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An online marketing consultant, an avid reader of 400 + books a year. Professional reader, reviewer, and blogger. Enjoy ARCs and new releases.
Hiding Places
By Erin Healy
ISBN: 9781401689605
Publisher:Thomas Nelson--FICTION
Publication Date: 9/8/2015
Format: Papeback
My Rating: 4 Stars
A special thank you to Thomas Nelson-Fiction and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Erin Healy delivers captivating and adventurous HIDING PLACES, a world of intrigue, suspense, and mystery surround the multi-layered story and a Nancy Drew type young girl, named Kate – as she tries to make sense of this world of crazy adults, her family history, danger, secrets, and treasures.
Set in a resort mountain town of Evergreen, Colorado-- Kat, eleven-years-old seems to be the protector of the family. She is caught in the middle of all her family members and grandparents. Her family operates The Harrison Lodge, a historic mountain resort, and has done so for many generations. Years ago, the lodge was a private mansion a summer getaway for rich businessmen. However, before Kate was born, someone had turned the mansion into a hotel.
The resort consists of a popular restaurant on the first floor and well -appointed guest rooms and a library on the second, and a third story event center, and spacious detached cottages, cabins, and grounds. As with most grand hotels, and resorts of this grand nature; there is always drama with the guests, and oh so many secrets, passageways, hidden treasures, and stories buried beneath. If the wall could speak.
We meet a variety of eccentric, strange, dangerous, and funny characters: Great- Grandma Pearl, Gran & Grandy, her mother, Janet, and two older sisters, Alyssa and Olivia. Great-Granma Pearl is quite the character! In addition to the secrets and a safe haven for the guests, Kate finds the family members are keeping secrets.
Told primarily from Kate’s view, she likes to play detective and suspects one of her family members is involved in a murder. She has seen and heard things.
In addition to all the drama surrounding the entire family, readers are introduced to other families, from different walks of life— from a homeless man who sees a robbery gone wrong . . . runaways living under a bridge, a gang member who seeks revenge for the death of his son . . . and Charlie, a boy who has lived on the streets, with no money, and an alcoholic father. Someone wants him to kill someone, someone is being framed and Kate plays the Good Samaritan by hiding him; not realizing the danger. However, she has no clue how he may be connected to her family’s history.
How can three different families’ lives connect? How can Kate protect them all --and keep them from harm’s way?
A complex, heartwarming, redemptive, and coming-of-age story of an innocent and trusting young girl, and her altruistic need to take the burdens of the world upon herself. To protect and be protected. (Loved the front cover)!
There are so many elements to the story, and Erin does a fabulous job connecting all the storylines, building with mystery and intrigue, with nice character development. Kate loves to hide out, intuitive-- reminding you of a Nancy Drew; readers will fall for her charm and Pearl, the one everyone thinks is crazy. Loved the relationship between the two, with a nice takeaway.
“Don’t you play hide-and-seek? Hiding places are only good for as long as they stay hidden.“
HIDING PLACES was my first book by Healy— have heard so much about Motherless, I just purchased the audiobook. Look forward to reading/listening, as well as her previous books.
On a personal note: Was attracted to the book initially, due to the hotel, as a consultant for historic hotel and inn properties— many with cottages and grounds. The (former owners, property, and guests) all have history, mysteries and secrets of the past. I love writing the research for the web, and digging up its past, naming the rooms, past connections, and capturing earlier times and eras. Rich in character, character, architecture, and history. Fascinating! (guests also love it).
Erin Healy delivers captivating and adventurous HIDING PLACES, a world of intrigue, suspense, and mystery surround the multi-layered story and a Nancy Drew type young girl, named Kate – as she tries to make sense of this world of crazy adults, her family history, danger, secrets, and treasures.
Set in a resort mountain town of Evergreen, Colorado-- Kat, eleven-years-old seems to be the protector of the family. She is caught in the middle of all her family members and grandparents. Her family operates The Harrison Lodge, a historic mountain resort, and has done so for many generations. Years ago, the lodge was a private mansion a summer getaway for rich businessmen. However, before Kate was born, someone had turned the mansion into a hotel.
The resort consists of a popular restaurant on the first floor and well -appointed guest rooms and a library on the second, and a third story event center, and spacious detached cottages, cabins, and grounds. As with most grand hotels, and resorts of this grand nature; there is always drama with the guests, and oh so many secrets, passageways, hidden treasures, and stories buried beneath. If the wall could speak.
We meet a variety of eccentric, strange, dangerous, and funny characters: Great- Grandma Pearl, Gran & Grandy, her mother, Janet, and two older sisters, Alyssa and Olivia. Great-Granma Pearl is quite the character! In addition to the secrets and a safe haven for the guests, Kate finds the family members are keeping secrets.
Told primarily from Kate’s view, she likes to play detective and suspects one of her family members is involved in a murder. She has seen and heard things.
In addition to all the drama surrounding the entire family, readers are introduced to other families, from different walks of life— from a homeless man who sees a robbery gone wrong . . . runaways living under a bridge, a gang member who seeks revenge for the death of his son . . . and Charlie, a boy who has lived on the streets, with no money, and an alcoholic father. Someone wants him to kill someone, someone is being framed and Kate plays the Good Samaritan by hiding him; not realizing the danger. However, she has no clue how he may be connected to her family’s history.
How can three different families’ lives connect? How can Kate protect them all --and keep them from harm’s way?
A complex, heartwarming, redemptive, and coming-of-age story of an innocent and trusting young girl, and her altruistic need to take the burdens of the world upon herself. To protect and be protected. (Loved the front cover)!
There are so many elements to the story, and Erin does a fabulous job connecting all the storylines, building with mystery and intrigue, with nice character development. Kate loves to hide out, intuitive-- reminding you of a Nancy Drew; readers will fall for her charm and Pearl, the one everyone thinks is crazy. Loved the relationship between the two, with a nice takeaway.
“Don’t you play hide-and-seek? Hiding places are only good for as long as they stay hidden.“
HIDING PLACES was my first book by Healy— have heard so much about Motherless, I just purchased the audiobook. Look forward to reading/listening, as well as her previous books.
On a personal note: Was attracted to the book initially, due to the hotel, as a consultant for historic hotel and inn properties— many with cottages and grounds. The (former owners, property, and guests) all have history, mysteries and secrets of the past. I love writing the research for the web, and digging up its past, naming the rooms, past connections, and capturing earlier times and eras. Rich in character, character, architecture, and history. Fascinating! (guests also love it).
