Laura is a celebrity chef known for her desserts and pastries. Visiting her mentor, the famed WWII veteran was long overdue. Mattie is frail but her mind is as sharp as a rapier. After just days of meeting her, Laura finds Mattie murdered and herself as the main suspect. On top of it all, Laura feels the small town detective force is overwhelmed by the crime, refuses to take Laura’s claims seriously and does not even secure the crime scene.

When Laura sees the disinterest around her dear friends murder she takes matters into her own hands, not knowing that in small towns many feathers can be ruffled. Running foul of the detectives is one thing, but having antagonistic neighbours, a missing grounds keeper and a boyfriend who is a stalker does not help. Added to the mix is a woman fixed on revenge when she feels she is cheated of her inheritance.

The story is fast paced and all the characters add depth to the story.

A Hush at Midnight by Marlene M. Bell was a compelling amateur sleuth crime mystery.
The characters are quite interesting and engaging.
An ending mystery that kept me intrigued snd turning the pages.

Thank You NetGalley and Publisher for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

A Hush at Midnight by Marlene M. Bell - ⭐⭐

In A Hush at Midnight, Marlene M. Bell presents a complex web of deceit set against the backdrop of a small Southern town. Former celebrity chef Laura Harris finds herself at the center of a brutal murder investigation after being accused of killing her mentor and beloved community figure, Hattie Stenburg. As Laura navigates the treacherous waters of her past and the town's dark secrets, she must unravel the mystery before the real killer silences her for good.

While the premise of this novel is intriguing, I found myself contemplating DNFing it several times. The target audience seems unclear; much of the language felt more suited for an older demographic, reminiscent of what one might expect in a book aimed at my grandmother. The protagonist's behavior and mannerisms did not resonate with her supposed age of late 30s to early 40s, which detracted from the believability of her character.

Another point of confusion was the setting of Coldspell, which is mentioned several times in relation to the town of Steadman where the estate is located. However, the narrative never clarifies whether it’s a 30-minute drive or a three-hour trek, leaving me puzzled. Additionally, it struck me as odd that Laura had never visited the estate before, despite their close relationship—this lack of familiarity felt inconsistent with their bond.

I was surprised to see A Hush at Midnight boasting an average rating of 4.68 on Goodreads. The writing and storyline simply do not live up to that praise. The plot required a significant suspension of reality, especially regarding the identity of the killer. The inclusion of certain elements, like the sabotage angle concerning the bakery, seemed unnecessary and merely served to prolong the narrative without adding depth.

I wish the author had provided more context for terms like "Staffordshire." After some Googling, I gathered that it referred to a type of porcelain figurine, but a clearer explanation would have helped avoid confusion. On a positive note, I appreciated the semi-romance between Laura and Brent, though I felt Brent's unprofessional behavior undermined that relationship.

Characters like Lucas left me questioning their purpose in the story—what did he truly add? Furthermore, it remained unclear whether Laura grew up in San Francisco or Texas, which felt like a missed opportunity for deeper character development.

Overall, A Hush at Midnight had the potential for a compelling narrative, but it fell short in execution. Thank you to Ewephoric, Marlene M. Bell, and NetGalley for providing a copy of the ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ewephoric for the opportunity to read A Hush.at Midnight by Marlene M. Bell. I enjoyed the characters and the lush descriptive phrasing in this satisfying and enjoyable mystery.