Hidden Doors, Secret Rooms

by Jamie Eubanks

In this critically acclaimed paranormal suspense thriller you'll meet Jillian Braedon, a woman with an explosive secret - one that could change the world forever. On the run with her five-year-old daughter, stranded in the middle of a blizzard and seriously injured, Jill sends little Valerie off into the raging storm alone. The child stumbles onto the property of retired musician-turned-recluse John Mills, begging for help. John soon finds himself caught up in their torment and face-to-face with the pursuing covert agents who will do anything to destroy the secret and permanently silence everyone involved.

Genres: Mystery, Paranormal, Thriller, Amazon, Suspense, Fantasy, Fiction

343 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 10, 2013

About the author

Jamie Eubanks enjoys writing both paranormal and science fiction, including the critically acclaimed paranormal romance HIDDEN DOORS SECRET ROOMS and the recently released paranormal romance THE UPRIGHT TOWER (2024). She is also the author of the critically acclaimed, 2x award-winning science fiction HALL OF SKULLS and the recently released science fiction MYRIAD BACKYARD GRAVES (2024).

She resides in sunny Lake Havasu City, Arizona, USA, and may be found at www.JamieEubanks.com

Member, SFWA, HWA

Reviews

[Darcia Helle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is well-written, with a unique plot that will leave you thinking about the possibilities long after you read the last page.

The pace is a consistent medium flow throughout much of the story, more like a simmer than a rolling boil. We have a lot of lead-ins and build-up of suspense as we try to fit all the pieces together. I thought the author handled this well. I had enough connection to understand the story, but also enough unanswered questions to keep me wanting more.

There is no information dump of characters and their backgrounds. Instead, we get to know the characters as the plot unfolds. Details are given in little servings, allowing us to get to know them as we might any friend in our lives. This also keeps their secrets so they are likable while remaining mysterious.

My one problem came with the ending, which felt rushed and slightly overblown. But I did love the twist that came just before all the action spiraled into overdrive.

Overall, this is a complex, thought-provoking story for anyone who likes a little "what if" with their suspense.

[Gail]

This started out interestingly enough for me, but it didn't really progress as interestingly. For me a huge fault that I just could not get past was the characterization of the little girl, Valerie. The behavior which is supposed to be due to the traumatic life she is now living. I have worked with children for years, and this is not the way a young child behaves, especially a traumatized one. If this were a movie script, I would not be surprised because Hollywood loves these "non-children" with their un-child like behavior. I find it an unnatural and disturbing trend. It makes me wonder why anyone would want to portray children so unnaturally? Now it appears to be infiltrating the book genre as well because this is not the first book{and I'm sure it won't be the last}that I have read recently with "non-children". Do these authors have no interaction with children? Is that why they do not know how to portray the genuine innocence of child-like behavior in their stories? There were a few other problems with the story but I could have gotten past them and finished it. However, this bothered me so much I found I could not finish the book. It was just too weird for me...

[Misha Almira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jill Braedon is trapped in a blizzard with her unconscious daughter Valerie, after the van she is driving breaks down. She tries to escape on a snowmobile, but it breaks down after three miles, forcing her to walk in the blinding snow with her daughter in her arms. While trying to fight the imminent attack that is taking over her body, she walks as far as she can. Eventually, the attack starts to take over and she is left with no other choice. She must send her five year old into the storm alone. Forced to run for her life or die, Valerie bravely faces the worst to try and find help. The story unfolds with one shocking turn after another, enlightening us with more complex character details. The characters are lovable, terrifying, horrid, and intense. Paced at breakneck speed, the storyline is a fusion of suspense thriller and paranormal mystery —with a little romance thrown in the mix. Stolen documents, lost research murders, a disappearance, and mystery assignments propel this ambitious thriller by Jamie Eubanks. There are not enough stars to celebrate the excellence in this debut novel. I disappeared into this story from the first word.

[Linda Strong · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard to peg the genre of this book .. part mystery, part romance, part sci-fi. Some of the supernatural aspects of the story went beyond what my mind will accept. That being said, I did manage to read it all ....because I just had to know how it ended without cheating.

Jill Braedon has a secret ... so secret that people want her dead before it becomes known. During a raging snowstorm, Jill and her young daughter become stranded. Jill is critically injured and her daughter tries to go for help. winding up in the yard of John Mills. John winds up rescuing the both of them.

Although he doubts what Jill tells him, hes willing to provide protection for them.. even when the FBI shows up at his door looking for the woman.

This was just an okay read for me. I don't particularly like sci-fi, but if the supernatural is your thing, you would most likely enjoy this one way more than I did.

