Hid from Our Eyes

From In the Bleak Midwinter through Hid From Our Eyes, I have loved these characters. This 6 year wait has not been easy, but understood. Spencer-Fleming is as good as ever and I hope at work on the next book. Clare and Russ and all the rest of Miller's Kill are some of the best characters I have read. Great book.

Outstanding book. After waiting for six years to find out the next chapter of the story of newlyweds and new parents, Rev. Clare Fergusson and Chief Russ Van Alstyne, we have a doozy of a story. Three murders, one in 1952, one in 1972 and one in present day have the same M.O. , the same type of victim and many of the same characters. Intertwined with the murders, we see the lives of new parents coping with work, childcare and social obligations. This book is chock full of wonderful writing and wonderful moments.

Not only is the dead girl in the fancy dress impossible to identify; the medical examiner can't determine a cause of death.
Make that three medical examiners, Every 20 years the body of a girl has been found in the middle of nowhere. This third time, she is Chief Russ Van Alstyne's case.
People who haven't read Julia Spencer-Fleming will have no trouble plunging into this intricate, involving mystery. Readers who have followed the writer's series pairing the chief with Episcopal priest Clare Fergusson will be ecstatic to read the first mystery in the series in six years.

I have followed this series from the beginning and have enjoyed following the evolution of Clare and Russ over the years. This story involves a series of crimes going back years with ties to the present. Russ and his usual crew, including his wife Clare, come together to solve these decades old crimes. It has been a long time between books and I hope we don't have to wait as long for the next adventures of Clare and Russ. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

I was a little nervous jumping into Hid from Our Eyes because I have not read the prior novels in the Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne mystery series, but I had absolutely no issues jumping in! That being said, I will definitely be reading the first 8 installments because I am 100% on the hook now!

I really enjoy a well thought out mystery novel and Julia Spencer-Fleming has truly delivered in Hid from Our Eyes! The pacing was perfect and I guarantee you will be as surprised as I was with the well timed twists and turns! I can see why this series has such a strong following and I am officially part of that following now! I am looking forward to reading my way through this entire series!

Welcome back, to Clare and Russ. This is mystery is a little different from Ms. Spencer-Fleming previous mysteries. This one spans several years, beginning with a Jane Doe death, with a repeat of another just like the first but 30 years later, then the latest one just like the previous murders. The second one Russ had been a person of interest as he had just gotten back from Vietnam. The third murder happens when he is chief-of=police. This is a very interesting and intriguing mystery. With the help of Russ' old chief, they work on the crime to solve not only the latest murder, but they close the other open cases. I usually can figure out the solutions, but this time it was a step-by-step leading to the murderer.
As always, Ms. Spencer-Fleming writes a mystery story that is very hard to put down. Her characters are well-developed and believable. The story line is also well-developed leading to a satisfactory conclusion. I highly recommend this mystery novel.

I'm so happy to be back in Millers Kill following the ups and downs of Clare and Russ, friends and family. Hid From Our Eyes explores some of Russ's backstory: his lack of direction following his tour in Vietnam, his anger, and his being a person of interest in a mysterious death. This story follows the efforts of three MKPD police chiefs trying to solve three different but similar deaths over the years. The answer is stunning and heartbreaking for those involved. As always, I was left wanting more.

This is a mystery that is beyond my wildest imagination. The characters seem real and are likable till they aren't! The plot is something I could never imagine but the author does a great job of making it real. Power and ambition seems to have nonethical boundaries in this story.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. Reading this book was a new author for me and I have to say I very much enjoyed it. The book was very well written, easy to follow along with, had great characters and great backstory as to all of them. It made it for a very enjoyable read, I highly recommend this book and this author for everybody and I hope in the future I am given the opportunity to read more by this author as I think it’s a great story and will go along way thank you

Traditional mystery---The police chief of a small town and his Episcopal priest wife are trying to find a life balance with a fussy baby and hectic lives. Throw in an unidentified dead young woman whose death seems to be exactly as one from 1972, which was exactly like one from 1952. And while trying to solve this current case, the chief is trying to keep the town from voting to get rid of the local law enforcement and use the police force from the city. Hope this series continues. for many more books.

