If you’re looking for a captivating weekend read, Sarah Crouch’s suspenseful mystery Middletide is just the ticket. Set against the lush, misty backdrop of rural Washington, Crouch’s vivid descriptions of nature instantly transport you to a sleepy Puget Sound town where nothing much ever happens – that is, until the day the beautiful, beloved town doctor is found dead in the woods behind the house of reclusive, failed novelist Elijah Leith.

Without giving too much away (because you know I hate spoilers), the doctor’s mysterious death eerily mirrors the plot of Elijah’s only published novel, a book that flopped spectacularly after an overwhelmingly negative book review claimed its central murder was “too unbelievable” to ever happen in real life. Could Elijah have killed Dr. Erin Landry just to prove his critic wrong? Could one of his few readers be using his own plot to commit the perfect crime and frame him?

But this isn’t just a murder mystery – it’s also a story of love, regret, and long-buried secrets. Enter Nakita Mills, Elijah’s passionate artist ex-girlfriend, who grew up on the nearby Squalomah reservation (a fictional Native American tribe loosely inspired by several real Pacific Northwest cultures). After many years apart, Nakita and Elijah reconnect, but their reunion is far from smooth. On top of that, Nakita herself has a dark motive: she blames Dr. Landry for the wrongful death of her beloved grandmother. Could she be the killer, seeking revenge out of cold blood and framing her ex in one chilling move?

The story unfolds in a nonlinear style, with flashbacks spanning from the 1970s to the 1990s. But thanks to Crouch’s skillful writing and a plot that keeps you fully hooked, it’s still easy to follow. As the years peel back, you’ll come to understand the deep personal losses suffered by Elijah, Nakita, and Erin; each of them carrying secrets that haunt the quiet community they call home. In a town where everyone knows everyone, a crime like this is enough to shatter the fragile trust holding them together.

Who killed Dr. Erin Landry – and why? You’ll have to read Middletide to find out.