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Midnight on Beacon Street
A suspenseful and entertaining debut thriller—and love letter to vintage horror movies—in which a teenager must overcome her own anxiety to protect the two children she’s babysitting when strangers come knocking at the door.
October 1993. One night. One house. One dead body.
When single mom Eleanor Mazinski goes out a for a much-needed date night, she leaves her two young children —sweet, innocent six-year-old Ben and precocious, defiant twelve-year-old Mira— in the capable hands of their sitter, Amy. The quiet seventeen-year-old is good at looking after children, despite her anxiety disorder. She also loves movies, especially horror flicks. Amy likes their predictability; it calms the panic that threatens to overwhelm her.
The evening starts out normally enough, with games, pizza, and dancing. But as darkness falls, events in this quaint suburban New Jersey house take a terrifying turn —unexpected visitors at the door, mysterious phone calls, and by midnight, little Ben is in the kitchen standing in a pool of blood, with a dead body at his feet.
In this dazzling debut novel, Emily Ruth Verona moves back and forth in time, ratcheting up suspense and tension on every page. Chock-full of nods to classic horror films of the seventies and eighties, Midnight on Beacon Street is a gripping thriller full of electrifying twists and a heartwarming tale of fear and devotion that explores our terrors and the lengths we’ll go to keep our loved ones safe.
October 1993. One night. One house. One dead body.
When single mom Eleanor Mazinski goes out a for a much-needed date night, she leaves her two young children —sweet, innocent six-year-old Ben and precocious, defiant twelve-year-old Mira— in the capable hands of their sitter, Amy. The quiet seventeen-year-old is good at looking after children, despite her anxiety disorder. She also loves movies, especially horror flicks. Amy likes their predictability; it calms the panic that threatens to overwhelm her.
The evening starts out normally enough, with games, pizza, and dancing. But as darkness falls, events in this quaint suburban New Jersey house take a terrifying turn —unexpected visitors at the door, mysterious phone calls, and by midnight, little Ben is in the kitchen standing in a pool of blood, with a dead body at his feet.
In this dazzling debut novel, Emily Ruth Verona moves back and forth in time, ratcheting up suspense and tension on every page. Chock-full of nods to classic horror films of the seventies and eighties, Midnight on Beacon Street is a gripping thriller full of electrifying twists and a heartwarming tale of fear and devotion that explores our terrors and the lengths we’ll go to keep our loved ones safe.
208 pages, Paperback
First published January 30, 2024
About the author
Emily Ruth Verona
10 books87 followersEmily Ruth Verona received her Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing and Cinema Studies from the State University of New York at Purchase. In 2014 she won the Pinch Literary Award in Fiction. She is a Bram Stoker Award nominee, a Jane Austen Short Story Award Finalist, and a Luke Bitmead Bursary Finalist. Previous publication credits include fiction and poetry featured in several anthologies as well as magazines such as The Pinch, Lamplight Magazine, Mystery Tribune, Black Telephone Magazine, The Ghastling, and Nightmare Magazine. Her essays/articles have appeared online for Tor, Bookbub, Litro, BUST, and Bloody Women. In 2023, she founded the horror book blog Frightful. Her novel, Midnight on Beacon Street, will be published by Harper Perennial in 2024. She lives in New Jersey with a very small dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 184 reviews
November 6, 2023
Entertaining thriller with nods to early horror movies.
This is a very short but worthwhile read, especially if you watched horror movies in the 80s/90s.
In 1993, seventeen-year-old Amy is babysitting six-year-old Ben and twelve-year-old Mira while their single mother goes out on a date. Amy has a lot of anxiety, but she loves horror movies because the tension takes her away from her real-life problems. As the night progresses, things happen that lead to Ben standing in the kitchen with a pool of blood around him. What on earth happened?
This book is very short, told in a non-linear format from various points of view. It takes a while to get into the flow of the story, and I'm not sure it worked very well for me. We get the story of the night, but we also get backstory from Amy's childhood to create a bigger picture.
I'm not sure I have buy in for what happened, but this is a decent debut with spooky vibes and is entertaining enough to keep readers engaged and interested to learn the outcome.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
This is a very short but worthwhile read, especially if you watched horror movies in the 80s/90s.
In 1993, seventeen-year-old Amy is babysitting six-year-old Ben and twelve-year-old Mira while their single mother goes out on a date. Amy has a lot of anxiety, but she loves horror movies because the tension takes her away from her real-life problems. As the night progresses, things happen that lead to Ben standing in the kitchen with a pool of blood around him. What on earth happened?
This book is very short, told in a non-linear format from various points of view. It takes a while to get into the flow of the story, and I'm not sure it worked very well for me. We get the story of the night, but we also get backstory from Amy's childhood to create a bigger picture.
I'm not sure I have buy in for what happened, but this is a decent debut with spooky vibes and is entertaining enough to keep readers engaged and interested to learn the outcome.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
January 12, 2024
3.25 stars
A well-meaning effort fusing 90s nostalgia, horror films, and childhood trauma, with its home invasion premise and the gorgeously ominous cover art, I was expecting a fast and lean thriller in the vein of movies such as Panic Room, or even Home Alone. Turned out this is yet another incident where the word ‘thriller’ in its promotional material felt intentionally misused, aimed to draw in a specific audience, but eventually led to disappointment when the material didn’t match up—Midnight on Beacon Street is objectively decent with a focused goal, but it’s much more subdued and serious, more character study than an adrenaline-filled game of cat and mouse.
In contrast to the minimalist setup (1 house in the span of an evening), Midnight on Beacon Street is told non-linearly, jumping back-and-forth in time at irregular intervals. Even though this added complexity feels ‘thrillery’, in actuality it creates a very uneven pacing. Instead of using this technique to reveal critical information, the novel uses it to flesh out various character’s backstories. While the intent is a valid one (characterization is definitely this novel’s strength), these lengthy inserts completely fracture the tension of the book’s primary event. Without going into spoiler territory, I was pleasantly surprised around the 60% mark when a certain character showed up. Unfortunately that ended up being an under-utilized red herring, and the actual culprit was head scratching in both the who and the why—as if the author simply picked the least likely character and retrofitted this person as the villain.
