Hidden Tides

by Athena Poindexter

Fourteen years on the run. One daughter. One nightmare that refuses to stay buried.

Lila Carter though she'd escaped the monster who once shared her bed. Travis Haper - charming, volatile, and finally locked away - should have been a memory. Instead, his shadow followed her across state lines, through rented apartments and false names, until Port Haven felt like the last refuge left. A small coastal town, quiet enough to disappear in.

But peace doesn't last. When Sophie, Lila's teenage daughter begins to suffer fevers and visions of a dead girl named Ellie, the past claws its way back with teeth.

Lila faces the choice she's been running stand and fight or lose her daughter to the same violence that destroyed Ellie.

255 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 24, 2025

Reviews

[Jnicole0618 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a good thriller, with such a creepy paranormal twist! This entire story is dark and twisty, and at times touches on emotional topics.

Lila (FMC) and her teenage daughter have been on the move for years. They go from town to town, so Lila can keep them hidden and safe from her abusive ex husband.

Their next stop is a small town in the middle of nowhere. Lila thinks this may finally be the perfect place for them, no one could ever think to look here. However- things quickly take a twist!

Lila’s daughter starts to have visions that involve a little girl named Ellie. Creepy and strange things begin to happen and that’s when they both start to dive deep into the past of their home.

This book has me gripping the edge of my seat at times! The story stayed face paced, and as soon as you thought you’d caught your breath you’d be hit with something once again.

Talk about full circle thriller that keeps you guessing until the very end.

[Liz_Dolphin70_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised with this book, new author, new thriller voice, and I enjoyed it. I like the parallel aspects of the book. I enjoyed the characters and the twist and turns. I only hope that the author will write book too because the ending left me speechless!

[Bookworm2277 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hidden tides
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I think I held my breath all throughout this book 😂
The author did such a great job at keeping the suspense going and making the book flow chapter by chapter. I was sucked in from the first chapter and it really hit the spot of the psychological thriller that I needed!
The author does such a great job at writing that I could imagine the whole story without a problem. It was fast paced with twists and turns that I did not see coming 👌
Also, I think the truly terrifying part is that parts of this book is someone’s reality.

The story follows a woman, Lila, on the run from her abusive ex (deadly abusive) She ends up in a small town and her teenage daughter starts having visions of a girl named Ellie. Strange things happen around the house and Lila and her daughter have to dig into the past to discover what truly happen. They also have to deal with the present of making sure that her ex doesn’t find them.
Throughout the book we also get flashbacks of the horror that Lila went through with her ex husband(yikes)

I loved the story and loved the ending as well. I will definitely be reading more from the author and I think anyone should give this book a try ❤️

[Ashli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part emotional domestic thriller, part hauntingly eerie ghost story, Hidden Tides is a fast-paced novel that kept my heart in my throat from start to finish. The writing is beautiful and immersive, pulling you deep into a world that feels heavy with secrets, fear, and unresolved pain.
What really stood out to me is how this story shines a light on very real horrors that far too many women are forced to face every single day, while also honoring the immense strength it takes to confront those demons head-on. The emotional weight never feels gratuitous. It feels honest. I genuinely felt for these characters and became completely absorbed in their lives, their fear, and their fight for survival. The atmosphere is thick and unsettling, the tension constant, and the stakes heartbreakingly personal.
Hidden Tides is gripping, eerie, and heart-pounding, and it will leave you trying to catch your breath right up until the very end.

[Amanda Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Hidden Tides – Athena Poindexter

This thriller/paranormal read had me hooked from the epilogue. The opening scene was so vivid it felt like I was standing right there, holding my breath.

I loved how seamlessly the story moves between the present and glimpses of the past—never confusing, always intentional. Every scene was crystal clear, like watching a movie unfold in my head.

At its core, this is a story about a mother doing everything she can to protect her daughter while running from a past that refuses to stay buried. The tension never lets up, the atmosphere is chilling, and there’s a twist I genuinely did not see coming.

And the friendship in this book? The kind we all wish we had.

This story kept my heart racing and my mind spinning—I couldn’t put it down and immediately wanted more when it ended. I’m really hoping this isn’t the last we see of this world.

If you love thrillers with a paranormal edge, Hidden Tides deserves a spot on your TBR.

[Rae B · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

This one pulled me in FAST and did not let go.

If you love thrillers that mix past trauma, a mother’s love, and eerie twists, Hidden Tides delivers that unsettling, edge-of-your-seat feeling from the very beginning. The tension builds slowly but steadily, and once it clicks… you’re locked in.

