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Alice Vega #3
Hideout
Alice Vega is sensational--I want to see lots more of her.--Lee Child
A powerful new thriller from Louisa Luna. Alice Vega and Max Caplan return, uncovering a network of white supremacists in their search for a long-lost counter-culture hero.
Alice Vega has made a career of finding the missing and vulnerable against a ticking clock, but she's never had a case like Zeb Williams, missing for over thirty years. It was 1984, and the big Cal-Stanford football game was tied with seconds left on the clock. Zeb Williams grabbed the ball and ran the wrong way, through the marching band, off the field and out of the stadium. He disappeared into legend, replete with Elvis-like sightings and a cult following.
Zeb's cold trail leads Vega to southern Oregon, where she discovers an anxious community living under siege by a local hate group called the Liberty Boys. As Vega starts digging into the past, the mystery around Zeb's disappearance grows deeper, and the reach of the Liberty Boys grows more disturbing. Everyone has something to hide, and no one can cut to the truth like Alice Vega. But this time, her partner Max Caplan has his own problems at home, and the trouble Vega finds might be too much for her to handle.
Louisa Luna understands suspense, tension, and character like only the best writers in crime fiction do--and she may well write the best interrogations in the genre. Hideout is pure adrenaline and Luna's most intimate thriller yet, a classic cold case wrapped in a timely confrontation with a terrifyingly real network of white supremacists and homegrown terrorists.
A powerful new thriller from Louisa Luna. Alice Vega and Max Caplan return, uncovering a network of white supremacists in their search for a long-lost counter-culture hero.
Alice Vega has made a career of finding the missing and vulnerable against a ticking clock, but she's never had a case like Zeb Williams, missing for over thirty years. It was 1984, and the big Cal-Stanford football game was tied with seconds left on the clock. Zeb Williams grabbed the ball and ran the wrong way, through the marching band, off the field and out of the stadium. He disappeared into legend, replete with Elvis-like sightings and a cult following.
Zeb's cold trail leads Vega to southern Oregon, where she discovers an anxious community living under siege by a local hate group called the Liberty Boys. As Vega starts digging into the past, the mystery around Zeb's disappearance grows deeper, and the reach of the Liberty Boys grows more disturbing. Everyone has something to hide, and no one can cut to the truth like Alice Vega. But this time, her partner Max Caplan has his own problems at home, and the trouble Vega finds might be too much for her to handle.
Louisa Luna understands suspense, tension, and character like only the best writers in crime fiction do--and she may well write the best interrogations in the genre. Hideout is pure adrenaline and Luna's most intimate thriller yet, a classic cold case wrapped in a timely confrontation with a terrifyingly real network of white supremacists and homegrown terrorists.
361 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 8, 2022
135 people are currently reading
1909 people want to read
About the author
Louisa Luna
8 books1,080 followersLouisa Luna is the author of the novels Brave New Girl, Crooked, and Serious As A Heart Attack. She was born and raised in the city of San Francisco and lives in Brooklyn with her husband and daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 392 reviews
March 5, 2022
This is my first taste of the Private Investigator Alice Vega series but it works fine as a standalone, although there are reference to previous cases. Vega lands herself a cold case of a missing Cal footballer and legend, Zeb Williams, last seen over 30 years ago in 1984 leaving behind everyone and everything, including his then girlfriend, Carmen. She is hired by Carmen's husband, Anton Fohl, and the only lead she has is a photograph taken in Ilona, a small town in Southern Oregon, showing Williams with a young woman, Cara Simms, and 2 other unidentified men. In Ilona, Vega finds a troubled local community, graffitti tagging the Liberty Boys, a white supremacist group with an online presence, grooming young boys.