The thesis of Midnight on Beacon Street is a strong one: how do children digest trauma, when they have not yet had a holistic grasp of the world, but the execution feels labored (especially when evaluated as a thriller). Perhaps it would’ve fared better going into this expecting a drama with nods to horror film tropes, rather than a full-on horror thriller.
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**
A well-meaning effort fusing 90s nostalgia, horror films, and childhood trauma, with its home invasion premise and the gorgeously ominous cover art, I was expecting a fast and lean thriller in the vein of movies such as Panic Room, or even Home Alone. Turned out this is yet another incident where the word ‘thriller’ in its promotional material felt intentionally misused, aimed to draw in a specific audience, but eventually led to disappointment when the material didn’t match up—Midnight on Beacon Street is objectively decent with a focused goal, but it’s much more subdued and serious, more character study than an adrenaline-filled game of cat and mouse.
In contrast to the minimalist setup (1 house in the span of an evening), Midnight on Beacon Street is told non-linearly, jumping back-and-forth in time at irregular intervals. Even though this added complexity feels ‘thrillery’, in actuality it creates a very uneven pacing. Instead of using this technique to reveal critical information, the novel uses it to flesh out various character’s backstories. While the intent is a valid one (characterization is definitely this novel’s strength), these lengthy inserts completely fracture the tension of the book’s primary event. Without going into spoiler territory, I was pleasantly surprised around the 60% mark when a certain character showed up. Unfortunately that ended up being an under-utilized red herring, and the actual culprit was head scratching in both the who and the why—as if the author simply picked the least likely character and retrofitted this person as the villain.
The thesis of Midnight on Beacon Street is a strong one: how do children digest trauma, when they have not yet had a holistic grasp of the world, but the execution feels labored (especially when evaluated as a thriller). Perhaps it would’ve fared better going into this expecting a drama with nods to horror film tropes, rather than a full-on horror thriller.
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**
February 3, 2024
Oooo, this was something very different than what I wanted.
I appreciated so many different elements of this story, but I'm not sure I can say I enjoyed it. It's definitely worth sleeping on!
💙💜🤔💜💙🤔💙💜🤔💜💙🤔💙💜🤔💜💙
Full review to come...stay tuned!!!
Original:
ARC received! Thank you so much, Harper Perennial!
I was immediately attracted to this one because the cover, font and design, is giving me absolute 80s-Horror vibes. I'm loving it!! I can't wait to check this out!
I appreciated so many different elements of this story, but I'm not sure I can say I enjoyed it. It's definitely worth sleeping on!
💙💜🤔💜💙🤔💙💜🤔💜💙🤔💙💜🤔💜💙
Full review to come...stay tuned!!!
Original:
ARC received! Thank you so much, Harper Perennial!
I was immediately attracted to this one because the cover, font and design, is giving me absolute 80s-Horror vibes. I'm loving it!! I can't wait to check this out!
November 26, 2023
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Jan. 30, 2024
Emily Ruth Verona takes a place out of Grady Hendrix's book with her novel, “Midnight on Beacon Street”. Verona takes a small town in 1993, adds a babysitter alone with two young children and sprinkles it with anxiety and fear to deliver a decently written YA horror novel.
Amy is reliable and dependable, so it is no great surprise when she is asked to babysit young Ben and Mira while their mother goes out on a date. What starts off as pizza, games and movies turns far more sinister when one uninvited guest after another starts to show up and the night turns from fun and games to fighting for their lives.
The vibe of this novel is evident right from the cover (which I loved). Obviously, it’s a retro novel (read: before technology!) which seems to be on trend right now. Verona’s characters are young and naïve, yet likable and charming at the same time. Although Amy suffers from anxiety disorder, she manages to take charge of a few very dangerous situations, and immediately aligns herself with the reader, building a quick rapport.
“Street” is told in two time periods; right before “midnight” (when the incident happens) and six years ago, when Amy herself was young and had a babysitter. There is a reason for these two timelines, although it’s not revealed until a little farther into the novel. Although Amy is the primary narrator, young Ben sometimes takes over, which leads to a few events being told twice (once by Amy and once by Ben) but Ben is so adorable that I overlooked the repetition.
This novel is easy to read and the plot is engaging. Amy handles an unrealistic number of stressful events (in one night!) and I desperately wanted to know how it would all play out. The ending was actually as I expected, which is a good thing, and I felt satiated and content when the novel was over.
“Midnight on Beacon Street” is a debut, and it’s quite a good one. Verona has the writing talent but “Beacon Street” is a culmination of Stranger Things, Grady Hendrix and Riley Sager. Although these are all stellar in their own right, I would love to see what Verona creates independently and I am looking forward to her next novel.
Expected publication date: Jan. 30, 2024
Emily Ruth Verona takes a place out of Grady Hendrix's book with her novel, “Midnight on Beacon Street”. Verona takes a small town in 1993, adds a babysitter alone with two young children and sprinkles it with anxiety and fear to deliver a decently written YA horror novel.
Amy is reliable and dependable, so it is no great surprise when she is asked to babysit young Ben and Mira while their mother goes out on a date. What starts off as pizza, games and movies turns far more sinister when one uninvited guest after another starts to show up and the night turns from fun and games to fighting for their lives.
The vibe of this novel is evident right from the cover (which I loved). Obviously, it’s a retro novel (read: before technology!) which seems to be on trend right now. Verona’s characters are young and naïve, yet likable and charming at the same time. Although Amy suffers from anxiety disorder, she manages to take charge of a few very dangerous situations, and immediately aligns herself with the reader, building a quick rapport.
“Street” is told in two time periods; right before “midnight” (when the incident happens) and six years ago, when Amy herself was young and had a babysitter. There is a reason for these two timelines, although it’s not revealed until a little farther into the novel. Although Amy is the primary narrator, young Ben sometimes takes over, which leads to a few events being told twice (once by Amy and once by Ben) but Ben is so adorable that I overlooked the repetition.
This novel is easy to read and the plot is engaging. Amy handles an unrealistic number of stressful events (in one night!) and I desperately wanted to know how it would all play out. The ending was actually as I expected, which is a good thing, and I felt satiated and content when the novel was over.
