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The Hiding Season: The gripping psychological thriller with an ending that will take your breath away

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In this gripping, atmospheric thriller, a woman becomes the only witness to a deadly crime . . . making her the next target.

'A twisting cat and mouse chase' Ruth Ware

'Impossible to put down!' Gilly Macmillan

'A tense, sexy whirlwind of a thriller' Susi Holliday

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Maya Landry is in desperate need of a fresh start.

Alone and heartbroken, she finds work as a caretaker at an exclusive ski resort for the elite in the mountains of Montana. Quiet and empty in the summer months, it's the perfect escape.

All Maya wants is to be alone. But she's not alone on the mountain. Someone else is there. A killer with his next victim in his sights.

After Maya finds a body, she must run for her life. One man tells her that he can save her. But can she trust him? Is he everything he claims to be?

Only one thing is the killer will stop at nothing. And Maya is the only witness to their crime . . .

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Readers are loving The Hiding Season:

'A masterclass in suspense' Caroline Mitchell, New York Times bestselling author of Truth and Lies

'Gripped me from the first word and kept me up late into the night. Riveting' Megan Davis, Sunday Times bestselling author of Bay of Thieves

'A fast-moving thrill ride filled with twists and turns' Laura Griffin, New York Times bestselling author of Last Seen Alone

'This story had me hooked' 5-star reader review

'A fast-paced, gripping thriller that pulls you in and does not let go' 5-star reader review

'OUTSTANDING twists' 5-star reader review

'I absolutely LOVED this book!' 5-star reader review

386 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 26, 2026

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A.C. Glass

1 book

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5 stars
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29 (39%)
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13 (17%)
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
Profile Image for BookishDramas.
919 reviews36 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
March 22, 2026
3.5 stars for me.

I read this book as an ARC from NetGalley and this review is based on my reading the book and is my honest feedback about it.

This is a mood backed thriller where AC uses situations, locations, moods and a slow vice like grip in tension that keeps the reader in the story and there is something quietly compelling about a thriller that doesn’t rely on explosions or over the top twists, but instead leans into this atmosphere and isolation while delivering exactly what it promises - an experience. It’s the sort of book you slip into expecting a fast paced chase, but what you actually get is a slower, more psychological unraveling and honestly, that worked for me more often than not.

The story follows Maya, who’s trying to reset her life in a remote, off season mountain resort already a setting that feels uneasy before anything even happens. When she becomes the only witness to a violent crime, that uneasy feeling sharpens into something much more claustrophobic. I really liked how the author used the setting here; the emptiness, the silence, and the sense of being cut off from help all add a layer of tension that never quite lets you relax.

What stood out most to me was how grounded Maya feels. She isn’t overly heroic or unrealistically capable she’s scared, unsure, and often reacting rather than leading. That made her journey feel more authentic, and I found myself rooting for her in a very real way. The book leans heavily into that vulnerability, and it’s where a lot of its emotional weight comes from.

That said, the pacing can be a bit uneven. There are moments where the tension builds nicely, and then others where it lingers a little too long without enough payoff. I didn’t mind the slower sections as much as I might have in a more action driven thriller, but I did feel like the story occasionally held back when it could have pushed harder. Some of the twists, while effective, felt a little familiar, especially if you read a lot in this genre.

There’s also a thread of relationships and trust running through the story, which I appreciated in concept, but I’m not sure it fully hit the mark. A few interactions felt slightly convenient, and I wanted just a bit more depth there to really sell the emotional stakes.

Overall, though, this was an engaging and atmospheric read that kept me turning the pages, even when it slowed down. It’s not a thriller that’s going to shock you at every turn, but it creates a strong sense of place and tension that lingers. If you enjoy character driven suspense with a slightly quieter, more psychological edge, this one is definitely worth picking up.

This is my first novel from the author and I would dearly love to try more of her books.
Profile Image for jeff popple.
229 reviews7 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
March 17, 2026
Ava Glass made a strong debut back in 2022 with her spy novel Alias Emma about newly minted MI5 agent Emma Makepeace. Now, writing under the name of A. C. Glass, she is moving more into the romantic suspense field with The Hiding Season.

