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.
I devour books, vampires and supernatural creatures are my genre of choice but over the past couple of years, I have broadened my horizons considerably. In a nutshell – I love to write! I love interacting with a diverse range of artists to bring you interviews. Perhaps we were perfect before – I LOVE WORDS!
What a fantastic story filled with twists and turns. Sometimes terrible things that happen in your past give you the strength and resolve to to help you find answers in the future. Young girls disappearing and having almost save one herself Abby is determined to get answers!
This is s fantastic book finding clues in old homes the two characters Abby and Tom set out to discover the truth
Thank beauty and lace and Simon and Schuster for a wonderful read with a cuppa by the fire.
Wow, this book is right up there as a number one to read. Absolutely brillant from page one to the end you will be pulled into the pages and find you cannot put the book down. A real page mystery turner.
Just the first chapter will grip you when the main character of Abby Bardot is running through the bush and finds an unconscious young girl who is badly injured. With no phone reception she has to leave her there to call an ambulance. Once she and the ambulance return, the girl is nowhere to be seen. This will chill you to the bone as you are now worried about the girl and what happened to her?
Abby has just returned to Gundora a North Eastern Australian town because of a terrible murder that happened 20 years ago in Deepwater Gorge. She lost her best friend that day. Abby had also had an accident herself and she needed to get away from Gundora.
Abby becomes a Journalist and when she returnd to Gundora, she wants to write about the event that happened 20 years ago but her boss Kendra doesn’t want to go down that track as it would not benefit the town bringing up the past. The town was struggling as it was from lack of tourists.
Thankfully a man was arrested and charged with the murder and was still in jail for the crime he committed. The whole town was happy to know that the murderer was behind bars.
A crime writer named Tom Gabriel comes to town to write a story and lives in the house called Raven’s Song. Abby has been given a mission from her boss Kendra to get an interview with Tom who has an interesting background. In return for a good story, Kendra would allow Abby to print her story .
I loved the inuendos throughout the book with the characters of Abby & Tom. There are times I giggled and times I felt remorse.
For the elderly characters of Lil and Joe that are in the book you will be warmed to their story and their beautiful love connection. It is not hard to love this couple.
This book is definitely a crime, thriller and romance thrown in. It really is a suspenseful read. With murder and abduction involved you can’t help but dive into this book to try and guess who, what, how?
This is not the first time I have read a book from Anna Romer as she is very creative with her writing. Her novels always become alive to you the reader.
There are so many twists and turns which made me change my paths of thinking. There are so many deep dark secrets that will totally entrall you within the pages. It will certainly keep you on your toes.
Again thank you Beauty & Lace for giving me the opportunity of reading one of Anna Romer’s books again and of course to Simon & Schuster who I feel like I have known for a long time know through being publishers of such wonderful authors.
To Anna Romer, to date, I have loved all your books and will certainly wait for another book from you for sure. I highly recommend this book to all readers.
Under the Midnight Sky by Anna Romer is an intrigueing story about chilling secrets kept hidden for years.
Abby Bardot is a local journalist who finds an injured teenager in the bushland. When she returns with assistance and the teenager is gone, Abby is dertemined to find the mystery surrounding her disappearance, The missing teenager is particularly dear to Abby’s heart as it’s a startling reminder of a horrible experience she endured decades earlier which ultimately led to the abduction of her young best friend. The mystery also bears resemblance to a number of other teenage girls that were murdered twenty years earlier. Unfortunately, the local newspaper Abby works for would rather not delve into the murders for fear of driving tourists away. But with the help of Tom Gabriel, a crime writer who wants to escape the public eye, Abby is determined to uncover the truth.
With a very good plot, characters that spring to life, descriptive scenery, interesting twists and even a little romance, this is a story that I thoroughly recommend. Thank you Beauty & Lace for this wonderful opportunity.
Abby Bardot works as a journalist and is keen to write an article on three brutal murders from two decades ago, events that have captivated and traumatised her, bringing back her own turbulent memories. Abby befriends a newcomer to town, Tom who is a successful author suffering from writers block. Tom plans to write about the murders and moved to the area to gather information and inspiration for his story. The two form a friendship and together try to piece together the circumstances and identity of the killer that led to tragedy all those years ago.
This is the first of Anna Romer’s books that I have read and I found the story to be compelling, rich with detailed characters, intriguing plot twists and a story that kept me guessing all the way through. Thank you to Simon & Schuster, and Beauty & Lace Book Club for the opportunity to read this novel. I will endeavour to read Anna Romer’s stories again in future.
Under the midnight sky is a fabulous book, Anna Romer tells a story in a way it’s easily visualised. I would love to visit this imaginary old house full of history. Thank you so much ,I will definitely be putting Anna Romer on my regular reading list.
