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breakingmandy's review against another edition
3.0
I love this series, but the more books there are the less we see the original Krewe and I miss the original Krewe. I wish they showed up more in the newer books.
cmorris109's review
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
jazzrizz's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed the story in this book. I've always had a soft spot for the out West settings, and I especially like the old and new that this series does so well.
The couple is a switch up from the normal too ... Scarlet & Diego are divorced ... but apparently it was a mistake on Scarlet's part on leaving. To say they pick up where they left off is an understatement ... but it definitely sped the relationship part of the story along.
I honestly thought I had the whodunnit figured out, but I was surprised by the twist at the end. I only got it half right.
The ancestry angle was intriguing. It's amazing how many descendants can come from one couple. Especially when their one child has 16 kids!!
Another great Krewe book!
The couple is a switch up from the normal too ... Scarlet & Diego are divorced ... but apparently it was a mistake on Scarlet's part on leaving. To say they pick up where they left off is an understatement ... but it definitely sped the relationship part of the story along.
I honestly thought I had the whodunnit figured out, but I was surprised by the twist at the end. I only got it half right.
The ancestry angle was intriguing. It's amazing how many descendants can come from one couple. Especially when their one child has 16 kids!!
Another great Krewe book!
cj_mo_2222's review against another edition
4.0
This is an excellent new romantic suspense novel in the Krewe of Hunters series. They have a paranormal element, but the stories are still told in a realistic way. “The Hidden” takes place in Estes Park, Colorado and features historian Scarlet Barlow and her ex-husband Krewe FBI agent Diego McCullough. Scarlet is being set-up for a mysterious murder that seems to be linked to a decades-old crime. Scarlet doesn’t know where to turn and calls on her ex-husband Diego for help. In addition to Diego and his FBI friends helping with the case, things start to heat up between Scarlet and Diego making for an interesting mystery and entertaining romance.
I love how the characters from prior books in this series reappear in other books, but each one is a standalone story. This is the perfect series for fans of well-written romantic suspense. You can’t go wrong with a Heather Graham novel and “The Hidden” is especially good.
I love how the characters from prior books in this series reappear in other books, but each one is a standalone story. This is the perfect series for fans of well-written romantic suspense. You can’t go wrong with a Heather Graham novel and “The Hidden” is especially good.
bookwyrm_lark's review against another edition
4.0
And another Heather Graham fan is born…
My blogging friends have been telling me I would like Graham’s books for a while now. They were right! The Hidden is right up my alley: suspenseful but not too gruesome or scary, well-plotted, and with a good dose of both romance and the paranormal. I’d class it as paranormal romantic suspense, with the emphasis on the first and third words. The romance was enjoyable – I liked both Scarlet and Diego very much – but the balance is probably 2/3 mystery, 1/3 romance, and it was the mystery that kept me reading late into the night.
The Krewe of Hunters refers to both an elite FBI group that deals with the paranormal, and the series of books about them. This was my first introduction to the Krewe, and I had no trouble jumping in. Because Scarlet and Diego are both relatively new to the Krewe, it was easy for Graham to slip in the background information I needed without it feeling like an infodump. It’s actually the 17th book in the series, but only one prior book is mentioned directly (and it’s one I’ll probably skip, since I don’t do zombies.)
I loved the setting – a ranch near Estes Park, Colorado. Graham describes both so well that I could easily picture them (and would love to visit them!) Plot and setting are integrated well. The way the murders are tied to the ranch’s history limits the number of characters and possible suspects somewhat, but there’s still a tourist town nearby, so you can’t rule out someone from there, which heightens the suspense.
Graham really kept me guessing who the murderer was. I suspected someone right off the bat, then discounted that person later on. I went through about 6 suspects in my head before I got to the end – and discovered my first suspicion was actually correct. A fair number of people had opportunity and/or means, and since the motive wasn’t clear until close to the end, it was very hard to narrow it down. And Graham adds several twists to the plot that completely surprised me.
Both hero and heroine are really likeable and believable. Diego is almost too perfect a hero: strong, compassionate, and completely dedicated to keeping Scarlet safe and to finding and stopping the murderer. Scarlet is smart and equally strong in her way, but she’s understandably frightened, especially by the uncanny things that keep happening around and to her. It is clear neither has ever stopped loving the other, which makes the resumption of their relationship a foregone conclusion. Hence, there is much more tension in the mystery plot than in the romance, but that was fine with me.
The book does have a few weaknesses. One development stretched my credulity a bit far – and I don’t mean the ghosts. The Krewe members suggest and carry out a scheme to try to unveil the murderer. It’s certainly something that Krewe agents would be comfortable with, but not something I can see anyone believing that normal FBI agents would involve themselves with. Character reactions to the plan are mixed, but no one ever asks, “WTH? What kind of FBI agents are you?” – which would have been my first reaction.
The other thing that bothered me is that a character has a turnaround in their attitude toward Scarlet which is never really explained. That really irks me as a reader; if someone’s behavior changes, show me why.
