The Hiding Place: A Thriller

I painfully finished this book just because I try to make it a point NOT to leave a book unfinished (I learned my lesson with The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, which ended up being a great book). This book is NOT suspenseful, poorly written, and the characters are boring and undeveloped. I can't believe that some gave it a good review; I'd like to give them a list of books that are actually worth reading.

While the premise for the plot was good the execution of it was't great. The author felt the need to describe every last detail of simple emotion without leaving anything to the readers imagination. Guessed the outcome about half way through.

Wow! What a blockbuster of a story!! A very cold case, 25 years ago 4 year old Justin Manning disappeared from woods next to a neighborhood park. Two months later, his body was found, a shallow grave in the woods clearing. The twenty-fifth anniversary of his death started questions arising from both a new young reporter & Detective Stynes, who was a young detective at the time of the murder. Janet Manning, Justin's sister, was 7 years old, & supposed to be watching her little brother. She was, until Justin darted into the woods after a stray dog. I don't want to offer any more background information, as much else would possibly include a spoiler. I want to sincerely Thank both the author, David Bell & Goodreads for the amazing chance to read & review this book.

David Bell delivers THE HIDING PLACE, an absorbing multi-layered, suspenseful mystery crime thriller--leaving you page-turning to learn the events surrounding the disappearance of a small boy, some twenty-five years ago, which will forever change the lives of two families. Nice Cover

Years ago, a four year old boy, Justin went missing. In the blink of an eye, he was gone forever. He was sent to the park with his sister and a friend, Michael, without adult supervision. Several months later his body was discovered in a grave in the woods, not far from the park.

Janet, the sister, only seven at the time, has never got over the death of her brother. It is approaching the twenty-fifth anniversary of Justin’s death—with a lot of publicity, a newspaper reporter and a detective, asking questions, and re-opening old wounds.

There is much controversy in the town, as some people think there was racial injustice and the murder investigation was rushed, an African American boy was sent to prison without having full investigating the case. He is about to be released and working at the local church and has the support of the priest. Could he really be innocent? If so, who is the real killer?

Janet is now grown with a daughter of her own, living in the house she grew up in. To further complicate matters Janet’s childhood friend, Michael who was in the park that dreadful day, has returned to Dove Point. He is wrestling with what really happened that day, as he has been in therapy for years, driving him back to the scene of the crime. He has been seeing things and remembering things which may add clues to the long ago puzzle.

Then a mysterious stranger shows up, in town and approaches Janet, acting strange. Could he be Justin, and if he is, who was in the grave? How is he connected? As the detective which was on the case years ago, begins questioning the way the murder investigation was handled years ago, as he digs further. Nothing is as it appears.

As we move along, more deep dark secrets come to the surface surrounding this tragedy, with twists and turns around corner, leaving you guessing the identity of the real killer. Each character has issues and a past, connected in different ways - leading up the explosive ending.

I enjoyed this complex mystery, of secrets and lies, with well- developed characters for a mix of psychological, mystery, crime, and suspense, keeping you engaged until the end. There is so much guilt surrounding this one day with years, of covering up a dirty secret with human dynamics and family drama. I listened to the audiobook and Fred Lehne delivered an outstanding performance.

Looking forward to reading more from Bell, with his new upcoming Somebody I Used to Know, coming July 7, 2015. (another great cover - excerpt sounds intriguing)!

THE HIDING PLACE is a slowly building mystery that carefully reveals itself. The red herrings and turns that this book takes are not necessarily original, but the way that the author intertwines these elements make them seem fresh in relationship to the the situations within the book. What I loved about Bell’s novel was the natural flow of narrative and the way that the characters reacted to everything being thrown at them. As a reader, you really do get the feeling that you are a “fly on the wall”. In all honesty, the relationship between the Mannings and all those around them is one of the best parts of the book for me. I must say that if this book is anything like his others, I will have quite a few nights of reading ahead of me.

"The Hiding Place" is my first experience with David Bell's books. I was in the mood for a good mystery. The description sounded promising and on the back cover, there are comments from Lisa Unger and Will Lavender--both favorite authors of mine. I decided to give the book a shot and I'm so glad I did. Here's a tiny summary:

Twenty-five years ago, seven-year-old Janet Manning was asked to take her four-year-old brother to a neighborhood park. Even though there were adults and other children there, he went missing. A couple months later, his body turned up in a shallow grave. At the time, the authorities believed they caught the person responsible, but did they? There a trial and witnesses, but the man convicted claimed to be innocent of the crime--even upon his release from prison.

Now with the anniversary of Justin's death, events unfold to cause doubt. A stranger shows up with information. A childhood friend moves back to town with more information, adding to the uncertainty--so many layers to this mystery. What made me question Dante's guilt was that he said he was guilty of what he wanted to do to young boys--what he might have done to Justin, but he didn't kill him. So if he didn't, who did? It wasn't like there was a list of suspects or that Dante wasn't a predator.

The mystery's ending was a surprise--a plus. Also, I love the depth of Mr. Bell's characters. I could see each one so vividly. In fact, I enjoyed this book so much, I've started reading "Cemetery Girl" and plan to read the rest of his books. So yes, I highly recommend this book to mystery fans!

The Hiding Place describes to the reader a mysterious history involving a woman whose younger brother was murdered. Janet Manning grew up in Dove Point, a small town in Ohio, and she carries around the memories surrounding her brother’s disappearance and death. It’s been twenty five years since the murder and Dante, the man convicted of the crime, has been released from jail. He has moved back to Dove Point, and along with his release comes the unwanted media attention.

As Janet tries to deal with all these emotional events, a mysterious man arrives at her front door to tell her that he has new information to share regarding Justin’s death. The impromptu visit stirs uncertainty in Janet. She begins to question her memories surrounding Justin’s disappearance and believes Dante, the man she helped put in prison, might be innocent after all…just like he has been declaring all these years. The truth is soon to be discovered, but is Janet ready to know the truth about that fateful day?

Although the story surrounding Justin’s death is a sad one, I was pulled into the lives of the Manning family, especially Janet. Her emotions portrayed in the book drew the reader into her world and helped to bring the story to life. Actually, all the characters in the book felt real to me which made the story more believable.

The Hiding Place kept my interest from page one. The author, David Bell, did a fine job in keeping the reader intrigued throughout the story. There were some nice twists (and turns) within the story that made me wonder if Justin was indeed alive, or if he was murdered. The suspenseful writing had me turning the pages, even when tired, in order to find out if my suspicions about certain characters were true or not. Excellent writing when an author can keep your attention that way.

Due to the topic of the story, I would recommend the reader be at least fourteen to fifteen years of age. There was not any gory or overly descriptive scenes, but the death of a small child can be a sensitive subject. The Hiding Place is a book for both men and women. Although the protagonist is female, there are a lot of important supporting characters that will appeal to both sexes. This book includes a reader’s guide in the back which is full of thought provoking questions which makes it a good candidate for those in a Reader’s Club.

David Bell introduces the reader to the family of Justin Manning, a boy who was murdered twenty-five years ago, when he was only four years old, his body found six weeks after he had disappeared, buried in a shallow grave in the woods near a playground. His sister, Janet Manning, who, at the age of seven, had been entrusted for the first time with the care of her brother in the park where he had been playing, compounded by her mother's death a few years later from (as they said) a broken heart, has been plagued with guilt for all the intervening years.

The anniversary of the boy's disappearance brings it all back to the forefront of the consciousness of the small town of Dove Point, Ohio. Discrepancies in various accounts of the day of Justin's disappearance come to light in the aftermath of the front-page newspaper article commemorating the murder, and for the first time questions arise about the guilt of Dante Rogers, a black youth seventeen years old and living, literally, on the other side of the tracks at the time of his arrest. Convicted by an all-white jury, he had been paroled three years ago after serving 22 years in prison.

The novel explores the relationships among the Manning family members: Janet, in her early thirties, office manager for the dean of the local college and the single mother of fifteen-year-old Ashleigh, and Janet's dad, 62 years old and unemployed for the last two years, Janet and her daughter living with Janet's dad to assist with finances. Janet is determined to get to the truth of her brother's death, with the assistance of one of the cops who originally investigated the crime, leading to the exposure of long-buried secrets and one unexpected, and shocking, turn of events after another.

The author has crafted a well-written, intriguing tale, exploring as it does the part played by memory, trauma, and the relationships among and between family, friends, and others whose lives one may only tangentially touch, but to great and long-lasting effect. A gripping, fast-paced novel, and one which is recommended.

THE HIDING PLACE is a well-written, nail-biting, mystery thriller that at times will have you on the edge-of-your-seat.

This story was captivating from the first page and gripping right to the end. Janet Manning's little brother disappeared 25 years ago and just two months later his body was found in a shallow grave. A suspect was charged and convicted. But now, all these years later, is it possible an innocent man was in prison and the real killer never captured?

This is a real who-dun-it story and the ending a huge surprise. A fantastic read. Highly recommended.

On the 25th anniversary of an event that shook the roots of a small town named Dove Point, was again brought forward by new inquiries. Memories and feelings started to flow differently, to reopen a wound that will maybe be put to rest after the new discoveries.
For the first time, seven year old Janet was allowed to go to the park by herself and watch over her 4 year old brother. She could not wait to tell her best friend once he showed up at the park. It took just one moment of loosing sight of her small brother for him to disappear, only to be found months later in a shallow grave in the nearby woods. Needless to say that a lot of lives were changed that day with repercussions to the present day.

Events and doubts were being stirred up by a reporter and a detective and like puzzle pieces you thought fit together perfectly them , now fit better in a different place.
Love that this book keeps you in the dark to the end, full of twists and turns, but still believable to keep you riveted to your seat. If you are passionate about this kind of mystery books, this one will hit the mark for you. - Trudy

One hot summer day, four-year-old Justin Manning ran into the woods and never reemerged. Before he vanished, Justin had been scooping piles of sand in a playground under the supervision of his older sister, Janet, who was only seven at the time. Six weeks after his disappearance, Justin's remains are found in a shallow grave. Subsequently, a young black man, Dante Rogers, is arrested, tried, and convicted of murdering the little boy.

Twenty-five years later, Janet still lives in Dove Point, Ohio, where she grew up. She has a good job and is the single parent of Ashleigh, a fifteen-year old who is precocious, stubborn, and a bit rebellious. Mother and daughter have moved in with Janet's gloomy father, Bill, a sixty-two year old widower whose company laid him off after twenty-seven years on the job. Bill spends much of his time alone, vegetating in front of the television set. Suddenly, a series of bizarre incidents opens up old wounds. Is it possible that the true story of Justin's final hours was never told?

In "The Hiding Place," David Bell creates an intriguing scenario that sheds new light on the events surrounding Justin's death. All kinds of possibilities are suddenly in play: Justin is alive; Justin is dead, but the man who went to jail for killing him is innocent; or, someone else killed Justin and has gotten away with murder for a quarter of a century.

Readers will take to Janet, a spunky and independent woman who prides herself on remaining cool under pressure. However, she is deeply shaken when she realizes that there is a great deal about her family that she does not know or understand. Frank Stynes (a world-weary detective nearing retirement) decides to take another look into some troubling aspects of Justin's case. In addition, Ashleigh becomes obsessed with her uncle's fate and does a bit of sleuthing on her own.

"The Hiding Place" is, in some ways, a thoughtful work of fiction that touches on such provocative themes such as how loss affects a person's psyche, the fragility of family ties, and the flaws in America's criminal justice system. Unfortunately, David Bell undermines his carefully laid groundwork by concluding his novel with too many contrived and melodramatic plot elements that detract from the story's plausibility.

Four year old Justin Manning disappeared twenty five years ago from a neighborhood park where he and his sister were playing. It was the first time they went to the park alone. Their mother thought there would be plenty of adults there to watch them and she had to have an important discussion with her husband. Justin's body was found two months later in a shallow grave in the woods. But was it really his body?

As the 25th anniversary approaches and the man accused of his murder is granted parole, a detective and a newspaper reporter have started to ask questions. They are opening old wounds and raising new suspicions. Could the man convicted be innocent? Old memories are returning but are they real memories or what has been imagined over the years. Then a strange man appears at Janet's door in the middle of the night claiming to know the truth. Can Janet handle the truth?

In his follow up to Cemetery Girl David Bell has delivered another suspenseful and haunting tale.

I immediately become invested in Janet's life. What really happened that day in the park? Was her brother really dead? How has it affected her life to this day? How has it affected her daughter Ashleigh and her father? Did an innocent man spend years in prison? Like Cemetery Girl there are many layers to this story.

The plot twists, the psychological depths, the frightening realization, evolved at an riveting pace. This story also shines a light on how much a police investigation has changed in twenty five years. Circumstantial cases that delivered guilty verdicts then hopefully would not make it through the judicial system today.

I did figure out the "surprise" ending early but David Bell is an author I will continue to follow and will be waiting to read his next thrilling novel.

The Hiding Place by David Bell
Twenty-five years ago Janet Manning's four year old brother disappeared. His body was found some weeks later in a woods not far from the family home. Now, all these years later, a mysterious man has appeared on Janet's doorstep in the night, claiming to know the truth about her brother's death. The man disappears, and Janet tries to put it out of her mind, but her teenage daughter has overheard the conversation, and begins an investigation of her own.
The memories of that day in the past, when Janet's family was forever changed, begin to emerge little by little. Janet had been only seven years old at the time, but still blamed herself because she was charged with watching her little brother that day. But as time goes on, she learns that she was not the only family member who has lived with guilt and secrets for twenty-five years.
I found the title of the book to be particularly appropriate in that it can refer to the way family members often hide the truth from one another, as well as the location where a little boy was buried. The story is about a terrible crime, and also about the "crimes" that human beings can commit against the people they are closest to.
David Bell does a masterful job of crafting a crime story, with the guilty and innocent existing next to each other, whether they realize it or not. He has also created a tense drama of emotions and relationships. It is a riveting book with surprising but believable twists on every page.
(As published in Suspense Magazine)

The pace of this book, before the revelation of the family secret, is rather slow. The characters seem flat and wooden. The pace reads almost like an old First Grade Reading Primer: "See Dick Run. Run Dick Run." It is almost like being told a story in a tone & pace that should be more for middle schoolers reading their first mystery.

Once the secret was revealed, the pace picked up substantially & the characters developed more as human beings. However, what happened to the dead child & who was responsible was rather transparent.

That said, I won't give up on this author. His 2015 read was five stars.

I thought this was a good little mystery. There are a good amounts of twists and turns in the book. Janet is trying to get through the 25th anniversary of her little brothers murder. The killer has been released, but is he the real killer. Her dad is having a really hard time. Her best friend Michael returns after not hearing anything from him for years. There is a mysterious stranger leaving cryptic messages for Janet. And a cop is not sure they got the right man to begin with.

I was totally not expecting that ending! It was such a tragic thing and to find out the reasoning behind it.

MY FULL REVIEWS:
http://melissa413readsalot.blogspot.com/2015/11/the-hidding-place-by-david-bell.html
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1420967621

Some mysteries are straight forward whodunits, while others, like this one, offer many layers and lots to think about. I found the characters believable and was intrigued by the various relationships. Bell shines a bright light on the issue of guilt, innocence, and that gray area in between. The plot had some twists but, for me, it was more about how one past event forever changed so many lives.

At times, certain issues and conversations were rehashed a bit too much. The pace slowed and I wanted to push forward. Aside from that, I was thoroughly immersed in this story and will definitely read more by this author.

Interesting premise, but slow going. While predictable and on the bland side, it was still not a bad read. Pace picks up at the midway mark, but never really took off. Characters all seemed stilted and generic.

Like many novels, this started out promising but quickly declined into sophomoric writing with no character development or pacing. I kept forgetting which character was which--everyone is so generic, any character could be switched with another and you don't care about any of them. For over half the book, nothing much occurs except people speculate about the disappearance of a boy many years ago. Lots of filler with people walking or riding or sitting around talking. Well into the book, new characters appear--but you quickly forget and lose track of them too. It feels like something a high school student wrote for an assignment.. Slow and dull dull dull. I often wonder how so many mediocre books are greenlit and published...there must be a market for readers with low expectations.

The premise could have made a great book but unfortunately that didn't happen here. The charactes were majorly under developed and lacked depth. There is no real meat to the story just a lot of filler with a predictable ending. I had to force myself to finish this book the way a child forces down veggie in the hopes of getting a treat afterwards, but unfortunately there is no reward at the end except that you don't have to bore yourself with it any longer. Don't bothe, trust me.

I really enjoyed this book and finished it in less than 2 days. The multiple points of view keep the story moving at a good pace. It kept me on the edge of my seat and I throughly enjoyed the story. I definitely recommend this book.

thvaleris is another captivating, compelling thriller from David Bell - I was excited to read this after reading his last novel, Cemetery Girl, which I read in a weekend and could not put down. With The Hiding Place, once again I found myself reading late into the night until I could not physically hold my eyes open. Great plot, experienced from multiple characters' viewpoints, and it keeps you guessing from beginning to end - loved it and plowed through this one in just a few nights!