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Black Hat Thriller #1
Hidden
Nicole Jones – if that is her real name - lives off the grid. She doesn’t have a license, passport or bank account. She definitely doesn’t own a computer. She hasn’t left her refuge, Block Island, in fifteen years. She’s hidden from the world and she likes it that way. Nicole doesn’t use a computer, not because she’s afraid of it, but because she’s afraid of what she – a badass hacker in her past life – would do with it.
When the last person Nicole wants to see suddenly reappears, using a name he knows will draw her out, Nicole realizes that her time hidden is now ending. Her past secrets tumbling into the open and her carefully-constructed new life set to fall apart, Nicole must re-hone her long-suppressed computer skills in order to escape from an island that is no longer a haven, but suddenly a prison.
When the last person Nicole wants to see suddenly reappears, using a name he knows will draw her out, Nicole realizes that her time hidden is now ending. Her past secrets tumbling into the open and her carefully-constructed new life set to fall apart, Nicole must re-hone her long-suppressed computer skills in order to escape from an island that is no longer a haven, but suddenly a prison.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2015
34 people are currently reading
443 people want to read
About the author
Karen E. Olson
18 books287 followersI am the author of the Black Hat Thrillers and the Annie Seymour and Tattoo Shop mystery series. My new book AN INCONVENIENT WIFE, a Modern Tudor Mystery, is a modern retelling of Henry VIII and his wives as a crime novel. The sequel, A DEFIANT WOMAN, will be published in March 2026.
My first book, SACRED COWS, won the Sara Ann Freed Award for best first mystery and my fourth book, SHOT GIRL, was shortlisted for a Shamus Award.
My first book, SACRED COWS, won the Sara Ann Freed Award for best first mystery and my fourth book, SHOT GIRL, was shortlisted for a Shamus Award.
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November 12, 2020
Starting over. Who among us has not at one time yearned for it – if only fleetingly? And to start over on a small, scenic island in a house by the sea. Idyllic.
The protagonist of “Hidden” has done just that. At first the reader has no idea why she has come here. What is she running from? Why has she changed her name? Nicole Jones has been living on Block Island for fifteen years. Years when the confines of the island have comforted her. A woman with no past. Now with new friends – and a new life as an artist and bike tour guide.
Her contentment is shattered with the arrival of someone from her past. Someone she used to love, someone she lusts after, someone she now fears… Her past is brought to light along with her guilt and her former addiction. Yes addiction. Not to a substance, but to the feeling of power and elation that comes with hacking. She was once one of the best computer hackers around. She has been out of action now for fifteen years, but he is back and he wants her to do it again… She doesn’t want to as she knows if she does her new life will dissolve away as if it never existed. Yet, the lure of getting her hands back on a keyboard is as strong to her as cocaine is to an addict. For fifteen years she has lived without a computer. She has been afraid that if she had one, it would be only too easy to revert to her old ways. Over the years she has literally dreamed of source codes, firewalls and passwords.
One day while painting on a beach below Mohegan Bluffs, her house is broken into and everything in it destroyed. Books with pages torn out, foodstuffs scattered on the floor, clothes shredded, furniture smashed. Her bike – her means of livelihood – stolen.
It is at this point that Nicole realizes that her safe haven on the island is gone. The fast-paced narrative speeds up even more as she goes ‘on the run’. It seems her past – and the FBI – are catching up to her…
Even though the reader knows that Nicole is a criminal, you just can’t help but like her – and feel sorry for her. All she wants now is a ‘normal’ life, living on an island, painting, riding her bike. Contentment. She knows that if she leaves Block Island she will dearly miss the friends she made there… especially Steve.
A contemporary, atmospheric thriller with an engaging protagonist, “Hidden” is a more than promising start to what I hope will be a long series. An engrossing page-turner that I heartily recommend.
“Hidden” was originally written as a stand-alone novel. So glad that the decision was made to turn it into a series debut. To be followed by the novels “Shadowed” and “Betrayed“. Many thanks to Severn House via NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC of this novel for enjoyment and review.
This review was originally published on my blog: Fictionophile
The protagonist of “Hidden” has done just that. At first the reader has no idea why she has come here. What is she running from? Why has she changed her name? Nicole Jones has been living on Block Island for fifteen years. Years when the confines of the island have comforted her. A woman with no past. Now with new friends – and a new life as an artist and bike tour guide.
Her contentment is shattered with the arrival of someone from her past. Someone she used to love, someone she lusts after, someone she now fears… Her past is brought to light along with her guilt and her former addiction. Yes addiction. Not to a substance, but to the feeling of power and elation that comes with hacking. She was once one of the best computer hackers around. She has been out of action now for fifteen years, but he is back and he wants her to do it again… She doesn’t want to as she knows if she does her new life will dissolve away as if it never existed. Yet, the lure of getting her hands back on a keyboard is as strong to her as cocaine is to an addict. For fifteen years she has lived without a computer. She has been afraid that if she had one, it would be only too easy to revert to her old ways. Over the years she has literally dreamed of source codes, firewalls and passwords.
One day while painting on a beach below Mohegan Bluffs, her house is broken into and everything in it destroyed. Books with pages torn out, foodstuffs scattered on the floor, clothes shredded, furniture smashed. Her bike – her means of livelihood – stolen.
It is at this point that Nicole realizes that her safe haven on the island is gone. The fast-paced narrative speeds up even more as she goes ‘on the run’. It seems her past – and the FBI – are catching up to her…
Even though the reader knows that Nicole is a criminal, you just can’t help but like her – and feel sorry for her. All she wants now is a ‘normal’ life, living on an island, painting, riding her bike. Contentment. She knows that if she leaves Block Island she will dearly miss the friends she made there… especially Steve.
A contemporary, atmospheric thriller with an engaging protagonist, “Hidden” is a more than promising start to what I hope will be a long series. An engrossing page-turner that I heartily recommend.
“Hidden” was originally written as a stand-alone novel. So glad that the decision was made to turn it into a series debut. To be followed by the novels “Shadowed” and “Betrayed“. Many thanks to Severn House via NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC of this novel for enjoyment and review.
This review was originally published on my blog: Fictionophile
January 22, 2016
Three and a half stars.
Nicole Jones lives on Block Island, where she has been for the past fifteen years. Having left her previous life behind her, she has taken pains to cover her tracks to ensure she is not found. In her idyllic setting, she spends her life as a bicycle tour guide and painting. She exists without a license, computer or bank account. When a man from her past appears, Nicole tries to convince herself her time on the island is not coming to an end. Events seem to be conspiring to say otherwise.
Nicole has made friends on the island but is loath to tell them about her past, knowing it will change their view of her. In the end she has to take a couple of them, one in particular, into her confidence. I enjoyed this story with its twists and turns. Even though Nicole has been a computer hacker in her past life, it is hard not to like her and be on her side. Reading this book gives pause for thought as to how easily hackers can access computers.
While it is a fast paced and enjoyable read it is not a mystery filled with a lot of blood and gore. It is an easy read, my first by this author, and one that kept my interest. This is the first in a series and it wlll be interesting to see where the story and the character goes from here.
Mystery readers should enjoy it.
Nicole Jones lives on Block Island, where she has been for the past fifteen years. Having left her previous life behind her, she has taken pains to cover her tracks to ensure she is not found. In her idyllic setting, she spends her life as a bicycle tour guide and painting. She exists without a license, computer or bank account. When a man from her past appears, Nicole tries to convince herself her time on the island is not coming to an end. Events seem to be conspiring to say otherwise.
Nicole has made friends on the island but is loath to tell them about her past, knowing it will change their view of her. In the end she has to take a couple of them, one in particular, into her confidence. I enjoyed this story with its twists and turns. Even though Nicole has been a computer hacker in her past life, it is hard not to like her and be on her side. Reading this book gives pause for thought as to how easily hackers can access computers.
