THE USA TODAY BESTSELLER New York Times bestseller Julia Spencer-Fleming returns to her beloved Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne mystery series with new crimes that span decades in Hid from Our Eyes. “New parents Clare Fergusson and police chief Russ Van Alstyne tackle three copycat murders and one testy baby in this riveting addition to an acclaimed series” –People magazine 1952. Millers … series” —People magazine
1952. Millers Kill Police Chief Harry McNeil is called to a crime scene where a woman in a party dress has been murdered with no obvious cause of death.
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. The only difference is this time, they have a suspect. 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.
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. The pressure is on for Russ to solve the murder before he’s removed from the case.
Russ will enlist the help of his police squad and 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.
Readers have waited years for this newest book and Julia Spencer-Fleming delivers with the exquisite skill and craftsmanship that have made her such a success.
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Three similar murders separated by decades…an all too familiar crime scene.
Hid From Our Eyes by Julia Spencer-Fleming is a great small town murder mystery story with a captivating plot that spans decades, well developed characters, clever twists and a realistic and unexpected ending. This is the 9th book in the Clare Ferguson/Russ Van Alstyne Mystery series and it can easily be read as a standalone since the author provides enough of a backstory to keep the reader fully engaged and completely informed. Although this is the first book I have read in this series, I found myself immediately pulled in by the author’s talented descriptive writing style and the unique and clever plot. The style in which the story is told and the way the mystery unfolds made this book difficult to put down. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story and I definitely look forward to reading more books in this series.
Hid From Our Eyes takes place in the Adirondacks in Upstate New York where there have been three murders, all very similar, each happening decades apart. Each time a young woman’s body is found in the middle of the same road, dressed in a party dress, with no shoes, no purse and no obvious cause of death. Who is killing young women and leaving them on the road? Why are the victims all dressed in party dresses and what caused their deaths? Is the timing between the murders significant? Since the present day chief of police Russ Van Alstyne was once a suspect, will he have more insight into these mysterious murders and will he finally be able to solve the cases that completely baffled the two previous Millers Kill chiefs?
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a complex murder mystery, with unexpected twists and a surprising ending. I look forward to seeing how Julia Spencer-Fleming develops the next book in this series and what’s next for Clare and Russ!
I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from Minotaur books through BookishFirst in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this arc book from the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for an unbiased review.
I haven’t read any of this authors previous novels. This story starts out with a good crime scene in August 1952 which coincidentally seems repeated in August 1972. In 1952, Millers Kill chief of police was 50 year old Harry McNeil who worked the case with detective Stan Carruthers. A girl was found dead on Route 57 with a crucifix. According to state trooper Jack Liddle state trooper she was found face down in the road of the small town of Cossayuharie. There was no apparent signs of struggle or drug use or gun shots or knife wounds.
In 1972, Jack Liddle is promoted to chief of police when a girl is found dead on McEachron Hill Road.
Fast forward to August present day and again another young female victim is discovered in the middle of Route 137 in Cossayuharie wearing a party dress.
The preview ends just as it introduces a new character at pediatricians questioning fetal alcohol symptoms. Really? You don’t get any more information so you have to read the book! What a tease!
Welcome to Tea Time my Fellow Book Dragons! I do hope your weather was as lovely as it was here. There were a pair of Mockingbirds singing outside The Cave today. Lovely. Our Gem this evening is quite mysterious. At first glance it simply looks like a sequin from a young woman’s party dress, but hold it in your claws and close your eyes. You will see more. You see a figure coming towards you, offering you a ride in his car, you cannot see his face, for it is evening and he stays half in shadow. You have no way home and all the buses have gone. He has a nice car and you are sure you saw a friend laughing with him earlier. He does look familiar, doesn’t he? Open your eyes, your heart is beating a little faster and I see there is fear behind your eyes. It affected me the same way. This is Gem Maker Julia Spencer-Fleming’s “Hid From Our Eyes”.
What would you think if every 20 years or so, a young woman’s body was found dead on a certain road in your county. Exact same spot, exact same MO, exact same everything? And a cause of death could never be determined? And what if the second time this happened, you were the main suspect? And the third time it happened you were the County Sheriff?
