(30)Hidden by Catherine McKenzie

Saturday, April 5, 2014

Hidden

Pages: 304

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication Date: April 1, 2014


Claire Manning's world is shattered the day that two police officers showed up on her doorstep to tell her that her husband, Jeff was tragically killed in an accident.  She shuts completely down and goes into survival mode.  In the days leading up to the funeral, Claire is living in a grief induced haze that sometimes includes their son, Seth.  With the help of her family, especially her sister, she gets through those days.  It is after the funeral when Claire gets the first hint that her life was not as perfect as she once thought.  At her house after the funeral she comes across a visibly distraught woman. Who is this woman and why is she so upset at her husband's death?   As the grief induced haze starts to clear, Claire starts to put the pieces together and the picture is not pretty.

Hidden is one of those books that challenges your perspective on tough social issues, specifically infidelity. Because the book is told from the perspective of Claire, Tish, and Jeff you really get inside their heads.  It would be easy to hate Tish because she and Jeff had a relationship outside of their marriages, but her grief is just as real as Claire's and that makes it hard.  The author did a really good job at making all of the characters seem empathetic, no matter what they did. Also, the ending was satisfying.  While it is not exactly what I would have chosen, it was a good way for the story to end.  Well, except for the epilogue. But you gotta read it to know what I mean by that.

Bottom line,  Catherine McKenzie is quickly becoming one of those authors that I just can't wait to read.  She has a way of challenging her reader's way of thinking on certain social issues.  With Hidden you get to see the intimacies of a relationship between a man, his wife, and his potential mistress. Because of the subject matter,  Hidden would make a great book club selection and even comes with a reader's guide.  Let me know what you think!

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