Veena’s review of Hide Away (Eve Duncan, Book 20) by Iris Johansen
Suspense Thriller published by St Martins Press 26 Apr 16
I for one am pleased to see Eve Duncan continue as a leading character in Ms. Johansen’s thrillers. Eve is well known in the world of forensic sculpting and her reconstructions have helped to identify and bring home many children. In this latest series a sheriff in Northern California sends Eve a skull that has a profound impact on her and leads her to solve a murder and rescue a young girl, Cara Delaney. Eve and Joe, along with their adopted daughter Jane and old friends from previous books, try to keep Cara safe and stay one step ahead of the people who are targeting them. This is a well-paced thriller that has enough twists and turns to keep the story interesting with a curved ball thrown in now and again just in case you’re caught napping. Cara is a solemn little girl who has lost everyone and everything she’s ever cared about. She’s a musical prodigy and loves her violin. It is heartening to see how much she enjoys making music when Joe buys her a violin after she’s forced to leave her beloved instrument behind. It is unclear if her sister’s spirit speaks to her like it speaks to Eve, but she’s definitely determined to protect and care for Eve. I like this slight paranormal twist in Ms. Johansens’ books. Cara adds a very heart-wrenching twist to the story when she, in her pragmatic fashion, offers to cook and clean for Eve so that she won’t be a burden on Eve.
Poor Cara finds out the hard way that the people hunting her don’t necessarily look evil, when a young boy almost spirits her away from Joe at the hospital. Next Eve and Cara have a narrow escape from a car bomb that was planted during a spur-of-the-moment church visit. Joe ships them off across the pond to Scotland and Jane’s care while he himself goes hunting in Mexico. Joe soon finds that the truth is actually almost stranger than fiction and quickly makes his way to Scotland. Unfortunately, the people hunting Cara and Eve are also heading to Scotland.
This is the middle book in the trilogy, so a lot of the story is putting the puzzle pieces together and laying out a strategy that will keep all the players safe and free from persecution. However, there is enough action on all fronts as forces targeting Eve and Cara move closer to their location in Scotland. Of course, the story ends on a cliff hanger and I can’t wait to see what happens next to bring about a satisfying conclusion on all fronts.
Grade: A
Summary:
DARK SECRETS
World-famous forensic sculptor Eve Duncan has landed in a well-guarded hospital room in Carmel, California. But hidden danger looms for Eve, her beloved Joe Quinn, and Cara Delaney, the young girl they’ve both sworn to protect. With Cara’s enemies on the move, Eve has no choice but to flee the hospital―no matter what the doctors say. Her protective instincts in full gear, she decides that their best chance of survival is to get out of the country. She turns to her daughter, Jane MacGuire, for help.DESPERATE MEASURES
For years, Jane has been avoiding pressure to find a treasure thought to be buried in Scotland―but she’s finally succumbed to John MacDuff’s pleas to track it down. Eve and Cara join Jane in the remote mountains, but soon realize that nowhere is far enough away from the ruthless predators who are on their trail. . .
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