‘Under the midnight sky’ by Anna Romer is a well written story that sparked my interest right from the start. I loved the story line and I loved the characters. I enjoyed the mystery of the story and the fact that even though the story is based around a crime in the past and crime in the present and traumatic events the characters experienced the book is written in a way that is enjoyable to read and left you wanting more.
I enjoyed how Anna weaved within the disturbing base of the story love, romance, and heart- warming scenes. The book also leaves you with the question of what would you do for the people you love in your life?
This is the first book I have read by Anna Romer, and I look forward to reading more.
Thank you to Beauty and Lace and Simon and Schuster for allowing me the opportunity to read and review one of my favourite books this year!
Thank you Beauty and Lace for the opportunity to review Under the Midnight Sky by Anna Romer.
The novel centres around Abby, a journalist who is the main character in the small town of Gundara. Abby felt abandoned as a child when her mother left her and her brother who were then raised by her father., who has since passed away only five months ago. Abby not only had the trauma of her mother leaving when she was younger she went through a major trauma herself when she was twelve. As well as losing a friend.
There have been young girls missing over the years in the same area, which Abby wants to investigate. Lil and Joe are characters who become very important to the storyline especially Lil. Tom is an author who Abby goes to interview who also is a major character in the book.
Abby goes for a run one morning, she stumbles across a young unconscious girl who seems injured. Abby’s phone has no signal so she reluctantly leaves the girl to go to another spot to get a signal and call for an ambulance. When the paramedics arrive they find the young girl is gone. Abby will not rest until she knows what happened to the young girl she stumbled across.
There are many twists and turns in this book. I loved it and couldn’t put it down. I will seek out more of Anna’s books to read. I definitely recommend this book to everyone.
Thankyou Beauty and Lace and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read and review ‘Under The Midnight Sky’ by Anna Romer.
It is a captivating, complex and well written story. There are plots and sub-plots and it also switches between the present and the past. The characters are engaging and believable especially the main protagonists Abby and Tom.
I read the book really quickly as I couldn’t wait to find out what happens.
This is the first book by Anna Romer that I have read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I look forward to reading more of her books.
Under The Midnight Sky is the latest book from acclaimed Aussie author, Anna Romer. Beyond The Orchard is the only book I have read previously and Under The Midnight Sky has piqued my interest now in her first two novels, Thornwood House and Lyrebird Hill. Romer’s newest offering immediately got my attention with its stunning cover of a beautiful night sky and a woman looking at a nearby, rural house. I knew from the cover that it would be a dark read and at its heart, Under The Midnight Sky is a crime novel that explores why crimes are committed. Like any good novel, it also delves into problems that are relevant to any time; PTSD, the past, moving on, learning to love again and old age.
Romer uses the point of view of three protagonists through alternating chapters to investigate the different issues. The first woman I meet was Abby, going for a run. Abby was a journalist who wanted to write about the history of Gundara. Gundara was a woodland area that is haunted by a horrific history. Romer vividly describes the smells, sounds and sights of this isolated place, bringing shivers to my spine. When Abby came across the body of a young girl, she immediately feels a sense of déjà vu as her own childhood was not perfect. Abby leaves the girl to get help but she returned, the girl is gone. From that moment on, Abby was unable to let go of her bad vibes.
Abby’s crusade to find out who the girl in the woods was, leads her to Tom and Lil. Tom is a crime writer who recently moved into a house with its own potted history. The pair quickly make a connection but Tom has his own demons to conquer. Befriending Tom helps Abby to discover the house’s past, bringing her into the life of the elderly, Lil. Lil appears to be a sweet, little old lady but the more I read, the more I knew that something was not quite right. Even so I could never have guessed the connection between the protagonists. When the connection was brought to life, it made me appreciate Lil’s husband all the more for standing by his wife.
The last protagonist is an unknown girl. The less said the better because then nothing will be spoiled! Initially, I found three protagonists confusing. Once I worked out that Abby’s story is in the first person, Lil’s and the unknown girls, the third, it was easy to follow the different threads. Watching the threads come together lead to a surprising yet realistic conclusion that was unlike anything I have read before.
Under The Midnight Sky is a must read for fans of Australian crime fiction who are looking for something unique.
Thank you Beauty & Lace Simon & Schuster & especially Anna Romer for the chance to read & review Under the Midnight Sky.
What an intriguing read suspense, drama, with a dash of romance thrown in.Tom and Abby are great characters but Lil stands out in the crowd. the storyline is great the way it unfolds even if it does switch from present to past,The ending is so unexpected as it should be catches you unaware.
Good read and will recommend to all that I can