The Midnight Game has become a tradition for teenagers to play at Halloween in the small town of Slayton. A select group is ‘invited’ to play by sneaking into a creepy, derelict house before midnight and follow a set of instructions to invite in the Midnight Man on the stroke of midnight. Each player then lights candle so they can explore the house, but if the candle goes out it means the Midnight Man is near and one of you could die.
This atmospheric, suspenseful novel is a combination of police thriller and horror story with a touch of the supernatural. It’s an intense and spine-chilling read that will hook you in and compel you to keep reading. Blackhall Manor is the perfect gloomy ruined mansion for the creepy game the teens play. Like every small town Slayton has its secrets and its odd characters like Christian, at the beck and call of his obese mother when he’d rather be in his room gaming, and Elliot the psychic young boy who has nightmares about the Midnight Man.

The Midnight Man is one of those stories that make you feel everything. The intensity of the story, the victims whose fear is so palpable that it’s jumping from the pages, a book that makes you feel so intensely you feel like you’ve gone three rounds with Mike Tyson.

The town of Slayton has been rocked to its core once again when 5 girls play the midnight game in notorious Blackhall Manor. I say again because over twenty years ago the community was in mourning after the murder/suicide of the Middleton family. Grandparents, two children, and mother were murdered before the father finally turned the gun on himself after the bloody rampage. The game has been around since then, but this group of girls decides that Halloween is a great time to play the game. Unfortunately, one girl doesn’t make it home, Angelica, who is the daughter of a local property developer and a community hero.

Sarah Noble is taking a tentative step back to work after a period of poor mental health. She had previously worked under her husband, David but some scandal had broken out (you find out later what kind of scandal and you can then piece together the awkward working conditions). She doesn’t get fanfare when she returns, and her Sergeant has more than a few words for Sarah to digest. I enjoyed getting to know Sarah and Noble in all her problems and difficulties. She’s not perfect, the aftermath of her illness is a struggling woman. Making her way back to the police is like treading through muddy water. She doesn’t have it easy, but I admire her strength to regain her sense of self back.

When it is reported that Angelica is missing, Sarah knows this case will blow up considering her father’s standing in the community. Sarah gets reacquainted with her old friend, Maggie, and discovers that her son, Elliot seems to have some psychic ability. She’s dubious at first but as she learns more about Elliot, she begins to trust his sensitive abilities.

Reminded me of The Candyman by Clive Barker in its sinister depravity. The spiral of events sucks the characters into a whirlpool of fear and emotive anguish. The cast is explosive and team that with a murder case that is both complex and personal and you have an instant winner.

“If you open your door to the Midnight Man,
Hide with a candle wherever you can.
Try not to scream as he draws near,
Because one of you won’t leave here.”

The rules of the games are simple:


–Rule one: Stain some paper with a drop of your blood
–Rule two: Turn off the lights at midnight, leave the paper at the front door, and knock twenty-two times. Open the door. You have invited the Midnight Man in.
–Rule three: Relight the candle. You must avoid the Midnight Man until 3.33 a.m. If your candle extinguishes, it means the Midnight man is near. If he finds you, you will die.

The Midnight Man is bristling with tension and accomplishes what it set out to do an account of survival. Caroline Mitchell knows how to lead you down an abandoned track only to jump out at you and stop your heart with her twists and turns

A police thriller with a delightfully dark edge.

Sarah Noble is returning to work after a period of extended absence. She doesn’t expect an easy ride, given the circumstances which led to her absence, but Sarah does seem surprised at the animosity her colleagues are showing as she returns to duties with the police. Restricted duties and only core hours each day which is going to be a problem as her team are about to be involved in a troubling case which will stretch them and drain their resources.

The root of their problems lies within Blackhall Manor. The infamous old building (now falling to ruin) where one night, years earier, a father gunned down his wife and two children before turning the gun on himself. The building’s reputation now means it holds a fascination for the local school children. There is a “challenge” game they play where a group of kids will try to stay inside Blackhall Manor from midnight to 3.33am and avoid being found by The Midnight Man. If he should catch you then the understanding is that things won’t end well for the unfortunate player.

As we join the story there is a group of five schoolfriends planning their trip to Blackhall Manor. They have received an invitation to play the game and their nervous excitement is infectious as they consider the implications of playing and how they will ensure their parents don’t find out what their plans are.

The Midnight Man game is a great introduction to the story, particularly as readers have already been inside Blackhall Manor. The first pages of the story takes us back to that fateful night when the murders occurred – it’s a harrowing read as we hear events unfolding through the eyes of one of the children. The noise, the panic, the disbelief and incomprehension thrusts the story right into the face of the reader and it’s a powerful way to grab our attention.

In present day the game goes wrong for one of the players. She becomes seperated from her friends and discovers the game is much more real than they expected. Her friends believe she has chickened out and gone home so it is a shock the following day when news of a missing girl begins to circulate.

