4 stars

This was an interesting story that blended psychological thriller features with elements of mythology and magic realism. Some sections were actually a bit creepy as well, which I enjoyed. It wasn’t quite what I was expecting (in a good way); I like fiction that can keep me guessing.

Ruby has been watching her handsome neighbor for a while. Her apartment window has the perfect view right into his flat. Only once has she gotten a glimpse of the woman who lives with him. It seems like he is hiding her, but why?
When Ruby finally meets her neighbors, she is sucked into a surreal situation plucked from Scottish Folklore. The woman, Constance, claims to be a Selkie. She insists her seal coat has been hidden and she is trapped on land. Only Ruby can help her get home.

This was an excellent story. It is a mystery, thriller, suspense read, and a little fairy tale all in one. I was sucked into it very quickly, and consumed the book in only two days.
Listening to the story was the right choice. Each character became real and believable. The narrator, Penelope Rollins,has a lovely singing voice that captured the magic of the selki songs. She could easily go from the hypnotic voice of Constance, to the gruff male voice of Gregor. It completely pumped up the atmosphere of the story.
This is one of those books where things are not as they seem, and you question what is real or just a distraction. I really found myself questioning situations often, and trying to piece the puzzle together with the clues that slowly roll out. I thought the folklore aspect would be too much, but it was perfect. It brought the heart to the plot, and a bit of whimsy. Golding managed to make me a believer in Selkies. Which also sent me down the Google rabbit hole...

This is my second book by this author. I think it will be my last. The story was just ridiculous and I could not make myself interested in the characters or their plight. The connections were both obvious and unbelievable at the same time. I found the writing style to be tedious to continue reading or even listening to. I tried both. Not a huge fan of the narration.

I really wanted to like this book but I think this book did not work for me as an audiobook. The story is very interesting but something about the dual POVs/ timelines while being an audiobook made it very difficult for me to stay in the story. I would like to read this book as a physical/ ebook while listening to the audio (how I usually like to read books) because the audio alone was not working for me.

Pros: I did like the audiobook performer, I think she did a good job at differentiating the characters and bringing life to the characters.

The Hidden is a great spooky thriller, but is the kind of book that you can't say too much about without spoiling the story. It's a mystery with some mythology involved, and is told from several points of view: Ruby - a lonely young woman who watches her neighbours through her apartment window; Joanna - the police detective investigating a case where a man is found bludgeoned and left for dead; and Gregor, the man who Ruby is spying on and Joanna is investigating. The story winds its way between the past and present, and almost everything that happened in this story was a complete surprise to me. I loved Melanie Golding's writing style and the way she unfolded this unique story, it was a perfect spooky tale for the dark and dreary nights of fall.
Penelope Rawlins did a fantastic job narrating the audiobook, taking on many different accents and personalities including Celtic accents and songs, a woman with a cold and a toddler!
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to listen to an advance copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

The Silent Scream

The book has more twists and turns than the windiest road. There are secrets and those secrets even have secrets. With a touch of mythology this is a very different story.

A man is hit over the head and left for dead, a child is found abandoned and later given to the mother, or is she the mother?

The main characters are Gregor, Ruby, Laomie, Constance , Joanna and Sam. Someone is not who they pretend to be, someone is in danger and Joanna as a police detective needs to solve the case.

This story was very hard for me to follow although it was an interesting story. The story switches between characters which was rather easy to follow but it also switches between time periods which makes it very hard to follow. The narrator had a nice voice and was easy to understand.

I did have a hard time with this one. The whole book was a bit odd.

I do thank Melanie Golding for writing the story, Penalope Rawlings for narrating it, and Dreamscape Media for making the audiobook available through NetGalley.

I usually shy away from books with any supernatural elements but although one of the characters- Constance- believes herself to be a Selkie and descendent from Seals, it was not the whole focus of the book.

I very much enjoyed the main characters Ruby and her sister DS Inspector Jo Harper and would love to read more books where one or both are featured.

This was definitely a solid suspense/psychological thriller and there were enough twists to keep me interested throughout.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books and Dreamscape Media for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the follow-up book to Little Darlings, the debut novel of Melanie Golding. Wonderfully narrated by Penelope Rawlins who also beautifully sings the haunting songs included. 4.5 stars rounded up!

Leonie, not quite 2 year old, is found abandoned at a seaside storefront. When Ruby (Mamma B) shows up after authorities are called, they chalk it up to a one-time accident and don't investigate further. Meanwhile, Gregor Franks, is found bludgeoned and barely alive in his apartment. As we get glimpses into the past, Ruby gazes from her apartment window into Gregor's apartment, watching him do yoga in the early morning hours. She soon meets him and his family, Constance and Leonie, and becomes entangled in their lives. Constance believes she is a Selkie, a mythological seal creature, who needs to get back to the sea. This book also features Detective Joanna Harper, featured in Little Darlings, who has a complicated history with Ruby.

