Who would have thought that you wrote a book and someone copies it to the t for a murder, which then gets blamed on you. Elijah moves back to Point Orchards after failing as a writer and his father passes away. He starts to clean up his father's land and house plus lives off that land. Elijah ends up dating the local doctor and then Dr. Erin ends up dead. Elijah is automatically put as the suspect and finds himself defending himself.

I loved the writing and the unfolding of the story. There is a lot of back and forth to past and present.

Thank you #NetGalley for the advance copy!

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc. I was originally interested in this book because others have said it similar to where the crawdads sing. It does have parts that are similar, but not as much as I was anticipating some parts are fast and some parts are slow, but overall a decent read three out of five stars.

I really enjoyed this! I thought the love story amid the murder mystery was a nice touch. I love that their love story had levels and history. It was very atmospheric and bingeable.

.3.5 stars
I’m so sorry to do this to a debut— it seems I am totally in the minority, but this was a sludggggge for me. Soooo slowwww.

At first, I got sucked in with the scenery and descriptive qualities that reminded me of Crawdads (minus a marsh)… and a small town mystery, but then the backstory was not at the pace I desired to solve a mystery. It was way too character driven and chunks of time in the cabin/around the house could have been left out. I did enjoy a book within a book, that's one of my favorite tropes.

Similar to Crawdads, it ends with a trial, so there’s that😆

A gripping and atmospheric whodunit mystery. Overall an interesting plot, a bit of a slow burn that culminates in a satisfying twist. A solid read but would have benefited from better pacing

This was so good! Giving 4 stars instead of 5 because I got a bit bored in the middle, but it all made sense at the end during Elijah's trial.

Highlights:
✨Blended Genres: This book defies easy categorization. It incorporates elements of coming of age, crime fiction, a book within a book, and a slow-burn whodunit mystery.
✨I struggled with why the author included a fictitious Indigenous tribe that practices Christianity.
✨Narration: Kaleo Griffith's narration enhances the story, making it captivating and easy to follow across all timelines. Quick listen.

Bottom Line: The debut novel beautifully captures the PNW setting and effectively delves into themes of grief and loss. But, the strange romance, implausible murder investigation, and underwhelming courtroom scenes resulted in me not loving this one as much as others did.

4 Stars

This book had a very interesting plot that was the star of this book. This is a murder mystery with a crazy twist! I didn't feel like I got to know the characters very well though. They were all just kind of there. Otherwise this would of been a 4.5 Stars. But I did enjoy the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for the opportunity to read this book.

Elijah returns to his small, rural PNW hometown after a failed writing career in his 20s.
Now in his 30s his debut novel proved less than stellar and now out of print, Middletide seems eerily similar to his real life situation. Dr. Erin Landry, his ex girlfriend, is found deceased on his property and all the evidence points to him as the prime suspect.
Can he prove to everyone and his childhood love, Nakita, of his innocence?

The mannerisms between Elijah, law enforcement, and the entire courtroom scenes come off as strongly unrealistic. It felt rushed and disconnected me as a reader.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for allowing me to read and review Middletide.

This little mystery was so easy to read and a quick read as well. I only had one real issue with it, and that is it jumped around too much. What I liked a lot was that it was told in more than one timeline, so as I read the book I could look for clues of things in the "past timeline" to see if/what I could figure out...I'm definitely not very good detective material.

It starts with a very pastoral and serene setting with a couple people fishing. That scene resonated with me until there was a discovery of a dead body. That began a mystery with twists and turns, and one that was told in such a way that I really could feel like I was a detective. Nothing is usually exactly as it seems and such was the case with this mystery.

I also loved the characters of Elijah and Nakita and how relatable they were. Both were down to earth and struggled with aspects of their lives (as most of us do), so seeing them as real people with character flaws and all, they were just so likable.

This was a quick read about someone coming home after a less than successful career. He's a different person and things a definitely not the same. It was a little hard to follow at the beginning of the book as the dates moved and it wasn't as clear to me. I did suspect some of the end but not all.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I was captivated from the very first chapter and could not stop until I found out the truth. Definitely would recommend to friends!

In the realm of literary thrillers, few novels manage to weave together a compelling mystery with richly atmospheric settings and deep character development. “Middletide” by Sarah Crouch is one such novel that not only enthralls readers with its intricate plot but also immerses them in the evocative landscape of Point Orchards, a small town nestled along the Puget Sound.
The story opens on a serene morning shattered by the grim discovery of Dr. Erin Landry’s body, an event that sets the stage for a tale of suspense and intrigue. The initial verdict of suicide quickly unravels as Sheriff Jim Godbout uncovers unsettling parallels between Erin’s death and the fictional murder in Elijah Leith’s novel. This coincidence thrusts Elijah, a struggling writer grappling with his own failures, into the center of a real-life mystery that mirrors his literary creation.

Elijah’s return to his childhood home in Point Orchards is not just a retreat from his professional woes but a journey into self-discovery and redemption. His efforts to restore his father’s dilapidated cabin and reconnect with Nakita, the woman he wronged yet cannot forget, are poignant threads that intertwine with the central mystery. The town’s mounting suspicion against Elijah propels the narrative forward, as he must navigate a labyrinth of betrayal and deceit to prove his innocence.

As a reader, I was captivated by the atmospheric quality of “Middletide.” Crouch’s ability to paint the small-town setting in vivid strokes is remarkable, creating a backdrop that feels almost like a character in itself. While the pacing may have been measured at times, this deliberate tempo allowed for a deeper exploration of the characters’ inner worlds and the town’s undercurrents of tension and secrets.

The resolution of the mystery is where “Middletide” truly shines. It is both intriguing and original, steering clear of clichés and offering a denouement that is as satisfying as it is unexpected. The characters, especially Elijah and Nakita, are endearing in their flaws and struggles, making their journeys resonate with authenticity and emotional depth.

In conclusion, “Middletide” is a testament to Sarah Crouch’s storytelling prowess. It is a novel that not only provides a gripping whodunit but also examines themes of love, loss, and revenge with nuance and sensitivity. For those who appreciate a thriller that challenges the mind while touching the heart, “Middletide” is a literary gem that should not be missed.

Middletide brings us in to a small town after the suspicious death of a young doctor. The nature and setting of this book is well played and can be considered a character in itself. As far as the indigenous people written into this book there seem to be some inconsistencies and plot holes that were a snag for me. I did like that there was a bit of a twist and it wasn't totally unrealistic. Overall a good book, I would compare it to Where the Crawdads sing in it's presentation.

Interesting mystery and a quick read.

At fist, this story is a bit confusing. Keep track of the dates at the start of each chapter and it will get easier -but, at the start, it's really hard to remember which Elijah and other characters are which. But it's a very fast read. It has an interesting twist, one I think many will enjoy, as even just past halfway I had suspects but not all the facts yet. The very end felt a bit rushed but I was entertained and enjoyed this one.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

I know I didn’t read the blurb before taking the advanced reader opportunity here – if I like a cover and it gets presented to me generically as “mystery” or “thriller” I’ll read the book. I also don’t know why my hopes were so high for this one, but they were. Maybe if I had lower expectations it would have worked better for me.

I thought the story here was about a young doctor whose body is found hanging in a remote area only accessible by water and the attempt to figure out if it was suicide or murder (and if murder, the whodunit). And it was about that, but it also timehopped right away to some teenage love story that I absolutely was not digging whatsoever. I’ll blame myself for not being aware of the “Crawdads” comparison (a book which I loved, by the way, but either because right time/right place is everything for me or because it was “fresh” enough that I got absorbed). This love story portion did not seem particularly fresh, nor did all the "homesteading" about a boy who returns to his small hometown after failing as a novelist who knows all about how to not only forage everything edible off the land as well as how to can veggies and make homemade jams and preserves, but somehow doesn't think about fishing until he has a real Homer Simpson "DOH!" moment and wishes he knew how to make a pancake. Srsly? Not to mention the real rush towards justice at the end with a nearly zero page trial thrown in complete with surprise exhibits and witnesses that 100% does not happen in real life. And don't even get me started the big “twist” when it came to the reveal. Chrissy Teigen eesh face for sure.

ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Kudos to Sarah Crouch on her debut novel, ‘Middletide’. A suspenseful mystery with a very interesting twist. I would definitely Italy be interested in Ms. Crouch’s future books.

Genre: Literary Fiction, Mystery
{TW: suicide, grief/loss, intimate partner violence}

From the moment I picked this book up, I couldn't put it down. I am absolutely dumbfounded that this has not gotten much more acclaim and attention since it's release in June 2024. Crouch writes a story that is both beautiful and suspenseful at the same time, with atmospheric writing similar to William Kent Kruger and Delilah Owens. I loved the love story that served as a background plot to the larger plot about what it means to move on in life after significant grief and loss and this theme of the story was done so incredibly well. She wrote a story that gives life to the idea that grief comes in all shapes and sizes and there is no right way to heal.

Crouch is an outstanding writer and I was compelled to find out how the story ended while also rooting for each and every character...even the ones who turned out to not be so great. Overall, I will recommend this book to anyone and everyone who will listen because it was that good. Do yourself a favor, read the damn book.

What a pleasant surprise this was. I am a fan of mysteries and more so the classic text books ones. Throw court room procedural drama and you had me! I could not stop reading this. Very well done, gripping and I couldn’t believe the resolution was the one I was thinking of because I was sure I was wrong!

This book was a joy to read. I enjoyed the way the story flowed and I had a few moments that kind of made me question a few things. The characters were very interesting and I had smile quite a few times. This author really knows how to tell a story that will captivate you from the very beginning. I highly recommend this book and this author.