Midnight in Soap Lake by Matthew Sullivan is based on a fascinating actual lake! The story is part science fiction, part murder mystery, and part urban legend. I expected a more unusual ending based on the rest of the book. In addition, I finish unsure if I even understand the reasons why behind the mystery. Nevertheless, I am fascinated by the place.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2025/04/midnight-in-soap-lake.html

Reviewed for NetGalley and the Harlequin Trade Publishing's Winter 2025 Blog Tour Program.

well-written, almost felt like it might be a 5 star read, but then the ending ended super vaguely, which could be setting up a sequel or just the ending style it's going for but it doesn't work very well in a mystery. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #HarlequinTradePublishing for the book #MidnightInSoapLake by #MatthewSulivan. Abigail has moved to Soap Lake with her husband for research for his job. Soon after they move there he has to take a long trip to Poland for work. She is so alone and soon finds herself tangled in a murder of a young mother. As she delves into finding who is behind this murder, she is putting herself in danger. Can she escape this alive?

An interesting small town mystery with lots of twists and turns. It didn’t keep my interest as I hoped it would since it seemed a bit far fetched with a character made out to be a figment of people’s imagination and a special lake with mythical properties.

Abigail and her husband move to Soap Lake, WA for his research career. The town of Soap Lake is home to many quirky characters and the town holds its secrets close. Abigail soon becomes a part of the town’s mysterious narrative and discovers how dangerous its secrets can be to those who try to uncover them.

The setting initially drew me into the story and I found this to be an intriguing listen. I was invested in the characters and was eager to put together the pieces of their pasts. At the end of the book, though, I felt as if many of my questions were left unanswered. This appeared to be an intentional move by the author, but I was hoping for more resolution.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Audio, and Hanover Square Press for advanced copies of this title (both audio and ebook).

Mystery | Adult
[cover image]
When Abigail’s lake biologist husband Eli takes a job in Washington state, she imagines towering trees, craft beer, and quirky townsfolk. She gets only the quirkiness, and a loneliness that settles in when Eli heads to a temporary position in Poland. On a late night walk, a bloodied little boy comes stumbling out of the desert and into her arms, landing Abigail in the middle of a murder investigation involving a terrifying urban legend, an ecological mystery, a history of tragedies and addictions, and even a half-built giant lava lamp. The story is told in two timelines by Abigail and Esme, the little boy George’s mother. I loved the narrative style, eerie setting, twisting plot and odd people. And kudos to author Sullivan for his vocabulary – I had to look up limnologist, solipsistic and several more words. The plot goes get a wee bit too complicated in parts, but if you enjoyed <i>Twin Peaks</i> on tv you’ll like this one! And check out the awesome cover! Soap Lake really does exist, by the way. It’s in the eastern desert half of Washington State, and about 3 hours south of my Grand Forks, BC home. It’s very cool, actually – deserts, climbing cliffs, canals and rivers. We’d planned to camp there and explore this summer … Oh well. Back to the book. It’s being published in a couple days, under the changed title <i>Midnight in the Orchard by the Lake</i>, though I haven’t seen the new cover yet. My thanks to Hanover Square Press for the review copy provided digitally through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
More discussion and reviews of this novel: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/210827823

I enjoyed the story, though there were times I was a little confused if I didn't pay attention to whose point of view I was reading. I loved the setting, a small town where everyone knew each other and was full of secrets. The urban legend really added to the mystery of the town and made it that much more creepy.

Thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for the eARC!

This was a really interesting one! I started off unsure as the beginning was a little slow and I couldn't get a sense of what kind of story this was going to be because I didn't read the synopsis. It definitely gave sketchy small town vibes with an 80s feel to it despite the two timelines being fairly current.

I became so much more invested as I got deeper into the murder mystery of what happened to Esme, and how a weird lake and creepy town mascot were involved. I was wrapped up in Abigail's journey as she unburied town secrets, and following the past and present timelines until they ultimately came together.

I may have been a little skeptical at the start, but I definitely became immersed in the story. The ending has my heart aching, but it was a very enjoyable read. Get your copy to discover TreeTop and the magical lake!

This is the first book I have read by Matthew Sullivan, so I didn't know what to expect. What I got was a book of suspense, murder, an urban legend, mysterious lakes, water and irrigation, family, and fighting for what is right. Has a kind of "It" feel to the book. Abigail moves to Soap Lake, Washington, with her husband. He has received a grant to investigate the healing properties of a lake. When her husband is called out of town for a few months, Abigail gets sucked into a mystery when a blood-soaked boy comes running to her while walking. What happens as she begins to try to piece together what occurred the night Esme, the boy's mother, was murdered, leads her from one clue, to the next, and to the next. Lots of suspense, new friendships, and twists, to reach the end. Thank you to Mr. Sullivan, Hanover Square Press, and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I'm still not really sure what I think of this one. It was interesting and I did enjoy parts of it but I'm not sure on some parts. Overall an interesting read

The plot follows two women whose lives intersect and offers multiple points of view and timeline crossovers through alternate chapters. Abigail has moved to Soap Lake in support of her husband. She is left alone when he is away traveling for work, and out of boredom, she begins to explore, leading her to find a mysterious young boy running through the desert. She is intrigued enough to investigate the history and secrets of this unusual town. Esme is a Soap Lake local who is interested in the legend of Treetop. She intends to leave the town, but events lead to her return. The book contains elements of mystery, conspiracy, legends, and a paranormal aspect. It is not within the usual genre but provides lots of intrigue.