While it is a fast paced and enjoyable read it is not a mystery filled with a lot of blood and gore. It is an easy read, my first by this author, and one that kept my interest. This is the first in a series and it wlll be interesting to see where the story and the character goes from here.
Mystery readers should enjoy it.
November 19, 2015
Hidden (Nicole Jones, #1) by Karen E. Olson
Severn House, 2015
Crime Fiction; 224 pgs
Nicole Jones has spent the last fifteen years establishing a life for herself on Block Island in the Long Island Sound. She has a small group of close friends and a job she likes. She has never quite been able to shake that outsider status, but the locals have come to think of her as one of their own, even despite her keeping mostly to herself. Nicole avoids getting too close to anyone--at least in terms of sharing information about her own past. She has secrets she would rather leave buried, including that she was once a hacker. That's why she changed her name. And why she doesn't have a driver's license or bank account. When someone from her past re-enters her life, Nicole's carefully crafted lies and world begin to unravel. Not only is her own life at risk, but so are the lives of her friends. The home she once felt so secure in, is no longer a safe haven.
To be honest, I would have picked up this book to read based on the author alone, having read and enjoyed her previous books. Karen E. Olson is one of my favorite crime fiction authors. Even without that though, I was drawn to this book based on the description. It isn't often you come across a female hacker as a protagonist, and I do love a mystery involving secrets.
I really liked everything about this novel, from the island setting to the small close-knit community and the people who live there. I ended up reading the book in a day; not because it was one of those fast-paced-every-second-is-a-thrill type novels, but because I just couldn't stay away. The writing drew me in immediately, and I could not help but connect with the characters. The reader gets a good feel for the life Nicole had been leading all those years in hiding and just what is at stake when all of that is threatened. The intensity increases as the story unfolds, each new twist raising the stakes.
The more I learned about Nicole, the more my heart went out for her. She hadn't always made the best choices in her younger years, and she openly admits that. While she likes the new life she's established, she had to sacrifice a big part of who she is. There is one scene in the novel in which Nicole uses a computer again after fifteen years, and Olson captured so well the excitement and trepidation someone in Nicole's shoes might feel. I like to see that kind of depth go into a character. It paints a more realistic picture.
I admit to being a little concerned about the fifteen year gap in Nicole's computer knowledge--a lot has changed technology-wise in that amount of time. I liked the way the author handled that though. She didn't gloss over it, nor did her character, who had the same concerns.
The author did not skimp on the backstories and development of the minor characters. I came to really care about them as well. Especially Nicole's closest friend, Steve. He would do anything for Nicole.
I gobbled up the tattoo artist Brett Kavanaugh series and just loved Karen E. Olson's investigative reporter series featuring Annie Seymour. Both series are quite different from one another, but carry the author's trademark humor. Hidden is a more serious novel, more reflective really. Hidden is both complex in story and character. It is also highly entertaining, as all Olson's novels have been. I am excited that there are two more books slated to come out in this series. I have no idea what will happen in the next book, Shadowed, but I can only hope it will be as good as Hidden.
Review copy provided by publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.
Severn House, 2015
Crime Fiction; 224 pgs
Nicole Jones has spent the last fifteen years establishing a life for herself on Block Island in the Long Island Sound. She has a small group of close friends and a job she likes. She has never quite been able to shake that outsider status, but the locals have come to think of her as one of their own, even despite her keeping mostly to herself. Nicole avoids getting too close to anyone--at least in terms of sharing information about her own past. She has secrets she would rather leave buried, including that she was once a hacker. That's why she changed her name. And why she doesn't have a driver's license or bank account. When someone from her past re-enters her life, Nicole's carefully crafted lies and world begin to unravel. Not only is her own life at risk, but so are the lives of her friends. The home she once felt so secure in, is no longer a safe haven.
To be honest, I would have picked up this book to read based on the author alone, having read and enjoyed her previous books. Karen E. Olson is one of my favorite crime fiction authors. Even without that though, I was drawn to this book based on the description. It isn't often you come across a female hacker as a protagonist, and I do love a mystery involving secrets.
