Cover Image: No Hiding in Boise

No Hiding in Boise

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

4.5 ⭐️

I was lucky enough to get an advanced listeners copy of this from Dreamscape Media and NetGalley. Honestly, i was drawn in by the beautiful cover. I didn’t even read the blurb. Kim Hooper did a great job writing such a difficult topic Not to go into too much of the blurb, a man goes into a bar and shoots 5 people dead also wounding two. Mass shootings happen way too often in this world. This was wonderfully written and fantastically narrated. It not only provided insight with the shooter but how a shooting impacts everyone. How people both struggle and heal after a tragedy, the ripple effect. It was so real, heartbreaking and impactful. There are multiple POVs throughout with 3 main ones repeating. I’m really glad I did the audio version of this book. In my mind, hearing the voices definitely made it even more impactful.

Was this review helpful?

In this day in age, we hear about mass shooting on nearly a daily basis, but what we don’t hear about is the ripple affect that this causes. About the victims families and even the shooters family. This book dives in to the stories of each victim as well as the shooters mother and her coming to terms with the fact that she didn’t see the signs.

I loved this book. I loved how they didn’t steer away from the tough topics while still making it easily digestible.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I finished this one in a day. The interwoven narratives kept the story interesting and well paced, I cared about all of the women equally and never felt rushed to get back to a favorite perspective. This book wasn’t what I expected going in, but I ended up really enjoying the more character driven story.

Was this review helpful?

I requested this book based on the beautiful cover art, without really reading the blurb. The subject matter - a mass shooting - is heavy, and gun violence is on the rise in the US. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to finish this one, but I was immediately drawn in and finished the whole audiobook in just a few days.

Kim Hooper introduces to many of the people impacted on the night of a shooting at a Boise watering hole, namely the shooters mother, the bartender and a new father who was frequenting the bar late at night without his wife's knowledge. Alternating viewpoint novels suck me in really easily, and this was no exception. I easily connected to Tess, the bartender, who has a huge heart and is one of the few people in town to show compassion towards the shooter's mother. There's a ton of characters in this book, but all of their stories converge on one fateful night, and in ways you won't expect.

No Hiding in Boise is a hard story, but a well-told one. The subject matter is super off-putting, but in it we see love and humanity prevail in the face of violence. If you have it in you to read a book about a mass shooting, I think this one is worth your time.

Was this review helpful?

This story blew me away. Powerful, connected, painful, redeeming. Women's stories are so full of resilience and struggle, making those who read them inspired to believe. This story is also not what it appears from the description. It follows the story of three women connected by a horrific event - a mass shooting in a small town in Idaho. Cannot recommend it enough!

Was this review helpful?

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!

I absolutely LOVED this book! I liked the writing style, I loved following the story through the eyes of those involved. I loved each character, their story, the lives that they had and the lives they were heading toward.

This was an emotional read. I also had the question that Tess had, "why?". I have never read anything like this that stuck within my memory and it was hard going from angry and upset at Jed to sad and mourning his life with his mother.

This is a must-read!!

Was this review helpful?

No Hiding in Boise is an excellent novel about a bar shooting told from many perspectives. This story is very interesting and told well. The characters are all multidimensional, and I felt connected to all of them. There are many perspectives but the main ones are a bartender, a victim’s wife, and the shooter’s mother. Their stories intertwine. The story is told alternating between past and present. It was difficult to read at times because it was so emotional, but I couldn’t put it down. I went into this story blind, and I’m so glad I did. I’ve read two of Kim Hooper’s novels and both were very unique, and I can’t wait to read more of her novels. No Hiding in Boise is a must read for fans of emotional novels.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Devon Sorvari, Stephanie Willing, Hillary Huber, Stephanie Einstein, Madeleine Maby, Nick Mondelli, Michael Brusasco, Patrick Lawlor, Adam Barr, Pete Cross, and Neil Hellegers and loved the narration. All the narrators did a great job bringing the characters to life and added to this great story.