Just when I thought I knew who did it, I discovered how many layers Treetop had. I enjoyed learning about the real Soap Lake region and Lava Lamp. Treetop is truely creepy because he has been around for years and may continue to be (sequel?)
Superb writing kept me engaged and loved the character of Sophia trying to stay clean, get a job, provide for herself. And then take over for Preston's investigations.

Midnight in soap lake is a mix of mystery and small town secrets. Abigail is the main character who is married to Eli, they both recently moved to soap lake so Eli could study the lake. Abigail make it her mission to find out what’s really going on in soap lake. I wish the author would have separated the chapters out by saying present and past in the titles to help keep time straight, and I also feel that there was some unneeded fluff in here where the book could have been made a bit shorter

Pros:
• Unique setting
• Engaging mystery with unexpected turns
• Well-developed characters.

Cons:
• A slow start that requires patience.
• Some plot points feel unresolved

I’m happy today to be bringing you this novel; it was an engaging read by a new author to me. It was part mystery that is current day, but with tie-ins to the past that were integral to the plot and the over all mystery of the lake. There were family secrets, murder, missing children, and a lake that held secrets of its own. I really liked the characters in this story and the overall “quirkiness” of the setting (though based on a real place – lava lamp plans and all!). Don’t miss the author’s note at the end.

Thank you for my copy and for making me part of the tour!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hanover Square Press for the opportunity to read and review Midnight in Soap Lake by Matthew Sullivan. All opinions are my own.

Welcome to Soap Lake, a body of water with lots of healing stories and a small town holding on by a nail to survive. Our main character in the current timeline is Abigail and she has moved to this small town with her husband who is a scientist that will study the properties of the lake. Early upon arriving to Soap Lake her husband must travel to Poland for 6 months to pursue another study of lake water, leaving Abigail alone. During his absence Abigail learns more about Soap Lake than she probably bargained for. The second main character is Esme, born and raised in Soap Lake, and we follow most of her life from a timeline in the past. Eventually circumstances bring the two timelines together. Not to mention we add in a folklore story about TreeTop that is just creepy.

I really liked this book. Very unique storytelling. I don't think I have read anything like it in the past. For some reason I totally got Twin Peaks kind of vibes. The two main characters are likeable and smart. This cast has many characters to follow, but it was not overwhelming in any way. The book cover is great and upon reading the story everything on the cover makes so much sense now. I enjoyed going back in forth in time as the author tends to answer any questions you may and gives you more clues as to how this story is going to end. Again, I really liked this one. If you like mysteries with some weirdness attached to it, this one might be for you. Midnight in Soap Lake is now available at all major retailers to purchase. Happy Reading!!

rounding down from 4.3 stars

When I started this book I expected an Erin Brockavich type scenario mixed with a Slenderman type lore.

This was so much more! There was murder, local lore, corruption, mystery, and serious character growth.

At times you are left wondering if you are just looking for conspiracies that don't exist or if you're actually onto something.

This was quite different from other suspense novels I've read. it kept me intrigued and I'm anxious to read another book by Matthew J. Sullivan

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Welcome to Soap Lake. A town to rival Twin Peaks and Stephen King's Castle Rock.

This is a really unique story with quirky characters, a mysterious lake, and a mystery to solve. I really liked the use of dual times to tell this story! I definitely connected with Esme and Abigail. I recommend going into this one blind and avoiding spoilers. This isn’t one of those books where everything will be perfectly be tied up at the end…but if you like a little extra mystery in your life, I would give this a read!

✨What to Expect:
🏡Small Town
🌊Lake With Mysterious Properties
🔍Mystery
⁉️Thriller Vibes
⏰Dual Timelines
🔪Urban Legends
🧩Puzzle Hunt Scenarios
💖Quirky Characters

I definitely love the quirky small town and the inclusion of elusive urban legends. It definitely helped move the story especially when the plot got slow. It was paced well most of the time but there were some times that dragged with the characters. That could have been a me thing, but I didn’t feel overly attached to the characters. I did love the relatability of the monotonous vibe of the small town until it was upended by tragedy. It was a slower thriller read for me, but I still enjoyed it. Plus the cover is absolutely too notch for me. I love the randomness of it and that’s what drew me in.

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

3.5 stars. This started out as a really interesting premise but ended up a little confusing and long. It was hard to understand the motivations of any of the characters - particularly Abigail. But it was well written and an interesting story. I loved Matthew J. Sullivan's last book but this one didn't pull me in in the same way. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

3.5 stars - overall I liked this book. I liked the different POVs and timelines intersecting. I was scared of Treetop!! Initially I was drawn to the cover because I was curious what this would be about, but putting treetop on the cover would sell as horror!! There was a lot of scientific jargon about the lake that I didn’t really understand.