Ava needs a quiet place to write her newest cookbook. She finds the ideal place in an isolated old sea captain’s home in Maine. Haunted by her past, is Ava being haunted in this house? Does she have something in common with the previous women who lived and died in this house?
Is she living a fantasy or is this really happening? The people that she meets have secret lives as well. This book is a ghost story, a love story, a. murder- mystery and a story about deceit and regret. I could not put this book down. I received a free advanced copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving my review.

The Shape of Night is a fantastic psychological suspense. Great plot reminiscent of the gothic mysteries I use to devour. This one definitely keeps the reader engaged. Couldn’t put this book down. My thanks to the publisher for my advance ebook. This is my unbiased review.

The Shape of Night is the perfect title for this edgy suspense thriller with a touch of the paranormal. This book will gently hypnotize you with its provocative pull into a world filled with personal conflicts, a bit of gothic romance, family drama, and a seductive spectral element. The Shape of Night is the first book by Tess Gerritsen that I have read and look forward to reading more from her.

Our heroine, Ava Colette, is running from the painful memories of life in Boston, where she has made a disastrous mistake that has left her life in shambles. She finds a seaside house to rent, Brodie’s Watch, on the coast of Maine. She is trying to forget her life in Boston and finish writing her latest cookbook that is well overdue. Initially, she is uneasy in the house, but she gradually falls in love with the house and everything is going well until the house starts to reveal its insidious secrets. Ms. Gerritsen writes Ava as a strong woman with many flaws, but even with all her faults, she is a likable character. She also thoroughly develops the supporting characters in this book. They add an element that ranges from evilness to goodness.

The Shape of Night is well written with a multi-layered plotline. There is a slow build-up of tension and suspense that will keep you turning the pages, and you will not want to put this book down. At the start of this book, I was reminded of a TV show that I watched as a child, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. But that is where the similarities ended. Ms. Gerritsen weaves the perfect amount of ghost story, murder mystery, tension, and just the right amount of eroticism that makes this story sizzle.

Overall this was an excellent read, although I did have one problem. I would have liked for the family drama element to be resolved on the page. It was left up to the reader to fill in the blanks. I guess I am just one of those people who like more of an ending and I felt like this one was a little rushed.
I am looking forward to reading more of Tess Gerritsen’s books.

***I kindly received this galley by way of NetGalley/publisher/author. I was not contacted, asked, or required to leave a review. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. I have voluntarily read this book, and this review is my honest opinion .***

I found this little Gothic gem to be a fun read.

The book centers on cookbook author Ava's summer sojourn to Brodie's Watch, an imposing house in Maine. Once inside, Ava begins to notice some strange happenings.

In addition to her own mysteries, Ava starts to hear about strange happenings to young women in the town as well. The book was fun and held my interest, although I found some of Ava's decisions strange.

I thought the author did a great job creating atmosphere in the book.

The Shape of Night isn’t terrible. But with a ghost playing a major role in the story line, a flawed but not very likable main character and other characters who weren’t particularly fleshed out... I just couldn’t bring myself to care about pretty much any part of it. Except that living on the Maine coast in the summer sounds amazing!

I really did not love this book, although I though I would since I love gothic novels and I've enjoyed the author's other books. Once it turned into a weird 50 Shades of Gray with ghosts, I was done. I did not realize I signed up for that. Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine books for allowing me to read this early in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to review this book before publication. I haven't read a 'ghost' story in a long time. I wasn't sure I would like it, wasn't sure it was even going to be a ghost story. However, Tess Gerritsen is a great writer, I've read a lot of her books so of course she pulled me in. Ava is running from her past and ends up in Maine on the coast. The house is a mansion on the water, there is something in the house, watching Ava, along with that there have been numerous deaths in the house. I have always enjoyed Tess Gerritsen's characters. Loved being surprised where the author takes me. Enjoy!

