The Midnight Reader

Leafwood Falls #3

by Brooke Skie

The Midnight A Leafwood Falls Quick-read
A heartwarming cozy mystery with a touch of magic!

Can be read as a standalone or part of a the series!

What happens when someone's been breaking into your bookstore... but all they leave behind is beautiful literary criticism?

Charlie Whitmore has finally found her rhythm as owner of Oak & Ink Bookshop in charming Leafwood Falls, Vermont. More than a year after leaving her high-powered Manhattan law career behind, she's settled into small-town life with her boyfriend, her sharp-tongued assistant Mia, and Hemingway, the imperious orange cat who rules the shop with literary opinions and strategic hairballs.

But when Charlie discovers someone has been visiting Oak & Ink after hours, she expects the worst. Instead, she finds carefully penciled margin notes signed "R.W."—thoughtful, insightful commentary that suggests someone who truly understands books, grief, and the healing power of stories.

With Mia's investigative enthusiasm and help from Tom, the poetry-quoting blacksmith who makes Mia's heart flutter in unexpected ways, Charlie sets out to solve the mystery. But the truth they uncover is more heartbreaking than any sometimes the people who need books most are the ones who can no longer afford to own them.

Set in the magical world of Leafwood Falls, The Midnight Reader delivers all the bookish charm, gentle humor, and small-town warmth that made readers fall in love with The Next Chapter Bookshop. This novella is perfect for an afternoon escape into a place where cats dispense wisdom, books have opinions, and good things happen.

Perfect for readers who loved THE BOOKSHOP ON THE CORNER, THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY, and THE LITTLE PARIS BOOKSHOP. A tender story about community, second chances, and the magic that happens when we approach each other's mysteries with curiosity instead of fear.

86 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 3, 2025

Reviews

[Vanessa Brackett · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars / super cute, cozy read. But damn, how many times does it have to be mentioned that the FMC, Charlie, is a lawyer. “Take a shot every time you read the word(s) lawyer or law school” 😂

I didn’t know what to expect with this cute novella. I’ve been on a fantasy kick, so was thinking that maybe the cat was transforming into a human, idk lol. There was so much random things thrown in. The cat coming from mysterious corners/nooks of the store. Then I thought the man was living in a basement or something because how was he getting in & out so easily? I thought this because the cat kept dropping things on the floor and staring at it intently.

I definitely overanalyzed this book, so that’s hilarious on my part lol

[Anna Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super cute novella, I loved all of the classic literature references. I could’ve read a full book honestly. I probably wouldn’t read it again, hence the 3 stars, but it was a good quick read to pass the time 😊

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

What appears to be a mystery ends up being such a cute but sad story deep down.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute short audiobook. Part of a series. A cat named Hemingway is one of the characters and he is cute. Part of a clean read series. 3.75 stars.

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bookshop should always be a safe space! That’s what that whole story is about and I loved it

[Melonie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful, cozy mystery

Lovely novella to relax with. A bit of mystery, a few laughs, a new arrival to Leafwood Falls and "victim" for Mia), and a lot of community. I hope there are many more stories of Oak & Ink and Hemingway's magical intuition.

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Delightful. Gratifying. Almost perfect.

The Midnight Reader is the kind of story that feels like a deep exhale at the end of the day. Quietly charming, emotionally gentle, and infused with a genuine love of books, it offers exactly what it promises: comfort, curiosity, and a reminder of why stories matter.

I adored the world Brooke Skie created here. Oak & Ink isn’t just a setting—it’s a feeling. The kind of bookstore you wish existed down the street, where the shelves hold more than novels and the margins whisper back. The mystery of R.W. is tender rather than tense, driven less by plot twists and more by empathy, grief, and the quiet connections forged through shared words.

This short story succeeds because it understands restraint. It doesn’t overreach or overexplain; it trusts the reader to feel what’s being offered. That said, my only complaint is the highest compliment—I wanted more. More time in Oak & Ink, more margin notes, more lingering in that cozy, book-soaked space.

Perfect for bedtime, for book lovers, and for anyone who believes that sometimes the right story finds us exactly when we need it.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 3 in the delightful Leafwood Falls romance series is a short novella based in the location of the first book, Oak and Ink bookshop.

Oak and Ink is still run by Charlie, she's still with Ethan and it appears she has a midnight caller who visits the bookshop, reads some books, makes notations in the margins then leaves, without making a sound. Even Hemingway, Charlie's cat,
seems to like the mysterious caller.

Mia, Charlie's ever helpful shop assistant goes into full on detective mode, and finds help in the new library employee, Tom.

A short but sweet little book, full of love and the kindness found in a small town. If you like books by Debbie Macomber, then you'll love this series.

[Skater · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartfelt Novella

I don’t give out 5 stars, but heartfelt story deserves it,
This novella, set again in the bookstore tells the story of The Midnight Visitor. Upon waking one morning, Charlie finds a few items moved around, dishes washed and dried, and most surprising, literary notations in the margins of books. Who? How? Why? Charlie, Mia, and new friend Tom set out to answer those questions? This novella is so well crafted and written, highlighting a deep, rich love and understanding of literature. Where the second story in this series disappointed me, this one soars, fueled by the love of story telling and friendship.

[Vicki Chicago-Marsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cozy, sweet novella. This very short story was set in the Oak & Ink bookshop featured in the first book in this series & my personal favorite. All of the beloved characters were there, including Mia & that huge all-knowing feline Hemingway. This charming story was about a secret reader who “broke” into the closed shop at night & read books, making scholarly notes in their margins. This story was about small-town life, caring about people, helping those in need, & a beautiful very intuitive cat.

I read this book on Kindle.

[Pamela A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝑨𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒛𝒚 𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔!!! 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝑯𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒕!! 😻

𝑵𝒐𝒕 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒇𝒖𝒏 𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒔𝒐 𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒍-𝒘𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒏. 𝑶𝒂𝒌 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒊 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒏𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒈𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆. 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒖𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒘𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒄𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒐 𝒇𝒖𝒏!! 𝑴𝒚 𝒇𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝑯𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒌𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒖𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒌𝒚, 𝒊𝒎 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒊𝒕!! 𝑰𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏'𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒂𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓?? 🤓🤓🤓😏😏😏😚

[Rebecca Goss · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Leafwood Falls series and features characters from the bookshop. There seems to be someone coming into the store after hours, reading and writing critical insights about classic literature. Charlie, Mia and others attempt to discover who the reader could be and how long it has been occurring. I enjoyed how the community works together and how the bookshop is an oasis for many.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great light mystery with short story helped me reach my goal

Part of a challenge with my reading club is to read different styles including mystery and science fiction, which I don't like and comedy. So I managed to find a couple of short cute things to fill those goals and this one was adorable.

[Kimberly Hauck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming mystery

Small town Vermont bookstore seems to be getting a mysterious visitor nightly. Why would anyone want to break into a bookstore and leave details that they were there? This book is a cozy mystery that brings a small town community together to solve the mystery

[Read, Run and Rescue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute novella mystery genre, not my normal genre had to read for a book club challenge. But it was enjoyable , the plot was interesting the characters were endearing. I loved Mia and her interactions with Tom. Also Hemingway was a wonderful addition to the cast of characters.

[Maria Luciano · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great follow up to her first book The Next Chapter Bookshop. Every bit cozy with fall vipes. Characters were super interesting especially Mia who had me laughing out loud. I’d love for the author to write another.

[Katelyn Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella was short but packed with more coziness and a little mystery. There's also a little budding romance that I'm hoping evolves more in the next book.

I have this a 4 though because i really think it could have had a little more mystery. But overall a great short addition to the series.

[christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Midnight Reader

This was a fun mystery read. I love a good mystery and the characters individual personalities add the right amount of corky charm as they plotted to solve the mystery. A perfect short mystery that's sure to please. Enjoy

[Sarah G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute cozy quick read. I was confused why they didn’t just write a letter in the first place to try to meet him. Haven’t read any of the other books in the series so that was bugging me a little not knowing how she got here. Loved the annotations that were written in the books.

[Melissa Dobbins · Rating 5 out of 5]

good read

This book is quietly satisfying. No romantic struggle or nail biting adventure, just a quiet of people who agree with heartfelt gratitude for books, and the sharing of minds.

[Diane K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Humanity at It’s Best!

All of the Leafwood Falls books are wonderful reads, but this one was particularly touching to me. A mystery wrapped inside a mystery all ending up wrapped in the arms of the giving residents of the town.

[Florence Mitcheltree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovable cat

Loved the series. I hope there will be more in this series.Thoroughly enjoyed reading this series. Keep them coming. God bless.

[Cynthia Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome story.

The way the characters came together. Bringing out the importance of literatures from classics of long ago. Beautifully written wholesome.

[Angie S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute, quick little read. a heartwarming story. This whole series should have just been about Charlie and the book store.

[Kristyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

a touching novella

I loved reading about Charlie & her bookstore again! This cozy mystery was super touching. The bookstore just knows what people need.

[Amina Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This small town and it’s community 🫶🏻

[DoctorCopper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite a simple, unassuming and sweet novella. The mystery itself isn’t complex, I rather thought there would be more to it. I probably wouldn’t read any more of these.

[Elizabeth B Wilbanks · Rating 5 out of 5]

perfect light reading when taking break from some of the longer emotional books. Heart warming.

[Maria Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this serie. Beautifully written and so good to read.

[Rachel Horstman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short & Sweet Novella

This book was a very quick, but wholesome read. Featuring your favorite Leafwood Falls characters. Highly recommend for a cozy day read!