Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra

Hide and Seek is the first book in the new series titled Criminal Profiler by Mary Burton. Hide and Seek is also the first book I have read by Mary Burton. I am speechless because boy have I been missing out on a really great writer! (I am of course presuming Hide and Seek is not an anomaly). I started reading the book, hoping that I would like her style, etc. and before you know it…I was hooked!

Hide and Seek begins with a prologue set in the past, where the reader gets a glimpse of the murderer and how he operates. Certainly set the tone for me! Then as the story starts out we jump back to the present, where at the site of a barn demolition the body of Tobi Turner is discovered. Tobi went missing nearly 15 years ago. And so the story begins.

We are introduced to Mike Nevada (the newly elected county sheriff). He had wanted to slow down, which is why he left his FBI job (a Quantico-based profiling team member). As a result of the discovery of Tobi Turner after all these years, Mike begins the investigation and requests assistance from the FBI (specifically a prior work colleague). Who turns up? Macy Crow, a former colleague and Mike’s onetime lover. There history is complicated. The journey to learn the intricacies of their relationship is worth the effort.

I liked the way the author introduced, in separate chapters, the development of the killer. He evolved from the early days of assaulting his victims. But as the rush he got from the act of assaulting his victims lessened, he upped his game to the point where he was killing his victims.

As Mike and Macy work through the clues available surrounding Tobi’s death, the plot thickens (as it usually does, of course). A rash of assaults prior to Tobi’s disappearance as well as unsolved murders after her disappearance quickly become all part of one big investigation. As the case evolves to include different locations and time periods, the past becomes the present when a new victim is discovered. With this discovery, it seems that the killer is now active again and VERY close. I was entrenched, entranced and engaged as the story became more intense and immediate. I just could not put the book down, even for sleep! So much so that for the better part of a couple of days, I devoured this title.

I must say that the path to figuring out who the murderer was (and is) well hidden in the story so that I was surprised when his identity was revealed.

And lest anyone is wondering, there is romance. I like the way that Mike and Macy get to reconnect. Glad to see Macy overcome her shyness about her body after the accident and glad that Mike is such an accepting and persistent guy.

I can’t wait to see if Macy passed her initial case test and is accepted into this elite criminal profiler team with the FBI. Or what will happen with Mike and Macy?

I am ready to continue my journey with the writings of Mary Burton. I can hardly wait for the next installment of the Criminal Profiler series. In the meantime … which title of Ms. Burton’s should I begin with?

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

If you are a fan of Criminal Minds and police procedurals, then you will find “Hide and Seek” a good read. It follows FBI profiler Special Agent Macy Crow and Sheriff Mike Nevada, Macy’s former colleague and one-time lover.

It was a cold case turned high profile with the discovery of bones of Tobi Turner, a high school girl who disappeared fifteen years ago. Macy and Mike discover a link between Tobi’s case and several others that occurred around the same time as her disappearance.

In a race for time to find the perpetrator, Macy uncovers a sinister picture of a stalker who graduated to sexual assault and then murder. But, it came at a price. Macy has become the target, the phrase – the hunter has become the prey turned into a harsh reality that can cost Macy her own life.

Hide and Seek is a great read. Rated M for Mature due to violence and theme.

Title: Hide and Seek
Series: (Criminal Profiler #1)
Author: Mary Burton
Genre: suspense Romance
Pages: 344
Pages:344
Date:7/15/19
Rating:5



She’s hunting. He’s watching.

Special Agent Macy Crow is a survivor. After a vicious hit-and-run nearly kills her, she gets right back to work, and now she’s gunning for a spot on the FBI’s elite profiling team. As an audition, she offers to investigate the recently discovered bones of Tobi Turner, a high school girl who disappeared fifteen years ago.

While investigating with local sheriff Mike Nevada, a former colleague and onetime lover, Macy discovers a link between Tobi’s case and several others that occurred around the same time as her disappearance. As Macy interviews victims and examines old cases, she uncovers a sinister picture of a stalker who graduated to sexual assault—and then murder.

Macy and Nevada race to put this monster behind bars before he can come out of hiding. But the murderer’s had years to hone his skills, and soon Macy herself becomes a target. She’s no stranger to pain and terror, but will Macy’s first profiling case be her last?

My thoughts
This is the 3rd book I've read from this author and so far she has never let me down , her stories is always romantic suspense with a stronger emphasis on the suspense/thriller plot line than the romance. With that said I want to thing Negalley for letting me read and review.

