Happy New Year book lovers! I wish you health and happiness for 2022, and that you'll read some incredible books. I'm determined to catch up and keep up with my reviews this year. I'm not going to call it a resolution because then I'm certain to fail. After loving Little Darlings, I jumped at the chance to request an arc for Melanie Golding's newest novel, The Hidden. This is inspired by a Scottish folktale called "The Mermaid Wife".

The Hidden is about people hiding their past and their feelings. There are hidden cameras and hidden objects. Hidden pockets and hidden bodies. What happens when hidden things are found?

Title: The Hidden

Author: Melanie Golding

Publication Date: November 2021

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

Suggested Reader Age: 16+

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Horror, Celtic Mythology

Ruby is a talented violinist who struggles with depression. She is estranged from her family and is struggling to communicate her feelings with her biological mother. One day, she notices a man through her apartment window doing yoga in his apartment. She becomes a little obsessed with watching him, and then one day a woman and a child show up in his window. Where did they come from? She's never seen them outside the apartment. Why are they hidden?

Gregor Franks is found half-dead in a bathtub. Detective Sergeant Joanna Harper is assigned to the case.
In another town, a child is found abandoned. A women's clothes are found at the edge of the water. Ruby shows up claiming to be Constance, the child's mother. The social worker lets Ruby leave with Leonie, only to later discover she has made a huge mistake. Detective Jo follows the clues of the man's attack leading her on a path chasing Ruby.

› Characters: 7
While the characters are well-developed I found myself unattached, struggling to care for their well-being. Constance is my favourite character. She's a strange, mysterious woman who makes tough choices and struggles to be herself and be a mother. As a mother, I can relate to feeling like you lose a piece of your identity when you become a mother. We often have to sacrifice parts of ourselves to care for our children.

› Atmosphere: 6
The descriptions and world-building are good, but there is a lack of emotion and mood for me.

› Writing Style: 8
The quality of the writing is great. Dialogue, readability, style. I enjoyed all of that aspect except for the instances of fat-shaming which weren't character-driven and seemed pointless.

› Plot: 6
This wasn't a page-turner for me. I had a hard time getting into the story and felt underwhelmed by the ending.
beginning 5
middle 6
end 7

› Intrigue: 5
I struggled to keep reading.

› Logic: 6
There were many times when I felt confused, and I kept confusing Ruby and Jo with each other.

› Enjoyment: 6
overall experience

Average 6.3

1.1-2.2 = ★
2.3-4.5 = ★★
4.6-6.9 = ★★★
7-8.9 = ★★★★
9-10 = ★★★★★

My Rating ★★★

› Final Thoughts
• I gave Little Darlings five stars, so I was expecting to five-star The Hidden. I'm disappointed because, in theory, this sounded like an amazing premise for a story inspired by a Scottish folktale. However, this will not deter me from reading more Golding. The Hidden is a dark and twisty mystery thriller about mother/daughter relationships, family, prejudice, and justice. A three-star read is still pretty good in my books!



Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review.



*Quotes taken from an ARC copy and subject to change*

Ok but did you guys know there is a mythological creature known as a Selkie?!?! Because I didn't, until this book! You best believe I went down a rabbit hole after I finished this book researching these creatures. I NEED MORE OF THEM!

This was such a fun mystery novel. I usually don't tend to enjoy detective mysteries but this one hit differently. I loved the cold seaside setting that this delivered. The mystery was engrossing and I enjoyed all of the characters and their backstories. The ending really wrapped everything up nicely and although it was a bit over the top it worked.

Definitely checking out more from this author. I believe this has a prequel that follows the same detective DS Harper.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for my review copy and to the author for my new fascination with seal people!

I really like the writing style of Melanie. This book is all about mother/daughter relationships and I found myself unable to stop turning the pages.

This is a combination of psychological suspense and family drama which was more than solving an investigation. The blending of folklore pushed it into a different genre itself and was interesting. But I suspect it could go either for different readers actually. This is my first time reading about Selkie and that was intriguing in a thriller. It was a quick read and an engaging thriller with a twisted fantasy element.

