Wow, I couldn't put this down once I started reading! Sheriff Jax Turner has barely been going through the motions since his daughter's death when a young girl goes missing from her bus stop. The connections to an unsolved case from his past might allow him to finally put some demons to bed. This has the making of another captivating series from Mary Keliikoa.

Thanks to Level Best Books for access to a digital ARC on NetGalley. ( )

Cover: Meh. It’s an anonymous cover, as nothing stands out. A real shame, it doesn’t do the book any justice at all.

The story is inversely proportional to the cover. While the cover is nothing to write home about, Hidden Pieces is a delightful thriller—posing me with a bit of a problem, haha. It’s hard to write a review when a book is good and has no real flaws; gushing gets old fast (j/k, I’m happy when I find 5 stars novels! :D)

First thing first, the ending. Wow. I saw tiny clues scattered here and there as I was reading, but they were so subtle you had to pay close attention to pick them up. Red herrings were a bit more in your face, so! Well done! That’s how a thriller should work.

The story itself, while not a pinnacle of originality as it deals with a missing person, is captivating, probably because of good, well-rounded characters. Jax Turner, the MC, has a past troubled enough to elicit sympathy, but that doesn’t tip him into over-the-top brooding territory. I also liked the relationship he has with his ex-wife—I’m happy to see a civil relationship for once rather than hate-filled ones.

Third pov done in a marvelous way, good grammar, a pleasant rhythm supported by a lot of dialogues; I couldn’t ask for more.

5 stars on GR and well-deserved.

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