Who knew a book about bird watchers could be so stressful?

An accurate summary:* a bird-watching group heads out into the wilderness to spy a group of starlings, when one of their number is shot and killed. None of the others knew where each other were. And as we hop from pov to pov, we learn that each of them has a secret connection to the others, and no one is here of pure motives.

Pattinson does an excellent job putting us into each character’s head—we have a distinct voice and history for each one, and we see the story directly through THEIR eyes. I loved the dynamic of the two sisters, how we got to see everything from both of their POVs, understand the misunderstandings and motives of each one. The nosy Alec was also a character I loved to hate—his arrogant, condescending voice was as hilarious as it was obnoxious. Several of these characters are not what they seemed, and I was pleasantly surprised by each one.

Unfortunately, the plot itself wandered quite unnecessarily into the wilderness after the group, and I’m remiss to say the obvious motive/story thread is a red-herring, which was frustrating.

*The story blurb is misleading—I was expecting something like The Hunting Party or The Guest List, where a group of friends get together and one of them dies and it turns out all of them have motives. But in Hide, none of the ‘friends’ really like each other—let alone know each other. The age range is also quite disparate—ranging from 30 to nearly 70, I believe. Thus, the character dynamic was vastly different than what I was expecting.

All in all, this was a fun winter thriller, which brought a little chill to this 100 degree Pacific Northwest summer. If you’re on a tense snowy thriller kick, add Hide to your list, along with One by One by Ruth Ware and Shiver by Allie Reynolds.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc of this book!

—Ande

A group of seven friends head out on a hike the day after Christmas; it should be a chance to stretch their legs, clear away the cobwebs and catch up . But there will be no chatting and watching the wildlife, instead there will be a murder. I have to say that this book kept me on my toes, I didn’t know who or what to believe. Pattison has penned a winner, one that will keep readers guessing

#Hide #NetGalley
A loose version of C. L Taylor's SLEEP.
Emily, the sister who never lets her hearing loss hold her back.
Lauren, the sister who always feels a step behind.
Morna, who doesn’t get on with Lauren.
Ben, whose feelings for Emily border on obsession.
Dan, the quiet newcomer to the group.
Kai, who isn’t just on the hike to enjoy the wildlife.
And Alec, the one who knows all their secrets.
How many times do I have to say it in my reviews that please stop copying other author's work.
Although it was just ok. Didn't impress me in any way.
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for giving me an advanced copy.

When I saw a new Nell Pattinson book was out I just had to drop everything and read iti which I did. Wow.

Different from the others I have read but no less amazing.

The twists and turns and the ending.

I was given an advance copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is all my own.

Holy. Hell. I haven't finished a thriller this fast since Gone Girl, and I was blow away by this. If you are a fan of unreliable narrators and people you can't trust, pick up HIDE. Pattison's writing is akin to Christie's, and HIDE is a refreshing tale in the genre.