Huh. I definitely have some mixed feelings about this one. I mean, it was an interesting read. I never found myself getting bored and the premise was intriguing. A murder mystery set in a town on a mystical lake? Heck yeah! I read through it pretty quickly (or at least as quickly as I manage these days) and it was decently suspenseful and had me invested in where the story was headed.

But …

Sweet baby kittens on a cracker, I never came close to understanding the reasoning behind everything that happened in this novel. It's hard to explain without spoilers, but let's just say that I never quite got the why of the murders. I mean, I understood the superficial why, but I never got the why behind the why. And I realize that makes absolutely no sense to anyone, so let me try to explain further. (Note: There are no major spoilers in this explanation, but I'm putting it behind a spoiler tag just in case you don't want to know even the vague details beforehand.) <spoiler>Strange deaths have happened in Soap Lake, including the murder of (local girl recently returned home) Esme that's the main focus of this story. You find out that the murder(s) happened to prevent something from being revealed (the first “why”), but I absolutely for the life of me could not figure out why it was so important that it never be revealed (the second “why”). Maybe I missed a critical detail somewhere, but as far as I can tell, having the thing revealed wouldn't have affected anyone involved other than maybe some people saying “ooh, that sucks” and then going on about their day.</spoiler> I mean, I have to be missing something here, right?

And then you get to the end and … nothing is resolved. The main characters start figuring things out and then it just ends. So many loose ends. So many questions.

But, still, I didn't dislike this book. As I said before, it's an entertaining read despite all of the muddlement surrounding the reason for the murder(s) (and the lack of a cohesive ending). There are urban legends and a mystical lake and murders and science-y bits, and it's all pretty interesting and unique.

My overall rating: 3.25 stars, rounded down. While Midnight in Soap Lake wasn't a perfect read, it was still decently enjoyable and I'd definitely consider reading future books by Matthew Sullivan.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Hanover Square Press for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is April 15, 2025.

4.5 ⭐️! This story had me sucked in from the very beginning and had me engaged throughout the whole story. The author built a complex story with many creative ties and characters.

Thank you #Netgalley for the #ARC of this book. I’m excited for this be released and others to read!

“Midnight in the Orchard by the Lake” is a thriller packed with urban legends, eco horror and recommended for fans of “twin peaks” and “castle rock”.

The plot follows two women whose lives intersect; and offers multiple POV and timeline cross overs through alternate chapters.

Abigail has moved to Soap Lake in support of her husband. She is left alone when he is away travelling for work and out of boredom she begins to explore, leading her to find a mysterious young boy running through the desert. She is intrigued enough to investigate the history and secrets of this unusual town.

Esme is a Soap Lake local who is obsessed with the legend of Treetop, she intends to leave the town in her rear view mirror but events lead to her return.

There is mystery, conspiracy, legends, paranormal feel. This is definitely a book outside of my usual genre that offered lots of intrigue.

Thank you to HTP, Matthew Sullivan and NetGalley for the EARC!

Publish date: April 15th 2025

Midnight in the Orchard by the Lake was such a fun thriller/eco horror book! Abigail moves to Soap Lake with her husband, who quickly leaves on a work trip, leaving Abigail alone in a new town, which she is less than thrilled by. (I mean, the lava lamp is only a base, and that was the most exciting thing Soap Lake had to offer!) When Abigail finds a young boy running through the desert, she quickly becomes wrapped up in town secrets and the mystery of TreeTop. Esme was just trying to escape Soap Lake, but when life kept beating her down, she decided to return with her son, which resulted in her death.

This book has eco horror revolving around Soap Lake and it's micro-organisms, it's got a menacing character who lurks around every corner dressed in a rubber suit and mask, it's got murder - what else could you ask for?

I loved this book and rated it 4.5 stars!

I couldn’t put this book down!! It kept me on my toes and the plot was very intriguing. Sullivan does a great job at keeping you guessing through the whole story. I loved the characters. Very well written all together.

This was pleasantly surprising how addictive this was! After watching the latest True Detective and thinking about all that is untapped out there that we do not know, there are so many mysteries left. I enjoyed the spooky energy and complex family histories.

