Ten years after the Midnight Massacre, Margot returns to the Midnight House.

The night of the massacre, five of Margot's friends were brutally murdered. She was left as one of three survivors and, haunted by the events of that night, has struggled ever since. Now a writer, Margot has finally decided to tell her side of the story and reunite with the two survivors, back at the Midnight House, where their friends died. But, no sooner has Margot returned, things turn deadly. Threats are left, imploring her to tell the truth. Bad blood comes to the surface. And Margot has a sneaking suspicion she can't trust anyone - even her fellow survivors.

RETURN TO MIDNIGHT was an enjoyable, thrilling, twisty debut from Emma Dues. I loved the dual timeline - one set in the present day and one set in the hours before the massacre - and how the author ramped up the tension as she counted down to the moment the massacre happened. Tension in general was handled very well and I could feel my heartbeat pick up as more and more things came to light and more was revealed and the threat to Margot's life became very palpable. I enjoyed the atmosphere and sense of anticipation very much.

The depiction of Margot struggling with her past, with flashbacks, with the horrifying effect the massacre left on her felt very genuine and realistic and her emotions felt like they made sense for her. and I'm glad the author didn't shy away from showing the full extent of those.

I did find the novel took a wee while to fully get started. The start was a wee bit more of a slow burn for me and I found I wasn't fully embraced by the story until about 100 pages in. As a result, I had a few false starts when I first started reading. But once I was properly hooked, I raced through the book in two nights.

On the whole though, I had a great time with this novel and I am looking forward to reading more by the author in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an e-Arc.

This book seems to take inspiration from a few true stories. One of them is obvious, especially if you've been keeping up with crime news from the past few years. However, there is another case to which I was sure this story was alluding. There just seemed to be too many lines that appeared to reference the somewhat lesser known incident(s). And I was right!* *hold for applause* As much as I love being right and feeling smart, the incorporation of this case may strain credulity for some readers. It also doesn't help that Margot is apparently going for a bad decisions personal best. Overall, though, this is an engaging read.

*If I didn't actually predict this/this was just a coincidence, then that's none of my business.

Return To Midnight was a book that truly intrigued me with the premise, but unfortunately I just could not get into it. I really really tried, but it just did not work for me. I had to DNF.

I love a final girl thriller. I've read more than I can count, and I will continue to read them, because there's just something about them, and none of them are exactly the same.
Return to Midnight was a little slow in the beginning, but the multiple timelines, and mounting mysteries really helped to move the story along.
As a thriller reader, I have a habit of creating a list of suspects while reading, but nothing makes me happier when I'm wrong.
Very excited for more from Emma Dues.
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Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was very hyped for this book based on the synopsis, but it fell a bit flat in the end. I didn't click with the writing/main character's point of view, as I found her a bit of an overly chill doofus much of the time, which created a distance that I couldn't really overcome to immerse myself in the world, as I prefer to do with my favorite thrillers. It was still fine, and some of the twists landed effectively.

RETURN TO MIDNIGHT is a blend of ballet, true crime, thriller, and mystery with Emma crafting a suspenseful tale of dual timelines (past & present) that'll leave you at the edge of your seat. Margot, our main character, is one of the few survivors of the Midnight House Massacre, who reunites with the other survivors at the very house where she lost her friends. She's writing a book but feels there are loose ends still haunting her and the others. Who can she trust? Who can she talk to? We don't know! With each alternating chapter, you dive further into the past in reflection to the present which brings you closer to everything that went down that horrific night.

There wasn't a day I wasn't reading to find out more. Dual timelines are hard to achieve, but Emma writes it so well that it's easy to follow along and know where you are. Definitely a recommended read.

Many thanks to Emma Dues, Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for the E-ARC!
RETURN TO MIDNIGHT debuts on August 27th, 2024!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC to read in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Return to Midnight is a dark and thrilling story of murder and suspicion that keeps you questioning not only who did it but also what happened in the first place. I really liked how the author drew out the flashes from the past to keep me on my toes, guessing left and right about what was happening and who did it. I felt the author did a great job with leaving out names or references in certain spots to keep the past a mystery until the scene happens. This was a memorable, spooky mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed!

Ten years after the Midnight House Massacre, Margot finds herself back at Oxford University. The night of the massacre, five of Margot's friends were brutally murdered, leaving her as one of three survivors. Being a writer, Margot feels compelled to finally share her side of the story.
Overall, the story itself was good. I enjoyed the flashbacks and how it gave insight as to what truly happened leading up to that horrible night. Unfortunately, the writing seemed a little repetitive. Some ideas nd details were brought up a number of times, like the mention of Margot digging her nails into her skin. There were quite a few twists, with the very last one being the best!

Thank you NetGalley and Emma Dues for this read!

Almost a decade has passed since a harrowing tragedy struck an off-campus Victorian home, resulting in the deaths of five Ohio university students. This haunting incident was branded the Midnight House Massacre. Margot Davis, both a survivor and a novelist, has strived to repress the memories, avoiding any mention of the perpetrator's name. Yet, she feels compelled to document her account, leading her back to the ominous Midnight House.

The novel's atmospheric and foreboding tone held me captivated, keeping me on tenterhooks throughout. Told through dual timelines—one unfolding before the massacre and the other in the present day as Margot seeks answers—the story brims with tension. While each character seems to possess a motive for the murders, the actual truth remains an elusive mystery that defied my expectations.

The narrative weaves a complex web of hidden truths, surprising twists, and turns that continually challenge and redirect the reader's assumptions—a narrative approach that I found deeply engaging. The mounting suspense was tangible, compelling me to resist putting the book down.

I extend my thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for granting me access to this captivating tale.

