An ambitious female reporter tracks a deadly threat in Austin, Texas, in the newest riveting thriller by New York Times bestselling author Laura Griffin.When a woman is found brutally murdered on Austin’s lakeside hike-and-bike trail, investigative reporter Bailey Rhoads turns up on the scene demanding access and answers. She tries to pry information out of the lead detective, Jacob Merritt. But … detective, Jacob Merritt. But this case is unlike any he’s ever seen, and nothing adds up. With the pressure building, Jacob knows the last thing he needs is a romantic entanglement, but he can’t convince himself to stay away from Bailey.
Bailey has a hunch that the victim wasn’t who she claimed to be and believes this mugging-turned-murder could have been a targeted hit. When she digs deeper, the trail leads her to a high-tech fortress on the outskirts of Austin, where researchers are pushing the boundaries of a cutting-edge technology that could be deadly in the wrong hands.
As a ruthless hit man’s mission becomes clear, Bailey and Jacob join together in a desperate search to locate the next target before the clock ticks down in this lethal game of hide-and-seek.
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This was an interesting book to read. I did enjoy it. There is an insta-love between the main characters which I found too much and to quick. I liked the back and forth between Bailey and Jacob. I also like Jacob’s partner Kendra. The case was interesting and a lot of crazy rich people. It’s also scary the technology they find but really doesn’t surprise me. If you like a fast-paced cop drama with some romance thrown in you will enjoy this book.
This was an exciting and captivating romantic suspense story that was fast-paced and fun to read! I enjoyed the characters, the storyline, and the mystery that tied it all together.
I really enjoy a fast-paced romantic suspense read that keeps you at the edge of your seat, and a thriller to keep your heart pumping and fingers turning those pages. Laura Griffin is a new author to me, and she has quickly become a favorite. She writes the best mix of suspense and romance.
Hidden is the first book the “The Texas Murder Files” series where in this installation, a woman is found brutally murdered in the hike and bike trail in Austin. The main character is Bailey Rhoads who is an investigative report who is following this investigation. That leads us to the lead detective, Jacob Merritt who definitely has great chemistry with Bailey. I love a great cat and mouse type of a read and this one did not disappoint. I loved that the plot was intricate and razor sharp. Kept me thinking and guessing and I love the uniqueness of nothing is what it seems and for the characters to dig deeper into a complex and intricate web and dark secrets.
Griffin’s storytelling style is truly gripping and exciting. I love how she keeps the pacing going where the suspense just keeps building. The writing was fabulous and atmospheric – characters are great to read about and you feel the intensity of this suspenseful read.
What a great and fantastic start to this series. I cannot wait for more. In the meantime, I will be binging on Griffin’s other series.
The start to a new series by Ms. Griffin. I could not put this book down. It was an Amazing book to say the least.
Bailey Rhoads is an investigative reporter and is covering a murder case. She figures the lead Detective Jacob Merritt might give her some information on what is happening. Oh boy is she wrong. But she’s not one to give up. She’s also going to get the answers with or without his help.
Detective Jacob Merritt doesn’t know what to do with Bailey, but he knows two things for sure. First Bailey won’t drop things even though he’s told her to stay out of things. Then second she’s getting under his skin. He need to keep her at arms length but it’s getting harder and harder to do it.
I can’t wait for more.
Hidden is an exciting and fast paced thriller that is sure to keep readers on their toes….
One of the first things that drew me into this book was the cover. It was absolutely stunning. I loved the colors and style. I certainly wanted to find out more. Hidden is my first book by Laura Griffin and it most certainly won’t be my last.
Hidden follows the story of Bailey and Jacob. From the moment I picked up this book, I was completely and totally sucked in. I was pretty annoyed that I had things to do and couldn’t sit and devour this book as I had wanted. That being said, I took advantage of every free minute I had and couldn’t help but get lost in this story.
Bailey is an investigative reporter, who turns up at a crime scene looking for answers. She looks to the lead detective Jacob, hoping that he can shine some light on the case. However, this murder is unlike anything he’s dealt with before. Bailey isn’t afraid to follow her instincts to uncover the truth, even if that means putting herself in harm’s way. In the end, Jacob and Bailey find themselves searching for a ruthless killer. Will they find their suspect before it’s too late??? There’s only one way to find out…
Hidden was a fantastic read from beginning to end. I loved the mystery and suspense of the story. There was never a dull moment and I was kept on the edge of my seat. The game of cat and mouse kept me totally engrossed in this story and I couldn’t wait to see how all the pieces would come together in the end. I really enjoyed the chemistry and romantic moments between Bailey and Jacob. I think it added a lot to the story and gave some much-needed relief to the suspenseful plot.
All in all, I’m glad to have checked this book out. It had my heart racing the entire time and I’m excited to check more out from this author in the future.
Queen of Suspense!