Mary Burton is a 5 star author! I've read many of her books and have never been disappointed by the story line or the characters. This is the first book in a new series, but the characters are familiar from other Mary Burton books. This adds to the back story without detracting from the suspense elements. The story starts with a horrific crime. As the law enforcement officials investigate the current crime, evidence is discovered that links several cold cases to the current cases. As our LE characters start linking cases, the suspense builds to keep readers engrossed. I stayed up far too late to finish this book but the ending definitely made it worth it.

It is now been cemented in my mind to always keep an eye out for Mary Burton’s books. I’ve only read two books by her before this one mind you, but they’ve been enough for me to believe in her storytelling.

HIDE AND SEEK was fast paced and captivating. This book was like a crossover episode of Criminal Minds and Law and Order Svu, and as someone who enjoyed both shows back when I was able to commit to watching tv series, I enjoyed this one a lot. From the very start, I was in tune with the main characters, especially Special Agent Macy Crow. The case was engaging, the book was heavy on the dialogues which helped with the flow and created that tv show effect. The story went on non stop, and not once was I alienated from anything that happened.

I highly recommend this book, this is definitely one of the top notch examples of a crime thrille

This is the second book I've read by Mary Burton, oddly enough, the first book of hers I read was Cut and Run, which introduced the lead character, FBI profiler, Macy Crow, yet this novel is the first novel in the author's Criminal Profiler series. Sadly, I liked this novel somewhat less than the first for several reasons, and I am giving it a 2.5-star rating.

First of all, this novel was billed as romantic suspense, but it is more a suspense novel/police procedural than it is a romance--what little romance there was between Special Agent Macy Crow, and town sheriff, Mike Nevada, amounted to two rather perfunctory and unimaginative sex scenes, neither of which was romantic, it was more a case of these two characters having had a sex before but it's been a while, so let's both scratch that itch. Rather disappointing.

It Cut and Run, Macy was in a serious car accident and is still recovering in this novel. She's trying to prove to her superiors at the FBI that she can still do the job, and her first case, a hunt for an apparent rapist/serial killer takes her to Deep Run, Virginia, at the request of the new sheriff in town--her old partner/flame, Mike Nevada. While it's helpful to know that these two had a prior relationship, the novel works just fine as a standalone.

The novel opens with a sadistic rape/murder in progress in the prologue, and she's not the first girl to go missing or be raped in this small town. Macy is assigned to the case when the bones of a missing girl are found inside an old barn which is being taken down and dismantled for the weathered barn wood. Once the bones are identified as belonging to Tobi Turner, who has been missing for 15 years, and when Sheriff Nevada is made aware that his predecessor, Sheriff Greene, had never had the rape kits of other rape victims sent out for DNA analysis, Nevada sends them out, and the results reveal that three of those cold cases contained DNA matching that of what was found on Ms. Turner's backpack and, the hunt is on for a rapist turned serial strangler.

Told in alternating narration, we also get to see inside the mind of the sadistic killer, who is actively pursuing prospective new victims, and of course, like all good armchair detectives, we are given plenty of suspects to sift through in this whodunit, and as they're investigating, more victims go missing, and thanks to Macy's FBI connections, more victims are being identified in other nearby states--the rapist/strangler has been busy. As a police procedural this novel works far better than it does as a romantic suspense novel, and although I found the first half of the novel a somewhat slow read, I did like the ongoing suspense and the chance to try to guess the identity of the killer.

While I did notice some procedural errors during the investigation, since I voluntarily requested an advance reader copy of this novel, I am sure that many of these errors were probably caught and corrected during the editing process. While I liked the mystery and suspense part of this novel, and while we do get somewhat of an understanding of what Macy Crow has been through, we don't really get any insight into the head and heart of Mike Nevada, and although I kept waiting for more than just a surface look at him, his thoughts and feelings, it simply wasn't present, which left me feeling rather cheated, especially when he's repeatedly asked why, when he started out in a big city, did he choose to return to policing a small town, and can only say, "it felt right."

All in all, if you enjoy police procedural whodunit novels, you'll probably enjoy this one, but especially at an emotional level, I found this novel lacking a depth of character, and also found the HEA ending far too brief, certainly not romantic and practically nonexistent for this reader.

Thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

This is the second book in a new series, I love these characters I was so excited to see a new book about them. Special Agent Macy Crowe is such a bad ass agent, with a really good heart. Sheriff Mike in Nevada, is an amazing character I really like the way he’s portrayed, makes me think of a modern day at Texas Ranger. It was really interesting to see these two characters continue their relationship, can’t wait to see where it goes. The action part of the story was A thrill ride of an adventure. This killer was pretty devious, and it was interesting to see things in a small town and how they worked out Small towns are always pretrade it’s a nice place to live sometimes I just don’t know if they are. Great book can’t wait for the next one

Wow! This one really kept me on the edge of my seat!! FBI Agent Macy Crow is brought in to help a small town sheriff solve a cold case after skeletal remains are discovered. And in the process enrages a killer and helps close several other cases as well. This one was full of twists and turns so there was never a dull moment.

I’m completely bemused that none of the other reviews I’ve looked at for this book seem to have picked up on the absolutely ENORMOUS plot hole I noticed. In fact, I was so bemused by it I went back and read the sections concerned several times, and then went googling to check I was correct in what I thought was the case.

DNA taken in criminal cases (such as rapes) is run, in the US, against a database called CODIS, maintained by the FBI at a national level (NDIS) since 1998 in order to assist in connecting cases which take place in different states.

Now, all the action in this book takes place in one small town, with three rapes and one murder (to start) all linked by DNA. But later on, murders in other states are linked by searches through ViCAP, which is basically a search for similarities in method of attack, and THEN by DNA. Which... does not compute. DNA in murder cases would AUTOMATICALLY be run against the NDIS, and as soon as three cases in different states are flagged, that makes it serial killer territory, which means the FBI should have been all over this perp long ago. The second the DNA from these cases hit NDIS, there should have been a serial killer task force crawling all over it. Especially with over 40 cases eventually linked. Considering we got quite a bit of insight into the killer’s psyche, and their complete disregard for caution when it came to safeguarding their DNA, none of this made any sense at all.

One commentor remarked that they feel this is based on the Night Stalker case somewhat, and that does feel right considering the cases covered in this story, but the Night Stalker was well before the NDIS was implemented, so DNA wasn’t a factor in catching him. Brought into the present day, it just doesn’t stack up because the evidence would have the FBI and police from half a dozen states crawling all over the case. The NCAVC, the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime, is an entire FBI division devoted to spotting just this kind of pattern and providing assistance to local law enforcement agencies in tracking down the offenders.

I’m not even American, and I was pretty sure this was the case just from watching some TV crime dramas. No matter how well written the rest of the story is (and it’s pretty good), if the author wants me to buy into her story, she needs to get critical details like this right. Otherwise, I just can’t take her seriously as an author of crime fiction.

Two stars and a big black mark for getting something pretty darn critical to how serial crimes are solved in the US today wrong.

There is a reason why I love thrillers. I think this is one genre that has yet to see a dry spell when it comes to content and authors. Even after reading so many over the years, there is still room for finding more good ones and Hide and Seek is one such example. This is my first Mary Burton book and with it I have found another author that I want to read more from.

This is book one in the romantic suspense Criminal Profiler series, but it is not the first outing for the main characters Special Agent Macy Crow and former FBI agent and now Sheriff of Deep Run, Virginia Mike Nevada who were introduced, as I found out in another book by the author titled, 'Cut and Run'; however, since the storyline of this book is different to the other one and enough bits of the previous book are mentioned here, I did not feel any hindrance while reading the book.

This book starts with a cold case. Tobi Turner's, a high school student who went missing in 2004, skeleton remains are found in a shaft of an abandoned barn in 2019 during a project of breaking the building down. Mike Nevada calls in Macy Crow to help out with the case. Macy soon discovers a connection between the rape and murder of Tobi by strangulation to other cases of rape and attempted strangulation which occured around the same time as Tobi's disappearance as well as succeeding years in different areas around the country. While they are investigating this case, a fresh victim's body is found which leads Macy to conclude that not only is it the work of the same person but the person could be someone very close to home.

With a gripping plot line and well etched out characters, this is a fast paced book without a dull moment.

My thanks to NetGalley, Montlake Romance and the author for providing me with an e-ARC of the book.

Hide and Seek is the first in the Criminal Profiler series by Mary Burton, yet we met Macy Crow in a previous book. This is a romantic suspense story, but it is a strong thriller/mystery, with not as much emphasis on the romance, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The book opens with a barn being demolished by a reclamation crew, but they find more than they bargained for. They locate the bones and backpack of a high school girl who went missing fifteen years before. Sheriff Mike Nevada, a retired FBI agent, realizes that he needs help and calls the FBI. Agent Macy Crow was seriously injured in a previous investigation and her previous position is no longer available. She has worked hard to heal and is now trying to get a spot on the FBI’s elite profiling team so she can get back out into the field. When the request comes in from Mike Nevada, she is sent to help out as a trial. It seems, they have been involved in the past, both professionally and romantically, which allows the author to add that romantic suspense she does so well.