Thank you Kim Hooper, Keylight Books, and Dreamscape Audio for No Hiding in Boise.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you for the opportunity to listen to this book on tape and offer a review. Kim Hooper's story telling grabbed my attention in the first minute, and it was hard to stop listening for things like sleep and work as I just wanted to hear more! Hooper's story touched my heart, describing how in an instant multiple lives were changed forever after a mass shooting. The author went deep into the difficult emotions after trauma. I appreciated the voice narration with actors who depicted the visuals and racing stories running through the characters' heads. The author helped me understand some of the challenges of single parenting (both in and out of a marriage) and living with a loved one experiencing depression. I felt the tears of joy, sadness, fear, frustration and overwhelm from the families of victims, survivors and the instigators. Despite the negative subject matter there is positive learning and growth that comes together for the main characters.

Was this review helpful?

This book focuses on the aftermath of a seemingly random mass shooting in a bar in Boise. The story is told from various perspectives, both victims, survivors, and the perpetrator's mother. We learn about each of the victims and their back-stories. And, there arises a surprising connection between some of these strangers. It makes one think about the emotions that surround a situation like this one, all too common these days. Very interesting.

Was this review helpful?

Usually when I finish a book, I like to rate and review it right after I finish. I was thinking I needed a couple days to think about this one. This was a character driven novel. You get a feel for the three main characters’ lives as well as the victims’ lives right before the shooting. I thought that was interesting. Overall, it a very written book. You can get into the story and characters right away. But the story fell flat, in my humble opinion. I was not surprised at the how everything came together. Narration was excellent.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this ALC.

#NoHidinginBoise #NetGalley

Was this review helpful?

This was excellent!! The multiple perspectives make for a really compelling story. Very well-written and realistic as well. I look forward to reading more by this author!

Was this review helpful?

I really liked the mix of literary fiction and thriller in this one. I usually find that they don’t go hand in hand but this one was done very well. I would deff recommend if you are looking for a something a bit different than usual

Was this review helpful?

There is nothing timelier right now than mass shootings, unfortunately. No Hiding in Boise shows how the aftermath of a bar shooting impacts three women: Joyce, Tessa, and Angie. Joyce was the bartender at the scene of the crime. She was in the backroom when the incident occurred. She has a bad case of survivor guilt. Tessa is told by the police that her son is dead and that he was the shooter. How could she have not seen how troubled her son was? Angie’s husband slipped out of their bed to drink at the local bar. What else was he looking for? Angie may never know since his injuries have left him in a coma.

No Hiding in Boise is a heartfelt tale of coping with loss and grief in a life-affirming way. I listened to the audiobook. I really appreciated that it has a full cast. It made identifying whose perspective we were hearing so much easier to determine. Overall, 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars for this deep look into a mass shooting’s ripple effect.

Thanks to Keylight Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I wasn't exactly sure what to expect from this one. Told mainly in three perspectives - plus a few extras - this all involves the aftermath of a shooting at a bar in Boise. Angie wakes up in the middle of the night to find her husband missing; Joyce is awoken by the police concerning her son; Tessa, the bartender, is saved by a patron urging her to run and hide.

The characters' pasts leading up to the horrific night unravel, as well, as the general aftermath continues to unfold which eventually brings these three woman together. The audio version is quite well-performed with a wide cast that also helps the voices stand out from one another. It's an engaging listen - that while certainly centered around moments of horrible violence - still contains some more positive moments of connection. But Thera re also times when the characters become a bit unlikable. The relationships all struggle under various pressures, too - but at the same time, I just wanted the story to keep going. I think the Idaho setting works well, too. The ending message comes off a bit jarring overall, or maybe just too heavy-handed, but otherwise, it's a really interesting listen/read - and I am sure will spark lively discussion amongst its listeners/readers!

Was this review helpful?

My very first audio book was an eye opening experience. This book was told by 3 main characters and several others. It was good to hear each person's story and perspective of the same event. I stayed up all night to hear the last several chapters because I had to know where this was going. Very good book. I will be recommending it to friends

Was this review helpful?

