I am a big fan of Riley Sager and have read all of this authors books. I was extremely excited to be able to read this ARC from NetGalley. It certainly did not disappoint and, although it was not my favourite, it was fun to read and the supernatural element gave it the chill factor I anticipated. I found it was a little slow in parts but the usual twists were there and the characters were interesting and likeable. All in all, a good read, and I look forward to the next one!

It’s 1994 Ten-year-old Ethan Marsh lives in a respectable and safe neighbourhood of Hemlock Circle or so he thought. One July evening he pitches a tent in his garden for himself and his friend Billy to sleep in. He hears a funny sound during the night but thinks nothing of it. The next morning her finds a slash in the tent and his friend Billy has disappeared, never to be seen again.
Thirty years later, Ethan has returned to his childhood home after his parents moved out and moved away. He is staying there temporarily until he decides to what he is going to do with his life and given now he can find out what happened to Billy all of them years ago. As there was no leads or suspects found at the time.
This is another dual timeline story from Riley Sager. From the time around Billy’s disappearance to present day. At first, I found this to be a rather slow but as I read on it got more interesting. This has a quite few threads and red herrings with a supernatural element to it along the way. I sympathize with Ethan you could feel his frustration and grief not only from Billy’s disappearance but other things going on in his personal life. This is another great read from the author. 4 stars from me.

Two 10year old boys camp in a garden overnight and one of them wakes alone.

A complex tale of grief and loss that twists and turns to a satisfying ending. The story of Billy’s disappearance and Ethan’s pursuit of the truth about what happened to his friend is part mystery part supernatural. A slower pace than usual from this author’s but this worked well to build up tension.

Thank you very much to NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton and Riley Sager for the ARC in exchange for a review. I devoured this book in one sitting and have a lot to say...

Plot:
Middle of the Night is a tale of two boys - one living and one presumed dead - the mysterious Institute, the suburban pocket that is Hemlock Circle, and the complex neighbouring characters who all seem a little bit culpable.
Poor little Billy disappeared from the tent he camped in with his sleeping best friend Ethan. The case quickly goes cold until Ethan returns to his childhood home and reignites the search for answers.
Absolutely everyone is a suspect at one point or another, with small crumbs of clues dropped throughout. I felt like Nancy Drew trying to figure out what had happened, changing suspects with each new chapter. None of my predictions were correct and the ending was as shocking as it was heart-rending.

Of course, there are supernatural threads weaved throughout; from spontaneous baseballs to bloody rituals. There were even scenes reminiscent of Paranormal Activity with nocturnal camera photographs. I don't think I'll be able to sleep peacefully again for fear of hearing the "scriiiiiiitch" in my dreams!

Opinion:
I can confidently give this book five stars. I absolutely loved the plot, I just couldn't put it down. The horror/thriller elements were enjoyable enough, but what truly stood out are the delicate and human themes that run through this story. They are subtle enough to not dampen the suspense, but so raw and relatable that I was utterly moved by them. Childhood trauma, grief, hyper introspection, friendships, existential crises, the human experience... these elements were all under the surface and I resonated with many of them. It elevated this novel from a breezy beach thriller to a teary-and-scared-in-a-dark-room read! I experienced so many emotions and was so deeply invested that I felt like more of a third-wheel in Ethan & Billy's friendship than Russ was.

But make no mistake: this was truly chilling and unnerving. Some portions I had to read through half-shut eyes as I was so on-edge, whilst simultaneously desperately speed-reading to unveil the horrors, intrigued and unnerved.

Equal parts character- and plot-driven, perfect pacing, wonderfully written, great twists, an incredible ending. This is the first of Sager's books that I've read, but I'm adding the others to my TBR!

Last points:
- *that* tent conversation absolutely broke my heart (I actually cried).
- Little Henry is my new favourite book character.
- I will be thinking about this book for a long time to come...