This is a standalone from one of my long time favorite authors but this one kind of let me down. It was less of a mystery (I solved it early in the book) and more of a gothic romance type novel. A female protagonist who was almost unlikeable and not the kind of character I really prefer to read about. She seemed to prefer being a victim. The location...Maine, was beautifully portrayed and you could really feel the atmosphere. The Ghost and Mrs. Muir will spring to mind for many readers but probably not in a good way. I really wanted to like this but at the end of the book I can't really say I felt like it was time well spent. Some will enjoy this...just not me. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

Expertly written, and a welcome change from thrillers that depend on 3-D gore. It is rather formulaic, though, without the imagination shown in Gerritsen's other works. The protagonist rang true, but the supporting characters weren't fleshed out enough. The shredding of the Ghost-and-Mrs.-Muir story was interesting, but I had the whole thing figured out less than halfway through.

Tess Gerritsen is one of my all-time favorite authors! This book does not disappoint. She has a style that grabs your attention and holds it, making it hard to put it down..

An extremely well-written story with excitement and intrigue, delving into loss and shame. What happened on that New Year’s Eve sent Ava into an alcohol fueled depression that she doesn’t seem to be able to pull herself out of. She escapes to Brodie’s Watch, on the Maine coast. The house, at first, made he feel like she should run... but once inside she feels welcome. But something in this house is feeding off of her shame... maybe her first impression was correct!

What happens to her in this house changes her tremendously... but will anyone believe what happened? Did anything actually happen.to her, or was it alcohol fueled?

This is such a great read! If you like Tess Gerritsen... you will love this book. If you are new to Tess Gerritsen, hang on... there are many more books to read from her, and they will blow you away! She is a great writer!

As I sit down to write this review, I am truly conflicted. I have read all of Tess Gerritsen's books and enjoyed every one. I really wish I could say the same about this one. On the positive front, Gerritsen is a talented writer. The book is set in a small, coastal town in Maine, and Gerritsen captures the atmosphere beautifully. The star of the novel is Ava, who is a cookbook author with a serious drinking problem and a whole lot of guilt, the source of which is dragged out throughout most of the novel. I enjoyed getting to know Ava and loved the parts of the book that focused on her cooking and writing. I also loved the character of the town and its inhabitants.

On the negative side, everything else. I'd describe The Shape of Night as a weird mash-up of The Ghost and Mrs. Muir and 50 Shades of Gray. I guess I wasn't expecting such a paranormal focus in a book from Gerritsen. While there is a mystery/suspense aspect to the novel, it's clunky. The mystery aspect is never as well developed as the paranormal aspect. I was also disappointed that Gerritsen, who usually writes such strong female characters, wrote this one more about a damsel in distress-type character. I'm just confused.

I'd rank this as 2.5 stars, but I'll round up to 3 stars because it's very well written, and I can see that there will be an audience for it, just not Gerritsen's usual audience.

My thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have been a great big fan of Ms. Gerritsen for many, many books, and her books never disappoint. The main character is Ava, a food writer who lives in Boston. She is renting a grand old house on the Maine coast. It was built long ago by a sea captain who ultimately died at sea. As she spends time there living and writing, she experiences strange goings on...could the house be haunted? This book is quite different from her gritty medical thrillers, as it is more in the supernatural genre. Gerritsen is such a good writer and I look forward to her next book!

The Shape Of Night – Tess Gerritsen

I was fortunate to receive this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an objective review.

Ava, a food writer, fleeing from a situation that shames her, has left Boston for the summer and has rented a home in Maine. The house, Brodie’s Watch, was built in 1861 by a sea captain, Jeremiah Brodie, who later perished in a shipwreck. But his home still stands as a sentinel to the sea, with renovations ongoing in hopes of an eventual sale.

