The Hidden Dead

The Accidental Medium #4

by Tracy Whitwell

The Hidden Dead is the fourth book in a hilarious series featuring Tanz, the accidental medium who, with the help of the dead, has become an unwilling crime-solver. When the dead call, she listens. . .

On a night out in a London bar, our accidental medium Tanz meets Einar, a charismatic and sexy Viking travelling for business. He offers Tanz an irresistible return to Iceland with him for an all-expenses-paid writing retreat and some no-strings-attached fun.

Promised a mix of work, play and maybe a bit of romance, Tanz follows her heart (and the voices in her head) off to Iceland on a whim; but when she arrives, she's ditched faster than you can say Blue Lagoon.

Heartbroken, abandoned and left to the mercy of the long, haunting nights, Tanz finds herself surrounded not just by the rugged beauty of a land steeped in legend but also the mysteries that lurk in its shadows. With only the dead for guidance, Tanz is thrust into the heart of a chilling cold case, where the echoes of the forgotten and the allure of forbidden magic compel her to listen, to understand and to act.

Genres: Mystery, Audiobook, Paranormal, Fantasy, Fiction, Supernatural, British Literature

448 pages, Paperback

Published April 29, 2025

Reviews

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Fourth book in the series didn't disappoint. I absolutely love Tanz's new adventure in Iceland. The descriptions of the country were absolutely beautiful and atmospheric. Have been to Iceland twice in my life and its an absolutely wonderful Country.
Again, her humor is brilliant. I love her. She always follows her "instinct".
Furthermore, i love the inclusion of Icelandic Folklore. One of my favorite series - absolutely love all the characters.
Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this in advance. Paperback was already pre-ordered and on route today.

[Shalane Louw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely love this series..

[StrictlySue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tracy Whitwell doesn’t disappoint in this, the fourth book in the Accidental Medium series. This time Tanz finds herself in Iceland after a sizzling encounter with a charming stranger in London and a promise of some space to write in peace. Once she lands in Iceland, Tanz, once again, finds herself in a magical land, full of strange supernatural goings on. Frank, her friendly spooky spirit guide seems to be on a sabbatical of his own, leaving Tanz alone and frightened trying to get to the bottom of strange goings on - who is crying outside the summer house, where has her mysterious Icelandic friend disappeared to, what does her witchy neighbour got to do with it all, who is the shadowy figure watching her and why does she dream of flying on an eagle?? Fun, spooky and full of suspense, this is the best book in the series and I really hope that we will get another book in the series………. A well deserved ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Natalie HH · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent conclusion to a stellar 4 book series!

[Kelly Daniel · Rating 2 out of 5]

The all men love me schtick is getting a bit old in this fourth installment.

There is a spooky storyline in there somewhere but the main character's ego blots it out.

[Jess Luigi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️
Tracey’s writing is truly magic, one of my favourite authors and one of my favourite series.
Unfortunately i just didn’t connect with the characters in this book like i did with the characters and ghosts in the previous 3 which is why i gave this a 3.5, the plot was good but would’ve loved more witchy moments rather than the Einar plot (silly man).
Not much really happened until really late into the book but really enjoyed the ending nonetheless, it wasn’t too rushed and i love it when it all connects.

[Jess Callaghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved jumping back into Tanz’ world, it’s always an easy read and I loved the new setting for this book! I thought the promos was good and I love how the hit of thriller and mystery is embedded in with an easy story about friendships and romance.

[Sonia Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in the Accidental Medium series and we pick up shortly after the events in the Cross Bones graveyard in London. Tanz's connection with the dead has been developing and now she doesn't have to work at tuning in to the spirit world.
We find Tanz working with Sheila to help out a celebrity client address his ghost problem, and delighted with their help he sends them off with a wad of money and a taxi to a swish cocktail bar. Whilst there Tanz meets Einar, an enigmatic, charismatic Thor like figure from Iceland, currently in London on business. There is an instant attraction and when Einar suggests Tanz meets him in Iceland so she can work on her writing at a snug free retreat. The universe seems to have aligned and all her gifts are telling Tanz to travel to Iceland, the next thing she knows she finds herself on a plane and landing in Reykjavik.
However once she arrives, although Einar is welcoming something is off. He takes her to his wilderness cabin but soon disappears leaving Tanz on her own in a remote haunted house and a mystery to solve. The universe is looking after Tanz and she meets Birta who she connects with on a deep witchy level. Still abandoned Tanz falls back on her resources and calls Thor her taxi driver to see if he can help - as it turns out he is Einar's friend and horrified about her situation he soon comes to her rescue.
Together they delve into the mystery of the dark haired woman haunting the house, receive help from Icelandic spirits of nature and discover what the universe has in store for them both - if they place their trust in it.
I loved the development of Tanz's spiritual side, it may not be for everyone but I found the blossoming of her gifts beautiful. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for access to this ARC and look forward to the next instalment of Tanz's adventures.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think as far as sequels go, this one smashed it out of the park! The Accidental Medium has fast become one of my favourite series and it has such a delight of humour and paranormal elements. One other thing I will say about the series is that it goes in different directions with each book. This one took Tanz out of her comfort zone on so many different levels and was mainly set in another country, away from her solid and reliable friends, Sheila, her cat, Inka and all that was known and comforting to her. I missed her community as I find them awesome, but this book was fantastic in a way that she grew while being in a different place and she can easily go back to that location and the 'norm' in the next book.

This is the first book of the series that I read instead of listened to and while I sorely missed Tracy Whitwell's narration, I could hear Tanz in my head in her glorious broad Geordie and it was very good to read too. Anyone that hasn't heard the audio book versions of these should get on those. Right. Now!

Tanz made new friends in this book as well as meeting some duds and she grew her talent in a way that she couldn't have done unless forced out on her own, with no power, cut off from communications and being force fed revolting rotting shark...
This book meant a lot more on a spiritual level and I think that this, along with the normal wow factor and swear word frequency made it a winner. I think Tanz is the refreshingly honest, best friend that you never knew you were missing until you are introduced through these books. 5 Stars from me!

My huge thanks to Netgalley, Pan Macmillan and the fabulous Tracy Whitwell for the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Kirsty (BookBlogger) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hidden Dead by Tracy Whitwell

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

On a night out in a London bar, our accidental medium Tanz meets Einar, a charismatic and sexy Viking travelling for business. He offers Tanz an irresistible return to Iceland with him for an all-expenses-paid writing retreat and some no-strings-attached fun.

Promised a mix of work, play and maybe a bit of romance, Tanz follows her heart (and the voices in her head) off to Iceland on a whim; but when she arrives, she's ditched faster than you can say Blue Lagoon.

Heartbroken, abandoned and left to the mercy of the long, haunting nights, Tanz finds herself surrounded not just by the rugged beauty of a land steeped in legend but also the mysteries that lurk in its shadows. With only the dead for guidance, Tanz is thrust into the heart of a chilling cold case, where the echoes of the forgotten and the allure of forbidden magic compel her to listen, to understand and to act.

My Opinion

The Hidden Dead is the fourth book in The Accidental Medium series and I would highly recommend reading the books in order. If you have enjoyed the previous books in the series then this is definitely the book for you. A quick, enjoyable read.

Rating 4/5

[Felicity Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this latest cozy supernatural read from the Accidental Medium Tanz who meets an Icelandic Viking in a bar on a night out in London which sets off a train of extraordinary events starting with an inspired spontaneous impulsive trip to Iceland for some fun and maybe to start writing.
The Viking has lured her with talk of a Summer House and some fun, his charismatic ways bewitching and beguiling.
The journey takes her way beyond her imagined ideas of her holiday, throwing all caution to the wind Tanz dives head first and finds she’s stronger now and more witchy than ever!!
I loved the brilliant and beautiful characters, the development of the great Northern Witch, the tour and sights of Iceland, and to learn of the hidden folk.
This is a hugely entertaining and enjoyable read, and I’m sad to have come to the end. Part medium part detective working her way through cold cases to help people. She is ultimately a positive force to be reckoned with.
This book in its heart is all about love and kindness and chock full of wisdom from someone that has clearly lived through a lot.
I absolutely loved reading this latest from Tracy Whitwell and am looking forward to the next adventures.
Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Books for the opportunity to read early.

[Memento Maryn ౨ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being the fourth book in The Accidental Medium series, I feel like most of what I can say about this book would be repetitive and is already included in my reviews of the first three entries. The quality is consistent, with Tanz going on a new adventure on an even larger scale than the previous one. And just like the previous novels, it's funny, heartbreaking, and includes more accidental new spiritual abilities for Tanz to deal with.

In The Hidden Dead, Tanz has a midlife moment and decides to follow a love interest all the way to Iceland, even though she has a really nice boyfriend back home. It left me internally screaming at her for the decisions she was making for the first half of the book, but our girl Tanz goes through some wonderful character development in this one and all and everything is explained and neatly tied up. I loved the mystery at the centre of this novel, more than some of the earlier ones, and the newly introduced characters are just wonderful.

If you liked the first three books, you’ll definitely love this one too, and I can’t wait to see where Tanz’ abilities will take her next!

[Sharon Valler: Live Love Read Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book four in this completely brilliant series is a joy! This time, Geordie psychic actress, Tanz, The Accidental Medium, heads off to Iceland, to visit the sexy Viking Einar, who has promised her a summerhouse writing retreat with benefits!

When she finds him to be flighty and unreliable, lonely Tanz hears a child crying outside the summerhouse, dreams of an eagle and feels the presence of a shadowy woman. With Tanz's usually trusty dead friend Frank seemingly having deserted her, she turns to her taxi driver Thor and her witchy neighbour, Birta, for help in solving the mystery. Tanz develops a strong bond with them both and her spiritual gift continues to develop, with the usual hilarious writing, perfectly balanced with emotion and tragedy, from Tracy Whitwell that we know and love.

I absolutely adore Tanz and would absolutely love her as my friend!

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Tracy Whitwell and Pan Macmillan for an ARC in return for an honest review.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tanz in Iceland. I think the change in scenery did WONDERS for the plot, as well as setting up where book 5 is going to go.

In this entry, Tanz meets a dashing man (Einar) at a pub, who convinces her to go to Iceland and work on her writing from his summer cabin. Needless to say, things do not go according to plan.
1. Einar isn't as available as Tanz thought he would be
2. The power goes out leaving Tanz a bit stranded in a strange place, at the time of year where there isn't a lot of daylight
3. Per usual, the supernatural reach out to Tanz for some help

Along the way Tanz calls for reinforcements from Thor (the driver she met when landing in Iceland) and Birta (a reclusive neighbor of the summer cabin) to try to solve the latest of cold cases. And solve it they do.

This was the first of the series I listened to (as narrated by the author) and she didn't disappoint.

[Nicola Friar · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Accidental Medium has quicky become one of my favourite book series. This latest adventure is a very different one for geordie lass Tanz as she finds herself in Iceland, seemingly for one reason, but in reality for a completely different one. Tanz is very different in The Hidden Dead and although I really enjoyed her development spiritually in this story, I'll admit the first quarter of it tested my patience a little as she appeared to lose the qualities and independence that made me love her. However, despite the uncertain and bloated start, what follows is a magical, powerful, frightening, and moving tale involving innocent victims, the search for truth, and mythology. I do hope Frank's warning at the end of the novel is a teaser for the fifth book. Thank you to Pan Macmillan for offering me an ARC via Netgalley.

[Krazyaboutbooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book Tanz meets a smarmy Icelandic man named Einor. He sweeps her off her feet suggesting that she come to Iceland for an impromptu writing retreat. She goes there but soon finds our Einor is not what he seems. She is haunted by the ghost of a Berta; a lonely young mother and in trying to help her she uncovers a tale of sorrow and deceit. Along the way she makes some new friends and meets an aspiring medium. Overall, I enjoyed the story and would also recommend the audiobook, which is narrated by the author, however, her relationships with the men leave a lot to be desired.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from NetGalley and Pan Macmillan | Pan in exchange for a free and honest review.

[Miki Jacobs · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Tanz meets Einar there is an incredible energy between them. So much so, that when he offers a place for her to write away from her everyday stresses in Iceland, she takes up his invitation.
When she gets there, he is initially attentive, but once he has deposited her at the summer house, he disappears. Meanwhile she has met up with Brita who lives in the nearest house and also Thor, who does tours. She is having strange dreams about some people and it becomes clear that she is in Iceland for a reason With the help of Iceland's Hidden People, she slowly unravels the mystery of the dreams and the real reason why she came to Iceland.
Entertaining fun.

