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The Hiding Place
Unavailable
The Hiding Place
Unavailable
The Hiding Place
Audiobook9 hours

The Hiding Place

Written by David Bell

Narrated by Fred Lehne

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

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Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

Sometimes it's easier to believe a lie.


Twenty-five-years ago, the disappearance of four-year-old Justin Manning rocked the small town of Dove Point, Ohio. After his body was found in a shallow grave in the woods two months later, the repercussions were felt for years.…

Janet Manning has been haunted by the murder since the day she lost sight of her brother in the park. Now, with the twenty-fifth anniversary of Justin's death looming, a detective and a newspaper reporter have started to ask questions, opening old wounds and raising new suspicions. Could the man convicted of the murder-who spent more than two decades in prison-really be innocent? Janet's childhood friend and high school crush, who was in the park with her that day, has returned to Dove Point, where he is wrestling with his own conflicted memories of the events. And a strange man appears at Janet's door in the middle of the night, claiming to know the truth.

Soon, years of deceit will be swept away, and the truth about what happened to Janet's brother will be revealed. And the answers that Janet has sought may be found much closer to home than she ever could have imagined.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateOct 11, 2012
ISBN9781101579633
Unavailable
The Hiding Place
Author

David Bell

DAVID BELL is the author of five novels including NEVER COME BACK, THE HIDING PLACE, and CEMETERY GIRL. He is an Associate Professor of English at Western Kentucky University. To find out more visit: www.davidbellnovels.com

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Reviews for The Hiding Place

Rating: 3.6587301714285716 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

63 ratings15 reviews

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Excellent and powerful story by David Bell. A 25 year old mystery is the basis of this story. If you love a good mystery then this is one you should read.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Very readable. Good characters and pacing, lots of red herrings. But missing a level of excitement or urgency.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Twenty-five years ago, seven year old Janet Manning was sent with her four year old brother, Justin, to a nearby park to play. Her mother instructed Janet to never take her eyes off of her sibling, but Janet's friend, Michael, was at the park too. Janet and Michael went off to play and when they returned, Justin was missing. Justin was later found buried in a shallow grave in the adjoining woods. An African American man, Dante Rogers, who was also a questionable character, was convicted for this crime he insisted he did not commit, and after serving his time, subsequently was released from prison still maintaining his innocence.

    On the twenty-fifth anniversary of the murder, a stranger approached Janet at her family home, in the middle of the night, suggesting that there was additional information regarding her brother's killing. Janet determined to find out the truth, along with her daughter Ashleigh, uncovered many lies and distortions and her brother's closed case started to unravel.