What I loved:
• The mother-daughter dynamic felt raw and emotional
• The small coastal town setting added that perfect haunting atmosphere
• The creeping sense of danger that never really lets you breathe

The supernatural/vision elements gave it a unique twist that made it stand out from your typical domestic thriller 👀

Why not a full 5 stars?
• A few moments felt slightly predictable
• I wanted just a little more depth in certain reveals

But overall? This was a gripping, bingeable read that I flew through.

💭 If you like:
• Emotional thrillers
• Secrets that refuse to stay buried
• Protective mama energy
• Slight paranormal vibes

👉 You’ll eat this up.

[Honeybadgerreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️! A fasted paced, suspenseful thriller with paranormal aspects.

Hidden Tides is a dark emotional read that blends psychological suspense with an eerie, unsettling atmosphere. The prologue kicks off with unaliving, so before starting this book check for any TW.

The FMC (Lila) is on the run from her abusive ex. She and her teenage daughter end up in a small town. Both start seeing and hearing strange things in the house they just moved into, including a little girl named Ellie. While all of this is happening, they still have to worry about Lila’s ex finding them, so tension is tight between them throughout the book.

This book kept me on my toes with the twists and turns. And took me by surprise with the ending!

[Cera Simum · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ BUDDY READ

🚨FYI the book's preface shares the tale of the owner of a cliffside house deleting his family. Then, chapter one details very specific domestic abuse that the FMC, "Lila" endures. Please read the provided list for Trigger Warnings...

Lila and her daughter, Sophie have been on the run for 14 years, in 30 states, trying to ahead of her abusive ex. Finally they take residency in a cliffside home in a small little town, that Lila hopes will be so remote, they will be able to stay off his radar.

This thriller was jam packed with suspense and twists and turns that I didn't expect! Especially the ending!!

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

THAT ENDING THOUGH!! 😮
This book had me debating calling in sick to work on multiple occasions. What a twisty ride, all the way through the very end.
This book follows a mother daughter duo who move into (another) new house. It doesn’t take long for them to notice things aren’t quite right. The town is eager to let them know what unfolded in that house prior to their arrival, and that’s where trouble starts.
If you are looking for a paranormal, dark, twisty thriller…start here!
Looking forward to reading whatever this author writes next. Well done!! 👏🏻

[Kim living life reading books · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting paranormal thriller that starts you off on the edge of your seat.

There was a couple of areas that I would have liked more clarification for time of the characters meetings/lives in relations to our main characters Lila and Sophie, I don’t want spoil so that is all I say.

Athena did a great job with the ghost Ellie, making her spooky and also in the verge of dangerous scary.

I did not see the ending coming, with a twist of a possible second book? Time will tell

[Regina Peters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a twist spooky read. It grabs you right from the start and keeps your heart pounding the whole way thru. You can feel the desperation in the characters while they try to survive the ghosts that are haunting their new home while running from the darkness of their past. Mother and daughter have to fight to save their own lives from the living and the dead.

[Brittani Selders · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give this a 3.75. This book started off really good!
I was very hooked on the ghost story line and the suspense of the finding out that story. Towards the middle end it really began to go all over the place in my opinion and it didn’t all make sense to me. I also appreciate good details to help me visualize the scene, but I found my self reading too much details and it was a bit too much.

[Kayla Upchurch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book i gave it 4.3/5 the writing hadd me paranoid at night while I was the only one up every creak in my house made me look up...if you love the Amityville horror this book will be up your ally... well written but beware if you look for triggers for this book has some ... Athena Poindexter is a great new author to check out

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me on the edge of my seat. Not my typical type of read but really enjoyed this one. The ending of the book caught me by surprise wanting more. Maybe there might be a book two?? Not sure but definitely worth the read and it’s a fast read. Definitely recommend

[Jackie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The idea behind this story was good. The opening of the book was good. It felt like too many ideas were being used at once and it wasn’t well thought out. Even some of the timeline wasn’t right. It was a quick read but I, personally, wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone.

[Elli engle · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!

I got so lost in this book I finished it in like 3.5 hours lol. It’s so good. Good plot and pacing as well. A very good quick read :)

[Lisa Whitney · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

A paranormal thriller with plenty of tension and a plot twist I never saw coming! The ending took me by surprise.

[Amanda Player · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suspense with a paranormal twist! Loved it!!