BOOK CLUB: Under the Midnight Sky

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Anna Romer has firmly planted herself as one of my favourites and her books just keep getting better.

Under the Midnight Sky is the latest release and it captivated me from the first page to the last; it drew me back time and time again so that I was sneaking in single chapters at every opportunity, reading long after I should have been doing something else and finished in 24hrs.

Once again Romer has captured the atmosphere of her setting and turned an old house into a gothic character in her novel. A building that houses deep secrets and has a personality all of it’s own.

I keep wanting to categorise this as an historical fiction because of the dual timelines but I’m not sure that it quite fits there. There are romantic elements but I’m not sure that I would call it a romance either. It has been reviewed for the AWW Challenge 2019 in General, Historical, Romance and Crime genres and it does fit each category. For me, the story is definitely about the mystery with the history and the romance secondary, though most definitely essential elements to the story.

Under The Midnight Sky is a story that doesn’t seem to have an overwhelming number of characters but there are quite a lot of perspectives which does take a little while to get your head around.

Abby Bardot has moved back to her small hometown of Gundara, still suffering from events that took place decades ago, and she goes for a run every morning alongside Deepwater Gorge searching for answers that will finally allow her mind to rest.

On a morning run she discovers an injured teen and runs for help, by the time she returns with the ambulance the girl is gone but it deepens Abby’s desire to have her story about the grisly history of Deepwater Gorge printed in the newspaper. A story that the editor promises to print if Abby can get an in-depth interview with the reclusive bestselling true crime author Tom Gabriel who has recently purchased a local property.

Abby turns up to Ravensong unannounced one day and discovers an injured Tom in a compromising position and negotiates her help for an interview.

Tom is an interesting character in that he has quite a colourful past, and an intriguing relationship with the press which makes him hesitant to agree to an interview. The novel he is working on is supposed to centre on the history of Deepwater Gorge but he is suffering writer’s block, he was hoping that being so close to the area would help but so far it hasn’t.

The negotiations between Tom and Abby included some cleaning up around the place and as Abby cleans she starts uncovering some of the history of the house, and the story gets ever more interesting.

Lil and Joe are a gorgeous old couple living on land outside of town, also close to Deepwater Gorge. We get to know them through chapters of their own and their role in the bigger story that is being told takes a while to become clear.

On it’s own, their story is one of an enduring love that sees two people still in love and unable to comprehend a life apart from one another after decades of marriage.

Romer has woven a compelling story with Ravensong firmly at its centre. A story that explores PTSD, small communities and the snap judgements that can be made about people of a different socio-economic background. Romer also explores families, relationships and all forms of love.

Abby wants to see the history of the area shared to warn people of the dangers but some people want to keep things out of the news because the town can’t afford to take a tourism hit.

I found Under The Midnight Sky to be a captivating read with some delicious twists. I was invested in the characters and their stories, and touched by their heartaches.

Available now from Simon & Schusterand where all good books are sold.

You can find Anna at her Website as well as on Facebook.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster 30 of our lucky Beauty and Lace Club members will be reading Under the Midnight Sky so please be aware there may be spoilers in the comments below.

29 thoughts on “BOOK CLUB: Under the Midnight Sky

  1. I can’t thank you enough Beauty & Lace and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read and review ‘Under The Midnight Sky’ by Anna Romer. Thoroughly loved this book.

    I found it captivating right from the very first chapter and the plot twist in this story was unsuspected.

    A sinister crime story switching from past to present it will keep you captivated until you reach the very last page.

    I was so engrossed in this book I could not put it down and read it overnight.

    This is the first book by Anna Romer that I have read and I enjoyed it so much I will definitely be reading more of her work.

  2. This is my 1st book I have read by author Anna Romer and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. It kept me intrigued from the start until the very last page.I initially thought it was going to turn into a predictable romance but I admit I was wrong in my assumptions. the book contains many clever twists and I will be re-reading it from cover to cover to work out “why” I didn’t pick the end. A wonderful read I will be looking our for more of this author’s books. Thank you Simon and Schuster and Beauty and Lace Bookclub for the opportunity to read and review “Under the Midnight Sky” by Anna Romer.

