Wish it didn't take me so long to get to reading this book because I really enjoyed it! I saw some reviews say it was a weird read, but I am very much into "Weird." I actually thought it was a unique story and I thought it was so cool that Soap Lake actually does exist and is ecologically and culturally significant to the people who live around it as well as visitors. It's even considered to be "healing waters" with it's healing properties of alkaline water, oil and mud to the Moses-Colombia tribe. So, knowing you are reading a story based on a magical/mysterious lake that is real makes it all that more interesting!! I love a story with a mystery, and Soap Lake provided that. Abigail and her husband Eli, move to this town primarily so he can research this mysterious lake but shortly after arriving, he ends up moving away to Poland after being offered another job while Abigail stays behind. Abigail stumbles upon a crime scene and is thrust into trying to figure out what is going on-not only with the murder of the woman Esme, but also just the mysteries behind this town, lake and legends in general. The chapters read in alternate voices between Abigail and Esme and there are some great supporting characters. If you feel the book starts off slow, just keep with it because it really does end up being a good one!

“A lake with mysterious properties. A town haunted by urban legend. Two women whose lives intersect in terrifying ways. Welcome to Soap Lake, a town to rival Twin Peaks and Stephen King’s Castle Rock.”

After a world win romance, Abigail agrees to move with her new husband Eli to a tiny town called Soap Lake for Eli to work his dream job studying the mysterious lake. Before they can even get settled in, Eli ships off to Poland for a different research project. This leaves Abigail all alone in a new town with new people. Out one day for her daily walk, she finds George, 4 year old boy that runs out of the desert. After finding the car with George’s dead mother, Esme, seated in the front seat, Abigail is thrown into trying to solve the mystery of Esme’s death and the town’s creepy mascot, TreeTop.

This book is very well written in two different timelines. The author takes his time to build both timelines in such a way that you truly feel for each of the characters. The book kept me guessing the entire time and actually surprised me several times I highly recommend this book!

Ok, this one was, well, weird. And not good-fit-for-me weird, just odd and disconnected and strange to follow. I was intrigued by the blurb (Twin Peaks by way of Castle Rock? Sign me up!), but just couldn't find my way into this one no matter how hard I tried. It was a bizarre mix of oddities (TreeTop, I'm talking to you) and banalities (a female lead who basically just follows her husband around, surprised but not really shocked by everything). It made for a somewhat disjointed read that I just could not get into. This one wasn't for me...

Midnight in Soap Lake was so good. While I enjoyed the characters and the plot, it was the setting that most intrigued me. Of course I also needed to go and read about Soap Lake. And I would suggest you also fall down that rabbit hole. So while the mystery was entertaining (dark), I liked the undercurrents of our eco system, what we are doing to it. And what the powers that be will do to stop us asking questions.

When Abigail marries a scientist and moves to the small town of Soap Lake, Washington for his research on the lake, she is excited about experiencing newlywed life against the backdrop of the town’s tourist attractions. But she’s disappointed, not only because the famous “biggest lava lamp in the world” doesn’t exist, but also because her husband is offered another research opportunity in Poland and chooses to leave her alone in their new, unfamiliar town. One day, while taking a walk in the desert, Abigail becomes witness to a strange crime scene. A four-year-old boy has fled the scene of his mother’s murder; the mother was stabbed with a screwdriver and left to bleed out in her car.

The murdered woman is Esme Calderon, who grew up in Soap Lake but left town suddenly after a string of tragedies culminating in the death of her boyfriend Kevin right before the two were supposed to graduate from high school. Police assume that her death was the result of a drug deal gone wrong. The child, George, is sent to live with his Uncle Daniel, who had no idea that his sister was coming back to Soap Lake or that she had a child.

Disturbed by the crime scene and bored without her husband or a job, Abigail becomes George’s babysitter and continues looking into the details of Esme’s death herself. She gleans information about Esme and the town’s recent history from Daniel, from an attractive police officer named Abe Krunk, and from Sophia, a recovering addict who works at the local library. Sophia even accompanies her back to the site of Esme’s death, where they find further evidence. Abigail isn’t convinced by the police’s assumption that Esme was dealing drugs. In fact, after meeting Preston, the local “crazy” conspiracy theorist who also happens to be the ex-husband of another scientist who had come to town to study the lake, she comes to the conclusion that all the local mysteries are connected. It all has something to do with the lake and something to do with the creepy local legend known as Treetop.

