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A mystery featuring hard-boiled Chicago detective Harriet Foster, who’s on the hunt for a serial killer with a deadly affinity for redheads.
When a young red-haired woman is found brutally murdered in downtown Chicago, one detail stands out: the red lipstick encircling her wrists and ankles.
Detective Harriet Foster is on the case, even though she’s still grieving the sudden death of her partner. As a Black woman in a male-dominated department, Foster anticipates a rocky road ahead acclimating to a new team—and building trust with her new partner isn’t coming easily.
After another victim turns up with the same lipstick markings, Foster suspects she’s looking for a serial killer. Through a tip from a psychiatrist, Foster learns about Bodie Morgan: a troubled man with a twisted past and a penchant for pretty young redheads with the bluest eyes. As Foster wades into Morgan’s sinister history, the killer continues their gruesome assault on Chicago’s streets.
In her desperate race to catch the murderer before they strike again, Foster will have to confront the darkest of secrets—including her own.
When a young red-haired woman is found brutally murdered in downtown Chicago, one detail stands out: the red lipstick encircling her wrists and ankles.
Detective Harriet Foster is on the case, even though she’s still grieving the sudden death of her partner. As a Black woman in a male-dominated department, Foster anticipates a rocky road ahead acclimating to a new team—and building trust with her new partner isn’t coming easily.
After another victim turns up with the same lipstick markings, Foster suspects she’s looking for a serial killer. Through a tip from a psychiatrist, Foster learns about Bodie Morgan: a troubled man with a twisted past and a penchant for pretty young redheads with the bluest eyes. As Foster wades into Morgan’s sinister history, the killer continues their gruesome assault on Chicago’s streets.
In her desperate race to catch the murderer before they strike again, Foster will have to confront the darkest of secrets—including her own.
377 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2023
About the author
Tracy Clark
7 books746 followersTracy Clark, a native Chicagoan, is the author of the Cass Raines Chicago Mystery series, featuring ex-cop turned PI Cassandra Raines. A multi-nominated Anthony, Lefty, Edgar, Macavity, and Shamus Award finalist, Tracy is also the 2020 and 2022 winner of the G.P. Putnam’s Sons Sue Grafton Memorial Award and the 2022 Sara Paretsky Award, which honors crime writers from the Midwest. Tracy was also nominated for the 2022 Edgar for Best Short Story for “Lucky Thirteen,” which was included in the crime fiction anthology “Midnight Hour.” She is a proud member of Crime Writers of Color, Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime and serves on the boards of Bouchercon National and the Midwest Mystery Conference. HIDE, her new, police procedural, featuring Det. Harriet Foster of the Chicago Police Department, released in January 2023. The second entry in that series, FALL, releases in 2024. Tracy loves old black-and-white movies, a good nap, and a really spicy ginger snap served with ice-cold milk. When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about writing and admits to finding characters in the most unusual places.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 935 reviews
January 9, 2023
Don't pray for an easy life. Just try to rev up the strength to endure the one you're in.
Detective Harriet Foster stands outside the 17th and State Street Chicago Police Department building. Duty compels her to walk through those doors. But her inner workings tell her to head back to her car and get outta Dodge fast.
Foster is returning to work after the tragic death of her partner, Detective Glynnis Thompson. Foster has ratcheted up some earth-shaking life experiences herself. She'll never recover from the needless death of her son, Regie. But duty dictates and personal wounds are left to fester beneath the surface.
And the stakes are about to get higher and higher after the body of a young woman is found near the Riverwalk by a woman out for a run. A young man is hunched over unconscious near the scene. All eyes are on nineteen year old Keith Ainsley. But did he do it?
It's not until several other female bodies are found with unusual lipstick marks around the wrists and ankles that the police mark them as victims of a serial killer. Only a video cam may point them in the right direction.
Foster is paired up with Detective Vera Li, a young mother and wife of an ER physician. We'll notice the "trial period" between these two as they test the ground between them. Notably, they hold the key to life in each other's hands.
Tracy Clark is a Chicago author who deserves notoriety here. She continues to deliver stellar work as she's done in the Cassie Raines Series (See my reviews.) Clark knows the big shoulders of the city of Chicago and she's done the legwork with her finger on the pulse of crime and the recent detective work involved. She also has a handle on the personal mechanics that go into the impetus of reporting for duty each day. Her characters seem to be breathing right off the page.....and that makes all the difference in the world. Bravo, Tracy Clark, just bravo.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to the talented Tracy Clark for the opportunity.
Detective Harriet Foster stands outside the 17th and State Street Chicago Police Department building. Duty compels her to walk through those doors. But her inner workings tell her to head back to her car and get outta Dodge fast.
Foster is returning to work after the tragic death of her partner, Detective Glynnis Thompson. Foster has ratcheted up some earth-shaking life experiences herself. She'll never recover from the needless death of her son, Regie. But duty dictates and personal wounds are left to fester beneath the surface.
And the stakes are about to get higher and higher after the body of a young woman is found near the Riverwalk by a woman out for a run. A young man is hunched over unconscious near the scene. All eyes are on nineteen year old Keith Ainsley. But did he do it?
It's not until several other female bodies are found with unusual lipstick marks around the wrists and ankles that the police mark them as victims of a serial killer. Only a video cam may point them in the right direction.
Foster is paired up with Detective Vera Li, a young mother and wife of an ER physician. We'll notice the "trial period" between these two as they test the ground between them. Notably, they hold the key to life in each other's hands.
Tracy Clark is a Chicago author who deserves notoriety here. She continues to deliver stellar work as she's done in the Cassie Raines Series (See my reviews.) Clark knows the big shoulders of the city of Chicago and she's done the legwork with her finger on the pulse of crime and the recent detective work involved. She also has a handle on the personal mechanics that go into the impetus of reporting for duty each day. Her characters seem to be breathing right off the page.....and that makes all the difference in the world. Bravo, Tracy Clark, just bravo.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to the talented Tracy Clark for the opportunity.
February 26, 2023
I smell the start of a successful series….
I found this detective myster thriller to be an enjoyable read. A little bit psychological thriller and a little bit police procedural, this novel seemed to expertly blend the two. I really appreciated the twists and turns in this book and would definitely read any sequels to this book.
The author does a great job describing situations and making you question what is going on. The amount of subtle possibilities leaves nothing but wide open space as to who is committing these murders and why. I really appreciate it when I am not able to figure out a storyline!
It did start out a little rough for me but as the story progressed so did the mystery and the complexity of the writing (in a positive way). If you like current event issues filled with nothing but intrigue and the constant question of “BUT WHO DID IT?! And WHY?!”, this is a good place to start.
ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I found this detective myster thriller to be an enjoyable read. A little bit psychological thriller and a little bit police procedural, this novel seemed to expertly blend the two. I really appreciated the twists and turns in this book and would definitely read any sequels to this book.
The author does a great job describing situations and making you question what is going on. The amount of subtle possibilities leaves nothing but wide open space as to who is committing these murders and why. I really appreciate it when I am not able to figure out a storyline!
It did start out a little rough for me but as the story progressed so did the mystery and the complexity of the writing (in a positive way). If you like current event issues filled with nothing but intrigue and the constant question of “BUT WHO DID IT?! And WHY?!”, this is a good place to start.
ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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July 6, 2023
1.5-stars >> 2.0-Stars “It was (barely) OK”
Audiobook 11:56 Hours - Narrated by: Chanté McCormick
From my Reading Activity:
January 6, 2023 – @ 41% I am happy with the way the story is developing, but I am not impressed with the narration - despite the reader's enchanting first name :)
January 8, 2023 – @77% I think the story has become confusing, but I will finish it tonight. The narration is still grating, distracting from my listening experience :(
January 9, 2023 – Finished Reading
Review:
A few days ago, while reading a review by a non-Australian of a book written by an Australian author, I learned a word that was new to me: "prosody": the patterns of stress and intonation in a language, including functions such as choice of pitch, stress, and rhythm.
I think the narrator of "Hide", Chanté McCormick, knows nothing of prosody because her narration was all over the shop. Perhaps she was simply trying too hard, but her erratic changes in tone and inflection became an utter distraction for me. Sometimes McCormick sounded like a school teacher, using a folksy, soft characterisation, lilting and almost melodic. Other times her voice was breathy, harsh and difficult to understand, alternatively rising and falling as if she was reading a romance novel.
My apologies if I sound unduly severe, but actual 'reading' is still difficult for me due to my eyesight problems, and I rely heavily on an audiobook narrator to provide a fair interpretation of the author's intentions when reading me her or his story. Unnecessary dramatics and inconsistent vocal characterisations do nothing for an author's artistic objectives and even less for an attentive listener.
I do not intend to say much about the book itself. It began well enough, but about half-way through the plot(s) started to meander, revealing this piece of important information, then that piece, eventually draining the book of almost all its dramatic tension, leaving little or nothing to the listener's imagination by the end of the story.
Overall, "Hide" was an unsatisfactory introduction, by an experienced author, of her latest protagonist, Detective Harriet Foster. I was disappointed with both the writing and the narration, and I could only just cobble together enough points to rate this book 1.5-Stars, rounded to 2.0-Stars.
Audiobook 11:56 Hours - Narrated by: Chanté McCormick
From my Reading Activity:
January 6, 2023 – @ 41% I am happy with the way the story is developing, but I am not impressed with the narration - despite the reader's enchanting first name :)
January 8, 2023 – @77% I think the story has become confusing, but I will finish it tonight. The narration is still grating, distracting from my listening experience :(
January 9, 2023 – Finished Reading
Review:
A few days ago, while reading a review by a non-Australian of a book written by an Australian author, I learned a word that was new to me: "prosody": the patterns of stress and intonation in a language, including functions such as choice of pitch, stress, and rhythm.
I think the narrator of "Hide", Chanté McCormick, knows nothing of prosody because her narration was all over the shop. Perhaps she was simply trying too hard, but her erratic changes in tone and inflection became an utter distraction for me. Sometimes McCormick sounded like a school teacher, using a folksy, soft characterisation, lilting and almost melodic. Other times her voice was breathy, harsh and difficult to understand, alternatively rising and falling as if she was reading a romance novel.
My apologies if I sound unduly severe, but actual 'reading' is still difficult for me due to my eyesight problems, and I rely heavily on an audiobook narrator to provide a fair interpretation of the author's intentions when reading me her or his story. Unnecessary dramatics and inconsistent vocal characterisations do nothing for an author's artistic objectives and even less for an attentive listener.
I do not intend to say much about the book itself. It began well enough, but about half-way through the plot(s) started to meander, revealing this piece of important information, then that piece, eventually draining the book of almost all its dramatic tension, leaving little or nothing to the listener's imagination by the end of the story.
Overall, "Hide" was an unsatisfactory introduction, by an experienced author, of her latest protagonist, Detective Harriet Foster. I was disappointed with both the writing and the narration, and I could only just cobble together enough points to rate this book 1.5-Stars, rounded to 2.0-Stars.
June 8, 2023
The book was just okay. The story was simple and easy to understand, but it didn't really stick with me. I didn't really connect with the narrator because she seemed like she didn't have much emotion.
December 30, 2022
Thriller
Since I don't write spoilers, I'll keep this review short. Tracy Clark is a new author for me and now on my A list. I look forward to reading the next book in this series, it's that good!
In the first few chapters I thought she revealed the killer and thought, oh no. As it turns out there are so many twists and turns that it is hard to decide who the true killer or killers are.
Each character was written with a background that I could see and feel without being drawn out. Her writing is imaginative and fresh. For people who like excitingly serial killer books, you won't be disappointed.
I chose this book from Goodreads and this review is my own.
Since I don't write spoilers, I'll keep this review short. Tracy Clark is a new author for me and now on my A list. I look forward to reading the next book in this series, it's that good!
In the first few chapters I thought she revealed the killer and thought, oh no. As it turns out there are so many twists and turns that it is hard to decide who the true killer or killers are.
Each character was written with a background that I could see and feel without being drawn out. Her writing is imaginative and fresh. For people who like excitingly serial killer books, you won't be disappointed.
I chose this book from Goodreads and this review is my own.
November 15, 2023
Come to the dark side …. of the Windy City!
This foray into the works of a new-to-me author was a little edgier than I expected. Tracy Clark doesn’t shy away from the gritty darkness of crime. However, the writing style and the mystery held my attention and I couldn’t put the book down.
In short: A Chicago detective hunts for a serial killer with an affinity for blue-eyed redheads.
I was caught up in seeing how the two stories would intersect. On one hand, I wanted to know how the grieving detective, who’d just transferred to a new precinct would fit in and be mentally ‘in the game.’ On the other hand, I was curious about the twins Brodie and Amelia Morgan. One seemed evil enough to be a serial killer, but the other was the balancing force, and couldn’t seem to catch her brother doing anything ‘wrong.’ All of the different points of view kept me on my toes and offered me multiple ‘wrong turns.’
I was also caught up in the wonderful characterization. Clark crafted her female protagonist with such authenticity and tenacity, that I was instantly drawn to her. I kept rooting for her as she stood her ground with her new partner and demanded respect.
The themes of prejudice, defunding the police, activism, and the age-old debate about nature vs nurture were well integrated into the plot and would lend to great book club discussions.
This edgy police procedural may have pushed my boundaries a little, but the style was so engaging, there was no filler fluff, and it was well-plotted. This first in a series intrigued me enough to read the second book in the series.
This foray into the works of a new-to-me author was a little edgier than I expected. Tracy Clark doesn’t shy away from the gritty darkness of crime. However, the writing style and the mystery held my attention and I couldn’t put the book down.
In short: A Chicago detective hunts for a serial killer with an affinity for blue-eyed redheads.
I was caught up in seeing how the two stories would intersect. On one hand, I wanted to know how the grieving detective, who’d just transferred to a new precinct would fit in and be mentally ‘in the game.’ On the other hand, I was curious about the twins Brodie and Amelia Morgan. One seemed evil enough to be a serial killer, but the other was the balancing force, and couldn’t seem to catch her brother doing anything ‘wrong.’ All of the different points of view kept me on my toes and offered me multiple ‘wrong turns.’
I was also caught up in the wonderful characterization. Clark crafted her female protagonist with such authenticity and tenacity, that I was instantly drawn to her. I kept rooting for her as she stood her ground with her new partner and demanded respect.