This is the tale of Russ Van Alstyne and his lovely wife (and recovering addict/alcoholic) Episcopal Priest Clare Fergusson. This one is for feasting in small meals because you do not want to miss a thing. It made me pause to consider the evidence, the suspects, the people, the places. This one made my scales crawl at times. I loved it! Russ and Clare are extremely likeable, yet flawed. This is no happily ever after and all is perfect, all the time.
This couple works together as a unit, most of the time. Russ is also a man one wants to work for. He is determined to save his department from small town penny pinchers who see utilizing the State Police and doing away with the Town Police as a great alternative to save cash. And by the way, if your town is thinking of doing that, don’t. I have been there, it is never a good idea. But I digress, Russ and his deputies work hard. Are they all Sherlock Holmes or DCI Barnaby? Are they going to come in like Danny R. Smith’s Detective’s Jones and Tyler? No. But they know their jobs, their town and their people. They will get this job done.
If you love a good mystery with decent people in realistic settings, “Hid From Our Eyes” is definitely for you. It was just released today and is everywhere in all media forms at very reasonable prices! Until tomorrow, I remain, your humble Book Dragon,
Drakon T. Longwitten
I received my copy of this book from #MinotaurBooks through a giveaway at #BookishFirst. My opinion is my own.
I received a free electronic copy of this excellent novel from Netgalley, Julia Spencer-Fleming, and Monitor Books. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this novel of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am happy to see this return to the story of Clare Fergusson, Episcopalian priest, and Russ Van Alstyne, Chief of Police of Millers Kill, a very small town in the scarcely populated county of Washington in New York state.
We have three distinct timelines – August 1952, August 1972, and August of the present-day. These time frames all have several things in common – the yearly circus/carnival of the county, the various generations of several prominent local families, autumn folding color over the lovely Adirondack mountains – and the deaths of lovely young women found in new party frocks laying in the middle of McEachron Hill Road without shoes, purse, stockings or obvious cause of death. The current chief of police, Russell Van Alstyne, was 20, just returning from a second tour in Vietnam and considered a potential perpetrator of the second murder in 1972. The murders are all very similar but there are 70 years between first and last so maybe copycat but probably not one single perpetrator. There are only one or two people who even remember the 1952 death, which at the time was not considered murder but rather an unexplained death.
Hid from Our Eyes is an exciting who-done-it, with interesting protagonists and a compelling pace. If you are new to this author, she has some excellent books already out there, and just as timely today as they were when newly released.
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.”
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)
I’ll start by saying I really enjoyed this book. I didn’t read the previous one about the similar murders that took place years ago in this same town. But I still understood everything going on. I will have to say the back and forth of the past case and the present at times tripped me up. I did like how it was organized into a chapter of the past and one of the present. That helped some. But it was just so many years in between that it was hard to comprehend. It would’ve made more sense to have them not as far apart. But knowing the characters involved, I can see why it was written this way.
My main complaints are that it was so slow moving. While I enjoyed Clare’s character, it was almost like we got too much of her and the baby. She got on my nerves at times. My other complaint is how there was a cliffhanger after all that slow moving of the story. This upset me. Everything could’ve been wrapped up in this one book.
This was the first book I’ve read by this author. I was unfamiliar with the lead characters Russ and Clare. Overall the story was a very intriguing mystery. Three different women found dead without a mark on them spaced out over 50 plus years. The circumstances of this pulled me in asking all kinds of questions and trying to put the pieces together. I found it a little difficult at first to transition between the three different time frames with all the names and some existing in more than one time period but it became more comfortable as I got further into the book. The characters felt real and relatable. Russ and Clare, the main characters are an interesting couple. I would like to know more and may go back and read other books with them in. The main mystery is wrapped up with a satisfying conclusion. There are some loose ends that make me want to watch for the next book.
I received an advance copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Three suspicious deaths that span from 1952 to current day. Three different investigations and still no closer to figuring out how these women were killed. Russ Van Alstyne is investigating the current case but it comes at a time that budget cuts are threatening to close their department. Small town rumors are running rampant and with the help of his wife, Reverend Claire Fergusson, Russ is trying to navigate his way through. Can he figure out the connection that spans over decades will trying to save his department?
