I’m not a big fan of things that go bump in the night, but this thriller/mystery is a page turner that will keep you up well past bedtime and not just because it’s about the paranormal.
Written by New York Times bestselling author Riley Sager, Middle of the Night is a novel about a man (Ethan) who returns to his childhood home and must contend with the disappearance of his best friend (an event which happened 30 years ago) and the mysteries and danger lurking within what appears to be a picture-perfect neighbourhood in suburban New Jersey.
The main characters are extremely well developed. All are like people you’ve known. And you’ll find it hard not to develop great feeling and empathy for the key players. The writing style is clear, tight and well focused – with just enough dry humour to keep things compelling.
The story rotates around two timelines – one is 1994. It’s Ethan’s point of view – he’s the lead character. The plot centres around the disappearance of Ethan’s best friend, 10-year-old Billy (who’s obsessed with ghosts). Ethan and Billy are sleeping in a tent in Ethan’s backyard in a quiet suburb in New Jersey when suddenly the worst thing imaginable happens. Ethan wakes up in the morning and discovers his best friend and neighbour, Billy has been taken—and someone took a knife and slashed a gaping hole in the tent. Billy was never seen again. Ethan feels crushing guilt because he can’t quite remember what happened that night. Ethan has recurring nightmares about what that fateful night as he tries to remember what happened and if he might have seen Billy’s kidnapper.
Ghosts?
The second timeline is 30 years later. Ethan’s parents have retired to Florida, and he takes over the upper middle-class house where he grew up. Mysterious things start to go bump in the middle of the night. These strange occurrences prompt Ethan to investigate what really happened that night. Billy always claimed that ghosts roamed the forest and Ethan is beginning to wonder if one of those ghosts could possibly be Billy—or, if Billy might still be alive. The author throws some compelling curve balls and keeps us guessing right to the very end. A jaw-dropping page turner.
9.5 out of 10.
About the Author
Riley Sager is the New York Times bestselling author of The Only One Left. This is the 8th novel by Riley Sager. Before becoming a writer, Sager (aka Todd Ritter) worked as a journalist, editor and graphic designer. A native of Pennsylvania, he now lives in Princeton, New Jersey.
Middle of the Night: a novel by Riley Sager. Copyright ©2024 by Todd Ritter. Published by Dutton, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC
review by Laurie Wallace-Lynch, Toronto Times
by Laurie Wallace-Lynch
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