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Midnight #1
Mr. Midnight
Given up for adoption just hours after her birth, thirty-year-old Caitlyn Connelly has longed her entire life to uncover her family history. Subject to bizarre and inexplicable visions, Cait is desperate to learn whether her biological mother can provide any insight as to the origin of her unusual ability.
When a local investigator learns Cait was born in a Boston suburb, the Tampa lawyer wastes no time booking a flight to the East Coast.
In Boston, with the city under siege by a killer known as "Mr. Midnight," Cait's visions intensify, morphing from merely annoying to graphic and terrifying. Worse, Cait begins to realize she shares a strange psychic connection with the depraved sociopath. A connection that may just get her killed.
As Cait and the murderer are drawn inexorably toward a violent confrontation, unraveling a decades-old mystery might be the only thing that prevents her from becoming the next victim...of Mr. Midnight.
When a local investigator learns Cait was born in a Boston suburb, the Tampa lawyer wastes no time booking a flight to the East Coast.
In Boston, with the city under siege by a killer known as "Mr. Midnight," Cait's visions intensify, morphing from merely annoying to graphic and terrifying. Worse, Cait begins to realize she shares a strange psychic connection with the depraved sociopath. A connection that may just get her killed.
As Cait and the murderer are drawn inexorably toward a violent confrontation, unraveling a decades-old mystery might be the only thing that prevents her from becoming the next victim...of Mr. Midnight.
326 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
21 people are currently reading
676 people want to read
About the author
Allan Leverone
65 books139 followersAllan Leverone is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of nine novels, including the dark thriller, MR. MIDNIGHT, named by Suspense Magazine as one of the "Best Books of 2013."
A 2012 Derringer Award winner and 2011 Pushcart Prize nominee, Allan lives in Londonderry, NH with his wife of more than thirty years, three grown children and one beautiful granddaughter.
Connect at www.allanleverone.com, at Facebook and on Twitter, @AllanLeverone.
A 2012 Derringer Award winner and 2011 Pushcart Prize nominee, Allan lives in Londonderry, NH with his wife of more than thirty years, three grown children and one beautiful granddaughter.
Connect at www.allanleverone.com, at Facebook and on Twitter, @AllanLeverone.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
May 19, 2017
1.5
What the blurb of Mr. Midnight fails to tell you is how detailed Mr. Midnight's 'sessions' with his victims are. They are very detailed. As someone who watched only the first 10 minutes of Saw to realize that I would hate the rest, it was a chore to read this book.
I love thrillers, mysteries and horror as much as the next person, but I don't enjoy the torture themes. Actually, I hate them. I guess it could happen that I stumble upon one such book and like it, for the lack of a better word, but Mr. Midnight is not it.
There are many POVs (third person) in this book. There is one whenever the author needed to show something new or different. It would have been better if he stuck to Cait's and the killer's. But you have four or five POVs a chapter or a two long just to show something that can't be seen through Cait's or Mr. Midnight's eyes.
Next, the story heavily relies on the stupidity of its characters. They do not disappoint. A cop goes alone to investigate something. I am certain there is some kind of rule not to go alone. And this isn't one of those tough rogue cop type of story either. There, it is part of the plot. Here, not as much.
Cait's mother is especially annoying character.
What the blurb of Mr. Midnight fails to tell you is how detailed Mr. Midnight's 'sessions' with his victims are. They are very detailed. As someone who watched only the first 10 minutes of Saw to realize that I would hate the rest, it was a chore to read this book.
I love thrillers, mysteries and horror as much as the next person, but I don't enjoy the torture themes. Actually, I hate them. I guess it could happen that I stumble upon one such book and like it, for the lack of a better word, but Mr. Midnight is not it.
There are many POVs (third person) in this book. There is one whenever the author needed to show something new or different. It would have been better if he stuck to Cait's and the killer's. But you have four or five POVs a chapter or a two long just to show something that can't be seen through Cait's or Mr. Midnight's eyes.
Next, the story heavily relies on the stupidity of its characters. They do not disappoint. A cop goes alone to investigate something. I am certain there is some kind of rule not to go alone. And this isn't one of those tough rogue cop type of story either. There, it is part of the plot. Here, not as much.
Cait's mother is especially annoying character.
December 6, 2013
Received an arc from Net-galley for honest review.
I almost dnf this book at 50%. It honestly wasn't a bad book it just didn't seem anything special. It was just a run of the mill thriller. I've read better and I've read worse. The "flickers" that Caitlyn had was somewhat interesting but it just went nowhere for me.
I almost dnf this book at 50%. It honestly wasn't a bad book it just didn't seem anything special. It was just a run of the mill thriller. I've read better and I've read worse. The "flickers" that Caitlyn had was somewhat interesting but it just went nowhere for me.
October 31, 2013
Thank you to the author and publisher for the copy via netgalley.
Given up for adoption just hours after her birth, thirty-year-old Caitlyn Connelly has longed her entire life to uncover her family history. Subject to bizarre and inexplicable visions, Cait is desperate to learn whether her biological mother can provide any insight as to the origin of her unusual ability.
The second creepy tale I have read during this Halloween week, and the first thing that struck me was the absolutely stunning cover – if you are a lover of creepy tales that alone would certainly draw you in and the story lives up to its promise.
Dark Fuse knows how to pick them thats for sure – in this case I was immediately drawn to Caitlyn, a terrifically imagined character, sympathetic, in some ways haunted and well, just nice. Then you have the other side of the coin – in Boston the eerie “Mr Midnight” prays on the weak and the disillusioned in ever more terrifying ways. Frankly he scared the living daylights out of me and what more can you ask for from a horror novel. Not a lot…
Still, the beauty of this book is the yin and the yang. The light and the dark. Caitlin and the serial killer – both with gifts, both reacting to those gifts in very different ways. As it becomes clear that the two are linked in more ways that one you will be unsettled, looking over your shoulder and absorbed into their world. Clever writing.
