Although a little confusing with multiple timelines and multiple POVs, this is a solid debut mystery. I loved the PNW setting. I'll be sure to check out this author's next works! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

I saw a book blogger rave about this title and I rushed to request it on NetGalley. I was definitely not disappointed and I'm so surprised that this is a debut novel. It is hard to wrap your mind around just what is going on with the main character Elijah and you won't be able to stop reading until you find out. The setting in Puget Sound makes for such an atmospheric background and the author does a great job keeping you guessing until the end. I loved this book and I can't wait to see what Sarah Crouch creates next. Thanks to Sarah Crouch, Atria Books, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Great pacing and great development for the characters. I was heavily invested in the plot and descriptive settings.

The books starts slowly and seems to meander for the first half. It isn't until the last 50-60% that the story takes off and intrigue begins.

This is the author's first attempt, and she had a good story but just needed to move it along at a faster pace in my opinion.

I would like to express my gratitude to NetGalley and Atria Books for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Sarah Crouch’s novel, Middletide, is an enthralling read that kept me on the edge of my seat (and bed)! The story revolves around Elijah Leith, a struggling author who returns to his small hometown of Point Orchards after facing harsh criticism for his first book. Back in his hometown, Elijah attempts to rebuild his family's cabin, reconnect with an old flame, and start afresh. However, things take a dark turn when the town's beloved doctor is discovered dead on Elijah's property.

As the plot unfolds, Elijah finds himself grappling with his personal demons as he strives to clear his name and uncover the truth behind the murder. The unexpected twist and turns in the story kept me engaged, and I was particularly drawn to Elijah's journey as he is compelled to confront the shadows of his past. Middletide is a gripping mystery read that is perfect for the summer. Each chapter drew me further into the story, leaving me eagerly anticipating the next revelation.

Thank you NetGalley for sending me a digital arc of Middletide by Sarah Crouch!! This is Sarah’s debut novel and it was a complete hit for me. Small town boy leaves town to write a novel and when it flops he comes back home, hoping to stay out in his cabin and live off the land when his life gets flipped upside down. There is a mystery, there is an underlying love story and a main character who you want to see the best for. I honestly did not see where the ending was coming from, but was so pleasantly surprised with how it was tied together. I can’t wait to read what Sarah writes next!

To me this book had everything, great plot, suspense, mystery, love, atmospheric, dual timelines, nostalgia and revenge. It’s hard to believe that this is a debut novel! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!!

I liked this one. The start was a bit slow for my taste, but the last half was hard to put down. Overall, it was a solid crime mystery. I was able to figure out the mystery before the reveal, but I enjoyed the atmosphere and small details surrounding the story.

What to expect:
✍️ slow build
🌲 atmospheric PNW setting
✍️ nonlinear timeline
🌲 secrets and drama
✍️ crime mystery

My rating: 3.5⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Atria for the advanced reader copy. Opinions are my own.

Thank you Atria Books, NetGalley, and Sarah Crouch for the advanced reader copy of this novel!

Elijah Leith has one dream: get out of Point Orchards as soon as he graduates high school. He’s got a scholarship to college and a plan to write the next big American novel. Nakita Mills is 16 years old and in love. Of course she said she would wait for Elijah to return; a love like this can stand the test of 4 years, right?

Now Elijah’s back, over a decade later, and not because he’s coming back for Nakita. No, his novel flopped, his dad passed away, and he has no money to his name. Elijah sets out to homestead, remembering the lessons taught to him by both his parents. But when he hears that Nakita is newly single, he cannot stay away.

At the heart of this book is both a second chance romance and a murder/mystery. When I say that I didn’t have the ending guessed, I TRULY did not see that coming. Beautiful writing and flawed characters made me want to continue reading for “just one more chapter” over and over.

What I didn’t like about the novel? Crouch makes up an entire Native American tribe, put the FMC’s father as a Native American pastor, and sometimes the sorry gets lost in the multiple timelines.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading Middletide and I think others will too. This novel is out June 11th

"Middletide" by Sarah Crouch is a solid debut that combines elements of mystery, romance, and suspense, set against the atmospheric backdrop of the Pacific Northwest. The story kicks off with the discovery of Dr. Erin Landry's body on the property of Elijah Leith, a failed writer who returned to his hometown after his career tanked. What unfolds is a tale of intrigue, with Elijah becoming the prime suspect in what initially appears to be a suicide but quickly raises suspicions of foul play.

Elijah's return to Point Orchards is marked by his attempts to rekindle a relationship with Nakita, his high school sweetheart from a nearby reservation. The inclusion of a fictional Indigenous tribe in the narrative adds a layer of complexity, although it may not sit well with all readers, as the portrayal and cultural depth could feel superficial.

The novel's strengths lie in its evocative descriptions of the Pacific Northwest and the small-town dynamics that play out as the community turns against Elijah. The alternating timelines, revealing Elijah's past ambitions and current struggles, help build a sense of mystery, though the pacing can be uneven, especially in the first half.