Magnificent! With words alone, Laura Griffin is able to fabricate a goosebump producing, edge of your seat, white knuckle read!!! With hairs standing up on your neck, you flip through the pages as fast as you can. COMPLETELY IMMERSED! COMPLETELY CONSUMED, with no thought, other then the story. These heart pounding twists make this book UNPUTDOWNABLE!
Hidden is chilling, with the perfect touch of romance. Rough around the edges with a sweet gooey middle. Laura Griffin absolutely delivers on this romantic suspense!
A BRILLIANT new start to a new series. I’m completely hooked.
Hidden is a romantic suspense thriller that belongs at the top of your TBR pile! It is the first book in Laura Griffin’s new series called The Texas Murder Files. The story focuses on two workaholics, investigative reporter Bailey Rhoades and Detective Jacob Merritt, who live and breathe their jobs. The two are determined to solve the murder of a mystery woman who was stabbed while jogging in a public park. A little bit of digging into the victim’s past reveals this isn’t a mugging gone wrong, but something far more sinister.
I really liked both Bailey and Jacob. I’m a fan of smart, driven, independent women and Bailey is all of that and more. Even though she is only in her mid-twenties, she is already an award-winning journalist. She is resourceful and committed to finding out the full story of what led to the mystery woman’s death. Jacob is just as committed to solving the murder. He can’t rest until he finds the person who came into his jurisdiction and carried out a cold-blooded murder is held accountable. They complement each other very well but are also very different. There’s a lot of push and pull as their relationship progresses that keeps you engaged in them as a couple as the murder investigation unfolds.
Fans of the romantic suspense genre will thoroughly enjoy this book. Hidden is a page-turner with great characters as well as lots of mystery, suspense, and tension as the case is solved.
Thanks to Laura Griffin and Berkley Romance for the ARC to read and enjoy. This voluntary review represents my honest, unbiased opinion.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
This is the first book in “The Texas Murder Files,” and is another winner for Laura Griffin. The story is a fast-based thriller about a killer who is loose in Austin. It includes a lot of action, intrigue and romance with loving sex.
Bailey Rhoads is an investigative reporter who just happens to be on the scene of a murder before she realizes what is going on. Jacob Merritt is the lead detective on that murder case. Bailey and Jacob are working on the same case. This causes a lot of tension between the two as they stubbornly refuse to help each other. In spite of this, Bailey refuses to give up her investigation.
During this action packed page-turner, the author makes an interesting comparison between Jacob, as he follows a legal investigation, and that of Bailey, who, as an investigative reporter, uses no rules at all.
A detective thriller with a romantic undercurrent. This is the first novel from this author for me and while I did not love this novel, I did like her writing style. I think the biggest issue I had with this book was 1) it was predictable and 2) the case was not all that interesting. I am not eagerly awaiting the next book in the series which is a bummer since this is one book I had high hopes for because I am a true crime book lovin’ Texas.
Bailey Rhoads is an investigative reporter on the crime beat in Austin, Texas. There have been layoffs at the newspaper office and rumors of more layoffs to come. Bailey loves her job and works hard to stay employed. When she got the heads up from her editor about a possible story at the lakeside hike ‘n bike trail Bailey rushed right to the scene. When she arrived there she found tight-lipped police officers. She approached the man she believed to be the detective in charge at the scene, Detective Jacob Merritt. He wasn’t saying much either. Too bad. Bailey is determined to get information so she keeps in contact with Jacob. There’s definitely something strange about this situation. Eventually Bailey finds out that the young woman was murdered. As Bailey tries to get background information on the victim, Dana Smith she is stymied at every point. Who doesn’t have easily accessed background info? Nothing on social media. Nothing! Nothing anywhere! All she gets from Jacob are hints and hot looks. She gives Jacob hot looks in return…
Detective Jacob Merritt knows his current case is a strange one. Facts, what few he and his partner Kendra Porter can find, aren’t adding up. Then the FBI muscled in and took over the case. That wasn’t stopping Jacob or Kendra from investigating. This murder occurred on their turf and they don’t believe the feds are serious enough about the investigation. Then there’s the investigative reporter, Bailey Rhoads who persists on looking into the murder. He sure is attracted to her but knows better than to get involved with a reporter. She’s not giving up on her investigation though so Jacob decides to stick close to try to keep her safe. Just in case…
Hidden by Laura Griffin is the first book in her Texas Murder Files series. This book details a serious story about crime and facial recognition software in the wrong hands. The author seems to have done very thorough research for this book. She sets a fast pace with lots of action. The characters are quite realistic. The romance is hot and the suspense is gripping. This is a great beginning to the series.
I love romantic suspense, and this was my first by this author! I’ll definitely be reading more!
Bailey Rhoads is an investigative reporter for the local paper in Austin, TX. After a woman is found murdered in a park, on a popular trail, Bailey is assigned the story. But, the facts aren’t adding up, and the woman’s identity is a mystery. Once Bailey starts really digging though, the things she begins to turn up are WILD. The story is far bigger than she ever could have imagined. Will her life be in danger if she tells this story? How can she not tell it anyway?