I was so excited to see a new volume from Julia Spencer-Fleming, but to be honest, I was a bit nervous, too, because it felt like the previous volume in the series had struggled a bit in balancing fairly somber character development and plot. I am happy to say, though, that "Hid From Our Eyes" is a very strong entry in the series. It has a genuinely complex and creepy mystery, which I didn't figure out till the very end. As is usual for Spencer-Fleming, the mystery is thoughtfully entangled in issues of gender, sexuality, and power -- and both the revelation and the problem at the heart felt on point for society today.

Spencer-Fleming smoothly flips between three time periods, and in doing so, gives readers new insight into Russ Van Alstyne's past, which in turn helps to continue developing his relationship with Clare. And Clare, still struggling with her own demons, is nonetheless committed to asking difficult questions and chasing down answers.

So often, cozy mysteries are full of unrealistically perfect people -- so perfect that it's hard to understand how anyone ends up murdered in the first place. What I love about the Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne series is how Spencer-Fleming deliberately makes her characters less than perfect, and weaves their own struggles into the mysteries. It's clear by the end of the book that Spencer-Fleming has a plan in place to continue -- and take Russ and Clare in a new direction -- and I'll be curious to learn more in future volumes.

I was very fortunate to receive an Arc of this book. Like other fans, I have been waiting impatiently for another Furgusson and Van Alstyne book. This is a mystery that covers 3 generations in Miller's Kill. The mystery grabs you're attention and doesn't let go. After the murders are solved, I was happy to see that there three issues to still be resolved. I'm looking forward to the next book that takes on those issues.

This is a great suspense mystery about a small town police department from the 1950s to the present. Three police chiefs had very similar cases years apart. All involve unidentified girls found in unusual circumstances in the same spot on a country road.

All the characters are colorful individuals with their own stories that make them very fun to read about. And the ending is totally unexpected for most of the book and still a little unexpected at the conclusion. I really enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to anyone who likes a good mystery
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I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Millers Kill, New York - 1952, 1972, & Present Day

Russ Van Alstyne, the Millers Kill chief of police, has just had a deja vu sort of event with the discovery of the body of a young woman in the middle of a road nearby. She was young, pretty, wearing an expensive dress, and shoeless. No other evidence in the area, no phone, handbag, nothing. And worse, no idea of how she died. The entire scenario is eerily reminiscent of the young girl whose body he nearly ran over with his motorcycle in 1972 upon his return from Viet Nam. That victim, too, wore a similar outfit, was barefoot, and no pathologist every discovered how she died. Plus, this now is the third incident that Russ is aware of in the same location because the police chief in 1972 had told him of another dead girl in 1952. What makes this even more worrisome is that the Millers Kill voters may be choosing to disband the local police department and rely on the State Police instead. Until, or unless Russ can solve this latest murder, he and his crew could be out of jobs. To make matters just a bit more uncomfortable, Russ was one of the suspects in the death of the victim in 1972.

Russ' wife, Clare Fergusson is the local Episcopal priest. She, too, is a veteran, and she is also a recovering addict. Four months ago she gave birth to their son, and life is hectic, unpredictable, and staying clear of drugs and alcohol is making life very complicated. Her diocese has assigned an intern now, and Clare hopes Joni can take some of the burdens off of her daily routine. The fact that Joni is a transgender woman makes no difference to Clare, but Joni's wealthy father is still not over the fact that Joni will not be taking over the family business. Clare is relieved that she has some assistance in her day job, so that her home life is not so frantic, making her addiction recovery a worrying thought. The extra burden of Russ' predicament and the newly discovered body are just things Clare is going to have to come to terms with.

Russ and Clare want what's best for their son, Ethan, and they try and coordinate efforts to his advantage. They also pair up together, occasionally, in their work lives, so Clare is well aware of the mystery surrounding the dead girl, and how Russ has to vocalize his frustration with the lack of evidence. When Joni talks Clare into coming to his parents' "camp" in the Adirondacks for a party that could actually help Russ' police department, Russ is skeptical, but hopeful. He'll try anything to keep his crew together.

HID FROM OUR EYES is a page turner! Readers will compare the three deaths, as I did, and come up with about as much as Russ and the chief in 1972 did, which is nothing. How can a death in 1952 be related at all to one in 1972, let alone in the present day? Or is this all just a weird coincidence? To reveal much more would be to give too much away. Try and figure it out, I tried, and I was shocked by the ending. Excellent writing, appealing, well-rounded characters, and a true mystery, so readers can't go wrong. I highly recommend HID FROM OUR EYES.