It is violent. It is at turns subtle and gory. If you love Horror then you will love this. If you don’t or are scared easily, leave this book alone and lock all your doors..just in case you understand.
Happy Reading Folks!
Given up for adoption just hours after her birth, thirty-year-old Caitlyn Connelly has longed her entire life to uncover her family history. Subject to bizarre and inexplicable visions, Cait is desperate to learn whether her biological mother can provide any insight as to the origin of her unusual ability.
The second creepy tale I have read during this Halloween week, and the first thing that struck me was the absolutely stunning cover – if you are a lover of creepy tales that alone would certainly draw you in and the story lives up to its promise.
Dark Fuse knows how to pick them thats for sure – in this case I was immediately drawn to Caitlyn, a terrifically imagined character, sympathetic, in some ways haunted and well, just nice. Then you have the other side of the coin – in Boston the eerie “Mr Midnight” prays on the weak and the disillusioned in ever more terrifying ways. Frankly he scared the living daylights out of me and what more can you ask for from a horror novel. Not a lot…
Still, the beauty of this book is the yin and the yang. The light and the dark. Caitlin and the serial killer – both with gifts, both reacting to those gifts in very different ways. As it becomes clear that the two are linked in more ways that one you will be unsettled, looking over your shoulder and absorbed into their world. Clever writing.
It is violent. It is at turns subtle and gory. If you love Horror then you will love this. If you don’t or are scared easily, leave this book alone and lock all your doors..just in case you understand.
Happy Reading Folks!
December 4, 2013
This is the third book by Allan I have read and enjoyed. The other two are Heartless and Darkness Falls. The story starts out with two people, Milo the killer known as Mr. Midnight and a women named Cait. We find out the two were twins separated at birth and given up for adoption. They both had this gift they called flickers(visions). Then Cait decides to hire a PI to find her real parents. The PI finds her mother (Virginia Ayers). So her and Kevin go visit her mother and find out the real story about the flickers and being given up for adoption. This is when the story gets going. Not going to say more, don't want to spoil the story for you. I gave it 4 stars.
November 15, 2013
Mr Midnight is one of those books that’s deserves to be read in one sitting, if you can, it’s incredibly easy to read, the pacing is frantic and the characters invoke feeling both good and bad, in fact scratch that revulsion is the word I’m after, bad doesn’t sound well … bad enough.
Cait Connelly suffers from short intense visions or flickers as she calls them, brief but random insights into other people’s lives, the flickers have been with her all her life a frustrating but almost normal occurrence for her. She uses her visions to help people but she’s unable to help herself, 30 years ago Cait was given up for adoption, this has always plagued her life and she is desperate for the answer to the identity of her birth parents and why they gave her up.
Kevin her police officer boyfriend has good news, he’s hired a private investigator and Cait’s dreams are about to be answered.
Milo Cain lives in an abandoned tenement, part of the cities underworld, hidden from view and very much part of the shadows. A perfect existence for a cold blooded serial killer, a stalker of women but also something worse, much worse, you see Milo prays on the soul, he tortures his victims and it’s pretty much what he lives for. Milo also suffers from frenetic visions, enough sometimes to stop him dead but he uses the visions to his advantage, when they lead to an opening or a valuable insight he’s there to use the leverage for his gain.
Cait and Milo are going to meet and it’s a destiny written in blood, really enjoyed this, the ending was exceptional with bags of tension and just a little surprising, usually I can guess what’s going to happen but certainly not with this.
Cait Connelly suffers from short intense visions or flickers as she calls them, brief but random insights into other people’s lives, the flickers have been with her all her life a frustrating but almost normal occurrence for her. She uses her visions to help people but she’s unable to help herself, 30 years ago Cait was given up for adoption, this has always plagued her life and she is desperate for the answer to the identity of her birth parents and why they gave her up.
Kevin her police officer boyfriend has good news, he’s hired a private investigator and Cait’s dreams are about to be answered.
Milo Cain lives in an abandoned tenement, part of the cities underworld, hidden from view and very much part of the shadows. A perfect existence for a cold blooded serial killer, a stalker of women but also something worse, much worse, you see Milo prays on the soul, he tortures his victims and it’s pretty much what he lives for. Milo also suffers from frenetic visions, enough sometimes to stop him dead but he uses the visions to his advantage, when they lead to an opening or a valuable insight he’s there to use the leverage for his gain.
Cait and Milo are going to meet and it’s a destiny written in blood, really enjoyed this, the ending was exceptional with bags of tension and just a little surprising, usually I can guess what’s going to happen but certainly not with this.
April 16, 2014
This started off with a bang, introducing Caitlyn and a serial killer 'Mr Midnight', they both have special powers called 'flickers'.
I really enjoyed this read but after an exciting start I soon found the pacing slowed down and I had problems getting through the middle portion of the book. There were also some actions at this stage in the read that didn't feel authentic and pulled me out of the story.
Caitlyn was a likeable character but it was Mr Murder who shone in this tale. His part of the story seemed to draw me in more than Caitlyns. I think the author did a great job in fleshing out his character, although he was despicable his parts of the story were the ones I looked forward to the most.
My first book from Mr Leverone and it was a good one to get me started.
Recommended.
June 18, 2018
A generous, rounded up 3 stars for a novel which I found incredibly by the numbers. The writing flows well and there are even moments of flare here and there, but the actual story itself is cookie-cutter stuff. Read the synopsis and the opening 40 pages, and you will have zero trouble predicting how everything is going to play out .