    Other than asking yourself who in their right mind would send a 7 year old and a 4 year old to the park alone, the book was a real "page turner. It was one of those "Just one more chapter" books that we are all familiar with. I had read Cemetery Girl previously so I had high expectations for this work and I am happy to say it more than met them.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    This book started interestingly enough but quickly lost my interest. Too many threads were going on and it took an excruciatingly slow time to weave all the threads together. In the end the story fell short and the answers to all the puzzles just didn't add up.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Clunky. Stagey. Uses blatant reader manipulation and really stupid delaying tactics to draw out the "action". No one talks like this. No one repeatedly tells a person that they have to talk and then doesn't, making ridiculous provisos for having said conversation. Also, Ashley is an asshole. She knows it and does nothing to change. I hated her. We have so much to wade through that it's really obvious who did the killing. No surprise. No more from this author. Probably will return to Audible. Yuk.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Twenty-five years ago, the disappearance of four-year-old Justin Manning stunned the small town of Dove Point, Ohio. When his body was discovered buried in a shallow grave in the woods two months later, the repercussions were felt for years...Janet Manning has been haunted by the murder ever since she lost sight of her little brother in the park. Now with the twenty-fifth anniversary of Justin's death looming, a detective and a newspaper reporter have started asking questions, reopening old wounds and raising new suspicions. Could the man convicted of Justin's murder - who has spent more than two decades in prison - really be innocent?Janet's childhood friend and high school crush, who was with her in the park that day, has recently returned to Dove Point. He is wrestling with his own conflicted memories of the events surrounding Justin's disappearance. And a strange man appears on Janet's doorstep in the middle of the night, claiming to know the truth.Sometimes it's easier to believe a lie; but soon, years of deceit will be swept away, and the truth of what really happened to Janet's little brother will be revealed. And the answers that Janet has sought may be found much closer to home than she ever could have imagined.I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The plot was fast-paced and the mystery wasn't so convoluted that I couldn't follow it - the story captured my attention right from the beginning. I give this book a definite A+! and have placed David Bell's other two books - Cemetery Girl and Never Come Back on my Wish List.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Powerful mystery with credible family dynamics, unusual plot elements, kept me engaged right to the end, Enjoyed meeting the somewhat detective trying to right an old wrong.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    David Bell delivers THE HIDING PLACE, an absorbing multi-layered, suspenseful mystery crime thriller--leaving you page-turning to learn the events surrounding the disappearance of a small boy, some twenty-five years ago, which will forever change the lives of two families. Nice CoverYears ago, a four year old boy, Justin went missing. In the blink of an eye, he was gone forever. He was sent to the park with his sister and a friend, Michael, without adult supervision. Several months later his body was discovered in a grave in the woods, not far from the park.Janet, the sister, only seven at the time, has never got over the death of her brother. It is approaching the twenty-fifth anniversary of Justin’s death—with a lot of publicity, a newspaper reporter and a detective, asking questions, and re-opening old wounds.There is much controversy in the town, as some people think there was racial injustice and the murder investigation was rushed, an African American boy was sent to prison without having full investigating the case. He is about to be released and working at the local church and has the support of the priest. Could he really be innocent? If so, who is the real killer?Janet is now grown with a daughter of her own, living in the house she grew up in. To further complicate matters Janet’s childhood friend, Michael who was in the park that dreadful day, has returned to Dove Point. He is wrestling with what really happened that day, as he has been in therapy for years, driving him back to the scene of the crime. He has been seeing things and remembering things which may add clues to the long ago puzzle.Then a mysterious stranger shows up, in town and approaches Janet, acting strange. Could he be Justin, and if he is, who was in the grave? How is he connected? As the detective which was on the case years ago, begins questioning the way the murder investigation was handled years ago, as he digs further. Nothing is as it appears. As we move along, more deep dark secrets come to the surface surrounding this tragedy, with twists and turns around corner, leaving you guessing the identity of the real killer. Each character has issues and a past, connected in different ways - leading up the explosive ending.I enjoyed this complex mystery, of secrets and lies, with well- developed characters for a mix of psychological, mystery, crime, and suspense, keeping you engaged until the end. There is so much guilt surrounding this one day with years, of covering up a dirty secret with human dynamics and family drama. I listened to the audiobook and Fred Lehne delivered an outstanding performance. Looking forward to reading more from Bell, with his new upcoming Somebody I Used to Know, coming July 7, 2015. (another great cover - excerpt sounds intriguing)!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Twenty-five years ago, Janet Manning was seven years old and Justin Manning four. Being a big sister, Janet had the responsibility, for the first time, to go to the park with Justin and to keep an eye on him. Not a big task after all but when Michael, Janet friend and crush appear, she had forgotten all about her little brother and just like that, in a blink of an eye, Justin had disappeared and was found dead later.Some black guy with pedophile behavior was seen playing with Justin earlier and with witnesses and proofs that the guy did it, the case was closed.Now, on the twenty-five anniversary of Justin death, strange things start to happen. A strange person comes at night to Janet house telling her that things were not the way everybody thought. The reporter give hints about racism in the easy conviction, Michael returns home and acts strangely and even Janet and the detective in charge start to have doubts.What if the wrong man was sent to prison? What if Janet was instructed to say those things that many years ago? Was Justin really dead?So many what ifs to be questioned that everything will change again to the Manning family.I loved this book. Since the first sentence, that you realize that this story is not what is supposed to be. So many questions that you (reader) ask yourself in order to understand the plot. For instance, who is the parent that lets a seven year old in charge of a toddler? And why?As I continued to read, the plot thickens and I could not stop reading it and I was so deep within that I could sense the hope and angst and even the pain of this family. They were stuck in the past, separated by secrets and lies and illusions. When I realized who was the "bad guy" I felt shocked and sad but I realized that it could not be any other way. Brilliantly written, captivating and a little disturbing (but in a good way).
