This is a real deal, no holds barred mystery/thriller that packs a punch from the get-go. I am beginning to suspect that Newman is incapable of writing a novel that doesn't grab your attention right away, as this is the second book in a row that I have read by him that was capable of making me think about what was going to happen next whenever I wasn't reading it.
When 12-year-old Kyle Mackey witnesses a violent murder at the hands of an adult that he knows to trust, his entire childhood comes to an abrupt halt as he comes to terms with what he must do, no matter how terrified he is of the outcome. This story captures the magical wonder of childhood through the eyes of a child who knows he will never believe in magic again. The story of a boy becoming a man by experiencing the worst that humanity has to offer.
Midnight Rain is easily consumable in one sitting. I, on the other hand, sometimes enjoy the prolonged anticipation so I will purposefully walk away from a book like this for a bit. Not too long, grant you, but just long enough so I get those tingly tendrils of impatience that make you look at the book sitting so lonely on that table... perhaps just one more chapter...
For a debut novel, you would never guess it. Newman writes with the confidence of a master storyteller, one who can't wait to shine that flashlight under his chin as he leans in silently to scream "Boo" in your ear.
Alright, what are you waiting for? You want that feeling you got when you read It? How about A Boys Life? You know this shit is like a drug. It get's in your blood, and once you get that first taste, you always remember it. Go ahead, stick your tongue out, the forecast is cloudy, with a chance of murder.
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| Nothing good ever happens at those old shacks in the woods. |