The courtroom drama towards the end is where the story picks up steam, although some aspects, like the trial proceedings, might stretch credulity. The resolution ties up the plot neatly, perhaps too neatly for some readers looking for more complexity or ambiguity.

Overall, "Middletide" is an engaging read with beautiful prose and an intriguing premise. It shows promise for Sarah Crouch as a writer, even if it doesn't fully escape the pitfalls of a debut novel. Fans of atmospheric mysteries and small-town secrets might find this book worth a read, despite some pacing issues and character development gaps.

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

This was such an interesting thriller with a complex cast of characters. The dual POV that switches between the history and the crime helps paint a picture that is so clear, but then it totally switches it on the head. The right and wrong in this story and the strong sense of justice can be seen throughout. The prose was also fantastic.

This book was mostly a skim read for me. By the 40% point, I realized I hadn't connected with the story or the characters and just kind of skimmed the rest.

I wouldn't say this was a bad book. The writing's decent and descriptive. Very atmospheric. I can see why it was compared to Where the Crawdads Sing. I didn't care for the format with all the time changes though. It was kind of hard for me to keep the different eras straight.

There is definitely a lot of promise here. I did like the writer's style and feel like a different story would've appealed to me more.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

Thanks, NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!

This was a slow burn but it still kept me captivated enough to continue reading and find out what happened. It was a solid 3-star read for me. It wasn't the best mystery I've read but it was far from the worst. The setting and atmosphere were set up very well. The storylines were done well, too. I think overall I just wanted a more fast-paced read, but that's just my personal preference. I'd still be willing to give any future books by this author a try!

I enjoyed this book, however it was a bit slow for me. With the limited pages I felt like it needed to have a quicker pace and more thriller aspects. Not sure if I was mislead, but the love interest arc didn’t do much for me. Overall still a great book, just not what I expected. Thank you NetGally for the arc.

Thanks to Atria Books for gifted access via Netgalley. I did also purchase this one as my Book of the Month. All opinions below are my own.

Elijah is a writer whose first work did not gain any traction and so he is forced to go home to his little town with his tail between his legs. He moves into his late father’s remote cabin I’m slowly begins to rebuild his life. Until one day the towns doctor is found dead in the very same way described in his first book. What looks like a suicide is very quickly reclassified as a murder with Elijah as the main suspect.

This one has a really slow pace and yet I enjoyed the atmospheric world building and jumps back-and-forth in time. While I was able to figure out what happened before it was revealed, I really enjoyed the journey. There are no thriller aspects here just a really well thought out mystery.

When one returns home and thinks himself a failed he is an easy target for a murder. When the first page has you seeking the truth you know are in for a wonderful read. I was brought into the town of Point Orchards and craved to know who the murderer was. As Elijah fights to prove himself innocent one is rooting for him yet spellbound by the cunning ways one has decided him. I look forward to reading more by Sarah Crouch in the future.

3.5/5 stars

Gone girl meets where the crawdads sing is an accurate description of this book. However, it was just not executed the same as either of those books. The first half of this book is all crawdads and very beautifully written. It starts slow as we follow Elijah and Nikita through their early lives and start switching to present day where the murder took place of Doctor Erin Landry. The second half switches and becomes police investigation/a quick jury trial/super fast ending.

The main thing keeping it from being 5 stars for me is that the police investigation and jury trial were just not correct. Jurors can't show bias literally during the cross examinations and you can't have surprise witnesses or evidence that you pull out at the last minute to save someone. The trial also barely lasted 20 pages and happened like one month after the murder/two weeks after an arrest. Who edited this??

Anyways, a beautifully written book overall but I have too many lawyer friends in my life to read something incorrect and just flow with it! Thank you NetGalley and Sarah Crouch for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

"Literally one hundred percent of people die. Every single thing you're going to do in this life comes with a risk, but that doesn't mean it's not worth it."
Overall, I enjoyed this book; the setting was described beautifully. The descriptions Crouch uses to set her scenes are top tier!
Middletide was a successful slow burn! An ultimate Whodunnit!?
While the characters were depicted well, the ending felt a bit skipped over.
I look forward to more of what Crouch will release!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

What an interesting book / concept, but I'm so torn. I really enjoyed her writing style and characters, but it felt so much like "Where the Crawdads Sing". (which is a book a devoured in one day)..

Elijah is arrested for the murder of the beautiful, well loved small town doctor. He claims he didn't do it, but it's hard to proclaim innocence when the murder is exact reenactment of the murder is his book "Middletide"..

3.5 overall.. rounded up bc the writing was great, but I wish I could round down bc it was obvious...

SPOILERS:



After the first reading of her diary, I knew she was setting him up. I thought "I wonder if she blamed him bc he was her mechanic".... It was a little predictable.

Grated I thought the last bit would be the "psyche, I really did it and got away with murder" bit (man I'm glad they didn't)

Thank you netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book- the characters were complex and the mystery kept me guessing until the end. It had an unexpected twist! I loved the fictional town and how well the author kept me interested. Thank you NetGalley for the digital copy 4⭐️