Upon Ava’s arrival, she senses that the house has accepted her, and soon she thinks she sees someone standing on the deck of the widows walk. She searches the home for an intruder, but there isn’t one. She chalks up her sighting as a trick of the light but makes a mental note to research the background of Captain Brodie for her new book. After too much whiskey one evening, she heads to bed, and wakes suddenly after feeling something touch her breast and hears a voice say, “You are the one I’ve been waiting for…”. A search of the house again reveals no intruders. He again appears a few nights later, and Ava feels herself being drawn into his spell.

Curious about her experiences, but unsure who to talk to, Ava seeks out the advice of a ghost hunter named Maeve who. Listens attentively. She also assures Ava that she will research the news archives a bit to see if there is any history of tragic events that have occurred that could indicate a pattern, or a problem other than a ghost.

As Maeve digs deeper into Captain Brodie’s background, she learns some unsettling things – she also learns that all of the women who have entered and resided in the house have inexplicably died, and she fears Ava’s home may harbor a demon. Meanwhile, in Ava’s dreams, the Captain continues to visit, and the events that follow make him seem all too real, and Ava finds herself drawn to him and the house in ways she can’t explain.
Needing to know the truth about the ghost in the house, Ava turns to Maeve for help. Maeve assembles her team of ghost hunters in an effort to document Captain Brodie’s visits. Will they find a ghost or a demon? Or is it possible that a living killer in their midst may be responsible??

I was a bit curious to see how this stand-alone book would turn out after reading all of Tess Gerritsen’s early works. This seemed like a bit of a departure from the norm for her, so I was a bit ambivalent…that lasted only until the first few pages – then I was hooked!! I could not put the book down and read it in a day! I may have fallen under the Captain’s spell a bit myself! I really enjoyed this book, was sorry to see it end as I turned the last page, and I highly recommend it to any who love a good, paranormal who-dun-it!

A captivating and seductive tale exploring the dark embrace of grief and guilt, reminding us that nothing can haunt us as insidiously as our personal demons. This is the incomparable Gerritsen at her finest!

To be honest, books about ghosts and paranormal activity are not my cup of tea. However, because this book was written by Tess Gerritsen and I have enjoyed her previous books, I decided to give this one a try. Still not a fan, but I have to say this story kept my interest even if only to see how the author was going to finish it. The plot of this book didn’t seem very well developed to me, but the descriptive phrases about the area, and the emotions of the characters were very well done. The fear felt by the characters was palpable. This was an easy read.

The Shape of night is an absolutely fabulous read. This is my first Tess Gerritsen novel, but it won’t be my last. She develops the characters so you feel you are on every page, not wanting the chapter or the book to end. A mystery, set in a beach town in Maine, the author has a wonderful lesson for the reader, which you already knew, but she so aptly reinforces. I hope I get to meet the heroine again in her next novel

I reviewed this book on Goodreads under the name Jeannie Huie today. I was glad to get to read the ARC. The book was definitely different from Gerritsen's other books. It is suspenseful and interesting, but there was more sex than I felt comfortable with!

A very average mystery book with a dash of Fifty Shades of Gray. Having never read this author before, I cannot compare this book to any of her others.

I'm not a fan of the supernatural, but when Tess Gerritsen writes, you can get caught up in anything! This was a quick, if unbelievable read. It's certainly entertainment for the beach or an airplane ride. But if like me, you're not a fan of the supernatural, you might want to pass. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review this title!
#TheShapeOfNight #NetGalley

I am a fan of Tess Geriritsen and was eager to read her new book. However, I am not a fan of ghosts and demons who demand rough sex. I think that premise is a stretch of my ability to suspend disbelief. I know the reader is expected to realize the main character is reacting based on guilt and failed loyalty but I could not accept such simplistic plot details. It felt very contrived. The novel is well written and I especially liked the back story of the cook book writer and her creation of recipes based on seafoods from another century. The mystery she solves eventually is not especially complicated and I guessed the outcome fairly soon. The ending lacked resolution for me and did not coordinate with the prologue that merely described her continuing dreams of the house and its history. Perhaps this book will appeal more to lovers of the paranormal and ghosts.