Midnight in Soap Lake - by Matthew Sullivan (Hardcover)

About the Book

"When Abigail agreed to move to Soap Lake, Washington, for her husband's research, she expected old-growth forests and craft beer, folksy neighbors, and the world's largest lava lamp. Instead, after her husband jets off to Poland for a research trip, she finds herself alone in a town haunted by its own urban legends. When a young boy runs through the desert into Abigail's arms, her life becomes entwined with his and the questions surrounding the death of his mother Esme. In Abigail's search for answers, she enlists the help of a quirky cast of friends to unearth Esme's tragic past, the town's violent history, and the secret magic locked in the lake her husband was sent there to study. But as she gets closer to the truth, her own life may be in danger, too"--

Book Synopsis

A lake with mysterious properties. A town haunted by urban legend. Two women whose lives intersect in terrifying ways. Welcome to Soap Lake.

When Abigail agreed to move to Soap Lake, Washington, for her husband's research, she expected old-growth forests and craft beer, folksy neighbors and the world's largest lava lamp. Instead, after her husband jets off to Poland for a research trip, she finds herself alone, in a town haunted by its own urban legends.

When a young boy runs through the desert into Abigail's arms, her life becomes entwined with his and the questions surrounding the death of his mother, Esme. In Abigail's search for answers, she enlists the help of a quirky cast of friends to unearth Esme's tragic past, the town's violent history and the secret magic locked in the lake her husband was sent there to study. But as she gets closer to the truth, her own life may be in danger, too.

A sweeping, decade-spanning mystery brimming with quirky characters and puzzle-hunt scenarios, Midnight in Soap Lake is a rich, expansive universe that readers will enter and never forget.

Review Quotes

"Midnight in Soap Lake hooked me from page one. This twisty, smart thriller is brimming with complex characters, a page-turning plot and big questions of science, nature, marriage and murder. Matthew Sullivan expertly blends fact, fable and the evocative setting of Soap Lake in rural Washington state to create a spellbinding novel--I adored it."--Tara Conklin, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Romantics

"A shimmering, shadowy tarn of a mystery, rippling with complex heroines, David Lynchian townspeople, sinister bogeymen (TreeTop is terrifying!), and a spectacularly rich storyline set in smalltown Washington State. Fans of Tana French, Jess Walter, and Kate Atkinson will absolutely love this novel."--Sharma Shields, author of The Sasquatch Hunter's Almanac

"Midnight in Soap Lake made me fall in love with reading all over again! It's everything I adore in books: a tangled mystery, rich characters, a terrifying villain, and a strange setting, in which everything harbors a secret. I'll be handing copies of this one to my friends for years!"--Stuart Turton, bestselling author of The Last Murder at the End of the World and The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

"Midnight in Soap Lake is a swirling story for readers who like their dark tales moderated by compassion. Matthew Sullivan has created a town populated by a wild and motley cast--the flawed, the fallen, the damaged and deranged. The still waters of his fictional Soap Lake run deep with historical secrets, scandals and small-town tensions. And as all the colorful threads in this delightful novel converge, the tale heads for a dazzling, bittersweet conclusion."--Christopher J. Yates, author of Black Chalk and The Rabbit Club

"In Matthew Sullivan's unforgettable novel, Midnight in Soap Lake, those who live on the periphery of American life hold the very secret to its future. Amidst a mysterious mineral lake and puzzling murders, generational survival and hidden truths discovered between friends and family, Sullivan paints a deeply captivating portrait of Soap Lake, a small town teetering between its bright past and a mysterious decline happening in real time. Midnight in Soap Lake is an absolute joy to read. Soap Lake's enchanting, rebellious characters had my heart from the first page."--Michael Zapata, author of The Lost Book of Adana Moreau

"Matthew Sullivan has crafted a brainy thriller that conjures the mischievous humor of Lynch, while imagining conspiracies more unspeakable than Chinatown. His spiderweb of a plot, deeply felt characters, and enchanting love of science will have me dreaming about Soap Lake for a long time. This is my kind of weird." --Nova Jacobs, author of The Last Equation of Isaac Severey

"This is a fascinating mystery with small-town intrigue and a magical, scientific angle based on a real place." -Booklist