This was my first audiobook that I received through Netgalley and it was actually pretty enjoyable and if it sounds interesting to you - I think you should give it a go!

Omg! I absolutely loved this book!

I have always loved stories about selkies from when I was a young girl and would watch movies with my mom of them. So I was already intrigued by the stories potential. But the mythical along with the mystery/Suspense was so well done! I should have know it would be though. I have enjoyed other books from this author in the past.

It was so interesting watching the truth unfurl as well as we followed the women through the story. I loved how everything tied into the beginning and mostly how things ended. I really don't want to say much, as it's better to just read this story.

“𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒘𝒂𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏, 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉. 𝑰𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒏.”

This was my first Melanie Golding book and definitely won’t be my last! This story was told in 3rd person from various POVs! It also takes place over several months flashing between now and then.

I absolutely loved the way this book was told and the way it unfolded. I really loved the characters. This book was mysterious and was definitely a page turner because I wanted to figure out wtf was going on. While I loved the book, it was definitely different with the folklore aspect which I’m not used to in thrillers, hence the one less star rating. However, I do think the folklore was done really well within the story, I personally just could have done without it. Definitely recommend giving this one a go!

only made it 20% through and dnfed. It was too slow to keep me entertained and it didn't seem like it was going to get much better.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
This was a complex story about mental health, relationships, mysteries and legends.
A man is found murdered in his home, but toys are found there. This confuses investigators and leads them down a complicated path

The Hidden is a twisty, haunting domestic thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. Adding a touch of magic to the story, Constance believes she is a “selkie”, part seal with the ability to breathe underwater. She convinces Ruby to help her steal back her skinsuit from Gregor so she can return to her people. Ruby’s estranged mom, Detective Jo Harper is called to investigate when Gregor is found unconscious and realizes her daughter is involved. While solving the crime, Jo unveils more shocking murders and must hurry to find the escaped Gregor before more are injured. I had no clue who done it for so long in this book, it was quite the suspenseful adventure!

Golding gives readers both a crime mystery and a mythological retelling set in the modern world. Just when I thought I had all the pieces figured out, Golding threw something else into the mix to make me rethink things. I really enjoyed how the plot jumped back and forth to slowly reveal what was happening and why. I've read a lot of books that pull from selkies lore and I thought Golding's spin on it was very interesting.

This was a great atmospheric read to experience as the weather turns towards winter. I definitely plan on checking out other books by Golding.

Penelope Rawlins does a phenomenal job with the audiobook narration and to be able to hear someone sing the selkies' song vs. reading it without the tune adds another level to this story. She gives accents to each character so it makes it easy to follow along and she does such a great job of sounding like a child.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley and Dreamscape Media in exchange for an honest review.

It's been a while since I've read a thriller/mystery that I've actually enjoyed so The Hidden was a nice change of pace for me! I liked that we saw from multiple POVs so we learned more about the mystery from people that were directly involved instead of just from the police. The ending was a bit confusing to me because it had some magical realism elements that didn't show up in the rest of the book, but over I enjoyed the experience.

I finally listen to this mystery and I really enjoyed it. The narration was perfect for this murder mystery. I feel like this would be a good book to read on a vacation.

This was such a fun thriller! I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it this much but I’m glad I did. This audiobook was so intriguing and the way this author writes was so interesting. I’m glad I went with the audio and had such a blast with this book.

This book was amazing! I love the plot twist !! The ending was perfect 😍 The story building in this book was well put together! The narration was beautiful!! Very entertaining read .

The Hidden ~ Melanie Golding - Mythology/supernatural thriller available on Hoopla audio 🧜‍♂️🧜‍♂️🧜‍♂️🧜‍♂️

A gruesome murder, an abandoned child, a missing mother, and ancient folklore steeped in Celtic mythology of a far off island of selkies... the mystery twists the more you unravel it.
On a chilly December night a toddler is found abandoned. When the mother arrives the authorities hand the toddler over believing it's a simple case of the toddler running off. Follow the trail of deceit and into the underbelly steeped in Celtic Mythology. Constance is just trying to get back home, but Gregor has hidden her special coat that she needs. He's told his neighbor Ruby that Constance is unstable and he's just trying to be a good father to their little girl.
I really enjoyed this book. Seamlessly drawing from Celtic legends and weaving them into a delicate plot of motherhood, gaslighting, and murder.

This book is a thriller with a touch of fantasy due to its reliance on Selkie mythology. Constance is a Selkie, normally a seal but assuming human form when on land. After a night spent on land with the human Gregor, she becomes pregnant and stays with him to have their daughter Leonie. When Leonie is almost 2 years old she is found abandoned in a store and on the same day a man is discovered near death in a bathtub. The story tells how these two events are linked.

I am not really a fan of mythical creatures, but fortunately for me for the most part the mythology stayed in the background. The police procedural, family drama and thriller aspects of the book were in the forefront. The plot took a while to develop and to become suspenseful. However, I was always interested in the characters and their relationships. I didn’t really understand the villain’s motives, but at least they acted consistently within their own warped world construct. Penelope Rawlings did a good job narrating the audiobook, including when she was required to sing.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from the publisher.