I have not read the others in this series but I didn’t have any trouble figuring what was going on with the characters. I thought this was a realistic stories with real struggles from the characters. I have to admit the mystery had me perplexed, I kept trying to figure out how the mystery was connected and it had me guessing until the end. I need to go back and start from the beginning but I thoroughly enjoyed this book, couldn’t put it down.
I received a free copy of Hid From Our Eyes by Julia Spencer-Fleming from Macmillan in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you in advance to the publisher, Minotaur Books, and BookishFirst for providing an advanced review copy. A positive review was not required. All words and thoughts are my own.
This is the first novel by Julia Spencer-Fleming I’ve read.
When I saw it on BookishFirst, I HAD to use my points to redeem for it. The premise grabbed me – three similar murders about 20+ years apart. As of note, the timeline in this novel has “present day” about 2006. Russ makes a comment about it being 34 years since the last one.
Content warnings will include: references to Tea Party, racism, white supremacists, drug and alcohol use, along with post-partum issues. None of this really seemed to be part of the main plot.
The reason this novel took the author seven (7) years to write was due to personal reasons. She had decided to pause writing it due to family obligations with her son in August 2016.
About a month later, her husband was diagnosed with cancer and died in September 2017. So, readers do need to take this into consideration when trying to get into this novel after a seven (7) year hiatus.
This is #9 in the Fergusson/Van Alstyne mysteries. It works as a standalone read, though I am sure readers will get more out of it if they have read the series. I had not read any prior to this novel.
This time, Clare and Russ are married with an infant son. Russ is facing the dissolution of the police department because some feel it isn’t needed, while Clare is facing some personal demons despite being a reverend.
The cases in 1952 and 1972 could be connected as well as the 1972 and current day. But, there is no way the 1952 and the current day case can be connected given the 54 year difference.
However, Russ was a person of interest in the 1972. He was never charged, but still remained of interest.
This is told in all three times; written in quick, short chapters making this a nearly non-stop read. The ARC was 423 pages and I was able to get through it in about a day.
Despite the pacing, this was hard to get through and I did feel bogged down in parts. I felt like it was a clear struggle to read.
It seems like the police are never going to catch a break. Lead after lead seems to fizzle out – frustrating the police and the reader. As much as I can keep up with multi-part and multi-plot stories, this was a bit of a stretch for me.
Carnies, communes, and even rich people are not safe from suspicion in this multi-generational murder mystery.
In addition to the problems with the case; there is a matter of a lawsuit against the police department, a current officer, and a former officer. While this is interesting and I am sure it is setting up the events in the next novel (from the way this goes, it looks like there will be a #10) … it does cloud the current story a bit.
Clare’s situation is overwhelming – her work as a reverend, her son, and also battling addiction. She gets an interesting intern that can’t seem to find placing within the church – a transgender woman, Joni. And, Joni has a connection to the case, the current one and the 1972 one as well.
Throughout the story; things bounce back and forth between keeping the police department, the 1952 investigation, the 1972 investigation, the current day, Clare’s issues, and the lawsuit.
There is a lot to track and keep up with in this story. Some readers might get frustrated. Those who enjoy more complex and twisted plots will likely enjoy this.
The author did a great job with trying to keep it all together and work well. She did a great job in keeping the mystery until nearly the very end. The connection and “motive” was a bit weak in my opinion. The 1972 and 2006 murders were connected, and in a slight way – so was the 1952. The writer didn’t go into too many details with the cases.
As far as Clare being the average reverend, I don’t know much about the Episcopal church to know either way so I can’t comment as to whether or not she is believable. Either way, for me, she wasn’t that compelling of a character.
The end of this story seems to wind down too quickly to set up for the next story. And, the way this one ends, the next one might be a “have to read”. The author assures us it won’t be another seven (7) years though.
This wasn’t a great read by any means, but it wasn’t a bad read either. It did keep me interested. And, I don’t consider the time I spent reading it that much of a waste.
I would highly suggest that those who are interested in the novel to read the previous eight (8) before this to get the idea of the series.
Fans of the series and author will probably like this.
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley. The review and comments are my opinion.