Billy and Ethan were 10 when they were camping out in Ethan's garden, when Ethan awoke in the morning Billy was gone, never to be seen again..
Fast forward to adulthood and Ethan is back at his childhood home with echo's of Billy everywhere.
What happened to him, is Ethan ever going to get the answer to this question which haunts him.
A bit thriller, a bit a paranormal with the twists you have come to expect from such an accomplished author.

Riley Sager is one of my favourite thriller writers. He can take any staple of the genre - in this case, the missing person - and turn it on its head and give it a fresh twist. A very enjoyable, tension filled book.

10 year old Billy and Ethan are best friends and neighbours. One July evening, whilst having their weekly camp out in Ethan's backyard, something goes horribly wrong. Ethan wakes in the morning to find a long slash in in the side of the tent and his friend Billy missing!

30 years later when Ethan returns to his childhood home, plagued by insomnia and recurring dreams of that night, strange things begin to occur. These events cause Ethan to further investigate what happened, and remember what he may have forgotten all those years ago.

This was a fantastic book by Riley Sager. I found it a little bit of a slow burn initially but by the half way point I couldn't put it down. There were some unexpected twists hidden in the storyline that I didn't see coming and enjoyed.

The characters were well developed, and I enjoyed the background given on them as the story progressed. I found the switching timelines helpful for this.

I'd highly recommend giving this book a read.

Thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge fan of Riley Sager so when the time came that i could finally sit and read Middle Of The Night i read it from beginning to end in one sitting and as usual i really enjoyed this book. Riley Sager is an incredible author, his books are always different and unique that it draws you in and will have you binge reading his other books after you've read this one.

The book follows Ethan who has returned to his childhood home Hemlock Circle 30 years later after his best friend Billy went missing whilst they were camping outside in Ethan's back garden and we follow Ethan as strange things start occuring at night and he starts his own investigation into what happened all those years ago.

I really liked this book, in some parts it is very creepy and has you wondering what is really going on. At times i thought i had the right idea but each time i was proved wrong. It is a fun thriller/mystery that will have you constantly guessing. I enjoyed the dual POVS of the characters, they felt very realistic. Set in a small neighbourhood we learn gradually about the neighbours and what happened that night.

The ending was really fun as i realised that the clues were all there and was very surprised i didn't realise that to the ending which i enjoy in books. Filled with twists and turns, supernatural aspects and at times grief and emotional moments which you will feel for. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend to other book readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the copy of this arc in exchange of my full honest review.

Ghostly feelings had me warily turning the pages of this book. The relationship between the characters was interesting and realistic. The mysterious circumstances were dying to be solved.

When 10yr old Billy is taken from a backyard sleepover the whole neighbourhood is plagued by its mystery for the next thirty years.

Ethan, as the protagonist, lacked some oomph as a character, I personally found him to be quite dull at times. There was a lack of character development across the board in this book. However, I don’t read Riley Sager for the character development, I read his books to be enthralled by twisty plots and jaw-dropping revelations and this didn’t disappoint. While I personally didn’t appreciate the paranormal side of the plot, the twists kept me so engaged.

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this to anyone who loves a Sager novel.

A hit for me after not enjoying the last few Riley Sager books (I never give up on a an author I like!) I loved the relationships between the characters as they felt authentic and the worry I had about the “ghostly” storyline was kept away by some beautifully poetic writing and gripping scenes. I can highly recommend this one!

I am such a big fan of Riley Sager books and when this approval came through from NetGalley I was so happy! His books are always so unique and fun to read and middle of the Night was no different. Although this one was a bit slower to start, it didn’t stop me from binge reading it in a few hours. I loved the creepiness of the story, the night scenes especially. The supernatural element added to the darkness and freaked me out.

Ethan was 10 years old when his best mate Billy was taken from the tent they were camping in Ethan’s backyard. Billy hasn’t been seen since. Now 30 years later, Ethan returns to his childhood home for the first time, he starts to reconnect with his friends from his youth. And then strange things start happening, usually in the dead of night, Ethan has been an insomniac for years and years and uses this time to investigate.

I loved this book. My mind was all over the place for most of the book, trying to figure it all out. I did not see that ending coming at all. I felt for Ethan and his inability to sleep, been there many times in my life.

