Used to daydream in that small town: MIDDLETIDE.

Middletide by Sarah Crouch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a quiet and character-driven debut that certainly pulls you into the story. Elijah leaves his small hometown of Point Orchards to make it as a writer. This means abandoning his beloved girlfriend, Nakita, from the nearby reservation. He returns years later as a "failure," having only published one book that barely sold any copies. When a woman is killed on his property--local doctor Erin Landry--in the same fashion as his book, Elijah's attempt at a simple life quickly becomes anything but, as he is the prime suspect in the Sheriff's eyes.

MIDDLETIDE is quite an interesting read. I didn't particularly connect to the characters, but it's such a well-written story, and it kept me reading; I finished the book in one day. It wasn't exactly what I expected: it's part mystery, part character study, part romance. Once back home, Elijah throws himself into restoring his father's ramshackle cabin and trying to make things right with Nakita. But when Erin's suicide is found to be a murder, we see him a different light, especially through Erin's journals and his and Nakita's memories.

The story is told in a back and forth style that sometimes makes it hard to keep track of timelines. It builds up to what happens to Erin, plus the current timeline of the Sheriff investigating the case. We hear from a variety of points of view, which does help build suspense and interest. The small town atmosphere is strong, with the focus on Elijah restoring the cabin, life at the reservation, and how the townspeople's public opinion affects what happens to Elijah.

This isn't an edge-of-your-seat thriller, but it's a solid, well-done mystery.

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