On the whole, though, I really enjoyed The Hidden, and will definitely be reading more of Graham’s Krewe of Hunters series. Luckily for me, I already have books #1 and #13 on my Kindle… and you can bet I’ll be checking the library for more!
Read for COYER Scavenger Hunt: #14 - any type of crime novel
FTC disclosure: I received a review copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are entirely my own.
Review originally published at The Bookwyrm's Hoard.
My blogging friends have been telling me I would like Graham’s books for a while now. They were right! The Hidden is right up my alley: suspenseful but not too gruesome or scary, well-plotted, and with a good dose of both romance and the paranormal. I’d class it as paranormal romantic suspense, with the emphasis on the first and third words. The romance was enjoyable – I liked both Scarlet and Diego very much – but the balance is probably 2/3 mystery, 1/3 romance, and it was the mystery that kept me reading late into the night.
The Krewe of Hunters refers to both an elite FBI group that deals with the paranormal, and the series of books about them. This was my first introduction to the Krewe, and I had no trouble jumping in. Because Scarlet and Diego are both relatively new to the Krewe, it was easy for Graham to slip in the background information I needed without it feeling like an infodump. It’s actually the 17th book in the series, but only one prior book is mentioned directly (and it’s one I’ll probably skip, since I don’t do zombies.)
I loved the setting – a ranch near Estes Park, Colorado. Graham describes both so well that I could easily picture them (and would love to visit them!) Plot and setting are integrated well. The way the murders are tied to the ranch’s history limits the number of characters and possible suspects somewhat, but there’s still a tourist town nearby, so you can’t rule out someone from there, which heightens the suspense.
Graham really kept me guessing who the murderer was. I suspected someone right off the bat, then discounted that person later on. I went through about 6 suspects in my head before I got to the end – and discovered my first suspicion was actually correct. A fair number of people had opportunity and/or means, and since the motive wasn’t clear until close to the end, it was very hard to narrow it down. And Graham adds several twists to the plot that completely surprised me.
Both hero and heroine are really likeable and believable. Diego is almost too perfect a hero: strong, compassionate, and completely dedicated to keeping Scarlet safe and to finding and stopping the murderer. Scarlet is smart and equally strong in her way, but she’s understandably frightened, especially by the uncanny things that keep happening around and to her. It is clear neither has ever stopped loving the other, which makes the resumption of their relationship a foregone conclusion. Hence, there is much more tension in the mystery plot than in the romance, but that was fine with me.
The book does have a few weaknesses. One development stretched my credulity a bit far – and I don’t mean the ghosts. The Krewe members suggest and carry out a scheme to try to unveil the murderer. It’s certainly something that Krewe agents would be comfortable with, but not something I can see anyone believing that normal FBI agents would involve themselves with. Character reactions to the plan are mixed, but no one ever asks, “WTH? What kind of FBI agents are you?” – which would have been my first reaction.
The other thing that bothered me is that a character has a turnaround in their attitude toward Scarlet which is never really explained. That really irks me as a reader; if someone’s behavior changes, show me why.
On the whole, though, I really enjoyed The Hidden, and will definitely be reading more of Graham’s Krewe of Hunters series. Luckily for me, I already have books #1 and #13 on my Kindle… and you can bet I’ll be checking the library for more!
Read for COYER Scavenger Hunt: #14 - any type of crime novel
FTC disclosure: I received a review copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are entirely my own.
Review originally published at The Bookwyrm's Hoard.
lpcoolgirl's review against another edition
5.0
This book was fantastic! I enjoyed seeing Diego again, with the woman he loves, even though they got a divorce! Fantastic book, and I can't wait to read more! I've almost caught up, yeah!
judythereader's review against another edition
3.0
Scarlett Barlow is working for a distant cousin, curating his small museum of western history. Right down the road from the Stanley Hotel, Scarlet loves the open spaces and the history of the area, but she laughs at the idea that ghosts like the ones Stephen King wrote about could be real. Even after pictures of a murdered couple appear and disappear on her digital camera, she doesn't believe it could be anything paranormal.
She doesn't know that her ex-husband Diego McCullough has just joined the Krewe of Hunters, people who do believe. She also doesn't know how important that will be, when she becomes a suspect in a double murder and she reaches out to him for help.
I enjoy the Krewe novels. The worst of them is always still fun and easy to read. The formula is set, but the characters are nice and the suspense is well paced.
She doesn't know that her ex-husband Diego McCullough has just joined the Krewe of Hunters, people who do believe. She also doesn't know how important that will be, when she becomes a suspect in a double murder and she reaches out to him for help.
I enjoy the Krewe novels. The worst of them is always still fun and easy to read. The formula is set, but the characters are nice and the suspense is well paced.
windyskirt's review against another edition
2.0
Divorced couple reunites due to ghosts, murder and instalust.
(Note to self: this is the book where the moose head shoots bolts out of its nose.)
(Note to self: this is the book where the moose head shoots bolts out of its nose.)