I really liked everything about this novel, from the island setting to the small close-knit community and the people who live there. I ended up reading the book in a day; not because it was one of those fast-paced-every-second-is-a-thrill type novels, but because I just couldn't stay away. The writing drew me in immediately, and I could not help but connect with the characters. The reader gets a good feel for the life Nicole had been leading all those years in hiding and just what is at stake when all of that is threatened. The intensity increases as the story unfolds, each new twist raising the stakes.
The more I learned about Nicole, the more my heart went out for her. She hadn't always made the best choices in her younger years, and she openly admits that. While she likes the new life she's established, she had to sacrifice a big part of who she is. There is one scene in the novel in which Nicole uses a computer again after fifteen years, and Olson captured so well the excitement and trepidation someone in Nicole's shoes might feel. I like to see that kind of depth go into a character. It paints a more realistic picture.
I admit to being a little concerned about the fifteen year gap in Nicole's computer knowledge--a lot has changed technology-wise in that amount of time. I liked the way the author handled that though. She didn't gloss over it, nor did her character, who had the same concerns.
The author did not skimp on the backstories and development of the minor characters. I came to really care about them as well. Especially Nicole's closest friend, Steve. He would do anything for Nicole.
I gobbled up the tattoo artist Brett Kavanaugh series and just loved Karen E. Olson's investigative reporter series featuring Annie Seymour. Both series are quite different from one another, but carry the author's trademark humor. Hidden is a more serious novel, more reflective really. Hidden is both complex in story and character. It is also highly entertaining, as all Olson's novels have been. I am excited that there are two more books slated to come out in this series. I have no idea what will happen in the next book, Shadowed, but I can only hope it will be as good as Hidden.
Review copy provided by publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.
June 7, 2021
Really a 3.5. Loved the Block Island setting and the descriptions of friendships , especially Nicole and Steve. The first person narrative lent to the haste and pacing of the book. Cyber theft and running away from your past is the theme.
December 8, 2017
2.5 stars. This was okay but it really seemed like a tamer version of The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo, ie., with much less action. The book was mostly just a looong wind-up introduction to the character and some of the things she did were just head scratchers, I couldn’t figure out if she was just dumb or just very different. But in the end it was a decent read and I’m probably interested enough to read at least the next one in the series.
December 17, 2015
Hidden (Nicole Jones #1) by Karen E. Olson should appeal to the mystery/suspense fans. The female protagonist is also a big draw here because of what she has to do to survive, especially when her entire life is turned upside down when a former lover with revenge on his mind finds her. Hidden also has a small town feel, because where the story takes place, plus the heroine is a former hacker turned bike tour guide. She’s also forty, so she’s mature, intelligent and thinks on her feet.
Nicole is a ghost who doesn’t really exist. She lives on Block Island, a very small beach community that caters to tourists. Fifteen years ago, Nicole was a big hacker, addicted to her computer and stealing money, mainly because of her father. Her lover at the time was also a big addiction of hers. They were like Bonnie and Clyde, but in the virtual realm. She even ran away with him, but they were caught by someone Nicole cared about. She then disappeared, living a very quiet lifestyle by staying off the grid- no computer and internet.
A blast from her past shows up. He calls himself Zeke, and works for the FBI, which Nicole knows is false. Zeke isn’t his real name. He stole it from the actual agent Nicole fell in love with around the time she ran off with her lover, who now calls himself Zeke. He wants Nicole to hack into a bank account in order to steal the money he feels is owed to him. Nicole doesn’t have much of a choice because he has the upper hand and could reveal her location. The cops are still looking for her, including a dangerous man she and Zeke stole from. But she’s also weak when it comes to Zeke, and as she tries to figure out a way to get rid of him, as well as disappear, her taste of hacking, and for Zeke comes back in full force. Nicole’s past sins come back to haunt her, and they may get her killed.