For Sarah and her colleagues in the police the missing girl is just the start of their problems. The girl comes from a powerful family within the small community and answers are urgently being demanded. As is the assurance the police will return her home safely. But for Sarah, work problems are just the tip of the iceberg. Someone is watching her, threatening her, taunting her and they seem to know all about Sarah – things nobody really should know. But in a small town can you really keep secrets?

The Midnight Man has a plan and he is playing his game but he also knows of Sarah and his plans may involve her too. Lives will be lost, others destroyed and any fragile trust which exists in the community will soon be shattered.

This is a tension packed read and Caroline Mitchell keeps you hooked. There are lots of great characters who feed into the story and each seem to have their own involvement in Sarah’s case but it’s never quite clear who is just quirky and who may have a hidden agenda. Dark, creepy and nicely paced to keep my attention throughout.

4 stars for enjoyment

If you open your door to the Midnight Man, hide with a candle wherever you can. Try not to scream as he draws near, because one of you won't be leaving here...

5 friends decide they are ready to graduate from trick or treat and decide to play the midnight game at Blackhall manor on Halloween. To play the game, they write their names on a piece of paper, soak it in their blood and knock on the door 22 times right a midnight, hoping to summon the MM. What was supposed to be harmless fun, ends in tragedy when ony 4 of the girls come home.

Detective Noble is assigned the case because no one knows Blackhall manor more than her, but is she ready to meet the MM?

I'm not sure, but I was ready to meet her! I honestly loved her so much, she is a very flawed and broken woman who happens to be a nuanced and talented law enforcement officer. The Midnight Man is definitely a thriller, but the suspense and dread make it terrifying at times.

Noble's development arc was organic and enthralling, the mystery was tightly plotted and my heart was thumping for most of the book. It is such a fast paced thriller I read it in two sittings.

I loved Mitchell's narrative and cannot wait to read more of her books.

Disclaimer: In exchange for an honest review, I am thankful to Embla Books, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of The Midnight Man.

The Midnight Man begins back in 1994 with the family who live at Blackhall Manor, fast forward 25 years and the house is a dilapidated old building, lying empty since that awful night, avoided by many, especially Sarah Noble, what is it about that house that sets her heart racing and why won't she go inside? Sarah has a secret, that only a few close friends are aware of, and she wants it to stay that way, but when one of the teenagers disappears she knows she must face her demons and uncover the man behind the Midnight Game.

This latest thriller by Caroline Mitchell is shrouded in mystery from beginning to end, it draws the reader in with a tense prologue that sets the heart racing and the story continues to keep you intrigued!

A creepy police thriller with some supernatural elements. It kept me on the edge of my seat and I couldn’t wait to see how it ends.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.

Brilliant-A nail-biting thriller-fabulous in every way. Recommended.

I have a slightly embarrassing confession to make. Although I love thrillers, police procedurals, and noir novels, I’m not a massive fan of horror. When I began reading this I was seriously creeped out with the first chapter and I put it down, thinking that I couldn’t handle it.

Ten minutes later and a conversation with myself to pull myself together, I picked up my kindle again. I am so glad I did!

The Midnight Man is a police procedural thriller with a supernatural element that really makes for a fabulously creepy vibe.

I really warmed to Sarah Noble, the protagonist. She clearly comes with a lot of baggage but she is dedicated to her job and with so much compassion within her which hasn’t been dented by her traumatic past. This book is the first in the series, and I look forward to finding out more about her character as the series progresses.

The setting in Slayton felt suitably noir-esque, with the fancy gated communities of Upper Slayton surrounded by trees, and the more down-at-heel Lower Slayton where the poorer people lived.

This novel contains the main storyline, dealing with the investigation of a young girl murdered in a mysterious Halloween game. In addition there is a subplot relating to part of Sarah’s past in Blackhall Manor, which is the setting of the main story too.

Dramatic beginning aside (that I was chicken about!), this was a gripping story that built in tension, particularly with the distinctive voice of The Midnight Man raising the tension throughout.

This dark atmospheric thriller was so hard to put down, and I’m really looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

I enjoy Caroline Mitchells books a lot, and this one was no exception.
I was on tenterhooks for most of the book, wanting to know what was coming next.
I hope that this is to become a series. I feel like there is more for Sarah.

Wow what a mix.of thriller and horrorm maybe a little too much for me but I reccomend this book to all that love this generes together. I could not really connect to everything but I belive many does. Before reading lock your doors and close the windows.

Blackhall Manor – the people in the town of Slayton believe this big house is cursed and they all know the story about the man of the house killed his family and then shot himself, the house has been locked up since that day over 20 years ago. In the present time, it is Halloween, and five local girls get an anonymous invite to play a legendary scary game called The Midnight Game which is to place at the Manor. Only four of the girls make it home, one of them is missing. Where is she? The four girls are terrified and don’t want to say anything that would put them in jeopardy of the Midnight Man who might come after them. Sarah in on restrictive leave from the police force and returns to the village. She has an old connection to Blackhall Manor.