I really enjoyed this book and loved the mythical elements involved, including the quotes at the beginnings of the chapters. Add that to the wonderful writing of Melanie Golding and you have another winner! There are multiple points of view as well as the different timelines, so that the reader learns the backstories of the characters. The theme of motherhood interlaced with the mythology is really intriguing - what is a mother and what lengths will mothers go to for their children? This is a book that will keep you glued to the pages to find out how it will all end. I hope there are more stories featuring Detective Harper and Ruby in our future!

With a premise based in folklore, Melanie Golding takes an idea that seems completely implausible and makes it feel completely believable. Not to mention, that this story is so engaging, fresh and delectable. Golding unveils her characters and the many secrets they keep, flawlessly throughout this tight, well-written mystery/thriller.

The mother-child theme is front and center throughout, but it's the intrigue of the individual characters that kept me riveted. There are multiple layers to this story that really give it power.

Reading it, I felt the mysterious (somewhat creepy) undertones, while always aware of the lurking enchantment surrounding the story. I loved how the investigation (subplot) balanced out the rest of the story. From the thriller aspect, it's not the heart stopping type, but it certainly is a wild ride. If you like a little fantasy mixed with your real world adventures-- this book is for you.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A high 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for The Hidden by Melanie Golding, narrated was Penelope Rawlins and she was great.
This fantasy, mystery-thriller started slow but then took off like lightning. Interesting characters with lots of twists and turns. I enjoy the plot how the author unfolded the creative plot. Some of it was difficult for me to see because I’m not as familiar with the tales of the sea. The suspense was satisfying and the mystery did it’s job. I do recommend listening to this and hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Thanks Dreamscape Media via Netgalley.

A brilliant display of multi-genre writing. The characters in this book are so vibrant. The relationships are so compelling to me, like Gregor and Constance. At first, I thought this book would take kind of a "Rear Window "approach with Ruby and Gregor. Also, I had to do additional reading on selkies, as this was a new concept for me. There are relationship issues, some CSI-type detective work, some fantasy, mystery, I guess something for everyone.

This premise was absolutely fascinating. Constance believes she is a selkie, and that Gregor is keeping her captive by hiding her sealskin. Without the sealskin, she can’t swim back to her family. Ruby isn’t sure whether to believe Constance, but she quickly realizes that something isn’t quite right in their household.

I really loved how this author included the selkie folklore in this mystery. It added a layer of magical realism that I wasn’t expecting! It really made it unique and helped it stand out from the other thrillers I've read lately. From reading some other reviews, it looks like she did this in her previous novel as well, which I am definitely interested in checking out.

I liked the side-plot of the relationship between Joanna and Ruby, and how Joanna had to reconcile her feelings toward Ruby with her dedication to the case. I thought Joanna was a great protagonist, and would definitely like to read more about her.

I think I really benefitted from listening to the audiobook to really get into the story. I loved that the narrator actually sang the songs. One minor pet peeve is that the narrator (in the book) switched back and forth between “Jo” and “Harper” when referring to the detective. Since Harper could also be a first name, I did get mixed up a few times at the beginning thinking there was another character. I'm not sure if this would have been clearer if I were reading a physical copy, but I got the hang of it eventually.

Melanie Golding does a wonderful job of blending domestic drama and suspense with folk lore. I always enjoy her books and find the way she weaves it all together to be fascinating. I was first introduced to her work with Little Darlings. So, when the opportunity to read and review the Hidden presented itself, I jumped at it.

In this novel, DS Joanne Harper is back on the case. This time around, it appears selkies may be involved. This is a myth that I've always found intriguing. Even though it's included in the story in small increments, it has a large impact on the way everything plays out.

The story takes several twists and turns as it progresses. We're introduced to Ruby, a young woman who is a troubled musician. She finds herself falling into a strange friendship with a man and his "unusual" family. This relationship leaves her feeling confused and frightened at some points.

Meanwhile, her DS Joanne Harper is working on a tough case. They have an injured man, a missing woman and child. She's trying to make the connections and figure out what truly happened. All the while, her personal life is going off the rails.

The story is told with flashbacks that help introduce information into the plot. In addition, it is told from several viewpoints which helps give different perspectives. However, it can sometimes be confusing to some readers. I, personally, didn't find it to be an issue though. Another writing mechanism that I liked was that the author would put snippets from selkie folk lore at the beginning of some chapters. It lent to the overall atmosphere of the story.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: I also was fortunate enough to receive an audiobook for review. The narration was spot on exactly what I expected for this book. It truly made the story feel even more real and enjoyable. Also, I think that listening to this in audio makes the intense moments that much more extreme. (4 stars)

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC . I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

The Hidden started a little slow for me but once the story came together it was a quick read. The Hidden does contain folklore but it never felt cheesy or out of place. This book wasn’t like anything I have read before and I really liked it! I did deduct a half a star for the audiobook narrator. Her voice echoed throughout and her child voice got annoying at times. Overall, The Hidden is a great story and one you should add to your TBR.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the advanced audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review!

3.5/5

DS Joanna Harper returns and is on a new case involving a that has been abandoned in a small town with questions about why the child was with a mysterious woman who claimed to be her mother.

I was rather entertained while reading this book, however the story line did bounce around a little and took a little time to put together but once the storylines connect it is great. The book did take me a little longer than I like to get into but overall was an amazing read.

Thank you to Netgalley & Dreamscape Media for my audio copy in exchange for a honest review.

I really liked this book up until..........the seals -____- I am not into fantasy, magic, folklore, or anything supernatural. Since this book was touted as a "thriller" I was certainly not expecting this twist. The story of Ruby, Jo, Leoni and Gregor was pretty interesting, up until all the talk of skins and Selkies. At that point I pretty much checked out. I also thought the book was maybe 100 pages too long. Not at all related to the story, but I was annoyed how the author repeatedly switched between calling one of the main characters "Jo" (or Joanna) and "Harper." Sometimes within sentences of each other. Just seemed a little distracting.
This is a no for me, but it's probably just not my genre.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for my honest feedback.

In The Hidden, Melanie Golding brings back the detective she introduced readers to in Little Darlings. Joanna Harper is investigating another strange case and, this time, it’s personal.

Two events - a seemingly abandoned child with a mother who swoops in to claim her just as authorities arrive and a man who has suffered a serious head injury after an attack in his own home - prove to be connected. Joanna quickly discovers another connection that involves her own daughter, with whom she has a complicated relationship. Additionally, some obscure Celtic mythology is woven into this dark tale!

Melanie Golding set the stage well in The Hidden. The first half proved magical, suspenseful, and intriguing. While some of the dialogue felt clunky, I was, overall, enjoying the story. My perspective began to crumble somewhere around the 50% mark.

With the incorporation of the Celtic myth, there are fantastical moments and those are not the moments I took issue with as my ability to suspend disbelief faltered. It was the elements that mirrored real life that became increasingly implausible, steering me away from my initial enjoyment.

Aside from that, I also felt the story began to drag and I was not wholly satisfied with how the author wrapped things up. Although I wanted more than what the ending gave me, there is no denying that the epilogue included some touching elements that brought tears to my eyes.

This certainly wasn’t a bad story. While it didn’t completely work for me, I think Golding offered plenty of aspects that may thrill other readers.

I am immensely grateful to Dreamscape Media for my audio review copy through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The Hidden will be out on November 9, 2021.

AUDIOBOOK I love this unique story that include the lore of selkies!

In the Hidden begins we meet 2year-old Leonie who is found abandoned in a seaside town crying for her mother. The timeline switches back and forth to a year prior and during which we meet a selkie. A mysterious man named Gregor is found near death in his apartment and DS Joanna Harper is called to the scene.

As the timeline switches back and forth we learn the truth about Leonie and how she came to be abandoned. It was a great story line although I did find it hard to follow all the moving parts at some times. This is a unique "read" the would appeal to lovers of magical realism, lore, the hidden mysteries of the sea and police procedurals. #NetGalley #TheHidden

I got this audiobook in advance from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What I liked:
- The range of the narrator and her ability to give each character a unique voice. It really brought the story to life.
- The plot was filled with surprises and wasn’t predictable. I read a lot of mystery and suspense. So if it’s formulaic I kind of know what to expect. This book followed its own path.
- For the most part, characters were multidimensional. They weren’t all good or all bad. Everyone had made mistakes and most characters learned and grew over the course of the novel.
- The storytelling was vivid and detailed. I could easily picture and see what was happening on the pages in my mind. I became emotionally invested in what was happening.
- Bigger thematic issues were explored - domestic violence, mental illness, addiction, adoption, youth pregnancy


What I disliked:
- I spent an awful lot of time and effort trying to understand this book. It was dense (a good thing) with lots of layers and characters and background (another good thing), but it was a lot for me to follow as an audiobook. I must have restarted it at least 4 times and listened to chapter 30 more times than I want to admit. Some books work better (for me at least) in type than as an audiobook so I can go back and refer to details I have lost. Maybe that is the case with this book? And to be fair, it was likely user error because my life is damn crazy right now and it’s hard to focus sometimes.
- I was confused by the mystical elements in this pretty straightforward tale. Maybe because I’m not Celtic?

Overall? I would definitely recommend!

I LOVED this book. The concept was something I haven't yet read. It was a murder mystery following Ruby, Constance, Leonie, and Gregor. Constance believes she is from an ancient clan of Selkies. She "lives" with Gregor and their daughter, 2 year old Leonie. When their relationship ends Gregor brings Ruby into their lives. When one of them ends up in a bloody bathtub, with the others on the run, the story takes to the police trying to solve the attack and the disappearance of the other 2 and the little girl. The ending was wrapped up quite amazingly and it made me cry! And can we take a minute for this cover?? Im an Aquarius so have a fondness for water, but that's beautiful! Also have to give it to the narrators. They can make or break an audiobook for me.