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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
I was so excited to see a new volume from Julia Spencer-Fleming, but to be honest, I was a bit nervous, too, because it felt like the previous volume in the series had struggled a bit in balancing fairly somber character development and plot. I am happy to say, though, that "Hid From Our Eyes" is a very strong entry in the series. It has a genuinely complex and creepy mystery, which I didn't figure out till the very end. As is usual for Spencer-Fleming, the mystery is thoughtfully entangled in issues of gender, sexuality, and power -- and both the revelation and the problem at the heart felt on point for society today.
Spencer-Fleming smoothly flips between three time periods, and in doing so, gives readers new insight into Russ Van Alstyne's past, which in turn helps to continue developing his relationship with Clare. And Clare, still struggling with her own demons, is nonetheless committed to asking difficult questions and chasing down answers.
So often, cozy mysteries are full of unrealistically perfect people -- so perfect that it's hard to understand how anyone ends up murdered in the first place. What I love about the Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne series is how Spencer-Fleming deliberately makes her characters less than perfect, and weaves their own struggles into the mysteries. It's clear by the end of the book that Spencer-Fleming has a plan in place to continue -- and take Russ and Clare in a new direction -- and I'll be curious to learn more in future volumes.
Spencer-Fleming smoothly flips between three time periods, and in doing so, gives readers new insight into Russ Van Alstyne's past, which in turn helps to continue developing his relationship with Clare. And Clare, still struggling with her own demons, is nonetheless committed to asking difficult questions and chasing down answers.
So often, cozy mysteries are full of unrealistically perfect people -- so perfect that it's hard to understand how anyone ends up murdered in the first place. What I love about the Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne series is how Spencer-Fleming deliberately makes her characters less than perfect, and weaves their own struggles into the mysteries. It's clear by the end of the book that Spencer-Fleming has a plan in place to continue -- and take Russ and Clare in a new direction -- and I'll be curious to learn more in future volumes.
Hid From Our Eyes is the ninth installment in the Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne mystery series. This mystery is three-fold. Three separate dead women found on the highway in a fancy dress with no discernible cause of death. In 1952, the Chief of Police Harry McNeil is certain this was no drug overdose, but it’s out of his jurisdiction. He does what investigating he can along with a young patrolman named Jack Liddle who is also unwilling to write her off. In 1972, Chief of Police Jack Liddle investigates an identical mysterious death and Russ Van Alstyne who found the body is among the suspects.
Now, the third dead woman in similar circumstances makes Chief of Police Van Alstyne certain there is a connection between all three deaths. Of course, it is awkward that he was a suspect in 1972 and never officially cleared, especially as there is a plebiscite on whether or not to close the local police department and let the state police take over.
There is also a lawsuit alleging a local police officer planted drugs on her ex-husband. He sounds a peach and no one would blame her, but she knows she did not do that, but what about the other officer, now working undercover for the state police. Did he do that on her behalf?
Hid From Our Eyes is an excellent mystery. It is absolutely fair. We get the information when Russ gets the information. There are none of those Nero Wolfe moments when a clue arrives and the detective goes “Aha!” and we don’t learn what that was until the narrative explanation in front of all the suspects at the end. In fact, readers were not even inflicted with the long narrative explaining the detective’s inductive reasoning. That is what I call fair!
There was a moment in the 1972 narrative when I thought Chief Liddle missed an obvious clue, but other than that, everyone was smart. This is a smart, fair mystery and the actual solution was unexpected, a fresh solution that I had not imagined. That is all one can ask for.
I also like the sub-plots and how one story percolated in the background that I am certain will be central in the tenth in the series. This was my introduction to this series and I was not confused by starting with the ninth. References to the past were passing and infrequent, so I never felt lost. I am looking forward to the tenth.
