I really enjoyed this murder/mystery. I did not realize it was a series until after I finished. Now I think I am going to have to go back and read the other books. I liked the characters. None of them were perfect people. Even the Reverend had her faults. That just made them more likable. I had no idea the outcome of the mystery until the end. It was a real twist. I am anxious for more of this series. I received a copy from Netgalley for my honest opinion. I would recommend this book.

Hid from Our Eyes: A Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Mystery </a> by Julia Spencer-Fleming is ninth in a series of which I had previously read only the first book. A lot has happened, continuity-wise, since that first book, but I was able to follow very easily. The mystery involved three murders, or possible-murders, spaced out by decades, and involving some of the same police officers. The structure thus had numerous flashbacks, and I was impressed by how smoothly the author integrated them into the story, and how well it flowed among the different time periods. Recommended for that alone.

It's been a long time since we visited with Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne in Millers Kill, New York. But the wait is worth it!
Hid From Our Eyes has three time lines with characters appearing in both the present and past. Spencer-Fleming handles this plot device well and I wasn't confused about where (or when) we were.
The three time frames have a death in common: a young woman, dressed in a "party" dress, without a purse or shoes and no visible wounds or way to tell how she died, or how to identify her. Of course, medical science has come a long way and the present day crime scene and body yields more answers than those in the past. And Russ just happened to be a suspect in one of those past murders.
As usual with this series, the murder solving is only part of the story. Clare and Russ are new parents, adjusting to their baby. Clare is fretting that her drug and alcohol abuse before she knew she was pregnant may have impacted the child. There's a referendum coming before the township that may put Russ out of a job. Hadley Knox's ex is bringing a lawsuit against the town, claiming that former officer (and Hadley's former on-again/off-again boyfriend/lover) Kevin Flynn planted drugs on him that got him arrested. Flynn left Millers Kill to take a job with the Syracuse PD and he's working undercover in Millers Kill.
So there's plenty in this story to keep you turning the pages.
The solution is neat and makes sense, even if you don't see it coming. Hid From Our Eyes is an excellent mystery in the "Fair Play" tradition of Margaret Maron and Louise Penny. I hated waiting over six years for it (and hope I don't have to wait another six years for the next installment), but I loved the story. I highly recommend it!

This is the first book by the author that I have read and based on prior reviews of her books I thought I would take a chance on it. It is the continuation of a series after several years, but there is sufficient information presented about the characters that it is not necessary to read the prior books, but reading them will round them out more fully. I found the author's writing style enjoyable and engaging. I really enjoyed the fact that this takes place in the greater Glen Falls/Lake George region of upstate New York. An area I know well.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook  page.

This is the first new book In an established series. I did enjoy it and its my first book by the author and it won’t be my last Some very complicated mixers all spanning different times
A very good read

Three murders, covering 60+ years. Is there a connection? A lawman's nightmare, especially when that lawman was a suspect in one of the earlier murders. The action moved along at a nice place and the characters were generally believable and likeable. There were, in my opinion, a few too many characters. Still, Do I recommend this book. Absolutely!

This is a novel with a very complicated plot involving three murders; one each taking place in 1952, 1972 and the present day. Author Julia Spencer-Fleming handled all the many characters pertaining to each murder case well to help me mentally situate each murder with its environment, investigators and suspects. I'm not saying it wasn't confusing sometimes since many of the characters were present in all three time periods, but once I found the rhythm of the writing I was fine.

My research into this book was definitely at fault because I didn't notice until I began reading that this is book nine in the series. I kept feeling like I had missed something and it turned out I had missed a whole lot. This is the kind of mystery novel I just don't like. I prefer that almost all the attention be focused on the crime and the investigation but this story is almost 50/50 divided between the crimes and all the personal relationships of the people living in three small communities in New York state. I was impressed with the plotting skills and the talent shown by the author in bringing her characters to life. I have given this book a rating of 4 stars because of the skill of the author in constructing her most unusual plot. This is just not a good series for me to read further in.