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The Hiding Place kept my interest from beginning to end. The pacing was great and there was plenty of suspense. This story begins on the 25th anniversary the disappearance of Janet Manning's brother Justin. Justin went missing from a park near their house and his body was found weeks later. As the story progresses the reader learns that the person who served 25 years in prison for Justin's murder may not be the real killer. Exciting read! I would recommend this book to fans of the mystery and suspense genres.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The Hiding Place by David BellTwenty-five years ago Janet Manning's four year old brother disappeared. His body was found some weeks later in a woods not far from the family home. Now, all these years later, a mysterious man has appeared on Janet's doorstep in the night, claiming to know the truth about her brother's death. The man disappears, and Janet tries to put it out of her mind, but her teenage daughter has overheard the conversation, and begins an investigation of her own.The memories of that day in the past, when Janet's family was forever changed, begin to emerge little by little. Janet had been only seven years old at the time, but still blamed herself because she was charged with watching her little brother that day. But as time goes on, she learns that she was not the only family member who has lived with guilt and secrets for twenty-five years. I found the title of the book to be particularly appropriate in that it can refer to the way family members often hide the truth from one another, as well as the location where a little boy was buried. The story is about a terrible crime, and also about the "crimes" that human beings can commit against the people they are closest to.David Bell does a masterful job of crafting a crime story, with the guilty and innocent existing next to each other, whether they realize it or not. He has also created a tense drama of emotions and relationships. It is a riveting book with surprising but believable twists on every page.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Some mysteries are straight forward whodunits, while others, like this one, offer many layers and lots to think about. I found the characters believable and was intrigued by the various relationships. Bell shines a bright light on the issue of guilt, innocence, and that gray area in between. The plot had some twists but, for me, it was more about how one past event forever changed so many lives.At times, certain issues and conversations were rehashed a bit too much. The pace slowed and I wanted to push forward. Aside from that, I was thoroughly immersed in this story and will definitely read more by this author.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    THE HIDING PLACE is another amazing book going on my 2012 favorites list. It's a haunting story of a terrible crime, and the family secrets and lies surrounding it that finally surface over two decades later.A young boy was murdered, his accused killer sent to prison. But on the 25th anniversary of the crime, there's a renewed interest in the case. The victim's sister and one of the detectives who investigated the murder are having doubts the right man was convicted.Through his characters, the author shows the toll a tragedy like that can have on a family, especially if there are doubts about what really happened and who was responsible. The premise of this book was a sad one, and I wasn't sure how I'd handle it, but I'm glad I gave it a chance. It was very well-written, the kind of mystery that keeps me glued to the pages wanting to know how it ends. There were plenty of twists and turns in the plot to keep me guessing.THE HIDING PLACE is an engrossing police procedural with a touching human element as well. Highly recommended.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    It has been a very long time since I couldn't wait to get home from work to finish a book. Really wanted to find out who did it and what happened. This is a very frightening story , more so because it is a 4 yr. old child who is killed and his 7 yr. old sister was supposed to be watching him. This is a family with many secrets and all come to a head on the 25th anniversary of the boy's death. Well written, rapidly paced and very suspenseful. Now I have to go back and read his first book which I just happen to own, Cemetery Girl."
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    As he did with his book CEMETERY GIRL, David Bell has put together a novel that is much more than a mystery or thriller. THE HIDING PLACE is set in the time surrounding the 25th anniversary of four-year-old Justin Manning’s disappearance. The man convicted of Justin’s murder has served his time and is no longer in jail; Detective Stynes, the police officer who initially investigated the case, is getting closer to retirement and reflecting on past mistakes; and the remaining members of the Manning family are all under one roof again. When a man comes to the Manning house claiming that there’s more to Justin’s death than anyone knows, and a newspaper reporter asks questions that raise old suspicions, Justin’s sister, Janet, her daughter, Ashleigh, and Detective Stynes all begin to revisit separately what happened in quiet Dove Point, Ohio twenty-five years before. As a result, previously accepted beliefs about the case begin to unravel and various characters dig into the past – each for their own reasons.David Bell has crafted a story about family secrets, shifting memories, and personal relationships, and he has made it such an engrossing tale, I was hard-pressed to put The Hiding Place down once I started it. His characters are very well drawn, and unlike many authors who bludgeon you with descriptions in an effort to make you see the people in their stories the way they want, Bell manages to make his characters feel real with very few words. Simple actions or reactions, a person’s appearance described with a light touch, and the manner of speaking as much as what is being said – all of these things combine to make THE HIDING PLACE an easy read while still being a complex and thoughtful story.