So, the moment I saw this I immediately knew I had to read it because Soap Lake is indeed a real place, and its only about two hours from me!

There is a lot going on in this book. There is a lot of science-y stuff that sometimes felt like it was a bit of a slog, but there is also folklore, mystery and a good whodunit. I also really enjoyed learning about some of the cool properties of the lake, and while some of it is just for the story, a lot of it is true - and so cool to know that I have such an awesome natural resource just hours from me!

There are a lot of characters and it jumps between POVs and timelines, so I sometimes found myself confused for a minute, but I was definitely invested enough that I wanted to see where it ended up.

It was really neat that this was set near me and to see all the references to places I know, and in the end, I really enjoyed the story. Also, the cover is so fun!

I don't know if this one is for everyone, but I do think a lot of slow burn, dual timeline lovers will enjoy this one!

Thank you to Matthew Sullivan, the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

WOW! This book had be guessing from chapter 1 - the twists and turns! As a lover of twin peaks this book was oozing with those vibes, I can see why some readers have struggled to enjoy it but I however was not one of those people! There was something cerebral about this book that kept me wanting to read more and more!

Can't wait to recommend this book to everyone at my book club!

This book was so much more than I expected. On the surface, it’s a fast-paced mystery with some eerie, sci-fi vibes—but underneath, it’s packed with character growth, conspiracy, and some seriously strange small-town energy.

Abigail moves to Soap Lake to support her husband, but while he’s off traveling for work, she’s left to her own devices. Out of boredom, she starts exploring—and that’s when she stumbles across a strange young boy running through the desert. Things only get weirder from there.

Then there’s Esme, a local with one foot out the door—until life pulls her right back in. She’s fascinated by the town’s legend of Treetop, and that curiosity ends up dragging her deeper into the mystery than she ever planned.

There’s murder, local lore, a mysterious lake, corruption, and this undercurrent of something not quite natural. I loved how quirky the characters were and how the story blended genres—mystery, sci-fi, even a little folklore—without feeling chaotic.

Totally unique and genuinely gripping. If you like stories that are a little strange in the best way, this one’s worth the trip to Soap Lake.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advance copy!

"Midnight at Soap Lake" is a dual POV novel featuring two characters: Abigail, who is set in the present, and Esme, whose story takes place in the past. I found it challenging to immerse myself in the book, and I was left wondering about the actual events and who was truly responsible for what occurred. This story leans more towards a conspiracy thriller, requiring readers to connect various dots, and I’m still left trying to piece everything together. While I enjoyed certain aspects, I’m unsure if I would want to reread it, except perhaps to discover any details I might have missed. It’s unclear whether the cliffhanger was intentional, given that there will be a second book, or if it was meant to leave readers in suspense. Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC.

⛓️ ARC REVIEW ⛓️

Thank you so much @netgalley the author for my early copy of Midnight in Soap Lake that I FINALLY had a chance to get to 😅

I loved this story!! It was odd, it was eerie and it always had you thinking. The dual timeline and dual POV was an awesome addition, but hearing Esme’s story was so heartbreaking and tragic. What a series of events.

Honourable mention to the authors note at the end, I LOVED hearing true facts about the real Soap Lake 😈

Midnight in Soap Lake was released on April 15!

A newlywed new to town and alone after her husband suddenly decamps to a country on the other side of the world for a job becomes embroiled in a murder-mystery after happening upon a toddler while walking in the desert near her home.

An offbeat mystery whodunit set alongside Soap Lake, a real life body of water in the desert of Washington state, one of the most unique lakes on the planet containing deep layers undisturbed for millennia inhabited by special microorganisms scientists believe might hold information about extraterrestrials among other things—the setting is fascinating! As one might expect, this fictionalized small town is inhabited by quirky characters and strange history, there’s also spooky mythology, and layers of mystery. Though I’ve never watched Twin Peaks I think it’s probably a good comp to the vibe of this book based upon what I understand and that offbeat, suspenseful vibe is definitely the feature here.

I didn't love Midnight in Soap Lake, it's more plot forward than I typically prefer, but I found plenty to like for an overall enjoyable read. The hot, desert setting is perfect for summer and I like that Matthew Sullivan is offering something unique to the mystery-suspense genre.

Unfortunately, this book did not resonate with me. While the story was decent, it lacked important elements, such as character development. The twist at the end could have been surprising, but it felt formulaic, as I've encountered it in other books of the same genre. I have decided not to share my review on my social media profiles.

I feel like I missed something here. Maybe the mysticism is beyond me, or I wasn't in the right mood. This felt slow and confusing. Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

I started physically reading this and just was not a fan. So, I got it on audio. I enjoyed it much better in this format. I did enjoy the setting of Soap Lake. There is a little bit of science in this because of Soap Lake and that is always a plus for me. But, This story is about quite a few murders. But the ending will leave you hanging. There is no reasoning behind these murders. This is just an ok read for me. I wanted a bit more!

