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Hidden
When your ex husband is a frightening psychopath and your new husband ends up mysteriously dead, it would seem logical to wonder... But Kate truly hadn’t. She had buried her tracks so deeply. And Lex’s death had seemed a tragic accident... Until now.
In the space of three nights everything changes. A frightening encounter with a stranger on a lonely roadside, a prowler in the house when she returns home, a body found hanging in the bush...
Fear prods Kate into action. Has Wade found her after all these years? Was Lex’s death really an accident? She has to pull herself together and tamp down the impulse to cut all her ties and run as far and fast as she can.
Lots of people have secrets. This doesn’t have to be about her. How much did she know about Lex, really?
Do people with a past somehow find each other?
In the space of three nights everything changes. A frightening encounter with a stranger on a lonely roadside, a prowler in the house when she returns home, a body found hanging in the bush...
Fear prods Kate into action. Has Wade found her after all these years? Was Lex’s death really an accident? She has to pull herself together and tamp down the impulse to cut all her ties and run as far and fast as she can.
Lots of people have secrets. This doesn’t have to be about her. How much did she know about Lex, really?
Do people with a past somehow find each other?
301 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 14, 2013
19 people are currently reading
130 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
October 15, 2013
This book surprised me. A friend recommended it because it is set in Melbourne and I was looking for a good thriller. It is a much better book than the blurb suggests. The characters gradually reveal themselves with an intricate plot that moves between a painful past and the unfolding mystery of the present. The lead character is especially good - a complex and believable figure. All historians will enjoy the time in the State Library. The scenes are deftly handled and the thriller is well paced. The plot leads you through an attractive set of characters who are all essential and well woven into the events. Melbourne, in particular Fitzroy is evocatively drawn, as are the Gippsland holiday towns of Walkerville and Waratah Bay and those long endless beaches of that coast. If you are looking for a good companion on a Sunday afternoon then read this.
January 19, 2014
started off alright and could have been good but then it started getting very dull, paragraphs of in depth drivel about nothing interesting ( don't want to know how to make an omelette, ingredients etc!) I got bored at the point of no return and skimmed to the ending.
October 20, 2013
Set in Australia and Bali, Hidden is the story of Kate Ryan, a woman who has spent years hiding from her psychopathic first husband, and whose second husband has recently died in mysterious circumstances. The book opens with two violent chapters, in which first of all an unknown man awakes from a beating only to find himself tied up and entombed and then Kate is subject to horrific attack which leaves her with appalling and life threatening injuries. Whilst hooked, I was a little perturbed as I found the author's style initially a little clunky and I thought I was going to be in for a difficult read.
It took me a long while to really start feeling any empathy for Kate which disappointed me as I felt that because of everything that she had been through, I should have been with her from the word go and I think this book would have been much better and gripping if written in first person rather than third. There are also a few typos and undeniable issues with grammar and tense: Sometimes the author switches mid scene between past and present and the book definitely needs a thorough edit.
That said, much as the flaws bugged me I was intrigued enough by the plot and the story line to continue reading. There are plenty of hooks and there is a big twist near the end that I really didn't see coming. I was also pleasantly surprised because although I hadn't gone for the most obvious suspect, I was totally wrong in my assumption as to who the baddie really was and much as I struggled to connect with Kate at the beginning, by the end I was completely on her side and wishing her well.
Lucy Flood clearly has story telling ability and is a good novelist in the making, I would simply urge her to ensure that her future works are fully edited so that any glitches can be ironed out prior to publication.
You can find me at www.ingridhall.com
It took me a long while to really start feeling any empathy for Kate which disappointed me as I felt that because of everything that she had been through, I should have been with her from the word go and I think this book would have been much better and gripping if written in first person rather than third. There are also a few typos and undeniable issues with grammar and tense: Sometimes the author switches mid scene between past and present and the book definitely needs a thorough edit.
That said, much as the flaws bugged me I was intrigued enough by the plot and the story line to continue reading. There are plenty of hooks and there is a big twist near the end that I really didn't see coming. I was also pleasantly surprised because although I hadn't gone for the most obvious suspect, I was totally wrong in my assumption as to who the baddie really was and much as I struggled to connect with Kate at the beginning, by the end I was completely on her side and wishing her well.
Lucy Flood clearly has story telling ability and is a good novelist in the making, I would simply urge her to ensure that her future works are fully edited so that any glitches can be ironed out prior to publication.
You can find me at www.ingridhall.com
November 14, 2013
This book had me hooked from the very beginning and I found myself reading for longer than I had planned to read in a sitting. I just couldn't put it down! Without giving anything away, the ending to this book was surprising and unpredictable - which I thoroughly enjoyed. I found myself reading faster towards the end just to see how it was all going to "play out". This story will certainy stay with you long after you have read it. Great read!
October 8, 2013
This book is amazing. I picked it up and couldn't put it down until I finished it. With twists and turns it kept me guessing all the way to the end. Cannot wait for this author to write her next book :)I highly recommend it.
October 29, 2013
Awesome. Scary, on the edge of your seat kind of book, but a fabulous story that kept me there all the time. I was always wondering who was really who and what their motive was.
Maybe, because I'm a mother, I loved the ending: new beginnings, innocence, no baggage... all good.
Maybe, because I'm a mother, I loved the ending: new beginnings, innocence, no baggage... all good.
November 7, 2013
Ever notice that some women repeatedly attract a certain kind of man despite their best efforts to avoid doing so? Despite their conviction that they've learned from past experience? Well, meet Kate, human magnet to the violent psychopath. She's fled her past, changed her identity, and set herself up thousands of miles away from home and still she remains a repeat offender.
I thoroughly enjoyed HIDDEN, a refreshing thriller by Australian author Lucy Flood. The story takes off with a jolt and a series of disturbing events follow. It's obvious that Kate needs to deal with her past, but to do that she must also deal with the past of those around her. As the mystery unravels, surprises are shed and the reader is kept guessing right to the end.
One thing that I particularly liked about this author's style is her ability to capture and form into words credible real life experiences. Yes, Kate has a drinking problem, and yes, each morning she wakes to regret her actions of the previous night – if she can at all remember them. It's her crutch, a temporary stand in for a more adequate coping response, and not an uncommon one. The drunken sexual encounters follow the binges (as they oft tend to do) and I commend the author here in having the ability to describe them just as they are. Nothing more. Nothing less. Even the dialogue used by the author is authentic.
The potential for more books to follow HIDDEN clearly exists. I hope the author is toying with this idea if not working on a sequel already.
I highly recommend this read.
I thoroughly enjoyed HIDDEN, a refreshing thriller by Australian author Lucy Flood. The story takes off with a jolt and a series of disturbing events follow. It's obvious that Kate needs to deal with her past, but to do that she must also deal with the past of those around her. As the mystery unravels, surprises are shed and the reader is kept guessing right to the end.
One thing that I particularly liked about this author's style is her ability to capture and form into words credible real life experiences. Yes, Kate has a drinking problem, and yes, each morning she wakes to regret her actions of the previous night – if she can at all remember them. It's her crutch, a temporary stand in for a more adequate coping response, and not an uncommon one. The drunken sexual encounters follow the binges (as they oft tend to do) and I commend the author here in having the ability to describe them just as they are. Nothing more. Nothing less. Even the dialogue used by the author is authentic.
The potential for more books to follow HIDDEN clearly exists. I hope the author is toying with this idea if not working on a sequel already.
I highly recommend this read.
October 25, 2013
Hidden, by Lucy Flood, is a complex novel that will leave you hanging on the edge of your seat. The author orchestrates a dark puzzle that leaves draws the reader in, frantically trying to help the main character piece them together. Every chapter ends boldly, leaving you wanting more. I found this book impossible to put down. I will be recommending this to friends and looking for more from this author. Well done!
October 22, 2013
This book was really, really good. Fantastic prose, really interesting plot, superb characterisation. Was gripped by the tension in the first two chapters and barely put it down until I finished it.
If you like intelligent thrillers, this is definitely a beauty. I recommend it very highly.
If you like intelligent thrillers, this is definitely a beauty. I recommend it very highly.
October 30, 2013
Hidden, by Lucy Flood, is a thriller that is hard to put down from the moment you pick it up. The main character, Kate, lives a secluded lifestyle in Bali and returns to Australia when her husband dies. She carries a mysterious past with her and becomes overwhelmed with the mysterious pasts of her husband and others who knew him. The surprises continue throughout the book making it a genuine page turner.
Hidden is very well written with excellent character portrayal and interesting dialogue. The author's writing style is easy to follow and the descriptions of Bali and Australia are vivid and greatly appeal to the traveler in me.
I believe that a good mystery is one that is unpredictable and keeps the reader guessing until the very end; Hidden was that kind of book for me. Lucy Flood is an excellent storyteller with a creative imagination. I will definitely be recommending this fantastic read to others who enjoy good mysteries.
Jill Dobbe, Author
HERE WE ARE & THERE WE GO: Teaching
and Traveling With Kids in Tow(less)
Hidden is very well written with excellent character portrayal and interesting dialogue. The author's writing style is easy to follow and the descriptions of Bali and Australia are vivid and greatly appeal to the traveler in me.
I believe that a good mystery is one that is unpredictable and keeps the reader guessing until the very end; Hidden was that kind of book for me. Lucy Flood is an excellent storyteller with a creative imagination. I will definitely be recommending this fantastic read to others who enjoy good mysteries.
Jill Dobbe, Author
HERE WE ARE & THERE WE GO: Teaching
and Traveling With Kids in Tow(less)
Read
May 19, 2014Main character is a major whinger. DNF
June 23, 2014
“He puts the knife between her face and his so she has to look at him. His eyes are glistening black slicks in the half light. The lips, slightly parted, just show the edges of his teeth. Slowly he brings the knife down, past her eye, touching the point to her cheek.” – Hidden
Hidden is a complex tale of escaping the past, misplaced loyalties, family secrets and revenge. With a sense of menace ever present, nothing is as it seems, each revelation adding another layer of tension.
The author makes clever use of present and past tense – flashback chapters in present tense are skilfully interwoven with the real-time past tense chapters, giving further depth and intrigue to the storyline.
Set mainly in Victoria (my home), Australia, I was able to relate well to the locations, the authentic details that only someone who’d been there would know, enhancing the scenes.
Lucy Flood is an author to watch. I look forward to reading her next novel.
Hidden is a complex tale of escaping the past, misplaced loyalties, family secrets and revenge. With a sense of menace ever present, nothing is as it seems, each revelation adding another layer of tension.
The author makes clever use of present and past tense – flashback chapters in present tense are skilfully interwoven with the real-time past tense chapters, giving further depth and intrigue to the storyline.
Set mainly in Victoria (my home), Australia, I was able to relate well to the locations, the authentic details that only someone who’d been there would know, enhancing the scenes.
Lucy Flood is an author to watch. I look forward to reading her next novel.
May 14, 2014
Strange cover. In black and white it looks like the rear and tail of a palomino horse, in color it looks like half a woman's face. I did not highlight the many errors in this book because I could not tell which were Aussie expressions and which were errors. Good story but needs a proof reader.
August 8, 2014
Hidden is a book that took me a few chapters to get into - but once I did I found myself unable to put it down!
do-not-want
April 22, 2015Ugh. Here we go again. Same crap, different cover.
May 15, 2014
This book had elements of great suspense. Some of the plot ideas were brilliant. I felt like two different books could have been made from this one, both with promising story lines and thrilling suspense, perhaps even made a good series: (1. featuring her life before, with, and after Wade- and will he hunt her down and get revenge? 2. Her life with Lex, his death and the mysteries surrounding it), but thrown in together it made for a difficult read. Too many characters to keep track of who weren't memorable. Too many very strange things happening. Too many crazy people for one story.
I couldn't understand why Kate would drink so much. If I was terrified- as she was - about her past catching up with her, I would want to be fully alert at all times. Her behaviors were highly unlikable, especially when she sleeps with someone she describes as ugly and repulsive? Yuck. But, I suppose she didn't like herself very much either.
There were also too many long descriptions and repetitious paragraphs through out the book describing Kate's thoughts and fears. Once I knew she was afraid and worried about her ex husband catching her, or how much she missed Bali, or how she contemplated running to a new place to start over one more time - I didn't need to read it several more times in long detail. I started skipping over those paragraphs.
We know throughout the book that Kate is hiding from her first husband who tried to kill her. Because there was so much going on in the investigating of Kate's second husband's past, I suspected the twist to come and so was deflated instead of surprised by the end. I don't want to explain it deeper because it may ruin the read for you if you find it enjoyable and unpredictable as some have.
At the end of the book things turn around and I did find Kate's character more likable, more respectable.
I was given a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
I couldn't understand why Kate would drink so much. If I was terrified- as she was - about her past catching up with her, I would want to be fully alert at all times. Her behaviors were highly unlikable, especially when she sleeps with someone she describes as ugly and repulsive? Yuck. But, I suppose she didn't like herself very much either.
There were also too many long descriptions and repetitious paragraphs through out the book describing Kate's thoughts and fears. Once I knew she was afraid and worried about her ex husband catching her, or how much she missed Bali, or how she contemplated running to a new place to start over one more time - I didn't need to read it several more times in long detail. I started skipping over those paragraphs.
We know throughout the book that Kate is hiding from her first husband who tried to kill her. Because there was so much going on in the investigating of Kate's second husband's past, I suspected the twist to come and so was deflated instead of surprised by the end. I don't want to explain it deeper because it may ruin the read for you if you find it enjoyable and unpredictable as some have.
At the end of the book things turn around and I did find Kate's character more likable, more respectable.
I was given a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
August 11, 2015
Hidden
I did not really enjoy this book . The beginning was really boring. I was not sure I was even going to finish the book. The last four chapters of the book were the best part of the book. I would not recommend this book.
I did not really enjoy this book . The beginning was really boring. I was not sure I was even going to finish the book. The last four chapters of the book were the best part of the book. I would not recommend this book.
April 6, 2016
Loved this book! Couldn't put it down. Kept me guessing til the end. The wrap up was a little bit contrived - I think because so many loose ends were wrapped up very quickly, but still believable and ended on a happy note. Can't wait for this author's next book!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews