This book was excellent! Totally kept my attention and I wanted to find out what would become of the main characters. Highly reccomended.

Ava is a successful food writer from Boston who is working on a new cookbook of recipes adapted from those of old seafaring families. She has rented a house in a quaint village on the Maine coast. She hopes this move will give her the privacy she needs to write, and also provide her with an atmospheric setting in which to write. In addition, she has another, more compelling reason for relocating to Maine - - to escape the memories of a tragic incident that she was involved in and that she desperately wants to forget.

However, when she arrives at her new home, she feels an overwhelming sense of eeriness and foreboding. The house isn’t the cozy, welcoming place she had hoped for. She wonders if she should stay there…..

This is a modern day Gothic novel of obsession, secrets, sensuality, suspense and murder that will draw you in from the first page and hold you spellbound until the end! Passion, supernatural forces and the murder of a young woman combine to make this a book that is hard to put down.

Thank you to Net Galley, author Tess Gerritsen, and Ballantine Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House publishers for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC of this haunting thriller!

This was a good mystery story, but a bit more paranormal than I really love. I am a huge Gerristen fan and I liked that this was different from her other books, I just wasn't a huge fan of the whole ghost relationship idea. I did enjoy the mystery of the story and felt like it was a good read that some people will love! For me it was good and I will continue to read Gerritsen's work! Thank you netgalley for an arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

#NetGalley #The Shape of Night #Hachette Books

I love Tess Gerritsen’s books featuring Rizzoli and Isles. Although this book is completely different from the Rizzoli and Isles series Tess Gerritsen did not disappoint. Very well written story that drew me in and kept me on the edge off my seat.

Ava Collette a cookbook author trying to run from her past rents a house on the coast of Maine to finish a new cookbook. The house is actually a old mansion built by a old sea captain, Captain Brodie. Captain Brodie has been dead for over a hundred years. Soon after arriving at the house Ava starts hearing strange noises and happenings that she can't explain, she realizes that the spirit of Captain Brodie is still in residence. Trying to block out her past, her bad choices and the guilt she feels, Ava drinks heavily. Ava starts having strange interactions with Captain Brodie. We then start to learn about the things she is running from.

Ava learns that the previous woman that was renting the home fled the house in a hurry, leaving a note for the realtor stating she had a family emergency. Ava wonders if the woman left because she was terrified by Captain Brodie's presence and if she also had interactions with Captain Brodie. Ava meets with a local historian and finds that most of the women that lived in the house looked very similar to her and were pretty much recluses that never left the house. Ava becomes obsessed with the house, the former inhabitants and the history of the house. This obsession along with the heavy drinking and a dead body that is found washed ashore in town has her wondering what is real and what is not. There are many twists and turns as the history of the house unfolds along with a few mysterious deaths and paranormal activity.

I have been on a suspense kick lately and will always turn to Tess Gerritsen and her amazing novels for a change in genres. The Shape of Night was sexy, mysterious and full of suspenseful moments. There were times I was on the edge of my seat as Ava tried to uncover the mysteries of Brodie's Watch and the mysterious sea captain who visited her at night!! 

Gah! This book is very different from Gerritsen's Rizzoli and Isles series but still compelling. There were times I had to take breaks as the mystery and supernatural elements had me in all different directions! This was altogether good and while I was confused at some points, overall this was a great read. 

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review! 4 stars! ~Ratula

Full Review: http://bit.ly/2JJrZlv

I was really looking forward to reading this book, but then I was really disappointed.
It surprises me that the author who writes the strong, independent women in her Rizzoli and Isles series wrote such a predictable story which I consider a romance. It reminded me at first of the old movie and TV series "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir". But Mrs. Muir wasn't into S&M. I would have liked the story much better without all the ghostly sex scenes.
I will acquire this book for our library and look forward to what our patrons think of it, but I cannot recommend it.

This is an interesting book. This is not a Rizzoli and Isles book and is a different and refreshing change in Tess’ storytelling. The book is about Ava, a cookbook author, and her retreat to Maine to write a cookbook. She has a relationship with a ghost of a sea captain. My favorite character is Hannibal, the Maine coon cat. As the story between Ava and the Captain unfold, lots of things occur in the small town until they come to a head. I really enjoyed this book.

The shape of night is an intriguing tale of regret, seduction and redemption. Following a terrible tragedy, Ava Collette, popular food writer is drinking her sorrow away in a secluded New England village working on an overdue book project. She finds solace in the historical home “Brodie’s Watch” built by Jeremiah Brodie, a 19th century Sea Captain. It is not long before she realizes she is not alone in the house and the mysteries of the past fused with her overwhelming guilt threaten to all but consume her.

I found this a departure from other works I have read by Gerritsen. While the writing style was enjoyable and engaging, I did find the plot a little confusing. There were key peripheral characters that were underdeveloped leaving a lot of loose ends. Additionally, I was not a fan of the steamer elements of the book, it was just kind of weird. The premise was good and I enjoyed the descriptions of Maine’s coastal region and small village life however, it all just fell a little flat for me.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

I loved this book!! The descriptions of Maine were so intense that I felt like I could smell the sea air. The characters were interesting. Usually I can figure out the ending well before I reach it....not so in this case.

#The Shape of Night #BallentineBooks/Raandom House#NetGalley

Thanks to the publishers, NetGalley, and to the talented authorTess Gerritson for my advanced digital copy of this wonderful book!

A delicious mix of creepy ghost story,suspenful murder mystery, with a large dash of obsession, personal anguish, and dangerous hidden secrets. Tess Gerritson, one of my favorite authors, has written a stand-alone-novel very different from others in her genre. I found The Shape of Night to be a multi-layered, unusual and fast paced novel. As this review is my own opinion, I highly recommend this book to readers who love a good story!

Ava Collette, a complex, troubled food author with an alcohol problem attempts to escape her own demons and guilty secrets. She moves from her Boston apartment to a village in Tucker's Cove, Maine where she rents a remote house, high on a hill overlooking the sea. Here she hopes to be able get past her writer's block and finish her long overdue cook book in the large and rumorored "haunted house." Brodie's Watch was built by Captain Jeremiah Brody, a sea captain who perished at sea well over a century ago. In spite of all rumors of the house and the ghostly Captain, Ava soon feels the house welcoming her. She is able to work on her book as long as she is sober and before she stumbles to bed. This is when she encounters Captain Brody, the brooding and sensual visitor who frequents her nights.

Haunted by her own demons from a life altering experience involving her sister and brother-in law in Boston, Ava finds that reality is blurred by her alcohol induced ghostly lover, what is real and what is not? Is the sexy sea captain a ghost, an evil demon or just a manisfitation from her guilt ridden secrets? As Ava begins to research the history of Brody's Watch and the alluring Captain Brody, she discovers that death plays a prominent part in the occupants of Brody's Watch. Even then a strong obsession for the house holds Ava until murder hits too close to home!
The plot thickens as the characters evolve and develop, pulling the reader to the end of the story, where a surprise ending awaits!

I highly recommend The Shape of Night to those who love a good story!



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4 1\2 stars
I will be honest I didn't see this one coming. Tess Gerritsen has the ability to bring readers to locations that they would dream of seeing in person one day.

The characters jump off the pages and come to life. As the mystery grows so does the characters who will keep readers guessing what is real and what isn't real.

The story ends with an amazing ending that will heal hearts that are hurting and have readers wondering what is real and what is a ghost?

IF a ghost could take care of a woman like he did for Ava why would they leave?

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Ballantine Books for the advance copy of Tess Gerritsen The Shape Of Water

I love Tess and her work. This book I just couldn't get into. Idk why. The writing was good but I feel like the story was just slow and I couldn't really get into it. Still, I do love Tess and hopefully her next book is a little better.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ava Collette packs up her cooking gear and her guilt, heading to a sleepy town in Maine to hide out and write her cookbook featuring historical New England cuisine. Renting Brodie’s Watch is her first step in digging into the area’s history, but she soon discovers her quiet retreat is not as peaceful as it first appears, with the story of Captain Brodie and his unfortunate fate almost 150 years before breathing life into the silence. Soon Ava’s shakiness is apparent to everyone around her – from the doctor who wants more than a doctor-patient relationship to a Maine ghost-hunting troupe to the locals suspicious of outsiders – and she seeks the truth, even what she might want to hide from herself. Ava’s past dictates her future as she is drawn further into her life at Brodie’s Watch and its enticing and dangerous world.

I had a hard time finishing this book - I was reading it as a romance title - and I'd argue that it is not super romantic, in fact, it's pretty cringe-inducing. Definitely unlike most of Gerritsen's other titles (especially the Rizzoli & Isles series), this title might appeal to people more interested in a suspenseful story, but it has some consent-issues and some not-so-sexy sex scenes that will probably alienate other readers.

I didn't read much about this before I read it, I'm a big fan of Tess Gerritsen so I didn't need to know about it before deciding to read it. I felt like it was quite different in tone from her other books but still brought the same gripping mystery and engaging characters. There was a bit of S&M romance bordering on erotica that took me by surprise but made for an interesting combination of a haunted house/ghost story, murder mystery, and psychological thriller. This was a great atmospheric horror story, kept me guessing.

This book was one of the top 3 strangest books I have ever read. And I have read a LOT of books. I kept flipping back to the front to verify that team tess gerritsen, of Rizzoli and isles did in fact author this book. Was it a ghost book? Was it a mystery? Was it some sort of weird S&M sex book? I have no clue!

I love this author, however, this was not one of her best. The main character, Ava, is unlikable and prone to self pity. The rest of the cast of characters may have been interesting, but they were underdeveloped. Need was intriguing and could have played a better role. I knew where the end was headed way before it was real. I also think the romantic suspense label is misleading. It's more of a mystery with a paranormal aspect. All in all, this one was just okay to me.

When I first read the synopsis for this book, I was pretty excited. It sounded like it was right up my alley - romantic suspense with a paranormal bent. Unfortunately, reality did not live up to my expectations.

Let's start off with the good stuff. The setting was fairly well-done - a recently renovated older home in a quaint small town on the coast in Maine. Appropriately stormy, misty weather created the right atmosphere. There were some interesting secondary characters, and the descriptions of some of the meals the main character prepared (she's a food writer) sounded absolutely delicious. I honestly wish this were one of the those books that came with recipes included. Also, the plot moved along at a good pace, making for a quick read.

Now for the not-so-good stuff. Character development was sub-par at best with too many stereotypes. Ava, the main character, is a wild-child/party girl with a drinking problem. Her love interest, the ghost, is a brooding, dark-haired sea captain with a very domineering (yet protective!) personality. Her warm-blooded admirer is the local town doctor who is a bit too perfect, and whose interest in her is never really explained. Insta-love at its finest, and this is not even YA! Essentially, I cared very little for any of the main characters, and was only slightly interested in some of the secondary ones.

The plot was so predictable and unengaging. I knew 1/3 of the way how it would end, was not fooled by the red herrings, and was pretty disappointed in the attempt to "spice up" the romance angle with some (albeit very minor) BDSM. I almost DNF'd it at one point.

Honestly, had I been given this book without knowing the author, I would never have guessed that it was written by one of my favorites. It feels like someone else wrote it, but the publisher decided to put Gerritsen's name on there to sell more copies. One of the things I love about the Rizzoli & Isles series is that it has two strong, professional female leads. They may have their flaws, but they are portrayed in a realistic way that honors their individuality. The main character in this book was the complete opposite, and I just couldn't connect with her.

I'm sure my library will purchase copies of this because it is written by a well-known author and patrons will be asking for it, but I can't say that I would recommend it.

Tess is a phenomenal writer and she doesn't disappoint with this one. Tess is the Queen of Suspense and this thriller had me up late into the night finishing it.

All books by Tess Gerritsen are an instant buy and a guaranteed great read! This story immediately drew me in from the first page, what a fantastic book! “The Shape of Night” has great characters, suspense, unforeseen twists and turns and ghosts! It immerses the reader in a landscape so detailed that it’s easy to picture in one's mind. I would highly recommend this book, I loved it!! Thank you to NetGalley for my copy of this book.

Thank you for the ARC of this book but it just wasn’t what I expected. Very retro gothic feel (which is OK) but the 50 shades stuff was too much.