Member Review

Sloan Cooper, a Natural Resources police officer, finds herself thrust into a life-altering situation when she stumbles upon a robbery in progress and is nearly killed. After being revived on the operating table, Sloan faces a long and arduous recovery and temporarily moves back to her hometown, Heron’s Rest, to heal under the care of her supportive parents.

During her convalescence, Sloan becomes intrigued by the case of a missing woman. A mystery that lingers in her mind until she can no longer ignore it. Armed with determination and a growing body of research, she convinces her boss to let her investigate the case informally in her spare time. What begins as a single missing person case soon unravels into a chilling pattern: multiple disappearances across three states, with victims of all ages and backgrounds. The only common thread? Each victim had been resuscitated at some point in their lives—just like Sloan.

As Sloan delves deeper into the investigation and gets closer to the truth, she must rely on her wits, resilience, personal strength, and the strength of her relationships to outsmart a serial killer and survive.

Nora Roberts once again delivers a richly descriptive and immersive world. The characters are vividly drawn, and I found myself particularly fond of Sloan, Nash, Drea, Theo, and Sloan’s parents. The search for the killer or killers added just the right amount of tension and suspense to keep me on edge, and each character felt authentic and contributed meaningfully to the story.

That said, while the story was engaging and kept me hooked, I occasionally felt the narrative relied too much on telling rather than showing. For example, while the day-to-day details and the renovations of Sloan’s and Nash's home were described in depth, the investigation itself sometimes felt glossed over. I would have loved more scenes of Sloan actively piecing together clues or confronting suspects to heighten the suspense. Additionally, the ending felt somewhat abrupt, leaving me wanting more closure—though this could simply be because I wasn’t ready to let go of the story.

Overall, 'Hidden Nature' is a blend of mystery, thriller, and romance, with a strong, relatable protagonist at its core. Despite a few pacing issues, it’s a gripping read that fans of Nora Roberts—and newcomers to her work—will likely enjoy.

Note: This advanced reader copy (ARC) is an uncorrected proof.
Mystery & Thrillers | Romance | Women's Fiction