At Midnight Comes the Cry by Julia Spencer-Fleming

 At Midnight Comes the Cry

Book Summary

It’s Christmas time in Millers Kill, and Reverend Clare Fergusson and her husband Russ van Alstyne - newly resigned from his position as chief of police – plan to enjoy it with their baby boy. On their list: visiting Santa, decorating the tree, and attending the church Christmas pageant. But when a beloved holiday parade is crashed by white supremacists, Clare and Russ find themselves sucked into a parallel world of militias, machinations and murder.

Meanwhile, single mom and officer Hadley Knox has her hands full juggling her kids and her police work. She doesn’t want to worry about her former partner – and sometimes lover – Kevin Flynn, but when he takes leave from the Syracuse PD and disappears, she can’t help her growing panic that something has gone very wrong.

Novice lawyer Joy Zhào is keeping secrets from her superiors at the state Attorney General’s Office. She knows they wouldn’t condone her off-the-books investigation, but she’s convinced a threatening alt-right conspiracy is brewing – and catching the perpetrators could jump start her career.

NYS Forest Ranger Paul Terrance is looking for his uncle, a veteran of the park service gone inexplicably missing. He doesn’t think much of an ex-cop and out-of-town officer showing up in his patch of the woods, but he’s heard the disturbing rumors of dangerous men in the mountains.

In New York Times Julia Spencer-Fleming's latest novel, as Christmas approaches, these five people will discover their suspicions hang on a single twisting thread, leading to the forbidding High Peaks of the Adirondacks. As the December days shorten and the nights grow long, a disparate group of would-be heroes need to unwind a murderous plot before time runs out.

My Thoughts

At Midnight Comes the Cry by Julia Spencer-Fleming is the tenth A Claire Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Mystery.  Background information is provided for those new to the series like me (I was not aware that this book was part of a series when I requested it).  However, I believe that I would have connected more with the characters if I had read the previous books in the series. Also, there are references to events in the other books. The main characters are likeable, and they have interesting backgrounds.  There are a number of characters in the story, and it is difficult to keep track of all of them. The world building is well done. The story feels more like a suspense or thriller than a mystery.   I did find the pacing to be sluggish in the middle, and I found myself skimming over areas with too much detail (the manhunt for example).  The epilogue wrapped up all but one of the threads (which is frustrating).  The story does touch on some topics that may be triggering to some readers (racism, domestic violence). At Midnight Comes the Cry is an engaging story with a tense suspense, emotional moments, curious characters, surprising secrets, and  timely topics.

At Midnight Comes the Cry is available from Amazon*.  You can find the other A Claire Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries here.  If you follow Julia Spencer-Fleming on Amazon, they will send you an email when she has a new book release.  Thank you for stopping by today.  Christmas is fast approaching and, before you know it, the year will be over.  Time is just flying by so quickly.  I will return on Thursday, November 20 with Deadly Bloom by Tracy Fredrychowski.  It is a prequel to An Amish Book Club Mysteries.  I am off to begin shaping our Christmas tree.  I should have it shaped and decorated (too much to do and not enough time to get it all done).  I hope that you have beautiful day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book.  I am not required to leave a review.  The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.

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