If you’re looking for a fast-paced, drag-out, punch-in-the-throat thriller, this isn’t for you. There are moments where we linger inside the lives of these characters, getting to know them slowly, like a quiet friend. In this way, it’s certainly a slow burn. Golding has the writing chops to handle the literary slant in her thrillers. And it never felt overwritten. But it’s definitely for a particular type of thriller reader. Don’t expect intense action in every chapter. Do expect a well-rounded story with eerie, dark undertones that delivers on its promise. Overall I enjoyed it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Hidden was a different mystery than those that I am usually drawn too. I prefer more realistic thrillers, but I found the characters in this novel compelling and the character development was really what kept me reading.

A thank you to NetGalley for sharing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Try as I might to get into this one (and I did try several times) I just couldn't do it. I do, however, concede to at least part of the blame. I had the author confused with Megan Goldin, whom I love, and once I actually read the description, I knew I was in trouble and most likely couldn't review the book fairly as I had also tried the first book in the duo, but couldn't bring myself to finish it. I can chalk it up to the fact that I'm apparently not interested in fantastical thrillers and prefer them to be one or the other. That said, there's obviously an audience for this and given the numerous high praise reviews, I trust that it's a solid read and I did appreciate the author's writing, which is lovely.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This book felt very slow to me. I think it was because that, although it was marketed as a suspenseful thriller, there just didn't seem to be much suspense that gripped me. The beginning was great though. I was intrigued by the multiple POV and the characters all seemed interesting. I was confused throughout whether or not this was a fantasy. It seemed to be approaching it at times but then it never really made it clear whether or not these elements were real. It was almost like it tried to be a genre mash-up but I didn't feel that it successfully pulled it off.

The characters were mildly infuriating as well. It seems to be a common theme in thrillers that characters, mostly female, make dumb decisions that just make their life harder. For once, I'd like an intelligent character that doesn't do stupid things to put her life in jeopardy. But then I guess it wouldn't be a thriller, right? This was just a bit disappointing and didn't live up to the expectation that I had built. It took me forever to read because the pacing felt so slow and not much happened in terms of suspense. Rather it was just a lot of details thrown in to confuse. Overall it was good, not great, not groundbreaking.

This was kept me on the edge of my seat. I liked how the different points of view wove in nicely. In the beginning, it was a little hard to keep track but I quickly got in the rhythm of the story. Great characters!

The author has created a great book. It’s new addition into the horror genre. She has Combined family trauma and police thriller. The Hidden is a dark world that sinks you deeper and deeper until you cannot find which way is up.

This book was a page turner from start to finish. In her first book Little Darlings the cop on the case Jo is back to solve the case. I liked how this wasn’t really a sequel to Little Darlings. I loved how Melanie Golding intertwines folk tales in her books. I can’t wait to read her next book. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves to read. Gregor is not who you think he is . Yes, you do love him . He is handsome, shy, and bit awkward.The perfect psychopath in disguise. Ruby trying to help her new friends with their problems while dealing with her own. She wants to be friends with Constance but is torn between her feelings for Gregor and not wanting to break up a family. Ruby also has to make a choice in who to trust to tell her the truth. Constance who Gregor tells Ruby that she is unstable or, Constance who tells Ruby that Gregor is abusive and keeping her trapped in the apartment which is sound proof.and cameras everywhere. A perfect book for a cozy night.

Ruby is a lovely but lonely young woman who often spies on her attractive neighbor (Gregor) in the apartment complex across from her. Finally, she decides to meet him and finds out he is kind and shy and definitely interested in her but he lives with his ex (Constance) who suffers from agoraphobia and their young child Leonie. Although a very complicated situation, Ruby can't help herself but befriend the small unusual family and she just falls.in love with adorable, toddler Leonie who when she cries doesn't make a sound (odd). Constance confides in Ruby that she can't leave without her special coat that Gregor has hidden away or she will die If she goes anywhere without it, but Trevor has explained that Constance suffers from a mental illness that involve a fantasy world because she was raised in some sort of cult until she even ran away. After awhile, Ruby knows something is very wrong with Gregor, and Constance and Leonie must get away before something very bad happens to all of them. Even with all the strange stories that Constance has told her, Ruby cares so much that she will risk her own life to make sure that Constance and Leonie get away but when their plan goes haywire, Ruby never thought she would on the run from the police as well as well as an unknown serial killer.

