While browsing through the shelf of ‘new’ mystery books at my local library recently, I came across one by an author who was new to me. It turned out to be a very good selection to read, as I have since discovered that Riley Sager is a bestselling author of nine previous books. His books have been highly rated by Amazon, with one being a Best of the Month Pick (Survive the Night - 2021), and with all of them consistently being listed in the Amazon Editors' favorites in the category of Mystery, Thriller, and Suspense books.
Synopsis of Middle of the Night
The summer when Ethan Marsh was 10-years-old, he and his best friend and next-door neighbor, Billy, camped out in a tent in the backyard of his quiet New Jersey home located on a quiet, safe cul-de-sac. The next morning, Ethan woke up alone. Sometime during the night, someone had sliced the tent open with a knife. Billy disappeared and was never seen again.
It is now thirty years later and Ethan has returned to his childhood home. After several years of marriage, he is once again alone and his parents have just retired to Florida. Ethan takes over the house he grew up in to be onsite to sell it for his folks. Ethan is reluctant to be there, as it brings back the memories of the night Billy disappeared and adds to the bad dreams he has been experiencing of that time.
Then Ethan begins to notice strange things happening. Someone seems to be roaming the cul-de-sac at odd hours, and signs of Billy’s presence keep appearing in Ethan’s backyard. Is this a cruel prank or has Billy (long thought to be dead) returned?
All this prompts Ethan to investigate what really happened that summer night so long ago. His journey reunites him with former friends and neighbors and leads him into the surrounding woods where Billy claimed ghosts roamed and where a mysterious institute on a crumbling estate plays a role.
Summary
As Ethan gets closer to the truth of what happened that long ago summer night, he realizes that no place is completely safe – and that the past can haunt the present.
A suspenseful psychological thriller with compelling characters and unexpected plot twists.
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*Book review of Middle of the Night written by Wednesday Elf
