Middle Of The Night by Riley Sager

 

Thirty years ago, Ethan Marsh and his best friend, Billy, camped out in his backyard as they did every Friday night.  But when Ethan woke up the next morning, things would never be the same.  There was a cut in the tent and Billy was gone.  Despite an intensive police investigation by local police and the FBI, the case was never solved and Billy was never found.  Ethan's life changed that night and he is still somehow in that tent.

Now forty, Ethan has come home.  His parents have moved south and Ethan is staying in his childhood home getting it ready for sale.  He is now a teacher but the disappearance of Billy has affected his whole life, making him hesitant about new things and afraid to live his life completely, sure that people still think he was involved somehow.  The same neighbors are still living in his six house development and reminders of Billy are everywhere.  Then Ethan starts to feel Billy's presence.  A few days later, Billy's body is finally found.  Has he come back so that Ethan will finally solve the mystery?

Riley Sager has written a haunting tale that seems possible.  Ethan now interacts with the grown up versions of the children he grew up with; his former babysitter, now back home looking after an ailing father and with a son of her own; the neighborhood bully who is now a police officer in charge of the cold case, another friend who now owns a sporting goods store and lives with his wife, child and soon to be second child.  Even the adults are still there for the most part.  Overhanding everything is the existence of a forbidden research institute which is about a mile away in the woods and where no one was ever allowed to enter.  This book is recommended for mystery readers.