About the book:
from the publisher
The lives of four sleepless strangers intersect late at night as they attempt to solve not just their own anxieties but also the mysterious disappearance of one of their own, from New York Times bestselling author Allison Winn Scotch.
In the city that never sleeps, it’s not always easy to share what’s on your mind with the people who know you best. Huddled in an all-night diner over coffee and pancakes, a lonely middle-aged mom, an injured baseball pro, an elusive retiree, and a young waitress examine the thoughts that plague them in the middle of the night.
Empty-nester Sybil does what she does best: rolls up her sleeves and spearheads the efforts to turn this group of strangers into friends. Aimless after an injury threatens to ruin his career, Zeke finds genuine connection among the unlikely group. Tight-lipped Julian, who’s seemingly adrift in retirement and attempting to rebuild a relationship with his daughter, expands their circle when he takes their cagey diner waitress, Betty, under his wing. Betty, cautious about strangers and uncertain about strokes of good luck, entertains the trio in an attempt to resolve her own problems, which she keeps close to the vest.
Within a few restless months, the group of strangers have become a fragile family. And when one of them goes missing in the dead of night, they’re thrust into a propulsive mystery pulled straight from the true-crime podcasts Sybil obsesses over. Though ill-prepared and unequipped for the job, they begin to piece together the clues left behind. In chasing down answers, they uncover a reason for their friend’s disappearance, and are forced to wrestle with the question of how well you can really know anyone—and once you do, how much are you willing to risk to save them? And in doing so, save yourself?
From the Publisher:
From Kirkus Reviews:
Told in close third person throughout, the book follows each of the four main characters, letting readers into their thoughts as they navigate personal drama, insomnia, and emerging group dynamics. Full of nuanced real-life issues, like caring for ungrateful family members, making complex and long-ranging career choices, and learning to separate those choices from a sense of self, the book is also filled with gripping suspense as the friends attempt to locate Betty.
My thoughts:
Successful author, Allison Winn Scotch has tried something new here and, no surprise to her readership, she has done it well. I enjoyed getting to know all of the characters and found the plot to be engaging (even if it did require some suspension of disbelief). If AWS writes more suspense novels, I will definitely be reading them.
Many thanks to Berkley for the invitation to this blog tour. All thoughts are my own.
Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 