“Midnight on Beacon Street” is a debut, and it’s quite a good one. Verona has the writing talent but “Beacon Street” is a culmination of Stranger Things, Grady Hendrix and Riley Sager. Although these are all stellar in their own right, I would love to see what Verona creates independently and I am looking forward to her next novel.
January 24, 2024
“We’re all safer if we’re scared.”
An unnerving, character-driven, mystery thriller that pays homage to horror films. Yes please!
It's 1993 in suburban New Jersey. Halloween is around the corner and our protagonist Amy is babysitting for single mother Eleanor Mazinski. Amy is quiet, a bit self-conscious, and diagnosed with anxiety. The one thing in which she finds solace is horror movies, because in the fictional world of terror on screen she can anticipate what happens next. Predictability makes her feel safe. She admires the final girls who survive the monsters--especially if they're babysitters. They're relatable and representative of overcoming what is out of one's control. As stated in the story, "...it’s life , not scary movies, that keep Amy up at night." But what starts out as a normal evening of pizza and games turns into a real life nightmare that has Amy reflecting on what she's learned in scary movies to pull through the night and keep her young charges safe.
This story is told from two perspectives: Amy's and one of the children she is babysitting. I absolutely loved that each chapter was time stamped, counting down to a bloody murder that occurs at midnight in the first chapter of the book. Who's murder? And by what means? Readers don't know until the end!
This definitely felt like a love letter to both horror cinema and the people who find comfort in the genre. It will leave readers asking important questions: Can fear be a good thing? Are we mistaking caution for that well-known, incapacitating liar we call "anxiety"? Are we crazy to believe in the tropes that keep horror movie characters alive, or are we worse off when we disregard them?
I absolutely loved this and readers who enjoyed books like Stephen Graham Jones' The Babysitter Lives or any horror movie featuring babysitters (Halloween, The House of the Devil, When a Stranger Calls, Better Watch Out, etc.) will find something to love within these 200 pages as well!
Be on the look out for this book Jan. 30th!
An unnerving, character-driven, mystery thriller that pays homage to horror films. Yes please!
It's 1993 in suburban New Jersey. Halloween is around the corner and our protagonist Amy is babysitting for single mother Eleanor Mazinski. Amy is quiet, a bit self-conscious, and diagnosed with anxiety. The one thing in which she finds solace is horror movies, because in the fictional world of terror on screen she can anticipate what happens next. Predictability makes her feel safe. She admires the final girls who survive the monsters--especially if they're babysitters. They're relatable and representative of overcoming what is out of one's control. As stated in the story, "...it’s life , not scary movies, that keep Amy up at night." But what starts out as a normal evening of pizza and games turns into a real life nightmare that has Amy reflecting on what she's learned in scary movies to pull through the night and keep her young charges safe.
This story is told from two perspectives: Amy's and one of the children she is babysitting. I absolutely loved that each chapter was time stamped, counting down to a bloody murder that occurs at midnight in the first chapter of the book. Who's murder? And by what means? Readers don't know until the end!
This definitely felt like a love letter to both horror cinema and the people who find comfort in the genre. It will leave readers asking important questions: Can fear be a good thing? Are we mistaking caution for that well-known, incapacitating liar we call "anxiety"? Are we crazy to believe in the tropes that keep horror movie characters alive, or are we worse off when we disregard them?
I absolutely loved this and readers who enjoyed books like Stephen Graham Jones' The Babysitter Lives or any horror movie featuring babysitters (Halloween, The House of the Devil, When a Stranger Calls, Better Watch Out, etc.) will find something to love within these 200 pages as well!
Be on the look out for this book Jan. 30th!
September 29, 2023
Review in the October 2023 issue of Library Journal
Three Words That Describe This Book: Cinematic, Shifting Time Frame, Anxiety
1993 setting (perfectly done) with VHS and Classic Horror film references from 70s and 80s. Specifically Halloween and Nightmare on Elm Street
Debut
It is an ode to Horror films and filmmaking.
Best read in 1-2 sittings and the pacing and suspense style of storytelling beg you to just get lost in the fear. The chapter are clearly labelled in their relation to MIDNIGHT where the story begins and from whose perspective.
Excellent kids here. Very realistic.
POV only Amy and Ben.
Readalikes: The Babysitter Lives by SGJ and for anyone who loves Halloween. Final Girl babysitters for the win.
Draft Review: It’s 1993 and a normally sleepy New Jersey town is experiencing a rash of breakins. Amy, an anxious kid who loves the Horror movies from the 70s and 80s, is the local babysitter, and tonight, she is headed to single mom Eleanor’s house to watch Mira, 12, and Ben, 6. But readers know from the first page that this will not be an easy night as the story opens at Midnight, with Ben covered in blood. Told in short chapters that move back and forth in time, and headed with timestamps as the action relates to that fateful Midnight, this intensely unnerving novel moves swiftly, while the well placed flashbacks, provide the necessary background details to flesh out the main characters and anchor the story in its perfectly rendered setting. Both Amy and Ben are authentic narrators, whose different perspectives enhance the full gamut of emotions that this book will elicit. Reader beware, you are going to need to clear your schedule to gulp this one down all at once.
Verdict: Verona’s debut is not only a riveting thriller, but it is also a thoughtful love letter to Horror films like The Shoemaker's Magician by Cynthia Pelayo. However, it will find its most enthusiastic audience with fans of the babysitter finals girl trope from any medium such as Halloween (film) and The Babysitter Lives by Stephen Graham Jones.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Cinematic, Shifting Time Frame, Anxiety
1993 setting (perfectly done) with VHS and Classic Horror film references from 70s and 80s. Specifically Halloween and Nightmare on Elm Street
Debut
It is an ode to Horror films and filmmaking.
Best read in 1-2 sittings and the pacing and suspense style of storytelling beg you to just get lost in the fear. The chapter are clearly labelled in their relation to MIDNIGHT where the story begins and from whose perspective.
Excellent kids here. Very realistic.
POV only Amy and Ben.