2.5 Mysterious Psychic Connections for Mr. Midnight.
2.5 Mysterious Psychic Connections for Mr. Midnight.
January 25, 2014
Mr. Midnight, by Allan Leverone, was a engrossing, twisted tale that had me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book.
Subject to bizarre and mystifying visions, Cait is desperate to find her biological mother who can hopefully shed some light on this unusual ability. However, she gets more than she bargained for in not only locating her mother but also discovering that she has a twin brother with the same gift.
Cait uses her visions to help people and her brother Milo, Mr. Midnight, uses them to torture and kill them. Although forewarned by her mother never to contact her brother it is destiny that they meet. Good vs Evil - a destiny written in blood.
With a nail-biting surprise ending this fascinating novel is now among my favorites.
Subject to bizarre and mystifying visions, Cait is desperate to find her biological mother who can hopefully shed some light on this unusual ability. However, she gets more than she bargained for in not only locating her mother but also discovering that she has a twin brother with the same gift.
Cait uses her visions to help people and her brother Milo, Mr. Midnight, uses them to torture and kill them. Although forewarned by her mother never to contact her brother it is destiny that they meet. Good vs Evil - a destiny written in blood.
With a nail-biting surprise ending this fascinating novel is now among my favorites.
November 7, 2013
A great dark read that explores two extremes of conscience….the empathetic personality, and the sociopath. It gives pause as to what causes this "condition", and to a lesser extent, brings out the concept of nature versus nurture.
Cait is a woman who was adopted at birth--she has always experienced what she refers to as "Flickers"; moments in which she is able to visualize things that have occurred in other people's lives, as if she were them. Milo also has these visions….but for him, they take on an entirely different meaning.
What happens when the two of them cross "mental paths"?
A very fast paced horror-thriller.
Recommended.
Cait is a woman who was adopted at birth--she has always experienced what she refers to as "Flickers"; moments in which she is able to visualize things that have occurred in other people's lives, as if she were them. Milo also has these visions….but for him, they take on an entirely different meaning.
What happens when the two of them cross "mental paths"?
A very fast paced horror-thriller.
Recommended.
November 6, 2013
Book review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/reviews/...
Mr. Midnight is a thrilling, suspense, dark fiction novel about good vs. evil, family, and the supernatural. It’s another great published by DarkFuse, a publisher quickly establishing their name and fame in the dark fiction market. This book is another great quality read with a stunning cover and an even more stunning narrative.
Cait has always had bizarre visions, which she likes to call “flickers”. These flickers come and go unannounced, and usually they only show her marginal facts about other people’s lives, like where they left their wallet, or how their cat ran away this morning. Without any real family, Cait has always felt like she got left out somehow, like she didn’t belong anywhere. She’s been looking for her real family for years, but their whereabouts are a well-kept secret she can’t find out. Her boyfriend Kevin has hired a private investigator to find out more about her family though, and he has some stunning answers.
Meanwhile, a serial killer is holding court in Boston. He kidnaps young, innocent-looking prostitutes or drug addicts from the streets, tortures them for days, and then cuts them up until they die. The killer, nicknamed “Mr. Midnight” is the second protagonist of the story. His narrative picks up when he meets a young girl and takes her home for some fun – which would be fun for him, and terrible for her. Strangely enough, Mr. Midnight is being tormented by the same bizarre visions Cait has whenever he meets random people, and these visions only make him even more hateful toward humanity.
There’s a sinister connection between Mr. Midnight and Cait, and she’ll have to find out what, because the moment Mr. Midnight gets a vision of her, he wants nothing more than to completely and utterly destroy her. If Cait doesn’t find a way to stop him, she’ll become his next victim.
I loved the overlapping narratives, the way the stories worked together, the switching perspectives. Even without mentioning, or without the move of setting, it’s easy to recognize when Cait is doing the talking or when it’s Mr. Midnight doing so. What I didn’t like that much however, was how linear the contrast was between good and evil. Cait is good, without question, and Mr. Midnight is evil, without question. It’s portrayed as if they cannot choose whether they’re good and evil. This sort of works because of their background story, but still, the book could’ve been stronger had the distinction not been that big. I don’t believe people are inherently good or evil, but that there’s something as free choice. While Cait chose to be good, chose to love, chose to make the flickers part of her life, Mr. Midnight chose to hate, chose to be afraid of the flickers, or chose to use them for bad things. However, at some points, the novel seems like it wants you to believe neither of them had a choice, that Mr. Midnight would always be evil, no matter what.
That’s surprising considering how well the author portrays the tortured killer, the one uncapable of feeling remorse, love, or any emotion except hate, but actually feeling a tad sorry for doing so. It’s not like Mr. Midnight didn’t want to be loved, at some point, it’s just that he wasn’t, or that he couldn’t love in return.
The sharp, intriguing portrait of Mr. Midnight actually makes Cait come across as a bit dull, but in a good way. She’s had the most normal life you can imagine, never doing anything remotely evil, like most of us. Which makes her a great opponent for Mr. Midnight.
The flickers were a nice touch, but even without those, the novel would’ve been strong. The author has a way to make really intriguing characters, and the way the two stories connected was simply sublime. Mr. Midnight never slips from his role, and Cait gradually becomes a stronger character. The final chapters, when the storylines collide, are downright amazing. This is definitely movie material.
An excellent, thought-provoking read. If only it wouldn’t have been so black and white, this would’ve been outstanding, hence why the 4.5 stars instead of 5.
Mr. Midnight is a thrilling, suspense, dark fiction novel about good vs. evil, family, and the supernatural. It’s another great published by DarkFuse, a publisher quickly establishing their name and fame in the dark fiction market. This book is another great quality read with a stunning cover and an even more stunning narrative.