  3. Anna Romer has penned another masterpiece with Under The midnight Sky.
    It grips you from page one and keeps you guessing with all the twists and turns,
    Everytime I thought I knew what had happened, I would be proved wrong.
    Romer has meshed thriller with crime, romance and historical fiction so well the story flows effortlessly.

    Thank you to Beauty and Lace, Simon and Schuster and Anna Romer for such a wonderful easy read.
    This book is one of my favourites so far and highly recommended to lovers of all genres.

  4. I don’t have much to add to what has been said in the other reviews – but I will continue to sing the author and books praises!

    Under the Midnight Sky by Anna Romer is an engrossing page turner. It kept me guessing the entire way through and just when I thought I had it worked out there was another twist. I found it hard to stop once I had started to read this book.

    Anna has written some really wonderful and likeable characters with depth and complexity that I enjoyed getting to know.

    I can’t wait to read some more of Anna Romer’s work

  5. I enjoyed one of Anna’s previous books, so I was keen to read Under the Midnight Sky.

    I love books with elements of mystery and crime, so the blurb for this one enticed me. There isn’t a huge amount of characters but most of them are pretty likable, particularly the main character Abby and the secondary Tom. It was an interesting read that showed us the story from Abby’s perspective and then sometimes from Tom’s which allowed us to see how they both felt.

    Abby is out to find the answer to something that has been disturbing her since she was a child. She is on a mission and to try get some headway, she needs to win an interview with local writer and recluse Tom. Prior to meeting Tom, while out on a run Abby comes across an injured girl who then disappears while she is getting help. Abby is convinced that the girl needs saving so this is the first mystery she tries to solve. When Abby is at Tom’s house, she comes across evidence from years long ago which screams of foul play and intrigues her to find answers giving her a second mystery to solve. As the story progresses it is clear Abby’s answer and the two mysteries are intertwined in unexpected ways, and the ending is one that I really didn’t see coming.

    I really enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it. While it is a great mystery and crime read, it’s also a good one if you want to ease into this genre as there are also a few other themes running through the novel.

  6. This was the first of Anna Romer’s books that I have read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The mystery and suspense, the twists and turns, the clever way in which Lil’s story intertwines with Abby’s past, and the love story that also evolves with Tom.
    I must admit that at first I was sceptical of the way Tim and Abby were thrust together, but in a situation like that there isn’t much choice is there?!
    The characters are well developed and you are able to feel empathy in some way for all of them. This was book that I didn’t want to put down, and was impressed with the way that all loose ends were tied for me and I felt satisfied with the end.
    Would happily read more from this author!

  7. Thank you BeautyandLace and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to review “Under The Midnight Sky” by Anna Romer. This is a very chilling story with many interesting twists that keep you in suspense with a surprise ending. A local journalist Abby Bardot is determined to expose the tragic history of the local township of Gundara. She is desperate to learn the truth of the bushland murders and to also put her own demons to rest. She enlists the help of Tom Gabriel, a reclusive crime writer which sparks an interesting relationship which also keeps you intrigued. Little did they both know that where Tim lives holds the key to solving the murders and to find a missing girl alive. The author’s illustrative narrative of story setting raises mixed emotions of fear, sadness, happiness and hope. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I am looking forward to reading all the other books that Anna Romer has written.
    Thank you once again

  8. An intriguing thriller crime story that is told from both present and flashbacks . The author painted the story with mystery keeping the reader engaged to find out which direction the story will go.

    An eery feel among the pages especially when the diary entries became about .

    The author has spaced out the story to keep the reader engaged , given is vivid descriptions within the storyline and enough to keep us strung along .

    My first read by this author will be adding her to my list of future authors to check out .

  9. Under the Midnight Sky was my first Anna Romer book and boy did it keep me guessing! The backstory took a little to fill out, but I enjoyed putting the pieces together and having it all finally click.

    As some other reviewers have mentioned, I had many incorrect guesses of the villain and in saying that this book also challenges your concept of a villain.

    Thank you to Simon and Schuster and Beauty and Lace for the opportunity to read and review this book!

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