At Midnight Comes the Cry - The Rev. Clare Fergusson & Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries #10

 

At Midnight Comes the Cry is the 10th Clare Fergusson & Russ Van Alstyne series by Julia Spencer-Fleming. Released 18th Nov. 2025 by Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 320 pages and available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format due out in 4th quarter 2026 from the same publisher. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout.  For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free. The other books in the series are also currently available on KU. 

Although it's been a very long running series (book 1 was published in 2002), it won't be a problem to keep the characters or their relationships straight. The author provides the necessary backstory in the narrative, so new readers won't need a dramatis personae list to keep them sorted either. It would work moderately well as a standalone. The similarities in the (very) cold case murders and the modern day are well done and the writing in general is very capable and engaging.

Much of the book is concerned with the Reverend Clare, husband Russ, their infant son, and their day to day struggle to manage professional and family life. The author has a deft touch with suspense and characterization and overall the book is quite good. There are some dark themes which are potentially triggering such as trauma, sobriety, racism, alt-right/militia, etc. The language is rough(ish), with multiple usage of damn, hell, and similar and a couple of "f-bombs" used in context. Although it does work well as a standalone, the returning characters have a long history with one another and relationships which have developed over the course of the series, and minor spoilers should be expected if read out of order. 

Four stars. Well written and engaging. Likely moreso for prior fans of the series who have built up a relationship with the characters.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes