A review by sharonleavy
Hidden Lies by Rachel Ryan

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

 

Georgina & Bren (who try as I might, could not picture as a man, but as my friend Lorraine's dog of the same name) are going through a bit of a rough patch in their marriage. To make things worse, their son Cody has begun to talk about "New Granny" - a kind older lady who gives him sweets and calls him on the phone. 

Convinced that "New Granny" is a figment of his imagination in order to cope with the recent death of his real-life Granny, Bren isn't too concerned. But Georgina is terrified that someone is actually targeting her son. 

I like this - up until about the last third. I thought it was a solid story, but I just really didn't like the way it went. I appreciate what the author was trying to do and what she was trying to draw more attention to, but for me it just made me feel very uneasy. I felt like it added even more stigma to the person at the centre of the mystery. 

I really, really disliked Bren, the husband, but I do think that was intentional to raise suspicion.