The Night Journal

by Elizabeth Crook

Feeling oppressed by the romantic accounts of her famous family's history, Meg, the great-granddaughter of a southwestern frontierswoman, reluctantly accompanies her sharp-tongued grandmother to a family property that is being excavated and makes a discovery that challenges the authenticity of revered stories. 40,000 first printing.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Book Club, Westerns, Family, Adult Fiction

454 pages, Hardcover

First published February 2, 2006

About the author

I grew up mostly in San Marcos, Texas, (with a brief time away in Washington D.C and Australia) graduated from San Marcos High School, attended Baylor and Rice, moved for a while to New Braunfels, Texas, and now live in Austin. One of the great blessings of my childhood was having a mother who read to my brother and sister and me for hours every night, long after we could read for ourselves. Those nights of listening transported us to foreign places and other centuries and allowed us to connect with characters living lives in stark contrast to our own. This was a great gift my mother gave us.

I've written six novels, including The Night Journal, which received The Spur Award from Western Writers of America and the Willa Literary Award from Women Writing the West, Monday, Monday, which received the Jesse H. Jones Award from the Texas Institute of Letters and was named a Best Fiction Book of 2014 by Kirkus Reviews, and The Which Way Tree, which received The Willa Literary Award and is currently in development for film. The Madstone will be published in November of 2023.

I'm a slow, slow reader (one of those people you see in public places staring at pages and moving their lips,) and I'll be giving most books on Goodreads a rating of four or five stars, because that many hours spent together creates a certain loyalty. If a book doesn't capture me I usually set it aside; mostly what you'll see here are books I've loved.

Reviews

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read - and, frankly, been captivated by - three of Elizabeth's Crook's books, I decided to reach back and try this one. I'm glad I read it, but it didn't speak to me the (or wasn't my cup of tea in the) same way as Monday, Monday, Promised Lands, or Which Way Tree - all quite different (in terms of setting, style, and tone) - did.

The most fascinating/compelling aspects of this book - for me - were the historical touches - the places and settings and anecdotes and insights - not just the westward expansion of the rail lines, but the Harvey girls (who appear (and then disappear) in non-fiction books I've read) and, more broadly, New Mexico. I've spent (work-related) time in New Mexico (where, among other things, I've enjoyed hiking in the Sandia - and I've been lucky enough to visit, and photograph, the exquisite Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument), not terribly far from where much of the action takes place, so the landscape, and the sky ... the endless sky ... resonates.

For any writer, particularly a writer not tied to (or identified with) a serial protagonist or who doesn't follow a formula, I figure I'll prefer some books to others. In this one, I was least interested in the dysfunctional family aspects, and, while I can't say that I felt it was over-emphasized or over-written, I was just hoping for one healthy relationship ... somewhere ... anywhere .... but, frankly, I might be over-reacting because I was simultaneously reading another (very long) book animated exclusively with broken people and ... given how depressing and harsh and ugly I find current events (e.g., the newspapers, or, well, everything I read) I may have just been ground down a bit and looking for a ray of sunshine in the wrong place....

Not surprisingly, there were some remarkable, memorable, sublime passages in the book.

Finally, because I'm (admittedly, unapologetically) a sucker for a well-crafted and satisfying ending, I thought Crook did about as well as possible wrapping things up in this one. (OK, at the two-thirds point, I thought things were moving towards an out-of-character storybook/fantasy ending, and I was relieved when the ship righted itself to continue sailing on an even keel.) I won't say that I was terribly surprised by any of the (larger) "reveals," but I don't think that was the intent. I was pleased that - ultimately - none of the players broke character, everyone played their role through to the bitter end and, if anything, everyone's motives largely made sense.

It's a shame more folks (outside of Texas and the southwest) don't read these books. Monday, Monday is a much better book than 90 percent of the books I've bought in airports over the years. Alas. Among others, my sense is that James Lee Burke's readers - particularly the folks who enjoy the later books in the Holland family saga - would really enjoy Promised Lands.

