I like gothic stories. I can think of some that have never left my mind. However, this one failed for me. The premise could have been great, but the story is not at all clean and frankly, it was unnecessary and distracting. I didn't want a bodice ripper. I wanted a story, I wish I could have read a far better version of this.

Thanks, Net Galley for letting me try it. This is not at all what I was hoping for.

WOW! I read books by Tess Gerritsen and this is not the story line I ever thought she would write about. It starts out, IMHO, as a horror story. After a couple of chapters, it becomes more about a cookbook writer and a happening in her past. Ava leaves her hometown of Boston for small town life. She rents a mansion by the sea that comes with a haunted past. The original owner's ghost is said to be inhabiting the house.

About halfway through the book, it became a read that I couldn't put down. I wanted to see "who done it". There were twists and turns that keep me interested from the town's carpenters, to the town doctor to the local paranormal investigator.

It is not the type of book I associate with Tess Gerritsen. Sher uses lots of local color and includes paranormal experiences to create a book that is worth the time to read.

Tess Gerritsen always writes a good ramntic thriller, and this was no exception. I definitely felt like I was in a house on the coast of Maine, and loved every second.

When author/chef Ava Is overcome with guilt she needs to escape. The deadline on her book is way overdue. She finds a historical house on the cliff side above the beach in her price range. It seems like the perfect place to settle in, cook and finish her book. But at night Ava has a visitor or is it her imagination?
First read by this author. Don’t know why never had her cross my path. Has a bit of horror thrown in with the mystery and suspense. I enjoyed it and will seek out more books by this author.
I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley
This did not affect my unbiased review.

First off, if you're expecting a Risolli & Isles style book this is not for you.

Second, if you don't like S&M ghost p orn, this book isn't for you.

Yes, you read that right. Turns out, I can deal with ghost p orn, I cannot deal with S & M ghost p orn.

The book was just an in general mess for me. It's short, which was a plus. I couldn't stand ANY of the characters with the exception of Simon and Ned. The pace was off. It would take 4 pages to describe the beach, and 2 for a near murder scene. It was just a miss for me.

Thank you Netgalley, for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4414284850

I have loved reading Tess Gerritsen's books and was elated to receive an ARC of The Shape of Night. I expected it to be similar in style to het other books I had read, but was pleasantly surprised by the change and this seemingly gothic horror book. This too, is right up my alley , and I could not devour it quickly enough. The setting of the mansion on a cliff overlooking the ocean and the indepth description of the house and the town gave this tale a very menacing backdrop and made you feel the main characters sense of terror.

This book will appeal to Tess Gerritsen fans willing to have an open mind to her writing in a different genre and any fan of gothic horror. It is well worth your time!

Okay, I don’t really know how to start this review, but I guess I’ll say that if you’re picking up this book because you enjoy the Rizzoli & Isles series… this is not that type of book. This story is more of a ghost story wrapped up in a woman facing her own demons. The main character Ava is unlikeable and honestly never really redeems herself. I stuck around for the mystery aspect but even that didn’t pay off in the end. I just really hope I’m never haunted by so much guilt that I go live in a haunted house and end up banging a ghost. 🙃

This book was a phenomenal thriller! I was anxious to turn the pages to see what happens next!! Character development was outstanding and the descriptive words used had me pulled in from page one. I can’t wait for more by this author!

Another great book from the queen of mystery and thrillers. I really enjoyed this one, even though I don't typically go for the ghost stories.

What an amazing psychological thriller! It grabs you from the beginning and does not let go. Had to read it in one sitting.

The characters are well-crafted and the storyline is captivating.

A great book and I highly recommend.

Tess Gerritsen is a master of description. The Shape of Night begins with an empty house dripping with eerie, haunting overtones. Ava Collette is a smart, woman who needs a quiet place to write. Ava is a wonderful woman. Yes, she notices some strange occurrences in the house. Yes, she is warned that the house may be haunted. And yes, she learns that other single women who lived here, died here. You'll have to finish reading this story if you start it. It is not a Freddy Krueger redux.

Such a good thriller!! Kept me waiting to see just what might happen next! This was my first book by this author and I will def pick up a book of theirs again. I really enjoyed the anxiety this one gave me.

I love Gerritsen, but I was unable to finish this book. I didn’t realize there would be a strange ghost/human romance story line and that is just not my cup of tea. It's definitely the typical Gerritsen novel. However I don’t want to turn people off on this book. If you are into paranormal you would probably really enjoy this

great paranormal thriller has it all setting (an old mansion on a lonely beach) a single woman who is writer of cookbooks and a ghost?

Ghosts and murderers.  Or murderous ghosts?  Or is there really a ghost at all?

Let me start by saying that I'm a HUGE fan of Tess Gerritsen.  I have been for years.  But this one really didn't do it for me.  To start, the ghosts.  Supernatural thrillers are not my favorite.  Yes, they can be done well, but I find that to be the exception rather than the rule.  But ultimately it was the characters that killed it for me.  Ava was just awful.  I'm not going to reveal the big one, the reason fled everyone she loves in Boston in the first place, but SERIOUSLY.  There is no coming back from that.  I just...had no reason to care about what happens to her.  And blank Dr. Ben.  Ugh.  This book honestly just kind of dragged.  But, I was interested enough to finish it, so we'll end here with 3 stars.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This is a haunting tale of suspense, obsession, and a dangerous passion... largely reminiscent of the old Gothic novels. There is plenty of action in this well crafted novel. A few twists kept me riveted from the very first to the surprising unpredictable ending.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exhange for an honest review.
I have read a bunch of books by Tess Gerritsen over the years so when I saw this book I jumped at the chance to review it.
It was very different from the other books she has written.
I thought this was a very well written, interesting romantic suspenseful story.

I've read the first couple of books Tess Gerritsen's Rizzoli & Isles series, and enjoyed them, but knew from the description of this book that it would be quite different from those books. I knew there would be mystery, but that there would also be a touch of the supernatural, and that was fine with me - I still enjoy the occasional Gothic romance. She did a good job setting the tone and overall Gothic atmosphere. The main character, Ava, has escaped to a small town on the coast of Maine to try to finish the cookbook she's writing - and to escape the crippling guilt she's feeling from an event in her recent past. That event is one of the mysteries of the book that is slowly revealed over the course of the story - the other is a string of murders in the town where she's staying. How much of what she's experiencing is real, and how much is imagined? Or perhaps supernatural? I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one.
My thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

3.5 stars!
I’ve been on such a thriller kick, and was excited for The Shape of Night! It delivered with the murder, suspense, and even a bit of romance.

I loved the paranormal twists and fully engaged with the atmospheric vibe that I’ve been more and more into this year. I guess the more of this genre I read, the less of a scaredy cat I have become, and I’m loving it!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for the free copy. All opinions are my own

I love Gerritsen, but the content of this book is not for me. I was mistaken in thinking this would be a mystery but there's a weird-ass ghost-human love story. Unfortunately, it's not for me. It was the weirdest experience I've ever had reading her book. It's definitely the typical Gerritsen novel.