I’m gonna be honest, it took me a long time to want to pick this book up because the first few chapters seemed to drag for me. However, once I got into the story, I was INTO it. This whole concept was done so well and kept me very interested the entire time. And while the ending was a bit predictable for me, it didn’t take much from the story. Another thing I really enjoyed was although there were romantic aspects, it wasn’t cringy or a romance story. I hate the entire romance genre, so this was a huge plus for me and pushed the rating from a 3 to a 4. I also listened to the audiobook for some of the book and it was so well done!

You can never truly go back home, but many people try. Elijah Leith, an author, left his small hometown in search of fame and fortune. In doing so, he also left behind the love of his life, Nakita. When his dreams don't pan out, Elijah returns to Point Orchards, to the house his father built.

Adjusting to his old life is difficult at first, but he slowly cleans up the cabin, starts growing his own food, and makes an effort to reconnect with Nakita. When that doesn't work out, Elijah feels lonely and turns his attention to the town doctor, Dr. Erin Landry, who is beautiful but mourning the loss of her daughter. As time goes on, Erin is found hanging from a tree in what looks like a suicide, but circumstances point to Elijah, leading to his arrest and trial.

The book starts off slowly and seems to wander for the first half. It's not until the last 50-60% that the story picks up and becomes intriguing.

This is the author's first book, and while the story is good, it could have benefited from a faster pace in my opinion.

Middletide by Sarah Crouch - this book was FANTASTIC. It wasn't fast paced but it kept me interested the entire time. I loved getting to know the characters and see how they developed over time throughout the story. This was a really, really good read.

Middletide is a literary mystery with a slow-burn narrative, shifting between past and present timelines. The story centers on Elijah Leith, a failed writer who becomes the prime suspect in the death of Dr. Erin Landry, a local woman whose apparent suicide seems to mirror events from his own novel. As Sheriff Jim Godbout digs deeper, the town grows suspicious, and Elijah finds himself entangled in a web of love, loss, and revenge.

This debut novel excels in its atmospheric setting and character-driven drama. Elijah's ill-fated romance with Nakita provided a strong backbone for the story. But something about the story felt a little disjointed to me. The procedural elements have their moments but sometimes lack convincing detail, and the courtroom scenes made my attorney heart cringe. The ending wraps up the mystery, but it felt rushed, Overall, the story offers an intriguing premise with rich emotional depth, but its execution sometimes falters in balancing the various narrative strands, leaving the overall impact less cohesive than it could have been.

My rating 3.5 stars rounded down.
Special thanks to Atria and netgalley for the ARC.

There were parts of the book that I enjoyed. It was atmospheric, slow paced and I enjoyed the romance throughout the story. The murder case thrown in was strange and didn't feel really believable to me & the investigation was so sloppy. I wish they had left the murder part out of the story. Overall, it was an okay read.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

The first two thirds of the book was so good. I was interested in what was going to happen next. However, the last third is where the book lost me. The trial set up was so unbelievable, the book lost me.

Found this tough to get into and stay engaged. I usually love atmospheric reads but this one wasn’t for me.

This was a very nice debut novel. I like the timeline jumping from past to present, but caught myself needing to double check which year I was in. This has a nice story of love, loss, small towns with a murder/suicide mixed in.
The author does a nice job of setting the stage for believing both sides of the story. I look forward to seeing more from her.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. It was released a few months ago.

A small town doctor is found dead in a tree and made to look like a suicide, and all evidence points to Ethan, a writer who left town years ago as a teenager but has recently returned. The murder happens exactly like the plot of his debut novel, and he does have motive, but did he actually do it? This book was very atmospheric and perfect for autumn, but I didn’t love it. The time jumping had me a little confused at first, and I had to keep flipping back and forth to figure out what was going on. The motives, courtroom scenes, and ending were a little far-fetched and too convenient for my liking. It just seemed like there was a lot of buildup for not a lot of conclusion. I enjoyed the plot; it just wasn’t wrapped up very well. I know a lot of people loved this one, but I would honestly skip it 🤷🏼‍♀️

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read before pub day! ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. MIDDLETIDE is out now!

Thank you @netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of Middletide by Sarah Crouch. Elijah and Nakita meet in high school in their small town in Washington state. Elijah leaves town to go to college and become a writer, but they plan to meet at their favorite spot in four years. Nakita goes to the spot, but Elijah doesn’t show. Now he is back in town many years later, and she is a grieving widow, will they rekindle their romance? Then a beautiful young doctor is murdered, and it turns out that the murder follows the plot of the novel that Elijah wrote (which sold very few copies) very closely. Did Elijah do it? There is mystery and love, good story. #middletide #sarahcrouch #netgalley #bookstagram #lovetoread #readersofinstagram #takeapagefrommybook #bookloversofinstagram

🎧 MIDDLETIDE by Sarah Crouch
Genre: thriller
2 stars

Goodreads review: “idk if i could tell you a single thing about this book”
💭: this book is described as “gripping and intensely atmospheric” and unfortunately it was not gripping and only atmospheric but with no engaging plot everything fell flat and the atmospheric part made me bored which is sad bec it seemed so promising

A classic murder in a small town story with a picturesque Pacific Northwest setting. After a doctor is found dead under suspicious circumstances, Elijah, a man who has recently returned to his hometown finds himself under scrutiny.

This story was beautifully written and the characters were well developed however, I feel like the narrative was very slow to start and then super rushed at the end.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

Middletide was an atmospheric, small town mystery that had a unique plot point in that the crime is straight from the main character’s own novel. There was a lot of tragedy and low points in this book, but the first 60ish percent was still very slow moving for me. It felt like a lot of telling rather than showing, and as everything is revealed, you understand how it all connects but it didn’t make up for the slow start in my opinion. I was glad to see this one through but I was looking for more connection to the characters in the beginning.
Thank you Atria Books for the copy through NetGalley!

This was such a great story! I loved the setting and the pace was really compelling… I will definitely be recommending this one to my fellow bookworms and anyone who is looking for a great whodunit with some real character and steady storytelling!

Middletide is a story of complex characters and community, with the backdrop of the Puget Sound its own character. This book will be for lovers of Where the Crawdads Sing. It certainly was full of unexpected turns. Will definitely recommend!

The title captured my attention, and I went into this without reading the blurb.

Elijah returns home to the Pacific-Northwest area after a failed attempt at being a writer. His one and only book was panned so he sought comfort in the familiar by living alone in the cabin he grew up in. During this time he rediscovers a love for living off the land, and solitude, while still reminiscing about his childhood love who still lives in the area.

This story is told in 2 timelines - 70’s and 90’s, and through multiple POVs, primarily Elijah’s. Like I mentioned, I didn’t really know the premise of the book but I happily read and listened along, finding his day-to-day existence in this setting fascinating. Isolated but fascinating. It isn’t until the body found at the beginning of the book is tied to Elijah later that the story seems to gain specific direction. The murder eerily resembles the one in his novel, and he becomes the prime suspect. The change in tone gave me chills, and the addition of a diary as another POV made everything go topsy turvy. Everything I took for fact up until then went out the window. Honestly, it’s brilliant!

I don’t want to give anything away. This is a clever mystery that truly makes the reader wonder what’s the truth and what’s not. I loved how Crouch introduced the different POVs, adding nuanced layers to the story. She sneakily has you second-guessing everything.

Highlights:
* Suspense/ mystery
* Small town, Pacific Northwest
* Multiple POVs
* Self-discovery
* Second chance romance

Be aware of: grief (loss of child), strained relationship with parent (memory)

This is a quietly addictive, slow paced mystery that gradually picks up momentum, keeping you on your toes! I also listened to the audiobook excellently narrated by Kaleo Griffith. You can’t go wrong consuming this book in either format. Kudos to Sarah Crouch on her stunning debut!

Thanks to @atriabooks for my ARC in exchange for an honest review. Audiobook by @simon.audio borrowed through Libby app.

Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. This book was too slow paced for me, as I found myself bored with the plot of the story. I did not enjoy our main character Elijah, and I was not interested in reading from his perspective.

I don't understand how I haven't heard much of this book. The plot follows Elijah, a frustrated writer that published an unsuccessful novel and came back to his hometown to live in the cabin in the woods where he grew up. He finally finds contentment in his simple life when the body of the town's doctor is found in Elijah's propierty. This book is narrated with different timelines that provided good context relevant to the plot. The writing is engaging and well-paced, it doesn't have a crazy plot twist, it actually is very predictable, but I think its development is what really stood out. I especially liked Elijah's insights as a writer. Highly recommed.

Middletide is a slow burn mystery set in the Pacific Northwest. This novel was definitely heavy on the character study and atmosphere.

At times, I got frustrated with the pacing and found my mind wandering. I prefer my mysteries to be faster paced. However, Sarah Crouch is clearly a very skilled writer. I would love to see more books from her set in the PNW and I can’t wait to see what she does next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria publishing for the electronic arc.

My rating: 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

I enjoyed this one. I think if you liked Where The Crawdads Sing, it’s definitely worth checking out. Mystery, courtroom drama, and a love story at the core. Time jumps were a little confusing throughout. It wasn’t apparent how or why the 90’s were chosen as the time period of the book. Overall kept my interest throughout. The resolution was not as good as I felt it could have been.