Readalikes: The Babysitter Lives by SGJ and for anyone who loves Halloween. Final Girl babysitters for the win.
Draft Review: It’s 1993 and a normally sleepy New Jersey town is experiencing a rash of breakins. Amy, an anxious kid who loves the Horror movies from the 70s and 80s, is the local babysitter, and tonight, she is headed to single mom Eleanor’s house to watch Mira, 12, and Ben, 6. But readers know from the first page that this will not be an easy night as the story opens at Midnight, with Ben covered in blood. Told in short chapters that move back and forth in time, and headed with timestamps as the action relates to that fateful Midnight, this intensely unnerving novel moves swiftly, while the well placed flashbacks, provide the necessary background details to flesh out the main characters and anchor the story in its perfectly rendered setting. Both Amy and Ben are authentic narrators, whose different perspectives enhance the full gamut of emotions that this book will elicit. Reader beware, you are going to need to clear your schedule to gulp this one down all at once.
Verdict: Verona’s debut is not only a riveting thriller, but it is also a thoughtful love letter to Horror films like The Shoemaker's Magician by Cynthia Pelayo. However, it will find its most enthusiastic audience with fans of the babysitter finals girl trope from any medium such as Halloween (film) and The Babysitter Lives by Stephen Graham Jones.
October 13, 2023
I was excited to read this because it sounds like a good, creepy thriller. 41% in and nothing had happened except a girl babysitting two kids. And the timeline…chapters go back and forth right down to “3 hours and 59 minutes to midnight” which I just found obnoxious.
I received an advanced copy from netgalley in exchange for a review and opinions are my own.
I received an advanced copy from netgalley in exchange for a review and opinions are my own.
January 31, 2024
Midnight on Beacon Street ended up being more of thriller for me but I still enjoyed the vintage 90s vibes and all the horror movie references! This was a fun short thriller to fly through! More of my thoughts are in my reading new horror and thriller reading vlog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlTNA...
Thank you, netgalley for this arc!
Thank you, netgalley for this arc!
December 26, 2023
Calling this a thriller is a crime against the genre.
This is easily the most boring "thriller" I've ever read. Amy is a babysitter who spends most days warding off panic attacks. When a babysitting job goes wrong, it's up to her to protect the kids.
The characters are fine, none are particularly memorable, yet they didn't inspire loathing hate.
The time jumps were all over the place and not in a good way. We would get Amy's perspective, one of the kids (Ben) perspective, and Amy's back when she was a kid. There's no rhyme or reason to the jumps. The chapters about Amy's past could have been cut out and wouldn't have changed a thing. Amy and Ben's switching wasn't awful, but Ben's POV added little to the story. I think it was to showcase how alike he was to Amy, but I didn't care for his inner monologue since it didn't push the story. Also, we kept going back and forth a few hours in the timeline. It didn't make sense.
The "thrilling" part promised in the summary? Doesn't happen til after the 80% mark. It took up less than twenty pages and was anticlimactic to boot. Thank goodness this book was under three hundred pages, or else I'd be more upset about my time wasted.
Save your time and money. There are better thrillers that center around 90s horror, I'm sure.
Thank you, NetGalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks, for the advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This is easily the most boring "thriller" I've ever read. Amy is a babysitter who spends most days warding off panic attacks. When a babysitting job goes wrong, it's up to her to protect the kids.
The characters are fine, none are particularly memorable, yet they didn't inspire loathing hate.
The time jumps were all over the place and not in a good way. We would get Amy's perspective, one of the kids (Ben) perspective, and Amy's back when she was a kid. There's no rhyme or reason to the jumps. The chapters about Amy's past could have been cut out and wouldn't have changed a thing. Amy and Ben's switching wasn't awful, but Ben's POV added little to the story. I think it was to showcase how alike he was to Amy, but I didn't care for his inner monologue since it didn't push the story. Also, we kept going back and forth a few hours in the timeline. It didn't make sense.
The "thrilling" part promised in the summary? Doesn't happen til after the 80% mark. It took up less than twenty pages and was anticlimactic to boot. Thank goodness this book was under three hundred pages, or else I'd be more upset about my time wasted.
Save your time and money. There are better thrillers that center around 90s horror, I'm sure.
Thank you, NetGalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks, for the advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
February 3, 2024
When single moon Eleanor Mazinski decides to go out one chilly October night for a date, she entrusts her two darling children with seventeen-year-old Amy. A practiced babysitter, she’s taken care of six-year-old Ben and twelve-year old Mira several times already, and their routine is down pat—despite Amy’s anxiety disorder. Typically she entertains the kids until lights out. Then Amy tucks into her favorite pastime—watching the goriest of horror films.
Before that, however, just as everyone is settling into the evening with take-out pizza and some games, things start to go off the rails. First some uninvited guests show up at the door and force their way into the house. Then the phone calls begin. Phone calls with no one at the other end other than loud breathing. Before the end of the night, Ben will find himself in his kitchen watching spilled blood spread out around him. How did things go so wrong so fast? Who is the dead body at Ben’s feet? And who is to blame?
A campy, near cult classic type thriller, Midnight on Beacon Street pulled the feel of every horror movie I’ve ever seen and transformed it into a gripping tale of every babysitter’s worst nightmare. From its attention-grabbing first chapter to the adrenaline-fueled climax, my eyes were well and truly pinned to the page. At the same time, however, there were some flaws to the story, despite its overall success.
As for the plot, I enjoyed the dual POVs and multiple timelines immensely. One told in order from the babysitter’s perspective, it was matched nicely by the other revealed in reverse from one of her charges viewpoint. The third timeline I could’ve easily done without, though, as it jumped black six years and didn’t add much to the story, in my humble opinion.
My two biggest hang ups with this one, however, were both the need to suspend all disbelief and the rather abrupt ending. With that said, the immaculately described feeling of anxiety and dread permeated the pages as foreboding followed in its stead. Despite much of the short, one-sitting read being a suspenseful slow burn, I still found it utterly addictive as I eagerly awaited to learn who was going to die.
