The Hiding Place

by David Bell

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.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Ebooks

400 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2012

About the author

David Bell is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning suspense novelist. His most recent thriller from Berkley/Penguin is KILL ALL YOUR DARLINGS. His previous novels include THE REQUEST, LAYOVER, SOMEBODY'S DAUGHTER, BRING HER HOME, SINCE SHE WENT AWAY, SOMEBODY I USED TO KNOW, THE FORGOTTEN GIRL, NEVER COME BACK, THE HIDING PLACE, and CEMETERY GIRL. He is currently a Professor of English at Western Kentucky University and can be reached via his website at www.davidbellnovels.com, on Twitter at Twitter.com/davidbellnovels, and on Facebook at Facebook.com/davidbellnovels.

Reviews

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

www.melissa413readsalot.blogspot.com

This story takes place 25 years after the murder of a 4 year-old little boy named Justin. Janet, his older sister by just a few years was supposed to be watching him. They were in the park playing and there were people and children all around. Janet's best friend Michael showed up and they were talking and playing. Somehow, little Justin disappears and no one knows exactly what happened. Kids and adults saw different things and someone was accused of the murder. It's just not safe anywhere.



How can a little boy just disappear and be found in the woods at the park in a little grave two months later. Did they get the right man?



Twenty-five years later on the anniversary of Justin's death things are being brought up again. The killer has been released. A police detective isn't sure they got the right man. Janet and her daughter Ashleigh are living with Janet's dad as he is down and out in bad times. Janet's best friend Michael returns to town after no word for several years. And there is a mysterious stranger creeping around and leaving cryptic remarks to Janet.



The book has a lot of twists and turns. Right when you think it's going one way, it takes off in another direction. I did not see that ending coming. Nothing is what it seems at all and the saddest thing is, that sweet little boy was killed for something so stupid.. just adults creating problems they should never have caused in the first place.

All-in-all I thought it was a good mystery.

[♥Rachel♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The murder of four-year-old Justin has colored the lives of the Manning family, and now that the twenty-fifth anniversary has come a lot of old questions surface. Was the right man, Dante Rogers, convicted? Janet, Justin’s older sister has her doubts, as does the investigating Detective who was just a rookie when the murder happened. Compounding those doubts is the continued insistence by Dante that he is innocent. Secrets and lies are unearthed in this engaging mystery!

Ashleigh, Janet’s fifteen-year-old daughter, has made it her mission to find out the truth, and there’s some new investigating by Detective Stynes, and Janet as well. Ashleigh was a great character, and I really enjoyed her part of the story. I also admired Janet, now a single mom, a good one, doing the right thing by her dad, as well. I was eager to get to the truth, which was revealed gradually, bits came to light through Stynes, Ashleigh, and Janet’s digging until all questions were answered with a satisfying conclusion. The Hiding Place was well-written with good pacing. It captured and held my attention from the first page!

I was just reminded I had downloaded The Hiding Place when I got a peek at a new version of Edelweiss and saw it on my list of unreviewed books. I downloaded this back in 2012, almost ten years ago! Oh, my goodness! I figured it was about time I got to it, and thankfully there was an audio version at my library.

A copy was kindly provided by Berkley Books in exchange for an honest review. I have to thank them for their patience!

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 4 out of 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."

[Kimberly Gallagher · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought this was poorly written. I could almost hear the b-rated scary movie music playing behind the scenes. I forced myself to finish to the end, I wanted to find out what happened, though I had zero emotional stirrings for any of the flat characters.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh dear. Well, the story sounded intriguing but....the character development was nil. I read it, and I will forget it tomorrow most likely. One word: amateurish.
2.5 stars

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't like this book much, and it's not entirely Bell's fault; I blame cover dissonance and my Tana French hangover. I saw the beautiful/spooky cover and the cryptic title and thought "Oooh, this will be another one of those literary crime novels I love these days," and instead it was just kind of...workmanlike. The prose is almost aggressively undescriptive, the dialogue awkward at times. I've read a bunch of meh mysteries in my life and I can enjoy them, but it's not what I wanted at this moment and behind this cover.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 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. 4.5 stars!

[Kellie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book had a lot of potential. I believe the author tried to do too much with the story. He couldn't decide if he wanted it to be a thriller or if he wanted to be a novel about how the loss of a child affected an entire family in different ways. He wound up doing neither well. Instead, he wrote a book that had too many characters to be a thriller. He tried to develop each of the characters he introduced which just muddied the waters. All the reader was left with was a bunch of characters, all of whom were unsympathetic. Due to all the extra characters, we were forced to read through various interactions that added nothing to the story except to take up space and time.

[Bandit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another solid one from Bell, an author I've only recently discovered. The man can write a very good domestic mystery/literary thriller. I've compared his other book to Coben, but I now think he's more like Jennifer McMahon, partially due to his use of strong female characters, but also something about the style. This one is all fairness is less twisty and more predictable than his other mystery, but the writing is consistently impressive along with character development and pacing, so quick, pages just zoom by. Entertaining and enjoyable read. Recommended.

[Judy Collins · Rating 4 out of 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 Cover

Years 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.

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, keeping the intensity, high.

Looking forward to reading more from Bell, with his new upcoming Somebody I Used to Know, coming July 7, 2015.


JDC Must Read Books

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hiding Place by David Bell was an engrossing tale with many unique plot twists that kept my interest even during a stressed out - got too much work to do - state This book was a GoodReads give-away, but I still highly reccommend this book to anyone who likes police-procedurals and family-drama type mysteries. This is worth your while to read and wonder about as you ask what appears to be obvious questions. Why would you let your seven year old baby-sit her four year old brother?
What would you do if your four year old brother,under your care at the near-by local park, was murdered and found buried in a nearby woods? As a seven year old your remaining memories are hazy and incomplete. Worse yet, what would you do, if twenty-five years later, the supposed murderer, having served his time, was set free,and a man claiming to be your brother showed up on your front porch? What would you do if the sources of information available to you were, either intentionally or not,non-communitative?
The heroine of this story, Janet Manning finds herself in this position, looking for answers of that long ago day when her younger brother Justin went missing.Her mother,after the announced death of her brother becomes depressed and ill and passes away before her expected time.Her father has became embittered and aloof.Her best friend Michael,also seven at the time, and the one person Janet remembers as being at the park,has become distant and estranged from his family.The investigative policeman returns on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the alledged murderers' conviction,with doubts and questions of his own to investigate. Unknown to Janet,her daughter, Ashleigh, has over-heard the conversation on the porch of the man who implies that he is the long lost Uncle Justin. Ashleigh also has questions she wants answered. The answers are complex,and believable once the plot twists are revealed. The unxpected and heart-breaking plot makes this story well worth reading.
David Bell was a new author to me. This is his second novel after Cemetary Girl. The reviews for this novel mentioned how engrossing the story line was to the reader.I would say this was also true of The Hiding Place as well. I admired Bell's straight forward narrative and believed it was well suited for the genre of the police procedural. But I kept looking for the perfect turn of phraze to describe either the characters or the characters' feelings. I noticed one that struck my fancy and marked it for later reference. I wanted more. When I pick up the next book of David Bell's, and I will, I will read the plot summary and decide to buy the next book.For this writer,plot line is all. And if he nails the next book as he did this one,it will be one good read.