The chapters from Abigail’s perspective alternate with chapters giving Esme’s backstory from her own perspective years earlier. Despite that backstory, the final revelations about who the real bad guys are doesn’t come until the very end. The atmospheric setting and the several unexpected twists late in the book make it well worth pushing through the slow, uninteresting start. Likewise, the lack of defining, memorable character traits in Abigail herself is easy to overlook given this book’s other redeeming qualities, including fascinating secondary characters. Well worth reading despite those minor imperfections. Interestingly enough, the town of Soap Lake is very much a real place, and the lake’s unique biome, (which seemed like the most unbelievable aspect of this story) is factual.

I really really enjoyed this book. You can tell from the get go how much effort, research and planning was involved in creating such a complex plot. The characters were never flat and the ‘thrillerness’ of it all kept me hooked. I also enjoyed how it was still able to offer important social commentary on life under capitalism/protecting the environment, without stating it outright in an artless way.
My only critique would be that if it’s important to the story, perhaps fleshing out the main characters’ identities would be a good idea. For example, we know Esme is not necessarily seen as a golden child and people are constantly judging her based off of her poverty level, but all of a sudden in the last chapters she’s described as a “brown” woman, something that if introduced earlier may help readers better understand the trials and tribulations she goes through in Soap Lake.

Really enjoyed it overall though and am highly anticipating its release!

I loved this and I hate that it took me so long to get to! I was completely captivated. And Matthew Sullivan’s writing is so refreshing and crisp.

A recent newlywed on her own while her husband is out of the country gets caught up in drama after finding a child covered in his mother's blood. Myth and murder combine to create a just-right experience for fans of traditional mysteries.

Midnight in Soap Lake is a haunting, atmospheric thriller that will keep you hooked from start to finish.

Abigail moves to the small, desolate town of Soap Lake, Washington, hoping for a fresh start. But when she finds a bloodied, catatonic boy in the desert and discovers his mother’s murder, Abigail is drawn into the town’s dark past—one filled with secrets, conspiracies, and a chilling urban legend.

Matthew Sullivan masterfully builds tension as Abigail unravels the mystery behind these deaths, with every twist pulling her deeper into a web of danger. If you enjoy slow-burn thrillers set in eerie, isolated towns, this one is a must-read!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Midnight in Soap Lake.

Abigail has moved to the small town of Soap Lake, WA for her husband's research. When he leaves for Poland for a temporary assignment, she finds herself alone haunted by its local legends and secrets. When a young boy stumbles into her life, Abigail discovers a long simmering mystery that goes back decades. But will it jeopardize her safety?

The premise was intriguing and yes, it takes some time for the pacing to ramp up.

There were parts I liked, the restorative properties of the lake, the varied cast of characters, and the descriptions of the small town, but the narrative got too bogged down in the 'science' of it.

Second, Abigail is not a compelling main character. She's a typical trope; not ambitious or interesting individual who is just tagging along with her husband because she's got nothing else going on.

I did like Esme and her flashbacks provided necessary exposition to her fate.

Third, I was confused to the purpose of TreeTop. At first, I hoped he was a supernatural deity, like Pennywise but when he turned out to be nothing more than redneck losers dressed up as an urban legend committing sanctioned murder, that left a bad taste in my mouth.

The scientific elements of the story combined with TreeTop made the narrative a bit messy to read, as if the author wasn't sure what he wanted the story to be about; a flat-out mystery with mysterious murders or eco-horror.

Did I miss the part why Esme's dad was killed or was that never fully explained?

The ending is ambiguous, not that I mind, but there are a lot of loose ends in regards to TreeTop and its real purpose.

