Tess Gerritsen is, without a doubt, one of the most eloquent authors writing today.

Even in this paranormal romance, a sharp departure from her usual thrillers, her words create unequivocal magic. I'm typically not a fan of supernatural novels, but The Shape of Night kept me entertained and interested. I didn't particularly love our protagonist, Ava, and I had strong suspicions about the conclusion (which were ultimately proven correct), but neither of those issues dampened my enthusiasm.

For those who care, there are some fairly graphic sexual situations, including S & M.

Overall, this is a mildly creepy, erotically charged, gothic-pararomance. If that's your thing, give it a go. If you're more inclined toward psychological thrillers...I'd still give this novel a chance. I enjoyed it more than I expected, although I honestly believe I'd enjoy anything Tess Gerritsen writes. She's been one of my go-to authors for nearly two decades.

I refuse to end this review without mentioning that stunning book cover...it seriously makes me want to move into the creepy mansion by the sea. Just gorgeous.

3.5 stars rounded up

**Many thanks to the publisher for my advance copy.

Book Publication: October 1, 2019
Goodreads Review Published: September 10, 2019

This book starts with a food writer seeking peace to work on her book (and escape her past). She doesn't find that at Brodie's Watch, a haunted mansion that seems to hold her emotionally captive. When the previous tenant winds up dead, Ava must take a serious look at her circumstances. The story is almost two storylines: one is the paranormal romance with the Captain's ghost, and the other is coming to terms with the horrible betrayal that has driven her to seclusion.

Great psychological thriller set in a seemingly haunted mansion overlooking the sea. The story delves into our deepest secrets and shame. This had lots of great twists and turns. Lovely character development that left me with a haunting empathy.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This book was so good! I had a hard time putting it down. Well-written with compelling characters and a chilling plot. I definitely love a good ghost story and mystery.

The Shape of Night will keep you on the edge of your seat and turning the pages until the very end. The characters are diverse and complex. You'll question whether you believe in ghost or paranormal events. Enjoy this read and guess the outcome.

What a departure from the Rizzoli & Isles series we love - Tess Gerritsen has given us a gothic mystery full of unsuspecting twists! Unable to put it down - fast paced - great read! Thank you NetGally for the advanced copy.

Tess Gerritsen is someone I have followed for a long time through her Rizzoli and Isles series which I couldn't get enough of. This book takes a 180 degree turn as it delves into the paranormal and romantic suspense category. Ava Collette retreats from her apartment in Boston to a small quaint Maine town after a horrible bombshell affects her life,her sister and her sister's husband. She settles into a large seaside house while drinking away her sorrow but is visited by spirits, ghosts? or maybe bad dreams in the deep of the night. He appears to be the apparition of Captain Jeremiah Brodie who was thought to die at sea but haunts this house where all woman who have lived there have also died. It is an easy enjoyable read and the tension in the end ratchets up quite a few decibels but I think I was expecting something more along the lines of her other books. As I am not a big paranormal fan, I don't feel qualified to give a true assessment of this book, but for those fans who want a suspenseful thriller with a bit of romance, this is the book for you.

I loved all the Rizzoli and Isles shows on TV, so when I got this from NetGalley I was thrilled. But this was no Rizzoli and Isles book. Very different, interesting and completely mesmerizing. When Ava goes to a remote village in Maine to write her book, she ends up at Brodie's Watch. A house with a history of its own. Some say it's haunted. Ava feels something in the house. Is it Captain Brodie? What about all the deaths that happened there? Is there a logical explanation?

And what is Ava's secret that she took with her? We are thrown into the book trying to figure all this out and only at the end does it all come together. This book keeps you turning pages but does drag out a bit because we cover a lot of history surrounding Brodie's Watch. If you love ghost stories, then read this one. It will have you wondering if ghosts are real or not.

Huh. First, let it be said that what this book does well, is enjoyable.

I'm surprised to see it slated for an October release, as it seemed more like an ambient beach read to me. But the coastal Maine setting, the small-town feel, all of it makes for a relaxed mystery/thriller read.

However, the oddly placed 50-shades-of-grey moments were surprising enough to be off-putting for a reader who dislikes that particular flavor of kink, but contrived enough that I don't expect the spanking to be sufficient for fans of that genre.

Ps. As a Boston resident I can't ignore Boston streets being referred to as "Avenue." If you're local, as the main character is, you know it's "Mass Ave" and "Commonwealth Ave."

Ava Collette has come to Maine to get away from her past in Boston. She also plans to get some work done on a new cookbook she is writing. She rents an old mansion on the coast called Brodie's Watch. When she first arrives, she finds the house to be creepy and foreboding. Once she goes inside, she falls in love with the place.

She is getting a cut in the rental price because the house is being restored and there are workers there during the week. This ends up being a plus for Ava as she can try out her recipes for her book on the workers. They love her cooking so they are happy too. Things are going very well and Ava finally feels at peace.

Then, she sees Captain Brodie. Jeremiah Brodie has haunted the house for over 100 years, according to local rumor. What the locals don't want to mention is that no woman who has lived at Brodie's Watch has ever left there alive. Are the deaths due to Brodie? Is there more going on? Ava decides to find out. Pick up the book and join her on her search for the truth.

