crouchsarah

Middletide is a literary thriller about Elijah Leith, a failed author returning to his Pacific Northwest hometown. When the dead body of the town‘s doctor is found on his isolated property, Elijah finds himself under scrutiny. This book is a love letter to the Pacific Northwest, beautifully bringing its scenery to life, but that‘s where my praise ends.

The literary aspect of the story falls down on the job because the characters simply don't come to life. Elijah, who should be compelling and sympathetic, is, at best, wooden. At worst, he is annoyingly selfish, eagerly leaving behind the love of his life with unkept promises to follow his dreams. This wouldn't be so bothersome if he didn't follow it up by returning many years later to badger her back into a relationship too quickly after the loss of her husband.

The thriller aspect is poorly executed. While one might not expect top notch investigational prowess from a small-town police chief and his green deputy, their sloppy police work and easy willingness to buy into obviously leading evidence truly tests suspension of disbelief. The tension expected in a thriller isn't there, and the resolution is simplistic to the point of being unsatisfying.… (más)

This is a debut novel but this author, and the premise of this book also focuses on a debut novel. Coincidence?
My mind was looking into whom was the guilty murderer, and I stabbed in the dark for answers. In the mean time, Elijah is stumbling, and pining for his lost love. Will they ever be reunited and end up together?
Answers come, but boy what a mind blowing read, the journey for answers makes for a page turning read, and yes, I was surprised at the outcome!
Does fiction become reality?
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Atria Books, and was not required to give a positive review.… (más)

This book was a murder mystery and I liked the sequence in which it was told. It’s a story about the murder of a woman in a small town, told in two perspectives—that of Elijah, first from 1988-1993, who is the suspected killer, and of Sheriff Jim Godbout and his Deputy Jeremy Hart in 1994, who are in charge of the case. The story unfolds quite seamlessly, connecting Elijah’s past to the clues that are unearthed while the murder is being investigated and then bringing in Elijah’s present timeline in 1994. The twist towards the end was unexpected and added another intriguing level to the story. I really enjoyed the author’s descriptive writing and I am looking forward to her future works.… (más)

Middletide, by Sarah Crouch is a fascinating read. The story of a young woman’s suicide, or was it a murder, will lead you on a twisting journey through the life of a young man who tries to leave the small town of his birth to follow his dream of finding himself through his writing. Elijah will find that his dream is short lived and return as a failure to the only home he knows. He initially tries to hide from the people in his small town and especially the girl he left behind. He will find that Nikita has moved on after lonely years of waiting for him to come back to her. Elijah moves into his old home his estranged dad passed on to him when he died. While trying to get his life back together Elijah works at a local car repair shop run by an old family friend. Chitto is more like a father to Elijah than his real dad was. While working at the garage Elijah meets the town doctor who happens to be a beautiful woman. This is the woman who Elijah will eventually be accused of murdering. What strange series of events leads to this horrible possibility? The book is tightly written, carrying the reader swiftly along as the mystery is skillfully unfolded. The book was provided for review by the publisher, Atria Books.… (más)