Jani Brooks

Another interesting peek into the lives of Russ and Clare, and a mystery that kept me guessing through the whole book because the setup was unique. The clues were there-just perfectly disguised. It was great to touch base with favorite characters like Hadley Knox and Kevin Flynn, and it was easy to sympathize with new parent woes along with all the other difficulties Russ and Clare face during the novel. Now I can’t wait for the next installment!

Just finished this book, and had no clue that it was the 9th book in her series. It reads like a stand alone novel. I can't wait to go back and read the other 8. It kept me guessing almost all the way through…turns out one of my guesses was correct. I truly believe that I would recognize both Clare and Russ if I saw them walking down the street. Great book. Great characters!

This is the 9th book in the Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Mystery series set in upstate NY. Clare and Russ have both been in the military. Clare is now the pastor of St. Alban's Church and Russ is the police chief of Miller's Kill police department. Russ receives a 911 call that a young woman has been found dead with the same MO as a crime Russ was accused of in the 70s. At that time, Jack Liddle was called to a murder scene that was very similar to one he worked as a trooper in the 50s. Russ found the body while riding his motorcycle after returning from Vietnam and was considered a suspect. Russ is now pressured to solve these three murders 40 years apart before a vote to eliminate his police department and return to state patrol. He has also enlisted the help of Reverend Clare Fergusson, who is already juggling the tasks of being a new mother to her and Russ's baby and running St. Alban's Church, to finally solve these crimes.
It's been 6 years since the last installment of this series as the author was dealing with the death of her husband and I was very happy to return to the lives of Clare and Russ. They are well-developed flawed characters and this plot kept the pages turning until the very surprised ending. You will get much more out of this book if the series is read in order although this one works as a standalone too. Cliffhanger ending makes me look forward to the next book. Highly recommend to mystery readers. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a free copy for an honest review.

Hid From Our Eyes was worth the wait. Julia Spencer-Fleming has picked up the storylines of her characters after the years-long gap between this and the previous book in the series. This story plays across multiple timelines and gives us a glimpse of Russ's back story when he was a possible suspect in a murder. Enough background is given that this can be read as a stand-alone book although I highly recommend reading this entire series if you have not already done so.

Julia Spencer-Fleming pens one of the best mystery series around.  I recommend her books most highly and I have read them all, starting with In the Bleak Midwinter.  The setting is upstate New York and the region is brought to life in a way that makes a reader feel that they are there.  The protagonists, Clare and Russell are adults with histories; both were in the military.  Clare is now an Episcopal priest while Russ is the head of the Millers Kill Police Department. Over the course of the series, readers get to know these real, flawed and genuine adults well.

It is best to read this series in order.  Long term readers will be ecstatic to spend time with Russ, Clare and those in their world after a long hiatus between the last book and this one.  In this entry the main story is complex as it involves three murders; one took place in the 50s, one in the 70s.  No spoilers so I can't say more.

If you know Clare and Russ,  I hope that you will be as delighted as I was by their return.  If you are new to the series, you are lucky as you have nine books to look forward to.  Mystery readers, please check this series out.  Ms. Spencer-Fleming, you have not lost your touch!


Many, many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this read in exchange for an honest review.

It's been a long time since we visited with Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne in Millers Kill, New York. But the wait is worth it!
Hid From Our Eyes has three time lines with characters appearing in both the present and past. Spencer-Fleming handles this plot device well and I wasn't confused about where (or when) we were.
The three time frames have a death in common: a young woman, dressed in a "party" dress, without a purse or shoes and no visible wounds or way to tell how she died, or how to identify her. Of course, medical science has come a long way and the present day crime scene and body yields more answers than those in the past. And Russ just happened to be a suspect in one of those past murders.
As usual with this series, the murder solving is only part of the story. Clare and Russ are new parents, adjusting to their baby. Clare is fretting that her drug and alcohol abuse before she knew she was pregnant may have impacted the child. There's a referendum coming before the township that may put Russ out of a job. Hadley Knox's ex is bringing a lawsuit against the town, claiming that former officer (and Hadley's former on-again/off-again boyfriend/lover) Kevin Flynn planted drugs on him that got him arrested. Flynn left Millers Kill to take a job with the Syracuse PD and he's working undercover in Millers Kill.
So there's plenty in this story to keep you turning the pages.
The solution is neat and makes sense, even if you don't see it coming. Hid From Our Eyes is an excellent mystery in the "Fair Play" tradition of Margaret Maron and Louise Penny. I hated waiting over six years for it (and hope I don't have to wait another six years for the next installment), but I loved the story. I highly recommend it!