Thank you Netgalley for this audiobook edition of The Hidden by Melanie Golding.

First off, great narration, the voice actor had great animation in her voice.

This is an intricate tale of an abandoned girl, the woman who claims her, and the policewoman who is looking for her. There is a slow uncovering of mystical creatures, a potential cult, abductions and entrapment. But is anyone who they say they are, and who is really the bad guy?

First off, it's a beautiful and creepily atmospheric setting. I liked the foggy cloak of mystery that loomed over the entire story. Unfortunately, the fog got a little too heavy for me, and I ended up losing a bit of the story through it's complexity. I found myself drifting in and out of comprehension of what was happening. It doesn't mean that I didn't like it, it was just a bit of a sleepy read.

There was a LOT going on in this British procedural/thriller!! It was fast-paced though and kept me guessing right to the end. The story read like a great BBC detective series you don't want to be over. Definitely recommended for anyone who enjoys this genre and loves a good twisty mystery and memorable, three-dimensional characters. Well narrated by Penelope Rawlins! Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance review copy!

The Hidden by Melanie Golding

Many thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to listen to audiobook The Hidden by Melanie Golding, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

The Hidden is a fascinating blend of haunting Celtic folklore and murder mystery with a touch of police procedural. This atmospheric mystery begins in a small seaside town in the middle of winter, when local shopkeeper encounters a tiny girl wandering around alone and calls the authorities. A woman claiming to be the child’s mother, gratefully takes the child, claiming she only took her eyes off her for a minute and the toddler wandered off. Police and social services accept this story considering the toddler looks happy be reunited, and Mother and child are released to go home. Nearby, DS Joanna Harper is called to investigate a brutal crime scene on Christmas Eve. A man was found in his flat, attacked, bleeding out and left for dead. Miraculously, he's barely hanging onto life in a coma. After pressing neighbors and potential witnesses, Joanna learns there might have been a small child living with the victim, though there is little physical evidence of that, furthering the mystery. Our storyline begins to flip into another timeline that follows Ruby, a troubled young musician who we learn is struggling with some psychiatric issues. She has been skipping her medication, instead coping by spying on a handsome neighbor's daily yoga session. A chance encounter in public with that handsome neighbor, Gregor, gives Ruby hope, until she learns that a dark secret that he's been keeping from the public and authorities. Even so, Ruby continues to befriend and help him. At this point, we began to feel the wrongness of the situation and sense a very real and present sense of danger. Back and forth, the timelines continue to switch, but eventually converge in an explosive conclusion.

I loved the blend of mystery and fantasy in The Hidden and appreciated the very real complicated family dynamics and relationship issues. The desperation Mothers can experience is deep and dark and unfortunately ignored far too often in the real world. Reading this book made me tense, disturbed, yet still thrilled as I listened every chance I got.

Ugh, I wanted to love this one so much. I loved Golding's debut novel from the creepy atmosphere to the questioning reality, but this one just fell so flat. Oh well.

The Hidden by Melanie Golding sounds likes such an interesting read but I wasn't able to completed it due to a narrating and technical issue.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an AudioARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Hidden is a (sort of)sequel to Little Darlings. When Ruby meets Gregor, a man in her building who catches her eye, she ends up meeting his live-in ex Constance and their daughter Leony. When Constance begins to open up to Ruby, she admits that she is a Silkee and needs Ruby's help to find her hidden sealskin so she can return to the sea and her home. Can there possibly be any truth to Constance's claims? Or will Ruby find herself needing to protect Leony from her own mother?

This was a quick listen for me. The narrator was fantastic, the character development was on point, and the Then vs. Now ratio was a work of art. This book kept me coming back for more, wanting to dive further into Constance and her world she had created for herself and Leony. The mythical and psychological elements were balanced and added to the story rather than fighting for dominance.

I highly recommend this for anyone who enjoyed Little Darlings or who love a good "is she crazy, or just misunderstood" mystery. Four stars from this reviewer, and I look forward to see what our author comes out with next.

Before I wrote this review, I wanted to go back and look at my review from Golding's debut, Little Darlings, which I remember only vaguely. So color me surprised to notice that DS Joanna Harper is a common link between the two - with Harper once again going totally rogue (but at least this time we get a very good understanding of why, though I still think she needs some more consequences). Though I love that she's bi/pan and absolutely kicks ass. Petition for more queer detectives!

Like Little Darlings, we tie folklore, this time selkies, to a modern mystery. While The Hidden doesn't have nearly as much of the beautiful imagery and the really well-done creepy factor, it felt more grounded and also more believable. The situations in the story were objectively verifiable - unlike with Little Darlings, where so much hinged on the main character being mad and only our superstar cop believing her.

I will say that things got increasingly hard to believe as we dug into "the injured man" and his past, but it never quite made it to the "too far" category where my suspension of disbelief would be shattered.