I really like the character of Special Agent Macy Crow. She is very smart and has the ability to connect seemingly unconnected pieces together and see connections that others miss. She is tenacious, and will not give up, even working through the pain of her injuries from the hit and run she was the victim of in a previous story. She works hard to prove herself and solve this case for all the victims in the past and present. Mike Nevada is also a great character. He has returned home to Deep Run, Virginia, after resigning from the FBI. He is also smart and was a previous profiler who ended up running for Sheriff when he realized the previous sheriff was not doing a good job. Mike and Macy work very well together and it is obvious they know one another well. Mike is aware of Macy's limitations and supports her without making her feel weak. There is one sex scene that takes a bit away from the suspense, but it is not off-putting. The killer is also smart and has had many years to develop his skills. He graduated from rape to kidnapping, rape and murder and he is back. He leaves clues at each scene, including DNA, but has never been caught. He is a character that we love to hate and was very well written. The secondary characters in this book are not just supporting, but they are an integral part of the story. They all have secrets that need to come out and had me feeling for them as well.

I read this book in one day, not wanting to put it down. The investigation was gripping and had me on the edge of my seat waiting to find out who this depraved, cocky killer was. The pace of the story was perfect, with the climax having me ignore the many jobs I should have been doing. Of course there is danger, intrigue, suspense and romance all rolled together to make this a great story and wonderful start to this series.

HIDE AND SEEK is the first book in Mary Burton’s Criminal Profiler series, and it is breathtaking. I’m never a fan of books or movies that have bad guys who break in while you’re sleeping – it’s just too real – and this suspense kicks off with just that very scenario. But rather than covering my eyes and peeking out through cracks in my fingers like I would for a movie, I boldly read this book with gusto. Sheriff Mike Nevada has, quite possibly, one of the best literary names ever. And as a character, he’s pretty pristine, too. He’s a former profiler with the FBI, and rather than relaxing into the peaceful house he’d inherited from his grandfather in the little town of Deep Run (and the life that should’ve accompanied it), he finds himself the elected sheriff weeks after closing out his life with the Feds. FBI Special Agent Macy Crow is a holdover from CUT AND RUN, and I was happy to see where she landed after her traumatic accident. She and Mike had a thing once, but because of their jobs ended it on good terms … so they have a great rapport, even if it’s a little strained in the beginning. They’re both all business when it comes to investigating a thirty-year old murder that points toward a serial killer who’s still at it. As usual, Burton is on her suspense A-game. I just like the way her mind works; she tells a great story. Reader be aware, though, that this serial killer is also a rapist, so if it’s a trigger for you, try some of Burton’s other books.

*Originally published at Frolic: https://frolic.media/spring-romantic-suspense-round-up/

Hide and Seek is one of my favourites reads from Netgalley so far this year. I loved the story and the way everything plays into it all. The way the clues were drip fed into the actual storyline and all the way through was a really enjoyable experience. I definitely didn’t see the ending coming but then in hindsight, they all made perfect sense. The mixture of the two very different characters meant there was a good dialogue and opposite angles when looking at the whole scenario. I really appreciated the fact that there was a female who not only featured heavily in the book but was actually the driving force behind the storyline.

Hide and Seek was developed meant that the clues were well integrated and felt like a natural progression throughout the book. It kept me interested as well as keeping me on my toes. I really enjoy reading crime and thriller type books but always struggle because I figure out what is going on very early on which ruins the experience. So it’s always a great experience when I read something in the crime genre and don’t guess the ending.

The actual characters were well written and the development was really well done. Each of the people involved in Hide and Seek had a great, rounded back story. There was something that made them unique and have particular motivations. It helped build empathy for the characters and the situation that they found themselves in. It was such a great way of building the story around the characters and the things that happened. I don’t think this could have been done any better. I was really impressed withhow well this was written and how much I enjoyed the story.

I definitely think the ending was really well done, I was equally surprised but then almost expecting it. Everything made sense to me and I love it when it happens, especially in the crime genre. It’s definitely something I usually struggle with but this one hit all the marks. I was so so pleased with it. Hide and Seek for me was a great crime book, definitely, one of my favourite Netgalley reads of the year!