I really enjoyed this murder/mystery. I did not realize it was a series until after I finished. Now I think I am going to have to go back and read the other books. I liked the characters. None of them were perfect people. Even the Reverend had her faults. That just made them more likable. I had no idea the outcome of the mystery until the end. It was a real twist. I am anxious for more of this series. I received a copy from Netgalley for my honest opinion. I would recommend this book.

I’ve been waiting for this book for years and it didn’t disappoint. She’s spoken at our library before and is a wonderful, kind speaker who shares great stories and details about the writing process and the business of writing.

This was an incredible story about murder that spanned decades. I loved the story-line - I was already drawn in with just the jacket cover. - and I really enjoyed the characters. This author did an excellent job of developing the characters from the beginning of the story to the end, with their outlook and attitudes changing with their age and the progression of the story. There is no superhero, and the leads do as much wrong as they do right, but it all wraps up with an ending that you don't see coming but that you can feel good about. This is a book that you don't want to put down once you start it ... the details are rich and it evokes deep emotion. I loved it and would recommend it to anyone who likes whodunits or crime stories!

Hid From Our Eyes by Julia Spencer-Fleming is a book in a series. I learned this as I was reading this book and I haven't had the pleasure to read the others but I imagine they are just as good, if not better than this one. Also, a backstory to this book would be a fantastic read!

This story travels between a few different timelines and murders as a suspect is sought after. The detective who is in charge of solving the case was a suspect in the murder of the second woman. There's three murders all together and it seems they have a serial killer on their hands. It's a great read with twists and turns that are unexpected with a bit of a cliffhanger at the end that leaves it open for another book.

Hid from Our Eyes by Julia Spencer-Fleming. A great addition in The Rev. Claire Fergussen & Russ Van Alstyne Mystery series. We had a long wait for this book but well worth the read. It went back and forth in time and had more than one storyline.

<b>Read 9 Feb 2020 (★★★★½ rounded up)</b>

Wow. HID FROM OUR EYES concludes my series re-read/catch-up (mostly via audio) and good grief, I’m wrung out. After an almost-7yr gap, Ms. Spencer-Fleming returns to Millers Kill, NY & for this reader, hits a gland slam on the first pitch.

Ms. Spencer-Fleming switches up the storytelling format yet again. On the surface, HID FROM OUR EYES appears to alternate betn 3 different time periods & respective murder investigations. But look deeper & one can see parallelism in the interwoven/overlapping characters at certain stages of their lives & relationships (eg, situation/experience of newbie Harlene in 1952 to relative newbie Hadley in present day (assume 2020), or influence of each chief of police on his future successor).

And the ending! Aauugggh... Already know that I need to hunt down audio version upon release; that re-read will have to sustain me until #10.
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NB: Above is abbreviated review; pls see link #1 for full content. FYI, link #2 is review/series overview for book #1. (Amazon review to be posted post-publication date.)

~ NG feedback/review 12 Feb 2020 ~

Having read with enthusiasm the other books in the author’s Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne series, I was delighted to be chosen to read an ARC of the latest one. I certainly was not disappointed! Lest you think that you have to read the entire series, you do not because this book can be a stand alone. I just know that once you have read this one, you will want to read the others! In this latest one, there is a series of three murders, all decades apart and all eerily alike. A young woman’s dead body is left in the middle of nowhere in the little town of Millers Kill and the head of law enforcement each time is left stymied as to who killed her and why she was left in their town. The point of view switches between the different chiefs of police, starting in the 50’s with Chief Harry McNeil, in the 70’s with Chief Jack Liddle and in the present with Chief Russ Van Alstyne. Following the clues and finding the connections is a real dilemma for Russ, who calls upon his wife, Episcopalian minister Clare, to help follow and solve the mystery. This was a powerfully written police procedural with some very creative and unexpected twists. I loved getting to know Clare and Russ again and how their human foibles are presented. Clare is having difficulty getting used to being a new mother and juggling that with her other responsibilities as well as helping Russ to find out who is disturbing the peace in their little town by dropping bodies there every few decades. Fans of police procedurals and mystery/suspense will definitely want to read this book!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

