Have you ever finished a book, set it down, and just asked yourself, “What kind of a book was that?” This week, I have a book that is part thriller, part romance, a little bit of horror, part coming-of-age story… a book with an identity crisis, I guess. Ashley Winstead’s newest release, “Midnight is the Darkest Hour,” may not be easy to fit into a particular genre, but it is a captivating story and absolutely worth opening up this weekend.
“Midnight is the Darkest Hour” is a twisted tale of murder, obsessive love, and the beastly urges that lie dormant in each of us. In the town of Bottom Springs, Louisiana, Ruth Cornier has felt like an outsider all her life. Ruth is the daughter of the town pastor, who rains fire-and-brimstone warnings from his pulpit and everywhere else he goes. In their small town, the only thing that the citizens fear more than God and the Devil himself is the myths that haunt the area, like the story of the Low Man, a vampiric figure said to sneak into sinners’ bedrooms and kill them on moonless nights. When a skull is found in the swamp along with some mysterious carved symbols, Bottom Springs is thrown into a frenzy. Rumors fly as to what could be happening, but Ruth realizes that only she and Everett, her oldest friend with a dark past, have the power to comb the secret underbelly of Bottom Springs in search of true evil.
I admit that “Midnight is the Darkest Hour” is a total slow burn – probably 60% of this book is setting you up for the wild ride that is that last 40% - but it doesn’t disappoint. At first, Ruth seems like such a meek and reserved person, but as we get to know her, we discover that she is strong and observant – with a tough-as-nails side that is only made tougher with the encouragement of Everett. Ah, Everett. I kind of fell in love with Everett – he is dark and mysterious, and his love for Ruth is palpable from the jump. Without giving too much away, the ending is wild and totally worth that slow beginning, and you will be left thinking about it for days if you have enjoyed books like “Verity,” “Where the Crawdads Sing,” or “A Flicker in the Dark,” this book is definitely for you. Just go read it – and then, when you are good and confused about what you just read, pop over to my Instagram @allison.the.reader, and let’s talk about
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