An adequate mystery by Tracy Clark
Written by: Abigail Dawn
Released on January 1, 2023, Tracy Clark’s “Hide” is a satisfying read that readers will thoroughly enjoy. Published by Thomas & Mercer, this story is a page-turner that gives readers the opportunity to escape into a mystery they can try to solve themselves along with the main characters.
Book Summary
The novel begins with the discovery of a body, a young redheaded woman, who was brutally murdered in Chicago, left to be discovered amongst the blood and leaves around the river. Detective Harriet Foster is assigned the case at her new precinct. After her partner’s recent death, and the murder of her son, Foster is determined to make her mark in her new work environment with her new colleagues. Although her new partner is proving to be difficult with his oozing white male privilege.
When another woman, with the same signature turns up Foster believes she’s dealing with a serial killer. The case gets messy and interesting when a psychiatrist turns up to turn her former patient, Brodie Morgan, in—without evidence. Foster and her partner dig into the Morgan family, to find out that things might not be what they seem.
Like with every serial murder, time is running out before the next woman turns up dead, and Foster has to push through her demons to bring the case to a close.
Book Review
This novel is a satisfying mystery that allows readers to follow the lives of multiple characters. Clark alternates points of view throughout the novel so the reader can get an understanding of each component that brings the novel together, allowing readers to develop their theories, predictions, and evidence board.
Clark’s character development is strong throughout the novel, the attention to detail made the characters and the plot that much more realistic. It’s apparent that Clark took the time to develop each character’s story with precision and ensured all the pieces connected for the flow of the story.
Unfortunately, although parts of the story were well developed, the lack of plot twists made the story linear. Although with every story, novel, or film we’re following a timeline of sorts, the storyline has flashbacks, the plot twist, or the unexpected moment that changes the course of the story. This novel excluded too much, making the story lack interest. Although well written and easy to read, it became a satisfying read because it was predictable. Clark gave too much away initially, and it didn’t challenge readers to step outside the box to try and solve the mystery, but it stayed within the parameters of the box.
Overall Recommendation
I recommend this novel for a reader looking for a quick, fun read that is easy to follow. A reader looking for a novel with a satisfying ending, the ending they predicted and hoped for. Clark’s writing is clear, her characters are strong, and she easily attracts readers to every page of the book—making it so they don’t want to put it down.