The Clock Strikes Midnight

Mystery & Thrillers, General Fiction

By Joan Curtis

Publisher : MuseItUp Publishing

ABOUT Joan Curtis

Joan Curtis
Joan is an award-winning writer who has published 5 books and numerous stories. In her newest mystery/suspense novel, The Clock Strikes Midnight, we meet Janie Knox, a tormented young woman who escaped her home and family after a jury convicted her stepfather of killing her mother. Full More...

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Description

Janie Knox wants nothing more than to live her life quietly in Savannah, Georgia and never return to her hometown of Atlanta. At age 17, a week after a jury convicted her stepfatherof killing her mother,she packed all her worldly possessions in a single duffle bag, hopped on a bus, and vowed never to return. But, when she learns that she’s got three months to live, she journeys back home to finish what she couldn’t do when she left--kill her stepfather.

As the clock ticks away, Janie’s uses the last days of her life to right the wrongs that have haunted her for 20 years. She faces more than she bargained for when she discovers her sister’s life in shambles. Meanwhile her stepfather, recently released from prison, blackmails the sisters and plots to extract millions from the state in retribution.

The Clock Strikes Midnight is a race against time in a quest for revenge and atonement. This is a story about unleashing the hidden truths that haunt a quiet Southern family.

What Three Things I Write: 1) Fiction/Mystery/Suspense Novels. Oh my gosh, did I put three in one? In truth I write fiction but my fiction seems to always carry a note of suspense and mystery. I'm not sure I could write a straightforward piece of fiction without mystery coming into play. Because I'm what's called an "evolutionary" writer versus a writer with a clear script, my books take a life of their own as I'm writing. Whenever I've tried to write a piece of "literary fiction" where there's little plot and no suspense (just beautiful prose), I fail miserably because my need to suspense creeps in on tiptoe and before long the story takes a dastardly turn. The Clock Strikes Midnight is a perfect example of a book that took such a turn. It began as a story about a woman going through a mid-life crisis. Wow! Did that ever change. If you want a sneak preview, sign-up to read the first two chapters.

RAVE REVIEWS:

The Clock Strikes Midnight by Joan C. Curtis is an amazing story with a number of twists cleverly hidden away. It was gripping and, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t have guessed the ending if I tried. It’s a bittersweet story, full of love, laughter and tragedy, one that will have any reader on the edge of their seat, biting their nails as the story roars to its conclusion. Joan Curtis has done a wonderful job here, the story is gripping enough to keep you reading and the characters are a perfect fit. I look forward to reading more from Joan Curtis in the future.

Ann Marie Reynolds Reader’s Favorite.

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I really enjoyed “The Clock Strikes Midnight” by Joan Curtis. It’s a story of the love of children for a parent, loss, dealing with adversity, and trying to rise above. It’s a story of how our past frames us and asks the question if we can change our future. “The Clock Strikes Midnight” is an American drama with a southern flare. If you like Fannie Flagg, Melissa Foster or Jodi Picoult, purchase this wonderful work of fiction.

Tammy Dewhirst  The Rabid Readers

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Reviewed by Jeffrey Brooke-Stewart for Reader’s Favorite

With The Clock Strikes Midnight, Joan Curtis has written a true page-turner.

On a number of occasions the reader may anticipate the ending, but each time a new variable is introduced to maintain the uncertainty and tension! The result is a fast-moving suspense-filled yarn. Those who like a good mystery will enjoy this book.

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Reviewed by Kymberly Bennett

This was a very intense read for me. I could not imagine being Janie. I have had a step dad and step mom and I have no idea what I would do if either of them had harmed my parent. I might react in the same way Janie does and want some revenge. I might not, but this story truly ticks all the right boxes that you want to see in a novel. If you love a good mystery and a tale that is far more then just vengeance, you will enjoy this story. I would recommend it to all mystery lovers.