Spotlight on “Return to Midnight” by Emma Dues

by LitStack Editor

In Return to Midnight, on the anniversary of a savage mass murder, a survivor returns to the scene of the crime—and all its buried secrets—in a twisting novel of suspense.

Return to Midnight by Emma Dues

About Return to Midnight

Nearly ten years ago, five Ohio university students were murdered in an off-campus Victorian home. The media dubbed it the Midnight House Massacre. Ever since, survivor and novelist Margot Davis has wanted to forget it, and never again utter the killer’s name. Until she’s compelled to write her side of the story. To do that, she’s returning to Midnight House.

It’ll be a chance for Margot to reconnect with other survivors, heal the trauma, and dispel the ugly conspiracy theories of obsessed true crime fanatics. But when news of Margot’s book gets out, she receives a threatening note that demands she stop lying. Or else. It chills Margot’s blood. Because she hasn’t been telling the whole truth.

As the threats continue, each more sinister than the last, a journalist comes to Margot with new suspicions about that brutal October night. Now, to save her own life, Margot must reveal her well-guarded secrets—ones that, for good reason, she’s been too terrified to share.

Source: Publisher
ISBN-13: 9781662518812
Publisher: Amazon Publishing
Publication date: 08/27/2024

Praise for Return to Midnight

Return to Midnight deftly layers atmospheric creepiness with sinister betrayal in this page-turning debut where past and present collide. Emma Dues will have you side-eyeing everyone, trusting no one, and desperately seeking answers—this is an author to watch!”—Paula Gleeson, author of Original Twin

“Big horror vibes, buckets of red herrings, and storylines that weave together in a satisfying series of twists to the very end. Dues captures the competitive complication of female friendships as well as the sting of first love, with a plot crazy enough to mirror the all-encompassing emotions of being in your twenties. This is the campus thriller I didn’t know I was looking for but am so glad I found.”—Erin Flanagan, Edgar Award–winning author of Come with Me

About Emma Dues, Author of Return to Midnight

Return to Midnight

Emma Dues is a 2020 graduate of Miami University (the one in Ohio) where she studied English education and creative writing. She is currently a middle school English Language Arts teacher. Her home is made up of a husband, their rescue cats, and way too many books to fit on their bookshelves. Her debut thriller, RETURN TO MIDNIGHT is being published by Thomas and Mercer August 27, 2024. Emma is represented by Jill Marsal of the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. 

Emma has been writing since she was nine when she started writing stories about tornados and mermaids with fairy wings. Eventually, she realized that her interest in all things dark and twisted could be explored in her writing. Now, she writes thrillers inspired by her interest in true crime. She also lives with the chronic illness, Crohn’s disease, and writes about her experiences. 

Emma is a fan of mysteries, Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, rescuing animals, The Sims, and crystals. When she’s not writing or working on her fixer-upper, she’s most likely with her husband and cat children watching cheesy horror movies and making TikToks 

You can find and follow Emma Dues on her website, on Instagram, TikTok, and X.

Source: https://www.emmaduesauthor.com/

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