The Hidden Hours

A real page turner. Set in London but with flashbacks to outback Australia. A suspenseful novel that kept me engaged and wanting to race to the finish. What secrets lurked in Eleanor's past and who killed Arabella Lane?

This book was great, really enjoyed it. I read it in super quick time as I couldn't put it down. This is my first book by this author, and after reading this I will certainly look out for more books. I enjoyed the story line and there was enough twists and turns to keep me engaged all the way through to the end.

This is the first book I have read by Sara Foster and I was not disappointed.
This book is set in London but had flash backs to Australia, the book had enough twists and turns to keep you engaged and turning the page to find out what Eleanor's secrets are and who killed Arabella..
I will be definitely looking at the other books this author has done..

Eleanor has witnessed a murder the only thing is that she can't remember as she was drugged. Her family has many dark secrets of loss and guilt and it feels like history is repeating itself. Who can you trust as the people you should be able turn to have the most to hide. Will the truth ever come and how will need to pick up the pieces? All families have secrets but not all are soul destroying. A great thriller

I’m always excited to read a book by a local author and when the opportunity came up to read an ARC of The Hidden Hours by Sara Foster I jumped at the chance.

The Hidden Hours is a well-paced thriller. Young Australian woman, Eleanor Brennan, is on a working holiday in London. She is lucky enough to stay with her uncle and aunt in Harborne Grove. Her aunt Susan is the CEO of publisher Parker & Lane and lands Eleanor a job temping at the office. On the surface, this should be the start of an exciting adventure for Eleanor but it all goes awfully wrong when publishing executive, Arabella Lane, is found dead and Eleanor was one of the last people to see her.

The story crosses between time and continent. The reader, like Eleanor, is kept in the dark about the extent of Eleanor’s involvement in Arabella’s last moments. Foster keeps us guessing about motives and characters until the very end.

Flashbacks to Eleanor’s difficult past are peppered throughout the story. Although I was intrigued by the murder of Arabella Lane, I found myself more drawn to the story of Eleanor’s childhood tragedy.

Eleanor’s growing relationship with Art Director, Will Clayton, provides a delightful and surprising element to the story.

I enjoyed The Hidden Hours immensely. It was the first book I have read by Sara Foster and I will definitely be on the lookout for her other books.

Many thanks to Simon and Schuster for the opportunity to read and review the ARC.

The Hidden Hours will available at all good bookstores from April 2017.

I received a free ARC of this novel from the publisher via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Eleanor is a 21-year-old with a lot of life already behind her. She has travelled to London from The Middle of Nowhere, Australia, to start over and try and free herself from a traumatic childhood, which just won't leave her alone. She's already dealing with a lot and to top it all off, she turns up at work one Friday morning to discover that in between the office Christmas Party the previous night, and the meeting that morning, her boss, Arabella, has turned up dead in the Thames. There is one major problem, Eleanor can't remember several hours of the previous night.

The Hidden Hours slowly uncovers what happened during that part of the night that Eleanor can't remember. Each chapter starts with a little scene which tells the story from someone else's point of view, but the main part of the story is Eleanor's. It alternates between the fallout from Arabella's death and events from Eleanor's childhood which shed light on how she became the person she is today. Why she makes certain choices and behaves the way she does.

At a lot of points I wanted to scream at Eleanor to speak up, Just Say Something! But I had to keep reminding myself that she's come from a vastly different place than I have and she doesn't trust people the way I do.

The writing is good, the characters well-drawn and the mystery is plausible. There were a few possibilities as to who the culprit could be, but the answer wasn't obvious and the clues were held back until right at the end.

I enjoyed this book at would recommend it to people who like a mystery, without any blood and guts and creepy serial killers, and who like to read about complex characters and what makes them tick. It's a psychological thriller with a focus more on the characters than on the mystery itself. Another great offering from Sara Foster.

