Blog Tour Review: At the Stroke of Midnight – Jenni Keer

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In today’s post I’m excited to share my views on a fun historical fiction novel. I found it very reminiscent of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. If you like cozy mysteries with a Groundhog Day theme, a rich array of characters and a touch of romance, please read on about At the Stroke of Midnight!

Before I share details of the book and then my review, firstly I’d like to thank Jenni, Boldwood Books and Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources. It’s always a pleasure to be able to to read and participate in these blog tours. A lot of hard work goes into organising them! I appreciate the opportunity to read these books around release and feature them here. I genuinely enjoy them as much as I do the chance to share them with you!

So, I suppose that takes me on to my final note before getting into the book. The opinions expressed in this review are, and always will be, entirely my own.

Now, let’s dive in!

 

At the Stroke of Midnight – Jenni Keer

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 357

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 12 Mar 2024

Rating: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

 

Goodreads – At the Stroke of Midnight

 

It’s 1923 and in a decade that promises excitement and liberation, Pearl Glenham and her father are invited to a mysterious country house party on the Dorset coast, by a total stranger.

Her father claims not to have any prior association with Highcliffe House, but upon arrival, it is apparent that he has a shared history with several of the guests, although he won’t admit it. Belatedly discovering that her father was blackmailed into attending, Pearl’s worries are compounded when their host fails to arrive…

Intimidated by everyone at the party, she escapes to the nearby cove and stumbles upon a mysterious mercury clock hidden in a cave. This strange encounter sets in motion a series of events that will culminate in an horrific house fire, claiming the lives of all the guests, including Pearl herself.

But then Pearl wakes up back in the cave, seemingly destined never to live past midnight. She can repeat the day. But can she change its outcome?

 

Purchase Link – https://mybook.to/strokemidnightsocial

 

My Thoughts…

Plot

I am sure you are familiar with the concept of Groundhog Day. At the Stroke of Midnight unravels a mystery that results in just this occurrence. That is, until protagonist Pearl gets to the bottom of it!

What makes this an intriguing novel is that at the start of the book, we have no idea what historic events have brought these seemingly different and unrelated characters together. They all seem to have a past and secrets to hide. Pearl is seemingly the only guest with no agenda or understanding of what has happened before present day. She comes out of her shell as she finds the courage to start asking difficult questions, even of those she loves.

In At the Stroke of Midnight, we have a set of core events that take place once, some that occur if timeline isn’t altered too much, and then we have some variation where alterations do occur. If that sounds like a lot to take in, I promise you it’s not! We see enough loops in the timeline that we are able to identify what sits where and recognise patterns in actions versus consequences.

I really enjoyed the mystery element to this story, and the resolution of the same fitting nicely with expectation, even if I didn’t predict it. The revelations that occur in the story are intriguing once teased out. Nothing is quite as it seems and we readers are left guessing up until the end how everything ties together.

 

Characters

Pearl undergoes quite a bit of character development throughout the book. At the start of the story, she is a quiet, meek girl who has grown up running a household and taking care of her working father. Keeping house and waiting to be wed to a man so that she can run his household instead are her future prospects.

The events of this book change her life trajectory completely. Without the same constraints of modern day life, Pearl starts to reinvent herself. Free of the consequences of not being able to take back her actions, she becomes far bolder and explores what it is like to live in the shoes of others. The freedom this grants her gives a taste of what it is like to be more than a wallflower, and it suits her.

Whilst Pearl is the main character of this story, she cannot come to be without the supporting cast. The group also invited to the party come from a diverse background and they all have a unique flavour. Some personalities are stronger than others, but each are distinct and enjoyable in their own right!

If a touch of romance in your mysteries is something you enjoy, then the dynamic relationship that forms between Pearl and Ellery is one to look out for. Whilst I’m not especially one for romance, I found their relationship touching given Pearl’s background and encouragement he gives her to come out of her shell.

 

Setting

The vast majority of events in At the Stroke of Midnight take place in Highcliffe House. The books is set in an exclusive, well cared for location with elusive owners and a sketchy past. It definitely has us readers asking questions early on. What is this place, and who are the owners? What relationship do the characters of present day have to these people?

This setting and the tension created by the plot make for an intriguing setting. The Groundhog Day element of the story, coupled with this particular setting, cemented the comparison for me with The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton. There are differences in these two books clearly, but it is reminiscent enough that fans of either book will enjoy the other.

There are some small deviations in setting which add some variety and opportunities for character development. However, I broadly enjoyed this exclusivity; I wanted to focus on the events taking place at this recurring party and the aftermath. This is the aspect of the book I enjoyed the most. In my opinion, the execution of this fit in perfectly with the period and setting set out at the beginning.

 

Narrative Style

The style of At the Stroke of Midnight is compulsively readable and easy to digest. I personally felt the chapter lengths were perfect to convey action without unnecessary detail. That said, there are hints of detail if you are keen enough to pick them up. Consequently, if you like to try and work out the mystery as you go along, then At the Stroke of Midnight will appeal.

I picked up this book in the evenings whilst sat cosy at home, and even in my lunch hour at work. As my experience shows, it is a perfect book to pick up and put down as and when time and opportunity suits.

 

Summary

If you enjoy cosy mysteries or books with a historical setting, At the Stroke of Midnight is a book I strongly recommend. With a compelling storyline and complex characters to unravel, together with a protagonist who finds in herself an inner strength she didn’t know she had, there was plenty here for readers to enjoy.

I thoroughly enjoyed picking up At the Stroke of Midnight. It is quite a quick read if you are invested in finding out what is going on in the storyline, as you’ll always be picking up just one more chapter.

I hope you have enjoyed today’s review, and if you go on to read and enjoy the book, I would love to hear your thoughts!

 

Author Bio

Jenni Keer is a history graduate who lives in the Suffolk countryside. Her lifelong passion for reading became a passion for writing and she had two contemporary romance novels published in 2019. She has now embraced her love of the past to write twisty, turny historicals, and The Legacy of Halesham Hall was shortlisted for the Romantic Historical Novel of the Year in 2023.

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