[kitty10 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing, as per usual. I cannot wait for book 5 in February. I loved Tanz’ new adventure in Iceland! 🇮🇸 I never wanted to visit there until I read this book, and now I want my own witchy and cultural adventures in Iceland. I loved all the new characters that Tanz met, especially Birta 🥺🫶 I wish this book was a thousand pages long so I could read it for longer, I just can’t get enough of Tracy Whitwells writing style. So far, all four books of this series have been amazing. I hope many many more come out. What a blessing and an honour to read and enjoy another book from the accidental medium series 🔮⭐️🫶✨💫

[Carolina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing book to add to The Accidental Medium series! Perhaps this is my favourite of them all. I sat down and by the time I looked at what point of the book I am at, I was already 75% through.

Amazing writing with humour as in previous books. Very good pacing of the plot and the character development. Brilliant mystery that all ties in together! Things keep getting better and better as the series go on.

This one may not be out yet (thank you to NetGalley for the ARC) but I already want another book added for the series!

[Han · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. I loved the added mystical nature of Iceland and it's legends/mythology and magic! it brought a new spin on her adventures! which was refreshing.

My only gripe i have with this book and the previous one too is that for me personally I felt it didn't need the sexy bits! I get that shes young and free to do as she pleases but I felt it took away from her witchy storyline. I didn't think it needed it.

That being said, I love the characters and I love the witchy stories and the ghost hunting!!

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love this series -- another fun romp with Tanz!

Not known for making the best decisions, Tanz follows a new lover to Iceland after only knowing him for two days. When he promptly ghosts her (no pun intended) she is left in a remote cottage alone during a snow storm. But she thinks a larger force brought her out to this location, and she may be asked to put some ghosts lingering there to rest.

Characteristically funny and heartwarming and a perfect quick read for when you need one!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beginning had my interest completely because I was wondering in Einar was going to be fickle guy, then I really enjoyed when Tanz found the woman who rescued her- and their kindred spirits were so linked- totally enjoyed their energy and fun-I was engaged until near the end when it got very fantasy- like and I found myself wanting to get back to Tanz and her relationships. I love ghost stories but I am not a fan of too much fantasy. Enjoyed their energy novel tremendously!

[Terri Stokes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again Tracy Whitwell has created an amazing story full of surprises and emotions, this time we see Tanz leave the comfort of the UK for the first time and travel to the beautiful country, Iceland. hoping to get some writing done and to also spend time with the charismatic viking, Einar. Someone who she had only met a few days before hand, leading her on to her next adventure, getting the chance to meet some wonderful new people along the way.

[Leanne Cunningham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the latest installment, especially the Icelandic setting. I've been to Iceland and recognised the landmarks, atmosphere and prices as an accurate representation! Found the ending very moving, though did suspect that of Berta early on. Thoroughly enjoyed, would read/listen again. And we've all met an Einar before! 🤣 I hope this series never ends.

[Jeanne Patterson · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was charming, especially because I listened to the audiobook, but there was absolutely no suspense. There's a ghost who bangs on windows but any sense of danger or trepidation is missing. Also, I found the overuse of superlatives annoying - everything was amazing, the most beautiful, the best ever.

[Kelly Lou McFall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhhh I could not put this one down!! I would say it tipped into the fantasy genre and I’m here for it. I also think there is to be more?? I feel the epilogue was kinda left open enough to suggest we will be seeing more of Tanz and her adventures. I do hope so 😍😍 I shall be keeping my eyes out for more for sure. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Lorna Nuspl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tanz takes a trip to Iceland for all the wrong reasons. She ends up alone, in an isolated cabin, to try to deal with spirits that literally come knocking on her door. I've really enjoyed Whitwell's Hidden Medium books, but this one has a bit too much of Tanz questioning her life and her choices. That said, I'm looking forward to her next book.

[Amanda Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Tans and love all these books. I can ignore the too much alcohol and the food comments but it would be good to see a bit more of the psychic stuff (which drew me in the first place and less sex and alcohol) in saying that it was still enjoyable and I could easily see this becoming a TV series.

[Raye · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was great to meet up with Tanz, Frank and Sheila again, though this time, Tanz was somehow drawn to a remote Iceland cabin where she met the glorious Thor, the mysterious Birta, and the mystical Alfvin, to uncover the dbodies of a young woman and her son.

This book was a great reintroduction to the characters, and more than that, a sign of massive changes coming.

I love this series.

[Suzanne Maughan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've loved all of Tracy's books and this one is no exception! Tanz, the accidental medium, finds herself in another surprising encounter, this time in Iceland (the country, not the freezer shop!) with spirits and magic and gorgeous viking men galore!