Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore - Softcover

Sullivan, Matthew

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1501116851 ISBN 13: 9781501116858

Publisher: Scribner Book Company, 2018

Synopsis

When a bookshop patron commits suicide, his favorite store clerk must unravel the puzzle he left behind in this "intriguingly dark, twisty" (Kirkus Reviews) debut novel from an award-winning short story writer.

Lydia Smith lives her life hiding in plain sight. A clerk at the Bright Ideas bookstore, she keeps a meticulously crafted existence among her beloved books, eccentric colleagues, and the BookFrogs--the lost and lonely regulars who spend every day marauding the store's overwhelmed shelves.

But when Joey Molina, a young, beguiling BookFrog, kills himself in the bookstore's upper room, Lydia's life comes unglued. Always Joey's favorite bookseller, Lydia has been bequeathed his meager worldly possessions. Trinkets and books; the detritus of a lonely, uncared for man. But when Lydia flips through his books she finds them defaced in ways both disturbing and inexplicable. They reveal the psyche of a young man on the verge of an emotional reckoning. And they seem to contain a hidden message. What did Joey know? And what does it have to do with Lydia?

As Lydia untangles the mystery of Joey's suicide, she unearths a long buried memory from her own violent childhood. Details from that one bloody night begin to circle back. Her distant father returns to the fold, along with an obsessive local cop, and the Hammerman, a murderer who came into Lydia's life long ago and, as she soon discovers, never completely left. "Both charming and challenging" (Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review), Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore is a "multi-generational tale of abandonment, desperation, and betrayal...inventive and intricately plotted" (Publishers Weekly, starred review).

About this title

Review:

"With Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore, Matthew Sullivan has written--with great panache and suspense--a smart, twisty crime novel filled with compelling characters set in a world that book-lovers will adore."--Jess Walter, # 1 New York Times bestselling author of Beautiful Ruins

"This book ticked all the boxes for me: an engaging heroine, an intriguing premise, interesting characters and a plot that involved books, readers and the very darkest human passions. A fantastic, assured debut."--Elly Griffiths, author of The Crossing Places

"An intriguingly dark, twisty story and eccentric characters make this book a standout."--Kirkus Reviews

"Twisty and dark, Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore is a remarkable debut that will leave readers unsettled and probably yearning to pay a visit to their local bookstore." --BookPage

"Shocking, charming and thrilling . . . With compelling characters and rich descriptions, Sullivan's writing is spot-on. Sullivan nails it, delivering a captivating conflict plus masterfully executed prose." --Associated Press

"Readers will find that Sullivan had a bright idea, indeed." --St. Louis Post Dispatch

"A quick, enjoyable read." --The Muskogee Phoenix

"There is a clever, erudite puzzle plot in this bookish mystery, along with whip-smart writing. Matthew Sullivan's debut is stylish and entertaining."--Ellen Crosby, author of The Champagne Conspiracy

"Quirky characters and a keen sense of place distinguish this multi-generational tale of abandonment, desperation, and betrayal . . . inventive and intricately plotted." --Publishers Weekly, starred review

"This quirky debut novel will have particular appeal for puzzle solvers and booklovers." --Booklist

Book Description:

A mystery solved through clues in books - perfect for readers of The Shadow of the Wind and The Little Paris Bookshop.

About this edition

• Publisher: Scribner Book Company
• Publication date: 2018
• ISBN 10: 1501116851
• ISBN 13: 9781501116858
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 352