Fantastic book with great core characters. Recommend to friends for anyone who loves this genre of book!

Wow!

Firstly, thank you so much to Netgalley, Hodder & Stoughton and Riley Sager for allowing me to read this book in exchange for honest feedback. I was approved for the ARC a wee while ago and, at the time, I was really struggling to find the time and right headspace to read.

Anyway, fast forward to now and I have just DEVOURED this book!! I'm kicking myself for not reading it sooner because it was genuinely one of the best mystery / thriller books that I've had the pleasure of reading!

The pace of the book was brilliant - it kept me hooked throughout with no dips or slow areas. There were A LOT of twists and 'holy sh*t' moments throughout the storyline, especially at the end of chapters. Normally I'l guess what's going to happen fairly early on, but this time I was really pleasantly surprised. I read a fair bit of the story in bed and, I'm not going to lie, I was a wee bit creeped out with 'ghostly' goings-on!! I won't spoil anything but it definitely gave me the heebie jeebies!

The chapters flowed really well together. The only thing that confused me a wee bit was the fact that the other characters' chapters didn't have their name at the top to indicate that we had moved from Ethan's POV, but after a sentence or two, it was clear what characters' perspective it was from.

Overall, I thought this was a brilliant book and it absolutely stands out against other thrillers for me. I highly recommend it (especially as a Halloween read!) and will be checking out more of Riley's books! Thank you so much.

My first Riley Sager read and it’s safe to say it won’t be my last!! This is spoooooky and will 100% be a great read for anyone during autumn! I couldn’t have seen the ending coming at any point, even though it was definitely foreshadowed. I also didn’t expect the last chapter to make me cry omg??? 🥲🥲🥲 my heart hurts !!!

Not my favourite Riley Sager but also not my least favourite.

The atmosphere was immersive - loved the setting and the nostalgic 90s vibe. It had some genuinely creepy moments that had me questioning is there something paranormal happening or is there a more human explanation.

It was also interesting to read a Riley Sager book that (1) follows a male protagonist and (2) is multi-POV.

I thought the pacing started strong... then there was a lull in the middle where I was bored before it picked up again towards the end.

Some of the twists were so obvious I rolled my eyes when they were finally revealed, however, there were also some twists I didn't see coming which I always appreciate.

I thought the ending and how everything came together was clever but it wasn't as shocking and over-the-top as some of Riley Sager's other books so I can see some people finding it underwhelming if you have that expectation.

On a perfectly normal day in 1994 ten year old Ethan wakes up in his tent in his back garden and realises that the tent has been slashed and that his friend Billy has gone. After much searching Billy is never found and the residents of the small tight night community of Hemlock Circle never fully recover from this loss. Years later and Ethan returns to his childhood home; strange things start to happen and Ethan begins to wonder if Billy is haunting him in order to find the truth.

I really empathised with Ethan's character and wanted desperately for him to uncover the truth about his friend. This was a crime thriller novel with supernatural overtones and I really enjoyed it. 3.5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

In Middle of the Night, the peaceful suburb of Hemlock Circle is upended by a decades-old mystery. As a child, Ethan Marsh witnessed his best friend, Billy, being taken from their tent in the backyard. Now, thirty years later, Ethan returns to his childhood home and starts experiencing unsettling occurrences—signs of Billy’s presence and strange figures roaming the cul-de-sac.

As Ethan investigates, he reconnects with old friends and uncovers eerie secrets hidden in the surrounding woods and a mysterious institute. The novel, told through dual timelines and multiple perspectives, blends suspense with a touch of the supernatural. Ethan’s character is richly developed through his struggles both as a child and an adult, though I found myself wishing for a deeper exploration of his more recent past.

Middle of the Night offers a gripping and slightly creepy journey into the past, showcasing the way unresolved mysteries and personal traumas can haunt our present. If you're a fan of suspenseful thrillers with a nostalgic twist, this is a must-read.

http://thesecretbookreview.co.uk

3.5 ☆

i would like to start by saying that i had very high expectations going into this.

i first started it mid april and i remember really enjoying it, but then i got busy and wasn’t really in right headspace. i tried picking it up again a couple of times after that but i found it very slow and boring. it was twisty, i’ll give you that. but it was mostly to divert you away from knowing who the murderer is (making you believe it’s someone else). and i didn’t find the ending to be shocking. i feel like i went into it expecting the plot to be more ✨ thrillery ✨ if that makes scene.

i’d still recommend it, it’s just not on top of my list of recommendations.

Absolutely loved this book! From page one I was hooked and couldn’t wait to pick the book back up. Can’t wait to read more by this author.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This read was very good read for me. Although it was a really good read, I did become bored at points, so didn't get the full 5 stars. The story follows, Billy and Ethan, two best friends. They have a sleepover one night in a tent, In the morning Ethan wakes up, tent slashed and his friend has gone and never to be seen again. fast forward 30 years later and Ethan returns to New Jersey to investigate what happened to Billy. Along the way he uncovers some surprising revelations. It was suspenseful, dark and a great mystery book. Would recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley, Riley Sager and Hodder & Stoughton for the opportunity to read this book.

Riley Sager can either hit or miss with me, I have read every novel he's put out so far. Sometimes I've given five stars, sometimes two.

Middle Of The Night was middle of the road. There are hints of the paranormal throughout but nothing crazy this time around which, for me, is a shame.

There were some bizarre behaviours shown all round, it particularly bothered me that a mother would leave her child to wander and hang out with a grown man previously suspected in a child's disappearance!?

I did very much enjoy the creepy asylum and the whole whodunnit aspect when peeking at each of the neighbours, but the big reveal was a letdown and it made no sense that it took so many years to be discovered.

A shame but I'll happily roll the dice on the next Sager novel. The House Across The Lake remains my number one.