Love this series! I have been a fan of Julia Spencer Fleming for a while now.
Reading this book was like spending time with an old friend .The writing was excellent and the story was complex and interesting.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of the book.
#netgalley

I wasn't fully aware that this was a new book in an established series. I think this is book 9. I'm glad to say though that event though I hadn't read any of the other books, I was still able to really get into this book and completely understand what is going on.

There are three murders, that are all exactly alike and are all committed in August. However, they are all 20 years apart. First one is in 1952, the second is in 1972 and the 3rd was in 1992.

The book sucked me in and I enjoyed the way I was able to see how the workings of the police department changed from the first murder to the last. This was a fast pace thriller and great characters! Thank you so much NetGalley for the ARC!

Three murders of young women, found dead in the same area, dressed in clothes they didn't have before their deaths, wearing makeup with purses and shoes missing. The one connection ..... no one can figure out how they died.
Thank you bet falleybdor an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Another interesting peek into the lives of Russ and Clare, and a mystery that kept me guessing through the whole book because the setup was unique. The clues were there-just perfectly disguised. It was great to touch base with favorite characters like Hadley Knox and Kevin Flynn, and it was easy to sympathize with new parent woes along with all the other difficulties Russ and Clare face during the novel. Now I can’t wait for the next installment!

Intriguing novel of 3 murders in a small town over a period of time. It just didn't hold my interest though and couldn't finish the book.

Hid From Our Eyes was worth the wait. Julia Spencer-Fleming has picked up the storylines of her characters after the years-long gap between this and the previous book in the series. This story plays across multiple timelines and gives us a glimpse of Russ's back story when he was a possible suspect in a murder. Enough background is given that this can be read as a stand-alone book although I highly recommend reading this entire series if you have not already done so.

This is the 9th book in the Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Mystery series set in upstate NY. Clare and Russ have both been in the military. Clare is now the pastor of St. Alban's Church and Russ is the police chief of Miller's Kill police department. Russ receives a 911 call that a young woman has been found dead with the same MO as a crime Russ was accused of in the 70s. At that time, Jack Liddle was called to a murder scene that was very similar to one he worked as a trooper in the 50s. Russ found the body while riding his motorcycle after returning from Vietnam and was considered a suspect. Russ is now pressured to solve these three murders 40 years apart before a vote to eliminate his police department and return to state patrol. He has also enlisted the help of Reverend Clare Fergusson, who is already juggling the tasks of being a new mother to her and Russ's baby and running St. Alban's Church, to finally solve these crimes.
It's been 6 years since the last installment of this series as the author was dealing with the death of her husband and I was very happy to return to the lives of Clare and Russ. They are well-developed flawed characters and this plot kept the pages turning until the very surprised ending. You will get much more out of this book if the series is read in order although this one works as a standalone too. Cliffhanger ending makes me look forward to the next book. Highly recommend to mystery readers. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a free copy for an honest review.

Just finished this book, and had no clue that it was the 9th book in her series. It reads like a stand alone novel. I can't wait to go back and read the other 8. It kept me guessing almost all the way through…turns out one of my guesses was correct. I truly believe that I would recognize both Clare and Russ if I saw them walking down the street. Great book. Great characters!

Julia Spencer-Fleming pens one of the best mystery series around.  I recommend her books most highly and I have read them all, starting with In the Bleak Midwinter.  The setting is upstate New York and the region is brought to life in a way that makes a reader feel that they are there.  The protagonists, Clare and Russell are adults with histories; both were in the military.  Clare is now an Episcopal priest while Russ is the head of the Millers Kill Police Department. Over the course of the series, readers get to know these real, flawed and genuine adults well.

It is best to read this series in order.  Long term readers will be ecstatic to spend time with Russ, Clare and those in their world after a long hiatus between the last book and this one.  In this entry the main story is complex as it involves three murders; one took place in the 50s, one in the 70s.  No spoilers so I can't say more.