I loved this book! It was well worth the wait for the next installment in this series, and Julia Spencer-Fleming did not disappoint. The rich character development makes me feel like I know Claire and Russ. The three cases in different time periods made the mystery very interesting. Great read!!

After a long hiatus due to many personal problems, Julia Spencer-Fleming has brought back her popular characters -Reverend Clare Ferguson and Chief Russ Van Alstyne. In Hid From Our Eyes, the story opens in 1952, when police are investigating the death of a young woman found dead on the road. With no signs of violence, but dressed in a party dress and wearing nighttime makeup, the police assume she was a prostitute. They never solve the case, nor identify the victim. Fat forward to 1972 and there is another death, also unsolved. Jump to the present (2002 in this book) and a third body is found in an eerily similar situation.

An excellent mystery with a shocking conclusion.

This is a very well told story with a lot of excitement and clever details. The characters and locales are interesting.

Chapters go back and forth between August 1952, August 1972, and Present Time. At each date, a woman's body is found on Route 137, a country road in Millers Kill. In each case, the woman was dressed in a party dress, and they couldn't figure out what killed her. In Harry McNeil was chief of Police in 1952, and they never found out the name of the deceased. They found the dress came from a fancy store in New York City. Jack Liddle was a young policeman. In 1972, the Chief of Police was Jack Liddle, and the prime suspect was Russ Van Alstine, freshly back from the Vietnam War. However, Jack recognizes that Russ isn't a ruthless killer and mentored him. Jack also greatly respects Margy, Russ's mother. Jack takes Russ to a local commune, where they show pictures of the woman and she is identified.

In present time, Russ Van Alstine is Chief of Police and there is about to be a referendum to replace the local police department with the State Police to save money. There is one policewoman in the Millers Kill force, Hadley, who has suffered some harrassment. Her ex husband sent tapes of her doing sex movies in her younger life. She used to partner with Kevin Flynn, who had left to go to Syracuse just after he helped Hadley get her children back from her divorced husband who was trying to take them away. Then, the ex sues Hadley and the Department for assault and false arrest.

Rev Clare and Russ have just had a new baby. Clare gets a new intern, who is transgender, Joni Langevoort. Her family has an Adirondak "cottage" as well as a new Lake George house. Her father is getting ready to retire from the head of his prestigious NYC company, and the new head of the company will take over the "cottage". Meanwhile, the Langevoorts volunteer to help fund raise to keep the police department and invite Claire and Russ to a big dinner when they announce the new company president.

The police really want to solve the case of the woman before the referendum on shutting them down. They gradually make some progress - they interview folks at the fair, there is new science to show how the woman died, and a lot of legwork allows them to identify the girl and who might have been with her. There is another death which surprisingly gives more clues about the girl. It gets very exciting as the referendum is almost on them, and the pieces of the puzzle come together.

Three nearly identical murders of young women spanning over 50 years are at the heart of this mystery. In 1952, Millers Kill Police Chief Harry McNeil finds an unidentified woman in a party dress dead with no obvious cause of death. In 1972, Millers Kill Police Chief Jack Liddle is called to a murder scene of a woman that's very similar to one he worked as a trooper in the 50s. Young Vietnam War veteran Russ van Alstyne found the body while riding his motorcycle and is quickly pegged as the prime focus of the investigation. And in the present-day, Millers Kill Police Chief Russ van Alstyne gets a 911 call that a young woman has been found dead in a party dress, the same MO as the crime he was accused of in the 70s. Budget shortfalls are forcing the town to vote whether to dissolve the Millers Kill police department so the pressure is on for Russ and his team to solve the murder and prove their worth.

Meanwhile, Russ and his wife Reverand Clare Fergusson are also dealing with being parents to 4-month old Ethan and Clare has additional temptations to thwart her newly found sobriety from alcohol and drugs. When Clare gets an unconventional intern named Jodi to help at St. Alban's Church, this provides a way into the powerful Langevoort banking family and the secrets they hold.

