Book Review: Middletide by Sarah Crouch

“In this gripping and intensely atmospheric debut, disquiet descends on a small town after the suspicious death of a beautiful young doctor, with all clues pointing to the reclusive young man who abandoned the community in chase of big city dreams but returned for the first love he left behind. Perfect for fans of All Good People Here and Where the Crawdads Sing…”

Goodreads blurb for Middletide

Review:

I see a lot of people comparing this book to Where the Crawdads Sing. Though I’ve been curious about that book, I’ve yet to read it. I was kind of glad about this as I didn’t have a comparison in mind. 

Dr. Erin Landry’s body is found on Elijah Leith’s property. The death is eerily similar to one of Elijah’s novels, making him the prime suspect. Neighbors and residents of the town think him guilty and Elijah has to prove his innocence. 

This book had a calm intrigue. I didn’t find it particularly gripping, making it difficult to endure the slow pace. I also found the characters unremarkable, treading on the path of irritating at times. In general, a lot of the story and situations felt unrealistic. What I did enjoy was the writing itself, particularly how well the author captures the tone and atmosphere. 

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing a free digital ARC of the book to read and review!

Likes & Dislikes:

What I liked:

• The atmosphere of the book.
• Strong writing.

What I didn’t like:

• Some plot lines felt like a stretch.
• Unremarkable characters.

Afterthoughts:

I nearly chose this as my Book of the Month when it was offered but decided against it given I’m on a losing streak with my past picks as of late. I was glad to see that this was available as a ‘read now’ option on NetGalley so I could read it before deciding if I wanted a physical copy. I must say that I’m disappointed that this didn’t end up being a book I enjoyed enough to own.

Where to buy the book: