He's the Sheriff is looking for a missing girl. He's divorced and lost his 4 year old girl to cancer, so he has his own problems. When he got the call on the missing girl, he was thinking about suicide.
Level Best Books and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you). It has been published and you can get a copy now.

He doesn't realize how bad this case is going to be.

One of the women involved has two personalities. He doesn't find this out until almost the end of the book.

The killer was someone he trusted and troubled him to find out he wasn't all he thought he was.

It is a very interesting mystery with lots of trauma and worry. But the Sheriff does his job even with the shocks coming his way...

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC! Loved it! It was full of twists that kept me guessing. I am looking forward to reading the next in the series. I rate the book a 4.1

Wow !! A delicious dark and twisty thriller that you won't soon forget ! Thanks to NetGalley and Level Best Book for the opportunity to read and review this book ! Opinions are solely my own ! #NetGalley #LevelBestBook #HiddenPieces

This is a fantastic mystery novel that I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a good suspenseful read The plot is engaging and intricate, with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing.
Many thanks to Level Best Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Read this one via netgalley and I was excited for it. The story sounded intriguing and there was a character with my first name! Unfortunately, I read a LOT of thrillers, and possibly because of this I predicted two major "twists." That left me pretty disappointed as I like to be completely surprised and blindsided by twists. There were a few too many characters without enough story. They seemed to be there just to try to keep you guessing. Overall it was a good story and fairly well written.

Thank you for the ecopy of HIdden Pieces! I always love a good mystery thriller and this one hit the spot. It did start off a bit slow but after about half way through it got better. The story was very well written and flowed really well.

Hard to believe but this is my first book I've read from Mary Kelilikoa and it won't be my last. This is the first book in a new series about Sheriff Jax Turner. A divorce, the death of his daughter, nothing is going right and he has just given up. Then a young teen girl disappears and he needs to do something about it. The case reminds him of a case when he was a rookie that was never solved. Too many similarities to ignore. We meet a lot of possible suspects from the town who I'm sure will be more developed as the series continues. Looking forward to the next book!

Jax Turner is a complex character. The case takes him on a wild journey. Full of suspense and twists I never saw the way it plays out coming. Just when I thought I had it figured out the author threw a jaw dropping surprise my way and I couldn't read fast enough. This is quickly becoming my favorite author for thrillers. Wow!

oh my god.

where to start?

this book took the biggest cop out ever and called it a plot twist. like no, that's just lazy wtiting.

I am a member of the American Library Association Reading List Award Committee. This title was suggested for the 2023 list. It was not nominated for the award. The complete list of winners and shortlisted titles is at <a href="https://rusaupdate.org/2023/01/2023-reading-list-announced-years-best-in-genre-fiction-for-adult-readers/">

Such a great, twisty novel for any lovers of plot-twists! I really found the narrative easy to follow but it still kept my guessing and had me on the edge of my seat! I highly recommend to any lovers of mystery novels

A Very Intense Child Abduction Novel

The novel opens with Allison Krueger being offered a ride to school by someone she knows just before her school bus crests a hill. Allison never makes it to school. The sheriff, Jax Turner, is sitting in his sheriff's vehicle on the beach. He is holding his gun and contemplating ending it all because his life has been a failure since his daughter died ten years earlier. He is about to act when his dispatch radio informs him about a missing teenager. He tries to hand it off to his deputy, but he is reminded that his deputy is on vacation. He responses to the call. Hopefully, it won't take long so he can finish what he came to the beach to do.

The main storyline is centered on the investigation that that branched out like the tenacles of an octopus. Where Allison Krueger lives is rural, but right next door is a commercial farm. Three potential viable suspects work or live on that farm are identified. Other illegal activities are discovered that could be motive in the abduction. Then, the stonewalling begins first from the farms manager, then a viable suspect's father who also the city commissioner who already is at odds with Sheriff Turner. Next, his investigation starts to interfere with an FBI investigation that is headed by his ex-wife. Lastly, Sheriff Turner finds a connection with a 25-year-old abduction and murder investigation with which he was involved. The author weaved these threads into an intense and captivating novel that kept me engaged with the novel all the way to the end.

Sheriff Turner starts the novel on that beach in a pit of despair that he has been digging for ten years. His despair also has affected his performance as the sheriff. He has survived by the people working for him have covered for him. Through the novel, the reader will see how Sheriff Turner struggles with this issue. A protagonist pulling a 180 is common, but what I liked about this one was how he handled his inexperienced deputies during this investigation. Sheriff Jax’s interactions with his returning experienced deputy, the city commissioner and his wife added more insight into his character. The B-storyline enriched my reading enjoyment of this novel.

For the aspects that some readers find so objectionable that they will stop reading a novel, first there are not any intimate scenes. The level of vulgar language is minimal, while it is more rude language. There is some violence described in the more edgy as it occurs, but this level of violence is quick than action. For me, these aspects not an issue at all for me and, I suspect, would be for most readers.

What I enjoyed most about this book, was what I call a literary tsunami because after it occurred, my entire understanding of what has happened was washed away by this twist. My largest problem was that the complexity of the investigation may turn some readers off before it captures their attention. This book does require more engagement than an action/adventure novel. There were not any loose ends in the main storyline at the end of this novel. There are plenty of B-storyline threads that can continue in further novels. This is the first novel by this author that I have read. I do not rate an author until after reading a second novel, but I am interested in reading further books or series by this author. I enjoyed reading and recommend reading this novel. I rate this novel with four stars.

I received a free prepublication e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from Level Best Books. My review is based only on my own reading experience of this book. I wish to thank Level Best Books for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

👮Book Review🐟
Hidden Pieces
By: Mary Keliikoa
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/4 stars

Great suspenseful read! I figured some it out about 3/4th's through but it's still crazy how it all ends up.

Sheriff Jax Turner has lost his daughter, his marriage, pretty much everything he has to live for. Contemplating suicide one day, he gets a call about a missing schoolgirl. 25 years ago he had another missing child case that has haunted him since. He can't fail again.

As the investigation proceeds, Jax finds out that the missing girl's (Allison) aunt actually lost her life in a prior abduction which makes this feel too coincidental. When Allison's backpack is found in the backseat of a convicted sex offender's car, things take a turn in the investigation.

When the Sheriff starts to piece together what has happened it is pretty shocking and honestly kinda made me mad! Many twists and turns and just when you think you know... you don't! 🤣

Published October 25, 2022

Thank you @netgalley and @levelbestbooks for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

While Detective Jax is fighting a personal battle, the loss of his child to cancer and his failed marriage - there's kidnap that happens and shakes the whole town. No one seems to know who took Alison that morning when she was waiting for her school bus. Her own mother also happens to be a prime suspect until Jax is reminded of another kidnapping that took place long time ago and one girl was killed.

This was an interesting read but the ending was a bit rushed.

Thanks to Netgalley, Mary Keliikoa and Level Best Books for approving the ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

This one wasn't for me. It started out fairly strong but as the story progressed there were too many things that went conveniently unnoticed (or unaddressed in the narrative) and, in the end, the plot twists were too gimmicky and implausible for this reader. This is the first book in a proposed new series, I wish the author well in her endeavors but I don't think that I will be revisiting this series in the future.

'"I know you've been walking around in a fog for some time. This town hasn't needed a lot of your undivided attention and you've had Deputy Chapman and the boys to fall back on. Thank God you've come back to us, but don't be a dog with a bone."'

Hidden Pieces brings us the story of small town sheriff Jax Turner. Jax has been struggling and is about ready to give up on everything when he gets word a young girl has gone missing. Memories of an old case Jax was involved in surface, and he decides to give it all one last shot.

The first half of the book pulled me well and truly into the story of Sheriff Turner. The small town setting was done well, and you immediately get the feeling that everyone is up in everyone else's business, yet there are more secrets than any one individual could know. The case of fourteen year-old Allison's disappearance is set up well, and there are many leads to cover, stories to follow-up on and secrets to unveil. Ok, we may be in Jax' mind a little bit too much, but overall, I enjoyed this part of the story.

The second half of the book, however, was a bit of a disappointment to me. I'd figured out what was going on pretty early in the story, making all of the second part a bit... obvious maybe? I am also not sure how I feel about using that particular situation as a plot point, but that is a whole different discussion. Finally, the epilogue is a rather obvious attempt to tie all the loose ends together and make everything seem right. I am not sure that was necessary.

All in all, a bit of a mixed bag for me. Atmospheric for sure though, and if this indeed is turned into a series, I'd be inclined to pick up book two to find out more... as Jax did manage to find a way into my heart.

This mystery seems to get mixed reviews, but I really enjoyed it. The sheriff, Jax Turner, is right on the edge of ending his own personal torment when a call comes through on a missing child, and it just barely drags him back to his old detective skills and a chance at redemption. The setting is small town coastal Oregon, and both the setting and a previous child abduction play large roles in the story. The cast is fairly large, but much of the story is a police procedural, so a sheriff has to do some thorough questioning, and there are many avenues of enquiry to pursue, people to question and lovely red herrings, all making for a complex and satisfying storyline. This would make a fabulous discussion for a book club arguing over clues and suspects (there were quite a few) and believability, especially considering the reviews. Jax is a sympathetic character who evolves through the story, very gradually pulling himself out of his deep despair to resurrect his necessary skills with a renewed sense of self. The rest are a mixed bag of personalities who come and go as fast as the kidnapping theories, and you'll never be quite sure who to trust. Good stuff.

Included in my top ten list of crime fiction for 2022 on the DorothyL listserv.

Hidden Pieces is an exciting mystery thriller that follows story of the detective tracking down a missing girl from a small town, while having to confront his unresolved pain and trauma from his daughter’s death and previous unresolved cases. Are there points where there are gaps in plot? Sure, but the book is a quick and fun read nonetheless.

Thank you netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A promising start to a brand new police procedural series by my favorite author Mary Keliikoa. I have been following Keliikoa's Kelly Pruett Mystery Series and was excited to hear of her new mystery series. While Kelly Pruett is a PI, Jax Turner is a detective. I found a couple of similarities between the two series: strong and independent women (mostly single mothers juggling between work and family) and, the protagonist has a tragic past.

In this case, we have Elena (Allison's ex stepmother) and Emily - both with tragic pasts, and both trying to cope with their day-to-day lives. Elena and her sister were orphaned at an early age and things were bad at their foster home. Elena's sister was murdered and Elena had barely managed to escape from her killer. Her sister's killer was never caught.

Emily's been raising Allison alone after her husband Danny fell in love with Elena. Allison preferred to live with her dad, making Emily more angry about her cheating ex-husband. The story alternates between Emily and Elena, and Jax looking for Allison before it's too late.

Halfway through the story, Jax learns of Elena's older brother Steven. He was out of picture when the girls moved into foster home so Jax had no idea the girls had an older sibling. Elena has a love-hate relationship with Steven. He sent her a frantic message for help before disappearing... as Elena goes in search of her brother, she makes a shocking discovery.

I loved the plot and alternating PoVs kept me guessing till the end. The shocking twist at the end was unexpected. I didn't see it coming. Though the story was mysterious and suspenseful, I felt something amiss. (I cannot point it out though.) I had a weird feeling about a certain character... what they said and what they did didn't seem to match.

Overall, this was an engrossing read. I kept my expectations high with this book and hopefully, things turn out to be better (or murkier ;) ) in the next installment.

Fantastic book! I finished it in one day. I couldn't put it down because I needed to know what was going to happen next. I can't wait to read more from this author.