The themes of prejudice, defunding the police, activism, and the age-old debate about nature vs nurture were well integrated into the plot and would lend to great book club discussions.
This edgy police procedural may have pushed my boundaries a little, but the style was so engaging, there was no filler fluff, and it was well-plotted. This first in a series intrigued me enough to read the second book in the series.
January 4, 2023
4.5/5
I have a new favorite detective in my life I guess, and that is thanks to Hide by Tracy Clark! This is book 1 of the Detective Harriet Foster series and I hope we have many more to come since she is a really great character. My favorite character ever is Alice Vega, and while Foster isn't quite on her level when it comes to badassness, she is on her way there! I loved that she was fully developed and even though this is the first in the series, I thought I got to know her really well without a deep dive into her backstory as some series books do in the beginning. While there is one aspect of the story that is fairly easy to figure out, there are a couple of twists that completely blew me away. The pacing is quick as well and the end got CRAZY.
The audiobook is available on Kindle Unlimited, so I decided to check that out since I have heard Chanté McCormick narrate before and really like her. There are a lot of viewpoints, so it was quite the feat, and I thought she did an excellent job for the female characters. I especially enjoyed her as the voice of Foster and would definitely love to have her continue with the following books in the series. The only thing that was a little weird was her voices for the men in the story, and a couple of them were downright silly sounding and made me laugh. I would have preferred she kept her normal voice for the men, but everything else was great! Hide had me so intrigued and I not only loved all of the layers to the story but following along with the different characters as well. It is a police procedural for sure but with added viewpoints so that's not all it is. I can't wait to see where Clark goes next with Foster!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I have a new favorite detective in my life I guess, and that is thanks to Hide by Tracy Clark! This is book 1 of the Detective Harriet Foster series and I hope we have many more to come since she is a really great character. My favorite character ever is Alice Vega, and while Foster isn't quite on her level when it comes to badassness, she is on her way there! I loved that she was fully developed and even though this is the first in the series, I thought I got to know her really well without a deep dive into her backstory as some series books do in the beginning. While there is one aspect of the story that is fairly easy to figure out, there are a couple of twists that completely blew me away. The pacing is quick as well and the end got CRAZY.
The audiobook is available on Kindle Unlimited, so I decided to check that out since I have heard Chanté McCormick narrate before and really like her. There are a lot of viewpoints, so it was quite the feat, and I thought she did an excellent job for the female characters. I especially enjoyed her as the voice of Foster and would definitely love to have her continue with the following books in the series. The only thing that was a little weird was her voices for the men in the story, and a couple of them were downright silly sounding and made me laugh. I would have preferred she kept her normal voice for the men, but everything else was great! Hide had me so intrigued and I not only loved all of the layers to the story but following along with the different characters as well. It is a police procedural for sure but with added viewpoints so that's not all it is. I can't wait to see where Clark goes next with Foster!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
December 8, 2022
Hunt and Hide
Review of the Amazon First Reads Kindle eBook (Dec. 1, 2022) released in advance of the official Thomas & Mercer paperback/Kindle/audiobook (Jan. 1, 2023)
I choose Hide for my Amazon First Reads pick for December 2022. It was promoted as the 'Police Procedural' selection for the month and the atmospheric cover art drew my attention over the other offers. I saw that Tracy Clark was also the author of the private detective Cass Raines (4 books 2018-2021) series. The author and all of her books are Chicago centred, so that seemed a good indication of authenticity.
This was a fast-paced read with relatively short chapters (83 of them over 377 pages) which alternated between the POVs of the Chicago Police Dept and those of the suspects. Harriet Foster is the lead character and she is the newly transferred detective in the homicide unit of her precinct. She is back from a personal leave from dealing with the aftermath of a former partner's suicide in her previous precinct which had not been foreseen. She carries that demon and also one caused by the earlier death of her own child due to robbery violence. Possibly as a sort of initiation, she is first partnered with the unit's dinosaur detective, and they clash and disagree on techniques and suspects almost immediately.
Chicago's Riverwalk area seen at night. Image sourced from Attractions of America.
Foster's first case with her new unit is a savage knife murder of a young woman whose body is left by Chicago's Riverwalk area. The brutal slaying indicates a Jack-the-Ripper level of psychopathy. Further killings are to follow making it a serial killer case in which the entire homicide unit eventually takes part. The suspect trail begins with an unconscious man found near the scene with a single blood smear on their clothing. Without the detectives initially being aware of them, there are interspersed chapters of Amelia and Bodie Morgan, an artist sister and her troubled stalker brother, the latter recently released from psychiatric care. It is gradually revealed that the Morgans have a dark family past and also that Bodie's psychiatrist is a woman with a secret history who is seeking a high profile psychopath on which to base her next book in order to 'get back in the limelight.' How far might she go to help 'create' that psychopath?
Both the police and suspect sides of this procedural are well drawn and the variety of suspects kept me guessing throughout. Although it initially seemed that the tortured and angsty cop stereotypes might get overplayed, those aspects did not play a large part and Harriet Foster comes across as a realistic character and each of the other detectives in the unit played a solid role with even the dinosaur cop showing some dedication. I was quite satisfied with this month's Amazon First Read.
Trivia and Links
Hide is the first book of a new Detective Harriet Foster series from author Tracy Clark. The second book in the series, titled Fall, is already planned for publication December 5, 2023.
Amazon Prime First Reads advance reading copies (ARCs) are available to Amazon Prime subscribers. They offer advance reads of books in Kindle eBook format one month before the date of official release. The current month's selection is available here (Link goes to Amazon US, adjust for your own country or region).
Review of the Amazon First Reads Kindle eBook (Dec. 1, 2022) released in advance of the official Thomas & Mercer paperback/Kindle/audiobook (Jan. 1, 2023)
I choose Hide for my Amazon First Reads pick for December 2022. It was promoted as the 'Police Procedural' selection for the month and the atmospheric cover art drew my attention over the other offers. I saw that Tracy Clark was also the author of the private detective Cass Raines (4 books 2018-2021) series. The author and all of her books are Chicago centred, so that seemed a good indication of authenticity.
This was a fast-paced read with relatively short chapters (83 of them over 377 pages) which alternated between the POVs of the Chicago Police Dept and those of the suspects. Harriet Foster is the lead character and she is the newly transferred detective in the homicide unit of her precinct. She is back from a personal leave from dealing with the aftermath of a former partner's suicide in her previous precinct which had not been foreseen. She carries that demon and also one caused by the earlier death of her own child due to robbery violence. Possibly as a sort of initiation, she is first partnered with the unit's dinosaur detective, and they clash and disagree on techniques and suspects almost immediately.
Chicago's Riverwalk area seen at night. Image sourced from Attractions of America.
Foster's first case with her new unit is a savage knife murder of a young woman whose body is left by Chicago's Riverwalk area. The brutal slaying indicates a Jack-the-Ripper level of psychopathy. Further killings are to follow making it a serial killer case in which the entire homicide unit eventually takes part. The suspect trail begins with an unconscious man found near the scene with a single blood smear on their clothing. Without the detectives initially being aware of them, there are interspersed chapters of Amelia and Bodie Morgan, an artist sister and her troubled stalker brother, the latter recently released from psychiatric care. It is gradually revealed that the Morgans have a dark family past and also that Bodie's psychiatrist is a woman with a secret history who is seeking a high profile psychopath on which to base her next book in order to 'get back in the limelight.' How far might she go to help 'create' that psychopath?
Both the police and suspect sides of this procedural are well drawn and the variety of suspects kept me guessing throughout. Although it initially seemed that the tortured and angsty cop stereotypes might get overplayed, those aspects did not play a large part and Harriet Foster comes across as a realistic character and each of the other detectives in the unit played a solid role with even the dinosaur cop showing some dedication. I was quite satisfied with this month's Amazon First Read.
Trivia and Links
Hide is the first book of a new Detective Harriet Foster series from author Tracy Clark. The second book in the series, titled Fall, is already planned for publication December 5, 2023.
Amazon Prime First Reads advance reading copies (ARCs) are available to Amazon Prime subscribers. They offer advance reads of books in Kindle eBook format one month before the date of official release. The current month's selection is available here (Link goes to Amazon US, adjust for your own country or region).
April 2, 2023
Hide is the first book in the Detective Harriet Foster series by American author, Tracy Clark. Violent crime isn’t unusual in Chicago, but the first case Harri Foster takes on in her new unit, after eight weeks’ compassionate leave, is extreme. Red-haired, blue-eyed Peggy Birch is found on the Riverwalk, under a pile of leaves, disembowelled, her wrists and ankles ringed with lipstick.
Harri has been teamed with Detective Jim Lonergan and, despite her sergeant’s warning, she is shocked and dismayed by how callous, how condescending, how disrespectful he is. She’s a divorced black woman who has just lost her work partner of eleven years to suicide, but she isn’t going to let this sexist, racist man distract her from doing her job well. And her sergeant has her finger on the pulse enough to act where necessary.
Lonergan has already decided that the young black man who was found, unconscious, nearby is the murderer, but Harri isn’t convinced, and carefully investigates all aspects of the killing. It is soon apparent that several others might have opportunity and possible motive, people whose alibis don’t all stand up to scrutiny.
Meanwhile, Bodie Morgan, a troubled man with a history of stalking young women has just been released from a psychiatric facility, and his treating psychiatrist is quite sure the story he has told her about his family history is false. She’s right about that. The ambitious career psychiatrist hopes to gain notoriety from his case, and takes her suspicions to the police, hoping to get involved with the case.
Then, the mutilated body of another young woman is found, not far from Riverwalk, one with similar features and markings to those on Peggy Birch. By the time Harri and the team have checked out CCTV and trace evidence, they know they are dealing with a very clever killer.
There’s lots of really good detective work in this police procedural, with plenty of red herrings and distractions to keep the pages turning. While some may think they have it all figured out, there are a few twists to keep even the most astute reader guessing right up to the final, chilling reveal.
Clark’s protagonist is easy to like, respect and cheer on as she deals with her narrow-minded, judgemental partner; this complex character and glimpses of her appealing support cast are enough to entice the reader to look out for the sequel, Fall. Excellent crime fiction.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer.
Harri has been teamed with Detective Jim Lonergan and, despite her sergeant’s warning, she is shocked and dismayed by how callous, how condescending, how disrespectful he is. She’s a divorced black woman who has just lost her work partner of eleven years to suicide, but she isn’t going to let this sexist, racist man distract her from doing her job well. And her sergeant has her finger on the pulse enough to act where necessary.
Lonergan has already decided that the young black man who was found, unconscious, nearby is the murderer, but Harri isn’t convinced, and carefully investigates all aspects of the killing. It is soon apparent that several others might have opportunity and possible motive, people whose alibis don’t all stand up to scrutiny.
Meanwhile, Bodie Morgan, a troubled man with a history of stalking young women has just been released from a psychiatric facility, and his treating psychiatrist is quite sure the story he has told her about his family history is false. She’s right about that. The ambitious career psychiatrist hopes to gain notoriety from his case, and takes her suspicions to the police, hoping to get involved with the case.
Then, the mutilated body of another young woman is found, not far from Riverwalk, one with similar features and markings to those on Peggy Birch. By the time Harri and the team have checked out CCTV and trace evidence, they know they are dealing with a very clever killer.
There’s lots of really good detective work in this police procedural, with plenty of red herrings and distractions to keep the pages turning. While some may think they have it all figured out, there are a few twists to keep even the most astute reader guessing right up to the final, chilling reveal.
Clark’s protagonist is easy to like, respect and cheer on as she deals with her narrow-minded, judgemental partner; this complex character and glimpses of her appealing support cast are enough to entice the reader to look out for the sequel, Fall. Excellent crime fiction.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer.
September 25, 2023
The first book in Tracy Clark’s new police procedural series featuring detective Harriet Foster, this is a hardboiled crime novel that grabs the attention from the first page. Foster is a homicide detective with the Chicago Police Department. She’s just arrived at a new precinct after her previous partner committed suicide in the carpark at work. Not only that, she’s still dealing with the death of her son from years before when he was gunned down in the street while being robbed. She’s got baggage.
Apart from her difficult past, which she does admirably in ensuring it doesn’t distract her from her job, she displays tremendous insight and a killer work attitude. No step is too small, no clue is too irrelevant. And she doesn’t take a backward step to anyone. This is a character you want to follow, just to see where they lead you.
Her butt has barely settled in at her new precinct when the call comes in signalling her first case. It’s a heavy one, a stabbing murder of a young woman, virtually disembowelled and partially hidden beneath a pile of leaves on Chicago’s Riverwalk.
Meanwhile, the story switches to a second point of view and we find ourselves getting to know Bodie and Amelia, twins, a brother and sister pairing living and trying to get by in Chicago. He has a history of stalking women, she’s an artist who’s also intent on looking out for her brother. Their disturbing past reveals they discovered, when they were young, that their father was a serial killer. They walked into the home’s cellar one day to find one of his victims. It was clearly a traumatic event for both of them.
The story alternates between the two points of view moving at a rapid rate as the killings begin to mount up and the pressure builds on Harriet and her new partner, Vera Li. But the investigation is picked up and carried out by the entire homicide team which serves to ensure that things happen at a far greater pace, plus we get to meet and understand more about each of the members of the team.
This is the type of fast-paced police procedural / thriller that I really get my teeth into. A strong, twisted plot with the occasional misdirection to keep you on your toes, an asshole cop to raise the hackles of any clear thinking person and a protagonist with some real personal issues to overcome. Harriet Foster looks to be a fascinating character to follow with her no-nonsense attitude and full on work rate.
If you’re a fan of serial killer thrillers where there’s a strange and involved history behind the killer’s reasoning then Hide will appeal to you. There are plenty of potential clues as to the killer’s identity dropped along the way which will give you a good chance to work it out before the “big reveal”.
Apart from her difficult past, which she does admirably in ensuring it doesn’t distract her from her job, she displays tremendous insight and a killer work attitude. No step is too small, no clue is too irrelevant. And she doesn’t take a backward step to anyone. This is a character you want to follow, just to see where they lead you.
Her butt has barely settled in at her new precinct when the call comes in signalling her first case. It’s a heavy one, a stabbing murder of a young woman, virtually disembowelled and partially hidden beneath a pile of leaves on Chicago’s Riverwalk.
Meanwhile, the story switches to a second point of view and we find ourselves getting to know Bodie and Amelia, twins, a brother and sister pairing living and trying to get by in Chicago. He has a history of stalking women, she’s an artist who’s also intent on looking out for her brother. Their disturbing past reveals they discovered, when they were young, that their father was a serial killer. They walked into the home’s cellar one day to find one of his victims. It was clearly a traumatic event for both of them.
The story alternates between the two points of view moving at a rapid rate as the killings begin to mount up and the pressure builds on Harriet and her new partner, Vera Li. But the investigation is picked up and carried out by the entire homicide team which serves to ensure that things happen at a far greater pace, plus we get to meet and understand more about each of the members of the team.
This is the type of fast-paced police procedural / thriller that I really get my teeth into. A strong, twisted plot with the occasional misdirection to keep you on your toes, an asshole cop to raise the hackles of any clear thinking person and a protagonist with some real personal issues to overcome. Harriet Foster looks to be a fascinating character to follow with her no-nonsense attitude and full on work rate.
If you’re a fan of serial killer thrillers where there’s a strange and involved history behind the killer’s reasoning then Hide will appeal to you. There are plenty of potential clues as to the killer’s identity dropped along the way which will give you a good chance to work it out before the “big reveal”.
January 9, 2023
REVIEW: Thank you @amazonpublishing @tpclark2000 and @tlcbooktours for the gifted book
From acclaimed author Tracy Clark comes a page-turning mystery featuring hard-boiled Chicago detective Harriet Foster, who’s on the hunt for a serial killer with a deadly affinity for redheads.
TITLE: HIDE
SERIES: Detective Harriet Foster Book 1
AUTHOR: Tracy Clark
PUB DATE: 01.01.2023 Now Available
Since the book just released, I wanted to drop my thoughts on this amazing first book in a series.
I have a new favorite homicide detective and series - Harriet Foster is such a compelling character and I just loved this police procedural set in the Windy City. It’s my first book by author Tracy Clark and I cannot wait for Book 2 releasing this December called FALL.
The writing was immersive and the book is a real page turner. There were so many potential suspects and included important themes and disparities that affect policing such as race, income, gender, and deep rooted problems in the police force.
I really enjoyed this fantastic start of series.
From acclaimed author Tracy Clark comes a page-turning mystery featuring hard-boiled Chicago detective Harriet Foster, who’s on the hunt for a serial killer with a deadly affinity for redheads.
TITLE: HIDE
SERIES: Detective Harriet Foster Book 1
AUTHOR: Tracy Clark
PUB DATE: 01.01.2023 Now Available
Since the book just released, I wanted to drop my thoughts on this amazing first book in a series.
I have a new favorite homicide detective and series - Harriet Foster is such a compelling character and I just loved this police procedural set in the Windy City. It’s my first book by author Tracy Clark and I cannot wait for Book 2 releasing this December called FALL.
The writing was immersive and the book is a real page turner. There were so many potential suspects and included important themes and disparities that affect policing such as race, income, gender, and deep rooted problems in the police force.
I really enjoyed this fantastic start of series.
February 19, 2023
Foster and Lee are an AWESOME cop duo! I’m ready for book ✌🏽!!
February 8, 2023
Amazon First Reads for December 2022
Meet Tracy Clark's new Detective Harriet "Harri" Foster! Hide takes place in Chicago and is a mystery/crime genre book, which is my favorite! It's told from the criminal's POV, as well as the investigator's POV.
I liked Harri, whose life has been incredibly challenging for the past few years. She not only lost her son five years ago she also lost her last partner to suicide. She is now working in a different precinct - one that has a team of detectives who are a mix of good and bad.
Harri struck me as a person who was as kind as she was intelligent.
Having said that, I felt the good outweighed the bad, and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Fall!!
Meet Tracy Clark's new Detective Harriet "Harri" Foster! Hide takes place in Chicago and is a mystery/crime genre book, which is my favorite! It's told from the criminal's POV, as well as the investigator's POV.
I liked Harri, whose life has been incredibly challenging for the past few years. She not only lost her son five years ago she also lost her last partner to suicide. She is now working in a different precinct - one that has a team of detectives who are a mix of good and bad.
Harri struck me as a person who was as kind as she was intelligent.
Having said that, I felt the good outweighed the bad, and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Fall!!
May 15, 2024
DNF 20% this book read like a poorly written knock off law & order and CSI. Serious mistakes have been made that a simple Google search could have fixed. There are typos and the scenes are out of order and all over the place.
March 29, 2023
4.5 stars
March 13, 2023
Hide is a procedural murder mystery centering around detective Harriet Foster, a tenured Chicago police detective who just started a new job after suffering a series of personal and professional heartbreaks.
The mystery stsrted off strong with a body found on Chicago's Riverwalk, covered in leaves and with lipstick rings around the hands and feet. But then, the story tapered off as we were introduced to additional points of view of fraternal twins, Bodie who has just been released from a psychiatric hospital and Amelia who uses art to heal from past trauma. The story picks up again toward the end, but I saw the big plot twist quite early in the story.
I really liked Detective Foster and her partner, Detective Li, but there was opportunity to build their characters out more. In fact, all of the characters fell a little flat.
Thr big challenge I had reading this book was that it felt like it was written about 30 years ago and a few modern technological details, like cell phones, were added in to try to give it a more 21st century feel. For example:
•College students document everything on social media. However, none of the social media accounts of the first victim and her friends/frenemies were explored by the police. They even had their hands on a potential suspect's phone and only checked her call log and texts. Why wouldn't they check her DMs and posts/stories for potential alibis or evidence?
•Why would someone mark a vehicle with reflective paint to follow it rather than stick an airtag or other tracking device on it?
•The killer marked their victims (and other people) with blood from prior victims already found by the police - wouldn't that DNA show up in a database?
In addition, I still don't understand what the title has to do with the story. No one was really "hiding" in this book
Overall, this was a pretty good story - The characters could have been less flat and the book could have been edited to reflect more current technology
Content Warnings: Murder, Suicide, Loss of Child, Animal cruelty/death
The mystery stsrted off strong with a body found on Chicago's Riverwalk, covered in leaves and with lipstick rings around the hands and feet. But then, the story tapered off as we were introduced to additional points of view of fraternal twins, Bodie who has just been released from a psychiatric hospital and Amelia who uses art to heal from past trauma. The story picks up again toward the end, but I saw the big plot twist quite early in the story.
I really liked Detective Foster and her partner, Detective Li, but there was opportunity to build their characters out more. In fact, all of the characters fell a little flat.
Thr big challenge I had reading this book was that it felt like it was written about 30 years ago and a few modern technological details, like cell phones, were added in to try to give it a more 21st century feel. For example:
•College students document everything on social media. However, none of the social media accounts of the first victim and her friends/frenemies were explored by the police. They even had their hands on a potential suspect's phone and only checked her call log and texts. Why wouldn't they check her DMs and posts/stories for potential alibis or evidence?
•Why would someone mark a vehicle with reflective paint to follow it rather than stick an airtag or other tracking device on it?
