What do You think about Hide (2007)?
This is the second book in the Detective D.D. Warren series, and it is also the second time that I have read this author.Detective Bobby Dodge is back! I am still confused as to why this series is not named the "Detective Bobby Dodge" series, since his role is more prominent in both this novel and its predecessor, Alone, which I read back in February.When six bodies are discovered in an underground chamber, Bobby Dodge's first thought is that the crime is reminiscent of Catherine Gagnon's case which was solved in Alone. Is this the work of the same man who kidnapped Catherine?I like this book even more than the first in the series! It is getting better!!I like Bobby Dodge, but it seems like he can't help himself but get involved with each of women in these books!!Gardner threw in lots of twists and red herrings that kept me guessing right up until the end. Just when I thought that I had everything figured out, there was another twist! I love it when authors do that - keeps me on my toes!I also like Maggie-Meg Reed's narration of this book.
—Darlene
Lisa Gardner is very hit-and-miss with me as far as her plots go. Her books are generally well-written, but all the good writing in the world can't make up for bad characterization and poorly structured plot. What really sticks out to me with this novel was the ill-planned reveal of the criminal's identity.I was ready to go along with the switches from first to third person, because while I usually find it annoying, I get that some authors find it a useful plot device, but in this case it just felt lazy, like Gardner had already written the first person sections and was too lazy to change them when she realized she wasn't able to keep her entire book in first person. That alone wasn't enough to make or break it for me, but alas, where this book really fails is in tying together all the threads of mystery. Instead of one bad guy it turns out we have two. Instead of the logical explanation, we get two convoluted ones.Basically, the ending felt like Gardner was trying too hard to be clever about who did it. It also ended up feeling like two novels she'd squished together into one, which wasn't annoying until the ending. In all, this book didn't impress me, but it also wasn't horrible.
—Shakespearesgirl
HIDE (Suspense-Bobby Dodge-Boston-Cont) – VGGardner, Lisa – StandaloneBantam, 2007, US Hardcover- ISBN: 9780553804324First Sentence: My father explained it to me the first time when I was seven years old.*** Massachusetts state police detective Bobby Dodge is called to a Boston PD crime scene. Sergeant D.D. Warren and her team are on the grounds of the closed and crumbling Boston State Mental Hospital. There has been found an underground room containing the bodies of six young girls. One thing they release to the press is the name of one of the young girl’s based on a locket they found. Since she was seven years old, Annabelle’s father has moved their family from place to place, always taking new identities but with Annabelle never knowing why. Now, with both her parents dead, Annabelle has come back to Boston, where she started. When she reads the story in the news, she realizes the locket was hers and one of the bodies was the best friend she’s given it to.*** Lisa Gardner is an author who deserves much more notice than she receives. The lady knows how to write suspense with a human touch. Her characters are strong and fully dimensional, down to the members of the team; one of which as a new baby and another whose mother is dying. Her writing is atmospheric; you see the people on the train, and feel the closeness of the underground room. The story flows and builds taking the reader along on the investigation. You think you know where it’s going and who the villain is, but you’re not certain and then Gardner reveals a new element to keep you off balance. The ending does rather come at you out of no where but it always explains the reason for the family’s moves. To introduce it sooner would have completely spoiled the suspense. “Hide” was a very good, fast read.
—LJ