To exacerbate matters, there is little point in a fearful and terrorised community reporting the Liberty Boys incidents to local law enforcement, Sheriff Jay Fenton, as he does not even record them. Vega being Vega can't leave matters alone as she begins to amass information on various incidents and possible perpetrators but miscalculates the danger she is in, and which results in her return to California to take some time to recover sufficiently, this time returning to Ilona, basing herself in a trailer park. Her old partner, ex-police officer Max Caplan plays a more low key part in the cold case inquiry, he carries trauma from their previous cases and has family issues, specifically spending time with his beloved 18 year old daughter, Nell, who will be leaving home soon. As Vega delves into the lives of Matt Klimmer, his son, Neil, and Fenton, among a host of others, will she be able to locate Zeb Williams?
This was an enjoyable and engaging thriller, I liked the character of Vega, a formidable and kick ass protagonist, although it has to be said she needs more back up than she has here, she is helped to some degree by the elderly Abilene Dent, but it is not enough to counter the challenges she faces as those close to her find themselves targets. I am pleased to have discovered this crime series and look forward to the next book. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
To exacerbate matters, there is little point in a fearful and terrorised community reporting the Liberty Boys incidents to local law enforcement, Sheriff Jay Fenton, as he does not even record them. Vega being Vega can't leave matters alone as she begins to amass information on various incidents and possible perpetrators but miscalculates the danger she is in, and which results in her return to California to take some time to recover sufficiently, this time returning to Ilona, basing herself in a trailer park. Her old partner, ex-police officer Max Caplan plays a more low key part in the cold case inquiry, he carries trauma from their previous cases and has family issues, specifically spending time with his beloved 18 year old daughter, Nell, who will be leaving home soon. As Vega delves into the lives of Matt Klimmer, his son, Neil, and Fenton, among a host of others, will she be able to locate Zeb Williams?
This was an enjoyable and engaging thriller, I liked the character of Vega, a formidable and kick ass protagonist, although it has to be said she needs more back up than she has here, she is helped to some degree by the elderly Abilene Dent, but it is not enough to counter the challenges she faces as those close to her find themselves targets. I am pleased to have discovered this crime series and look forward to the next book. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
April 12, 2022
Ok addition to the series. Not as good as I was hoping, but not bad.
This is the third book featuring Alice Vega. She's a private investigator who is known for finding missing people. She connects with former police detective Max Caplan. In the first book Two Girls Down, she is searching for two missing sisters. In the second book, The Janes, she is tasked to figure out the identities of two dead Jane Does. I loved the interplay between her and Cap in those books and the romantic tension was great as well.
In this installment of the series, Alice is hired to find a man who disappeared in 1984, so this time it's a cold case and there's no real sense of urgency. While I liked the investigation into what happened to that man, what I didn't like was the long, long drawn out foray into white supremacy/white supremacist groups in a small Oregon town that ended up peripherally tying into the case, but not really. The book had a LOT of stalking and fighting and intimidation and it got very old. I kept wondering when we would get back to the main investigation.
Plus, Cap wasn't in this investigation much, there wasn't any in person interaction with Alice until nearly the end. I want this relationship to progress faster! There was a great deal of drawn out exploration of Cap's relationship with his daughter, which was all well and good but way too much time was given to that.
If you're a fan of the series, I do recommend reading this one. I'll be interested to see what happens with these characters in the future. I do hope that the author goes back to the missing person cases instead of these "issues" (human trafficking in the last book, white supremacy in this one) driven plots.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
This is the third book featuring Alice Vega. She's a private investigator who is known for finding missing people. She connects with former police detective Max Caplan. In the first book Two Girls Down, she is searching for two missing sisters. In the second book, The Janes, she is tasked to figure out the identities of two dead Jane Does. I loved the interplay between her and Cap in those books and the romantic tension was great as well.
In this installment of the series, Alice is hired to find a man who disappeared in 1984, so this time it's a cold case and there's no real sense of urgency. While I liked the investigation into what happened to that man, what I didn't like was the long, long drawn out foray into white supremacy/white supremacist groups in a small Oregon town that ended up peripherally tying into the case, but not really. The book had a LOT of stalking and fighting and intimidation and it got very old. I kept wondering when we would get back to the main investigation.