The premise of The Hiding Season is reasonably simple. Maya Landry is in desperate need of a fresh start after the financially draining breakdown of her marriage. Alone and heartbroken, she finds work as a caretaker at an exclusive ski resort for the elite in the mountains of Montana. Quiet and empty in the summer months, it’s the perfect escape. It is all going well until she finds a body in one of the lodges. There’s no cell service on the resort, and by the time she’s able to find a signal and call the police, the body is gone. In fact, there’s no evidence a body was ever there at all. Doubting her own sanity she is willing to let it go until an attractive stranger tells her that she is the next in the killer’s sights.

The Hiding Season starts at a brisk pace, and Ava generates a good deal of suspense over the opening section. Without giving away too much of the plot, the pace slows a little in the second part with a change in location, although Ava does ramp it up for the twisty conclusion.

I enjoyed The Hiding Season. It probably did not proceed as I was expecting, but it kept my interest, and I thought that the Texas scenes were well handled and helped to ground the story. The romance elements were unconvincing for me and seemed a little tacked on, rather than emerging organically. The ending, however, bristled with tension. I also really enjoyed one of the second characters, a mysterious law enforcement officer called Amber, who stole the book for me.

In all, an entertaining read with which to pass a lazy weekend.

Full review and more here: https://murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/s...
Profile Image for Meg Pearson.
624 reviews10 followers
April 6, 2026
The Hiding Season by A. C. Glass is a gripping, fast-paced thriller that had me completely hooked from the very beginning. What starts as a simple story about a woman seeking a fresh start quickly spirals into a high-stakes fight for survival that I couldn’t put down.

Maya heads to an out-of-season ski resort, hoping to leave her past behind and find some peace in the quiet isolation of the mountains. But that sense of calm is shattered when she stumbles across a body—launching her into a tense, dangerous situation where nothing and no one can be trusted. From that moment on, the story takes off at full speed, pulling you into a tightly plotted, edge-of-your-seat thriller.

The setting adds so much to the atmosphere. The remote, eerie landscape creates a constant sense of unease, making Maya’s situation feel even more intense and claustrophobic. You can almost feel the cold, the silence, and the isolation pressing in as the danger escalates. It’s the perfect backdrop for a story built on fear, survival, and uncertainty.

What I loved most was how consistently engaging this book is. The pacing is sharp, the tension never lets up, and just when you think you have a handle on what’s happening, the story shifts again. It kept me entertained the entire way through, and I found myself flying through the pages to see how everything would unfold.

Overall, this is a thrilling, addictive read that delivers exactly what you want from the genre—suspense, momentum, and a compelling main character you can’t help but root for. If you’re looking for a fast-paced thriller with a strong sense of atmosphere and nonstop tension, this is one I’d absolutely recommend.

✨ Thank you to Random House UK and NetGalley for the review copy—these are my honest thoughts.
Profile Image for Leanne.
1,246 reviews104 followers
August 22, 2025
The Hiding Season by A.C. Glass is a chilling escape into the Montana wilderness, where danger waits in the silence.

After a painful divorce, Maya Landry seeks solitude in the off-season quiet of a luxury ski resort tucked deep in the Rocky Mountains. But peace is short-lived. When she witnesses a brutal crime, the mountain becomes a trap—and Maya the only witness. What follows is a tense, atmospheric thriller where trust is scarce and survival depends on instinct.

A.C. Glass writes with a cinematic eye. The setting is beautifully rendered: remote, eerie, and full of shadows. You can almost feel the cold creeping in as Maya navigates the terrain—both physical and emotional. There’s a quiet strength to her character, and watching her unravel the truth while questioning everything around her makes for a gripping read.

This is a thriller that leans into isolation, fear, and the fragile hope of starting over. Perfect for fans of snowy suspense and stories where the landscape is as dangerous as the people in it.

With thanks to A C Glass, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
Profile Image for Andrea Hulme.
152 reviews30 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 12, 2026
The Hiding Season by A.C. Glass is a chilling escape into the Montana wilderness, where danger waits in the silence.

After a painful divorce, Maya Landry seeks solitude in the off-season quiet of a luxury ski resort tucked deep in the Rocky Mountains. But peace is short-lived. When she witnesses a brutal crime, the mountain becomes a trap—and Maya the only witness. What follows is a tense, atmospheric thriller where trust is scarce and survival depends on instinct.

