Three young women dressed in party attire are discovered decades apart. What is going on?

This is the ninth in a series, although the prior one was published some seven years ago.

If you want a tight police procedural, this isn’t it. The crimes are almost secondary to the lives of Police Chief Russ van Alstyne, his wife, Reverend Clara Fergusson and ancillary characters who are members of the police department, friends, or acquaintances. The story bounces among the three time frames of the deaths; 1952, 1972, and “present day”.

I had some difficulty in the beginning getting into this story; did we really need an entire chapter on Clara giving birth? And, while I did think the motive behind the killings was a bit of a stretch, I eventually found the book engrossing and well written. The author does a good job of recreating the flavor of small town upstate New York resort areas (or any resort area) that have to balance the reality of the life of everyday locals with the needs of well to do summer people.

I did not read the prior books in this series. Although I liked this one, I have no desire to go back and read the prior eight.

I didn't realize there were other books in this series when I picked it up. I think it works as a stand alone, however, I felt like I was missing some nuances. This book features killings that span decades. I enjoyed the characters. I liked the honesty of Clare struggling with motherhood. There was a lot to absorb. I read a lot of books in the genre so I was pleasantly surprised to find a fresh story.
While portions felt a bit farfetched, they still managed to take me by surprise. They worked for the plot. This is a well written book and I definitely will read this author again.

It’s been 6 years since the last book in this series. But the characters are so vivid, my memories of them came right back to me. What a treat to finally be re-connected with Russ and Clare. They are now the parents of a four month old. Claire not only has the normal first time mother’s angst, but is also worried that her drinking during the first trimester of her pregnancy might have caused Ethan to have fetal alcohol syndrome.

Meanwhile, Russ is dealing with the murder of a young woman. What makes the murder unique is that it mirrors ones committed in 1952 and 1972, when Russ, just back from Vietnam, was himself considered a suspect. This also gives us a window not just into Russ’s younger days and how he ended up in the police force, but also his mom’s, Margie’s, background.

I’ve been reading several new releases to police procedural series in a row. It’s made me realize what a talent it is to create characters that seem real. It’s more than just giving us the facts about someone. It’s a certain “je ne sais quoi” that transforms the written word into a flesh and blood character. Spencer-Fleming has it in spades. Her writing style reminds me of Louise Penny - in depth plot lines that require intense concentration so nothing is missed. We are bounced between 1952, 1972 and the present day and hear from the police chief in charge for each period, in addition to hearing from Clare in the present day.

This is a very enjoyable story. I never saw that ending coming. And no, it’s not believable, but I’m willing to overlook that as these books are as much about the personal lives of the characters as the mystery. Also, there are three cliffhangers at the end of the book, by my count, so I can only hope this means we have another book in the series to look forward to reading

My thanks to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

I didn’t realize this book was part of a series until I’d already started reading it, I imagine much more of it would have made sense had I read the other books first as this one is pretty far in. It was still enjoyable as a stand-alone, but there’s a lot of history and references to previous events that I had to kind of just roll past. Murder told across the decades, there are 3 different cases, from 1952 to 1972 and then present day, all women victims, all dressed in finery, missing their shoes and purses and dumped in the middle of nowhere with no visible sign or cause of death. The story is told in a tri-timeline style, with each Chief of Police providing insight into their portion of the case. The characters are likeable, real and raw, with modern day problems and life changing critical decisions to be made. I thought the plot, while at times a little hard to follow because of the multiple timelines, was excellently tied together and enjoyably morbid. This was a great, quick read.

After a long hiatus due to many personal problems, Julia Spencer-Fleming has brought back her popular characters -Reverend Clare Ferguson and Chief Russ Van Alstyne. In Hid From Our Eyes, the story opens in 1952, when police are investigating the death of a young woman found dead on the road. With no signs of violence, but dressed in a party dress and wearing nighttime makeup, the police assume she was a prostitute. They never solve the case, nor identify the victim. Fat forward to 1972 and there is another death, also unsolved. Jump to the present (2002 in this book) and a third body is found in an eerily similar situation.

An excellent mystery with a shocking conclusion.