I requested this book because I'm a fan of Tess Gerritsen. This book is nothing like her others so don't go into it expecting a Rizzoli and Isles book, or you will be disappointed. This book is paranormal fiction and it's good. Many thanks to #Netgalley and the publisher for giving me this arc for review.

Tess Gerritsen is one of my favorite authors. My love for her started with Rizzoli & Isles and now I'll pretty much read just about anything she writes. So when Netgalley offered me the opportunity to read her standalone (thriller/mystery/ghost story/ghost sex story?) I jumped at the chance. Without knowing much about it except:

"After an unspeakable tragedy in Boston, Ava Collette flees to a remote village in Maine, where she rents an old house named Brodie’s Watch.

In that isolated seaside mansion, Ava finally feels at peace . . . until she glimpses the long-dead sea captain who still resides there.

Rumor has it that Captain Jeremiah Brodie has haunted the house for more than a century. One night, Ava confronts the apparition, who feels all too real, and who welcomes her into his world—and into his arms. Even as Ava questions her own sanity, she eagerly looks forward to the captain’s ghostly visits. But she soon learns that the house she loves comes with a terrible secret, a secret that those in the village don’t want to reveal: Every woman who has ever lived in Brodie’s Watch has also died there. Is the ghost of Captain Brodie responsible, or is a flesh-and-blood killer at work? A killer who is even now circling closer to Ava?"

Who wouldn't jump at the chance to read that? Apparently, I shouldn't have. When I checked Goodreads the vast majority of the reviewers LOVED it.  I wanted to. I so badly wanted to love and appreciate this book if for no other reason than I too am a writer compelled to write in different genres. This book, however, is a hot mess and no matter how hard I try I just can't make myself finish it. 

I love reading too much to spend my Sunday yelling at a character "You in danger girl!" in my Whoopi Goldberg voice to make myself finish this book. 

2 Stars because Tess Gerritsen is an amazing writer, her descriptions make you see, smell, taste, and feel whatever she is attempting to portray on the page. This book just didn't do it for me personally. 

Read if you like genre-bending books and have ever fantasized about sex with a ghost.

I have read other books by this author which I have enjoyed. This book was totally different. I really don't like paranormal books so I wasn't thrilled by this one. But the writing is strong and the story somewhat interesting, although you knew how it was going to end.

Tess Gerritsen has written a somewhat paranormal mystery in The Shape of Night. This is a story that is easily read, but not easy to figure out.

Well what can I say! This was not one of Tess Gerritsens better books! I have been a fan of hers for a long time and I have to admit this is my first disappointment! The book started out ok but was way to predictable. There was no suspense and no wow factor at the end. I would have to say pretty bland for her writing style. Oh well. Hopefully it’s the first disappointment and the last for me when it comes to her books!!

I received The Shape of Night by Tess Gerritsen as an ARC from NetGalley. I'm a big fan of Tess Gerritsen and have read all of the books in the Rizzoli and Isles series. I requested this book because of how much I love that series. The Shape of Night was completely different from that series. I wasn't expecting a paranormal suspense but I really enjoyed it. Ava Collette is running away from her home in Boston after a tragedy and rents a home in Maine for a few months in order to finish a cookbook that she is writing. The home is called Brodie's Watch and was built by a sea captain. She begins to experience paranormal activity in the home as soon as she moves in. This leads Ava on a quest to determine exactly what is going on. An interesting and compelling read!

Definitely one story that grips you from start to finish. I’ve read other books by this author and loved them but this is so different. A paranormal suspense that had me turning pages intrigued as to what was going to happen next. Ava rents a house alone to write and starts experiencing things out of the norm. Things are not always as they seem and this is one story that you will want to check out for yourself. Would definitely recommend for those looking for a story that does not disappoint.

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars. Ava Collette is a food writer who rents a house in a small coastal Maine town. She has promised her publisher a book of historic recipes. She decides getting away from her home in Boston will help her write. She experiments by making a dish from each recipe. There are 2 carpenters repairing the house who happily become guinea pigs. They are in heaven because all her cooking is delicious.
But then the ghost of the original owner comes to her. There are some disturbing scenes of sadistic sex. She discovers that the house has a sinister history. There is a killer in town.
This is a stand alone and not part of the Rizzoli series.
One quote for cat lovers: "I haul the pet carrier into the house and release the kraken. Hannibal emerges from the cage, glares at me, and lumbers off towards the kitchen."
Thanks to Ballantine Books for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.

I received a complimentary copy of The Shape of Night from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This novel was extremely unique. Behavior from a spirit that was maybe more frightening than usual and a woman happy to believe in it contributed to a very unusual tale of strange murders. Good read!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This book was probably a 2,5 stars. I expected much more of Gerritsen, but it wasn't the worst either. The characters were well written and the atmosphere was on point, but the mix between psychological thriller and supernatural was just not it. At least for me. It felt like it wasn't really going anywhere. I couldn't pitch this book to any Spanish publishers. Sorry.

This book was unlike any of Ms Gerritsen's I've ever read. I went into it with one idea and came out with a totally different, no less intense, story. It did not have a clear path to a criminal and was, actually, quite surprising at the end. I believe this is a story of how your conscience can guide you if you let it.

It turns out to be two stories in one. Drinking heavily lets our main character to believe something most people would think quite unbelievable. In the end, did it really happen or not? Only time will tell.

What I don't know is....did she get a happily ever after?

This book was gifted to me by the publisher in return for an honest review..