An entertaining read with a nebulous ending, Midnight in Soap Lake focuses on a woman who has followed her mad scientist husband to his dream research assignment, only for him to be pulled away by another irresistible mystery out of the country. With her career in flux and without knowing anyone in town, Abigail starts taking long walks on her own, where she eventually stumbles across a heartbreaking mystery that will take a complement of town misfits to mostly solve. Read this if you are looking for books about found family or strange towns, or urban legends.

What a weird and quirky delight! I loved this book and got into quickly and easily. I was invested in Abigail's journey, the community of Soap Lake, and the mystery of Tree Top. Hard to out down. This is definitely one of those times where an ARC just won't do...planning on getting a copy to keep!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read this one.

This was an okay read. The writing style had some nice moments, and a few scenes stood out, but overall it didn’t leave a strong impression. I liked some of the characters, though I didn’t feel very invested in what happened to them. As a piece of fiction, it had potential, but it didn’t quite come together for me. Not a bad book by any means—just not one that stuck with me after finishing.

3.5* rounded to 4. This is a classic case of don't judge a book by its cover! Once you start reading the book, the cover becomes an amazing visual for the story. Abigail finds herself following her husband's dream of moving to soap lake to conduct research on the strange properties of the water found there- ancient water that as been undisturbed since it's inception. Soon Abigail finds herself alone in the town and begins to connect with some locals, diving into a long unresolved string of crimes, deaths and mysteries that feel related. This book kept me guessing until the last minute, and its ending is plausible and mysterious at the same time. Thank you to #Netgalley and #HarlequinTradePublishing for the arc.

3.5 stars

Liked it, wanted more.

One of the biggest things for me was how strong and intriguing the novel was for the whole first half, or even the first 3 quarters. Ultimately, I was a little disappointed with how it ended. It was so intriguing seeing how everything layered together and trying to figure out where everything was going to land and how it all fit together. It was an enjoyable read. It was twisty and had me guessing. It had a good amount of disconcerting vibes throughout it, I just wanted something more from it at the end. I won't write about any spoilers, but I think if this book seems interesting, pick it up! It pulled me in enough that I had the audiobook and the actual book, and would alternate between the two. (The narration is great for the audio.)

Thank you so much to HTP and The Hive for the gifted copy of this novel! --Long live the world's largest lava lamp....stand. :)

The newest from the author of Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore, and it's still midnight. Strange deaths are happening in this mystical lake, and it was the perfect amount of magic and mystery for this reader. You will get frustrated if you try to understand exactly how everything "works", but if you just go with it, I think you'll find a whole lot to love about Midnight in Soap Lake.

This book stayed with me for a while! I was so drawn in to the characters, and the story was so engaging, I couldn't put this book down. It was such an ethereal setting, with enough atmosphere to make the town atmospheric enough to keep the story moving.

This book is a split timeline, and starts with Abigail, a young woman who moves to Soap Lake with her husband for his research, but is quickly left alone when he accepts another research opportunity in Poland. Feeling alone in their new hometown, Abigail starts exploring the remote town and it's own urban legend, TreeTop. While on a walk, she comes across a young boy, running across the surrounding desert, and then leads her to his mother, Esme, who Abigail discovers has died in her car. Abigail tries to discover what happened to Esme, and how she ended up where she was. The book also tells Esme's story, from her years of growing up in Soap Lake to when she finally left, giving context to the events happening with Abigail.

This was such an enjoyable read; I kept wanting to know more about the town and the people that live there. Abigail comes into her own, and develops her own strength as she connects with her small community. I really enjoyed reading how she gained confidence in herself, as well as Esme's own self-discovery. These two women had such depth to their story, and the sense of foreboding in the town added to my enjoyment of this book.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing for my advanced e-book copy, all opinions are my own.

Intriguing and fascinating. Kept me hooked
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Midnight in Soap Lake by Matthew J Sullivan
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In a town by a lake with mysterious properties, two women’s lifes intersect in a dangerous way. Abigail has moved here with her husband, who wants to research the lake. When she finds a young boy in the desert she wants to learn more about his mother, Esme.
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This book was a mysterious little present wrapped in multiple layers.
We follow both Abigail and Esme’s POVs and they were both interesting. What happened fo Esme? Who is TreeTop and is he really dangerous? And why is this lake so interesting to people?
I became more and more intrigued by the story the more I listened. There were some suspenseful moments where I was really worried.
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I love finding new bizarre little stories, if you do as well then check out this one. I listened to the audio and it was very good.

This was such a strange story that was way out in left Field. A figment of everyone’s imagination was confusing and the magical parts weren’t what I expected. I finally gave up reading it. This book is not for me. .

I'm still not sure if this book was for me. There were times I was really confused as to what was going on. The intermingingly stories was well done but there were times it felt like I either missed something or something was missing. The characters were really well described. You end up really feeling for Asme and what she went through. I can't imagine that happening while babysitting! Overall, it was fine.