THE HIDDEN by Melanie Golding

 

Following her acclaimed debut Little Darlings, Melanie Golding's newest folkloric suspense is a spine-tingling twist on Celtic mythology.

One dark December night, in a small seaside town, a little girl is found abandoned. When her mother finally arrives, authorities release the pair, believing it to be an innocent case of a toddler running off.

Gregor, a seemingly single man, is found bludgeoned and left for dead in his apartment, but the discovery of children's toys raises more questions than answers.
 
Every night, Ruby gazes into Gregor’s apartment, leading to the discovery of his secret family: his unusually silent daughter and his mentally unstable wife, Constance, who insists that she is descended from the mythological Selkies. She begs Ruby to aid in finding the sealskin that Gregor has hidden from her, making it impossible to return to her people.
 
DS Joanna Harper's investigation into Gregor’s assault leads her to CCTV footage of the mother-daughter pair from town. Harper realizes she knows the woman almost as well as she knows herself: it's her estranged daughter, Ruby. No matter the depth of Ruby’s involvement, she knows she will choose her daughter over her career.
 
Steeped in local legend and exploring the depths of what it means to be a mother, Melanie Golding's newest novel is "a lyrical and atmospheric folktale for the modern age." (Bustle, on Little Darlings)

MY THOUGHTS: 

I was very pleasantly surprised by this book. When I first read the synopsis I honestly had no idea it was a folklore type story. It is a mystery/thriller also. That is what attracted me. It is also my first by this author. It won't be my last.

From the Author's Note:

Folktales live all around us. If you look hard enough, you can find one in the bones of every story, every bit of gossip, every film you watch, every book you read. The seed of this book sprouted when I read a folktale about a selkie, but the story may well have been waiting there in my mind all along, ready for me to water it so that it could grow into the novel you have just read.

What a novel it is too. This book is actually quite beautiful. Filled with a lot of emotion. A lot of fears and some laughter too. It's a story that will have you turning the pages to find out what happens next. You won't see some things coming until they actually happen. It held my attention all the way. When I picked it up I had a hard time putting it back down. The way the lives of the main characters play out is something that will keep you asking questions. Even after the book ends you will wonder... Could that have really happened. Are there really such things as selkies? Just who is Constance and where did she really come from. Or go too. 

This book was a pleasure to read. Even the parts that had me on the edge holding my breath. It was worth it. My heart felt for Ruby. For Leonie. For Constance. And for Joanna. At first I even liked Gregor. That was short lived though. This story has some mixed up characters and some very disturbed ones. It's about a serial killer and about a tale you may or may not believe. I'd like to think it could be true. The folktale that is. It is told from a few POVs so you get the whole story.  A lot of action going on. A lot of mind boggling too. So good.

Thank you #NetGalley, #MelanieGolding, #CrookedLaneBooks for this ARC. This is my own true feelings about this book.

5/5 big stars and a very high recommendation. Read, enjoy, have tissues handy for parts.