Another winner from Riley Sager. I feel so grateful to Hodder and Stoughton for allowing me to read an early copy.

Published on July 2nd, fans will love it.😊

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Dutton for sending me an e-ARC copy, in exchange for my honest review.

The cover is stunning. Simple, retro and I love that! The house I imagined was different than the one on the cover though, haha.

When I received this book, I was excited to read it. It was my second book by Riley Sager. The first being Lock Every Door, that was a good read. However, I was led to disappointment. Middle of the Night was just not it.

It was dull and at some point there were stuff that kept on repeating throughout the book. Uneeded fillers.

The main character, Ethan Marsh, was rather unlikable. At the beginning he was meh, then he got annoying with his liking of jump to conclusions. As a child he was spoilt, since he was an only child of an upper-middle class family. Reading his POV as a child I started to realise he was self-centered. Even as an adult he sort of still was. Made me dislike him, sorry.

Billy was Ethan's best friend from next door. Although, if Ethan had options, he wouldn't have chosen Billy as his best friend. There was Russ Chen, another neighbour but that boy wouldn't have been an option either. Ethan was lowkey embarassed of Billy, especially of Billy's big interest for ghosts. He tried to surpress this embarassment, until one day he exploded.

Honestly, the part when Ethan had his outburst, my heart broke for Billy. I get Ethan's anger- at how he was peer pressured to trespass earlier that day, and felt left behind by Billy. But what he said was way harsh.

I believe Billy knew people called him strange, but he didn't care. Except when his own best friend thought so too, and this best friend also told him to go die so that Billy can meet ghosts...I think that broke Billy. Like the boy woke up in the middle of the night, decided to go to the Institute (walking through the freaking woods, BAREFOOT), and wouldn't have minded if he didn't return home. He wanted to crossover...He was ten.

I liked the existence of the Institute being a mile behind their houses, and I wished the author had written something more wow regarding the Institute.

The killer's identity was surprising for me, even though I should have suspected them. I guess it was the audacity of them acting all fine throughout the book threw me off slightly.

And oh!

I hated Andy's reaction when he found out the truth. Like thanking her...I mean I get he was glad that he found out the truth. She might have killed Billy on accident, but she threw the body into the lake, and kept the secret for 30 YEARS! Ashley deserved jail.

The ending was definitely fiction, since there's no way it was that simple for someone unrelated to the child to gain custody (to adopt) them that simply.

A fun and exciting book! I couldn't put it down (thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read it early).

The story is about Ethan, who goes back to his old house after 30 years. His best friend Billy disappeared from his backyard in the middle of the night when they were kids.

Back in his old neighborhood, weird stuff starts happening, and Ethan tries to figure out what happened to Billy.

This book is a fun mystery, it's not too scary and it's easy to read. I kept guessing what might have happened to Billy, and my ideas kept changing.

I liked that the story takes place in a small neighborhood and that we also hear from some of the neighbors. The ending surprised me, but the clues were there all along!

If you like easy-to-read mysteries, this is a great book for you!

Having read and thoroughly enjoyed my first Riley Sager book last year, I was excited to see what Middle of the Night had in store for us! For me to feel invested in a book I need intrigue from the very first chapter, and with Middle of the Night I was immediately gripped by the mystery of it all and the question of what had happened to Billy all those years ago.

I quite liked that the book was primarily set on one small street, and it really encompassed that “moving back to your hometown” feeling. The multiple POVs kept the dual timelines interesting, and each gave us another piece of the puzzle when it came to finding out what happened to Billy (and that came as a surprise to me!). For me, the only real downside to this book was the introduction of the supernatural - I’m just not the biggest fan of supernatural elements appearing in storylines that could otherwise be realistic.

Overall, I really liked Middle of the Night. Whilst I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as The Only One Left, it was still a great read and one I would recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder Books for this arc in exchange for my honest review

Rating: 3⭐️
I recently got the amazing opportunity by Net Galley to read the ARC for this book and let me tell you it did not disappoint.

