Next up in my 31 Books of Halloween reading roundup, I’m reviewing Riley Sager’s latest twisty thriller, Middle of the Night! This might be somewhat of an unpopular opinion (y’all are hard on him on Goodreads!), but I love his work. This one is great for spooky season because there are a lot of paranormal elements weaved into the mystery, including a creepy “science” institute just around the block, creepy figures lurking in the woods, and cryptic messages from the dead. Here are my thoughts:

The gist: Our protagonist, Ethan, camps out in his backyard and wakes up to find the tent slashed and his best friend gone! Thirty years later, he returns to his childhood home and finds himself in the middle of a mystery when his dead best friend, Billy, sends messages from beyond the grave. He soon learns many people in his upper-class suburban neighborhood have something to hide—including Billy.

What I Liked: The paranormal element took this mystery to the next level. I love a good ghost story, especially when restless spirits are seeking justice! What more could you ask for during spooky season? I also loved that this story took the safest place you could think of—an upper-class, tight-knit suburban neighborhood—and turned it into a place of nightmares! This is the kind of book that makes me check my windows and doors at night…which is a good thing because I’m a weirdo who loves being scared.

What Irked Me: My one and only gripe is the overly precocious kid. When Ethen moves back home, he reunites with his former babysitter, and crush, who is the mother of a highly intelligent, well-read child. Why do authors use this gimmick so much? Maybe this is a way to add to the kid’s likeability, but I find it to be unrealistic and annoying.

Thoughts on the main character: Ethan is a little mopey and withdrawn, yet I warmed up to him when he started interacting with the kid genius next door. We don’t really know much about him, other than he worked as a teacher, yet he doesn’t care too much for kids. Now that I think about it, it was hard connecting with a character who has zero interests and passions. He just chose that profession to follow in his dad’s footsteps. Mostly his entire life has been haunted by that fateful night, so that’s about all we know about him. There’s a side plot involving his wife, but I figured out the “tiwst” to that little mystery right away.

Overall thoughts: This is a solid paranormal thriller packed with shady suspects, making me wonder about the neighbors I wave “hello” to while walking my dog. I’m just glad I don’t live within walking distance of a creepy science institute hidden deep in the woods.