The Midnight Hour

By: Elly Griffiths

Narrated by: Beth Eyre

The Brighton police force is on the hunt for another killer, but this time they have some competition—a newly formed all-women’s private eye firm, led by none other than the police chief’s wife.

Newly minted PI Emma Holmes and her partner Sam Collins are just settling into their business when they’re chosen for a high-profile case: retired music-hall star Verity Malone hires them to find out who poisoned her husband, a theater impresario. Verity herself has been accused of the crime. The only hitch—the Brighton police are already on the case, putting Emma in direct competition with her husband, police superintendent Edgar Stephens.

Soon Emma realizes that Verity’s life intersects closely with her own—most notably in their mutual connection, Max Mephisto, who has returned to England from America with his children and famous wife, Hollywood star Lydia Lamont. Lydia, desperately bored in the countryside, catches wind of what Emma and Sam are up to and offers her services. What secret does Lydia know about Verity’s past?

The team of female PIs circle closer to the killer, with the Brighton police hot on their tail. The clues suggest they’re looking for a criminal targeting the old music-hall crew. How long will it be before that trail leads straight back to Max?

Women blossom

The 6th in Elly Griffiths' Brighton series,The Midnight Hour is outstanding! Though it can be a stand alone,do not deprive yourself of the character growth as you journey through books 1-5. I think this series is as interesting as the Ruth Galloway series. I look forward to more mystery and history as Sam and Emma grow their private detective business. I highly recommend this on audiobook---Beth Eyre is very good as the narrator.

Narration was terrible!

Monotone narration with little or no character differentiation. I couldn’t get through it as it nearly put me to sleep. A change should not have made away from James Langton.

Great story.

The characters were well rounded, and enjoyable. The story was excellent. The ending was a surprise, I didn’t get close to guessing. And the narrator was excellent. Yes, this is a great book but I recommend you start the series at the beginning for it to make sense.

Pleasantly surprised

I started this book as soon at I finished the one before. Had to stop bc narration was do different.
On 2nd start, enjoyed the book when author wasn't making the role reversal ridiculously 21st century preaching.

Hope there will be more Brighton Mysteries!

Midnight Hour felt a little like a winding up of the series. I hope that isn’t the case as I find these stories refreshingly different from so much that is out there. The series is quite different from Griffiths’ Ruth Galloway series—and probably not as good—but is entertaining and engaging nonetheless. I have enjoyed the character arc over the course of the novels, and will miss them if this is to be the last novel. The change of narrator took some getting used to but, as Griffiths explains in the introduction, it felt right in the light of the fact that the female characters have moved to the forefront.