Another book has been read; you guys I’m on a roll this month! The books by this author have been on my wish list ever since I read ‘The last housewife’ which blew my mind. When I saw the price of this next book I’ve read I just couldn’t wait any longer. This book is called ‘Midnight is the darkest hour’ and of course it’s written by Ashley Winstead.

Ashley has this bizarre way of writing, the books I’ve read by her it’s almost as if she lived through it and I’m reading a book that’s actually happened. I have to say that with The last housewife; things like that can really happen and the story with this one… I wouldn’t put it past someone to have actually done stuff like it.

Ruth Cornier is the reverends daughter and because of that and the fact that she is very shy and does everything her parents tell her to she doesn’t have any friends. Yes, there are other children going to church; Yes, Sunday school is a thing and so is vacation bible study and so on and so forth. It least it’s something they do in Bottom Springs. With a library that has been monitored by the church, there are only book in there that are by the bible. The donation boxes are filtered but sometimes a banned book slips through the cracks. Ruth’s favorite past time is reading; when she finds Twilight she feels like the love portrayed in the book is how she thinks actual love should be like.

Being ignorant and believing all church going people are good people, Ruth at the age of sixteen gets the attention of a man 6 years older. Waiting for her after church for a quick chat and getting to know her and even though she knows she’s not supposed to, she accepts to hang out with him some time. When the man named Renard takes her to the swamp; to a location where no one really comes things almost immediately go from friendly to predatory. Renard starts kissing Ruth and forcing himself on her; when she whimpers and tries to get him off, someone comes into view and knocks Renard to the ground. It’s Everett, the kid that doesn’t go to church, with a drunk as a father. When things go to far and Renard dies, he tells Ruth to stay put because they have to dispose of him and to do so he needs to get his axe. They carry bits and pieces into the swamp, for the crocodiles to feast upon.

It has been six years of ignorant bliss; somewhere along the way Everett moved out of town and only comes back in the summer to spent with Ruth. A skull has been found and with that normal day to day live stops. Thinking the skull most likely is that of Renard but when deputy Barry tells her it’s actually Fred Fortenot’s skull; a man who they thought was lost at sea. Oh Barry, the ideal way to get to know details that haven’t yet been publicly shared yet. You see, her parents have been trying to marry her off and found Barry a suitable man so they have been courting for less than a year now. With Ever being back in town and the ultimate scapegoat for all they find in that swamp, Ruth is determined to put every single piece of the puzzle together.

In finding all the hidden pieces, things come to light she didn’t expect. How her bible teacher is actually a pedophile and her father condoned it or that Fred was abusing his daughter… But the biggest piece of all is something that changes Ruth’s view of live completely; From a struggling Christian always finding ways to redeem herself and punishing herself by staying behind. With that last big piece that completes the puzzle, she finally feels free.

This book was a solid ⭐⭐⭐⭐ star read!