Middle of the night takes you on a wild ride around the disappearance and emotions regarding 10 year old Billy’s disappearance.

This book displays trigger warnings of: drug addiction, bullying, child loss, homophobia, grieving, depression and anxiety.

Things that I liked about this book:

Firstly, the cover of this book is stunning, eye-catching and possibly my favourite Riley Sager cover.
I LOVED the paranormal atmosphere and aspect to this book because it took it from an ordinary, overdone close nit neighbourhood thriller ‘who done it’ and make it special and unique. I also loved how Riley wrote all of the characters and made them all distinguishable to the reader as this has been a problem of mine with thrillers in the past. I think that the past and present timeline in the book also helped with this. Another thing to note is Riley’s ability to drip thrilling and suspenseful elements into his books at the perfect timings to keep the suspense for the reader and engagement throughout.

Things that I disliked about the book:

The first thing to note is that I wasn’t connected to the main character Ethan and found him very boring and repetitive. This made his segments of the book really unexcitable to read about.
I also didn’t like how the story seemed to be thrown together. There would be times in the book where something big would happen and the question as to ‘why’ was never answered. This led to a very jumbled storyline. I also found it to be very predictable being able to guess what was going to happen which isn’t ideal for a thriller book. Whilst I still really enjoyed this book this is ultimately what led to my 3⭐️ rating as this wasn’t the case for me in the other Riley Sager books I’ve read.

The Middle Of The Night by Riley Sager

Well this book certainly had me hooked, I raced through it.

Ethan has returned to his childhood home 30 years after his best friend Billy went missing in the middle of the night whilst camping in Ethan's back garden.

Strange things start going on in the small cul de sac where Ethan now lives (along with most of the original neighbours who lived there when Billy went missing) and he begins to investigate Billy's disappearance.

This is a fun, not too heavy thriller that you do need to suspend a bit of belief to enjoy. I whizzed through it fully enjoying creating theories about what happened to Billy, changing my mind every few chapters.

I always love a little neighbourhood setting and enjoyed the short chapters from other neighbours that filled in some extra details.

The reveal was interesting and I realised the clues where there all along, I just hadn't noticed them! Not such a top detective after all!

Definitely recommend this fun easy read!

Middle of the Night is a slow burn thriller with a supernatural edge, made richer by an underlying layer of grief and trauma. I’m not sure the events all stand up to close scrutiny after reading, but that didn’t bother me in the journey - I was invested in the central characters - both present and during the period leading up to the vanishing of Billy - and enjoying the ride.

Riley Sager is one of my auto-read authors, having read nearly all of his work minus Final Girls.

Middle of the Night starts off quite slowly as Ethan establishes himself back in his childhood home which is filled with the bad memories of his best friend going missing.

10 year old Billy was suspected of being abducted from Ethan's backyard after a night of camping together. With very little evidence and no leads it continues to plague a guilt ridden Ethan for 30 years as he was the last one to see his friend alive.

Admittedly in the first half I didn't think that I was going to like the book very much as there wasn't really a lot going on but at the halfway mark things got moving.

I loved that the book changed from past and present and really honed in on Ethan's grief and trauma of the fateful night that changed everything.

The story has twists, turns and emotional moments that really make you feel for those involved.

The conclusion does have a lose thread that could easily unravel the plot but we aren't going to pull it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the arc.

Middle of the road for me rather that ‘middle of the night’.

Was very excited to read and I love the cover.

Have read and enjoyed several other books by the author.

I really liked the ‘ghost’ parts and stories and liked Henry as a character. Also enjoyed the premise and the settings - the Institute and Hemlock Circle.

What I felt was less effective was the story (predictable to me) and the characterisation. Ethan was frustrating as a character and the sections reflecting the earlier time period a little cheesy. The ‘bow’ at the end was a bridge too far in reality. Hard to comment without any spoilers but overall a lot of development for a small fizzle ending.

Overall, the writing is fast-paced and enough to engage most readers but not enough ‘wow’ for me and too many minor annoyances to rate any higher than average.

Thanks to Netgallery/author and publishers for the e-book advance copy.