In the end, this debut novella was a fun way to spend an evening. With a definite nod to those wonderful 80s and 90s slasher films we all remember, it still held a more thriller-esque vibe. Add in the well-drawn feel of being both a babysitter and a teen, and much of this 192 page book was a hit. I do have to say, though, that it did harbor one of the reasons that I often steer clear of short stories, as much of this plot was thoroughly under explored. Ultimately, though, I still give this one at least one mildly enthusiastic thumbs up. Rating of 3.5 stars.
Thank you to Emily Ruth Verona and Harper Perennial for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DAY: January 30, 2024
Trigger warning: anxiety, bullying, panic attacks, breaking and entering, fatal stabbing, mention of: robbery, domestic abuse
Before that, however, just as everyone is settling into the evening with take-out pizza and some games, things start to go off the rails. First some uninvited guests show up at the door and force their way into the house. Then the phone calls begin. Phone calls with no one at the other end other than loud breathing. Before the end of the night, Ben will find himself in his kitchen watching spilled blood spread out around him. How did things go so wrong so fast? Who is the dead body at Ben’s feet? And who is to blame?
A campy, near cult classic type thriller, Midnight on Beacon Street pulled the feel of every horror movie I’ve ever seen and transformed it into a gripping tale of every babysitter’s worst nightmare. From its attention-grabbing first chapter to the adrenaline-fueled climax, my eyes were well and truly pinned to the page. At the same time, however, there were some flaws to the story, despite its overall success.
As for the plot, I enjoyed the dual POVs and multiple timelines immensely. One told in order from the babysitter’s perspective, it was matched nicely by the other revealed in reverse from one of her charges viewpoint. The third timeline I could’ve easily done without, though, as it jumped black six years and didn’t add much to the story, in my humble opinion.
My two biggest hang ups with this one, however, were both the need to suspend all disbelief and the rather abrupt ending. With that said, the immaculately described feeling of anxiety and dread permeated the pages as foreboding followed in its stead. Despite much of the short, one-sitting read being a suspenseful slow burn, I still found it utterly addictive as I eagerly awaited to learn who was going to die.
In the end, this debut novella was a fun way to spend an evening. With a definite nod to those wonderful 80s and 90s slasher films we all remember, it still held a more thriller-esque vibe. Add in the well-drawn feel of being both a babysitter and a teen, and much of this 192 page book was a hit. I do have to say, though, that it did harbor one of the reasons that I often steer clear of short stories, as much of this plot was thoroughly under explored. Ultimately, though, I still give this one at least one mildly enthusiastic thumbs up. Rating of 3.5 stars.
Thank you to Emily Ruth Verona and Harper Perennial for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DAY: January 30, 2024
Trigger warning: anxiety, bullying, panic attacks, breaking and entering, fatal stabbing, mention of: robbery, domestic abuse
January 15, 2024
I'm very sorry to say but I tried, I really tried. The book bored me to tears and at the same time I really couldn't get my head around the story and the characters.
Thanks to Edelweiss.
Thanks to Edelweiss.
January 6, 2024
I’m usually not one for straight murder mysteries, but I really enjoyed this one! Short enough to be read in one sitting, it’s set during a night in 1993, and is the story of two children and their babysitter, Amy.
Mira and Ben have been watched by Amy before - in fact, she’s their favorite babysitter (despite Mira complaining that she’s too old to need one). Their mom has a date, so they’re ready to have a boring but normal night. This night, however, is anything but normal.
The first chapter starts with one of the children looking at a dead body, then the book abruptly goes to the beginning of the day, as all of the day’s events culminated in this murder. Amy is confronted with some annoying things, and some downright scary things, during this night. How she handles these things makes a difference as to whether she and the children live or die.
I loved the time frame of this, as well as all of the references to horror movies. Amy has severe panic attacks, and watching/reading horror soothes her (I get it!). Will her horror knowledge help her cope with this evening, or will she be the virgin babysitter who ends up getting herself killed? It’s a campy, but good one! 3.5 stars, rounded up for being a debut.
(Thank you to HarperCollins, Emily Ruth Verona, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on January 30, 2024.)
Mira and Ben have been watched by Amy before - in fact, she’s their favorite babysitter (despite Mira complaining that she’s too old to need one). Their mom has a date, so they’re ready to have a boring but normal night. This night, however, is anything but normal.
The first chapter starts with one of the children looking at a dead body, then the book abruptly goes to the beginning of the day, as all of the day’s events culminated in this murder. Amy is confronted with some annoying things, and some downright scary things, during this night. How she handles these things makes a difference as to whether she and the children live or die.
I loved the time frame of this, as well as all of the references to horror movies. Amy has severe panic attacks, and watching/reading horror soothes her (I get it!). Will her horror knowledge help her cope with this evening, or will she be the virgin babysitter who ends up getting herself killed? It’s a campy, but good one! 3.5 stars, rounded up for being a debut.
(Thank you to HarperCollins, Emily Ruth Verona, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on January 30, 2024.)
February 2, 2024
I really hesitate to even shelve this as "horror" because it was not nearly as intense as the synopsis made it seem.
I was beyond excited for a pulse-racing book about a babysitter dealing with an intruder (When a Stranger Calls was a movie I watched over and over as a teen, so I thought this would be similar). Instead, what we got was a slower-paced character study of a teenage babysitter who struggles with anxiety and panic attacks. The "intruder" part didn't happen until the very end, and was very quick and underwhelming. In fact, there was a scene in the middle of the book that I found way more tense and engaging, and I almost wish more had come of that incident. Overall, it wasn't a "bad" read, but I do think the synopsis is misleading regarding the actual content of the book.
If this book was Taylor Swift lyrics:
"Keep your feet steady
Heartbeat ready
Keep your eyes open
Keep your aim locked
The night goes dark"
I was beyond excited for a pulse-racing book about a babysitter dealing with an intruder (When a Stranger Calls was a movie I watched over and over as a teen, so I thought this would be similar). Instead, what we got was a slower-paced character study of a teenage babysitter who struggles with anxiety and panic attacks. The "intruder" part didn't happen until the very end, and was very quick and underwhelming. In fact, there was a scene in the middle of the book that I found way more tense and engaging, and I almost wish more had come of that incident. Overall, it wasn't a "bad" read, but I do think the synopsis is misleading regarding the actual content of the book.