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three and a half stars. To begin with I found it very strange and irresponsible that a parent would send two children off to the nearby park with the seven year old sister expected to look after the four year old brother, Justin. This is a recipe for trouble if ever there was one and so it turns out, when the four year old child goes missing and then the body is discovered some time later. The reason why two children were sent off to the park on their own is not uncovered until much later in the book.
Twenty five years on Janet Manning has still not come to terms with her part in events. It has also taken its toll on her father and even Janet’s daughter Ashleigh. When newspapers start asking for interviews after the convicted killer is released on parole, it stirs up more memories, guilt and a few suspicions. What had seemed a certainty no longer seems so. And who is the stranger who appears at Janet’s door, claiming to know the truth of events?
I found it hard not to like and feel for Janet throughout. Loved the cover on this book which is what drew me to pick it up and the book did not disappoint, even though I figured out early on who was responsible for Justin’s death. But then that person wasn’t the only one. There were other contributing factors mixed in. I found this an interesting read. Almost four stars.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a blockbuster of a story!! A very cold case, 25 years ago 4 year old Justin Manning disappeared from woods next to a neighborhood park. Two months later, his body was found, a shallow grave in the woods clearing. The twenty-fifth anniversary of his death started questions arising from both a new young reporter & Detective Stynes, who was a young detective at the time of the murder. Janet Manning, Justin's sister, was 7 years old, & supposed to be watching her little brother. She was, until Justin darted into the woods after a stray dog. I don't want to offer any more background information, as much else would possibly include a spoiler. I want to sincerely Thank both the author, David Bell & Goodreads for the amazing chance to read & review this book.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a page turner, sure, but the characters were flat. Almost everything was told directly by the characters rather than being shown through descriptive sentences or paragraphs. The characters just announced their feelings and worries and thoughts to the readers, which makes for a dull reading experience. It almost had the bones of a good novel but the execution wasn't there.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Setting: 'Dove Point', Ohio, USA.
When Janet Manning was 7 years old, she was supposed to be looking after her 4-year-old brother, Justin, at the local park but was distracted by the arrival of her best friend, Michael. Turning her back for a minute, Justin goes missing and is later found dead. A local black man is convicted of his murder and sentenced to life in prison.
25 years on, Janet is still living in Dove Point with her teenage daughter, Ashleigh, living with her father at her old family home after he was made redundant. As the anniversary of Justin's death approaches, Janet and one of the detectives from the case give a press interview which also coincides with the parole release of the murderer. Then a stranger appears at Janet's door, saying that he knows the truth about Justin's death - and it wasn't how it was thought to be 25 years before. Janet, her daughter Ashleigh and the police detective all begin to make further enquiries, which reveal considerable anomalies in the original investigation and cast doubt on the conviction...
This was quite an enjoyable story - good characters and setting - and it wasn't easy to work out what had really happened back when Justin was killed - there are even suggestions that the decomposed body that was found was not in fact Justin's. My main problem with the book, and the reason I only rated it as three stars, was a major flaw in the 'DNA' storyline: Janet gives a DNA sample to the police, as does her father at his suggestion, and these are compared to the DNA of the decomposed body. The police then tell Janet that the DNA shows that the body is definitely that of her brother, yet her father's DNA shows no match at all with the body. Much is then made of an affair that Janet's mother had with Michael's father, resulting in Justin being born - BUT, if Janet's father's DNA doesn't match the body and the body is definitely her brother, then he can't be HER father either??!! And this isn't referred to at all! Rating - 6.5/10.

[Victoria Colotta · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Highly Caffeinated Thought: A solid mystery with relatable characters and interesting twists.

In anticipation of David Bell’s newest release, BRING HER HOME, I decided to read THE HIDING PLACE as part of two month blog tour. The book was one of the few of his that immediately jumped out to me. The concept of revisiting a twenty-five year old case coupled with the possibility of a wrongful conviction and all the emotions that would be dredged up again made me want to give this book a chance.

THE HIDING PLACE is a slowly building mystery that carefully reveals itself. The red herrings and turns that this book takes are not necessarily original, but the way that the author intertwines these elements make them seem fresh in relationship to the the situations within the book.

What I loved about Bell’s novel was the natural flow of narrative and the way that the characters reacted to everything being thrown at them. As a reader, you really do get the feeling that you are a “fly on the wall”. In all honesty, the relationship between the Mannings and all those around them is one of the best parts of the book for me.

I must say that if this book is anything like his others, I will have quite a few nights of reading ahead of me.

Highly Caffeinated Rating of…
☕ ☕ ☕ ☕

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Follow the Highly Caffeinated Victoria Colotta: Website | Facebook | Twitter @vcolotta | Instagram | Goodreads
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Reviewer Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

[Sally taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Bell has my attention!

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was slow going at first and I felt no connection to any characters. Then at some point it got very interesting and I wanted to dig deeper into the characters and plot. Could not put it down after that. A murder mystery with many twists and turns..and ups and downs.

[David Hartwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trying to get to 20 books at the end of the year. Quite a few turns in the book, enjoyed it.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was pretty damn' good, and I'm not at all sure why it was published as a paperback original.

