Hannah Riley has given up her career as a human rights worker and convinced THE HIDDEN GIRL
Louise Millar
Emily Bestler Books/Atria Paperback August 2014
Hannah Riley has given up her career as a human rights worker and convinced her musician husband, Will, that leaving London and buying Tornley Hall, a derelict mansion that has been empty for over two years, in the Suffolk countryside, will give them a new start in life. Will agreed to the relocation and commuting to London for his job as a music producer, but he is already regretting it. The Hall needs a major rehab, but Hanna is obsessive about getting some rooms ready for Barbara’s visit in two weeks. When Will leaves for London on Sunday, the day after their arrival, he will not be home for many days as an unbelievable snow storm moves in and commuting is impossible. Hannah is in a spooky old house with the doors to several rooms locked and no key, and the boiler goes out. She discovers she has two neighbors; an older man named Bill, and a rather strange jack-of-all-trades-handy man named Dax. Dax becomes a regular at helping Hannah with painting, getting doors unlocked, repairing things, but never gives her a bill or tells her what he is charging. Hannah thinks Dax is her friend and confides several things to him; nothing dangerous, just her hopes and fears. Dax, in turn asks for her help in picking up salvage items he sells.
Things are getting done for Barbara’s visit, but at the same time things are getting broken, rearranged, and at one point Hannah found a homeless person sleeping in one of the downstairs rooms. Her calls to Will are going unanswered, and Hannah is afraid her marriage may be in serious trouble. She can’t leave, and Will can’t get home. And, there are a lot of really strange things and people coming into her life on a daily basis.
Louise Millar possesses an awesome talent for penning menacing tales. THE HIDDEN GIRL is a tightly penned thriller with fully fleshed out characters, interesting and intelligent dialogue, and stellar plotting. For most of the book this reviewer wondered who “Barbara” was and her place in the story. I believe Ms. Millar truly enjoys playing with the reader before she turns loose of all the malice and doom awaiting them. ...more