This just wasn't the book for me. While the writing was good and I was invested in the story, I found it hard to follow at times and my attention wandering. It definitely keeps you on your toes, wondering what the heck is actually going on, but the subject matter of lakes and science just isn't my thing and makes my eyes glaze over. I will say that the Tree Top Kills thing had me pretty spooked. I think many will really enjoy this one.

4.5/5 stars

I won't lie to you, when I started this I mistakenly thought I was reading a romance novel because it's literally a Harlequin novel. I figured it out a few chapters in and I was not sad when I realized it was something much different, especially when the story gets its groove a quarter of the way through.

Once I figured out the flow of chapter hopping (what decade is it, who are all these names again?) I was enthralled. I don't usually read thrillers but I do read a lot of Stephen King and I honestly enjoyed this way more than most of his books. The town was so interesting and the characters I honestly cared about and wanted to know what would happen. The first scene of Abigail being peeped on by "TreeTop" was the most skeeved out I've been while reading in a long time. I only wish the end was wrapped up a bit more but I'm not too heartbroken about it, many of the storylines were insinuated to have ended in certain ways before it ended, you just have to guess that it all happened that way (How did George end up, how were Eli's and Abigail's marriage, the cop??)

I will gladly read the first in this series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for providing me with an ARC of Sullivan's novel in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! I ended up liking the dual POV, even though i originally though that I wouldnt care for Esmes POV, it was necessary.
I initially thought that the "something" was paranormal, but ended up being very much human. I will definitely recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for providing me with an ARC of Sullivan's novel in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a huge surprise, as I wasn't sure if I was going to love it as I read the first few chapters...but then I read 3/4 of it in a single sitting and immediately had to talk about it.

Brief spoiler-free synopsis:
When Abigail follows her husband and his job to a tiny desert town only for him to be called to Poland for other work, she's left alone. On a walk one morning, a small, blood-covered child runs into her arms from the desert, laying the groundwork for a mystery Abigail feels compelled to solve - even if it puts her in danger.
Esme, a teen in Soap Lake is equal parts obsessed with and terrified by the local legend of TreeTop. Leading a difficult life, all she can think of is escaping the town and finding freedom from her fears and the oppressive judgment of the people around her. But TreeTop isn't just legend and there is good reason for her fear.

Review:
Sullivan lays this story out masterfully, leaving you guessing at what is actually going on. Early on, it seems like a book that is leaning into the paranormal but it doesn't take long to realize the truly scary thing in Soap Lake is incredibly human. You will start forming theories about halfway through but Sullivan's reveal is better than you might expect, even if you thibk youve got it figured out. I caught hints of where the story might end up, but how it got there was surprising and really, really well done. The characters are strong (minus one, but he's minor so I guess that doesn't matter too much), the plot is well-paced, and the threads that come together are masterfully woven. This is a murder/ thriller/mystery/conspiracy that somehow manages to be greater than the sum of those parts.

Can't wait to see the cover and other reviews when this hits shelves. Make sure you grab it!

I enjoyed reading Midnight in Soap Lake ,the plots and twists of the story line kept me intrigued even with the many typos. There were a few surprises of who done what that I hadn't expected. The ending left me hanging, I am not a fan of that style of writing. This book is for those who enjoy a who done it story.

Obsessed...This book hooks you and does not let you go! It makes you what could possibly happen next and it still surprises you!

This book wasn’t really for me. I thought the plot was a little convoluted. At times it felt like there was way too much going on and it could have been edited a bit more or maybe even split up into more books. Very difficult to follow and I definitely won’t be reading more of the series due to this. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Matthew Sullivan brings us the story of Abigail who moves to Soap Lake, Washington following her husband on his quest to unlock the mysteries of the lake. Unfortunately, she finds herself alone while her husband continues his research off in Poland. Abigail's life dramatically changes when a young boy comes running out of the desert. With the arrival of the young boy, Abigail goes on a hunt to find the truth about the boy's mother when she is found dead in her car.

Matthew Sullivan shares with us the adventure that Abigail embarks on when trying to figure out the connection the boy's mother had with the town, the lake, and how the past has shaped the present. Follow along as Abigail tries to solve the case while trying to figure out who she can trust and wondering if she made the right decision following her husband to this small town following his dream. See what she uncovers and how it all unfolds when the truth comes to light.

I have read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I would like to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Hanover Square Press for this privilege.

I loved both points of view of Abigail and esme. I didn't realize that I would care about a tree man, apple orchard and a magical lake. This book kept me on my toes of who was hurting the towns people. It was to find out about the past and who was connected to the lake. Loved learning about the towns people and their history. Reminded me of mystical mystery. ♥️

Loved this twisty, small town, conspiracy mystery! It felt like a real story, I think the authors note describing the real elements it was drawn from were interesting and enriched the story, making the content feel fresher and more original. Overall it did also feel a little slow and domestic in spots, so I wouldn’t say it was propulsive, but it kept me interested none the less. I could see this as a Hulu short series.

This was just WOW. Unique is what I would call this storyline. I love a book with multiple points of view and dual timelines with great characters, a great storyline and fast pace. This book was very hard for me to set down. This book has you questioning so many things and of course...you will end up finding your answers...but it definitely keeps you on your toes. The mystery behind a small towns' lake...what could this story/urban legend really be. Fabulous mystery/thriller that I am sure will be beloved by just about all of the readers that come across this book. I can't wait for whatever our author comes out with next. I see more great things coming from Matthew Sullivan.

Pub Date: April 15, 2025

Thank you @netgalley, @harlequintradepublishing and author for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Soap Lake, famous for the largest lava lamp in the world. Or is it? Things aren't what they seem in Soap Lake. Is TreeTop just a bedtime story to keep children in line? Or is it something more?

Why do people keep dying?

Why do locals not want people looking into their precious lake?

These are the questions that newcomer Abigail accidentally steps into as she begins digging in to the past.

Always hard being the first non-five-star-review, but for me this book was good. Just good.

Starting out with the positive, the book has a lot of potential to be fast paced and keep readers coming back for more. It felt spooky at times and I found myself questioning if TreeTop was real or fake. The duel POV, combined with timelines from past and present slowly coming together, kept the pace moving and reader at the edge of their seat. It was an overall good mystery/thriller.

The 'needs improvement' comes from the overwhelming amount of unnecessary information. One example is, the famous lava lamp. I'm not sure where that plays in to any part of the story other than it made a MC excited to arrive at Soap Lake. It (like a handful of other moments) were talked about way too much without adding anything of substance to the story.

The dialogue would become awkward at times. Didn't feel natural. Plot has some loose ends, confusing moments and needs tidying up. As I'm reviewing this so far in advance, I am assuming the author and editor will work through any potholes before publishing date.

Finally, now this is my personal opinion, I didn't like the name TreeTop as the villain. It is an odd enough name to be scary, sure, but it didn't make sense for what it was prowling around doing. Again, purely my opinion.

The author's note was a wonderful cherry on top and something as a reader I always appreciate additional insight from the writer. The fact that Soap Lake actually exists and how the author took inspiration from the actual location to create this thriller is super intriguing.

Overall, a pretty good book and I'd be excited to see what else the author has up his sleeve.

Amazon Link - (none yet, will update review when book is posted on Amazon)

***Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, NetGalley and of course, Matthew J. Sullivan, for a  copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Publishing on April 15, 2025.

NetGalley sent me an e-book by Matthew Sullivan titled Midnight in Soap Lake. It was really good. The story of a newlywed couple that moves to a remote lake in Washington State so the husband can study the water that is supposed to have un before studies properties. The husband ends up taking a temporary job in Poland leaving the woman alone in a strange town. The woman ends up making a few friends and a few enemies. Oh yeah, there is an urban ledged in town that terrifies the children and some of the adults into behaving and minding their own business. Lots of twists and turns.

"Midnight in Soap Lake" is a strange and interesting novel with references to an urban legend. It is best left for the reader to take in so that they can experience the world Sullivan creates without distraction. Recommended for mystery and suspense lovers, and those who enjoy strange towns and characters. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
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