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Title: The Hiding Place
Author: David Bell
Narrator: Penelope Rawlins
Format: Unabridged
Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins
Language: English
Release date: 08-21-14
Publisher: Oakhill Publishing
Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 1 votes
Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Suspense
Publisher's Summary:
Twenty-five-years ago, four-year-old Justin Manning disappeared. Two months later his body was found in a shallow grave in the woods, shocking the small town of Dove Point. Janet Manning has been haunted by her brothers death since the day she lost sight of him in the park. Now, a detective and a reporter are asking questions, raising new suspicions and opening old wounds. But if the man jailed for the murder is innocent, who did kill Justin? Janet thought shed put the past and guilt behind her. But now the truth about her brother is heartbreakingly close - has she the courage to find it?
Critic Reviews:
"Reads like a collaboration between Michael Connelly and the gothic fiction of Joyce Carol Oates . . . A winner on every level" (Will Lavender)
"Cemetery Girl grabbed me by the throat on page one and never let up. . . the work of a master" (John Lescroart)
Members Reviews:
Too Slow
Although the premise for The Hiding Place by David Bell was an interesting one, the story was very slow and it took too long to get to the resolution. Additionally, the ending was somewhat predictable.
Twenty-five years ago, seven year old Janet Manning was sent with her four year old brother, Justin, to a nearby park to play. Her mother instructed Janet to never take her eyes off of her sibling, but Janet's friend, Michael, was at the park too. Janet and Michael went off to play and when they returned, Justin was missing. Justin was later found buried in a shallow grave in the adjoining woods. An African American man, Dante Rogers, who was also a questionable character, was convicted for this crime he insisted he did not commit, and after serving his time, subsequently was released from prison still maintaining his innocence.
On the twenty-fifth anniversary of the murder, a stranger approached Janet at her family home, in the middle of the night, suggesting that there was additional information regarding her brother's killing. Janet determined to find out the truth, along with her daughter Ashleigh, uncovered many lies and distortions and her brother's closed case started to unravel.
There were some problems with the book for me. I questioned why, after twenty-five years this stranger first came forward. Janet, who no doubt suffered a difficult life after the death of her brother, didn't come across as feeling any guilt for the incident. In fact, she was presented as a very strong, well-adjusted woman, raising her daughter on her own and taking care of her unemployed, aloof dad. Side stories, such as Janet's single-motherhood and money being stolen from the church, fizzled and left this reader asking why time was wasted on this part of the story. Also, Dante Roger's story needed to be heard, either by his own voice or the voice of his family or friends. Further, Janet's friend, Michael, who was in the park with her the day Justin was killed, mysteriously came home to confront Janet about a memory that had revealed itself during therapy. It all was too coincidental, and believe it or not, very slow in parts.
That being said, the book still held my interest. I wanted to find out what really happened the day Justin was killed, and that is why I gave a three star review.
Pretty Good Once It Gets Going
The Hiding Place is not as good as Cemetery Girl, but about half-way through, the pace picks up and it comes to a satisfying conclusion.