[Pamela · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't believe I actually read this asinine book all the way thru. I should've gone with my gut feeling and chucked it when I was half-way thru, but no, I trudged on like the idiot I am. I feel like pulling my hair out and screaming at the top of my lungs as this was beyond stupid. I got sucked in right from the very beginning as it started off really well. However, it soon petered out as it just dragged on and on and on needlessly. Talk about a story that went nowhere. Even with a mish-mash of paranormal, suspense, horror, and romance elements thrown in, the book fails to deliver a story of substance. And the ending? Absolutely brutal. Oh how I wish I could click my heels and save myself the time and effort I spent on this drivel. What a yawn-fest.

[Lavenia Otts]

Great story, couldn't put it down

John Mills is a man who is no stranger to tragedy, having lost his wife and son in a helicopter crash. Still, one blizzard occurring day, he ends up finding a five year old girl and her mum in the snow. After that, it really gets interesting.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars!

[Maryann Breedlove · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this novel to be an original and thrilling walk on the fun side of paranormal and fantasy.

The story centers around a mother, Jill, and her 5 year old daughter, Valerie, who carry a secret so powerful they are caught up in a situation they have no control over.. or do they?

When the situation for Jill and Valerie is at a tipping point they interrupt the solitude John Mills has carefully created and nurtured. From this point forward this story keeps the reader guessing.. backstory is given in small doses giving the reader a good feel for who the characters are and were. The plot has enough winding road to engage a reader making this novel hard to put down.

I enjoyed this novel however I did have a few issues which kept me from giving it 5 stars. 1st I think the 5 year old girl was a bit to mature at times. 2nd I did not find the romance portion very stimulating (I don't mean erotic) although I felt heat.. it was more a simmer than a rolling boil. I also found the depth for a thrilling dark read to be lacking.. I had fun with this novel but I did not feel immersed.
All in all I think this story is worth anyone's time and can be read by just about any age. Have Fun!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read!

This book offers an amazing story line that held my interest, in fact there were nights I didn't want to put it down. It is a suspense/thriller with a underlying love story. From the first chapter until the last page, this book will keep you intrigued and the shocking ending was an added bonus. Would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys suspenseful books that keep you guessing till the end! Great job Jamie Eubanks, keep them coming! You definitely have someone who will continue to read your amazing books!

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know where I picked this one up from. A freebie. I think the title intrigued me. I thought it would have been more of a gothic type novel, however this had some "paranormal" or even "sci-fi" thrown in. Interesting enough, solidly written, predictable in spots. I have to admit to a bit of eye rolling, and a few "wtf's" here and there, but it wasn't awful. The ending, though, did make me want to throw the book. but I didn't want to break my Kindle.

[Jeanette Hammond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Different, uniquely different.

This book, Hidden Doors, Secret Rooms was on the unusual side. However I was unable to put it down until I finished it. The mystery of it all is not fully explained until the very end as most good writers do. The mystery of Jillian and how she came to be who and what she is, is plausible and believable for the most part. Take an adventure and read this book. You won't regret it.

[Barbara McGrath · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hidden Doors, Secret Rooms

I choose this rating simply because this little story was almost perfect.
I loved the characters. Valerie and her mother Jillian could not have been more believable. And yet their adventures were just as unreal. It made the plot so very enjoyable.
I was disappointed with the ending.

[Debbie Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sci-Fi, horror, romance?

This story is all those. A man who has isolated himself from the world is slammed back into it when he rescues a mysterious woman and her young daughter in a blinding blizzard.

The characters are well developed and quite believable as an unbelievable story unfolds.

If you like Sci-Fi read this book. Otherwise you'll find it hard going.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

suspense story of a woman and her child, running for their lives from a government agency trying to kill them. She is saved by an eccentric man living in isolation in the high desert. Don't know how to describe this, not really paranormal, but some of the plot is out there. It does hold your attention though.

[Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was young, I used to read a lot of Goosebumps books. This book felt like a Goosebumps book for adults. It takes an ordinary life event, inserts a supernatural/unexplained character, and ends with me thinking "Wait...what?"

To have a positive reading experience, you need to suspend belief and just enjoy the ride!

I won this book for free through a Goodreads giveaway.

[Mary Kapp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hidden Dorr, secret rooms


I choose this rating because the book kept me on the edge of my seat. It kept my attention enough that I couldn't put it down. It was a real page Turner. I would recommend this book to all my friends.

[Barbara Hardy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!!!!

I really loved this book. It is a little hard to believe at times but in this day and age anything is possible. Don't think God would allow this to happen but it makes for a great story. Enjoy!!!