Hidden is the type of story that is slowly revealed as Karen Olson uses flashbacks in Nicole’s life that builds up the tension and action as she tries to outwit Zeke, who may or may not want her back. Is he just using her for her hacking skills or is he consumed with revenge because she left him to die? Or maybe he’s so obsessed with her, that he wants her for himself, thinking they can ride off into the sunset again like they did over a decade and a half ago?
Nicole is a fighter, who knows she should be punished for her criminal activities, but can’t give up her freedom. You sympathize with her because she’s not a bad person, unlike Zeke, who’s motives are very sketchy. There are enough twists and turns that will keep readers riveted. Hidden might not have a lot of shoot em up, dragged out fights, but it still delivers, especially with an ending that will have you anxious for the next installment in Nicole’s life as she tries to find a safe placed to hide.
Nicole is a ghost who doesn’t really exist. She lives on Block Island, a very small beach community that caters to tourists. Fifteen years ago, Nicole was a big hacker, addicted to her computer and stealing money, mainly because of her father. Her lover at the time was also a big addiction of hers. They were like Bonnie and Clyde, but in the virtual realm. She even ran away with him, but they were caught by someone Nicole cared about. She then disappeared, living a very quiet lifestyle by staying off the grid- no computer and internet.
A blast from her past shows up. He calls himself Zeke, and works for the FBI, which Nicole knows is false. Zeke isn’t his real name. He stole it from the actual agent Nicole fell in love with around the time she ran off with her lover, who now calls himself Zeke. He wants Nicole to hack into a bank account in order to steal the money he feels is owed to him. Nicole doesn’t have much of a choice because he has the upper hand and could reveal her location. The cops are still looking for her, including a dangerous man she and Zeke stole from. But she’s also weak when it comes to Zeke, and as she tries to figure out a way to get rid of him, as well as disappear, her taste of hacking, and for Zeke comes back in full force. Nicole’s past sins come back to haunt her, and they may get her killed.
Hidden is the type of story that is slowly revealed as Karen Olson uses flashbacks in Nicole’s life that builds up the tension and action as she tries to outwit Zeke, who may or may not want her back. Is he just using her for her hacking skills or is he consumed with revenge because she left him to die? Or maybe he’s so obsessed with her, that he wants her for himself, thinking they can ride off into the sunset again like they did over a decade and a half ago?
Nicole is a fighter, who knows she should be punished for her criminal activities, but can’t give up her freedom. You sympathize with her because she’s not a bad person, unlike Zeke, who’s motives are very sketchy. There are enough twists and turns that will keep readers riveted. Hidden might not have a lot of shoot em up, dragged out fights, but it still delivers, especially with an ending that will have you anxious for the next installment in Nicole’s life as she tries to find a safe placed to hide.
November 1, 2015
Nicole Jones has been hiding on Block Island, off the New England Coast. She runs a bike touring business during the tourist season and has only two good friends, a slightly older man, Steve McQueen, and friends who run a spa and sponsor Nicole’s paintings in a local gallery. Life is good and Nicole’s no longer always looking over her shoulder. Perhaps she was too comfortable but that’s all about to end!
Zeke Chapman and Nicole crash into each other. At first the reader thinks it’s pure coincidence but it’s really not that simple. Zeke first of all has assumed the name of an FBI agent. His presence is as exciting to Nicole as it was when they were lovers in Paris, France. For both of them are professional hackers. Years ago they did something years ago that involved stealing a huge amount of cash and leaving behind someone who wasn’t supposed to die but did. As the story progresses we learn that Zeke has a job for Nicole to do, but after a while we’re not sure if Zeke is truly friend or foe. The confusing but terrifying scenes raise the tension level a hundred-fold for sure.
Nicole doesn’t want to tell anybody her secrets but eventually winds up doing so as the friends she has made on the island truly care about her and don’t want to see her in this perilous condition. Others arrive who were totally unexpected and it turns out that Nicole left a clue for certain persons to find her; whether it was an accident or just plain stupidity doesn’t really matter as she’s now in very serious trouble, with both her enemies and her friends.
Hidden… is the first in a new series that will thrill those who love mysteries, thrillers or adventure novels. It’s a complex yet simple plot at the same time that is all too credible in this day and age when hacking is developing into an international problem that can shake the financial world of companies, individuals and even the government. Reading it makes one realize no one’s bank account is really safe and the power behind hackers is more of a near threat than perhaps we previously thought. Nicely done, Karen E. Olsen!
Zeke Chapman and Nicole crash into each other. At first the reader thinks it’s pure coincidence but it’s really not that simple. Zeke first of all has assumed the name of an FBI agent. His presence is as exciting to Nicole as it was when they were lovers in Paris, France. For both of them are professional hackers. Years ago they did something years ago that involved stealing a huge amount of cash and leaving behind someone who wasn’t supposed to die but did. As the story progresses we learn that Zeke has a job for Nicole to do, but after a while we’re not sure if Zeke is truly friend or foe. The confusing but terrifying scenes raise the tension level a hundred-fold for sure.
Nicole doesn’t want to tell anybody her secrets but eventually winds up doing so as the friends she has made on the island truly care about her and don’t want to see her in this perilous condition. Others arrive who were totally unexpected and it turns out that Nicole left a clue for certain persons to find her; whether it was an accident or just plain stupidity doesn’t really matter as she’s now in very serious trouble, with both her enemies and her friends.
Hidden… is the first in a new series that will thrill those who love mysteries, thrillers or adventure novels. It’s a complex yet simple plot at the same time that is all too credible in this day and age when hacking is developing into an international problem that can shake the financial world of companies, individuals and even the government. Reading it makes one realize no one’s bank account is really safe and the power behind hackers is more of a near threat than perhaps we previously thought. Nicely done, Karen E. Olsen!
August 2, 2015
HIDDEN is Karen E. Olson's new novel of suspense and mystery and it is written with great care and craft. I first came to Karen E. Olson's writing because she is a Connecticut author and as a Connecticut native myself, I really enjoyed her Annie Seymour series set in and around New Haven. But when she set her next series featuring tattoo artist Brett Kavanaugh in Las Vegas I happily went along for the ride. I knew I would be in good hands. Now with HIDDEN, Olson's ninth novel, she has come closer to home setting her novel on Block Island which lies off the coast of Rhode Island and Connecticut in Long Island Sound. Her Nicole Jones leads bicycle tours during the tourist season and paints landscapes while remaining on the Island year round. Olson reveals that Nicole's ideal life filled with the beauty of nature and close friends isn't all that it appears to be as she skillfully peels aways the story of Nicole's life like a master chef peeling away the layers of an onion. We are engrossed from the first page to the last. The book is first-rate and I look forward to anything that Olson writes in the future.
October 22, 2015
Nicole is living on an idyllic island (but maybe not that idyllic because she is constantly locking up her bike wherever she goes!) with an assumed name. She's lived here quietly, under the radar for 15 years until the day someone from her previous life turns up, insisting she does "one more job". Trouble is he is not the only one looking for her. So it's back into the murky world of hacking, trying to be several steps ahead of her pursuers. You would think that someone with her know how wouldn't have given herself away by doing something so stupid in the first place! I enjoyed the story, the suspense, liked the way it was written, descriptions of island life and hope there will be a follow on to see what "Nicole" does next. Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.
July 31, 2016
Stories told in the first person, set on an island, with lots of compelling strangeness about the situation usually suck me right in, and I was very engrossed at the beginning of reading Hidden. However, after awhile it became apparent that this is a novel very much after the feel of Gone Girl and Girl on the Train. The reader looking for that experience probably won't be disappointed here, but I really felt my interest collapse like a souffle.
For me this was just okay. The best features were Block Island itself and Nicole's friendship with an older widower named Steve- he just came off the pages for me. I wish I could eat chowder , drink beer and play Scrabble with him, but the rest of the novel I am fine to leave behind.
For me this was just okay. The best features were Block Island itself and Nicole's friendship with an older widower named Steve- he just came off the pages for me. I wish I could eat chowder , drink beer and play Scrabble with him, but the rest of the novel I am fine to leave behind.
November 28, 2015
It has been a long wait for a new series from this author. So glad to get to know Nicole Jones. Looking forward to her next adventures.
June 12, 2016
I really liked this book, the main character and the story.
The plot unfolds as you build an affection for the main character and her quietly satisfying life. A good read!
The plot unfolds as you build an affection for the main character and her quietly satisfying life. A good read!
April 6, 2020
I must admit, the aspect of hackery was what originally drew me into reading this. If that's purely the case, it might not be the book for you. I was hoping for more detail in the computer/hacking scenes but didn't really get it, this book is clearly more about the mystery/thriller aspect, the hacking is just a means to an end where the character is concerned.
Still, I enjoyed the overall plot and found myself quite enjoying the relationships between the characters that were revealed throughout the story.
Reading the blurb for the next book makes me think that the tech detail will be pretty much the same but I still may carry on with the series if I find myself after a book with this kind of atmosphere again.
Still, I enjoyed the overall plot and found myself quite enjoying the relationships between the characters that were revealed throughout the story.
Reading the blurb for the next book makes me think that the tech detail will be pretty much the same but I still may carry on with the series if I find myself after a book with this kind of atmosphere again.
December 22, 2024
Hidden by Karen E. Olson is the first book of the Black Hat Thriller mystery series set on Block Island in contemporary Rhode Island, with flashbacks to Florida and Paris. Nicole has been hiding on Block Island for fifteen years. She loves her peaceful island life. She paints the beautiful ocean scenes she loves; sells her art in the local gallery. She travels all over the island on her bicycle; in summer giving bicycle tours to the tourists. She's best friends (not lovers) with widower Steve.
One day her past catches up with her. A man she hoped never to see again has found her. Tension mounts steadily as she reluctantly agrees to do "one more job" for him. But others are searching for her, too. She must escape to survive.
Exciting story, hard to put down! I look forward to reading more books by the author.
One day her past catches up with her. A man she hoped never to see again has found her. Tension mounts steadily as she reluctantly agrees to do "one more job" for him. But others are searching for her, too. She must escape to survive.
Exciting story, hard to put down! I look forward to reading more books by the author.
June 22, 2021
Surprising
This is not a typical novel for me… no sparkling new day dawning at the end of a long journey(tho there is one…) no huge quest the protagonist has to pursue to “save the world” or “set things right” or “find their true love”… tho in a way there is that as well… but the writer pulls you in with scenic descriptions and (my definition of a good writer!) left me feeling that I actually KNOW these people! Not characters but actual people I have met… and CARE about... an easy read tho sometimes just a little slow… but that may be intentional and is certainly part of the charm…
This is not a typical novel for me… no sparkling new day dawning at the end of a long journey(tho there is one…) no huge quest the protagonist has to pursue to “save the world” or “set things right” or “find their true love”… tho in a way there is that as well… but the writer pulls you in with scenic descriptions and (my definition of a good writer!) left me feeling that I actually KNOW these people! Not characters but actual people I have met… and CARE about... an easy read tho sometimes just a little slow… but that may be intentional and is certainly part of the charm…
November 10, 2017
Nicole Jones abandoned her old name and her old life years before the book begins. She’s been enjoying a quiet life on Block Island, living off of the grid. When someone from her past finds her, she realizes that she will have to leave and find another place to hide.
What I liked best about this story was Nicole’s reinvention of herself from the girl she used to be. I like the Nicole who gives bike tours and taught herself to paint beautiful landscapes. Her past self, which is revealed as the story progresses, is less interesting. The mystery is so-so.
What I liked best about this story was Nicole’s reinvention of herself from the girl she used to be. I like the Nicole who gives bike tours and taught herself to paint beautiful landscapes. Her past self, which is revealed as the story progresses, is less interesting. The mystery is so-so.