Loved it! Another fantastic book from Melanie Golding. I enjoyed everything about this story, the Celtic folklore intertwined with a murder investigation and the complex personalities of all the characters was so different from other books that are out there.. I also liked that the author didn't give the mystery of the story completely away until close to the end of the book. I also loved the writer's first book "Little Darlings" and she truly WOWED me again! I just hope Melanie Golding continues to write books along this same line because she has gained so many fans of her very unique, style of writing.and will only keep gaining more and I especially hope Melanie G. has a new one coming out soon! I highly recommend this book "The Hidden" to any mystery/thriller reader who enjoys a little bit of magic thrown into the mix for complete enjoyment of a uniquely, different type of thriller.

I want to thank the author "Melanie Golding", the publisher "Crooked Lane Books" and Netgalley for the complimentary copy and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!

I have given this captivating book a rating of 4 1/2 " FASCINATING AND UNIQUE 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌠 STARS!!

4.5 Stars: The Hidden was a book that I raced through, wanting to know what happened and if Leonie would be safe and happy. This story takes Celtic lore and weaves it into a psychological thriller/police procedural. Ruby is a single woman who watches the man in the apartment across the way. When she gets to know him, she finds out that he married and has a toddler. Constance, his wife is mentally unstable, thinking she is a Selkie and is being held hostage, because Gregor won't give her back her sealskin coat. As Ruby begins to stay with Constance and her daughter, Leonie, when Gregor is at work, she gets to know her and believe her stories. They hatch a plan to allow them to escape and Ruby is going to help. Things do not go according to plan, the police get involved with an abandoned child and someone tries to kill Gregor. Ruby is on the run and things unfold quickly.

I enjoyed this story with its thriller, fantasy and family storylines. The Hidden is told from various points of view with different characters as well as different times, so it is important to pay attention. The mythology was woven into the story well, and it had me believing it at various times in this story. I loved both Ruby and DS Joanna Harper, who are actually related. When Joanna is removed from the case, her skills really shine. She is able to figure things out and is a step ahead of the department. Ruby just wants to protect Leonie and Constance, but it also becomes a race to keep herself safe as well. I found the story flowed well as it changed between characters and also as it flashed back to show the reader how we ended up with the two crimes that are being investigated in the present. everything came to be that day. The story was definitely a compelling one as I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to see how the investigation and the fantasy side would turn out.

I really enjoyed The Hidden. As a creepy psychological thriller with a folklore twist, it's a combination I haven't often read before. Melanie Golding balanced this incredibly well by overtly hinting at the fantasy elements without ever actually confirming them. The story felt grounded and realistic by doing this, which is pretty impressive for the themes here.

I'm not going to write too much about The Hidden because I don't want to give anything away. I thought I understood what this story would be about, but I was proven wrong several times. There were two particular moments when the intensity was sky-high, and a sentence sent chills running down my spine with an incredibly creepy, blindsiding twist. 100% worth the read just for these moments, but the rest of the book lived up to this feeling and kept me entirely invested in what would happen next. It may be partly due to my predilection for fantasy, but this is one of my favourite psychological thrillers this year.

I was so excited for The Hidden having adored Little Darlings in 2019. That story was so incredibly creepy and I highly recommend it, if you haven’t read it already! The Hidden is a little different, a lot less creepy. I’d say it’s more of a straight up mystery/thriller/police procedural with a little selkie on the side. If you love that blend in a book, this one's for you!

I’m not up for rehashing the plot today and you should find out things as you read the book so I’ll only say it’s about a woman who meets a man after she’s caught spying on him doing some yoga in his apartment across the way. Turns out Mr. Sexy Yoga Man has a wife (?) and a young toddler but, ahem, they are “not together in that way currently”. Okay. Whatever. That’s not at all suspicious . . . Anyhow, Ruby gets involved with this weird couple despite it all and becomes enmeshed in their life and finds herself in the middle of a huge disturbing mess but I do suppose her life becomes much more exciting for it, haha.