This was really well written, I absolutely loved this story! If you love murder mysteries then this is the book for you! I loved how the main character was authentic in the end and she owned up to her part in the tragedy that occurred.

An enjoyable debut thriller from Emma Dues! I didn’t find the resolution or twists totally revolutionary but it was fast paced/ multi timeline/ unreliable narrator which are all elements I enjoy in this genre!

Gorgeous writing. Impeccable storytelling. A thrilling ride. What's not to love? A fantastic debut by Emma Dues!

Loved this book! Normally I struggle with the jumping around story lines but this was easy to keep up with! I liked that there were so many suspects to keep you guessing. The only reason I gave this a 4 star review was that I was able to figure out who it was early on as I always suspect the innocent, nice one trying to get close to the group, but also having some type of history (I read a lot of crime and thrillers). I, also, figured out that there was something hidden in the walls that allowed someone to get inside early on as well. However, the way the book was written to reveal who it was, trying to throw you off with the father, I found very clever. And what happened to Cooper I feel like was a great way to throw off readers as well! Overall it was a great book and I would definitely recommend it! (In fact, I already have a few friends reading it now!)

This book kept me reading and reading. While the main character is unreliable and this has been done a lot lately I still enjoyed Margot. There are lots of suspenseful scenes and a few good twists and just wanted to know what happened. This is a great debut novel!

I has the pleasure of receiving an ARC for Return to Midnight by Emma Dues.

First and foremost, I loved the vibes of this book. It takes place during Spooky Season, and all I wanted was to be surrounded by pumpkins, candles, and cozy blankets while reading this. Emma does a great job of really setting the tone for this story, adding an air of eeriness at every turn.

I found the story itself very gripping. I love dual-timeline novels, especially in thrillers. I also really enjoyed Margot's character, and despite wanting her to succeed, still wasn't sure I could completely trust her (which goes the same for all the characters). I love a good unreliable narrator, and this one certainly delivers.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It's a great debut, and I'm looking forward to reading more of Emma's work.

This is the kind of book when you say “just one more chapter” and you end up reading it in one setting.

This book has a creepy and dark setting that kept me at the edge of my seat the whole time. It’s told in 2 different timelines, one leading up to the massacre and one year after as Margot is still trying to uncover and understand what really happened that night. Everyone had a motive for the murders but I would’ve never guessed how it actually all happened.

There were so many secrets and twists and turns that everytime you feel like you got it right it takes you to a completely different path and I love that. The tension building was insane, I truly couldn’t put this book down.

I can’t wait to read more from this author.

4.75 stars.*

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for a digital ARC copy.

#ReturnToMidnight #NetGalley

3.5

this one was complicated. it almost put me in a slump, but i enjoyed the writing in general, more specifically the descriptions. the dialogue felt a bit cringe and corny at times, relying too much on cartoonish villain explanations near the end like the author forgot she needed the audience to get some kind of closure. tropes are fine, but you also need to rely on the strength of your characters and your plot, not just other devices.

as a character, margot was fine. she wasn't annoying, albeit jaded, and i could definitely feel her emotions, particularly her grief. her relationship with her mother is the true highlight of this book and i would have liked to see it be explored a bit more.

I found this book to be a little under developed, The ballet subplot was interesting as was the creepy house the murders happened in but nothing really pulled together. Even though there were chapters about the events leading up to the murders no one really felt like a real person so it was hard to tell when someone was acting out of character or even what was going on since they were so interchangable.

There were also so few characters, there was really only one outcome of the book that made sense

Almost 10 years on from a brutal massacre at the house she shared with other students, Margot is returning to the scene of the crime in order to lay the ghosts of that terrible night. Five students were killed at Midnight House in Ohio on that occasion, in what was dubbed the Midnight Massacre.

One of Margot's intentions in revisiting the place is to connect with other survivors, to finally heal, and to write her version of events, supposedly to dispel the conspiracy theories and wild accusations from armchair sleuths.

Except that Margot is not a reliable narrator - so how much of her version can be trusted? And just what does the person sending her anonymous warning notes and accusing her of lying actually know about what really happened that night?

This is an enjoyable read written by an engrossing storyteller. If you are interested in hearing the (possibly fast and loose) version of this particular last girl's story of the night in question, check this book out. It gets 3.5 stars.

I read thrillers for the plot. With middling frequency I'll read other genres - a little gay litfic, a bit of horror here and there - but too often I find myself missing the propulsive tumbling of events, the short cliffhanger-y chapters, the twisty ways things come together at the end that make up the best thrillers. One drawback is that more often than you'd hope character is sacrificed on that plot altar, with characters behaving in strange, unrealistic ways for the sake of making a plot point happen.

In this book, the main character Margot returns to the scene of the crime that changed her life. She's hosted there by two of her fellow survivors who now own the house where their friends were murdered. She wants closure. She wants to figure out what REALLY happened. She hasn't talked to these friends in years - they let her stay anyway, but then refuse to talk at all about what happened. In fact, they don't even really hang out at all, or act as hosts. Margot is just, like, there. At one point they leave her there alone for a night, explaining that they didn't think she'd be there for that long (it's been less than a week at this point, also, sorry, you didn't know how long you were going to have a houseguest?).

These things happen, ultimately, because Margot needed to be at the house to figure things out, and she also needed a night there alone (well, with her bad idea hookup) so more creepy stuff could happen. It makes no sense that her former friends would let her stay there at all when they clearly don't even want to interact with her. It makes no sense that they'd leave her alone there - seriously, she lives one whole hour away. Girl, go sleep in your own bed.

This can lead to characters that feel more like paper dolls placed where you put them rather than real people. And this is unfortunate, because this book had all the other ingredients that make for a good thriller. Just give me some characters who act like actual human beings, please!!

My thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the ARC.