The book...
A gripping psychological thriller with chilling twists, from a unique new voice.
Keller Baye and Rebecca Brown live on different sides of the Atlantic. Until she falls in love with him, Rebecca knows nothing of Keller. But he's known about her for a very long time, and now he wants to destroy her.
This is the story of two families. One living under the threat of execution in North Carolina. The other caught up in a dark mystery in the Scottish Highlands. The families' paths are destined to cross. But why? And can anything save them when that happens?
Purchase from Amazon UK
The review...
One peculiar day, Primmy said, "It's no use hiding. Life will still be here when you get back."
An orphaned ten year old girl, growing up with her grandparents and siblings in a chilly sandstone mansion in the Highlands of Scotland. On the other side of the Atlantic, an angry young man plotting revenge. A bank heist gone horribly wrong. A prisoner on Death Row.
Clearly there are connections between these disparate elements, but the true picture will emerge only gradually in a darkly intriguing and compellingly written story.
Hiding is a theme throughout. Rebecca has had the truth hidden from her all her life and is herself a determined liar. Keller is hiding many things including his true identity. ("Hiding" also has another connotation in terms of his youthful exploits.) Ultimately, when the truth is finally revealed, the title has a hard hitting resonance and poignancy.
The characters are complex and brilliantly drawn. I loved Rebecca, who we meet first as the imaginative ten-year-old "Youngest Brown" and follow her development into a young woman building a career. Keller is a complicated but not entirely unsympathetic character - as one person observes, there is or was a goodness in him. It's hard to avoid speculating about how people end up where they are and what could have been different.
Other characters - particularly Rebecca's grandparents, the disapproving Primmy and long-suffering Ralph - are also wonderfully described and Primmy in particular I could picture so clearly. Some others (such as the cowhand Murdo, who Rebecca at one point says she loves more than all of them put together) could perhaps have been given more detail... but the story does not lose anything as a result
There are some great scenes - I particularly enjoyed the stand-up comedy descriptions. Elsewhere, the story can become very dark and, at times, distressing.
There are some great scenes - I particularly enjoyed the stand-up comedy descriptions. Elsewhere, the story can become very dark and, at times, distressing.
I was very impressed with Jenny Morton Potts' novel, which I found to be intelligent, original, nuanced and complex. It's a book which repays close attention, as I found myself confused at times particularly in the earlier parts, but all gradually becomes clearer as the differing elements knit together satisfyingly. Finishing, I immediately wanted to read the whole thing again, to see how it all fitted.
The only bit I was not quite sure about was the very end, which felt perhaps a little abrupt after a tremendous and nerve-shredding build-up. As Keller observed, it's the hardest part... but I want to know what happened afterwards!
Many thanks to the author and Rachel's Random Resources for the opportunity to read "Hiding" and to be part of the blog tour. I loved it and look forward to seeing what Jenny Morton Potts does next.
The author...
Jenny would like to see the Northern Lights but worries that's the best bit and should be saved till last. Very happily, and gratefully, settled with family.
She tries not to take herself too seriously.
Social media links...
The giveaway...
Win! 3 x e-copies of Hiding by Jenny Morton Potts (Open internationally)
No comments:
Post a Comment