Review of "The Hiding Place: A Novel of Suspense" by C.J. Tudor

 

Terrible things happened in Joe Thorne's English home town of Arnhill 25 years ago. His eight-year-old sister Annie disappeared and Joe thought it was the worst thing that could ever happen.....until she returned.



Later on Joe's mate Chris jumped to his death on the grounds of their school, Arnhill Academy. Joe moved away soon afterwards, and now he's a forty-year-old English teacher who drinks too much, smokes too much, and has a gambling problem.



As the story opens Joe has just moved back to Arnhill, being drawn back by an anonymous email that said: "I know what happened to your sister. It's happening again." Joe obtains a teaching position at his old school and rents a dilapidated cottage that was the site of a murder-suicide.



Joe isn't bothered because the place is cheap and he wants to absorb its 'atmosphere' for personal reasons. Moreover, Joe only plans to stay in Arnhill long enough to settle old scores and pay off a gambling debt - so that Gloria the enforcer doesn't cripple him for life (or worse).



The leader of Joe's old high school gang, a sociopath named Stephen Hurst, is irked about his former pal's return. Stephen wants Joe out of town YESTERDAY and will do almost anything to make that happen. 



Stephen has other things on his mind as well: his wife Marie is dying of cancer and his son Jeremy - a bully like his dad - is constantly making trouble at school.

Arnhill, a defunct coal mining town, exudes a sinister atmosphere and eerie noises. Furthermore, the crumbling colliery's underground tunnels and pits - like all dangerous places - attracts kids looking for adventure. That led to trouble 25 years ago....and seems to be causing trouble again.





And then there are the black beetles.....oy vey!!





In addition to his mission in Arnhill, Joe has to do his job at the school - where he teaches classes; has lunch with other instructors; catches bullies tormenting students; and so on. Joe acquires both friends and foes at the school, and these side narratives help round out the novel.



The author is a good storyteller and the tale includes some clever surprises. That said, the narrative crawls along too slowly (for my taste) and the main character, Joe Thorne, has an extremely annoying personality. Joe has a sarcastic streak and a breezy jokey way of talking that NEVER LETS UP....even when he's facing down hooligans. I wanted to cover Joe's mouth.😷

The novel leads to a fitting climax that wraps things up in a satisfactory fashion. One of my favorite scenes involves a sinkhole, which I've always found intriguing.....and this is a good one. 🙂



Overall, I'd say the book is a clever mystery/thriller that would appeal to fans of the genre.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author (C.J. Tudor), and the publisher (Crown) for a copy of the book.

Rating: 3 stars