Vampires, witches, psychopaths and a lot of secrets.
I must thank Net Galley and the publishers for providing me with a complimentary advance copy of the novel before its publication for the purposes of a review.
I have read a few novels by Charlaine Harris before. Some from the Sookie Stackhouse collection but also a couple more, and I was intrigued by this novel that announces the beginning of another series.
Midnight is a semi-ghost town where Manfred, a young man who has psychic powers and works as an internet and phone psychic (although most of his advice has nothing to do with his real abilities) arrives at the beginning of his novel. His arrival serves as an introduction for the readers as well and the first chapter is mostly descriptive of the town and its inhabitants. Apart from being a quiet place, it appears that by tacit agreement, people in Midnight follow a policy of “don’t ask, don’t tell”. Some characters seem to have their secrets closer to the surface than others, but my impression is that as the series develops we’ll learn many mysterious things from most (if not all) the characters.
A murder is discovered (during the first, and probably the last, annual picnic of Midnight) and the investigation and complications that ensue result in an unravelling of many of the secrets that had been so well kept until then.
I found the cast of characters promising (the reverend with his Pet Cemetery, Fiji and her, oh so very special cat, Bobo, Olivia and Lemuel…), the setting interesting enough, and the central story itself intriguing and I did not guess the outcome. The style is deceptively easy, and the omniscient third person narrator that takes on different characters’ point of view in turn, helps us empathise and get to know some of them better (although, of course, not all of them). There are paranormal elements, a vampire and his human girlfriend who make a deadly couple (but good friends of their friends), magic, bizarre pawn shops, white supremacist groups, lies, Halloween parties, wholesome meals, justice of sorts, and a moral/ethical question that will make you think and ponder your position.
Midnight Crossroad is an engaging and easy read that has good rhythm and comes to a satisfying conclusion although leaves enough answered questions to keep you coming back. I’m not sure I’d move there, but for sure I’ll keep on reading.