If this book was Taylor Swift lyrics:
"Keep your feet steady
Heartbeat ready
Keep your eyes open
Keep your aim locked
The night goes dark"
August 4, 2023
"midnight on beacon street" is an homage to the 90's horror slashers through and through. following the babysitter/break-in trope, we meet amy. amy is watching two peculiar, but lovable, children one friday night when everything starts to go haywire.
verona depicts the children well, which is one of my biggest asks for a novel that includes children. they feel authentic and real. mira and ben are good kids, and amy is a good babysitter. a damn good one.
this novel is pretty short, but it's jam packed with fear in the final act. my only grievance with this novel is the long opening. there are a few unnecessary scenes that don't add anything to the text. i also noticed that mira's age is sometimes eleven and sometimes twelve. minor issue, but one that caught my eye.
overall, this is an enjoyable novel. it does not really take the babysitter trope to a new level, but its predictable nature is still fun. this is a great book for 90's horror fans.
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
verona depicts the children well, which is one of my biggest asks for a novel that includes children. they feel authentic and real. mira and ben are good kids, and amy is a good babysitter. a damn good one.
this novel is pretty short, but it's jam packed with fear in the final act. my only grievance with this novel is the long opening. there are a few unnecessary scenes that don't add anything to the text. i also noticed that mira's age is sometimes eleven and sometimes twelve. minor issue, but one that caught my eye.
overall, this is an enjoyable novel. it does not really take the babysitter trope to a new level, but its predictable nature is still fun. this is a great book for 90's horror fans.
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
August 7, 2023
Single mother of two Eleanor goes out for a date night and leaves her children in the hands of a baby sitter, Amy. Amy is seventeen with anxiety and a love for horror films (because of their predictability). The night starts out as any babysitting night would, pizza and games. Then it takes a turn with unexpected visitors, mysterious phone calls, and a dead body at the kid’s feet.
Midnight on Beacon Street was a fun 90’s slasher. I enjoyed the setting, the story, and that it’s a fast read! This is a debut thriller and it was entertaining. I am looking forward to this authors future work and seeing Emily Ruth Verona flourish. Midnight on Beacon Street is out 1/30/24!
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the ARC and the chance to read and review it honestly.
Happy reading 📚
Midnight on Beacon Street was a fun 90’s slasher. I enjoyed the setting, the story, and that it’s a fast read! This is a debut thriller and it was entertaining. I am looking forward to this authors future work and seeing Emily Ruth Verona flourish. Midnight on Beacon Street is out 1/30/24!
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the ARC and the chance to read and review it honestly.
Happy reading 📚
September 17, 2023
First of all lets talk about the cover, is it not giving The Exorcist vibes? I love it, so spooky! This book was such a delight to read, it felt like casper giving me a hug, a slice of pure fun that paid homage to 90s horror, the babysitter/break in trope is one were all familiar with and although it was slightly predictable this didn't take away from my enjoyment at all, the plot and characters were executed well and it kept me engaged throughout, I'd say this is a cosy horror that made me sentimental for the halloweens of my youth!
October 26, 2023
Thank you to Harper Perennial for the gifted copy of MIDNIGHT ON BEACON STREET by Emily Ruth Verona!
Publication Date: 1/30/2024
MIDNIGHT ON BEACON STREET takes place on one quiet night in October 1993. It begins with a dead body lying at the feet of a young boy, leaving the reader with a lot of questions. The rest of the book goes back in time to tell the story of how this came to be.
Amy is a babysitter tasked with caring for two children, six-year-old Ben and twelve-year-old Mira while their single mother is out on a date. Amy is a fantastic sitter, overcoming her anxiety disorder to provide trustworthy and fun care for her charges. It is a pretty typical night of games, pizza, and fun until things take a horrible turn, heading down the path to that dead body from the beginning.
I picked this book up early in October when I wound up with a #Spookoplathon reading prompt that was perfect for it and I wound up really enjoying my time with this book. I would say that it wound up a bit different from what I expected going in as there's more of as slow burn build up after that initial really intriguing chapter, but I wound up really enjoying that aspect. The way the author plays with the timelines backing away from that midnight focal point was really well done and I though that the blend of Amy's background and the kids' backgrounds worked well together and helped keep the tension building.
Amy is obsessed with horror films which I feel like is something that can be overdone in horror books, but I really enjoyed the way the author used Amy's interest in films to amp up the horror vibes without making it the whole focus. I also appreciated that we saw Amy struggling with her anxiety, but working through it and still being a strong main character!
This was a fantastic debut from Emily Ruth Verona and I look forward to seeing what she brings out next!
Publication Date: 1/30/2024
MIDNIGHT ON BEACON STREET takes place on one quiet night in October 1993. It begins with a dead body lying at the feet of a young boy, leaving the reader with a lot of questions. The rest of the book goes back in time to tell the story of how this came to be.
Amy is a babysitter tasked with caring for two children, six-year-old Ben and twelve-year-old Mira while their single mother is out on a date. Amy is a fantastic sitter, overcoming her anxiety disorder to provide trustworthy and fun care for her charges. It is a pretty typical night of games, pizza, and fun until things take a horrible turn, heading down the path to that dead body from the beginning.
I picked this book up early in October when I wound up with a #Spookoplathon reading prompt that was perfect for it and I wound up really enjoying my time with this book. I would say that it wound up a bit different from what I expected going in as there's more of as slow burn build up after that initial really intriguing chapter, but I wound up really enjoying that aspect. The way the author plays with the timelines backing away from that midnight focal point was really well done and I though that the blend of Amy's background and the kids' backgrounds worked well together and helped keep the tension building.
Amy is obsessed with horror films which I feel like is something that can be overdone in horror books, but I really enjoyed the way the author used Amy's interest in films to amp up the horror vibes without making it the whole focus. I also appreciated that we saw Amy struggling with her anxiety, but working through it and still being a strong main character!
This was a fantastic debut from Emily Ruth Verona and I look forward to seeing what she brings out next!