Three identical murders spanning over 20 years has the current Sheriff Russ Van Alstyne convinced they are connected, but in reality it doesn’t seem possible. The author does a great job of weaving the years together by telling the story through the eyes of each of the three sheriffs that investigated each case. One in 1952, one in 1972 and now in present day. A good stand alone novel that I was not aware that it was a long awaited continuation of prior books. After a six year hiatus the author reunites Russ Van Alstyne and his wife, The Reverend Clare Ferguson , an Episcopal minister to solve the murders. There are other stories interwoven throughout the book. Any of which could make another book quite interesting. Hopefully the author will treat us fans to another book with Russ and Clare soon.
Tangled web of unexplained deaths in rural New York: compelling
I really found the murder mystery investigation part of this plot staged over the span of decades compelling. It was my first time reading anything by the author and I was impressed by the intricacy of the plot, with three different time periods and three sets of investigators, suspects and victims all playing into each other over fifty plus years. I would definitely read books by this author again. Local funding issues that threatened the local police department’s continued existence also raised the level of tension in a very realistic fashion.
Just a few issues kept this from rating five stars in my view. First, I was baffled from the beginning about the author’s time table. Most of the story takes place in “present day.” To me that means in the most recent one to two years (i.e. 2018 or 2019). Yet Russ, the police chief hero, is in his mid-fifties in present day and was only twenty during the summer 1972 part of the story (approximately forty-six or forty-seven years earlier). This does not compute and I thought either author or editor should have caught the discrepancy. I read an advance copy, so maybe the published addition will correct this.
Second, it was somewhat confusing shooting back and forth between investigations of nameless victims in 1952, 1972 and present day, especially when the investigators overlapped. Eventually, once more was learned about each victim, it was easier to keep the cases straight.
And finally, though the murder mystery is resolved, the book definitely ends on a tense cliffhanger involving several of the secondary characters and in a depressing manner for the hero. I was disappointed with the outcome for Russ and Clare, but especially Russ.
Thanks to publishers Minotaur and Macmillan for providing an advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
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.”
Three murders of young women, found dead in the same area, dressed in clothes they didn’t have before their deaths, wearing makeup with purses and shoes missing. The one connection ….. no one can figure out how they died.
Thank you bet falleybdor an arc in exchange for an honest review
The tri-part plot of Julia Spencer-Fleming’s HID FROM OUR EYES reminds me of a three-ring circus, or perhaps Flora Joy’s Trispective: the 3-n-1 Quilt, in which the picture changes with a change in viewer’s position. I did have to remind myself which plot was which, but dates and clear writing helped. At the end, I slapped my forehead with an “I should have seen that” reaction, clues there but not obvious, just as I like them.
Besides the triple murders, decades apart, there are other issues to complicate life. Caring for baby makes it hard to schedule work obligations, and the doctor suggests that the erratic routine and stress might be upsetting baby Ethan. Perhaps the new intern, who brings her own problems, can help lighten Clare’s schedule? In addition, the town is dealing with a proposal to eliminate the local police department, and there is pressure from wealthy, powerful persons to replace Russ as Chief, (just another example of the way the rich and powerful treat others as less important, disposable). Kevin’s back, bringing a new set of problems and a lawsuit from Hadley’s vicious ex. Most delightful, we get to see Margy as more than just Russ’s firebrand mother.
I love the twisty plot, the interactions of caring characters, the descriptions (I almost felt summer’s heat despite the cold and snow here in the “real” world). I do not love cliffhanger endings. If you don’t either, save the Epilogue to read when the next book comes out . . . already anticipating that happy event.
4 stars
There’s a movement afoot to disband the Millers Kill Police Department and turn the protection of the small town over to the State Troopers. This is a potential disaster for Police Chief Russ Van Alstyne and his deputies.
But that’s not the only problem in this small community. Twenty years earlier, in 1952, a woman’s body clothed in a party dress was found on the road by Russ. He became the chief suspect. And twenty years before that, a similar murder occurred.
Thus this book gives the reader the opportunity to experience the police department over several years as the story switches back and forth.
Along with his wife – and her a new mother – Russ sets out to solve this latest case. The experiences of the past keep intruding. However, he is determined to solve these crimes.
This is a great addition to the Russ Van Alstyne/Reverend Clare Fergusson series. It is well written and plotted. One event follows another in a linear and logical fashion. While, I have not read the entire series, I have thoroughly enjoyed the books that I have read.
I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for forwarding to me a copy of this very good book for me to read, enjoy and review.