Jacob Merritt is the lead detective on the murder case, and though he’s wildly drawn to Bailey, he knows he shouldn’t get involved with a reporter, especially not the one covering his high profile case. But when he struggles to produce any leads on the case, he hopes that he and Bailey can help each other. But, they’re both keeping secrets too, even as their attraction grows hot enough to combust.
Bailey and Jacob had great chemistry, and I loved watching them fight their attraction, in favor of their careers. Eventually they both realized it was impossible to fight it, but they still had no idea what could really come of it. They each had obligations to their work, and they were afraid to trust each other too much. I wish we had been able to focus just a bit more on them as a couple, though obviously the suspense plot was the ultimate star of this show.
The suspense plot here unraveled itself beautifully as the story went on. I loved figuring out each piece as it happened, and guessing what would happen next. Their hunt to find the next potential victim of the killer was so exciting, and kept me guessing. Without getting too spoilery, my only real complaint about this story is I would’ve liked to know more about Tabitha, and how her story continued into the future. That part definitely made me want more, and it felt a little unfinished. Though, I’m not sure how it really could’ve been any other way. And Colt was a mysterious and fascinating character too. I’m curious if he’ll show up in later books. He wasn’t in the story much but seemed so fully formed, so I hope he’ll pop up again! In fact, all the side characters here were great, so if we stick with the same city in book 2, hopefully we’ll be seeing many of them again!
I had great fun reading this book, and I’m looking forward to more in this series. I’ll be digging through the author’s backlist for some more to add to my TBR pile as well! Highly recommend this one for any fellow romantic suspense lover!
This is the first book in Laura Griffin’s new series and it was a great book to introduce her new series with. Jacob and Bailey were both great lead characters and they fit well together. Bailey had the spunk you love to see in a reporter and the fact that she would not give up on her story or let down her sources showed the true grit she had. As for Jacob he is the kind of cop that just makes readers cheer for because he will do anything to get his man and at the same time always try to do the right thing. He drives female readers crazy because he is the kind of man we all want.
The storyline was also great. It started off with a murder and even had bullets flying towards the end. Even though it kept you in the loop with what was going on it was still a great book and I can’t wait to read the next one in the series.
Hidden gets five out of five stars from me.
A thrilling, intriguing who-done-it romantic suspense tale on a new series. The story evolves with a steady rhythm – mixing terror and danger in the midst of the investigation with the palpable attraction between the main characters and their developing ardent relationship, filled with conflict of interest between their jobs – until towards the last fifth of the book where everything intensifies turning into an inferno of fighting for survival, deadly encounters, crimes that leaves everyone gasping with the consequences.
An entertaining and arresting story that delivers, a fabulous start to a new series!
With a well-written plot that includes all kinds of clues and red herrings, as a mystery buff, I loved the flow of the story and how absolutely captivating it was. I love all of Laura Griffin’s books and this one was not an exception. The main characters were Jacob Merritt, the lead detective hot on the trail of a hit man, and Bailey Rhoads, a dogged and determined reporter who ignores danger in order to follow the story. The romantic interest between the two of them added to the story and gave me insight into the dilemma faced by a police detective who falls for a reporter. I enjoyed following the clues along with Jacob and Bailey and finding out more about their weaknesses and strengths. I was intrigued by the introduction of the dark and mysterious John Colt and hope to see more of him in future installments of the series. I highly recommend this gripping and fast-paced read to all fans of romantic suspense. I, personally, am really looking forward to more books in the series and I’m very excited that this is the introductory book for future books!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. 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.”
Fast paced crime story. Addictive read.
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This book starts a brand new series and based off of this one, it’s going to be exciting.
Solving murders is never fun, however, when we have a deliciously hot, dreamy detective on the case it makes for a much better story, don’t you think?
The story skirted around the edge of acceptable relationships due to work relationships when Jacob started looking at Bailey, the news reporter on the crime beat, just a little too closely. She’s smart and spunky, asks forgiveness instead of permission, and clearly has feelings for him as well.
Griffin develops the story beautifully and puts in the perfect amount of tension and heat that builds up to a unexpected twist and a beautifully romantic ending.
Written with unique detail and seemingly futuristic plot, Griffin once again ties us up in an exciting romantic suspense with a crime twist you cannot miss.
A new series from Laura Griffin and what a great start to it. I love her Tracer series and this new one looks like it is not going to disappoint!!
Bailey is a reporter and will do anything to get her story. Detective Jacob Merritt is not fond of reporters and does not know what to do about Bailey. He soon gives in just a little. Because it seems she has sources that even shock him. Their problem is this case is now being handled by the FBI, and they want him to stay out of it. He wants to know why? He will not give up, and soon even lets Bailey into some things little chemistry he should not. There are hidden things neither of them sees coming. There is so much more to come. A between the reporter and detective. But is it right or wrong? Wait and see.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an early copy which I accepted in exchange for an honest review.