[Lori Sagala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting twist

I found this story engrossing, it did leave many unanswered questions, but the characters were interesting and drew me into their emotions and encouraged me to cheer for them to defeat their enemies.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

So...okay ...not my usual cuppa and started to put this one down . Glad though I hung in there I quite enjoyed it actually .

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow-very intriguing read...couldn't put it down. Characters developed quite well, the writing was very good & readable!

[Emma · Rating 1 out of 5]

I only made it to chapter 10, and then there were swears every other word.
I guess I'll never know what happened to Jill Braedon, not that I even really care

[Shirley Minton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

I enjoyed reading this book. The plot was never revealed until the end and kept me guessing. I recommend it highly.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

very good

[Cyndi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story!

[Babus Ahmed · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Mills former rock star lives in an isolated house with his dog, Bear, in Arizona after the accidental deaths of his wife and son years before. The night of a snowstorm brings him an unexpected visitor Valerie a 6 year old child he finds collapsed on his porch. After a search he also find her mother Jillian. Both mother and daughter are on the run from the authorities, but the answers to why, only brings up more questions. Deciding against his better judgement to take them to the nearest hospital John has to adjust to having them in his house and find a way of earning their trust in order to help them.

I found this a well crafted but complex romantic thriller which was easy to read but not at all fast paced. The main characters seemed well developed but I couldn't quite get on board with Valerie who just didn't seem like a natural unsocialised 6 year old exposed to a life on the run. The quality of the writing was strong here which helped carry this thriller off as there wasn't much detail about the events leading to the paranormal element of the book. The romance just about passed muster but did not add any excitement to the situation overall.

There were a few things that did irk me about the medicine/science aspect of the premise of this book, however they were little things and overall it was a good read, if not the most exciting of thrillers in its genre.

[Brick ONeil · Rating 2 out of 5]

Could not get into the book at all, not really my genre, the description read like a Mystery but it is more Science Fiction/Science Fantasy. Jamie creates such an over-the-top main character in John Mills, I was beginning to wonder when he would be bouncing bullets off his chest, bending steel with his hands and breaking stone with his forehead. On the other hand is Jill, a modern day Methuselah with apparent powers that defy modern medicine and physics. Just unrealistic characters in a landscape that reads like it is on one of Earth's poles.

Jamie is a creative enough writer to draw me in with marvelous landscape descriptions, a bit of paranormal to want me to keep reading but lost me at the superhuman-ness of the two characters, along with the typical by-the-book bad guy government agents. What I dislike in some books, is that the government is typically the black hat wearing, menacing bad guys, the book is usually so trite that I don't care to gets killed or what the prize is that everyone is fighting for.

Great start, but crosses too many genres. I give two stars.

[Marilyn Groves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a typical read for me, but I REALLY enjoyed this one. I'm copying the synopsis from Amazon: Jillian Braedon possesses a secret so explosive that she must be silenced. On the run with her five-year-old daughter, stranded in the middle of a blizzard and critically injured, Jill sends little Valerie off into the raging storm alone. The child stumbles onto the property of retired musician-turned-recluse, John Mills, begging for help. John soon finds himself caught up in their torment, and face-to-face with the pursuing covert agents, who will do anything to destroy the secret, and silence everyone involved.

A little bit of sci-fi, a lot of action, a bit of romance - it was good. And this was the author's first book? Someone to watch for...........

[Thomas Amo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has easily become my favorite read of 2014. What a nice surprise and breath of fresh air. With so many paranormal and horror themes being over worked to death, Eubanks injects a real fresh perspective in thriller fiction. I don't give spoilers so let me just say, from the beginning first page I was in. Completely drawn into the story. I cared about the characters from the start, that is something that usually takes time, but not here. The writing is crisp, focused and never drags. One can almost feel the bitter bite of the blizzard. Twist and turns kept me guessing all the way to the very last page. For a first novel, Eubanks has a promising career as an author! 5 stars without a doubt!

[Rich · Rating 3 out of 5]

***** Warning: Possible spoilers contained in review *****

I thought the book read easy and the concept of dream created creatures and other characters was interesting.

I enjoyed how the book began and the developing story between Jillian and John but I thought it started to lose steam as it neared the ending. There were busts of action and answers were given to a few nagging questions but it did not end as exciting as it began.

I still enjoyed this book and would recommend it as a interesting and easy read.

[Julia Bell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book to some extent. It was a bizarre story and I found it better to leave credibility at the door and just go with the imagination of the author. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys the fantastical and out of the ordinary. I was surprised to see the UK referred to as the Kingdom, since in all my years of living here, I've never heard it called by that name. Quite a good read, although every time I saw the hero's name, John Mills, I kept thinking of the famous British actor.