Hidden by Emma Kavanagh
Genre; Crime
A gunman is stalking the wards of a local hospital. He’s unidentified and dangerous, and has to be located. Urgently.
Police Firearms Officer Aden McCarthy is tasked with tracking him down. Still troubled by the shooting of a schoolboy, Aden is determined to make amends by finding the gunman—before it’s too late.
SHE’S WAITING
To psychologist Imogen, hospital should be a place of healing and safety—both for her, and her young niece who’s been recently admitted. She’s heard about the gunman, but he has little to do with her. Or has he?
As time ticks down, no one knows who the gunman’s next target will be. But he’s there. Hiding in plain sight. Far closer than anyone thinks…
My Thoughts:
I read Emma’s debut novel, Falling, last year. I loved it and you can read my thoughts on it Here.
Emma has a wonderful way with words. They ebb and flow and you get caught up in them and move with them as they weave their way around the story. For a crime novel, it’s not all hard and spiky, it’s smooth and clean feeling and you just want to keep reading, to stay in that world, with those characters. You want to just keep turning the pages and stay with the feeling she creates.
Hidden follows several characters who have their own chapters. We see what they see and how they feel. How they are dealing with events in their lives. The shooting of a schoolboy and an ill child. With interwoven chapters like this it can be difficult to get them to marry up and work well but Kavanagh has polished this novel so that it shines. The stories of everyone involved and how they all interweave is wonderfully done. We’re talking about shootings and life, you feel the lifeblood and life-force of people as she so eloquently conveys how the loss, how death, how fear or love touches them.
I adored this book and can’t wait for the next one from Emma Kavanagh. She writes so wonderfully. If you haven’t tried her yet, you must. And the other thing is, these are standalone books. Where lots of crime novelist, myself included, write series, Kavanagh is writing standalones and this makes her standalone in place all of her own. Brilliant!
Margot Kinberg says
Glad you liked this so much, Rebecca. Sounds like a great context for a novel, and I agree with you that it’s not easy to weave together two plot lines. I’m glad you thought it worked here.
Rebecca Bradley says
It was brilliant Margot. I love Emma’s writing and really can’t wait for her next one!
Emma says
I have this on my kindle and thought it sounded good. Haven’t read Fallen though. Looking forward to reading both. Emma
Rebecca Bradley says
You have to read Hidden if you have it and once you’ve read it you’ll then want to read Fallen – but be warned, it is quite spooky but not in a ghost sort of way, you’ll know what I mean if you read it. 🙂
readingwritingandriesling says
I did enjoy this one too Rebecca
Rebecca Bradley says
She has a lovely style doesn’t she Carol. I can’t wait for her next one!
readingwritingandriesling says
Agree Rebecca and she just gets better and better.
Rebecca Bradley says
I stressed her out on Twitter yesterday asking for the next book 🙂 She has agreed to do the bite-sized interview though so keep your eyes peeled 🙂
readingwritingandriesling says
I will Rebecca – look forward to it 🙂