Cait has always had bizarre visions, which she likes to call “flickers”. These flickers come and go unannounced, and usually they only show her marginal facts about other people’s lives, like where they left their wallet, or how their cat ran away this morning. Without any real family, Cait has always felt like she got left out somehow, like she didn’t belong anywhere. She’s been looking for her real family for years, but their whereabouts are a well-kept secret she can’t find out. Her boyfriend Kevin has hired a private investigator to find out more about her family though, and he has some stunning answers.
Meanwhile, a serial killer is holding court in Boston. He kidnaps young, innocent-looking prostitutes or drug addicts from the streets, tortures them for days, and then cuts them up until they die. The killer, nicknamed “Mr. Midnight” is the second protagonist of the story. His narrative picks up when he meets a young girl and takes her home for some fun – which would be fun for him, and terrible for her. Strangely enough, Mr. Midnight is being tormented by the same bizarre visions Cait has whenever he meets random people, and these visions only make him even more hateful toward humanity.
There’s a sinister connection between Mr. Midnight and Cait, and she’ll have to find out what, because the moment Mr. Midnight gets a vision of her, he wants nothing more than to completely and utterly destroy her. If Cait doesn’t find a way to stop him, she’ll become his next victim.
I loved the overlapping narratives, the way the stories worked together, the switching perspectives. Even without mentioning, or without the move of setting, it’s easy to recognize when Cait is doing the talking or when it’s Mr. Midnight doing so. What I didn’t like that much however, was how linear the contrast was between good and evil. Cait is good, without question, and Mr. Midnight is evil, without question. It’s portrayed as if they cannot choose whether they’re good and evil. This sort of works because of their background story, but still, the book could’ve been stronger had the distinction not been that big. I don’t believe people are inherently good or evil, but that there’s something as free choice. While Cait chose to be good, chose to love, chose to make the flickers part of her life, Mr. Midnight chose to hate, chose to be afraid of the flickers, or chose to use them for bad things. However, at some points, the novel seems like it wants you to believe neither of them had a choice, that Mr. Midnight would always be evil, no matter what.
That’s surprising considering how well the author portrays the tortured killer, the one uncapable of feeling remorse, love, or any emotion except hate, but actually feeling a tad sorry for doing so. It’s not like Mr. Midnight didn’t want to be loved, at some point, it’s just that he wasn’t, or that he couldn’t love in return.
The sharp, intriguing portrait of Mr. Midnight actually makes Cait come across as a bit dull, but in a good way. She’s had the most normal life you can imagine, never doing anything remotely evil, like most of us. Which makes her a great opponent for Mr. Midnight.
The flickers were a nice touch, but even without those, the novel would’ve been strong. The author has a way to make really intriguing characters, and the way the two stories connected was simply sublime. Mr. Midnight never slips from his role, and Cait gradually becomes a stronger character. The final chapters, when the storylines collide, are downright amazing. This is definitely movie material.
An excellent, thought-provoking read. If only it wouldn’t have been so black and white, this would’ve been outstanding, hence why the 4.5 stars instead of 5.
February 6, 2016
Allan leverone has managed to blend what is essentially a simple story into an incredibly exciting read. Cait was seperated from her twin Milo at birth and all her life has been plaged by images or "Flickers" as she prefers to call them. Milo is similarly affected but his images have much more senister undertones "He hated the visions, wished for the millionth time in his miserable life he could be a normal guy with a normal brain, unencumbered by the enending onslaught of mental pictures and snippets of the thoughts and conversations of strangers. Then maybe this compulsion to hunt and torture and kill would disappear. Maybe he could finally achieve some peace. Maybe." Cait, in an attempt to understand her strange affliction, resolves to find her estranged mother Virginia Ayers and closely assisted and accompanied by her understanding boyfriend Kevin embarks on a journey of discovery north from her home in Tampa..a journey that will alter her life forever. In the meantime Milo "Mr Midnight" is engaging in some rather unsavoury activities and soon their paths will cross in a violent and bloody conclusion. This story just rattles along, demands to be read in one or two sittings and concludes in a very satisfactory and surprising manner. It's good to read a horror story that starts well, continues at a great pace and finishes in an unexpected manner.
February 8, 2014
This is the story of Caitlyn Connelly. All her life she has experienced visions, she calls them Flickers. Given up for adoption soon after birth, she has always wanted to find out about her birth family. Armed with the knowledge of the whereabouts of her birth mother, she sets off to try and find out her family history. The truth she so desperately seeks though may not be what she want so hear, and what is her link to a prolific serial killer known only as Mr Midnight?
This was a belter! I have long been a fan of Allan's work and this one is in my favourite genre of serial killer thriller. The story started off with two distinct threads, and as the story shot to it's startling conclusion they begin to merge into one. The characters were solid, and the story packed a giant punch. Allan certainly knows how to wring out the emotions of a reader, and ramp up the tension! Apart from a couple of squeamish moments, this relied very much on show don't tell. I recommend this totally for fans of the genre, Allan Leverone and Darkfuse.
This was a belter! I have long been a fan of Allan's work and this one is in my favourite genre of serial killer thriller. The story started off with two distinct threads, and as the story shot to it's startling conclusion they begin to merge into one. The characters were solid, and the story packed a giant punch. Allan certainly knows how to wring out the emotions of a reader, and ramp up the tension! Apart from a couple of squeamish moments, this relied very much on show don't tell. I recommend this totally for fans of the genre, Allan Leverone and Darkfuse.
November 9, 2016
A killer is on the loose. A woman is searching for answers to her life and parents that she has never known. When their paths cross, neither one will ever be the same.