Twenty-five years ago, white Janet Manning's little brother Justin was murdered near a play park, and a black man with a borderline pedophile record was imprisoned for the crime. Now that man has served his time and is in the neighborhood again. Janet must deal with her internal conflicts over the conviction and her fuzzily recalled events of that day. Contributing to her problems is that a man has arrived in town who hints he might be Justin, miraculously surviving, the child's body having been misidentified all those years ago; another arrival in town is Janet's old boyfriend Michael, who seems to know much more about the murder than he revealed at the time.

Bell's a very fluent writer, so for the most part I found this an enthralling read; I also found myself completely involved with the central characters -- not just Janet but her daughter Ashleigh, Ashleigh's boyfriend Kevin, and the nearing-retirement cop Stynes, who got it wrong first time round and seeks atonement, plus lots of the supporting characters.

That said, every now and then I had to stop and reread a passage that I didn't understand, because Bell hasn't learned there's such a thing as the pluperfect tense; I really wish he would (and his editor likewise). That's about my only carp about the writing.

I realized the solution to the mystery some little while before Janet did, something that initially didn't worry me. During the last 30 pages or so, though, her inability to interpret the evidence that was staring her right in the face did begin to grate a bit. In the hands of a lesser writer than Bell, that might have worried me far more than it did. What's really impressive is Bell's exploration of the different kinds of familial love and familial loyalty: even one of the bad guys is obeying those imperatives, no matter how misguidedly.

A classic? No . . . but it's a really good and worthwhile read. Recommended.

[Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gripping tale that reels you in and has you wanting to know the truth.
A crime long gone more than twenty years passed and one man in prison for the crime. New information and faces unearth this old crime that would have been proven more accurately if modern forensics were to hand in the past when this family faced their loss.
This story read like a Harlan Coben story with an apt twist in its tale.

Review also @

[☕️Kimberly (Caffeinated Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

review to post Oct 5, 2012

[Debbie Oxier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twenty-five years ago a little boy ran into the woods and didn't come back out. Four year old Justin Manning's body was recovered and a black man who was in the park that day, was convicted of the murder and sent away. Now he's out on parole and, thanks to a reporter, new questions have cropped up, causing one of the original detectives on the case to give it another look.

Janet Manning was seven when her brother disappeared and her life was changed forever. She is now a single mom, raising her daughter, Ashleigh, the two of them moving in with Janet's father, who has lost his job and needs help. The boy Janet had a crush on all those years ago, her best friend, Michael, is also back, searching for his own answers regarding that night.

This one is filled with twists and turns I never expected. Step by step, the events of that night are pieced together as both Janet and Michael search for closure. It kept me turning the pages wanting to know what happens next.

[Threasa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would give this book 3.5 stars. The book is written to keep your interest the entire way through, and it does exactly that. Four-year old Justin Manning goes missing in a park while with his sister, only 7. Later, he is found dead. Dante is accused of the murder, arrested, convicted and spent over 20 years in prison. Today, twenty-five years later, there are new developments. Did Dante, a black man, go to prison as an innocent man? I never really did figure out what was going to happen, and that made the book a joy to read.

[Christopher Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this. Had not read anything by this author before but was impressed. The story is mainly about events of twenty five years ago with the disappearance and murder of Justin in the local park. Now, in the present the supposed murderer is released from prison but people including one of the the original investigating detectives clearly have some doubts as to whether the right man was convicted. The plot unfolds nicely with a number of twists and surprises and a satisfying conclusion.

[Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the story, but I didn't love it. It was well written with great characters, and a convincing plot. I just wasn't awed. I thought the drama was a little drawn out. I think it could have been tightened up. Still a good read.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like the other David Bell book I read, it was a fairly quick read. Also, not one of my favourite thrillers. I keep going back to this author as he shares the same name as my hubby. But I guessed the ending and nothing really came as a shocker.

[Martip · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure about this book in the beginning. A child's corpse in the ground at the start makes me sad and reluctant to read. I kept going and found a good read for a cold Winter's night. It's a page turner. Don't quite know where the time went.

[Debbie Wingham · Rating 4 out of 5]

It kept me coming back to finish it.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this author!