No surprise here but I would definitely recommend Hide and Seek. It is a well written, suspenseful novel. Something I look forward to continuing reading and finding out more about the characters.

Fast paced. But unrealistic at some points. I lo e crime fiction and any book centered around the FBI I love to read. This o e just didnt live up to what I thought it would.

Mary Burton is the queen of romantic suspense. This book pulls you in and never lets go.
The characters are defined in a way you know who they are. Even though Macy is coming back after what could have been a career ending accident. She still puts her all into the case. She fights for the victims until the end. Partnering with Nevada can be a set back for her, however she takes everything in and makes her decisions on a case by case thought process.




** I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review**

Another great read from Mary . Macy & Mike investigate some old rape cases which where swept aside by the original sheriff before mike took over . At the same time the bones of another missing girl are found are they connected ? You’ll have to read it to see. While they are investigating another girl goes missing will they find her in time ?

Hide and Seek by Mary Burton is the first book of the new romantic suspense Criminal Profiler series. While this is listed as the first book of a new series it isn’t the first look at the characters. Macy’s accident that she had just recovered from actually happened in Cut and Run by Mary Burton with her having ties to those characters and a part in that story which gets mentions in this book so one may want to pick that up first although it’s not totally necessary.

Hide and Seek begins with Special Agent Macy Crow looking for her new position as she returns from her accident. As Macy agrees to prove herself worthy she gets sent to investigate a new case when the bones of a missing girl had been found.

Beginning to investigate Macy finds herself again working with the local sheriff, Mike Nevada who she had once shared a night together. Although the bones that were found were from a fifteen year old case Macy quickly begins to find links between this case and others from the past as they discover a killer.

Anyone who has picked up a novel by Mary Burton knows she does romantic suspense and does it very well and Hide and Seek is no exception. This was another thrilling ride as the main characters chase a killer while navigating a relationship. Whether a long time fan of Mary Burton’s or new to her work I think everyone will enjoy this tense mystery.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Hide and Seek is the first book in the Criminal Profiler series by Mary Burton. Knowing that fact, I couldn't help but feel like there was another book featuring Macy and Nevada because the author seemed to write about their past relationship as if she was just catching us up/reminding us some details instead of telling us brand new info. As it turns out, Macy was a part of another book which is called Cut and Run. So, the series is basically a spin of rather than a complete stand-alone. I would have loved some warning about that or at least a note suggesting to read Cut and Run first for a better understanding of the story.

For most of the book I was wondering why there wasn't enough romance between the main characters and only when I reached the end, I realized that the romance and its potential development would happen in the second book. The story of Hide and Seek is mostly focused on the killer and his victims. I did not have a problem with that and I enjoyed the story as much as one can when you read a serial killer's thoughts. Some people might not like a few of the scenes that are described and you should consider the fact that the killer is also raping them before you decide whether or not to read the book.

Overall the book wasn't bad. I might have even gone for the 5-star rating if it wasn't for the feeling of reading the second book in a series and that tiny cliffhanger at the end of the book. We still have a lot to read about these characters. The suspense aspect of the book was good and it made the book easier for me to read.

I really enjoyed “Hide and Seek” by Mary Burton. This book kicks off her new ‘Criminal Profiler’ series and wow, what a great read it was!

The action begins immediately when the reader is introduced to the unidentified serial killer at work. The author cleverly allows the readers into the perpetrator’s mind so they can see their innermost thoughts.

Later on, we get to meet Special Agent Macy Crowe and her sidekick Mike Nevada. Mike, the other main character, is a former FBI agent. He is now the sheriff in the small town of Deep Run, Virginia where he grew up. The two agents have some romantic history which ended amicably.

This novel was brilliantly written by Mary Burton with regard to both the well-drawn characters and the plot. Macy was fierce and independent, though still very likeable. For me, the romance in this novel came second to the rest of the story but this didn’t matter to me as it was fantastic as a murder/mystery in its own right. Nevada and Macy’s relationship was a little bit chaotic for a smooth and straightforward happy ever after.

Overall, plenty of action and memorable characters make the ‘Criminal Profiler’ a must on my list of great series.

Thanks to NetGalley, Montlake Romance and the author, Mary Burton for my complimentary copy of Hide and Seek. My honest review is entirely voluntary.

Mary Burton - you are an awesome writer! I love, love these stories, and this one doesn't disappoint in any way! There is, as always a frisson of attraction between the protagonists, which adds to the tension arising from the main thrilling story. Read it, its a must!