This book follows the intertwining paths of three women connected in different ways to a mass shooting. It also includes vignettes from those who were killed in the shooting.

The relationships are all a little off. Tessa and Ryan are a good example of this. Tessa went through trauma, so it’s okay to have low expectations for her to try and discuss it with Ryan. I’m not sure the expectations are low enough to believe she would totally convince him she’s fine. Or that he wouldn’t get that she isn’t. More broadly, the rigid gender role talk throughout the book is something I don’t think readers expect from this genre.

I can see why a writer would want the challenge of writing the killer’s journal, but I really don’t think it succeeded in adding anything to the story.

A lot of my problems with this book amount to it not being the book for me. The clean slate trope, the gender stuff, the caricature of the killer in the journal...

The audiobook narration team for the full-cast audiobook is fantastic, though! I am the type of person who literally chooses books based on the narrator when I’m in a true reading slump. I am completely spoiled by the likes of Kate Reading, Michael Kramer, and Julia Whelan.

I am grateful to both the publisher and NetGalley for providing an Audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

After a mass shooting at a bar, three women's lives are interwoven as they deal with the aftermath. You have a survivor, a victim's wife, and the shooter's mother.
All are suffering, all want answers. Through their interactions, the pieces begin to click into place.

The story is told in alternating viewpoints from each of the women. There is also a chapter told from the POV of each victim. The victims' chapters, while short, added a lot more feeling/emotion to the story.

The audiobook is good. Each character has a different narrator- something I always enjoy and appreciate.

I received a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I almost discounted this book but man would that have ever been a mistake! Told in alternating perspectives between three highly relatable women whose lives are affected in different ways after a mass shooting one night in Boise, Idaho. Tessa is the young bartender who survived; Joyce is the mom of the shooter; and Angie is the wife whose husband is now comatose after being struck by a bullet at the bar (a place she had no idea he had been visiting). The mystery of what led to the events of that night slowly unfolds as we learn more about the three women and the ways their lives are interconnected. This book was great on audio with different narrators for each women, giving voice to their individual stories. Tessa struggles with feeling she got a new chance at life and not knowing what to do with it. Whereas Joyce is trying to come to terms with the grief of losing her son, wondering what she did wrong and how she can make up for her son's actions. Angie is second-guessing everything she thought she knew about her marriage and the strained relationship she had with her husband. Highly recommended, especially for fans of books like Ask again, yes, A good neighborhood or One, two, three - this book touches on highly discussable themes that would make it an excellent book club selection! Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for my advanced listening copy.

CW: eating disorders, mental health, mass shooting

Was this review helpful?

This was my first from Kim Hooper but it certainly won't be my last. She did an amazing job of interweaving so many points of view together to make the story multi-dimensional without confusing the reader. I loved the approach she took in showing the ripple effects of a mass shooting on all of the people who were physically there as well as the people in their lives. She also did a wonderful job of showing how a mass shooting can occur for so many underlying reasons that may not make any sense to an outside observer, I found all of the characters so compelling and interesting and was not bored for a second listening to their stories. There was so much depth of emotion and so much growth that occurred for most of the characters and it was really heartwarming. She took a tragic, heartbreaking event and showed how you can use a tragedy to let yourself become a victim of life or you can use it to change your life. I really enjoyed this one. Thank you to Turner Publishing, Kim Hooper, and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. You can also find my review on Goodreads, 8/10.

Was this review helpful?

This is the second book by Kim Hooper that I have read. It did not disappoint! I see a grief theme in her writing and I think she does do beautifully.

This story follows several characters after a shooting at a bar that leaves several people dead. Hooper brilliantly wrote of the falling out from the perspective of many characters. This included survivors, the shooter’s mother, caretakers, spouses and even the people who had died.

I have read other books about shootings, but none have captured the fallout and suffering and surviving from so many directions.

I’d highly recommend this book.

***A huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Was this review helpful?