The writing was good, but the plot was uneven and it could have easily been a straightforward mystery without TreeTop.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book, but it was very difficult to follow at times. I think the narrative got into the swamp several times with the details surrounding ecology, and I just found it difficult to connect. Otherwise, it was a fun suspense read.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I can see I'm in the minority with my rating of this book. I just could not get into this story and I found myself skimming as I read. A lake with mysterious properties. A town haunted by urban legend. Two women whose lives intersect in terrifying ways. Welcome to Soap Lake, a town to rival Twin Peaks and Stephen King’s Castle Rock.
When Abigail agreed to move to Soap Lake, Washington, for her husband’s research, she expected old-growth forests and craft beer, folksy neighbors and the world’s largest lava lamp. Instead, after her husband jets off to Poland for a research trip, she finds herself alone, in a town surrounded by sand and haunted by its own urban legends.
But when a young boy runs through the desert into Abigail’s arms, her life becomes entwined with his and the questions surrounding the death of his mother, Esme. In Abigail’s search for answers, she enlists the help of a recovering addict turned librarian, a grieving brother, a broken motel owner and a mentally shattered conspiracy theorist to unearth Esme’s tragic past, the town’s violent history and the secret magic locked in the lake her husband was sent there to study.
As she gets closer to the answers, past and present crimes begin to collide, and Abigail finds herself gaining the unwelcome attention of the town’s unofficial mascot, the rubber-suited orchard stalker known as TreeTop, a specter who seems to be lurking in every dark shadow and around every shady corner.
A sweeping, decade-spanning mystery brimming with quirky characters and puzzle-hunt scenarios, Midnight in Soap Lake is a modern-day Twin Peaks—a rich, expansive universe that readers will enter and never forget.

Title Midnight in Soap Lake AKA Midnight in the Orchard by the Lake
Author: Matthew J. Sullivan
Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing-Hanover Square Press
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: April 15, 2025
My Rating: 3 Stars
Pages: 336

Abigail and her husband Eli move to Soap Lake, Washington, for his research - he is a limnologist. Abigail expected apple orchards, draft beer, folksy neighbors and the world’s largest lava lamp. However, when Eli immediately jets off to Poland for a research trip, she finds herself alone, in a town surrounded by sand and haunted by its own urban legends.
True I am as curious Abigail about these legends. When a man who must be 15 feet tall peeks in her bedroom room, I thought I don’t know about you Abigail but I am out of here!

She learns from her friend Esme that he is actually a puppet who represents the legend of “Treetop’".

There is no doubt that this story is very different than my usual psychological thrillers!
Although I really am fine with reading paranormal stories, this one was a bit of a struggle.
However, I totally enjoyed reading the “Author’s Note”.

Matthew Sullivan tells us that he and his wife Libby lived in the real Soap Lake, Washington.
He tells as that TreeTop is entirely a figment of his imagination. Then adds it never hurts to check the branches about your head,

Trust me and be sure to read it as you will find it is as interesting as the fictitious Soap Lake.
There is no doubt out author has a great sense of humor as well as a very vivid imagination.

Want to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing ~ Hanover Square Press for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for April 15, 2025.

Oh boy, I was so sure I was going to give this a five star review, but I ended the book feeling betrayed.
I liked the setting of this story, really liked the characters and how nuanced they all are. I liked the premise and how multiple questions arise throughout the book and how most of them get solved too.

Spoilers start here:

My main issue with this book was the ending. I feel like I needed a decent epilogue and that was not it. I invested a lot of time in this plot, going back and forth, reading the same event told from different perspectives, which got a bit tiring at some point, but ok, still interesting. To get to the end of the last chapter and not find out what happened to these characters I cared about? I really dislike when authors do that: “leaving it open for interpretation”, especially in such a long book. Speaking of long book, I think this work could have used more editing.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC.

So fun fact, Soap Lake is a real place in my beautiful state of WA. It’s said that if you swim there you will be granted beauty because it’s rich in minerals (which is actually true). It’s an urban legend, but I grew up with one, so I was excited to dive in and see where this book went. Okay, so this book does play on the truth of Soap Lake, and I loved it. I much prefer the reason for the mineral rich soil in the book, it was a lot more up my speed, and honestly, it feels like a plausible explanation. I don’t want to say what it is because that would be a spoiler, but if you like thrillers, then you’d like the reason. I really enjoyed the dual point of view of this book because right from the start you know that one of them is passed away, and I kept needing to know what her story was. What happened to her? Both points of view intersect at the “who” of the crime around the same time, and it was great. The writing was well done and I really enjoyed it. I read the author’s book a few years ago, and it was obvious that he has grown as an author since. I really enjoy his writing and will continue to read what he writes because he crafts really well-done mysteries that I don’t get bored with.