January 12, 2024
I absolutely loved this! I have read a lot of mixed reviews that have essentially said that this book was very slow moving, but I didn't think so at all. First of all, it 's pretty short. I mean at 182 pages, how slow could it possibly move? Second of all, I thought there was a lot of focus on characters that reminded me of some Stephen King books. So maybe it was disappointing as a slasher book? Not enough blood and gore for some people? I don't know, but not disappointing as a book in general.
Midnight on Beacon Street took me back to my childhood in the 90's, it definitely had all the nostalgic feels! And I was not a slasher movie kid, like Amy, because I was probably more of Ben's age in the 90's and I've always been more of a horror book than horror movie person. But Are You Afraid of the Dark? Yes, yes I am. And I watched that show as a kid, from under my blankets, with half closed eyes and all the lights on in the entire house.
Anyways, this was the author's debut novel and I will definitely be looking for more from her in the future! I enjoyed her writing style in this book, the focus on character and nostalgia. I read it nearly all in one sitting and I was a big fan of the ending!
Midnight on Beacon Street took me back to my childhood in the 90's, it definitely had all the nostalgic feels! And I was not a slasher movie kid, like Amy, because I was probably more of Ben's age in the 90's and I've always been more of a horror book than horror movie person. But Are You Afraid of the Dark? Yes, yes I am. And I watched that show as a kid, from under my blankets, with half closed eyes and all the lights on in the entire house.
Anyways, this was the author's debut novel and I will definitely be looking for more from her in the future! I enjoyed her writing style in this book, the focus on character and nostalgia. I read it nearly all in one sitting and I was a big fan of the ending!
January 25, 2024
Really engaging read. I had been in a bit of a book hangover and needed something that would grip me fast. I don't know why I love dual perspectives so much but I do, they work really well for me/my brain. I loved both Ben and Amy, and found them to be very likable so if you're looking for a book where you will root for the MC's def consider this one. I think I saw the ending coming but I had been hoping for just a little *more* or something different from the end? That being said that's just ME and I'm coming off a Paul Tremblay book hangover so my brain was really thinking, and probably overthought it a bit. A solid book, with great horror movie nods and really well written for a fast thriller. Def worth a read.
December 8, 2023
I really enjoyed this super nostalgic story set in the early ‘90’s. It center on the babysitter Amy and the two kids she’s watching, Ben and Mira. It starts off with a bang and then works backwards from midnight to help us get to know the characters and how the night ended the way it did. I really enjoyed the two very different points of view the story was told in, both Amy and Ben told their versions of what happened that night. It was a fascinating look at how anxiety and family trauma mold us. The main character Amy was in love with slasher movies, and those same films helped get her deal with this trauma. A solid story that kept me invested with an end I never saw coming!
December 22, 2023
Midnight on Beacon Street caught me right from the start when we opened with a little boy and a dead body. The story is told in different POVs, which I enjoyed, and a couple of different timelines. In the current timeline, we are going backward starting from the body and working our way to how the night started. That was an interesting way to tell the story one that really made me pay attention to anything I thought could clue me into who the body was and what happened.
The story took some twists and turns and kept me on the edge of my seat and was fast-paced. I loved the horror movie/90's feel, and will read more by this author in the future.
The story took some twists and turns and kept me on the edge of my seat and was fast-paced. I loved the horror movie/90's feel, and will read more by this author in the future.
Shelved as 'gave-up-on'
October 9, 2023I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me a chance at reading this book. I think the book is going to be polarizing in the reviews. The issue being of how it is written. I do not think the narrative is all that great. It has this 'detached' narrator, and the way the plot goes on is very... dry? I don't even know if that's the right word. It just struggles to make the book interesting, creepy, or entertaining. It's almost like getting someone who has never dabbled in horror but mainly in fiction for older folk trying to write for younger folk. I made it through 10% of the book and I knew it wasn't for me.
Due to not finishing it I am refraining from rating it.
Due to not finishing it I am refraining from rating it.
January 8, 2024
First, thank you to @harperperennial for this ode to vintage horror movies! It’s described as a “love letter to vintage horror” vintage meaning the 80’s/90’s. The story is told from various points of view which made it a bit hard for me to follow. It did also flip back and forth between past and present.
This is worth the read however, not sure I would call this a “thriller”. It’s more a drama, with some thrilleresque tropes thrown in. The ending was good, although pretty unrealistic. I did appreciate the anxiety rep with our main character, Babysitter Amy. Verona does a good job of showing the claustrophobia one feels while battling it. I think Verona shows promise and I am curious the direction she goes next.
This is worth the read however, not sure I would call this a “thriller”. It’s more a drama, with some thrilleresque tropes thrown in. The ending was good, although pretty unrealistic. I did appreciate the anxiety rep with our main character, Babysitter Amy. Verona does a good job of showing the claustrophobia one feels while battling it. I think Verona shows promise and I am curious the direction she goes next.
October 28, 2023
Set in October 1993, a babysitter and two kids receive a series of unsettling guests and before the night is over there’s a dead body on the kitchen floor. Pitched as an homage to classic horror movies, which it kinda is? I was expecting a fast paced, slasher story but this is more of a slow burn look at the cross section between fear and anxiety in young people.
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for the advanced reader copy.
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for the advanced reader copy.
January 18, 2024
The most thrilling aspect of this book was when I was able to finish it.
November 28, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of
Midnight on Beacon Street.
I love the vintage old timey cover because it reminds me of horror movies from the 70s and 80s.
I also loved the references to horror movie classics, since I love all things scary; movies, shows, and Halloween, of course!
Amy is a likable character and she sort of reminds me of me; her desire to be a filmmaker, her love of horror movies, her reliability and steadfastness as a good babysitter.
Sadly, I didn't find the narrative interesting or scary nor were the 'twists' twists.
But then it takes a lot to scare me.
The narrative was too long even though it was only 200 pages. it read as much longer, which is never a good sign.
I felt Ben's POV was unnecessary and tedious, as well as Amy's constant monologuing on her anxiety and panic attacks, which I do sympathize with.
Ben's fascination with ghosts, instigated by his older sister, Mira, is never fully delved into.
Is it just a young child's obsession, like with dinosaurs or something more?
Is the ghost their estranged, abusive father?