Who is the murderer? Be prepared to keep guessing right up till the last chapter.
The body of Arabella Lane, a senior staff member at Parker & Lane, is found floating in the Thames. Eleanor Brennan is interviewed by the police as part of what turns out to be a murder investigation. After surviving a childhood containing family secrets, tragedy and a period of self harm she was hoping her new job at Parker would be part of a fresh start. After only a few weeks working at the company Eleanor fears she may be one of the suspects if she was the last person to see Arabella alive an/or witnessed the murder. Eleanor attended a work function the previous night and a combination of too much alcohol coupled with a spiked drink leave her with little memory of events. She has to cope with suspicion, blame and painful memories while struggling to remember anything that happened on the night.
It took me a little while to get into the ‘rhythm’ of the story. Most of the chapters would switch to Eleanor after a few paragraphs relating to a different character. I wasn’t sure if they were included as red herrings or all had special roles. Just before the halfway mark I realized how they all fit together and I was really hooked.
Initially I saw Eleanor as immature, naïve and someone who had trouble making decisions (one of my pet hates). I became frustrated with her character and felt like reaching into the book to say “…get a move on”. Gradually I learned more about her childhood and the tragic events which helped shaped her as a person. Well before the last chapter I started to feel admiration for the way she got through it all. I really enjoyed how the author drew me into the story through Eleanor.
I felt several scenes were particularly well written. One of my favourites was a sad one involving Eleanor’s elderly next door neighbor and his dog. The author set the scene so well I could really imagine it happening and it pulled my heartstrings..
This book is recommended for readers who enjoy crime, suspense and/or mystery.
I obtained a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and this review contains my own thoughts and feelings about the story. My review will be posted on Goodreads and Amazon Au closer to the publication date and the links added to the NetGalley review.

This book was so brilliant. It gripped me from the opening page and kept me guessing until the end.

‘The body bobs lightly against the grey stone wall, ensnared by something unseen, resisting the current.’

Arabella Lane is a senior executive at Parker & Lane, a children’s publisher in London. The day after the office Christmas party, Arabella is found dead in the Thames. Arabella was seen with a number of different people, and in at least one heated exchange. Did she jump, or was she pushed?

Eleanor Brennan, a temporary member of staff at Parker & Lane, has travelled to London to escape her traumatic childhood in Australia. Eleanor is staying with her aunt and uncle in London. Her aunt works at Parker & Lane, and Eleanor has attended the office party to try to meet more people.

Unfortunately, Eleanor may have been one of the last people to see Arabella alive, but she has no memory of the events in the hours immediately before or after Arabella’s death. Was Eleanor involved? The only way she can find out is to remember what happened, and she’s certainly under a lot of pressure to do so. Her aunt in particular has a vested interest in discovering the truth, and Eleanor becomes caught up in the undercurrents of her aunt and uncle’s marriage.

As Eleanor struggles to remember what happened the night Arabella died, she’s caught up in the memories of traumatic events in her childhood. Everywhere, it seems, is dangerous for Eleanor. Both past and present threaten to overwhelm her. Who can she believe? Who can she trust?

From the first page this novel held my attention. While I wanted to know what had happened to Arabella, I was much more interested in the events of Eleanor’s past. Ms Foster maintains the tension as the story moves between past and present. And the ending? I found it satisfying.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster (Australia) for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

I really enjoyed this book the twists and turns kept me guessing until the end. Definitely will recommend this title.

A page-turner with the protagonist's past (in Australia) and present (in the UK) skillfully drawn and interwoven. The characterisation and setting were standouts for me and I rated this book a 4..5 stars read.

As I began reading the book, I thought it might have been one of those stories who inadvertently gives away the 'who-done-it' close to the start. Boy was I wrong. This story was easy to follow, kept the pages turning quickly and it was a story that stayed on your mind long after you put the book down. I changed my mind over and over on who I thought 'did it' until even I was confused by my own mind. If my life wasn't so busy, I could have read this book in a day.

Characters were well created with their own personal turmoils, twists and secrets. Storyline flowed flawlessly, despite reaching back into the past of Eleanor's childhood throughout the book. The little clues at the start of most chapters made you squirm for more details and threw your thought process that little bit more. Definitely a book that will go in my forever library when it does hit the shelves. A very, very good read and highly recommended!

Eleanor Brennan has decided to leave Australia and start anew in London. She has had a traumatic childhood (which is slowly and cleverly revealed throughout the book). She moves in with her distant uncle, Ian, and his family. Ian's wife, Susan, is a high flying career woman and is the CEO of Parker and Lane, a publishing company. She helps Eleanor to land a job at the company as a personal assistant to Nathan Lane. Three weeks later, and despite not really knowing anyone, Eleanor decides to attend her work Christmas party. Here she meets party girl, Arabella Lane, a publishing executive and wife of Nathan. Arabella's father is also the owner of Parker and Lane. The next morning Arabella is found dead in the cold Thames River. Nobody knows if she was pushed or jumped and Eleanor was one of the last few people to see her alive. Only problem is Eleanor can't recall what happened. Foster's clever writing keeps us guessing about suspects and motives and definitely has you guessing to the climatic ending. A great thrilling read.

