A review by C J Dee
- Page count: 305
- Format: ARC paperback
- Publisher: Gollancz
- Rating:
4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5 starsWelcome to Midnight. It’s a small town with few residents and big secrets.
Manfred Bernardo is an online psychic and Midnight’s newest resident.Through Manfred we are introduced to the town’s citizens including Lemuel, the vampire; Olivia, the enigma; Fiji, the witch; Mr Snuggly, Fiji’s ginger tabby; and Bobo, the town’s antique store owner and Manfred’s landlord.
Soon after arriving in Midnight, Manfred learns Bobo’s live-in girlfriend Aubrey recently left him without so much as a goodbye note or text. It’s only later that the town realises the circumstances surrounding her leaving may not have been entirely her choice. It’s up to the town’s odd collection of residents to find out who is responsible for Aubrey’s disappearance and why.
If I’m going to be honest, it did take me a little while to get into this book. However, that is to be expected when introducing (what I assume will be) a new series. Once the introductions were made and I was taken into the daily lives of Midnight’s citizens, I was hooked.
I found almost all the primary characters to be instantly likeable. The only exception was the sensitive Fiji, but once I understood why it seemed as though she was often overreacting, she was an enjoyable character. Due to how much I love the Sookie Stackhouse series, it is unsurprising that my favourite character in Midnight Crossroad was the vampire. Mr Snuggly is a nice touch and I think the feline fanatics in the audience will enjoy the eccentricities that only a cat lover can truly appreciate.
With several popular mystery series under her belt, I must admit I was concerned that Charlaine Harris might be running out of ideas and rehashing the same plots and twists in a different town. I couldn’t have been happier to be wrong. The ‘whodunnit’ of this supernatural whodunnit book was an excellent twist.
Midnight Crossroad is best suited to readers who enjoy supernatural mysteries with a splash of romance. You should check Midnight Crossroad out if that’s a genre you enjoy, but you should definitely check it out if you enjoy Harris’ previous novels.