Check this one out if you like well-paced mysteries with a fun tie in to a real life place.

Thank you to NetGalley and Matthew Sullivan for the digital advanced reader copy of Midnight in Soap Lake. This novel is just as gripping as Sullivan's first, Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore. Sullivan has a fantastic talent for building monsters of incredible magnitude and then tearing down their facade to show the terrible, vulnerable, and complicated people beneath.

As a librarian, I had complicated feelings about Miss Nellie. She is a terrible librarian, censoring books, harassing patrons, and bullying her staff. She's also horrific for allowing her lech of a brother to harass Sophia. However, as a character, Miss Nellie with all her power tripping and judgement, complicated by her kindness/protectiveness towards Preston makes her and her motives through the progression of events before and after Esme's death highly suspect, adding to the suspense around Tree Top. Parts of the actual conspiracy in the town remain unanswered, which, while frustrating, realistically illustrates bureaucratic corruption in small towns like the fictionalized version of Soap Lake.

Abigail and Esme are both compelling narrators. It's hard to read about a character growing up, and coming to love them as they become themselves, knowing all the while how and when they're going to die. Somehow, despite the novel starting with the discovery of Esme's body, I still found myself rooting for her to grow up, get out of Soap Lake, and for George to find help for her in time. Children are often hard to write realistically, but George felt like a real kid, in all the nuance that entails. The detail written for the supporting characters, especially Kevin, Krunk, Sophia, and Silas, and a few moments with Dr. Carla, made them just as easy to care about as Abigail and Esme. Not necessarily easy to love, but the way Sullivan molded them made me care about what happened to them. The only one who fell flat was Eli, but that's mostly because he spent 3/4 of the book out of the country and out of Abigail's life - and because he REALLY lives for the science, not seeking to harm others, but also not seeming to have easy access to his empathy either.

Pastor Kurt's fall from grace (get the pun?) is an interesting one. He ruined his life and destroyed his future in order to keep Silas out of jail, ultimately resulting in Silas's death, the death of the one kid in town with the hope of getting out of there, and forced himself into indentured servitude. And it was ultimately all for nothing.

I didn't particularly like the ending. Returning to Esme was interesting, but the timelines of the alternating perspective had already just about reached her death. It just didn't line up well with the rhythm of the rest of the novel and the dreamlike quality of the chapter did the book a disservice. Sophia's chapter didn't make much sense other than to say that the town still underestimates the marginalized and she's learned how to use that to her advantage. It didn't tie up any loose ends, and it didn't add anything. I read it twice. It just feels like it ends too abruptly, lacking the closure that made Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore such an engaging read all the way through. However, I do understand how integrating actual non-conspiracy law enforcement into the conclusion would be complicated given Daniel killed McDaid and Hal for orchestrating the myth and murders of Tree Top. I think what I wanted was more, not a return to the past to close the novel.

Also, what did George drop in the desert?

Is Treetop and the healing effects of Soap Lake real or urban legend? Only Matthew Sullivan can write a book like this that puts the reader right into the action. This would definitely make a great horror movie! Loved this book, thanks for the advanced read!

Twins Peaks meets 2022’s The Resort in this quirky mystery.

Soap Lake is a sleepy town where the residents dream of being home to the world’s largest lava lamp. As magical as that could seem, beyond that it is a once thriving resort town now down on its luck and full of secrets. Newcomer Abigail is determined to uncover those secrets.

This is a slow burn of a book, told from different timelines and points of view, and it is unclear at times where the author is taking the audience. However, it’s well written and the mystery itself is compelling. Fans of the genre looking for something different will enjoy this one, and it would be a solid pick for a book group.

This book started a little slowly but I was still intrigued enough to keep reading. The main character really comes into her own towards the middle of the book, which was nice. Small towns can be filled with secrets and Soap Lake was no exception. The secrets ran dark and deep. And secrets kill in a town like this. Finding out who was behind the secrets and why was not what I was expecting. This book ends in such a way that you feel satisfied that the truth has come out but also leaves a little wiggle room for a sequel. Which would be nice. I’d like to see how the main character moves on from here.

This book surprised me. I wouldn’t normally choose this book based on the cover but did enjoy it and the dual pov. The ending did feel rushed but was overall enjoyable,