The Night Journal

This is a wonderful book for all the reasons given by other reviewers: the four women from different generations are real, they keep us in suspense to the last page, and we care about their interrelated lives. Moreover, the transition from turn-of-the century to today is handled effectively through the use of the greatgrandmother's journals. We have to marvel at the author's command of her material. Can the journals that form the centerpiece of the book be fiction, we wonder they are so real. I love big old-fashioned novels crammed with information and minutae and I loved this one. It is original and memorable, both rare qualities. But--you knew there was a 'but' coming--it contains much extraneous detail that, at times, distracts from the plot. If you read every word of adult granddaughter Meg's instructions to staff during a water emergency that affects her business, I congratulate you but Meg could have been given credibility with half the words. We not only know where characters go but where they park, what toothpaste they use, and alas, every time the great-grandmother with tuberculosis spits in her cup. It would have been a stronger book if the author had not told us everything she knew.

Having read - and, frankly, been captivated by - three of Elizabeth's Crook's books, I decided to reach back and try this one. I'm glad I read it, but it didn't speak to me the (or wasn't my cup of tea in the) same way as Monday, Monday, Promised Lands, or Which Way Tree - all quite different (in te......more

I recently found this author when one of her books was selected by The James BookClub. After reading The Which Way Tree and then seeing her on two Zoom interviews I knew I wanted to read more of her books. The Night Journal was available at my library so I selected it to read. Her writing is so enjo......more

This story surprised me. I liked it more than I had expected. You could say this is a story of love, relationships, and betrayal set in late 19th Century & modern New Mexico. It's more, though, a story of people dealing with history and the results of keeping secrets from the past. The important eve......more

I loved all the twists an turns in the plot. The beginning is a bit slow as the characters are defined but the "historical" part of this fiction is spot on and blends in well with the story line. The book may be a little too female relationship oriented for the male reader but the mystery may just p......more

I bought this at a thrift store becaue I liked the title and I thought it might be about vampires (it's not about vampires) but I ended up being completely surprised and loved it.......more