•The killer marked their victims (and other people) with blood from prior victims already found by the police - wouldn't that DNA show up in a database?
In addition, I still don't understand what the title has to do with the story. No one was really "hiding" in this book
Overall, this was a pretty good story - The characters could have been less flat and the book could have been edited to reflect more current technology
Content Warnings: Murder, Suicide, Loss of Child, Animal cruelty/death
December 6, 2022
The Family that Plays Together
Detective Harriet Foster is facing the hardest day of her life. After losing her son, Reg, to a mugging, she thought she'd have a tough time working. But when her partner, Glynnis Thompson, blows her brains out in her patrol car, Foster is out for two months. And today, she must go back to work at her new precinct.
Initially assigned to a loud-mouthed, misogynistic partner named Lonergan, Foster, a proud, independent Black woman feels like she's being tested. Right off the bat, they are put on an apparent murder case where the two obviously don't see eye to eye on procedure.
Hide, by Tracy Clark, is all about the secrets we tell ourselves, for better or for worse, in order to get through the day. I found it fascinating the way Clark uses point of view to examine each character's motives, the bad and the good.
Foster puts up with Lonergan long enough to show her boss, Chief Griffin, that she's truly able to do the job. After Lonergan 's fifth or sixth idiotic decision, Foster reaches out to Detective Li, and, Chief Griffin assigns them to work together.
Whoever is killing people, is expressing a lot of anger. They are using a large, jagged edge hunting knife and almost eviscerating their victims. And they are accelerating quickly.
This book is a fast-paced, heart-thumping depiction of what the effect of a psychotic serial murderer has on the lives of everyone they touch. But the twists and turns you will never see coming. You'll end up questioning your own capacity for resilience.
It doesn't surprise me at all that author Tracy Clark is a multiple Award Winner, she is a keen observer of people and a masterful writer. Hide is a five star Thriller. Highly recommended.
Detective Harriet Foster is facing the hardest day of her life. After losing her son, Reg, to a mugging, she thought she'd have a tough time working. But when her partner, Glynnis Thompson, blows her brains out in her patrol car, Foster is out for two months. And today, she must go back to work at her new precinct.
Initially assigned to a loud-mouthed, misogynistic partner named Lonergan, Foster, a proud, independent Black woman feels like she's being tested. Right off the bat, they are put on an apparent murder case where the two obviously don't see eye to eye on procedure.
Hide, by Tracy Clark, is all about the secrets we tell ourselves, for better or for worse, in order to get through the day. I found it fascinating the way Clark uses point of view to examine each character's motives, the bad and the good.
Foster puts up with Lonergan long enough to show her boss, Chief Griffin, that she's truly able to do the job. After Lonergan 's fifth or sixth idiotic decision, Foster reaches out to Detective Li, and, Chief Griffin assigns them to work together.
Whoever is killing people, is expressing a lot of anger. They are using a large, jagged edge hunting knife and almost eviscerating their victims. And they are accelerating quickly.
This book is a fast-paced, heart-thumping depiction of what the effect of a psychotic serial murderer has on the lives of everyone they touch. But the twists and turns you will never see coming. You'll end up questioning your own capacity for resilience.
It doesn't surprise me at all that author Tracy Clark is a multiple Award Winner, she is a keen observer of people and a masterful writer. Hide is a five star Thriller. Highly recommended.
January 18, 2023
IDK what’s going on. GR keeps giving me double entries of books. Showing I’m currently reading and done reading at the same time. Occasionally when I delete one of the duplicates - I lose both. 🙄
********
1/17/2023 - DNF’d due to the narrator. The story isn’t gripping enough to drive me to read it though - hard to tell how much of that is Tracy Clark’s writing and how much lands on the narrator.
While Chanté McCormick gives the characters differentiating voices - her delivery reminds me of a stereotypical TV reporter. Repetitive cadence and mistimed inflections. That works (sort of) for short news stories, but is distracting for a novel and doesn’t match the text. I found myself drifting off, even after tweaking the playback speed. More than an hour in and it’s not getting any better or is something I can overlook.
********
1/17/2023 - DNF’d due to the narrator. The story isn’t gripping enough to drive me to read it though - hard to tell how much of that is Tracy Clark’s writing and how much lands on the narrator.
While Chanté McCormick gives the characters differentiating voices - her delivery reminds me of a stereotypical TV reporter. Repetitive cadence and mistimed inflections. That works (sort of) for short news stories, but is distracting for a novel and doesn’t match the text. I found myself drifting off, even after tweaking the playback speed. More than an hour in and it’s not getting any better or is something I can overlook.
December 2, 2022
I’m finding this police procedural/psychological thriller well-written and absorbing with compelling characters driven by internal and external conflict.
Homicide detective Harriet Foster has 17 years of experience as a Chicago cop. African-American and divorced as the result of her son's murder, she’s also just lost her long-time partner on the force to a suicide she never saw coming. Now, after extended leave, she’s back on the job at a new squad with a new partner, Jim Lonergan, who’s a real “dinosaur.” Before “Harri” has even had time to settle into her desk, she and Lonergan are sent to the scene of the grisly murder of Peggy Birch a blue-eyed, red-headed young woman. A Black teen was found unconscious only yards away from the body with a spot of blood on his clothing. Brash, bullying, opinionated, and rushing to judgment, Lonergan wants to arrest the teen immediately. Foster, who by the middle of the morning has just about had it with her new partner's chauvinism, knows they need to wait and see what the evidence has to say.
Meanwhile, adult twin brother and sister, Bodie and Amelia, wrestle with their upbringing by a father who had a penchant for murdering young, red-headed women with blue eyes. They haven’t seen him for years, not since he dropped them off as freshmen at college, both of their tuitions completely paid. But the years they spent under his roof, where they became aware of what he was doing, have left their mark. Might one of them be involved in the murder? Or their father, if he's even still alive?
Or how about one of Peggy’s friends from college? Or an ex-boyfriend? Or one of the people with whom she attended yesterday’s “defund the police” rally.
It’s a murder mystery filled with suspects as well as many of the topical issues of today: racism, sexism, police power, women as police, stalking, and the psychology of alienated “outsiders,” to name just a few. The prose and dialogue are first-rate. Ms. Clark writes about police procedure and culture as surefootedly as if she had been a Chicago detective.
It’s the first time I’ve read any of Ms. Clarke's work. Based on this outing, I’m positive it won’t be the last.
Homicide detective Harriet Foster has 17 years of experience as a Chicago cop. African-American and divorced as the result of her son's murder, she’s also just lost her long-time partner on the force to a suicide she never saw coming. Now, after extended leave, she’s back on the job at a new squad with a new partner, Jim Lonergan, who’s a real “dinosaur.” Before “Harri” has even had time to settle into her desk, she and Lonergan are sent to the scene of the grisly murder of Peggy Birch a blue-eyed, red-headed young woman. A Black teen was found unconscious only yards away from the body with a spot of blood on his clothing. Brash, bullying, opinionated, and rushing to judgment, Lonergan wants to arrest the teen immediately. Foster, who by the middle of the morning has just about had it with her new partner's chauvinism, knows they need to wait and see what the evidence has to say.
Meanwhile, adult twin brother and sister, Bodie and Amelia, wrestle with their upbringing by a father who had a penchant for murdering young, red-headed women with blue eyes. They haven’t seen him for years, not since he dropped them off as freshmen at college, both of their tuitions completely paid. But the years they spent under his roof, where they became aware of what he was doing, have left their mark. Might one of them be involved in the murder? Or their father, if he's even still alive?
Or how about one of Peggy’s friends from college? Or an ex-boyfriend? Or one of the people with whom she attended yesterday’s “defund the police” rally.
It’s a murder mystery filled with suspects as well as many of the topical issues of today: racism, sexism, police power, women as police, stalking, and the psychology of alienated “outsiders,” to name just a few. The prose and dialogue are first-rate. Ms. Clark writes about police procedure and culture as surefootedly as if she had been a Chicago detective.
It’s the first time I’ve read any of Ms. Clarke's work. Based on this outing, I’m positive it won’t be the last.
April 9, 2023
I adore Clark's Cassandra Raines series, so yes - my feelings might have been a little bruised when I learned that Cass was being put on hold for a new series. But you know what? I'll get over it (so long as Cass doesn't vanish like the wind completely...). This one is part police procedural and part thriller. I wasn't wild with the alternating points of view (at first) but the author does a good job of tying it all together in the end and Harriet makes a very intriguing protagonist - what with her mountains of baggage and emotional pain she's still processing. The secondary characters are also interesting, and will likely provide plenty of fodder for Clark in future installments. I had a good idea of where the suspense was going before it got there, but there were still enough twists thrown in to keep me guessing. I'll pre-order the next book in the series.
June 12, 2024
Hide is one of the best thrillers I've read this year. The strong female detective of color is a much needed character in books today!! Detective Harriet Foster is starting at a new precinct after a couple of months off following the death of her long time partner, Glynnis. Glynnis killed herself in the parking lot of the precinct leaving behind a loving husband and 2 young boys. It was devastating and Foster is still dealing with the guilt of not knowing that her partner was so troubled. It's been tough which led her to want to start somewhere new.
Foster is very nervous on her first day as it's been awhile and she's starting all over again. She gets to the precinct early and is shown a desk. Her boss lets her know that she knows what happened with her partner, but also lets her know that she knows her son died and how devastating both incidents were. Foster is divorced as the marriage couldn't survive the loss of a child. She tells Foster these things to check on her. She wants to be sure Foster is ready to return to work and that her head is in the game. Foster assures her that she's ready to return and mentally there. She assigns Foster a partner, an old school man, named Longegan. He's abrupt and thinks he knows everything because he's been around so long. He and Foster don't get along and are often at odds over how to proceed.
The call comes in that a body was found down by the Riverwalk in Chicago. A jogger saw something weird and when she checked it out it was a hand and foot sticking out from under a pile of leaves. Foster and Longegan arrive to check out the scene and interview the jogger. The woman that was dead was a red head with blue eyes. She was naked, had been stabbed many times, and there was lipstick drawn around her ankles and wrists. Her clothes were missing as was her cellphone and purse. It's odd that she was under a pile of leaves as there are no leaves in this area. There's a young man on the steps to the bridge and he's hunched over and out of it. He has a spot of blood on his jacket yet he doesn't seem to remember anything about last night or this morning. Was he involved? Where did the blood come from?
The boss sees that Foster and Lonegan are struggling as partners and decides to shake things up. Foster is now assigned Vera Li as her partner on a trial basis. Li is married to an ER doctor and has a young son at home. Luckily, her mother lives with them to pick up the slack with both parents having long hours. Foster and Li get along well and think alike on how to go about things. This is a much better fit for Foster and it will be needed as another body is found with the same MO, A red head with blue eyes has been stabbed to death and has lipstick drawn around her ankles and wrists. Will Foster and Li be able to solve the case without getting into trouble themselves? Who is this psychiatrist who comes forward about a patient? Why does she seem off? Why does she want to turn in a patient of hers?
Foster and Li are being watched as they have been in the papers about the case. Foster finds footprints by her window and cigarette butts. She checks her car and someone has put a tracker on her car. They can follow at a distance without making it obvious that they're following. Foster warns Li and when she checks her car she's also got a tracker. That means the killer knows where they both live. Li decides to move her family to a relatives place to make sure they're safe. Will Foster and Li be able to get the killer before he gets one of them or both?
I loved Tracy Clark's writing style and the characters she created in Hide. I am hoping there will be many more books in the Harriet Foster series as she's one of the most intriguing characters I've read. I want to know more and I am rooting for her to be able to overcome the hardships and tragedies she's had in her life. If you love good books, I rate Hide 5 stars. Get this book and enjoy the mystery. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for an advanced copy of Hide. #Hide
Foster is very nervous on her first day as it's been awhile and she's starting all over again. She gets to the precinct early and is shown a desk. Her boss lets her know that she knows what happened with her partner, but also lets her know that she knows her son died and how devastating both incidents were. Foster is divorced as the marriage couldn't survive the loss of a child. She tells Foster these things to check on her. She wants to be sure Foster is ready to return to work and that her head is in the game. Foster assures her that she's ready to return and mentally there. She assigns Foster a partner, an old school man, named Longegan. He's abrupt and thinks he knows everything because he's been around so long. He and Foster don't get along and are often at odds over how to proceed.
The call comes in that a body was found down by the Riverwalk in Chicago. A jogger saw something weird and when she checked it out it was a hand and foot sticking out from under a pile of leaves. Foster and Longegan arrive to check out the scene and interview the jogger. The woman that was dead was a red head with blue eyes. She was naked, had been stabbed many times, and there was lipstick drawn around her ankles and wrists. Her clothes were missing as was her cellphone and purse. It's odd that she was under a pile of leaves as there are no leaves in this area. There's a young man on the steps to the bridge and he's hunched over and out of it. He has a spot of blood on his jacket yet he doesn't seem to remember anything about last night or this morning. Was he involved? Where did the blood come from?
The boss sees that Foster and Lonegan are struggling as partners and decides to shake things up. Foster is now assigned Vera Li as her partner on a trial basis. Li is married to an ER doctor and has a young son at home. Luckily, her mother lives with them to pick up the slack with both parents having long hours. Foster and Li get along well and think alike on how to go about things. This is a much better fit for Foster and it will be needed as another body is found with the same MO, A red head with blue eyes has been stabbed to death and has lipstick drawn around her ankles and wrists. Will Foster and Li be able to solve the case without getting into trouble themselves? Who is this psychiatrist who comes forward about a patient? Why does she seem off? Why does she want to turn in a patient of hers?
Foster and Li are being watched as they have been in the papers about the case. Foster finds footprints by her window and cigarette butts. She checks her car and someone has put a tracker on her car. They can follow at a distance without making it obvious that they're following. Foster warns Li and when she checks her car she's also got a tracker. That means the killer knows where they both live. Li decides to move her family to a relatives place to make sure they're safe. Will Foster and Li be able to get the killer before he gets one of them or both?