Book blurb...

Keeping her secret may save her family.

But telling it may save her life.

Arabella Lane, senior executive at a children’s publisher, is found dead in the Thames on a frosty winter’s morning after the office Christmas party. No one is sure whether she jumped or was pushed. The one person who may know the truth is the newest employee at Parker & Lane – the office temp, Eleanor.

Eleanor has travelled to London to escape the repercussions of her traumatic childhood in outback Australia, but now tragedy seems to follow her wherever she goes. To her horror, she has no memory of the crucial hours leading up to Arabella’s death – memory that will either incriminate or absolve her.

As Eleanor desperately tries to remember her missing hours and uncover the events of that fateful night, her own extended family is dragged further into the dark, terrifying terrain of blame, suspicion and guilt.

Caught in a crossfire of accusations, Eleanor fears she can’t even trust herself, let alone the people around her. And soon, she’ll find herself in a race against time to find out just what happened that night – and discover just how deadly some secrets can be.

My thoughts…

Sarah Foster’s, The Hidden Hours, hits the spot for those who love to read thrilling, evocative mysteries.

I felt so much for Eleanor as she tries to start a new life in London. Unfortunately, her new life is affected by her past and her family.

The plot is well paced and keeps you reading to the end and the vivid descriptions were just right. I felt the cold of London’s winter and the loneliness of Eleanor’s childhood throughout the book.

Sara Foster introduces us to the character of Eleanor gradually. Eleanor's current day troubles and her past as a child are beautifully told in a way that brings the past and present together in an ending you won’t see coming.

I am a Sara Foster fan and I’m thinking this is her best yet. Another fantastic Australian Author.

Eleanor’s memories of her nine year old self, and the traumas that had affected her family life in country Australia, would never leave her. Her mother Gillian urged Eleanor to head to London for a fresh start; to stay with her brother Ian, his wife Susan and their two girls. She hadn’t met her uncle before, but felt an affection for him, and loved the girls – but Susan was a high flying business woman, harsh and to Eleanor’s mind, a cold woman.

After only being at her temp position for three weeks – the one her aunt had set up for her, as she was an integral part of the children’s publishing house – the Christmas party cruising on the Thames was looming and Eleanor wasn’t sure she wanted to go. She hadn’t made any friends and knew she would feel uncomfortable. But she did go – and it was the beginning of another dark and terrible time in her life, and in the lives of those around her.

For Arabella Lane’s body was found in the Thames the following morning – and Eleanor had briefly been in her company at the party the night before. But the worst for Eleanor was – she had no memory of those hours; the police continued to question her. Did they believe her? Her past kept colliding with the present – why couldn’t it leave her alone? Why was this happening to her? Would she ever find the inner peace she craved?

The Hidden Hours is another gripping psychological thriller by Aussie author Sara Foster which is filled with intensity, emotion and grief. The tragedy which was the young Eleanor’s life was written well – past chapters interspersed with the present day and drawing in the incredible trauma of her adult life. Written in present tense, (which always feels strange to me!) it didn’t take me long to settle into the rhythm of the story. I thoroughly enjoyed The Hidden Hours and highly recommend it.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital copy to read and review.

Eleanor Brennan is trying to get over a tragic event in her childhood, her teenage years included overdoses and self harm. Now it's time to spread her wings and with the encouragement of her mother, she goes to London to live with her uncle and his family. Securing a temp job in a publishing house where her Aunt works seems a good new start.
But at the work Christmas Party there is a suspicious death, Arabella Lane's body is found floating in the river and suddenly Eleanor isn't sure if she was involved or not. Having accepted a drink from Arabella that she knew some drugs had been put into it, Eleanor has lost the memory of a number of hours during the night and the next morning she finds she has Arabella's ring in her bag.

I've read all of Sara Foster's books and this one didn't disappoint, for me it was such an easy read and I zipped through it in two sittings.
This was part mystery/suspense and I'd almost say, part coming of age. Mostly set in the present with the mystery surrounding Arabella's death, there are also chapters of Eleanor's childhood leading up to the significant event in her younger years, which I was never sure of until it was revealed. So many things go to shape us in our lives and once again it can be the things that are never said that stop us from moving on.

