reading_rowan's review
3.0
Started out slow, I had to push on a little to keep going. The story line felt rushed as well. Not one of the greatest books I have read lately.
randomreader41's review against another edition
1.0
I’m surprised I made it through. The story just ran on with no clear purpose. Took too long to reach the climax and the ending was very blah.
huomenna's review
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
sarahs_bookish_life's review
5.0
I loved this book, was so easy to read and couldn't put it down. It's not the best thriller I've read but the story flows so well you just want to keep reading. Looking forward to reading more by this author.
ryndleto's review
2.0
Not impressed by this one. The characters were all weak because none of them are developed or fleshed out much at all. The main character had a tad bit of character development, but not enough to be super noticeable.
My big complaint is how long this story took. The first 300 pages can be summed up in: Main character is stressed about house. House needs fixed! Is there someone in house? Cut to main character's husband, who is upset about the house.
And that sequence got really old, really fast.
Also the title is a blatant spoiler to a plot that's only introduced in the last 100 pages.
My big complaint is how long this story took. The first 300 pages can be summed up in: Main character is stressed about house. House needs fixed! Is there someone in house? Cut to main character's husband, who is upset about the house.
And that sequence got really old, really fast.
Also the title is a blatant spoiler to a plot that's only introduced in the last 100 pages.
inthejar79's review
2.0
I loved the setting and although the story kept my interest it left me wanting more in terms of character development. I didn't find the resolution believable.
emmycd's review
2.0
Meet Will and Hannah.
Will is a "reformed" bad boy music tech (he's not, he's still an arsewipe) and Hannah has quit her job as a press officer to obsess over a dilapidated house and a possible adoption. This couple is TOXIC and is so toxic that the first 60% is just them getting arsey with each other and Hannah going mad because the snow means Will can't come home.
Yes, the vast majority of this book is dedicated to this hot mess of a relationship and not the actual mystery this book proposes that it is. If I hadn't paid for this audiobook, I would have DNFed a LOOOOONG time ago. Just when I was going to finally throw the towel in, the mystery FINALLY happened.
The gaslighting and lying made me very curious, but then it became almost farcical. The gathering of the villagers towards the end just conjured images in my mind of "Curse of the Wererabbit" if I'm honest. I also found the ending disappointing and the crime wasn't fully explained.
Will is a "reformed" bad boy music tech (he's not, he's still an arsewipe) and Hannah has quit her job as a press officer to obsess over a dilapidated house and a possible adoption. This couple is TOXIC and is so toxic that the first 60% is just them getting arsey with each other and Hannah going mad because the snow means Will can't come home.
Yes, the vast majority of this book is dedicated to this hot mess of a relationship and not the actual mystery this book proposes that it is. If I hadn't paid for this audiobook, I would have DNFed a LOOOOONG time ago. Just when I was going to finally throw the towel in, the mystery FINALLY happened.
The gaslighting and lying made me very curious, but then it became almost farcical. The gathering of the villagers towards the end just conjured images in my mind of "Curse of the Wererabbit" if I'm honest. I also found the ending disappointing and the crime wasn't fully explained.
rubenstein's review against another edition
3.0
Admittedly the ending felt a little overwhelming and rushed, as though Millar had a deadline she needed to reach and tried to cram another hundred pages into thirty. A few outcomes weren't what I was hoping for (certain characters needed put in their place and I didn't get the satisfaction of seeing justice served here) and even felt a little sitcom-y, but overall The Hidden Girl was an exciting, fast-paced ride and I enjoyed it! It wasn't as great as Accidents Happen and could have benefited from a little tightening, but I’d definitely recommend it to readers looking for something a little darker this season.
For the full review and more, head over to The Pretty Good Gatsby!
For the full review and more, head over to The Pretty Good Gatsby!
lizdesole's review
2.0
The beginning of this book dragged so much with all these hints about past events. It was perfectly obvious what these things were after the second or even first hint, but the author kept going for about 100 pages before introducing the "mystery". The main plot concerns a couple who move out to the country form London to repair their marriage and start a family. Sounds doomed to fail, right?
Then introduce an outlandish set of events. There's too much suspension of disbelief going on here. For instance, it snows so hard for so many days that the husband is stuck in London. But then the very next day, they have the lawn mowed. After a 4 day blizzard?! Then, the husband grew up in the area the house is in. His cousin lives there still and no one seems to know any of the locals. In a small town. WHat? EVERYONE would know the locals.
What I found even more grating than the drawn-out introduction was how unbelievable I found the main character's dramatic change of personality. Having her husband claim to be confused by her personality change really isn't enough to explain it. The main character's prior work as a handler for dangerous missions for a non-profit makes no sense throughout the book until you get to the part where everything goes terribly wrong.
And the mystery's solution is so over-the-top.
And the happily ever after ending felt highly unlikely for this couple
Then introduce an outlandish set of events. There's too much suspension of disbelief going on here. For instance, it snows so hard for so many days that the husband is stuck in London. But then the very next day, they have the lawn mowed. After a 4 day blizzard?! Then, the husband grew up in the area the house is in. His cousin lives there still and no one seems to know any of the locals. In a small town. WHat? EVERYONE would know the locals.
What I found even more grating than the drawn-out introduction was how unbelievable I found the main character's dramatic change of personality. Having her husband claim to be confused by her personality change really isn't enough to explain it. The main character's prior work as a handler for dangerous missions for a non-profit makes no sense throughout the book until you get to the part where everything goes terribly wrong.
And the mystery's solution is so over-the-top.
And the happily ever after ending felt highly unlikely for this couple
librarygirl55's review
3.0
The story was good but I did not like the Hannah character. She seemed a little overly whiney to me and I didn't blame her husband for how he felt about her during most of this book. Their marriage seemed to abruptly resolve is problems in a way that I didn't think was too believable. Also, the other characters in the town could have been developed a little more. The writer was vague about them and their relationship to one another and standing in the town until the very last part of the book. Would have liked a little more background on them. However, the beginning of the story when Hannah was alone in the house and hearing noises and other things did give me a few weird dreams after reading before bed.