The story centers around twins that were separated shortly after birth. One evil and one normal. Each has a “gift” to see glimpses (flickers) of people’s lives. The back-story of the twins history of violent ends was not really explored as deep as I thought it could have been, but I was glad to see that Allan did not succumb to the predictable and the last half of the book brought it together for me.
Mr. Midnight by Allan Leverone is another very good novel put out by DarkFuse. Well written and paced, this one should appeal to lovers of horror and thrillers alike. 3.5 Stars.
The story centers around twins that were separated shortly after birth. One evil and one normal. Each has a “gift” to see glimpses (flickers) of people’s lives. The back-story of the twins history of violent ends was not really explored as deep as I thought it could have been, but I was glad to see that Allan did not succumb to the predictable and the last half of the book brought it together for me.
Mr. Midnight by Allan Leverone is another very good novel put out by DarkFuse. Well written and paced, this one should appeal to lovers of horror and thrillers alike. 3.5 Stars.
December 4, 2013
Twisted horror at its best. My advice dont read this if you dont have a strong stomache. If you like suspense thrills and a back story that leads you all the way to the end, this is the story for you. I will be checking out more Leverone books-how can you not after reading this.
January 3, 2018
Told from the dark side
Great thriller story revealing the dark side's perspective, Mr Midnight is a winner for horror readers. The paranormal ability is an interesting twist of the making of a monster. A page turner for sure.
Great thriller story revealing the dark side's perspective, Mr Midnight is a winner for horror readers. The paranormal ability is an interesting twist of the making of a monster. A page turner for sure.
January 20, 2014
Great serial killer novel with a twist of the paranormal. Highly recommended!
October 20, 2017
Cait and Milo are twins that had been given up for adoption at birth as it wasn't safe for them to be raised together. They both possess the unusual gift of having visions. Cait is the good twin who always helped people. Milo is the evil twin who was a sadistic killer without a conscience. This book is chillingly graphic in detail of the terror Milo creates. It was truly a page turner.
June 25, 2019
Not one of the best author’s books
Read the book because i wanted to see how it ended. The endind was a cliffhanger? Mr. Midnight was depraved and totally without any morals or restraints. If the author wanted to create unease to the reader, he was successful.
Read the book because i wanted to see how it ended. The endind was a cliffhanger? Mr. Midnight was depraved and totally without any morals or restraints. If the author wanted to create unease to the reader, he was successful.
Read
August 5, 2019How i can read this shit?
October 30, 2019
Very graphic with what he did to his victims. The idea of siblings being so different is amazing.
January 28, 2021
Very well written. Nice storyline and good buildup.
February 18, 2015
Totally captivating, gruesome & downright terrifyingly clever
Thirty-year-old Caitlyn Connelly has longed her whole life to unearth her family history, as she was given up for adoption at birth.
Her gift of visions, Cait calls them ‘Flickers’ have been a part of her life since she was little & has accepted that this is a part her. However she is desperate to learn whether her biological mother can provide any insight as to the source of her unusual ability.
“She had been on the receiving end of Flickers for her entire life & had never known them to wrong”
When her cop boyfriend hires a local Private Investigator to locate her biological mother - Cait wastes no time booking a flight to the East Coast to meet her – little does she know that this is just the beginning of unforeseen circumstances & the truth is nothing to what she expected...
Meanwhile in the city Boston, "Mr. Midnight," is on the hunt again - Milo Cain kidnaps young, innocent-looking women from the streets, tortures them for days for his own pleasure. Milo also has visions, to which he finds irritating but he uses the visions to his advantage, when they lead to an opening or a valuable insight he’s there to use the leverage for his gain especially if he needs some ‘entertaining’
“The visions lead him to the perfect victim. The visions would be there to guide him. They always were....”
As soon as Cait reaches the East Coast she experiences a Flicker that is different from the norm. The intensity of this is so powerful, she witnesses an unimaginable graphic & terrifying scene - She has a front row seat to the horror that a psychopath is unleashing & Cait is powerless to stop him - a face she would not forget in hurry.
Also Milo experiences the same intensity of a vision – to which he sees Cait & immediately knows this vision is unlike any of the others he has experienced upon laying eyes on Cait he has the need to destroy her – this scares him a little to the amount of rage, hatred to a person he has never meet - to which the real hunt begins....
What drew me to this was the blurb of the second book via NetGalley – I thought I would read the first one – I was not disappointed.
I liked that the chapters they where short but detailed & to the point with the switching of the POV between Cait & Milo brought more depth to the story.
I also like the glimpses of the history flashback – plays an important role to tying up everything that happens.
I know that the heroine of the story is Cait but my favouritism has to lay with Milo aka Mr Midnight – I was intrigued by the what is he going to do next – don’t get me wrong Cait is a strong character but Milo slightly out shone her.
In my mind there seem there was a tiny gap – when I say tiny I mean a grain of sand - of hope for Milo – with this one paragraph I love:
“He hated the visions, wished for the millionth time in his miserable life he could be a normal guy with a normal brain, then maybe this compulsion to hunt & torture & kill would disappear. Maybe he could finally achieve some peace. Maybe”
This book slightly reminded me the Halloween movies with Michael Myers – awesome films but this book has so much more depth to it.
The only disappointment I had is of when these two finally met, I was expecting more visions to come to light or something else I’m not sure – however having said that the last chapter opens up something new with more of a sinister twist – to which is where the 2nd book comes into play.
This is the first book I've read of Allen Leverone, I wasn't sure what to expect.
What I find was a story that is inventive, thoughtful, & intelligent. The novel itself is well paced, the characters well developed, & the story-line is understandably thought out, to where the dialogue between the characters truly feels realistic.
I have great expectations for the 2nd book & cannot wait to read it
Thirty-year-old Caitlyn Connelly has longed her whole life to unearth her family history, as she was given up for adoption at birth.