I enjoyed the unexpected dynamic between Ruby, Constance and her daughter Leonie and the selkie lore was a great addition but I wish there had been more of it, if I am being completely honest. I would’ve loved to have learned more about Constance’s family history, home and rituals. I enjoyed the “Then” storyline and trying to figure out the strange mystery, the weird relationship entanglements and the drama but the “Now” storyline lost me a bit and that’s completely on me. I’m simply not a huge fan of police procedurals, and freely admit it, and the entirety of the “Now” storyline is basically all of that with some frustrating decisions made by an officer too involved with the case. With that said, it has some strong character growth along the way and I did love that. Relationships and children and parenting are all so very complicated and this story took an emphatic look at understanding those difficult choices with compassion.

I made a few guesses here early on about where this was going and thought some of the characters were leading me astray but I was WRONG and I love that too. I hate being proved right when I’m reading a book like this one. It may make me feel all smug and smarty-pants for a second but it’s not a fun reading experience when that happens. Thankfully this one didn’t do what I thought it might do!

This was a slow burn of a book and it felt longer than its 300+ pages, maybe because the villain was a little too boring for my tastes and the majority of the plot wasn’t able to grab me in the way that Little Darlings did? I’m not sure but I am sure that it has a lot of good going on and it’s a decent read and I can understand why so many are digging it even if it didn’t completely knock me over with it’s creep factor like Little Darlings did. So for all of those reasons above I’m giving it 3 stars. That means I liked it for those who want to scream at me about it and not read my precious and oh-so-important words 😆

Melanie Golding has created a beautiful and haunting new addition into the horror genre with The Hidden. Combining family trauma, police thriller and selkies The Hidden becomes a magical and dark world that sinks you deeper and deeper until you cannot find which way is up.

It’s actually a 2.75 stars for this book that was not at all what I expected when I picked it up.
To begin with, the plot seemed interesting but the characters were a tad shallow and predictable and I couldn’t warm to any of them.
Of course, the fact that it’s based on some folktale is somewhat interesting but wasn’t enough to keep my attention. Rarely do I take so long to read a book except if it’s in foreign language that I do not yet master.
Overall, I found the idea for the plot to be a decent one but it didn’t do it for me. Maybe I’m a bit too critical hen it comes to mysteries and the fantasy bits killed it for me.
I salute the effort the author put in writing this book, it’s not an easy task.

What an absolute page-turner! I just couldn't put it down. This is Melanie Golding’s second book and The Hidden is another atmospheric thriller. It wasn't too scary (something I'm generally wary of, but not at all put off in this book.) Melanie Golding's prose was so expertly written and really remarkable, the various plot strands cleverly interwoven. I eagerly wait with huge anticipation for more from this delightful author.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Note: This book is also called The Replacement.

First line: Leonie presses her palm to the outside of the shop window.

Summary: Ruby has spent many nights watching her neighbor do yoga. She is startled when she notices his previously unknown family. After a chance encounter with her neighbor she is invited into his world. Even though she is drawn to Gregor she feels that she cannot interfere with his family. But as she gets to know Gregor, Constance and their daughter, Leonie, she finds out that the Gregor she knows is not the same as the one seen by his family. With each encounter, Ruby becomes more convinced that Constance and Leonie need to leave and she plans to help them.

My Thoughts: Melanie Golding does a great job again by merging a thriller with mythical events. In the story, Ruby believes that Constance has some mental issues when she talks of her life in the sea. How does this woman believe that she was once a seal?! And as a reader I kept wondering if I believed her or not too. It seems outlandish but also Constance really believes it to be true.

The story is told during different time hops. We see Ruby’s sister dealing with the near death of man in his bathtub, Ruby meeting Gregor and memories of a man who has done some dastardly deeds. As a reader you know that it is all leading to one point but how it’s going to get there is the fun of it. When everything comes together it was shocking. There are many little things from Gregor’s past that make the story thrilling. I could not wait to get to the end as I was reading. It was an elaborate cat and mouse game until the very end! And I was not disappointed.

FYI: Thriller with a mystical twist.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* Different from most of the other thrillers i read this year! wouldn't mind owning this, really good story