A.C. Glass writes with a cinematic eye. The setting is beautifully rendered: remote, eerie, and full of shadows. You can almost feel the cold creeping in as Maya navigates the terrain—both physical and emotional. There’s a quiet strength to her character, and watching her unravel the truth while questioning everything around her makes for a gripping read.

This is a thriller that leans into isolation, fear, and the fragile hope of starting over. Perfect for fans of snowy suspense and stories where the landscape is as dangerous as the people in it.

With thanks to A C Glass, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
Profile Image for Rachael.
146 reviews4 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
March 17, 2026
Wow Wow Wow! I absolutely devoured this book in a matter of days! It was action packed with some great twists!

I’ve read the Alias Emma series so was expecting this to be a standalone spy thriller, but it wasn’t really a spy thriller, but a bit of everything (thriller, spy, Government agency and romance) mixed together. I think this was a perfect mix and worked really well and now I need more mixed up genres!

I also really liked the fact the main character is female (written by a female author) and she is in her late 30s and not a yummy mummy, or devastated divorcee. Whilst she is recently separated from her husband, she moves for a fresh start to Montana where she finds a job as a caretaker in a luxurious ski resort that is deserted during the summer. Her tasks are to keep the mansions spic and span ready for their ultra rich residents to return, until one day she finds a dead body. With the murderer not happy at what she has seen Maya goes on the run with a handsome stranger who wants to save her life!

If you fancy a fast paced action packed book then I can’t recommend this highly enough!
Profile Image for Hannah.
641 reviews11 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
March 25, 2026
Maya, desperate for a fresh start, takes a job as a caretaker at an elusive ski resort for the elite. Quiet and empty it’s just the job she needed. But soon she finds she is not as alone as she thought when she finds a body. Someone else is there and they have their next victim in sight.

This was my first book by this author but I wanted to read as the synopsis sounded interesting and as though it would be an exciting cat and mouse thriller. This ended up being an entertaining read and started strongly. Straight away I was drawn into the atmosphere and tension, excited to see where it would go. The story did seem to slow down as it continued, however this did not impact the drama or suspense and I remained intrigued. Maya was an interesting character and it was fun to watch her develop.

Even though there were no major surprises for me personally, I still enjoyed the small reveals along the way. Overall this was an enjoyable, easy thriller and I would definitely read more by this author. 3.5 stars rounded up. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.
Profile Image for Diane Elizabeth Taylor.
431 reviews19 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
March 18, 2026
In "The Hiding Season", we meet Maya as she attempts to trade a broken heart for a fresh start in the rugged beauty of Montana.
However, her peaceful reconstruction is shattered when she discovers a body at a luxury lodge, thrusting her into a high-stakes, desperate game of survival. ​
Forced to go on the run, Maya’s only hope lies with Riley, her sole lifeline in a world suddenly turned hostile.
The narrative is driven by Maya’s evolution from a vulnerable, timid woman to a resourceful, fierce protagonist who refuses to be a victim. ​With sharp characterisation (I'd have loved to learn more about Amber), and a relentless, twisty plot, this thriller keeps the tension high until the final page.
If you enjoy stories full of grit and resilience that keep you racing through the pages this is a must read.
My thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK Cornerstone for the ARC. This is my own opinion.
Profile Image for Farah G.
2,364 reviews29 followers
August 31, 2025
After an unexpected and bitter divorce, Maya Landry relocates to Montana to get away from painful memories. With limited options available to her she takes up a job as caretaker in an exclusive Resort consisting of houses owned by wealthy celebrities and secretive high net worth individuals.

But when she finds a newly-murdered corpse in one of the houses after she has been working there for sometime, Maya calls the police, only for them to arrive there and find no sign of a dead body!

Unfortunately for Maya, nobody believes her story. Except the killer, whom she must now find some way of escaping since she is the only witness to his handiwork.

