Middletide releases tomorrow and I think it’s going to be a hit!

If you liked Where the Crawdads Sing you will love Middletide. This was a solid mystery for me, keeping me engaged and wondering how the author was going to twist it in the end. I was impressed! Extra impressed to learn this is her debut novel!!

I will say that I thought the timelines were a little confusing. We go from a few POVs within a few years, and I kept flipping back being like wait, what year are we in now? But honestly, that was not a gamechanger for me in the grand scheme!

This had a little thriller, a little recluse living, love lost, love found, family dynamics, living off the land, novel writing, and a little law and order. And I thought it all worked!!

Definitely recommend!!

Thank you to Atria, NetGalley, and Sarah Crouch for an early copy in exchange for an honest review!

Middletide by Sarah Crouch is an intriguing debut that centers around part coming of age and part murder mystery.

In the quiet town of Point Orchards, Dr. Erin Landry’s body is found hanging from a tree on the property of Elijah Leith, a failed writer. Initially deemed a suicide, Sheriff Jim Godbout soon suspects foul play, noticing eerie similarities to a scene from Elijah’s novel.

Elijah returns to his childhood home, disheartened by his failed career, and begins renovating his father's old cabin. He also tries to reconnect with Nakita, the girl from the nearby reservation he never forgot. As the town turns against him, Elijah must prove his innocence and uncover the true culprit framing him for murder, in a gripping tale of love, loss, and revenge.

I found Middletide to be not what I was expecting. I was expecting a heavier focus on the murder mystery portion of the story but the true focus is on the characters and their lives as they grow up and change. This style is more reminiscent of "Where the Crawdads Sing" and had a bit of a slow pace for about 60% of the book.

I did enjoy the plot twists in the murder mystery but I did feel the other parts of the story were more dragged out than they needed to be. I also personally found the creation of a fake native American tribe to be odd, as its set in the PNW where there are many tribes and the author could have interviewed/discussed/researched with someone from a local tribe to make Nakita and the others more authentic (the reservation and the way it worked just seemed off to me). It made the fiction, truly fictional rather than making the story real.

Overall Middletide is an interesting debut with a thoughtful premise but not the best execution.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5 for Goodreads.

Many thanks to Simon and Schuster Audio for my gifted ALC in exchange for my honest review and NetGalley for my e-arc.

What an incredible debut! I can always appreciate a mystery with depth. Middletide starts when two fishermen discover the body of the local attractive doctor hanging from a tree on the property of Elijah Leith. From here we bounce between timelines of the present and the past all leading to the mind boggling end.

From the cover to the last line, I enjoyed every word. Crouch offers beautiful prose with richly developed characters reminding me of William Kent Krueger. I would not classify this as a "thriller" but more a slow burn mystery. While it lagged at times, I was invested in the outcome for Elijah.

My only complaint was the obsession or "pining" that our MC had for his high school girlfriend that he hasn't seen or spoken to in 20 years. That felt off to me but did not detract too much from the story.

The audiobook is short and easy to listen to at only 6 hours long. Our narrator, Kaleo Griffin does an exceptional job of keeping the pace going. He swiftly transitioned to make each voice distinct based on the character. It was an enjoyable listen and i would highly recommend the audio experience.

Nicely done for a debut!

The isolated, moody atmosphere definitely comes across in this whodunnit with multiple timelines. I could imagine myself in the woods near where I grew up with the cool summer air on my skin. However, the storyline fell flat for me. The reveal felt unrealistic and was ultimately a let down. Other parts of the plot were rather depressing and characters were not likable.

This was an enjoyable, slow burn thriller. The twist was a bit predictable but I enjoyed the story as it developed and the writing was beautiful. I really wanted to be at Elijah's cabin, it sounded so peaceful and calming.

3.5*
This is a strong mystery/thriller by a debut author. This review will remain a little vague because I believe the story is best if the reader goes in blind.
What I loved:
- the Pacific Northwest setting
- the twist idea

What I think could have been stronger:
- the Native American reservation connection (other than it was near Port Orchards and where Nakita lived)
- the dual timelines were sometimes a little confusing, so close together that I often wasn't sure which timeline I was entering
- lots of the plot points seemed unrealistic (the last-minute attorney, the found witness, the actual motive, Elijah's talking with the sheriff and deputy during the trial ). One or two of these may have worked, but not all of them.

I think this would make a great book club choice because I definitely wanted to talk to others after reading it. There are so many parts of the story to hash out.
Many thanks to #AtriaBooks and #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

MIDDLETIDE is Sarah Crouch’s debut novel. It is a riveting story of love, loss and revenge that kept me guessing right up until the surprising conclusion. It is set in the small Puget Sound town of Point Orchard and told in multiple timelines. The community is shocked when the body of Dr. Erin Landry, is found hanging from a tree with a suicide note nearby. She was found on the property of Elijah Leith, who had recently returned to his childhood home after his writing career failed to launch. However, as the investigation progresses, there are clues that suggest that the doctor’s death may not be by suicide after all. The details bear an uncanny similarity to those from Elijah’s novel, instantly making him the prime suspect. Elijah claims to be innocent. Did someone frame Elijah for the murder using the words from his own book? As Elijah races to prove his innocence, he is also fighting to regain the trust of his high school sweetheart, Nakita. The story is atmospheric and full of twists and turns that keep the tension high. I enjoyed this intriguing murder mystery and look forward to reading more from Sarah Crouch. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

Middletide is the debut novel from Sarah Crouch.

"33-year-old Elijah Leith returns to his hometown, trying to pick up the pieces of his failed writing career. And hoping to connect with the woman he still loves but betrayed. When a young doctor is found hanged to death on his property, he becomes the main suspect. Now Elijah must fight for his innocence."

What a fantastic debut from Crouch. The story resolves around Elijah - his guilt over abandoning the love of his life - his family - thinking that the town and its residents weren't big enough for his dreams. It's nice to see him start to find his way back.
There is tragedy and a death that on the surface looks like a suicide, but is really something else. Crouch does a good job keeping us guessing.
This book has been called atmospheric. Crouch's writing takes you to the PNW and to the depths of these characters.

"Just as in winter, when the ground needed to be tilled and the dead trees pruned, the hopeless seasons of life were a chance to grapple with the hard soil of his heart and let the sadness hit him like the sharp edge of a hoe, breaking apart the unyielding ground there."

Surprising ending from Crouch. Don't miss this wonderful book this year.

What a wonderful debut novel! The PSW made a beautiful and haunting setting for this murder mystery. This is the story of Elijah, a failed author who returns to his small town. When returning, he tries to reconnect with his high school love, a young woman from a local reservation, who he left in a quest for literary fame years ago.

Shortly after returning, a prominent doctor in the area, Erin, is found dead- hanging from a tree in his front yard. He is immediately the main suspect in the investigation of the death of this women as his novel eerily describes a death very similar to the one that occurred on his property. He maintains his innocence through out and must prove it during his trial. This ultimately was an entertaining read, but it took awhile to pick up and while a fan of multiple timelines, but I was a bit confused. I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a slow burn thriller.

A debut, Middletide was a slow-paced read with an overly descriptive first part that included day by day descriptions of the main character’s homesteading life, working the land, growing vegetables, etc. The second half focused on a murder mystery but the twist was predictable from earlier on and there were obvious plot holes left hanging at the end of the book.

There is an Indigenous tribe storyline that goes nowhere with no real interweaving of the culture into the plot. Moreover, the author notes that the tribe is one she made up but doesn’t explain why this was necessary.

I did find the nature descriptions well written and the book was a quick, short read.

Overall, not a strong read for me.

Thanks to the publisher for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you, NetGalley and Atria books for this advanced reader's copy. This was a solid debut thriller. The body of Dr Erin Landry is found, and it goes back and forth between suicide and murder as her death looks eerily like that in the book written by owner of the property where she was found. The book tells the story by bouncing back and forth in time between the late 1980's and the early 1990's. The story is told by the perspective of Dr Landry before her death; Elijah Leith, who wrote the novel in the book, aptly titled Middletide, and owns the property where Dr Landry's body was found; and Nakita, the girl from the reservation that Elijah has always loved. The story ties in how these three people's lives have intertwined and have possibly caused the final outcome of the events that have occurred. It was an interesting and engaging story and I will definitely be looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

One morning in a small Pacific Northwest town, two fisherman go to their secret fishing spot and find Dr. Erin Landry, dead and hanging from a tree. They immediately call the police, who realize this happened on author Elijah Leith’s land, and the manner of death is almost exactly as he wrote one in his novel. Was it a murder or a suicide, and who did it?

Jumping back and forth in time, this tells the story of Elijah and his first love, his failed writing career, learning to live off the land his family left him, and proving his innocence in a murder trial. The land itself was a main character, and I found myself really enjoying reading about how Elijah cared for and appreciated homesteading. The time jumps were confusing, and I wish it was written more linearly, even though I know it was for a purpose. I found myself sucked in and unable to put this down once I got about 30% in.

I’ve heard this compared to Where The Crawdads Sing, so if you enjoyed that one I would recommend checking this out!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The blurb promises a gripping and intensely atmospheric debut and succeeded! I’ve seen mixed reviews from early reviews and tried to manage my expectations but that wasn’t needed at all, I think this was a fantastic book. Crouch has some beautiful writing, a killer (no pun intended) setting, and a compelling murder mystery. There were definitely some aspects of the mystery that required suspension of belief but it was overall satisfying and not too outlandish as to be rendered unenjoyable. I love how the timelines connected and while I did figure out the culprit, I didn’t guess the motive. I do feel the payoff could’ve been better for how slow of a burn this was but it was an incredibly solid read.

Highly recommend to fans of atmospheric and small town settings, slow burn mysteries, and dual timelines.

I had high hope for this book. Several people I follow chose "Middletide" as their Book of the Month pick, but I just could not get into the story. I did DNF it. The writing itself was good and I love the cover, it just wasn't for me.

If you’re a fan of Where the Crawdad Sings, then you should give Middletide a read.

The similarities are that both books take place in a small town where the townspeople turn on the loner from the outskirts when the murder of a beloved townsperson occurs. Besides that, Middletide is its own unique story.

A disclaimer: as mentioned in many reviews, this book is a slow burn. At some points, it does feel like the pacing is a little too slow, at least when it comes to describing all of the MC’s homesteading projects. It can feel like there’s too much scene setting going on, when all the reader wants is to go back to the murder investigation. However, the beautiful prose does make up for that, and at least makes those passages pleasant to read.

I wouldn’t say this book is truly a thriller/suspense novel, but more of a mystery. I can’t say I was on the edge of my seat a lot because of the slow pacing, although I did perk up a bit once I found out why the book is called Middletide. There is also a love story that ties heavily into the plot, so there are some elements of romance, but definitely not enough to qualify it as a romance book.

With all that being said, I’m pretty surprised that the average Goodreads rating isn’t higher, especially considering that it’s a BOTM pick. I do understand if it’s because of the concerns regarding representation (the author creates a fictional Native American tribe that heavily ties into the story). But other than that, and perhaps the slow pacing, this book is written beautifully, especially considering it’s a debut. So if you’re curious about the book, and you are aware of these disclaimers ahead of time, I think you’ll enjoy reading it.

I'd definitely recommend picking up a physical copy though, because there's a lot of shifting timelines, and it'd be easier to flip back and forth in a hard copy to keep track of where you are than it is electronically.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for sharing this digital ARC with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Middletide by Sarah Crouch will be out June 11, 2024.

I loved listening to this atmospheric, slow paced mystery - which definitely picks up towards the end when all the different parts start to come together .
At first was a bit confused as the book went back and forth in time but I did get used to it once I started paying more attention to the dates at the beginning of each chapter 😂

I was surprised to find out this was a debut novel! I can’t wait to read more from this author .

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I couldn’t put it down. Such a great story of first loves, dreams, coming home, regret and figuring out life along with a great murder/mystery. I was a little thrown by the twist and would have really liked more insight into that! Overall a good read that I would recommend! Thank you NetGalley and Atria books for the great book!

This was a really interesting read. I really enjoyed how much I was pulled into the mystery and setting of this novel. Would highly recommend if you enjoy small town stories with a bit of mystery and intrigue.

If you liked Where the Crawdads Sing, you’ll love this book! The story went back and forth between years while trying to piece together what crime happened and who did it. The prologue had me hooked, but it took a good 55% to really get into the book. I loved the short chapters, you got just enough information to keep you intrigued without giving away too much. The writing was beautiful, you could clearly place where you were with each scene and you really felt like you were there. There were budding relationships, loss, and some good mystery aspects.

Set in a small town, this novel begins with the tender love story of two teenagers preparing to part ways for their school plans. As life unfolds, promises are made and broken, leading to their eventual reunion as adults. The narrative, spanning multiple years, masterfully alternates between past and present, creating a richly woven tapestry of events.

The author skillfully navigates the twists and turns of the story, keeping readers guessing and deeply invested in the fate of the couple. Each chapter adds layers of depth, making it impossible not to root for a happy ending.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am grateful to NetGalley, the publishing company, and the author for providing an advanced reader’s copy. This novel has certainly piqued my interest in the author’s future works.