The Shape of Night by Tess Gerritsen

Tess Gerritsen returns with another stand-alone novel, The Shape of Night, a gothic paranormal romantic suspense story. Ava Collette is trying to get away from her Boston home in the wake of a personal tragedy. She is also hoping to find inspiration to complete her cookbook which is long overdue. She hopes to find both refuge and a cure to her writer's block at Brodie’s Watch, a house on the coast of a small town in Maine.

The house was built by Captain Brodie, a sailor who died at sea 150 years ago. It is said that he still haunts the mansion. Ava soon comes to believe that those rumors are true. She is visited by an apparition who appears disturbingly real. At the same time, she learns of a number of previous disappearances in the area, including the woman who rented the house just before Ava.

Ava spends her days working on her cookbook and investigating the history of the house and some of the women who have stayed there. Her nights are spent in either anticipation or dread of another visit from the ghost of Captain Brodie, who triggers deep desire in her. The stress that Ava is trying to escape has her questioning her own sanity. Ava knows she must get to the bottom of the mystery or risk becoming its latest victim.

The key to any good ghost story is in the atmosphere. Gerritson creates that in abundance. A foggy Maine town, an isolated house with a long and tragic history, and colorful locals who can appear alternatively threatening and charming. Apprehension fills the story from the opening page, but is it the house, or the guilt that Ava carries with her? Gerritsen carefully doles out information about the town, the house and about Ava and some of the locals. She plays with many of the tropes of gothic ghost stories but makes them feel fresh and contemporary. Ava is a great character and anchor for the story. She is smart, vulnerable and flawed.

Gerritsen has demonstrated her versatility and skill as a storyteller. The Shape of Night is a great story that hooks you from the opening page and holds your interest all the way to an exciting and satisfying conclusion. Highly recommended.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher.

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