I'm glad I read it, but, if you're new to Crook's work (which I highly recommend), I'd recommend you start with one of her other books.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good read if not a bit slow/meandering at times, especially towards the first half of the story. The tale takes a while to tell, as a lot of set up is given to establish Meg, Bassie, Hannah's history and they all relate to each other. In my opinion, the journal parts of the book are the most intriguing, as they put the reader directly in line with those experiencing history (Hannah and Elliott). The book, and perhaps larger Western drama, attempts to present a reasonably accurate depiction of the events, emotions, and hazards experienced by pioneers and travelers as they struck out West in search of opportunity and adventure. After reading this, a definite draw of the Western genre would be the setting itself. A significant amount of the text is given over to painting the landscape and sky and helping create the world that will serve as a backdrop for - and it's so large at times, it feel as though it's in itself a character - of the story. Another draw includes the myriad of detail and attention paid to the setting Old West, like cultural and national politics historical events like the Mountain Meadows Massacre of 1857. Through her story, Crook presents how those in history are affected by the events surrounding them and echo through their lives. One could also argue that perhaps the appeal lies in the fact that despite the passage of time, people experience the same emotions - hope, betrayal, love, and guilt - as they go through their lives. The past is also never really the past and despite our best efforts continues to influence and shape us, rippling down through time.

[Lindamoore · Rating 1 out of 5]

Reading the Diary within the book that was alleged to be famous for it's historical significance was stunning to me. There was no real history in it. It was a twisted and mangled tale of a woman's "love" life. I was vastly disappointed in the history that other readers seem to be so fond of. Harvey Girls perhaps....... but the Pecos history completely ignored the Publeo Indians.
The book also came down really hard on Mormons. Since it was a recurring subject in the book I am wondering if I should view it as personal prejucdice?
There was also a lot of political jargin in the book leading me to beleive that I probably know many of the author's political stances.
Perhaps I should leave the fiction to the classics and stick to factual books as this one was a total and complete disappointment to me.
I purchased at Pecos National Park hoping for history from the area. Instead I was lambasted with love gone askew and tragedy.
I regret having spent hours of my life wasted on reading this book.

[Terrill · Rating 1 out of 5]

Historical novel with way too many details of turn-of-the century life in New Mexico added just so we can see how good the author was at reading her microfiche newspapers. I stopped reading halfway through, but then skimmed the rest to assauge my curiosity.

[Sierra The Book Addict · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since I’m form NM I got to experience NM in a different point of view from this book which I enjoyed. I didn’t really feel for the characters for they all seemed distant and just self absorbed. Not my favorite book, but for the descriptions and the details of the journal was interesting.
Meg withstands her Grandmother Bassie, for all her grandmother cares about are her mothers journals that have become famous, so when Bassie wants to get the old bones of her childhood dogs before the government does they arrange a trip to New Mexico. Mysteries begin to unfold and questions of the past begging to answer Meg finds out more about her great-grandparents than she ever imagined.

[Thea TR Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently found this author when one of her books was selected by The James BookClub. After reading The Which Way Tree and then seeing her on two Zoom interviews I knew I wanted to read more of her books. The Night Journal was available at my library so I selected it to read. Her writing is so enjoyable to read, the story took turns I didn't see and all the characters were so well developed that I was totally drawn in. If you haven't read her books do yourself a favor and check on out.

[Kayeb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it........it is a part of the country I know a bit and could relate to ...and simply put, it just grabbed me. The theme of thru the generations is one I like often and this is well done.

"Meg Mabry has spent her life with her back turned to her legendary family legacy. In the 1890s her great-grandmother Hannah Bass composed starkly revealing diaries of her life on the southwestern frontier, first as a Harvey Girl at the glamorous Montezuma Resort in New Mexico and later as the wife of brilliant, and often absent, railway engineer Elliot Bass. A generation later, Hannah's daughter, Claudia Bass, a renowned historian known to all as Bassie, staked her academic career and reputation on these vibrant accounts, editing and publishing them to great acclaim, and establishing the Bass family as a pillar in the history of the American southwest." Meg - Bassie's granddaughter - finds the family lore oppressive. Determined to pursue a life away from the business of history keeping, she has refused, to the annoyance of her grandmother, to read even a single page of the journal. When an excavation on the old Bass family property beckons a now elderly and viper-tongued Bassie back to the fabled land of her childhood, Meg grudgingly consents to accompany her. But when an unexpected discovery casts doubt on the history recorded in Hannah's pages and harbored in Bassie's memories, Meg finally succumbs to the allure of her great-grandmother's story and ventures even deeper into Hannah's life to unlock the mystery at the journal's core

[Loralee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Claudia Bass is domineering and cantankerous. When she learns that the visitor's
center at Pecos, New Mexico is going to be expanded, she flies into a fit.
Her childhood dogs have been buried on "Dog Hill" and she doesn't want their
bones to be disturbed. She is determined to stop the building project.
So begins a road trip from Texas to New Mexico. I have to admit that I
thought, "Dog bones? This woman is worked up over dog bones?" Then I
remembered the little pet cemetery in our backyard and I understood.