Middle of the Night had me on the edge of my seat, the atmosphere Sager created in this book was palpable. Toeing the line of the paranormal, we join Ethan as he moves back in to his childhood home where one night something happened that changed his life forever.

One night on their weekly back yard camp out in Ethan's back garden, Billy, Ethans best friend goes missing. Billy hasn't been seen since that night, there are no leads from the police and years later it is still a cold case with no signs of being solved in Ethan's lifetime. But back in his childhood home, suffering insomnia Ethan senses a presence wandering the street, could it be Billy?

Not much happens in Middle of the Night, however the atmosphere and suspense keeps you riveted especially once Ethan sets up his wildlife camera, with every Ping! I was on the edge of my seat!

While the atmosphere kept me hooked unfortunately the ending was a huge disappointment, this book had the potential to be truly amazing but unfortunately there were a few things that didn't work for me. However as I truly believe every-book is for someone if your new to Sager or the thriller/ mystery genre I would highly recommend as an entryway!

Middle of the Night by Riley Sager has a byline of "The next gripping and unputdownable novel from the master of the genre-bending thriller for 2024" and it is no exaggeration! As a lover of Psychological Thrillers, this sated every standard I read by and was my jam with toast, tea and a cheeky crumpet on the side!

Best Friends Billy and Ethan have a sleepover, in the morning, when 10-year-old Ethan wakes up, his friend is gone, never to be seen again, 30 years later, Ethan returns to New Jersey to try and solve the mystery, only to have the most unexpected of investigations

A stunning whodunnit, dark and tense, absolutely outstanding

Thank you to NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton and the author Riley Sager this stunning ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

On July 15, 1994, ten-year-old Ethan and his best friend Billy fell asleep together in their quiet New Jersey cul de sac.
In the morning, Ethan woke up alone. The tent was sliced open, and Billy was gone, taken. He was never seen again.
Thirty years later, Ethan has returned to Hemlock Circle, still desperate for answers.
A great read - twists and turns - is all this the work of the supernatural or a ghost or are there more worldly answers! It kept me guessing till the end and I wasn't disappointed. Another great book from Riley Sager and I look forward to the next.

I thought the book started out well, I got halfway through in two sittings before losing interest. I percevered though and then in the last quarter of the book I remembered why I liked this author so much. . Look forward to reading more by this author.

MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT is the latest jaw-dropping thriller from New York Times bestselling author Riley Sager.

His Novels Include:
Final Girls (2017)
The Last Time I Lied (2018)
Lock Every Door (2019)
Home Before Dark (2020)
Survive the Night (2021)
The House Across the Lake (2022)
The Only One Left (2023)
Middle of the Night (2024)

This is my review of Middle of the Night.

Ethan Marsh (10) and his best friend and neighbor Billy Barringer (10) had fallen asleep in a tent setup in the backyard of Ethan’s family home in New Jersey cul de sac. But when Ethan woke up, he was alone…someone had sliced the tent open with a knife and taken Billy. He was never seen again.

Now 30 years later, Ethan returns to his childhood home, but was still plagued with disturbing dreams, insomnia and hallucinations based on his past. Now Ethan must deal with the disappearance of his childhood best friend, and the dark secrets within this perfect neighborhood.

Ethan begins to notice strange things happening in the middle of the night…lights on the street flashing on and off…baseballs showing up in the backyard and Billy’s presence lingering in the air.

What is going on? Is someone playing a prank?

Ethan has decided to investigate what happened to his best friend, Billy. This involves reuniting with his former friends and neighbors in the area, leading him into the woods around Hemlock Circle and the Hawthorne Research Institute.

And here the past catches up with the present.

This was a well-written, thought-provoking creepy thriller with realistic well-defined characters that had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to the surprise ending that I didn’t see coming. This was a very enjoyable read that takes you back to your early childhood memories.

Many thanks to the author and Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for my digital copy.

Another okayish book by the author which sadly failed to impress. Perhaps this was also my last book by the author whose last 3 books haven't worked for me.

I’m a little underwhelmed by this one, probably because it was so widely hyped and anticipated. I liked the characters. Ethan and Russ were my favourites. I liked the backstory and the mystery surrounding the institute, although this could have been explored in greater depth. I liked the creepy atmosphere. I felt like I was right there with Ethan. I liked the twists but the reveal felt a little lacking. I did guess part of the reveal. I would read more from Riley Sager in the future.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton for this advanced copy.

2.5

Enjoyed this but the ending was disappointing and lacklustre in my opinion. I was hoping for a bigger twist and the build up throughout came to nothing

*Delayed review due to holiday!*

Ethan moves back into his childhood home, where his friend Billy was taken from the garden during a camping sleepover and never seen again.

When strange things start to happen, Ethan starts reliving the past and before long, Billy's body is found.
With the help of old friends, we head back in time to what really happened that night...

Gripped from page 1, I really enjoyed this book. I did find everything slowed a little after the gripping start, however the ending was great. The twists, albeit not jawdropping, also added to the story and I enjoyed how it played out.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Middle of the Night is my second Riley Sager novel and I'm so relieved I have a few more in my collection I can get straight to reading! I'm really drawn to small-town stories and the idea of returning to them from childhood to adulthood, so how could I resist this? We follow Ethan who's best friend went missing in the night when they were kids as he returns to his old house and ends up pulled into solving the mystery of what happened. The whole thing was building to an ending I wasn't expecting, especially after the light supernatural intrigue, which kept me on my toes. I know anything that's a bit 80s nostalgic is going to be compared to Stranger Things, but I felt Middle of the Night really had that appeal - expect it's like meeting up with the kids as adults. I wish the pace was a little quicker though the absolute race of the ending felt off-key with the rest of the book - I wouldn't have minded if things were left not so neat.