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Available
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Genres
Collection
Publication
Fawcett Crest Book (1968), Edition: 10th, Paperback, 175 pages
Description
Midnight on Skye: a young crofter's daughter is cruelly and ritually murdered on the bleak Scottish mountainside. Very soon Gianetta Brooke, a guest at the deceptively idyllic Camasunary Hotel nearby, finds herself tangled in a web of rising fear and suspicion. When she discovers that her ex-husband has booked into the same hotel, the peaceful holiday for which she had hoped takes on quite another complexion.
User reviews
LibraryThing member Maura49
This Mary Stewart story about murder on the Isle of Skye has always been a favourite of mine. It is very atmospheric with lots of rain and highland mists. I like the fact that it is tied to a particular time, close to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth 11 and with everyone tuned to the wireless to
The heroine is attractive, lacking in confidence like several other Stewart heroines, but showing a decided amount of spirit particularly in the breathtakingly scary ending. I do not find the romance particularly convincing. Gianetta may still be in love with her ex-husband, but we see him so infrequently that it is hard to make a judgement about his character.
Stewart's other characters are better drawn, with a wide variety featuring in one of those closed communities so beloved of Golden Age crime writers. I particularly liked sultry actress Marcia Maling causing havoc with married couples. I also love the claustrophobic atmosphere in the hotel as danger draws ever closer with all of the guests potential murderers.
For newcomers to Stewart's magical blend of mystery, crime and romance this is a good novel to start with.
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hear about the mountaineers trying to scale Everest.The heroine is attractive, lacking in confidence like several other Stewart heroines, but showing a decided amount of spirit particularly in the breathtakingly scary ending. I do not find the romance particularly convincing. Gianetta may still be in love with her ex-husband, but we see him so infrequently that it is hard to make a judgement about his character.
Stewart's other characters are better drawn, with a wide variety featuring in one of those closed communities so beloved of Golden Age crime writers. I particularly liked sultry actress Marcia Maling causing havoc with married couples. I also love the claustrophobic atmosphere in the hotel as danger draws ever closer with all of the guests potential murderers.
For newcomers to Stewart's magical blend of mystery, crime and romance this is a good novel to start with.
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LibraryThing member cathyskye
Protagonist: fashion model Gianetta Drury
Setting: the Isle of Skye, Scotland, in the 1950s
Standalone
While not traipsing through the sewers of London, I seem to find myself wandering around the Highlands of Scotland. Fashion model Gianetta Drury decides to take a holiday on Skye to de-stress. When
Originally written in 1956, the book has aged gracefully. The only thing that really dates it is having the heroine smoke like the proverbial chimney. The setting is superbly done, and although the murderer was easily guessed, Wildfire at Midnight was a very pleasant way to spend a couple of
hours.
Setting: the Isle of Skye, Scotland, in the 1950s
Standalone
While not traipsing through the sewers of London, I seem to find myself wandering around the Highlands of Scotland. Fashion model Gianetta Drury decides to take a holiday on Skye to de-stress. When
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she arrives, she finds that her stay is going to be anything but stress-free. Her ex-husband is staying at the same hotel, and a young girl was recently murdered not far away from the place. The police are sure that one of the people staying at the hotel is the murderer.Originally written in 1956, the book has aged gracefully. The only thing that really dates it is having the heroine smoke like the proverbial chimney. The setting is superbly done, and although the murderer was easily guessed, Wildfire at Midnight was a very pleasant way to spend a couple of
hours.
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LibraryThing member nicx27
I wanted to read this book after a recent visit to Skye, and the descriptions of the mountains and the mist reminded me very much of the holiday. This is the story of fashion model Gianetta Brooke, who goes on holiday to Skye to get away from it all. When she reaches her designated hotel she learns
Everybody in the hotel is a suspect in the murder and this story is an Agatha Christie style closed-room murder mystery, but in this case more of a closed hotel. The writing is a little dated now, as the book was first published in 1956, but I found it an enjoyable enough read.
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of a recent murder in the mountains. She also finds that, by what felt like a bizarre coincidence at the time, her ex-husband has also checked into the same hotel.Everybody in the hotel is a suspect in the murder and this story is an Agatha Christie style closed-room murder mystery, but in this case more of a closed hotel. The writing is a little dated now, as the book was first published in 1956, but I found it an enjoyable enough read.
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LibraryThing member Kasthu
Mary Stewart’s novels are always good comfort reads. There’s definitely a formula to them—they always take place in an exotic location, and feature a smart, somewhat skeptical heroince (who’s usually in her mid to late twenties). Throw in some romance and suspense, and you have the recipe
Giannetta Drury is a model, who decides to take a break from London to visit the Island of Skye, up in the Hebrides. She stays at a local hotel, but is perturbed when her ex husband, Nicholas, is also one of the guests there--ouch, how awkward! As Giannetta becomes more familiar with the other guests at the hotel, she learns the story of the murder of a young local girl, whose throat was brutally cut. But as events unfold, it turns out that the murderer hasn’t yet finished their work…
Wildfire at Midnight is more of a mystery than some of Mary Stewart’s other books, and the suspense is right up there as some of the best that she’s ever offered. There are several truly bone-chilling scenes in this novel, especially the one in the fog towards the end! I feel that character development is weaker here (for example, I felt that Dougal Macrae seemed rather undisturbed by the murder of his daughter, two and a half weeks prior to the events in the book). But I enjoyed the romance aspect—it’s there all along, though Giannetta doesn’t realize it until the end. Giannetta also seems to be less skeptical than some of Stewart’s other heroines, but that more or less works in her favor this time. Again, another strong novel from Mary Stewart.
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for a really fun, atmospheric read. Wildfire at Midnight is no exception to this.Giannetta Drury is a model, who decides to take a break from London to visit the Island of Skye, up in the Hebrides. She stays at a local hotel, but is perturbed when her ex husband, Nicholas, is also one of the guests there--ouch, how awkward! As Giannetta becomes more familiar with the other guests at the hotel, she learns the story of the murder of a young local girl, whose throat was brutally cut. But as events unfold, it turns out that the murderer hasn’t yet finished their work…
Wildfire at Midnight is more of a mystery than some of Mary Stewart’s other books, and the suspense is right up there as some of the best that she’s ever offered. There are several truly bone-chilling scenes in this novel, especially the one in the fog towards the end! I feel that character development is weaker here (for example, I felt that Dougal Macrae seemed rather undisturbed by the murder of his daughter, two and a half weeks prior to the events in the book). But I enjoyed the romance aspect—it’s there all along, though Giannetta doesn’t realize it until the end. Giannetta also seems to be less skeptical than some of Stewart’s other heroines, but that more or less works in her favor this time. Again, another strong novel from Mary Stewart.
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LibraryThing member shireling
I've been reading Mary Stewart since I don't know when.
Wildefire at Midnight is still my favourite, even though, yes, I know it's dated.
But her uncanny knack for describing atmosphere is, after all these years still keeping me spellbound, so never mind that this story was happening in the fifties!
Wildefire at Midnight is still my favourite, even though, yes, I know it's dated.
But her uncanny knack for describing atmosphere is, after all these years still keeping me spellbound, so never mind that this story was happening in the fifties!
LibraryThing member Figgles
Enjoyable murder mystery/romance.
LibraryThing member SunnySD
Model Gianetta Brooke was the picture of sophistication - and a complete innocent - when she married author Nicholoas Drury. She wasn't much older when they divorced. Tired and in need of a vacation, Gianetta heads for the hills of Scotland, only to find herself smack in the middle of a terrifying
Not Stewart's best, but a spine-tingler, nonetheless.
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murder mystery. And one of the prime suspects is her ex-husband. Not Stewart's best, but a spine-tingler, nonetheless.
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LibraryThing member abigailyow
A well-written story by Mary Stewart, with suspense that will keep you turning pages. I've always liked the way the author paints a vivid picture of the character's surrounding. It's always so beautiful without disrupting the flow of the story - or so I thought.I somehow got a little irritated in
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the latter part of the story. Every time when I thought that I was close to finding the perpetrator, another landscape description pops up, and it gets a little annoying after a while. At first, I didn't realize it but the moment I closed the book, it suddenly dawned on me that almost half of the book was filled with long, detailed portrayal of the environment. Not that it wasn't a good thing...I guess it just didn't do for me.The characters, I have to say, were interesting though a tad predictable and flat at times. The heroine's romance did not seem palpable to me as the string of incidents that lead up to her disastrous marriage were not fully explained prior to the story. Also, I did not fully grasp the amount of love Nicholas have for her and vice versa. If only the author were to include more of their back story, would things have turned out differently? Well, who knows? It's only my opinion after all. ;DDespite everything, I still think its an enjoyable read! Show Less
LibraryThing member JulesJones
1956 contemporary romantic suspense set on the Isle of Skye. Fashion model Gianetta Drury needs some peace and quiet, She's never fully recovered from her divorce to the husband she still loves, and London during the build-up to the Coronation is more excitement and fuss than she wants. A holiday
While I picked out the correct candidate for murderer readily enough at the first clear clue/herring, the story's well enough written that it doesn't matter. There's still plenty of suspense in whether the characters will recognise the right pattern in time. The book has some engaging lead characters in a strongly drawn setting, and some genuinely chilling scenes. A particular highlight for me was the chase in the fog towards the end of the book. One with re-read potential even after you know the solution.
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on the Isle of Skye seems ideal, until she discovers that her ex-husband Nicholas has signed into the same hotel on the same day. And if that wasn't enough, it turns out that there has been a recent murder, and the other residents of the hotel are suspects. Nicholas isn't exempt, because he was staying in the hotel on a previous trip. And then there is another murder...While I picked out the correct candidate for murderer readily enough at the first clear clue/herring, the story's well enough written that it doesn't matter. There's still plenty of suspense in whether the characters will recognise the right pattern in time. The book has some engaging lead characters in a strongly drawn setting, and some genuinely chilling scenes. A particular highlight for me was the chase in the fog towards the end of the book. One with re-read potential even after you know the solution.
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LibraryThing member Ma_Washigeri
This didn't begin well. Many of her books I can re-read with pleasure but knowing for certain who the villain was spoiled this one for me. It didn't engage me until the action started about half way through when the author's grasp of extended peril (and the intelligence and capability of the
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heroine) lifted it up. Show Less
LibraryThing member LudieGrace
Stewart's a good writer, and it was lovely to read a well-spun mystery set in the Hebrides. Her description of a summer twilight on Skye was probably the highlight of the book.
LibraryThing member Ma_Washigeri
This didn't begin well. Many of her books I can re-read with pleasure but knowing for certain who the villain was spoiled this one for me. It didn't engage me until the action started about half way through when the author's grasp of extended peril (and the intelligence and capability of the
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heroine) lifted it up. Show Less
LibraryThing member Jean_Sexton
This romantic suspense novel was written in 1956 and is undoubtedly a product of its time. It is set in 1953 as Edmund Hillary is climbing Mount Everest, and preparations are being made for Queen Elizabeth's coronation. It is the latter event that drives our heroine out of London to the Isle of
As long as the reader is willing to accept the mores of the time (husbands can cheat on their wives, and the latter may need to accept it if they think it is a one-time thing was the hardest one for me to swallow), the book is quite compelling. The descriptions of Skye made me see the island; I wasn't surprised to find that Stewart had visited the location.
Some folks don't like that the independent-minded heroine has sort of a "damsel in distress" moment. I can understand that. When the emergency is ongoing, I can handle it; afterward, I collapse. So that wasn't an issue for me.
I think if you like romantic suspense with a healthy scoop of mystery, that you would like this book.
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Skye. Once there, she finds her idyllic vacation has a couple of flaws: her ex-husband is booked in the same hotel, and there has been a murder of a young woman. Now the novel adds in elements of the "locked room" mystery as someone on Skye must have been responsible for the death.As long as the reader is willing to accept the mores of the time (husbands can cheat on their wives, and the latter may need to accept it if they think it is a one-time thing was the hardest one for me to swallow), the book is quite compelling. The descriptions of Skye made me see the island; I wasn't surprised to find that Stewart had visited the location.
Some folks don't like that the independent-minded heroine has sort of a "damsel in distress" moment. I can understand that. When the emergency is ongoing, I can handle it; afterward, I collapse. So that wasn't an issue for me.
I think if you like romantic suspense with a healthy scoop of mystery, that you would like this book.
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Language
Original publication date
1956
DDC/MDS
| Fic Romance Stewart |