An enjoyable read and thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy to read and review.

Alone and struggling to settle into a new country and a new workplace 21 year old Eleanor attends a work Christmas party but soon wishes she hadn't as she feels isolated and even more alone than before.     After taking some much needed time out she finds herself chatting and drinking with Arabella Lane one of the bosses of the company.         The following day she has a massive hangover and doesn't remember much of the night before.     At work all the staff are gathered and in the most solemn tones an announcement is made, one which will change everything for Eleanor and which will have her wracking her brain for those hidden hours.

I was hungry for every single word of this book, devouring chapter after chapter eagerly.    I guess this is what you'd classify as a psychological thriller but since I've never been especially big into that genre I may be wrong.    What I know is, I often felt anxious as I was reading.  I was second guessing every decision made and I had a healthy dose of paranoia going on, raising suspicions about almost all of the main characters.    Until the very end I remained uncertain about who would be revealed as the villian.

The characterisation in the story was terrific.    The backstory and slowly revealed history was equally as interesting to me as the whodunnit in the present tense investigation.      I felt for the young Eleanor and the way her family had imploded,  and for the long lasting impacts of the trauma she experienced.

I haven't read any of Sara Foster's previous works but feel inclined to do so now.      Sincere thanks to the author, Simon & Schuster (Australia) Pty Ltd and NetGalley for this digital copy of The Hidden Hours in exchange for an honest review.

Thrillers are not a genre I read often, but given how much I enjoyed Sara Foster's previous novel, All The Is Not Lost Between Us, I was keen to read this new offering.

I'm happy to report that I wasn't disappointed. This is a psychological thriller, a classic "who'd done it", that kept me reading compulsively.

Besides the great characterisations, beautiful descriptions, the story was realistic, which is always a big plus, as I often struggle to suspend my disbelief when it comes to thrillers.

Highly Recommended

The Hidden Hours begins with a suspicious death, but it is more the story of 21 year-old Eleanor Brennan. Eleanor spent time with the deceased but her drink was drugged, and she has large gaps in her memory. Eleanor is a broken character. At first, she comes off as wishy-washy in her actions. She’s lost, lonely in London since she hasn’t been there for long and staying with an uncle who she has never met before.

Gradually the layers of her past peel away and the reader learns why she is the way she is. One thing I don’t understand is that she knew her drink was drugged, but she still drank it. Given her past, why did she drink it? She desperately wants to fit in, so I suppose this played into her decision to drink from the drugged glass.

When it becomes obvious that the death is suspicious, the police swing into action, but to me, they didn’t ring true in their investigation. The investigation takes a back seat to Eleanor’s story.

Despite my quibbles, this is a compelling story. It’s not always a comfortable read, but it is a page-turner. I finished it knowing Eleanor emerged stronger, having been forced to face the truth of her traumatic past.

Four stars for me.

Eleanor has travelled to London wanting to leave her traumatic childhood in outback Australia behind her and have a fresh start. Staying with her mother's brother, she enjoys the company of her two young cousins and lands a job temping at Parker and Lane a publishing house where her aunt works. Hoping to meet some people she goes along to the work Christmas party and finds herself having a few drinks with Arabella Lane, a charismatic senior executive at the company. However, next morning when she wakes she has no memory of the rest of the night and learns that Arabella is dead, having drowned in the Thames. Fighting the memories and demons of her past, Eleanor must try to work out what happened in those lost hours.

Sara Foster relates the events in the present tense, mixed with flashbacks to Eleanor's childhood and the traumatic event that still affects her. This unusual style works well and results in a multi-layered story where everyone has their own version of events that night and no one can be trusted. The suspense builds slowly to culminate in a satisfying ending.

Love reading books by Australian authors. Sara Foster you have not disappointed me. Loved reading The Hidden Hours and you have kept me guessing all the way through the book.
The Hidden Hours is a great psychological thriller based on two stories through the eyes of Eleanor Brennan with the present as a young 21-year-old, starting a new life in London and her past during her childhood in outback Australia. The story is about Eleanor trying to remember the missing hours after a party she was at and her probably being the main witness to the death of Arabelle Lane. Tragedy seems to follow Eleanor wherever she goes which makes the story more interesting and wanting you to keep reading.
So many times in the book I wanted to slap Eleanor. I found her frustrating, immature and naïve and she easily trusted people which she then regretted but maybe that’s why I wanted to keep reading. My favourite parts were her flashbacks to her childhood in Australia and wanted to learn more about that part of her life.
I found many of the other characters frustrating and the author, Sara Foster, keeps you guessing throughout the book because they all had about motives and their own personal secrets which just made you keep turning that page.
Yes, I did enjoy reading Hidden Hours and was very excited about receiving an ARC digital copy from the publishers Simon and Schuster through Netgallery for a review.
I have now ordered some of Sara Foster’s previous books and look forward to reading them.

I enjoy reading Australian fiction and also a good English thriller, so a book that combines both will always entice me in.
I liked that there were two distinct settings, both so well described you could feel the heat and discomfort of the Australian bush and the closed-in feeling of the London metropolis. Gradual development of both stories made for good suspense and kept me involved wanting to find out more. I had almost worked out what went on in Eleanor's youth, but didn't predict the explanation of Arabella's death.
One I will recommend to friends and my library customers.

Eleanor is a haunted woman, who has recently arrived in London, and within a month is swept up into the whirlwind of an unexpected death.

Eleanor herself is not hard to connect to - overshadowed by a tragedy in her past, one which has shaped and affected the whole of her life since. She remains uncertain and yet surprisingly strong when she trusts herself.

The mystery itself didn't entirely surprise me... but there's a chance I read way too much in this genre :) Despite my guessing it, I still enjoyed the journey towards the reveal, as the tension wound itself around the characters and their lives.

<i>I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley in return for an honest review </i>

What a great read that keeps you guessing to the end. In the vein of the girl on the train, the reader never knows who to believe until the end.

(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

Arabella Lane, senior executive at a children’s publisher, is found dead in the Thames on a frosty winter’s morning after the office Christmas party. No one is sure whether she jumped or was pushed. The one person who may know the truth is the newest employee at Parker & Lane – the office temp, Eleanor.
Eleanor has travelled to London to escape the repercussions of her traumatic childhood in outback Australia, but now tragedy seems to follow her wherever she goes. To her horror, she has no memory of the crucial hours leading up to Arabella’s death – memory that will either incriminate or absolve her.
As Eleanor desperately tries to remember her missing hours and uncover the events of that fateful night, her own extended family is dragged further into the dark, terrifying terrain of blame, suspicion and guilt.
Caught in a crossfire of accusations, Eleanor fears she can’t even trust herself, let alone the people around her. And soon, she’ll find herself in a race against time to find out just what happened that night – and discover just how deadly some secrets can be.

Definitely filed under "psychological thriller", this story encompasses all of the things you would expect from a great suspense novel - a murder, multiple suspects, hidden secrets and a horrifying past. All the good stuff!

The one thing that really won me over with this book, however, was the construction of the story. Every page, every chapter, built the sense of impending doom. The anticipation for the next reveal was almost impossible to bear. This is the sort of story-telling one lives for if they are a reader of thriller novels.

The thing that was a tad disappointing was the focus on Eleanor's past. I just think it was probably just a bit too much (although it did tie into the story perfectly), and the story of Arabella's death could well have been enough story to tell.

Overall, I highly recommend this brilliant story to anyone who loves a good psychological crime thriller.


Paul
ARH

Thank you Sara Foster and Simon & Schuster (Australia) for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Keeping her secret may save her family.

But telling it may save her life.

Arabella Lane, senior executive at a children’s publisher, is found dead in the Thames on a frosty winter’s morning after the office Christmas party. No one is sure whether she jumped or was pushed. The one person who may know the truth is the newest employee at Parker & Lane – the office temp, Eleanor.

Eleanor has travelled to London to escape the repercussions of her traumatic childhood in outback Australia, but now tragedy seems to follow her wherever she goes. To her horror, she has no memory of the crucial hours leading up to Arabella’s death – memory that will either incriminate or absolve her.

As Eleanor desperately tries to remember her missing hours and uncover the events of that fateful night, her own extended family is dragged further into the dark, terrifying terrain of blame, suspicion and guilt.

Caught in a crossfire of accusations, Eleanor fears she can’t even trust herself, let alone the people around her. And soon, she’ll find herself in a race against time to find out just what happened that night – and discover just how deadly some secrets can be.

Oh this one was fantastic and well written, a story that hooked me right away. I'm a real sucker for anything set in London. Looking forward to reading more from Foster.