This is a gripping story, delivered with ease. One element at the end left me feeling a little dissatisfied, but overall I would highly recommend this story.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Profile Image for Eva Edge.
1,470 reviews43 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
March 22, 2026
The Hiding Season by A.C. Glass is a refreshing, high-octane blend of atmospheric suspense, government intrigue, and a perfectly balanced romantic thriller. Set against a beautifully rendered, eerie, and remote backdrop, the story follows Maya’s gripping evolution from a timid, vulnerable woman into a resourceful and fierce protagonist.
Glass masterfully navigates the intersection of physical isolation and emotional stakes, crafting a narrative that feels grounded and real rather than cheesy or predictable.
While the author keeps the reader perpetually questioning who to trust, the plot remains remarkably logical and action-packed, leading to a deeply satisfying conclusion.
A masterful example of cross-genre storytelling that leans into the fragile hope of starting over while maintaining a relentless, page-turning tension. 5 well-earned, mysterious stars!
Profile Image for Erin MacLeod.
9 reviews1 follower
November 18, 2025
4 STARS ⭐️

Maya Landry, after a sudden divorce, she finds herself working in a luxury ski resort. There she finds the aftermath of a brutal crime. After alerting local police and returning to the scene, there’s… nothing. Maya is then forced into a life of hiding, lies and secrets.

We follow Maya as she discovers more about those she is hiding from, and who she is hiding with.

I really enjoyed this book. It was easy to read and suspenseful to keep you reading. The characters were likeable but the author kept you not knowing who to trust.

Thank you to AC Glass, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
Profile Image for Martha Brindley.
Author 2 books37 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 6, 2026
Set in the Montana wilderness, this is a fast paced, taut thriller with an interesting plot line. It is easy to read and there is plenty of suspense throughout, with good characterisation. I liked Maya, the lead character, who finds herself alone after a divorce. and the other characters were likeable, if not trustworthy! The ending surprised me but it was still a satisfying conclusion and overall, I enjoyed the read. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.
Profile Image for darkplotclub.
47 reviews
January 12, 2026
Thanks so much for ARC copy of this book, now for the review:

I gave this book 3.5 stars as I enjoyed it but not completely.
The beginning was gripping, I was turning pages so fast! I wanted to know what happened but then somewhere in the middle I lost interest and everything seemed boring but then if picked up towards the end.
I would still recommend this book as I liked it. I read books at face value and there was moments in the plot that shocked me!
Profile Image for Reads by Rae.
183 reviews2 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
February 23, 2026
I loved this book. Five stars without a doubt. The mix of thriller & romance was perfect & I think I’ve found my new favorite genre.

Maya leaves her husband to start over in a new town, only to get caught up with dangerous people after she finds a dead body that disappears before police arrive. Soon, she’s on the run with a man she just met.

The suspense held me. If I wasn’t reading, I was thinking about it. The eerie setting & steady tension made it impossible to put down. The last paragraphs are why I gave this book five stars. A gripping romantic thriller I would absolutely recommend.

Thank you NetGalley & Random House UK for this ARC!
75 reviews4 followers
March 26, 2026
Maya a recent exwife, not by her choice, takes a job at an out of season ski resort where the uber rich value their privacy. She witnesses a dead body in one of the ski homes she is looking after but the corpse disappears before she can get the police to believe her. What ensues is a wild journey, both literally and figuratively for Maya.
I’m not going to give the plot away but there is tension and drama. I enjoyed the writing and build up of tension which kept me on my toes.
255 reviews4 followers
April 10, 2026
Amateurish

Oh dear! This was not what I expected at all! It was a very amateurish attempt! As if Maya would file for divorce when she was in hiding and using a different name! As if she would lend her car to her friend when she knew the baddies had discovered where she was hiding! Obviously they were going to try and kill her. As FOR the ending, no way would Cleary have stopped and why was Amber in his car? I wasted 2 days of my life on this!
Profile Image for mrsbookburnee Niamh Burnett.
1,191 reviews21 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
March 19, 2026
This was a good read, I loved the idea of working somewhere that Maya did, but with out the drama, just for the peace and quiet 😂 I liked Maya, but she frustrated me with how clueless she seemed and was so quick to just give up the life she knew, not that this improved in her new life !

This is an intriguing and tense read, it can easily be binged in one sitting.
Profile Image for Candy.
779 reviews71 followers
May 28, 2026
So good I read it in less than 24 hours !!
5⭐️’s
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews