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elizabethsweeny01's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely loveddd this book. So many twists and the plot was really great. I liked how it had 2 different perspectives on what the book was about so it was easier and better to understand. Would recommend this book.
aoibheannheaney's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
morna123's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
laurenlewis08's review
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.75
ghiblireads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
4.25
This was a fantastic thriller! I really couldn’t put it down and I had to keep on reading to know what was going on. The writing was great - I loved the flashback chapters and how the two timelines came together. It was very easy to read, fast paced and I enjoyed the short chapters. I really liked the characters; I liked finding out about Joanna’s past and all the secrets the town’s residents had. I felt really bad for Joanna as we found out more about what had happened to her. It actually covered quite a few tough topics which wasn’t what I expected. The plot was quite dark but interesting. I loved finding out how Lily’s disappearance connected to Joanna’s childhood and how both those things connected to a lot of other characters too. There were some twists and turns which surprised me - especially the ones in the last page! It’s bold to throw in a twist right at the end of a book but it really worked for me in this book. Overall, I liked the way it ended because it tied everything up pretty well and didn’t leave me with many unanswered questions. I think it was a little unrealistic in places and there were a couple of predictable parts but I still enjoyed it.
bibliophreak's review against another edition
3.0
literally every chapter ended with a ridiculous twist sentence, which felt ridiculous, but also kinda fun
t_mckissack22's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
bevlynch's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this one but it was veeeery slow! Also too many characters introduced way too soon in the book and I kept getting confused about who was who, there is also an alternating timeline too so that took a bit of enjoyment from the start of the book.
Once you get past that though it's a good read and the twists at the end are good but it was a little flat for me!
Once you get past that though it's a good read and the twists at the end are good but it was a little flat for me!
emmacr2024's review against another edition
5.0
Just when you think Andrea Mara couldn’t possibly top her last book she goes and does it with this new story Hide and Seek. It’s a sublime read from beginning to end full of tension, suspense, unease and endless twists and turns and revelations right until the very last page. Andrea Mara takes the reader on an exhilarating and insanely gripping journey. One which you quickly become fully invested in until it reaches the utter triumph of a conclusion that leaves you reeling in shock but still deeply satisfied. This book really needs to come with a warning that you will not get any work done until you have finished it. Put everything aside as you delve into Joanna’s world as she struggles to uncover just what happened to a little girl who once lived in her new home. Just what happened to Lily on that fateful day so many years ago when a game of Hide and Seek went wrong and so many years later the exact truth behind a little girls disappearance still remains unsolved. Someone out there surely must know the truth?
Right from the opening paragraph there is a creepy, eerie and unsettling feeling that only grows the further the book develops. There isn’t a minute where you can sit back and relax because Andrea keeps the reader on the edge of their seat and gripped, constantly guessing what could have happened? Who does suspicion fall upon? Why is such a character acting this way or why has someone said such a thing? What are the residents hiding? For this quite little neighbourhood that Joanna and her young family have recently moved into has lots to hide and when Joanna discovers the young girl that went missing in the 1980’s used to live in their house, her sense of discomfort and of something not being quite right eats away at her. She feels that guilt clings to her permanently and the reader wants to know why but in order to do so we must journey with her as she questions and seeks answers and justice.
Joanna is married to Mark and they have three children Sophie, Ben and Emily. She is a psychotherapist but her current contract has ended and she is taking some time out to be with the kids and settle into their new home. Given her job Joanna analyses and dissects everything down to their finer detail so it’s no wonder she becomes like a dog without a bone when she discovers the tragic past of her house. Creepily Joanna tells the reader early on that she believes she killed Lily. But how could that have been possible? What was the author playing at? But really I had to sit back and just let the story unfold which it did at a confident pace for Andrea Mara is a very very clever author and is brilliant at taking her readers down the garden path only to think you are reaching the final destination and then bang off you go in another vastly different direction that has you thinking in a completely different mindset as to how you thought the story was going to pan out.
There are lots of characters in the story and there was the potential that the amount could have become overwhelming trying to keep track of who was who and how they connect to the overall plot but this didn’t happen at all. I had feared that I would have had to write a list of people but I didn’t need to and I was eager to see how relevant each person was or if they were just filler in people to throw you off the main scent. The storyline weaves effortlessly back and forth between the present day and the 1980’s. Slowly but surely through Joanna’s persistence and eagle eye for any inconsistencies we edge ever closer to the truth. Rumours, whispers, and stories swirl around her and she never knows who quite to believe. What are people hiding and if they are keeping something close to their chest why are they doing so? It seems life in the neighbourhood is not all hunky dory and apart from Lily’s disappearance that people have good reason to keep schtum about things. Behind closed doors people harbour grudges and harbour resentments. This is a multi-layered story and not as clear cut as one might have thought but given this is the brilliant Andrea Mara writing at the top of her game I would expect nothing else. It’s a superbly crafted story that showcases what a genius the author is. She can get deep inside her characters heads and reveal so much up to a point and then the reader is left to guess what really is going on before everything gets turned on its head and everything you thought to be true gets cast aside and off we go again in search if the truth.
No one is to be taken at face value in this story. Don’t judge the characters on first introduction and what Jenny learns about them. Let the bigger picture build up and watch out for every little thing mentioned no matter how small or insignificant you deem it when you are reading. Yes there are lots of red herrings dropped in and your opinion as to what did happen to Jenny on that fateful day will change umpteen times. As to who you think was behind it all, well you’ll just be confused but in a good way. There were one or two occasions where I briefly stopped and thought oh why is such a thing being referenced for it seems so inconsequential? I was on high alert and never could I exactly pinpoint the eventual outcome. Who could given it was so twisty and brilliant but I was ever so slightly on the right track but as to the finer details I was way off track and delighted this was the case.
No doubt about it, you’ll race to the end of this book with your heart thumping and nails bitten to the quick as this is such a terrific read that slowly and assuredly uncovers the lies and half truths that have entwined themselves around the neighbourhood of Rowanbrook. Hide and Seek is extremely well plotted and considering the amount of characters to keep track of this is no mean feat. The reader is left guessing until the last possible moment. Andrea Mara never disappoints and Hide and Seek is an impressive read which gets a big thumbs up from me. Make sure you buy this incredible read as soon as you possibly can. You won’t be at all disappointed and just want to read more and more from this wildly talented author.
Right from the opening paragraph there is a creepy, eerie and unsettling feeling that only grows the further the book develops. There isn’t a minute where you can sit back and relax because Andrea keeps the reader on the edge of their seat and gripped, constantly guessing what could have happened? Who does suspicion fall upon? Why is such a character acting this way or why has someone said such a thing? What are the residents hiding? For this quite little neighbourhood that Joanna and her young family have recently moved into has lots to hide and when Joanna discovers the young girl that went missing in the 1980’s used to live in their house, her sense of discomfort and of something not being quite right eats away at her. She feels that guilt clings to her permanently and the reader wants to know why but in order to do so we must journey with her as she questions and seeks answers and justice.
Joanna is married to Mark and they have three children Sophie, Ben and Emily. She is a psychotherapist but her current contract has ended and she is taking some time out to be with the kids and settle into their new home. Given her job Joanna analyses and dissects everything down to their finer detail so it’s no wonder she becomes like a dog without a bone when she discovers the tragic past of her house. Creepily Joanna tells the reader early on that she believes she killed Lily. But how could that have been possible? What was the author playing at? But really I had to sit back and just let the story unfold which it did at a confident pace for Andrea Mara is a very very clever author and is brilliant at taking her readers down the garden path only to think you are reaching the final destination and then bang off you go in another vastly different direction that has you thinking in a completely different mindset as to how you thought the story was going to pan out.
There are lots of characters in the story and there was the potential that the amount could have become overwhelming trying to keep track of who was who and how they connect to the overall plot but this didn’t happen at all. I had feared that I would have had to write a list of people but I didn’t need to and I was eager to see how relevant each person was or if they were just filler in people to throw you off the main scent. The storyline weaves effortlessly back and forth between the present day and the 1980’s. Slowly but surely through Joanna’s persistence and eagle eye for any inconsistencies we edge ever closer to the truth. Rumours, whispers, and stories swirl around her and she never knows who quite to believe. What are people hiding and if they are keeping something close to their chest why are they doing so? It seems life in the neighbourhood is not all hunky dory and apart from Lily’s disappearance that people have good reason to keep schtum about things. Behind closed doors people harbour grudges and harbour resentments. This is a multi-layered story and not as clear cut as one might have thought but given this is the brilliant Andrea Mara writing at the top of her game I would expect nothing else. It’s a superbly crafted story that showcases what a genius the author is. She can get deep inside her characters heads and reveal so much up to a point and then the reader is left to guess what really is going on before everything gets turned on its head and everything you thought to be true gets cast aside and off we go again in search if the truth.
No one is to be taken at face value in this story. Don’t judge the characters on first introduction and what Jenny learns about them. Let the bigger picture build up and watch out for every little thing mentioned no matter how small or insignificant you deem it when you are reading. Yes there are lots of red herrings dropped in and your opinion as to what did happen to Jenny on that fateful day will change umpteen times. As to who you think was behind it all, well you’ll just be confused but in a good way. There were one or two occasions where I briefly stopped and thought oh why is such a thing being referenced for it seems so inconsequential? I was on high alert and never could I exactly pinpoint the eventual outcome. Who could given it was so twisty and brilliant but I was ever so slightly on the right track but as to the finer details I was way off track and delighted this was the case.
No doubt about it, you’ll race to the end of this book with your heart thumping and nails bitten to the quick as this is such a terrific read that slowly and assuredly uncovers the lies and half truths that have entwined themselves around the neighbourhood of Rowanbrook. Hide and Seek is extremely well plotted and considering the amount of characters to keep track of this is no mean feat. The reader is left guessing until the last possible moment. Andrea Mara never disappoints and Hide and Seek is an impressive read which gets a big thumbs up from me. Make sure you buy this incredible read as soon as you possibly can. You won’t be at all disappointed and just want to read more and more from this wildly talented author.