Book Review
The Midnight Ride by Ben Mezrich
Ever heard of the Gardner Museum Heist? On March 18, 1990, thirteen works of art were stolen from the museum by two men posing as police officers. The case remains unsolved, the artwork still missing, and no arrests made. And that’s where this story begins…
Reader’s Thoughts:
The Midnight Ride is a fast-paced thriller full of action, intrigue and conspiracy. This story gave me all the “National Treasure” sort of vibes and I’m always down for a mystery involving hidden secrets, codes, and lost clues.
While there are three main characters (Hailey — a cardshark, Nick — an ex-con, and Adrian — a professor) the book jumps around from multiple other perspectives too. This was, at times, a little confusing and meant that we didn’t get a lot of character development. However, the benefit of many perspectives is that it kept the book moving along fast.
And that’s how I would sum up this book. Action packed and quick! The writing is straightforward, and the novel is primarily plot driven. I was looking for an entertaining, exciting, and quick thriller — and that’s what this was!
There were moments, however, when the conspiracy and secrets felt a little convoluted. (I also wasn’t fully convinced on the reasoning behind Nick letting Hailey in on this gigantic con, when he’d just met her, but hey… stretching belief is a huge part of reading books like this, so I could go with it.) The one thing I didn’t like though, was the cliffhanger at the end. I do prefer my reads to have conclusive endings.
All in all, this was a diverting read and I think it would work well if it was ever adapted into a film!
Recommended for:
Readers who enjoy plot driven narratives and fast-paced action novels.
This post contains affiliate links; as an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Book provided courtesy of the publisher, Grand Central Publishing. All opinions expressed are my own.
About The Midnight Ride:
(From the publisher) From the celebrated, New York Times bestselling author comes a commercial thriller of an MIT grad student who unwittingly uncovers the hidden connection between the Gardner Museum heist and the most fascinating secret in American history.
THE CARD SHARK: Hailey Gordon is looking to make some fast cash to help pay her tuition. When she’s caught counting cards at the Encore casino in Boston, she grabs her winnings and makes her escape. With guards closing in, she dives into an unlocked room to hide . . . only to find a dead body.
THE EX-CON: Recently released from prison, Nick Patterson hasn’t felt hope in a long time, but the job he “inherited” in prison promises to change that. He enters hotel room 633 to find that the person he was supposed to meet has been murdered. Next to the corpse stands a terrified young woman—Hailey Gordon.
THE PROFESSOR: American history professor Adrian Jensen learns of the death of his professional nemesis, Charles Walker, the night after he received Walker’s latest research. Skeptical at first, Adrian nearly deletes the file. But when one small, new detail catches his eye, he makes it his mission to uncover what could be one of the biggest secrets of the Revolutionary War.
All three strangers find themselves on the cusp of an incredible discovery—one that someone is willing to kill to keep buried.