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tonstantweader 's review for:
Hid from Our Eyes
by Julia Spencer-Fleming
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/