This was a long-awaited return to Clare and Russ' world with a few dangling plot threads left at the end that leave us wanting more soon.

I received an eARC from Netgalley and St. Martin's Press with no requirements for a review. I volunarily read this book and provided this review.

This is the first book in this series that I have read. I have already purchased the first book to go back and understand who the characters ended up where they are now.

Even though it is ninth entry, it can be read-alone and you won’t miss any of the action due to lack of understanding. The author deftly brings in elements from prior books without giving anything away that would spoil reading those books.

The book is told in three time periods: 1952, 1972 and present day. In each of these times, there is an identical murder victim found. In each case, there doesn’t seem to be evidence and it baffles those who are investigating the murders. The first two murders have stood as cold cases for decades.

The three periods are brought together by a hand-off of responsibility for keeping the peace in the area. The current Sheriff is Russ Van Alstyne who was a suspect in the second murder.

He is determined to investigate and also solve the murder in which he was a suspect. His wife, Reverend Clare Fergusson assists him.

Clare is also trying to juggle her work and her need to spend time with her baby. She is fighting her addictions and is having a hard time with the pressure of work, home life and, simply life in general.

The whodunnit was really interesting and because of this book, I will be reading the whole series and if the author writes another one, I will definitely be reading that one as well. As there is a bit of cliff-hanger, I am in hopes that there will be a number 10 in the series.

I was provided a digital advance reader copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley.

This is the much anticipated ninth book in the Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne and while it is a new mystery, it also is the continuing story of their relationship. The current murder is a repeat of a murder from the ‘70’s, when Russ was briefly a suspect. Both of these identified murders are almost identical to an unexplained death from the’50’s, before the area had their own police force. At that time the state police decided not to investigate, preferring to classify it as an accidental death, probably of a prostitute who had been out on the town with one of her customers.

In all three cases there is a young woman found dead in the middle of the road, dressed in a beautiful new party dress. There is no apparent cause of death and forensic science was not sufficient at the time of the first or second murders to determine what might have killed the young woman. Russ treats it as a murder, drawing parallels between this and the second case, while trying to determine cause. The former chief of police who investigated the ‘50’s murder has moved back to town and joins Russ in trying to solve this mystery.

The mystery is well plotted and moves at a good pace, with the book pulling you back into it if you put it down for any length of time. While I identified the murderer early on in the book, I did not know the motive and remained in the dark about it until almost the end of the book. I was hard to put the book down, as I found myself wanting to read “just one more chapter” on a regular basis.

As is the case in other Spencer-Fleming novels, there are strong storylines which occur between Clare and Russ as well as several other secondary characters. Russ and Clare’s relationship has continued to develop and change, and their storyline includes some of the pitfalls that have developed as a result of their marriage. There is also the bid by some of the town’s politicians to dissolve the police department and contract with the state to provide services in an attempt to save money. In addition, there is some attention given to the relationship that developed then crashed between Hadley and Flynn.

All the secondary characters are well developed as is the atmosphere of the small town of Miller’s Kill. While the murder is complete within this novel, the reader will likely miss some of the nuances of the book if they have not read the previous novels. This series is definitely one I would recommend readers to begin with the first novel and read in order.

My only objection is the very obvious cliffhangers that are part of Russ and Clare’s lives as well as Hadley and Flynn’s. While there is some indication that there is also a storyline that will continue between Russ’s mother and the former Chief of Police, it is not as obvious and not so much of a cliffhanger as a suggestion. I personally dislike this type of ending where the reader must get the next book in the series in order to know if and how things “work out”.

That said, there was a long wait between the 8th book in the series, and this one did not disappoint. I want to thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with an Advanced Digital Reader copy in exchange for an honest review. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good mystery and in spite of my frustration over the cliffhangers, I will be looking forward to the next book in the series.

