I particularly liked the clever shoutout to a certain Miss Connelly early on in the Novel. I've got the complete Southern Vampire Mysteries, Lily Bard & Harper Connelly Series sitting proudly on my Bookshelves in all their Fictional Glory. This has taken me a fair while to read & I'm quite the Fan of Charlaine Harris. Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 30 March 2022 To truly appreciate her work, one should start with either the Lily Bard or Harper Connelly books.Midnight, A Backwater Town With A Few Secrets. Nevertheless, newbies to her writing will not want to start with this series. In sum, Midnight Crossroads is an intriguing mix of the southern-gothic, mystery and urban fantasy genres that Charlaine Harris is so adept at writing. While there are numerous red herrings and some solid twists and turns, the ultimate revelation of the culprit sort of comes out of the blue, but only if one isn't really paying attention to the details. The second half involves the murder investigation, but readers expecting an exciting police procedural will, once again, be disappointed as the style is more Agatha Christie than CSI.

Nevertheless, the shifting point of view and richly detailed characterization immerses the reader into the mysterious and enigmatic lives of the various residents. Consequently, the pacing is slow (perhaps even plodding) and readers who prefer fast and action packed scenes will be disappointed. The first half of the story is dedicated to introducing the strange setting with its ghost-town like atmosphere and creepy yet oddly relatable and appealing characters. While it is not necessary to have read these series in order to understand and enjoy the book, reading them does provide background and insight into certain behaviors and motivations. Series note: Several of the characters are crossovers from other Harris series including Bobo Winthrop from Lily Bard, Manfred Bernardo from Harper Connelly and Arthur Smith from Aurora Teagarden. Thus, when a barely identifiable body is discovered within town limits and one of their own is the prime suspect, the people of Midnight are determined to uncover the truth without exposing their own secrets. Distrustful of outsiders and law enforcement, the quirky residents keep their own counsel and don't ask questions.

In the small (meaning barely inhabited) town of Midnight, Texas, nothing is as it first appears.

Midnight crossroad series