The Hidden

A few weeks ago you heard me whine about the fact that the books I’ve agreed to talk about on my blog seem to all be winding up thrillers instead of my first love, science fiction/fantasy. The genre of the book hasn’t changed lately, but my attitude is a *little* more favorable.

I have just finished reading The Hidden by Kathryn Mackel. It’s an astonishing story about innocence and guilt, about murders and miracles, about time and eternity. Big city psychiatrist Susan Stone returns to Colorado because her elderly father has been thrown off a horse and injured. Her help is needed on the ranch, but Susan only intends to make a quick visit, hire appropriate help, and go back to the safety of her life. Away from the ranch, her father…and all the terrible memories of years gone by. But then there is The Torch, the unknown psychopathic murderer that is burning victims into unrecognizable lumps of char, and the young man that Susan discovers chained at the bottom of a ravine. What have they to do with each other? And what have they to do with Susan and her inability to deal with the past?

I talked about Kathryn Mackel’s science fiction novel, Outriders, in November. I loved that book and can really see a lot of the same voice, the same writing style in The Hidden. Previously she’s had two other thrillers published, The Surrogate and The Departed. If I get a chance to read either of those, I will do it though I doubt that thrillers will ever be my favorite genre, so don’t hold your breath on that one. What I’m REALLY waiting for is the sequel to Outriders!