We recently finished reading The Midnight Hour by Benjamin Read and Laura Trinder, and I wanted to share our thoughts — especially for other parents who are always on the lookout for magical adventures to enjoy with their children!

We actually came across this book on Amazon, and what really stood out to us was the line: “Perfect for fans of The Trials of Morrigan Crow.” Well — if you know us, you’ll know that’s quite possibly our favourite book ever, so we were immediately intrigued. We're also big Harry Potter fans, so anything with a magical twist tends to catch our eye. Needless to say, we ordered it right away and dove in at bedtime!

🕰️ What’s the book about?

The Midnight Hour follows a girl named Emily who lives in London with her very eccentric mum and (in her words) very boring dad. Her mum has brightly coloured hair and a big personality, which adds to the story’s charm right from the beginning.

The story kicks off when a strange letter is delivered late at night. Emily’s mum rushes out to deal with it... and doesn’t return. A few days later, her dad also disappears, leaving Emily to figure out what’s going on. After some mysterious knocks at the door and a bit of clue-following, she discovers a secret world called The Midnight Hour. It's a dark and magical version of London frozen in time — and it turns out her parents have been taken by a mythical creature that wants something Emily has.

The big question becomes: Can Emily rescue her parents and uncover what’s really going on before it’s too late?

🌟 What we loved

I really enjoyed reading this book aloud at bedtime. The language is incredibly descriptive — it paints vivid, imaginative scenes that pull you right into the world of The Midnight Hour. It’s one of the more original magical worlds I’ve come across in a while, with plenty of mysterious twists and quirky characters.

There’s a good mix of action, mystery and intrigue, and I think for confident readers who enjoy magical adventures, this book would really keep their interest. There’s definitely something very “different” about the atmosphere — a bit darker than some other books we’ve read, but in a way that older readers might really enjoy.

🤔 What we didn’t love so much

Okay, I have to be honest… I wasn’t totally sure how I felt about the main character, Emily — and neither was my 10-year-old son. She’s bold and quick-thinking, but she can also be rude and a little hard to warm to. She frequently mentions how her "gob" gets her into trouble, and while some of that is meant to be humorous, I personally find it hard to really cheer on a main character who’s quite unkind to the people she meets along the way.

In books like Nevermoor or Harry Potter, the main characters are easy to love — you root for them from the start. In this case, I felt a bit disconnected from Emily’s journey because of how she treated others, which was a shame.

Another thing to mention is the scariness of the characters. While my son wasn’t frightened at all, the book does include some quite dark, eerie imagery — like characters who are part of the living dead. If your child has a vivid imagination or tends to be sensitive to spooky descriptions, it might be a bit too much for them.

🧒 Would we recommend it?

I think if your child enjoys slightly darker magical adventures, with creepy twists and unusual characters, The Midnight Hour could be a great pick. It’s imaginative, clever, and full of strange goings-on that will keep readers guessing. But if your child prefers softer, more whimsical stories — or if you really value having a likeable lead character — this might not be the best fit.

All in all, it was a unique read with a strong fantasy setting, but not one we absolutely loved. That said, it could still be a great recommendation for confident readers aged around 9–12, especially those who love mystery, magic, and a touch of gothic spookiness.

Have you read The Midnight Hour? I’d love to know what you thought — especially if your children had a different reaction. You can leave a comment below or come chat over on Instagram!