August 20, 2024
Computers, hackers, spies AND Block Island?
What more could I ask for?
Being in the tech field I understood the language Ms. Olson used.
And oh man. Reading about Block Island? Well that's what blew this book up for me. Block Island is my favorite place.
This book should be on the reading list of everyone. Not just block island lovers, not just computer people. Not just spy lovers.
What an engaging story. I recommend Hidden wholeheartedly.
What more could I ask for?
Being in the tech field I understood the language Ms. Olson used.
And oh man. Reading about Block Island? Well that's what blew this book up for me. Block Island is my favorite place.
This book should be on the reading list of everyone. Not just block island lovers, not just computer people. Not just spy lovers.
What an engaging story. I recommend Hidden wholeheartedly.
August 14, 2017
Nicole has lived on Block Island for 15 years. She's created her own business (bike tours of the island for tourists), she's made friends, created landscapes which she's sold in the island gallery. All of a sudden and out of the blue, here is Ian, a lover from her life before this one. His appearance begins to erode the life she created when she appeared on island all those years before.
October 13, 2018
Oops I seem to be in the minority yet again. I really didn't like Nicole, after all she was a two timing criminal causing a death and wasn't really remorseful. She seemed so proud of her past criminal behavior. Selfish woman lucky to be able to live on that wonderful island with wonderful people. Steve was a good friend who actually won in the end.
May 23, 2019
Nicole Jones has been living on Block Island for fifteen years since running away from Paris, France. But she has been found. Will she go back to her old life? Will she be arrested? Read and find out what her crime was, who she used to be and what happens to her.
April 22, 2020
Stupidest. Book. Ever.
Usually, I’m alert enough to abandon a time suck early on, but for some reason, I remained hopeful to the end that something remotely interesting might happen in this book. I was wrong.
Usually, I’m alert enough to abandon a time suck early on, but for some reason, I remained hopeful to the end that something remotely interesting might happen in this book. I was wrong.
July 13, 2020
Enjoyed, but wish I understood more about bitcoin. Will definitely read remainder in series.
Would not have been able to read if Neda Defibaugh hadn't instructed me in the science of downloading Freading. Almost as difficult as understanding bitcoin.
Would not have been able to read if Neda Defibaugh hadn't instructed me in the science of downloading Freading. Almost as difficult as understanding bitcoin.
July 22, 2020
Brisk page-turner
Well-written story with lots of twists and turns. The ending is surprising but not out of range. Could have been tightened up with a bit of editing but never seemed to drag.
Well-written story with lots of twists and turns. The ending is surprising but not out of range. Could have been tightened up with a bit of editing but never seemed to drag.
September 27, 2021
HIDDEN is the story of a criminal, a time to start again, and a past that returns to haunt and take back what it's due. The story moves quickly and the end for me was unexpected as the story begins again?
August 13, 2023
I’m going to start off that I’m a big fan of this author. I have not read her in years. And I discovered this series and bought it but had not read. I was in a slump and thought why not.
Holy Cannoli…I devoured this book. It was so good. Unique, fresh and unputdownable. I’m diving into book 2.
Holy Cannoli…I devoured this book. It was so good. Unique, fresh and unputdownable. I’m diving into book 2.
November 27, 2023
I give this three plus stars because it was an engaging tale, a real page turner. The reader can probably figure out how it is going to end early in the story. However, the means used to get there are full of cloak and dagger action. A good, quick light read.
June 26, 2017
She commit a crime. she ran and hid for 15 years. One of her own came to find her and turn her in to get a deal for himself. She got away again.
November 21, 2017
difficult start and then picked up - confused how this will go - but - good enough to go to book 2 in series
April 13, 2018
I enjoyed this book although the story was predictable.
Short easy read
First in Black Hat series for this author
Short easy read
First in Black Hat series for this author
January 4, 2019
This book was pretty good. I only read it because it’s set on Block Island, which I love. The thriller part was fast paced and interesting. I’ve never read a hacker novel before.
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