Her gift of visions, Cait calls them ‘Flickers’ have been a part of her life since she was little & has accepted that this is a part her. However she is desperate to learn whether her biological mother can provide any insight as to the source of her unusual ability.
“She had been on the receiving end of Flickers for her entire life & had never known them to wrong”
When her cop boyfriend hires a local Private Investigator to locate her biological mother - Cait wastes no time booking a flight to the East Coast to meet her – little does she know that this is just the beginning of unforeseen circumstances & the truth is nothing to what she expected...
Meanwhile in the city Boston, "Mr. Midnight," is on the hunt again - Milo Cain kidnaps young, innocent-looking women from the streets, tortures them for days for his own pleasure. Milo also has visions, to which he finds irritating but he uses the visions to his advantage, when they lead to an opening or a valuable insight he’s there to use the leverage for his gain especially if he needs some ‘entertaining’
“The visions lead him to the perfect victim. The visions would be there to guide him. They always were....”
As soon as Cait reaches the East Coast she experiences a Flicker that is different from the norm. The intensity of this is so powerful, she witnesses an unimaginable graphic & terrifying scene - She has a front row seat to the horror that a psychopath is unleashing & Cait is powerless to stop him - a face she would not forget in hurry.
Also Milo experiences the same intensity of a vision – to which he sees Cait & immediately knows this vision is unlike any of the others he has experienced upon laying eyes on Cait he has the need to destroy her – this scares him a little to the amount of rage, hatred to a person he has never meet - to which the real hunt begins....
What drew me to this was the blurb of the second book via NetGalley – I thought I would read the first one – I was not disappointed.
I liked that the chapters they where short but detailed & to the point with the switching of the POV between Cait & Milo brought more depth to the story.
I also like the glimpses of the history flashback – plays an important role to tying up everything that happens.
I know that the heroine of the story is Cait but my favouritism has to lay with Milo aka Mr Midnight – I was intrigued by the what is he going to do next – don’t get me wrong Cait is a strong character but Milo slightly out shone her.
In my mind there seem there was a tiny gap – when I say tiny I mean a grain of sand - of hope for Milo – with this one paragraph I love:
“He hated the visions, wished for the millionth time in his miserable life he could be a normal guy with a normal brain, then maybe this compulsion to hunt & torture & kill would disappear. Maybe he could finally achieve some peace. Maybe”
This book slightly reminded me the Halloween movies with Michael Myers – awesome films but this book has so much more depth to it.
The only disappointment I had is of when these two finally met, I was expecting more visions to come to light or something else I’m not sure – however having said that the last chapter opens up something new with more of a sinister twist – to which is where the 2nd book comes into play.
This is the first book I've read of Allen Leverone, I wasn't sure what to expect.
What I find was a story that is inventive, thoughtful, & intelligent. The novel itself is well paced, the characters well developed, & the story-line is understandably thought out, to where the dialogue between the characters truly feels realistic.
I have great expectations for the 2nd book & cannot wait to read it
February 22, 2014
Caitlyn Connelly, a young Tampa attorney and her police officer boyfriend embark on a journey to Boston to find her birth mother. Given up for adoption was a newborn, Cait has always wondered about her biological parents. When a private detective discovers that her birth mother is still alive in Boston, the ‘chase’ is on.
In Boston, a young man named Milo hunts the streets of Boston for victims to take part in his sadistic and terrifying hobby. He is a serial killer dubbed Mr. Midnight by the media, and his ideal prey is young women. Mr. Leverone’s description of this character is chilling. When Milo is ‘onscreen’, the reader is held captive by his presence.
Cait and Milo would not seem to be the types who closely share something highly personal. But, they do. Both are bombarded by telepathic visions that appear with little warning. The visions can be intrusive, but generally not harmful of frightening – until Cait arrives in Boston. Then, things become incredibly jarring for both of them. Of course, they know nothing about one another, but that will change, and the revelations are life threatening.
The story has a couple of unique features which propel the plot. The unpredictable impact of The Flickers (as Cait calls the visions) contributes an unnerving feel to the inner lives of the characters. These unbidden images often come out of nowhere and the author’s descriptions help the reader to develop surprising empathy for the plight of the Cait, and even Milo, as they are at the mercy of these intrusions.
I was surprised that The Flickers did not play a bigger role in the climax – I was anticipated a huge telepathic “nuclear exchange” that didn’t happen. I wasn’t disappointed with the conclusion, but I was hoping for more of a jolt than what happened. I felt that the author unnecessarily padded the latter part of the work. A number of peripheral characters are introduced, a homeless alcoholic dwelling in the same abandoned building as Mr. Midnight and multiple police officers (I think there was at least three). Each is given a fairly extensive backstory which really wasn’t necessary. In all cases, the result was a slowing down of the pace. Finally, readers should know that the narrative contains some pretty gruesome depictions and descriptions of a young man torturing young women. I suspect some readers love this type of horror. I am not a huge fan, so the passages did little for me.
Overall, not a bad DarkFuse publication. A 3.5ish rating.
In Boston, a young man named Milo hunts the streets of Boston for victims to take part in his sadistic and terrifying hobby. He is a serial killer dubbed Mr. Midnight by the media, and his ideal prey is young women. Mr. Leverone’s description of this character is chilling. When Milo is ‘onscreen’, the reader is held captive by his presence.
Cait and Milo would not seem to be the types who closely share something highly personal. But, they do. Both are bombarded by telepathic visions that appear with little warning. The visions can be intrusive, but generally not harmful of frightening – until Cait arrives in Boston. Then, things become incredibly jarring for both of them. Of course, they know nothing about one another, but that will change, and the revelations are life threatening.