If you know Clare and Russ,  I hope that you will be as delighted as I was by their return.  If you are new to the series, you are lucky as you have nine books to look forward to.  Mystery readers, please check this series out.  Ms. Spencer-Fleming, you have not lost your touch!


Many, many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this read in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge fan of mysteries, and this one did not disappoint! It was great! I loved the story line. This book really sucked me in!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

I really enjoyed this book, the characters were well developed. It had an interesting plot. I would be interested in reading more

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review the his book.

When a dead girl is found dead on a local road, the chief of police of Millers Kill and his team start the investigation. When there is no evidence of foul play and no identification on the body, the police are stymied. When the situation is similar to unsolved cases from 1952 and 1972, the police turn to any lead that they can uncover. In addition, the town is having a vote on whether to eliminate the local police force in favor of using the state patrol, and an unsolved murder would look bad on their abilities to serve and protect.

In addition to the stress of the investigation, members of the police team face more personal issues, that distract them from their efforts to solve the current and past cases.

When the case finally breaks, many lives are affected and the author leaves some unanswered questions, possibly for a sequel or just to irritate the reader.

Millers Kill, New York - 1952, 1972, & Present Day

Russ Van Alstyne, the Millers Kill chief of police, has just had a deja vu sort of event with the discovery of the body of a young woman in the middle of a road nearby. She was young, pretty, wearing an expensive dress, and shoeless. No other evidence in the area, no phone, handbag, nothing. And worse, no idea of how she died. The entire scenario is eerily reminiscent of the young girl whose body he nearly ran over with his motorcycle in 1972 upon his return from Viet Nam. That victim, too, wore a similar outfit, was barefoot, and no pathologist every discovered how she died. Plus, this now is the third incident that Russ is aware of in the same location because the police chief in 1972 had told him of another dead girl in 1952. What makes this even more worrisome is that the Millers Kill voters may be choosing to disband the local police department and rely on the State Police instead. Until, or unless Russ can solve this latest murder, he and his crew could be out of jobs. To make matters just a bit more uncomfortable, Russ was one of the suspects in the death of the victim in 1972.

Russ' wife, Clare Fergusson is the local Episcopal priest. She, too, is a veteran, and she is also a recovering addict. Four months ago she gave birth to their son, and life is hectic, unpredictable, and staying clear of drugs and alcohol is making life very complicated. Her diocese has assigned an intern now, and Clare hopes Joni can take some of the burdens off of her daily routine. The fact that Joni is a transgender woman makes no difference to Clare, but Joni's wealthy father is still not over the fact that Joni will not be taking over the family business. Clare is relieved that she has some assistance in her day job, so that her home life is not so frantic, making her addiction recovery a worrying thought. The extra burden of Russ' predicament and the newly discovered body are just things Clare is going to have to come to terms with.

Russ and Clare want what's best for their son, Ethan, and they try and coordinate efforts to his advantage. They also pair up together, occasionally, in their work lives, so Clare is well aware of the mystery surrounding the dead girl, and how Russ has to vocalize his frustration with the lack of evidence. When Joni talks Clare into coming to his parents' "camp" in the Adirondacks for a party that could actually help Russ' police department, Russ is skeptical, but hopeful. He'll try anything to keep his crew together.

HID FROM OUR EYES is a page turner! Readers will compare the three deaths, as I did, and come up with about as much as Russ and the chief in 1972 did, which is nothing. How can a death in 1952 be related at all to one in 1972, let alone in the present day? Or is this all just a weird coincidence? To reveal much more would be to give too much away. Try and figure it out, I tried, and I was shocked by the ending. Excellent writing, appealing, well-rounded characters, and a true mystery, so readers can't go wrong. I highly recommend HID FROM OUR EYES.

Jani Brooks