Having read with enthusiasm the other books in the author’s Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne series, I was delighted to be chosen to read an ARC of the latest one. I certainly was not disappointed! Lest you think that you have to read the entire series, you do not because this book can be a stand alone. I just know that once you have read this one, you will want to read the others! In this latest one, there is a series of three murders, all decades apart and all eerily alike. A young woman’s dead body is left in the middle of nowhere in the little town of Millers Kill and the head of law enforcement each time is left stymied as to who killed her and why she was left in their town. The point of view switches between the different chiefs of police, starting in the 50’s with Chief Harry McNeil, in the 70’s with Chief Jack Liddle and in the present with Chief Russ Van Alstyne. Following the clues and finding the connections is a real dilemma for Russ, who calls upon his wife, Episcopalian minister Clare, to help follow and solve the mystery. This was a powerfully written police procedural with some very creative and unexpected twists. I loved getting to know Clare and Russ again and how their human foibles are presented. Clare is having difficulty getting used to being a new mother and juggling that with her other responsibilities as well as helping Russ to find out who is disturbing the peace in their little town by dropping bodies there every few decades. Fans of police procedurals and mystery/suspense will definitely want to read this book!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

All I can say is how did I not read any of the first eight books in this series. This is a well-written and fast-paced drama that that spanned decades but it’s the present day that tells the story that had me completely immersed in all facets as the author intended. A tightly woven and multi-arc mystery where the tone set the stage to how well this story was going to be told. Baring no expense, this story takes hold where the suspect list is small with little clues but it is the details that kept me riveted to the drama unfolding. The art of planting red herrings. . .Julia is perfect at that because the more I read, the more the directions changed and when it all came together, the one missing piece, created a finished puzzle. But wait, there was more. And that ending. . . yeah, I can’t wait to see where that leads to.

I loved this book! It was well worth the wait for the next installment in this series, and Julia Spencer-Fleming did not disappoint. The rich character development makes me feel like I know Claire and Russ. The three cases in different time periods made the mystery very interesting. Great read!!

Having read the first two novels in this series featuring Police Chief Russ and Episcopal Priest Clare (who as I remember kept sticking her nose into his cases playing amateur sleuth). It had been several years since I'd read anything about them. Apparently a few more novels came along in which they evidently married, and now have a baby and Clare is going through postpartum issues.

Millers Kill is an interesting setting for the mysteries that they get involved in. The current case Russ is drawn into mimics a case in which Russ was a person of interest, when he was just back from Vietnam, in 1972. A Jane Doe found dead in a party dress with no apparent cause of death. The same thing happened in 1952, twenty years prior and now in present day as well, same M.O. The crime solving seemed interesting enough for awhile but got bogged down with personal issues becoming more of a soap opera for me than a mystery.

My opinion of this novel is not much better than what I thought of the previous novels. Just OK. I was dismayed to see the struggles that Clare was going through in her personal life as I had the impression she was a stronger woman than what they show us here. I don't think I can give this more than a 3-star rating.

<b>Read 9 Feb 2020 (★★★★½ rounded up)</b>

Wow. HID FROM OUR EYES concludes my series re-read/catch-up (mostly via audio) and good grief, I’m wrung out. After an almost-7yr gap, Ms. Spencer-Fleming returns to Millers Kill, NY & for this reader, hits a gland slam on the first pitch.

Ms. Spencer-Fleming switches up the storytelling format yet again. On the surface, HID FROM OUR EYES appears to alternate betn 3 different time periods & respective murder investigations. But look deeper & one can see parallelism in the interwoven/overlapping characters at certain stages of their lives & relationships (eg, situation/experience of newbie Harlene in 1952 to relative newbie Hadley in present day (assume 2020), or influence of each chief of police on his future successor).

And the ending! Aauugggh... Already know that I need to hunt down audio version upon release; that re-read will have to sustain me until #10.
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NB: Above is abbreviated review; pls see link #1 for full content. FYI, link #2 is review/series overview for book #1. (Amazon review to be posted post-publication date.)

~ NG feedback/review 12 Feb 2020 ~

I did not realize this was part of a series while reading the book so it is easily read as a stand alone novel. An unusual story that covers three time periods. and was quite interesting. You won't see the twists coming. The cover gives adequate description of the book so no need for me to re hash it here. Characters are fluid so there may be more to the series coming! Enjoy!
I received this book as a complimentary copy for an unbiased review.The opinions expressed are my own.Thanks to the author,publisher,and NetGalley for the ARC.

Hid from Our Eyes by Julia Spencer-Fleming. A great addition in The Rev. Claire Fergussen & Russ Van Alstyne Mystery series. We had a long wait for this book but well worth the read. It went back and forth in time and had more than one storyline.