The story has a couple of unique features which propel the plot. The unpredictable impact of The Flickers (as Cait calls the visions) contributes an unnerving feel to the inner lives of the characters. These unbidden images often come out of nowhere and the author’s descriptions help the reader to develop surprising empathy for the plight of the Cait, and even Milo, as they are at the mercy of these intrusions.
I was surprised that The Flickers did not play a bigger role in the climax – I was anticipated a huge telepathic “nuclear exchange” that didn’t happen. I wasn’t disappointed with the conclusion, but I was hoping for more of a jolt than what happened. I felt that the author unnecessarily padded the latter part of the work. A number of peripheral characters are introduced, a homeless alcoholic dwelling in the same abandoned building as Mr. Midnight and multiple police officers (I think there was at least three). Each is given a fairly extensive backstory which really wasn’t necessary. In all cases, the result was a slowing down of the pace. Finally, readers should know that the narrative contains some pretty gruesome depictions and descriptions of a young man torturing young women. I suspect some readers love this type of horror. I am not a huge fan, so the passages did little for me.
Overall, not a bad DarkFuse publication. A 3.5ish rating.
July 23, 2014
Leverone has penned one of the most chilling villains in modern fiction with “Mr. Midnight.” Unforgiving, intelligent, and ingenious, this monster is what nightmares are made of—a man who thrives while skulking in the shadows.
In the sunshine state, Caitlyn “Cait” Connelly leads a very normal life or as normal as possible considering her ability to see ‘Flickers’ of other people’s lives. Described as an “old-time, black-and-white movie,” Cait has experienced Flickers her entire life. With no control of when or where they’ll hit and adopted as an infant, she’s always longed to know where this unusual ability came from. Did it pass down from her birth parents or is it hers alone? Well on her way to marrying her Tampa police officer fiancé, Kevin Dalton, Cait is astonished when he presents a gift. He’s employed a PI who can hopefully answer Cait’s burning questions.
A quick lesson on the black market baby trade soon follows and Cait and Kevin find themselves whisking off to the Boston suburbs to meet the woman who birthed her. Unfortunately, her birth mother has firmly stated she has a lack of interest in reuniting with her long lost daughter, but Cait is hopeful and they soon arrive, uninvited, on her doorstep. Unable to slam the door in her daughter’s face, Virginia Ayers spins a tale: a story of a family filled with secrets, tragedy, a genetic curse, and finally a warning. A warning that may be too late to heed.
While in Boston, Cait’s Flickers transform from harmless vignettes to the very picture of evil. She has a front row seat to the horror that a psychopath is unleashing and Cait is powerless to stop him.
This is my first foray into Leverone’s dark imagination and it definitely won’t be my last. A frighteningly sinister tone fell into place with each turn of the page and the pacing of the storyline was captivating, never once letting you go. “Mr. Midnight” is meant to keep you up at night.
Reviewed by Shannon Raab for Suspense Magazine
In the sunshine state, Caitlyn “Cait” Connelly leads a very normal life or as normal as possible considering her ability to see ‘Flickers’ of other people’s lives. Described as an “old-time, black-and-white movie,” Cait has experienced Flickers her entire life. With no control of when or where they’ll hit and adopted as an infant, she’s always longed to know where this unusual ability came from. Did it pass down from her birth parents or is it hers alone? Well on her way to marrying her Tampa police officer fiancé, Kevin Dalton, Cait is astonished when he presents a gift. He’s employed a PI who can hopefully answer Cait’s burning questions.
A quick lesson on the black market baby trade soon follows and Cait and Kevin find themselves whisking off to the Boston suburbs to meet the woman who birthed her. Unfortunately, her birth mother has firmly stated she has a lack of interest in reuniting with her long lost daughter, but Cait is hopeful and they soon arrive, uninvited, on her doorstep. Unable to slam the door in her daughter’s face, Virginia Ayers spins a tale: a story of a family filled with secrets, tragedy, a genetic curse, and finally a warning. A warning that may be too late to heed.
While in Boston, Cait’s Flickers transform from harmless vignettes to the very picture of evil. She has a front row seat to the horror that a psychopath is unleashing and Cait is powerless to stop him.
This is my first foray into Leverone’s dark imagination and it definitely won’t be my last. A frighteningly sinister tone fell into place with each turn of the page and the pacing of the storyline was captivating, never once letting you go. “Mr. Midnight” is meant to keep you up at night.
Reviewed by Shannon Raab for Suspense Magazine
July 29, 2016
Read my full review: http://bit.ly/1gpW5o8
My opinion: Mr. Leverone never ceases to amaze me with the twisted and well developed storylines of his novels. I will honestly say that this title is my new Al Leverone favorite! I didn't think anything could bump the power and "twistedness" of Heartless, but this one did.
Mr. Midnight takes Leverone's graphic writing to a whole new level. I must admit that the whole "second sight" had me kind of rolling my eyes when I accepted this book for review. I will admit that there were a small portion of scenes, as written, had me sighing as I felt that they sounded kind of "cartoonish"; however, I have read every other book that this author has produced and he has yet to disappoint. The tradition continues. It is important to note that is more of a personal "preference" and that he has made the second sight aspect work in this storyline. In my humble opinion, it actually added to the creepiness of the book. As expected, his characters were flawlessly developed.
THIS BOOK IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART! It is graphic, it is gory, but DAMN it is good!
To boot, I can't get past the AWESOMENESS of that cover!
My opinion: Mr. Leverone never ceases to amaze me with the twisted and well developed storylines of his novels. I will honestly say that this title is my new Al Leverone favorite! I didn't think anything could bump the power and "twistedness" of Heartless, but this one did.
Mr. Midnight takes Leverone's graphic writing to a whole new level. I must admit that the whole "second sight" had me kind of rolling my eyes when I accepted this book for review. I will admit that there were a small portion of scenes, as written, had me sighing as I felt that they sounded kind of "cartoonish"; however, I have read every other book that this author has produced and he has yet to disappoint. The tradition continues. It is important to note that is more of a personal "preference" and that he has made the second sight aspect work in this storyline. In my humble opinion, it actually added to the creepiness of the book. As expected, his characters were flawlessly developed.
THIS BOOK IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART! It is graphic, it is gory, but DAMN it is good!
To boot, I can't get past the AWESOMENESS of that cover!
March 22, 2014
I purchased this paperback, signed, from the author. 3.5-stars
I am a huge fan of Allan Leverone's work. I've yet to come across a story of his that I haven't liked. Mr. Midnight wasn't one of my favorites but is still a good book.
The plot is creative and different. Yes, I have read books with similar type characters but none with the twist that Leverone spins in his story. I did not find the pace slow or lacking in interest. I can't say that I was emotionally vested in the characters in this book, but they held my attention. While reading, I often found myself wondering where Mr. Leverone had gone. The story, though good, didn't seem like one he would have written. There was a different kind of darkness in it that had me on edge.
I am waiting for the second book to be released before making any firm decisions on points I found a bit frustrating. I hope that we learn more about the history of the family and the curse they carry. Also, and this is more of a personal preference and does not necessarily reflect on the story, but I didn't like the torture scenes. Yeah, I'm a big baby when it comes to that kind of stuff.
I am a huge fan of Allan Leverone's work. I've yet to come across a story of his that I haven't liked. Mr. Midnight wasn't one of my favorites but is still a good book.
The plot is creative and different. Yes, I have read books with similar type characters but none with the twist that Leverone spins in his story. I did not find the pace slow or lacking in interest. I can't say that I was emotionally vested in the characters in this book, but they held my attention. While reading, I often found myself wondering where Mr. Leverone had gone. The story, though good, didn't seem like one he would have written. There was a different kind of darkness in it that had me on edge.
I am waiting for the second book to be released before making any firm decisions on points I found a bit frustrating. I hope that we learn more about the history of the family and the curse they carry. Also, and this is more of a personal preference and does not necessarily reflect on the story, but I didn't like the torture scenes. Yeah, I'm a big baby when it comes to that kind of stuff.
April 3, 2015
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing...Edgar Allan Poe
I actually received the sequel to this book AFTER MIDNIGHT from Net Galley and found out about this first book. So I bought Mr. Midnight, wanting to get the full impact of the storyline.
This is quite a gruesome read - and I consider myself to be pretty inured to gory horror after years of reading it. But the story IS about a serial killer.
Cait Connelly is a real estate attorney. Her boyfriend is a cop and they live in Tampa, Florida. She is adopted and wants to find out about her birth parents. Watch out what you wish for! Oh, and she has "flickers" - being able to watch flashes into other people's lives.
Meanwhile, in Boston Mr. Midnight is slaughtering women. And he and Cait have a connection.
Strong, vivid characters and a storyline that's not totally new but done well nonetheless - I'm definitely looking forward to the next book.
I actually received the sequel to this book AFTER MIDNIGHT from Net Galley and found out about this first book. So I bought Mr. Midnight, wanting to get the full impact of the storyline.
This is quite a gruesome read - and I consider myself to be pretty inured to gory horror after years of reading it. But the story IS about a serial killer.
Cait Connelly is a real estate attorney. Her boyfriend is a cop and they live in Tampa, Florida. She is adopted and wants to find out about her birth parents. Watch out what you wish for! Oh, and she has "flickers" - being able to watch flashes into other people's lives.
Meanwhile, in Boston Mr. Midnight is slaughtering women. And he and Cait have a connection.
Strong, vivid characters and a storyline that's not totally new but done well nonetheless - I'm definitely looking forward to the next book.
March 29, 2016
Wow, what to say about this book. First off, if you are put off by graphic violence, then this book is not for you. However, if you can handle the violence, then this book is one wild ride. This was one of the most sadistic and twisted serial killers that I have come across in my reading, and the descriptions used by the author were gut wrenching. But I could not stop reading the book. The "flickers" experienced by Milo and Cait were very intriguing, and it was easy to feel the incapacitating strength of them. I enjoyed the multiple threads of the story and thought it was masterful how they were slowly wound together. I have already bought the second book in the series and am anxious to continue the journey.
January 15, 2014
The story centers around twins that were separated shortly after birth. One evil and one normal. Each has a “gift” to see glimpses (flickers) of people’s lives. The back-story of the twins history of violent ends was not really explored as deep as I thought it could have been, but I was glad to see that Allan did not succumb to the predictable and the last half of the book brought it together for me.
Mr. Midnight by Allan Leverone is another very good novel put out by DarkFuse. Well written and paced, this one should appeal to lovers of horror and thrillers alike.
November 8, 2013
This was sure a twisted piece of reading! Each chapter seemed to take on the theme of the book by coming to me in "flickers". (Read the book and you will understand)
This book is not for the feint of heart. It is brutal and bloody. So, if you have a weak stomach or scare easily; then this book is not for you. If, however, you are interested in a good back story with lots of thrills, you will not be disappointed.
This is my second Allan Leverone book and I am happy to say that he is my new "go to" author! Thanks so much, Allan!
This book is not for the feint of heart. It is brutal and bloody. So, if you have a weak stomach or scare easily; then this book is not for you. If, however, you are interested in a good back story with lots of thrills, you will not be disappointed.
This is my second Allan Leverone book and I am happy to say that he is my new "go to" author! Thanks so much, Allan!
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