A unique mystery taking us from a murder in 1952, of a young woman left in the middle of the road, to a similar one in 1972 and now to the present case. Millers Kill Police Chief Russ Van Alstyne is called to the scene and is reminded of the case in 1972. Russ had just returned from two tours of duty in Vietnam and because he found the body, was considered a suspect. His wife, Reverend Clare Fergusson, is dealing with their new son, her duties at the church and her PTSD from her time in the military. This might sound confusing, to go back and forth between three crimes, but the author effortlessly connects the crimes and solves three murders. I have read and enjoyed this entire series. The main characters, dealing with their past issues, have evolved to the ones they are today. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

Sometimes we all need help, but are afraid to ask for it. This book looks at what happens when we don't ask, and when it is given, whether we want it or not. Russ and Clare now have a baby and Clare is every working mother, struggling to keep all those new moments with her baby, and serving the needs to her parish, and failing at both. Meanwhile Russ finds himself having to step back and come back into being a suspect once again, as the past comes back to haunt hm. Watching these 2 string people having to learn to lean on each other and others, while solving a tight mystery, speaks to Julia's deft skill as a writer. This is a couple we would all love to know and have as friends, and the series continues to expand and find new areas for growth. If you love this series, you'll adore this book. If you're new to it, it will make you want to go back and read the rest!

Reading Hid From Our Eyes by Julia Spencer-Flemming was like curling up with an old friend. I've loved this series for years and have waited for this book for 6 years! Welcome back Ms. Spencer-Flemming it's great to have you back!
The story seamlessly rotates between 3 murders...one in 1952, one in 1972...both unsolved...and a present day case. Three young women abandoned in death on the same spot, on the same road no obvious cause of death for any of them. Young Russell VanAlstyne was a person of interest for a short time in the 1972 murder and I enjoyed getting a look at the young man that eventually becomes Chief of Police in the town he loves. Russ assumes the murders are connected...they are able to identify the 1972 victim and the current victim. With the help of Chief Jack Liddle, from the previous case, they are able to identify the present day victim and start tracing her movements. It was fun watching them zeroeing in on the perpetrator.
Along with trying to solve the murder Russ has to battle the town council in the never ending battle to keep the MKPD as the local police force rather than going with the State police.
Claire is trying to adjust to a new baby (yes! The baby is finally here!) She's struggling with juggling her job and a fussy baby on top of trying support Russ both with the case and with the referendum election coming up.
The ending of this book teases at some changes coming up ...I for one am eagerly looking forward to the next one.
I loved this book! Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A terrific complex read that ranges over three time periods and don't worry if you haven't read the previous books- this will be fine as a standalone. Three times young women have been found dressed in party clothes, barefoot, and in the middle of a road. Russ Van Alstyne, who was newly back from Vietnam, was actually a suspect in 1972 because he found the body. Now he's chief of Police in Millers Falls and there's another. Clare, his wife, is a priest and she's struggling a bit with being a new mother and with her sobriety but she's always up to help Russ. There's a second thread involving Hadly, an MFPD officer, and Kevin, who left the MFPD for Syracuse. AND there's the issue of whether the department is dissolved and policing passed over to the State. All in all, while the plot zips quickly, it's the characters who really pull you in. The tension ramps up slowly but well and you will be surprised, as I was, at the answer to the cold cases. This ends, no spoilers, with several big cliff hangers of the oh no variety and it's all the better for keeping those questions in your head. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. An excellent read for fans and new readers alike.

A potential murder victim is discovered, but the case is never solved. Twenty years later a similar death is discovered, and once again the police are baffled. The third occurs over thirty years after the second, and Russ Van Alstyne is the third police chief to try to figure out what happened and if the three deaths are linked.

Author Julia Spencer-Fleming tells all three stories at once, giving readers a birds-eye view of police efforts through the decades. Many of the main characters were alive during at least two of the deaths, and we are furnished with their different perspectives. I found it interesting that the author would employ the time difference to create tension by switching from era to era, but it worked well. One never knew if a clue would surface and be deciphered many years later.

“Hid From Our Eyes” is more of a police procedural than an action book, and leans toward being an interesting study of the characters. People naturally change over the years, and it was fun to see a person’s reactions in one era contrast with an older version. Writing a book in this manner can be tricky, and the author deftly maneuvered around the potential sticky spots. I was glad to see the years posted as part of the chapter titles (1952, 1972) and just as I was questioning the ages of some of the people, Ms. Spencer-Fleming managed to inform us that “Present Time” was 2007. Thus the story was tied neatly together. Five stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a complimentary electronic copy of this title.