This has dark potential but it's never fleshed out.
The author focuses on Amy's anxiety issues and her burgeoning relationship with her boyfriend, Miles. This got boring fast.
I did like the ending but I didn't like this as much as I had hoped.
I love the vintage old timey cover because it reminds me of horror movies from the 70s and 80s.
I also loved the references to horror movie classics, since I love all things scary; movies, shows, and Halloween, of course!
Amy is a likable character and she sort of reminds me of me; her desire to be a filmmaker, her love of horror movies, her reliability and steadfastness as a good babysitter.
Sadly, I didn't find the narrative interesting or scary nor were the 'twists' twists.
But then it takes a lot to scare me.
The narrative was too long even though it was only 200 pages. it read as much longer, which is never a good sign.
I felt Ben's POV was unnecessary and tedious, as well as Amy's constant monologuing on her anxiety and panic attacks, which I do sympathize with.
Ben's fascination with ghosts, instigated by his older sister, Mira, is never fully delved into.
Is it just a young child's obsession, like with dinosaurs or something more?
Is the ghost their estranged, abusive father?
This has dark potential but it's never fleshed out.
The author focuses on Amy's anxiety issues and her burgeoning relationship with her boyfriend, Miles. This got boring fast.
I did like the ending but I didn't like this as much as I had hoped.
November 24, 2023
I really wanted to love Midnight on Beacon Street, but it fell flat for me. One of the main reasons is that nothing happens until the last 15 pages of the book. When reading the synopsis, we’re led to believe that “as darkness falls, events in this quaint suburban New Jersey house take a terrifying turn.” This isn’t true at all. There’s one moment of surprise when things take a turn for the worse, but again it doesn’t happen until the last 15 pages. And by then, I felt so disconnected from the story that I didn’t even care. Also, the break-in wasn’t surprising at all. It didn’t feel right for the story and as a reader, I rolled my eyes and felt like the author wanted to use this one moment for the blurb. I don’t like it when books aren’t what they are marketed for, so I was very disappointed.
October 1, 2023
This is more of a YA horror than adult. It was also pretty slow with only nods to the intensity at the end. Despite those things I really did enjoy it. The atmosphere of the whole story was nostalgic and anyone who enjoys the Halloween movies, Scream, etc. will enjoy it too.
February 4, 2024
I love books set in the 90s, especially when they include things I also liked from the time period - and this one does that so many times thanks to the main character’s love of horror movies. Babysitting isn't a trope unfamiliar to horror lovers, so seeing it done differently here - with more heart, I'd go so far as to say - is refreshing. This had distinct WHEN A STRANGER CALLS vibes, but with more backstory and emotion.
This starts off with a lot of blood in the first chapter, but it's definitely more character-driven than blood-splattered slasher; the atmosphere is tense throughout, and the characters are fleshed out and detailed with their own motivations and backstories. I loved getting to know the Amy, Ben, Mira, & their mom - the main perspectives of the book are via Amy & Ben, but the writing enables us to get to know the rest of the cast fully as well (not to mention a lot of other more minor characters).
Amy’s love for the two kids she’s babysitting felt really believable, as did their characters in general - children aren’t always easy to write, but they’re so realistically done here! I also felt the anxiety representation was really well done.
___________________________
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This starts off with a lot of blood in the first chapter, but it's definitely more character-driven than blood-splattered slasher; the atmosphere is tense throughout, and the characters are fleshed out and detailed with their own motivations and backstories. I loved getting to know the Amy, Ben, Mira, & their mom - the main perspectives of the book are via Amy & Ben, but the writing enables us to get to know the rest of the cast fully as well (not to mention a lot of other more minor characters).
Amy’s love for the two kids she’s babysitting felt really believable, as did their characters in general - children aren’t always easy to write, but they’re so realistically done here! I also felt the anxiety representation was really well done.
___________________________
Find me outside of Goodreads!
Substack | Instagram | YouTube
November 25, 2023
“And Halloween? How can you even watch that? You’re a babysitter.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If anyone knows me, they know I am a huge fan of vintage horror movies and that Halloween is one of my all time favorites. This debut thriller from Emily was truly a love letter to these films in all its suspenseful glory.
October 1993. One night. One house. One dead body. Amy a teenager similar to Laurie Strode finds herself babysitting the Mazinski children(Ben and Mira) on a night that takes a frightening turn. Amy like a true final girl has to overcome her own anxieties and protect the children at all cost.
I loved that this story begins with Ben’s POV, the younger of the Mazinski children a little after midnight when the horrible moment has transpired. With each chapter the POV rotated between Ben and Amy(the babysitter) at different time stamps in the evening, inching closer to unraveling what happens at midnight. The description around Ben was incredible and I truly felt like I was in the mind of this 6 year old boy.
This was such a beautiful ode to horror films and filmmaking. Full of suspense, I couldn’t put it down!
Midnight On Beacon Street comes out January 30th, 2024! What a perfect grab for the new year and to start of your TBR list! Can’t wait for this to hit the shelves and to see everyone dive in!
Pub Date: January 30th, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If anyone knows me, they know I am a huge fan of vintage horror movies and that Halloween is one of my all time favorites. This debut thriller from Emily was truly a love letter to these films in all its suspenseful glory.
October 1993. One night. One house. One dead body. Amy a teenager similar to Laurie Strode finds herself babysitting the Mazinski children(Ben and Mira) on a night that takes a frightening turn. Amy like a true final girl has to overcome her own anxieties and protect the children at all cost.
I loved that this story begins with Ben’s POV, the younger of the Mazinski children a little after midnight when the horrible moment has transpired. With each chapter the POV rotated between Ben and Amy(the babysitter) at different time stamps in the evening, inching closer to unraveling what happens at midnight. The description around Ben was incredible and I truly felt like I was in the mind of this 6 year old boy.
This was such a beautiful ode to horror films and filmmaking. Full of suspense, I couldn’t put it down!
Midnight On Beacon Street comes out January 30th, 2024! What a perfect grab for the new year and to start of your TBR list! Can’t wait for this to hit the shelves and to see everyone dive in!
Pub Date: January 30th, 2024
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