Review--Midnight Crossroad by Charlaine Harris

The #1 New York Times bestselling author who created Sookie Stackhouse and her world of Bon Temps, Louisiana, “is back with a vengeance” (Tangled Web) with this first book in an all-new trilogy—and inviting readers to an even darker place on the map...  
Welcome to Midnight, Texas, a town with many boarded-up windows and few full-time inhabitants, located at the crossing of Witch Light Road and Davy Road. It’s a pretty standard dried-up western town.

There’s a pawnshop (someone lives in the basement and is seen only at night). There’s a diner (people who are just passing through tend not to linger). And there’s new resident Manfred Bernardo, who thinks he’s found the perfect place to work in private (and who has secrets of his own).

Midnight Crossroad is the first book in Charlaine Harris’s new series, Midnight, Texas. This was quite an intriguing read. I was expecting something along the lines of the Southern Vampire Mystery series (as I will always refer to it as that!) and in some ways it was, but wasn’t. We have mystery, murder even, we have eerie things that aren’t quite normal, but we’ve only just brushed the surface of this tiny little town in the middle of nowhere. I can’t wait to see what other secrets will unfold!

I expected this would be a story where we follow the newcomer, Manfred, around as he settles into his new home (I admit, I watched the pilot episode of the show first, then cut myself off so I could at least read this book). Manfred is a psychic, he even knows Harper which I found this one-liner positively delightful! He’s the real deal in some sense, but his multiple business accounts aren’t quite on the up and up. His powers don’t really work in the way that business over the internet can be totally legit. But as far as we know, he’s never had a customer come gunning for him.

Things are relatively quiet in Midnight, until the day that they have a town picnic and discover the body of a young woman, who just happens to be the girlfriend of Manfred’s renter, Bobo. And soon there’s an investigation going on where Bobo is the prime suspect.

There are other characters in this story as well, such as the witch who lives across from Manfred, Fiji. She harbors a secret crush over Bobo, oh and she’s a witch too. The real deal. As everyone seems to be in Midnight. It’s hard to say who else is what in this town as we only learn of one other town member’s identity. Let’s just say, Midnight is a place I would totally love to live in! Lol!

I was a little surprised by the mystery itself. It felt like it was very much in the background of things, yet it’s still present on everyone’s minds. They aren’t detectives, so no one is really ought to solve it. Especially since Aubrey wasn’t very well liked either. Though it seems Aubrey had secrets of her own.

Though the mystery itself wasn’t so great, there was still an air of mystery to the town itself and its residents! I found them to be very fascinating and I can’t wait to continue this series and hope to learn more! Plus I also can’t wait to binge watch the last two episodes of the show, though I am immediately seeing some differences from the pilot alone! Naturally.

I think it’s safe to say that Midnight Crossroad was a mysterious kind of read, though not in the true way of mysteries. There was quite a lot of secrets in this book. Every town member had one. Some far darker than others. We do discover the big whodunit and I can honestly say I was shocked! It was one of those reveals that I felt like came out of left field and you’re left wondering, how did we come to this? I didn’t really pick up on any clues or hints. Though I suppose that’s the point, sometimes. I could’ve just missed it entirely I suppose!

Despite that, I did like the book. It was a pretty solid read and it kept me engaged! It’s a no brainer that I will be returning to Midnight at some point! Hopefully not too far along either!


Overall Rating 3/5 stars