Short Synopsis
From the critically acclaimed author of In My Dreams I Hold A Knife and The Last Housewife comes Midnight is the Darkest Hour, a gothic Southern thriller about a killer haunting a small Louisiana town, where two outcasts—the preacher's daughter and the boy from the wrong side of the tracks—hold the key to uncovering the truth.

Full Synopsis
For fans of Verity and A Flicker in the Dark, Midnight is the Darkest Hour is a twisted tale of murder, obsessive love, and the beastly urges that lie dormant within us all . . . even the God-fearing folk of Bottom Springs, Louisiana. In her small hometown, librarian Ruth Cornier has always felt like an outsider, even as her beloved father rains fire-and-brimstone warnings from the pulpit at Holy Fire Baptist. Unfortunately for Ruth, the only things the townspeople fear more than the God and the Devil are the myths that haunt the area, like the story of the Low Man, a vampiric figure said to steal into sinners' bedrooms and kill them on moonless nights. When a skull is found deep in the swamp next to mysterious carved symbols, Bottom Springs is thrown into uproar—and Ruth realizes only she and Everett, an old friend with a dark past, have the power to comb the town's secret underbelly in search of true evil.

A dark and powerful novel like fans have come to expect from Ashley Winstead, Midnight is the Darkest Hour is an examination of the ways we've come to expect love, religion, and stories to save us, the lengths we have to go to in order to take back power, and the monstrous work of being a girl in this world.

"Sarah Welborn did a great job of bringing the story to life. . . . I found her voice to be very pleasant and I had no problem listening to this book for hours at a time. I am certain that her narration only added to my overall enjoyment of this story." ---Carole's Random Life

"The narrating by Sarah Welborn was phenomenal. With the accent she read with, we truly felt like we were in Bottom Springs, Louisiana. Sarah was able to make the other character's voices distinct enough to tell who was speaking." ---Sisters Who Read Together

"I really enjoyed Sarah Wellborn's portrayal of Ruth; her syrupy Southern drawl was spot on and added a naivety to Ruth's perspective that was perfect to her story-arc." ---Jen's Towering TBR

"Narrator Sarah Welborn does a fantastic job of bringing Ruth and the town of Bottom Springs to life. Her accent and cadence add to the haunting atmosphere and made me feel totally immersed in the story!" ---Lil Bit Reads

"Sarah Welborn is amazing. She made it so easy to become emotionally invested and easily transported me into the story. Well done and a pleasure to listen to!" ---Readers of the Written Word

"Sarah Welborn does a phenomenal job narrating the audiobook and bringing the characters to life and fully immersing me in the southern Gothic atmosphere of the story." ---The Bookish Libra

"I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Sarah Welborn, and I think she did a good job drawing me in and keeping me engaged." ---No Bookmark No Problem

"And a note on the audio - I loved it! The narrator had the perfect southern accent that transported me straight into the story." ---Novels and Nailfies

"Sarah Welborn did an excellent job of narrating & bringing Ruth Cornier to life! Her southern accent, her ferociousness, her innocence, her naiveness . . . all captured perfectly. The voices of the side characters in this book were played very well by her, making you feel the emotions Ruth felt being around her hometown folks." ---Mom Read Sip Repeat

"I listened to the audiobook narrated by Sarah Welborn. She delivered a captivating story and did a great job setting the tone and pace. Her performance seemed genuine, and I could really feel Ruth's emotions." ---Jill's Bookshelf

"Sarah Welborn’s narration adds an extra layer of depth to the audiobook. Her portrayal of Ruth, Everett, and the secondary characters is skillful and engaging." —Laura Covers Stories

"I was so captivated as soon I started this on audio. . . . It felt so true to life and was almost as if the character was telling me her story directly. It held my attention so well that the 12-hour audio just flew by." ---Bookstagram by Kate

"Narrated by Sarah Welborn, who did a wonderful job evoking the emotion of the book with her voice." ---Dawn's Bookshelf

"Sarah Welborn captured both the tone of the story and voices of these characters. You could feel Ruth’s emotions, uncertainty, and strength." —Caffeinated Reviewer