I loved Tracy Clark's writing style and the characters she created in Hide. I am hoping there will be many more books in the Harriet Foster series as she's one of the most intriguing characters I've read. I want to know more and I am rooting for her to be able to overcome the hardships and tragedies she's had in her life. If you love good books, I rate Hide 5 stars. Get this book and enjoy the mystery. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for an advanced copy of Hide. #Hide
January 26, 2023
Detective Harriet Foster has returned to duty some months after her longtime partner killed herself. As if this wasn’t enough to knock a person down, Harriet is still deeply mourning her murdered son Reggie, and the breakup of her marriage. Harriet has isolated herself from her family, relocated to a house on the street where her son died, and uses small rituals to help her get through each day.
Her new captain pairs her with an “old-fashioned” cop, and the two immediately pull a case of a young, re-haired woman brutally murdered. Her new partner is abrasive and insensitive, and the two really are not a good fit together, though he does find some leads in the case.
At the same time, a young man is released from a psychiatric facility, and reunites with his twin sister. Bodie has issues, while Amelia seems like a successful artist; though, as the story progresses, and more young, red-haired women are found murdered, it becomes obvious that there is a lot more going on with this pair. And it’s dark.
Harriet is a great character, and after she’s paired with a different detective in the squad, really begins making a dent in the case. It’s painstaking, methodical work that gets her and her new partner Grace Li close to the murderer. And I liked their dynamic, and Grace’s determination to connect with the closed-off Harriet.
I enjoyed this book, but found the resolution to the case not satisfying, as it did not feel not earned. The murderer experiences a break with reality at the end, and it felt like a too swift and easy wrap-up to what till then had been a compelling story.
I did, however, like that there are no easy fixes for Harriet; she’s still got to find ways to keep moving through her day, despite her terrible grief. I’m interested in continuing the series to see what’s next for this character.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Thomas & Mercer for this ARC in exchange for my review.
Her new captain pairs her with an “old-fashioned” cop, and the two immediately pull a case of a young, re-haired woman brutally murdered. Her new partner is abrasive and insensitive, and the two really are not a good fit together, though he does find some leads in the case.
At the same time, a young man is released from a psychiatric facility, and reunites with his twin sister. Bodie has issues, while Amelia seems like a successful artist; though, as the story progresses, and more young, red-haired women are found murdered, it becomes obvious that there is a lot more going on with this pair. And it’s dark.
Harriet is a great character, and after she’s paired with a different detective in the squad, really begins making a dent in the case. It’s painstaking, methodical work that gets her and her new partner Grace Li close to the murderer. And I liked their dynamic, and Grace’s determination to connect with the closed-off Harriet.
I enjoyed this book, but found the resolution to the case not satisfying, as it did not feel not earned. The murderer experiences a break with reality at the end, and it felt like a too swift and easy wrap-up to what till then had been a compelling story.
I did, however, like that there are no easy fixes for Harriet; she’s still got to find ways to keep moving through her day, despite her terrible grief. I’m interested in continuing the series to see what’s next for this character.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Thomas & Mercer for this ARC in exchange for my review.
Read
December 17, 20222022 reads, #58. DID NOT FINISH. This is now the 15th book I've read through the Amazon Prime Reads program, which to remind you is when the company takes half a dozen underselling titles from their own in-house imprints and offers them up for free to every single member of Amazon Prime in an attempt to "increase engagement." I didn't last very long with this one at all, because even just a couple of chapters in, I could tell this was going to be a particularly egregious example of cookie-cutter genre writing, the main thing I complain about with these Prime Reads titles, that most of them have all the charm and sophistication of Law & Order season 17 episode 13 watched at half-attention on a Sunday afternoon while folding laundry. As I talked about in my last Prime Reads review, I just really hate it when quick cheap genre writers turn in a book that's absolutely the lowest quality possible to still justify receiving their paycheck, a problem I try to help my own clients combat in my work as a freelance book editor for these very same cheap quick genre melodramas; and here Tracy Clark is extra-generic in her crime stylings, giving us a flat and unentertaining start that made me immediately guess (correctly, it turns out) exactly how this book was going to end 300 pages later. That's a bummer as a genre fan, when I can already guess in the first chapter how the last chapter's going to read, which led to me giving this a quick pass and then an even quicker delete off my Kindle for good. Buyer beware.
December 12, 2022
A good read once you get by the stereotype that all white male police officers all racists , lazy, and trying to pin a crime on anyone.
Little anti-climatic at the end with the non event killing of the serial killer/kidnapper Tom and his past. I may be the exception but I like closure to some key themes such as how many people has Tom killed over the years, when did Amelia start killing, etc.
End seemed a little rushed and made cops look stupid in that they know they are chasing a family of violent serial killers and discover the house they are probably in. they decide to tell no one they are going there, walk in the front door and yell 'Hello - Police', and when no one answers they presume no one is home and walk around freely and get the hell beat out of them.
Little anti-climatic at the end with the non event killing of the serial killer/kidnapper Tom and his past. I may be the exception but I like closure to some key themes such as how many people has Tom killed over the years, when did Amelia start killing, etc.
End seemed a little rushed and made cops look stupid in that they know they are chasing a family of violent serial killers and discover the house they are probably in. they decide to tell no one they are going there, walk in the front door and yell 'Hello - Police', and when no one answers they presume no one is home and walk around freely and get the hell beat out of them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 9, 2023
Clark is really a master plotter. I've been a huge fan of her Cass Raines series, and I'm now firmly in the Detective Harriet Foster camp. The Foster environment is tougher than the previous series. Her co-workers are complex. I love her coincidental partnership with Detective, Vera Li, who is herself a marvelous character. This plot is darker, the bad people more diabolical. Foster is also a more emotional character than Raines. All of which makes for a rip-roaring read with all the best Noir feels.
December 24, 2022
Unrealistic, slow to build, ends ridiculously
There are great police procedural series out there and usually I try to give a new one two books but not this time. Choppy writing, shallow characters, disjointed action scenes, and unbelievable plot all make up a one and done for me.
There are great police procedural series out there and usually I try to give a new one two books but not this time. Choppy writing, shallow characters, disjointed action scenes, and unbelievable plot all make up a one and done for me.
January 14, 2023
Finished reading: January 13th 2023
"It wasn't the dead she feared but the memories they left in their wake."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
January 6, 2023
This is the first in a series, my first read by this author and I absolutely loved it. Police procedurals are a favorite sub-genre of mine, and this one was focused on a serial killer that was wreaking havoc on Chicago. The twist on the killer was great, and the pacing was steady and moved along well. I loved Detective Harriet Foster and enjoyed her getting integrated into a new department as well as how she solved this case. We also got more than just her POV and I thought that was so additive to this story. I cannot wait to read the next one in this series and in the meantime will have to go check out more of this author’s work!
A huge thank you to @kayepublicity and @tpclark2000 for sending me this finished copy to review. This one is available now and you MUST add it to your list!
A huge thank you to @kayepublicity and @tpclark2000 for sending me this finished copy to review. This one is available now and you MUST add it to your list!
September 15, 2024
Tracy Clark is one of the best Crime writers today. She always delivers stellar work.
Hide is an exciting police procedural that promises to be a worthwhile series :#1Detective Harriet Foster.
Solid Read.
Hide is an exciting police procedural that promises to be a worthwhile series :#1Detective Harriet Foster.
Solid Read.
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