Caroline Mitchell has once again produced a fantastic, gripping read. Five very well deserved stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and Embla Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book took awhile to get into and awhile for me to keep the many characters straight but when I did I couldn’t wait to finish it to see what would happen. This was a great thriller that kept me guessing right until the end.

The atmosphere in this title is amazing. It felt like I was living in the book while reading and it doesn’t get much better than that. The characters were well written and I didn’t want to put this down! A true thriller at its finest.

Brilliant suspenseful thriller.
I had this on my tbr for a while so I am glad I finally got around to it and wish I had sooner.
From the start of the book it sets the way of story and we follow it nicely through. Lots of plot holes, some we close others are left to readers imagination or maybe devolved into another book. Surrounded by lots of mystery and secrets.
My first time reading a book from this author and it did not disappoint.

Blackhall Manor has stood empty for many years since the occupant shot his wife & two children before turning the gun on himself. It has not been forgotten. Around Halloween it attracts attention from the local teens. Five girls go there to call up 'The Midnight Man' but only four return. Detective Sarah Noble returns to work after a prolonged absence & is put on light duties- something her colleagues do not approve of. However Sarah knows more about Blackhall Manor than she wants to reveal.

This is the first in a series so there is a lot of setting the scene & introducing the characters. Even with thatthe author creates a menacing atmosphere & some interesting characters- perfect Halloween reading! I really likes Sarah & look forward reading more about her. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

Mitchell’s new novel, has an interesting premise that promises to be a supernatural horror but pans out to be a murder crime mystery with a damaged detective fighting until its conclusion.

This is the basic premises of this crime murder mystery and though it is an entertaining book and one that keeps you totally invested, I kind of wish that it felt more supernatural instead of supernatural setting with a twist Scooby-Doo ending that had nothing to do with the supernatural.

If I take the supernatural and disappointment out of the marketing of the book and look at the crime murder mystery aspect. This is a solidly written book that keeps it main focus on Sarah as she fights to prove herself after having time off for mental health issues. She is a confident person within her professional life though her personal life does lack focus. The secondary characters are well drawn out and its through this, we are kept fully invested until the end.

The plotting is well paced and there is enough twists and turns to keep the reader interested. The final conclusion is surprising and set me on edge which is an excellent and made it most satisfying once the last words are read and cover is shut. It does stay with you and was a great cold day in wrapped to keep warm on a Sunday afternoon kind of book. Fast paced, quick page turner.

Overall, I liked the murder mystery and checks all the books of fiction in this genre. The supernatural though turned way up in the first couple of chapters gets moved to the back burner and never really emerges again feeling more like a gothic novel which promises a ghost story but find it is all just smoke and mirrors. I think this is probably down more to marketing than the book itself so for a book point of view I will score this a five but due to lack of supernatural ambience throughout the book, this is a solid 4.

Nigel loads his gun and shoots his parents, wife and two children in Blackhall Manor on 31st October as midnight strikes. It's Halloween twenty-five years later, and a group of teenagers break into the abandoned manor to play the midnight game...

This was a fantastic, tension-filled read with a great sense of foreboding throughout. Detective Sarah Noble, an intriguing protagonist who was a bit of a mess, was someone to root for. Compelling and unputdownable.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Embla Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Such a brilliant prologue, very spooky and atmospheric. The majority of the book was really good and interesting. I enjoyed discovering each POV and follow the case, but the ending was too convenient and easy for me.

3.5/5 stars

I enjoyed reading this book and trying to guess what was going to happen next. I thought that Sarah was a really good main character to follow, and I loved how we found out little pieces of her backstory throughout the book.

I really enjoyed seeing Sarah's friendships blossoming in this book, and seeing how Sarah's relationships evolve throughout.

This was a pretty gripping thriller that kept me guessing and I'm looking forward to reading more from Caroline Mitchell in the future.

Oh wow! This book certainly starts with a bang! Literally! The first couple of chapters took me right back to my teenage years; it was so reminiscent of the horror movie classics that I loved to watch through my fingers but then haunted my nightmares.

Slayton is a town with a dark history. 25 years ago a loving father killed his family at Blackhall Manor on Halloween. Now 5 girls play a game from urban legend at the same location with tragic consequences. Are these coincidences or does something evil plague the town?

The spooky premise and tension in the first few chapters had me quickly hooked. After the initial scare fest the terror-meter drops and we’re left with more mystery than horror.

The story is told from a few perspectives but Sarah is the main protagonist. She’s a detective who has just returned to work after a long term mental health issue following a traumatic experience. She’s not welcomed back with open arms, and is given menial tasks but is determined to gain her colleagues respect.

The mystery aspect to the story is enjoyable and full of twists and intrigue. I found myself unable to stop turning the pages and read it in a couple of sittings. I must admit I was a tiny bit disappointed that there weren’t more truly scary moments and I thought more could have been made of the supernatural premise of the game.

However, the final twist was a complete surprise and the ending picked up the tension and terror that had been there at the start. Things were tied up neatly but left an opening for more books in the series, which I’ll be very keen to read.