst, was a delightful addition. I must confess, the person I suspected of the murder turned out to be innocent, a twist that left me pleasantly surprised. As the story unfolded in alternating timelines of the past and the present, I was completely absorbed in this atmospheric novel.  The conclusion of 'Middletide' was deeply satisfying.  Overall, I found this debut novel enjoyable and eagerly anticipate future books by Ms. Crouch.

3.5 stars out 5

This was a hauntingly tragic story that made me so angry. I was angry for so many characters and felt like they just could not catch a break. I thought the storyline was very unique and creative, however the ending felt slightly rushed to me.

About halfway through I started to put some of the pieces together, but overall this was still a fun ride and I enjoyed it. I also really did enjoy the romance aspect of this story too. The setting was quaint and comfy, but also gave enough of an eerie vibe for a thriller setting,

This one was not for me. The story was interesting enough - a murder, a second chance love story and a newcomer to a sleepy town that rattles the status quo. Still, I found all of the characters grating. Elijah especially. He gave me weird vibes throughout - especially in the way that he approached relationships and seemed to have an expectation that the women he wanted were obligated to give him a chance. At first I liked Nakita, but as the crime unfolded she got on my nerves. The only solid character was Chitto.

I felt that the book was trying to be too much at once. It was quite beautifully written when describing the land, the people, and homesteading practices. Then it took a turn when Erin was introduced. Her diary entries seemed juvenile and unmatched with her persona as a highly respected doctor. The police seemed too incompetent and inexperienced to solve the murder. I didn't find the trial scenes very believable. Lastly, the romances were very high school and slow-moving.

I think many people would enjoy this novel and I would try another by the author in the future.

Middletide straddles the line between psychological thriller, mystery, and contemporary literature. The novel tells the story of Elijah, who returns to his remote hometown after a period living in San Francisco, trying to make a living as an author and selling his eponymous novel, "Middletide" to little success. There, he strives to live off of his land, learn a new trade, and win back the love of his life, Nakita. When a local doctor is discovered murdered on Elijah's land, he becomes the ultimate suspect in her death.

This novel started off so slowly for me that I put it down and didn't start reading it again for a month. I stuck with it, and was rewarded when it picked up in the second half as the murder investigation starts to draw to a close. Overall, I would like to read more from this author to see what she can come up with next!

As many others, the cover of the book was a definite draw. I figured if the cover was a reflection of the writing, it would have to be beautiful. And so it was. Very well-written prose littered the pages, sometimes waxing poetic more than necessary. We learn much about Elijah’s life and rebuilding of himself. We know he loves Nikita and we learn through a series of flashbacks what has happened to Elijah and Nikita’s relationship.
I like the story and premise. I enjoyed the writing. I figured out the killer before it was revealed. But like others, I believe the court portion of the story was not written as accurately as it could have been. There was evidence that was left out, questions not asked, and loopholes that a true court case would not have missed (I believe so, anyway). All in all, this is a wonderful debut, and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I would actually give this book 3.5 stars.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!

The book has one of the most beautiful covers I’ve seen in 2024. I was drawn to the synopsis, the cover and the PNW setting. However the opening of the book in the authors note talks about how it’s completely fictional including the information about the tribe and the reservation. I was put off by this note, as I felt why include a culture you don’t wish to represent…and why not research it if you want to include it in a novel. It left some questions for me. Despite that, I was enjoying the book, the language, the slow steady progression and short chapters had me intrigued. Up until, the turn of events…after that it fell very flat to me. The court and witness dialogue was very fake, the process did not seem correct.

Overall I was invested in the story, it was worth reading, it just had a twist and fell flat for me. I commend the author for her debut and hope she continues to write and look forward to her next works. I want to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the arc of this book in exchange for my review. I also loved the cover so much I chose it as my Book of the Month for May.

I was taken on a beautiful journey with this debut novel. It was a love story and a mystery. Elijah and Nikita seniors in High school fall in love. Elijah promises to come back after going away to college to become a writer. Nikita lives on the reservation never expecting Elijah to come back. Years later after failing Elijah returns home. Nothing is as expected. The beautiful town doctor, Erin Landry suffers a tremendous loss. The story is filled with love, death, illness, hope and twists.

Thank you #NetGalley, #AtriaBooks, #SarahCrouch and #Middletide for the advance readers copy for my honest review.

For a debut this was a solid read with a good story and interesting characters. I did want to keep reading to see how the story would unfold. However, the characters weren’t fully developed enough for me and the storyline isn’t completely plausible. I think there is great potential here and I would read further from this author but this one was just ok for me.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I enjoyed the atmospheric writing style and the PNW setting which was simultaneously enchanting and spooky. I didn’t particularly connect with any of the characters but overall a solid debut!