I received an e-galley of Hid From Our Eyes from the publisher through NetGalley
Hid From Our Eyes at St. Martin’s Press | Macmillan
Julia Spencer-Fleming on Facebook
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2020/04/27/9780312606855/
Now, the third dead woman in similar circumstances makes Chief of Police Van Alstyne certain there is a connection between all three deaths. Of course, it is awkward that he was a suspect in 1972 and never officially cleared, especially as there is a plebiscite on whether or not to close the local police department and let the state police take over.
There is also a lawsuit alleging a local police officer planted drugs on her ex-husband. He sounds a peach and no one would blame her, but she knows she did not do that, but what about the other officer, now working undercover for the state police. Did he do that on her behalf?
Hid From Our Eyes is an excellent mystery. It is absolutely fair. We get the information when Russ gets the information. There are none of those Nero Wolfe moments when a clue arrives and the detective goes “Aha!” and we don’t learn what that was until the narrative explanation in front of all the suspects at the end. In fact, readers were not even inflicted with the long narrative explaining the detective’s inductive reasoning. That is what I call fair!
There was a moment in the 1972 narrative when I thought Chief Liddle missed an obvious clue, but other than that, everyone was smart. This is a smart, fair mystery and the actual solution was unexpected, a fresh solution that I had not imagined. That is all one can ask for.
I also like the sub-plots and how one story percolated in the background that I am certain will be central in the tenth in the series. This was my introduction to this series and I was not confused by starting with the ninth. References to the past were passing and infrequent, so I never felt lost. I am looking forward to the tenth.
I received an e-galley of Hid From Our Eyes from the publisher through NetGalley
Hid From Our Eyes at St. Martin’s Press | Macmillan
Julia Spencer-Fleming on Facebook
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2020/04/27/9780312606855/
Received this book from BookishFirst.
This is the 9th book in a series and the first one I've read by this author and in this series. However, I did not feel that I missed anything by not reading the previous books in the series.
Russ Van Alstyne is the Chief of Police in Millers Kill, a town located in New York State. His wife is Rev. Clare Fergusson and they have have an infant, Ethan. Russ is investigating a mysterious death of a young woman who was dumped on a road with no obvious trauma. This case is identical to a case from 1972 in which Russ was a potential suspect. The chief in 1972 recalls yet another identical case from 1952. This book follows Russ's investigation in the current case but also alternates between the current case and the previous two cases.
It was very well done and I enjoyed the story. Well-written and it kept me guessing. Typically, when I'm reading, I try not to guess "who did it" because I want to be "lost" in the story telling. I really enjoyed this book.
This is the 9th book in a series and the first one I've read by this author and in this series. However, I did not feel that I missed anything by not reading the previous books in the series.
Russ Van Alstyne is the Chief of Police in Millers Kill, a town located in New York State. His wife is Rev. Clare Fergusson and they have have an infant, Ethan. Russ is investigating a mysterious death of a young woman who was dumped on a road with no obvious trauma. This case is identical to a case from 1972 in which Russ was a potential suspect. The chief in 1972 recalls yet another identical case from 1952. This book follows Russ's investigation in the current case but also alternates between the current case and the previous two cases.
It was very well done and I enjoyed the story. Well-written and it kept me guessing. Typically, when I'm reading, I try not to guess "who did it" because I want to be "lost" in the story telling. I really enjoyed this book.
Everything is just such a trainwreck with this series at this point. Is there anyone in it who isn't completely ridiculously, over-the-toply* foolish? I mean, people are dumb, but these characters are prize winners in the dumb Olympics.
Don't get me wrong! It's still written really well and the characterizations are very good. Spencer-Fleming can write. I just think she needs a new series. Maybe a sinkhole can swallow Millers Kill.
*I think I just invented this phrase. I'm keeping it.
Don't get me wrong! It's still written really well and the characterizations are very good. Spencer-Fleming can write. I just think she needs a new series. Maybe a sinkhole can swallow Millers Kill.
*I think I just invented this phrase. I'm keeping it.