Claudia forces her granddaughter, Meg to accompany her on her journey. Meg is
reluctant to come. She has never been interested in her family's past.
Meg eventually embraces her heritage as she finally reads her great-grandmother
Hannah’s famous journals. As Meg and Bassie visit the places Hannah lived and
wrote about, Meg realizes her heritage is important to her, too.

This book has a story within the story. There is the modern day story of Meg
and Bassie who discover that their family history isn't all that it seemed.
And then there is the story found within the published journals of
Hannah--including an account of the Mountain Meadow Massacre told from the
perspective of a child who saw his entire family killed.

The book was a little slow at times, but it became more interesting about half
way through.

[Joe Stack · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story surprised me. I liked it more than I had expected. You could say this is a story of love, relationships, and betrayal set in late 19th Century & modern New Mexico. It's more, though, a story of people dealing with history and the results of keeping secrets from the past. The important event for this story is the Mormon's Mountain Meadow Massacre. I enjoyed the way living in late 19th Century New Mexico is covered by the journal that tells the story within the story. I marvel at the ability of the author to split her writing of this story between a contemporary narrative and a journal done in the style of journalists of that historical period. The author's details on tuberculosis and how it was treated was well done and informative. The are sufficient twists to keep the reader engaged with the mystery. I think part of the mystery should be attractive to readers who are involved with genealogy.

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved all the twists an turns in the plot. The beginning is a bit slow as the characters are defined but the "historical" part of this fiction is spot on and blends in well with the story line. The book may be a little too female relationship oriented for the male reader but the mystery may just pull the men in. I loved the book and I intend to pass it along to all my friends.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was so interesting - I learned much about late 19th-century Northern NM. Good mystery too.
Book was pretty hard on the Mormons, so those parts were kind of hard for me to read.

[Rebekah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this at a thrift store becaue I liked the title and I thought it might be about vampires (it's not about vampires) but I ended up being completely surprised and loved it.

[Virginia Myers · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book because it was a book club selection. I know that the leader of the club (who makes the selection each month) liked this book because she has already made that known to me and historically the others in the club usually agree with her. So I imagine that I will be in the minority but I cannot say that I really enjoyed reading it. The problem for me is to decide what is was about the book that turned me off.

I found another reviewer that said the book was depressing because every single character in the book is unhappily mired in the past and simply refuses to face/overcome his/her problem. I agree with that description. I did not recognize any improvement in any character’s life as a result of the experiences described in the book. The book begins with a tale of a dysfunctional family and ends with the remaining two family members just as dysfunctional as when it began; however, but I don’t think that is what turned me off.

I like historical novels and am not really a student of the history of the Southwest so the historical aspects could have been a highlight of the book for me but the story of the dysfunctional family was such an overpowering feature that I feel like I only got a mere taste of the history and did not absorb any real new knowledge of history.

I guess my problem is that I cannot identify any redeeming quality about the book.

[Terry Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Night Journal is a gripping...

historical mystery in which the sins of the fathers(and mothers) are visited upon the sons and daughters. A family whose past is marred by horrific violence, its present defined by journals written over a hundred years ago, and its future to be determined by the contents of a shallow grave. Fascinating characters stalk the pages of The Night Journal which doesn’t give up its secrets until the very end.

[Renee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unless a book is overwhelmingly painful to read, I usually give it 3 chapters or 60 pages to grab my attention before giving up, whichever comes first. After 3 chapters of what felt like by-rote narration of Meg Mabry's life, I had to call it quits. Literally, Crook narrates every aspect of Meg's day, with all of the enthusiasm of someone reading an encyclopedia aloud. As an example:

"She turned to look out of the plate-glass windows down Twelfth Street to the capitol building, the familiar dome lit starkly against the dark sky. Traffic lights were blinking yellow in these early-morning hours. She watched them blink, and watched a few cars make their way down Twelfth. Then she got up and turned the television on to see which of the Bonanza episodes was playing. It was one that she had seen before, so she turned the set off. Her gaze was drawn to the bookshelves..."

Etc., etc., etc.

I was actually sad that I could not handle Crook's writing style, because the premise of the book was really interesting to me. Perhaps one day when I am blessed with more patience I will try this one again.

[Sharyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

The two main characters were Hannah living in the 1890's and Meg living in the present. Hannah is Meg's great-grandmother.

The setting is Las Vegas, NV.

Hannah was a Harvey Girl. (Fred Harvey owned a chain of upscale hotels along the railroads. He hired Harvey Girls from around the US to be the maids, waitresses, etc.. These girls were strictly chaperoned. An adventurous girl would snap at this job. Not only would she be paid, but she would be able to travel and reside in another part of the country without having to be married.)

Hannah wrote a daily journal for 11 years. The greatest mystery in the journal was what had happened to her husband?

Meg finally reads Hannah's journals - and eventually solves the mystery.

I gave a three star rating because of several great passages and turns of phrase. Also, the interesting history of the New Mexico and Utah areas. (Yes, the massacre by the Mormons was included.)

However, the majority of the book couldn't have been edited by a professional. Speed reading and skipping over sections is a must to get through the story.

Still, I'm glad I read the book. Two weeks later it still haunts me.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing and under appreciated book.

At age 37, Meg Mabry, a single, overworked medical engineer, still hasn't found her place in the world, a predicament due in part to her rejection of her heritage. She's the great-granddaughter of Hannah Bass, a woman whose journals about frontier life in New Mexico (dating 1891 to 1902) have become famous thanks to Meg's grandmother Claudia Bass (Bassie), a historian who built her career promoting the diaries. But Meg resents the domineering Bassie (who raised her) and refuses to read the journals, acoping strategy Crook doesn't make entirely credible. Meg finally delves into Hannah's story when she reluctantly accompanies her grandmother from Austin, Tex., to Pecos, N. Mex. There, a discovery at the burial site of Hannah's dogs calls into question the veracity of Bassie's life work. Meg, meanwhile, falls for archeologist Jim Layton and embarks on a journey into her family's past that will confront her with some difficult truths about herself.

[HeavyReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to read about 200 pages into this book before I started liking it and felt committed to finishing it.

From the very start, I enjoyed the story of the main character's great-grandmother's life in the early 20th century, told through her journals. For the first half of the book, I wished the entire story was told through the journals. I didn't much like the modern (circa late 1980s) characters. The granddaughter (main character) was too weak and whiny (albeit silently), the grandmother too bossy and abrasive. However, as the story progressed, I began to understand why the author chose to tell the story through the different generation of women.

As the plot progressed, there were twists that actually surprised me. I enjoyed that I didn't have the whole book figured out from the beginning.

I was also quite pleased that the main character didn't have an affair with a married man and got herself out of the situation . It's nice to read about someone with some morals.

All, in all, I enjoyed this book, although I wouldn't recommend it too strongly.

[Cook Memorial Public Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always been attracted to pioneer stories told from the viewpoint of women. In this novel, Meg Mabry has resisted reading her great-grandmother Hannah’s journals, which chronicle her life in New Mexico as a Harvey girl at the Montezuma Mansion at the turn of the century.

Hannah’s daughter, Bassie, who raised Meg, has lovingly and painstakingly edited the now famous journals. Meg and Bassie are stubborn, opinionated and lonely. Yet they are bound together on a trip to New Mexico when an archaeological excavation near Hannah’s home reveals secrets left out of the family history that Bassie has tried to preserve.

A little known historical incident, the Mountain Meadows Massacre of 1857, and a tragic railway accident, demonstrate the dangers that were common in settling the American Southwest.

--Recommended by Connie

Check our catalog: http://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/...

[Diane C. · Rating 2 out of 5]

The engineer granddaughter of a famous author who herself is the daughter of a woman whose turn of the century journal became a historical feminist touchstone, travels with said grandmother to New Mexico site of grandmother's childhood home, now site of an architectural dig. Stays with the grandmother at the old hotel in the town. There's a bit of a murder mystery as well. Story told with lots of letters and journal entries from the past (way too many). The prose is that of someone who lived in this story for 20 years while writing it, going on and on and on for no reason. Parts of it jump to life, and then slog on again. Called The Night Journal, a title which makes me think of a courtesan or the Japanese term Night Soil. Did make it through the whole thing, but skimmed alot of the last third.

That said, this could have been a truly great book. Where was the editor? Wonderful story with loads of potential.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written as a story within a story, this book varied in quality and richness. On one level, it is a story about a modern-day woman coming to terms with her family and the effect her family has had on her life. As part of that experience, she reads a set of journals left behind by her great-grandmother, which tell a story of their own. Strangely, the characters in the journal come alive in a way that the protagonist of the book does not. In fact, all of the modern-day characters really pale in comparison with those in the journals, and while the writing style in the journal is rich and colorful, the rest of the book seems a little stilted. Perhaps this was done intentionally to demonstrate how cut off the main character is from her own emotions, but it seems not to be very effective--it's distracting. I would give the journals part of the book 4-5 stars, but the main story only 3.

[Leslie Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the reviews on the back of the book states, "You'll keep turning pages. You'll whisper the traditional reader's self-promise of "only one more chapter' again and again, past bedtime, past midnight, on into the early morning hours." I have to say that is what happened to me, which I find really confusing, because there is way too much factual information packed into this story, and I found myself bored with the abundance of details and wondered when we'd get back to the story at hand. I was astounded by the author's extensive knowledge and research, however, and I wanted to get to the end of the story to see what Meg, the main character, would decide to do with the crazy journey into her past.
I love the idea that we are all connected to the past, but we get to decide what our future will be.

[Janice Dyck · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was like an onion--layer upon layer of story that ended up making you cry as Meg comes to terms with her background, her beliefs and her life choices. I loved the generational aspect of the plot. Not only did the author present enough facts and narrative so you could compare life as we know it in the Southwest in different time periods, but you could also see how the women's personalities were shaped by their grandmothers and mothers. I've written a book with similar themes, and I applaud Elizabeth Crook's ability to also intertwine an interesting mystery that leaves the reader turning pages well into the night. Well done!

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked by our book club for this month's read, I found this story so compelling that putting the book down was a problem. Set primarily in New Mexico in the Las Vegas/Pecos area, the story kept me guessing through out the 450 pages. Interestingly, it begins with a train ride from Chicago to Las Vegas that I had just taken a day before I started reading the book. I had also recently driven by the Montezuma Castle near Las Vegas and eaten lunch the same day at the Hotel on the Plaza at which the main characters stayed during the story. Such a good book.

[Tomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I started this book, I thought, "meh" - but then I got hooked. Great story! A lot of it is told through letters and journal entries, which usually does not appeal to me. Crook is a good enough author that she made it work. Meg goes to New Mexico with her grandmother, Bassie, (I wanted to jump into the book and slap the snot out of the old woman!); Meg begins to read the journals written by Bassie's mother from the late 1800s. There's family drama, mystery, a love story, and history all in one book - and all very well-done!

[Linda Metzler · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd give it 2.5 stars, if I could. The book was twice as long as it needed to be, and didn't hold my interest until the last 1/3rd. I love NM, so enjoyed reading about places I've been and the beginning of the tourist industry, but the secrets and mysteries can be figured out pretty quickly. The writing was just not engaging enough, and by the middle of the book it was hard for me to care about any of the characters or what happens to them.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe my rating is a bit unfair because I read this book in the few weeks ebfore my wedding and it was hard to concentrate on anything other than wedding preparations! However, I thought the first half of the book really dragged and found myself pretty bored. IT picked up quite a bit during the second half, but I still just didn't love it.

[Vicki Holmsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

A modern day woman travels to New Mexico with her grandmother. She connects with her family history by way of her great-grandmother's journals and her visit to the scene. This is set mostly in Las Vegas and Pecos, New Mexico, and included some history of the Harvey houses there, so I enjoyed the story and the setting.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t care much for Meg or Jim, but the characters and events of ‘the past’ were mesmerizing and fascinating, as was the slow unraveling of the mystery in the present. It was a slow-moving but enjoyable read, just wish I had felt more sympathy toward the (ultimately superficial) main protagonists.

[Virginia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Slow moving, boring book, with no interesting historical aspect that might redeem it. The characters, hung up on the past, never learn to appreciate much that the present or future might hold for them.