Emily Ruth Verona

A non-linear home invasion/ babysitter thriller, set in the 90s, ‘overflowing‘ with horror movie references—sounded perfect for me.

Unfortunately, the non-linear timeline only managed to slow the pace and instantly relieve tension built the preceding chapter.

Also, the horror references felt… convoluted. I didn‘t believe Amy really luuuved horror; she only refers to the same popular movies & characters.

Overall, not scary, not fun, just a slog.

Perhaps this book would resonate more show more with readers who are less experienced with horror stories and movies. Or with those who are looking for a horror story without much horror. show less

Diverting enough, but lacked any real thrills or chills... There were a lot of call-outs to horror movies, which was fun, as I used to be a fan. The premise is straight out of one - a babysitter responsible for two kids for an evening is plagued by mysterious phone calls, unwanted visitors, etc. The book read very "cinematically" which I expect was on purpose.

3.5 stars

"Midnight on Beacon Street" by Ruth Verona offers a suspenseful tale set in a quaint suburban New Jersey house during a chilling October night in 1993. The story unfolds as single mom Eleanor Mazinski entrusts her two young children, Ben and Mira, to the care of their babysitter, Amy. Amy, a quiet seventeen-year-old with an anxiety disorder, grapples with her fears while trying to ensure the safety of the kids.

The narrative kicks off with a promising scenario, creating a palpable sense of show more tension as unforeseen events escalate throughout the evening. The plot takes an unsettling turn with unexpected visitors, mysterious phone calls, and a midnight discovery of a dead body in the kitchen, with young Ben at the center of it all.

While the sections focusing on Amy's babysitting experience effectively build suspense and engage readers with the eerie atmosphere, the book takes an unexpected detour with unnecessary flashback scenes. These scenes, though attempting to add depth to the characters, unfortunately disrupt the flow of the story and hinder the overall coherence. The switch between present events and past recollections creates a disjointed reading experience, leaving moments of boredom and excitement.

Despite this flaw, Ruth Verona displays promise as an author, skillfully crafting moments of tension and maintaining a sense of unpredictability. The book's potential shines through, indicating that with more refined storytelling, Verona has the capacity to deliver gripping narratives in the future. "Midnight on Beacon Street" leaves readers with a mix of anticipation and frustration, but the author's talent suggests that more compelling works may be on the horizon. show less

I love a good thriller and then one that throws back to 80's/90's horror flicks is always a solid. I think that this book is a fun quick read. It throws in all these elements to distract you from the real issue at hand constantly. We have this layer of break-in's that have been happening in the area... nobody is hurt but things are taken and people are often home at the time. And now we have Amy babysitting perhaps her easiest clients super late at night. A night in which so much goes wrong. show more The book starts off minutes after midnight with a dead body...we have no idea who just some subtle clues as to who it might be. After this the book shifts around in the timeline on events from the day. We also have a focus on Amy like 6 years ago and a babysitter that she had.

The book has these shifts and they aren't really in any cohesive order... we go from six hours before to an hour before and then back to five hours before. I felt like I was getting whiplash on occassion. We get Amy the babysitter's perspective and also Ben one of the children she is babysitting. I honestly don't know that both perspectives were really necessary. A lot of the Ben perspective is used to showcase how he is this nervous child and that the kids have a darkish past. Only one event in the entire story proves crucial to have Ben's perspective and it's like a three second moment. I also thought the story could have done without the Amy's childhood perspective.

I did enjoy that the focus was on these subtle moments. You knew the outcome... someone was murdered... but you really had to pay attention to catch all the important moments and realize just when something was going to prove pivotal. I also loved all the throwbacks to the slasher flicks. However, I don't know that they were super important other than to show us that Amy uses them as a coping mechanism for her anxiety. Overall, I think it's a fun thriller but I didn't feel like it was super life changing. I also didn't like that it became pretty clear things weren't going to be as they seemed. I don't know I just wish it had been a little bit more. show less