So I didn't realize at first this was part of a series. I cant imagine how much more I would have enjoyed if I was already invested in these characters. Either way, I highly recommend. I love the premise of murders throughout different time periods with a common connection. Kept me wanting more by unraveling a little at a time. Cant wait to read more from this author!

This book has so much promise, but regrettably that promise, for the most part, remains unfulfilled. It’s lovely to have our old friends Russ and Clare back, but the plot is so laden with coincidences and improbabilities that I found it hard to enjoy Hid From Our Eyes. The most realistic component of the novel is the portrayal of two new parents adjusting to life with an infant while both working demanding jobs with extra stress during a time in which his job is in peril and they both take important roles in solving what should have been an intriguing murder. Unfortunately the methods and motivations of the most current and two predecessor murders are too difficult to believe. I hope the next entry in this series will come more quickly and with more resonance than this one.

I received an ARC of this book It is an intriguing story of three women found dead in the same area over a long period of time. Many characters and threads are inter-woven in this compelling mystery. I was pulled right in and couldn't put it down!

3 murders in different time frames, 1952, 1972 and present day. Are they all tied together. I can't say when was the last time that I read a book that wasn't cookie cutter. Well this is it. Keeps you guessing for a while and even when you get to the end you're still not sure. I loved this book.

Julia Spencer-Fleming has built a family with Clare and Russ then set them in a community that has some very bad trouble on the horizon. Hid from Our Eyes centers on a series of murders that are too similar to be committed by different killers but spread across too many years to be committed by the same killer. Our heroes must dig deep to find some very surprising suspects. Great read all around.

Hid from Our Eyes is the ninth mystery novel in the series which focuses on and around the lives of the two protagonistThe Reverend Clare Fergusson, and her now husband, Sheriff Russ Van Alstyne. Though it is perhaps because I have only read the first two books in the series, this latest one did not live up to those.

The mystery is solid. Separated from each other by decades are three single deaths of young, well dressed women, with no sign of cause. In fact the Van Alstyne was a suspect in the 1972 version, while now he must investigate the one that happened under his watch.

The book is so bogged down beyond the premise that, for me, it was definitely was not a page turner. As I am an Episcopal priest, I am less enthused than some of my colleagues to see a fictional, amateur detective representing someone in my vocation, especially if the character does not act in accordance with the job. Fergusson never does, and it usually has me yelling into the pages of my book, or screen on my device, about how "we" were taught never to do that. Perhaps, that is why in this installment the character is such a mess, and that brings me to what really does not work here.
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The book in total quickly becomes less mystery and more soap opera. And then it keeps adding plot points to become almost laughable. Clare struggles with alcoholism, and post pregnancy issues. She does not want to put her infant in another's care, but cannot focus on what she has to do at the office. Her superiors always seem to always be looking over her shoulder, and the Associate priest appears to be moving for Clare's full time job. If this is not enough we get a seminary intern thrown into the mix, and not just any intern, but a transgendered one. I have not problem with any of this, but it was almost like the author decided to end this series, and determined to throw in everything that she could think of.

Though I always loved the premise of this character, and felt, with reservations, that the earlier works were decent enough, I definitely cannot recommend Hid from Our Eyes. After the fact, I wish this one had been hidden from mine.

Hid from Our Eyes by Julia Spencer-Fleming is the ninth installment in the Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne mystery series. In this book, there is an intricately planned murder mystery spanning decades--1952, 1972, and present day. I admire the writer's planning and vigor, because I assume this was not an easy book to write.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I found the plot interesting and engaging, and it was very well written. However, I didn't realize this was the ninth installment in a series, so unfortunately, I felt completely out of the loop. This is not a standalone story. Not only does it end on a cliffhanger, but it also has threaded many plot lines from other books. You absolutely have to read the other books before reading this one. With that being said, I plan to start from the beginning and reread this book before book ten releases.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. This is my honest, unbiased opinion.

Hid From Our Eyes by Julia Spencer-Fleming is a book in a series. I learned this as I was reading this book and I haven't had the pleasure to read the others but I imagine they are just as good, if not better than this one. Also, a backstory to this book would be a fantastic read!

This story travels between a few different timelines and murders as a suspect is sought after. The detective who is in charge of solving the case was a suspect in the murder of the second woman. There's three murders all together and it seems they have a serial killer on their hands. It's a great read with twists and turns that are unexpected with a bit of a cliffhanger at the end that leaves it open for another book.