Plus, Cap wasn't in this investigation much, there wasn't any in person interaction with Alice until nearly the end. I want this relationship to progress faster! There was a great deal of drawn out exploration of Cap's relationship with his daughter, which was all well and good but way too much time was given to that.
If you're a fan of the series, I do recommend reading this one. I'll be interested to see what happens with these characters in the future. I do hope that the author goes back to the missing person cases instead of these "issues" (human trafficking in the last book, white supremacy in this one) driven plots.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
May 12, 2024
**3.5-stars rounded up**
Alice Vega, still kicking butt and taking names.
Hideout is the third book in Louisa Luna's gritty Crime Thriller series, Alice Vega, featuring the badass people-finder of the same name.
In my opinion, the books in this series do not necessarily need to be read in order. In fact, I would argue they can also be read as standalones, however, you will be missing out on the gorgeous build-up of the relationship between Alice and her partner-from-afar, disgraced former cop, Max Caplan.
So, while they can be read any way you like, I would highly recommend starting at the beginning and proceeding from there. They're all really good, so you should have a fantastic time catching up, at any rate.
After the conclusion of The Janes, which was set on the West Coast of the U.S., Max returns home to the East Coast battered and bruised. That was an extremely dangerous case for him and Vega both.
The two of them begin to settle back into their regular lives, Alice working missing persons cases and Max, most importantly fathering his daughter Nell, as well as performing his private investigative work.
Vega gets bored easy though, so when she is propositioned with an unusual case, finding a missing college football player last seen 30-years ago, she jumps on it.
Normally, Vega's cases are very current and she's battling a ticking clock, so this one is quite unusual. She begins her search where the man in question, Zeb Williams, was last seen. A small town in Oregon called Ilona.
As she begins to get to know some of the locals, Vega starts to understand this town may not be as sweet and pristine as it first appears. There's a lot of dirty secrets and vicious inclinations hiding just under the surface; including an active branch of a white supremacist group.
Vega knows people are not being honest with her. She believes someone, maybe multiple someones, know what happened to Zeb. Additionally, she has a feeling the most powerful players in town may be involved.
Naturally, she calls Cap to bounce some ideas off of him. Well, really she wants his help, but Cap isn't ready.
He has a lot going on in his own life, particularly struggling with the fact that his baby girl is almost a grown-up. He can't drop everything and risk his life again just because Vega called.
I was really anticipating this release and while I enjoyed it, I didn't vibe with this one quite as much as I did with the earlier books.
If you have read this, you may be able to predict what I am going to say, but for me, part of the magic of this series is the partnership between Alice and Max. Their personalities, as well as their strengths and weaknesses, compliment each other very well. It's a solid investigative duo.
In this book, the vast majority of their interactions are long distance. This one is much more, Alice living her life on the West Coast and Max, living his life on the East.
Max is helping her only in minor ways. The case turns out to be extremely dangerous, and Alice, seemingly uncaring to risks, puts herself in incredibly nerve-wrenching circumstances. This woman seriously has a gut of steel. She's not afraid of anything.
I do love Alice as a character for that very reason. She is extremely confident, but it's because she works hard at it. She trains herself in body and mind and she knows she is prepared for anything. She knows she can perform even with her life on the line.
I also love Max. He has so many incredible qualities. I actually did really enjoy reading about his relationship with his daughter, Nell, in this one. She is a lot like him, which I think makes him really nervous!
My one hope is that in the next book of the series, which I am assuming there will be more, Max and Alice actually physically work the case together.
I feel like I am well and fully attached to these characters now. I definitely want to read more in this series. This one is really interesting. It's a lot, but it's intriguing.
I did like the backdrop of having the college football element. As a huge football fan, that was really fun. Something I don't think I have ever read before in an Adult Mystery/Thriller.
Thank you to the publisher, Doubleday Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I really appreciate it and will be keeping my fingers crossed that we get more of Vega and Cap!!!
Alice Vega, still kicking butt and taking names.
Hideout is the third book in Louisa Luna's gritty Crime Thriller series, Alice Vega, featuring the badass people-finder of the same name.
In my opinion, the books in this series do not necessarily need to be read in order. In fact, I would argue they can also be read as standalones, however, you will be missing out on the gorgeous build-up of the relationship between Alice and her partner-from-afar, disgraced former cop, Max Caplan.
So, while they can be read any way you like, I would highly recommend starting at the beginning and proceeding from there. They're all really good, so you should have a fantastic time catching up, at any rate.
After the conclusion of The Janes, which was set on the West Coast of the U.S., Max returns home to the East Coast battered and bruised. That was an extremely dangerous case for him and Vega both.
The two of them begin to settle back into their regular lives, Alice working missing persons cases and Max, most importantly fathering his daughter Nell, as well as performing his private investigative work.
Vega gets bored easy though, so when she is propositioned with an unusual case, finding a missing college football player last seen 30-years ago, she jumps on it.
Normally, Vega's cases are very current and she's battling a ticking clock, so this one is quite unusual. She begins her search where the man in question, Zeb Williams, was last seen. A small town in Oregon called Ilona.
As she begins to get to know some of the locals, Vega starts to understand this town may not be as sweet and pristine as it first appears. There's a lot of dirty secrets and vicious inclinations hiding just under the surface; including an active branch of a white supremacist group.
Vega knows people are not being honest with her. She believes someone, maybe multiple someones, know what happened to Zeb. Additionally, she has a feeling the most powerful players in town may be involved.
Naturally, she calls Cap to bounce some ideas off of him. Well, really she wants his help, but Cap isn't ready.
He has a lot going on in his own life, particularly struggling with the fact that his baby girl is almost a grown-up. He can't drop everything and risk his life again just because Vega called.
I was really anticipating this release and while I enjoyed it, I didn't vibe with this one quite as much as I did with the earlier books.
If you have read this, you may be able to predict what I am going to say, but for me, part of the magic of this series is the partnership between Alice and Max. Their personalities, as well as their strengths and weaknesses, compliment each other very well. It's a solid investigative duo.
In this book, the vast majority of their interactions are long distance. This one is much more, Alice living her life on the West Coast and Max, living his life on the East.
Max is helping her only in minor ways. The case turns out to be extremely dangerous, and Alice, seemingly uncaring to risks, puts herself in incredibly nerve-wrenching circumstances. This woman seriously has a gut of steel. She's not afraid of anything.
I do love Alice as a character for that very reason. She is extremely confident, but it's because she works hard at it. She trains herself in body and mind and she knows she is prepared for anything. She knows she can perform even with her life on the line.
I also love Max. He has so many incredible qualities. I actually did really enjoy reading about his relationship with his daughter, Nell, in this one. She is a lot like him, which I think makes him really nervous!
My one hope is that in the next book of the series, which I am assuming there will be more, Max and Alice actually physically work the case together.
I feel like I am well and fully attached to these characters now. I definitely want to read more in this series. This one is really interesting. It's a lot, but it's intriguing.
I did like the backdrop of having the college football element. As a huge football fan, that was really fun. Something I don't think I have ever read before in an Adult Mystery/Thriller.
Thank you to the publisher, Doubleday Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I really appreciate it and will be keeping my fingers crossed that we get more of Vega and Cap!!!
February 22, 2022
Alice Vega is a unique private investigator who is extraordinarily good at finding missing persons. In this third book of the series, she is asked to find missing sports star Zeb Williams who disappeared ten years ago. Many have tried to find him before but no one has succeeded. Alice’s only lead is a photo of him taking in a small town of Ilona in Oregon not long after his disappearance. While she’s making enquiries of people who knew him then, she comes across a group of local young white nationalists hell bent on making life difficult for those who don’t agree with them. Her decision to take them on, not only distracts her from her original mission but causes trouble for her family and friends.
Although Alice is a smart, resourceful PI who isn’t afraid to ask the hard questions and charge in boots and all, it seems a bit of a stretch for her to go full-on lone wolf to take on this dangerous group of violent young men by herself, especially with the Sheriff trying to get her to leave town. Alice’s one time partner, ex-cop Max Caplan is noticeably absent, tied up with family business, and also not knowing where he stands with Alice. Hopefully, we’ll see Cap back next time, or at least a new side-kick for Alice so she has someone to share the case with and to watch her back. The ending was also just too contrived and didn’t really work for me. Despite that, there were many enjoyable scenes, snippets of humour and interesting characters and I won’t hesitate to look out for the next book in the series. 3.5★
With thanks to Text Publishing for a copy to read
Although Alice is a smart, resourceful PI who isn’t afraid to ask the hard questions and charge in boots and all, it seems a bit of a stretch for her to go full-on lone wolf to take on this dangerous group of violent young men by herself, especially with the Sheriff trying to get her to leave town. Alice’s one time partner, ex-cop Max Caplan is noticeably absent, tied up with family business, and also not knowing where he stands with Alice. Hopefully, we’ll see Cap back next time, or at least a new side-kick for Alice so she has someone to share the case with and to watch her back. The ending was also just too contrived and didn’t really work for me. Despite that, there were many enjoyable scenes, snippets of humour and interesting characters and I won’t hesitate to look out for the next book in the series. 3.5★
With thanks to Text Publishing for a copy to read
January 1, 2022
In the first book in the series, I described Alice Vega as a female Jack Reacher kind of character. The description still fits, even more so in this book. Here, the plot even smacks of a JR story - an outlier comes to a small town and takes on a group of white nationalists, including the sheriff. I can’t say it worked for me. The premise seemed a stretch - that she’d tackle this out of the blue when she comes to the town on an entirely different mission.
The case she’s meant to be working is of some college football star that went missing 30 years before, after purposely running the football for a safety during the big game. And the ending was so unbelievable I almost laughed.
Sorry, but none of this really made sense to me. It was so ridiculous I doubt I will try the next book in the series, even though I enjoyed the prior two. Bear in mind, I’m not a big fan of thrillers. I do think this will work for those that like over the top, fast paced thrillers. (Again, I’m thinking of Jack Reacher). You just can’t be looking for anything realistic.
My thanks to Netgalley and Doubleday Books for an advance copy of this book.
The case she’s meant to be working is of some college football star that went missing 30 years before, after purposely running the football for a safety during the big game. And the ending was so unbelievable I almost laughed.
Sorry, but none of this really made sense to me. It was so ridiculous I doubt I will try the next book in the series, even though I enjoyed the prior two. Bear in mind, I’m not a big fan of thrillers. I do think this will work for those that like over the top, fast paced thrillers. (Again, I’m thinking of Jack Reacher). You just can’t be looking for anything realistic.
My thanks to Netgalley and Doubleday Books for an advance copy of this book.
March 2, 2022
Alice Vega is like the Energizer Bunny. She takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Zeb Williams has been missing for decades after a controversial run from a college football game. His last known location was Ilona, Oregon so Vega spends much of this book in that small town. Will Cap be her partner again? If you shook your Magic 8 ball to find out, you might start with an "Outlook not so good." Shake it later, your results might change. Instead of highlighting the sex traffic scene, this book lights up the dark world of fringe rightwing white supremacy rings. It is not a pretty picture and Vega gets more than she bargains for. In the past I have compared Alice Vega to Jack Reacher. She also reminds me of Kinsey Milhone with mad Ninja skills. This gritty, gripping series is worth checking it out if you haven't already done so. Hang in there, all you fans of Vega + Cap. There is hope.
Thank you to Doubleday and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Doubleday and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
February 2, 2022
"Evil people always support each other; that is their chief strength." (Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn)
The bottom feeders of life seem to gravitate toward one another. They sustain their life style living in the muck and the mire of their demented ideas convinced that they are far superior to the rest of us. They wear misery like a second skin.
Alice Vega, private investigator extraordinaire, takes on the crud of life. She's been recently hired to find an ex-football hero who has been missing since 1984. With not much to go on except for Zeb Williams' "take no prisoners" antics on the field at UC Berkeley, Alice has her work cut out for her.
Alice leaves Sacramento and dogs it to the small town of Ilona, Oregon where Zeb was last seen. This time Alice is moving about without her dedicated partner, Max "Cap" Caplan who has family matters brewing. I've liked the creation of the vigilante persona of Alice Vega, but I've also appreciated the sage advice and experiential background of ol' Cap. I think this novel slid a few rungs on the ladder because of this.
Alice sticks out like a sore thumb in Ilona. Can't do too much sleuthing without getting some notice. The minute she starts bringing up Zeb's name, the locals start taking notes. And with that comes the stirring of a slime bunch called the Liberty Boys. Let's just say that from here on out, Hideout now becomes formulaic and almost predictable. Bad dudes and lone, tough chick. Each will take turns getting busted up. I did like the trailer dweller character of Dart who was an old buddy of Zeb's and more than willing to hang with Alice.
Although not my favorite edition to this series, the character of Alice Vega should be checked out especially in the first offering of Two Girls Down. Hideout just tried too hard to lay the ground work that Vega is a force to be reckoned with. The ending just didn't cut it as well. Bring back Cap or introduce a new partner for Vega next time, Louisa Luna. The originality of this series is its selling point.....not the carbon copy of toughie female P.I. with a chip on her shoulder the size of Sacramento. Alice Vega just needs to find an out-of-the-ordinary case that gives back her bite. It's out there. We dedicated fans will be on the ready when she does.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Doubleday Books and to Louisa Luna for the opportunity.
The bottom feeders of life seem to gravitate toward one another. They sustain their life style living in the muck and the mire of their demented ideas convinced that they are far superior to the rest of us. They wear misery like a second skin.
Alice Vega, private investigator extraordinaire, takes on the crud of life. She's been recently hired to find an ex-football hero who has been missing since 1984. With not much to go on except for Zeb Williams' "take no prisoners" antics on the field at UC Berkeley, Alice has her work cut out for her.
Alice leaves Sacramento and dogs it to the small town of Ilona, Oregon where Zeb was last seen. This time Alice is moving about without her dedicated partner, Max "Cap" Caplan who has family matters brewing. I've liked the creation of the vigilante persona of Alice Vega, but I've also appreciated the sage advice and experiential background of ol' Cap. I think this novel slid a few rungs on the ladder because of this.
Alice sticks out like a sore thumb in Ilona. Can't do too much sleuthing without getting some notice. The minute she starts bringing up Zeb's name, the locals start taking notes. And with that comes the stirring of a slime bunch called the Liberty Boys. Let's just say that from here on out, Hideout now becomes formulaic and almost predictable. Bad dudes and lone, tough chick. Each will take turns getting busted up. I did like the trailer dweller character of Dart who was an old buddy of Zeb's and more than willing to hang with Alice.
Although not my favorite edition to this series, the character of Alice Vega should be checked out especially in the first offering of Two Girls Down. Hideout just tried too hard to lay the ground work that Vega is a force to be reckoned with. The ending just didn't cut it as well. Bring back Cap or introduce a new partner for Vega next time, Louisa Luna. The originality of this series is its selling point.....not the carbon copy of toughie female P.I. with a chip on her shoulder the size of Sacramento. Alice Vega just needs to find an out-of-the-ordinary case that gives back her bite. It's out there. We dedicated fans will be on the ready when she does.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Doubleday Books and to Louisa Luna for the opportunity.
March 25, 2022
Who you gonna call? Alice Vega!
Alice Vega is back and this time she has been called upon to find football player Zeb Williams who literally ran the wrong way and kept on running. Just where did he go? What happened to him? Will Vega find him?
Vega is an interesting, flawed, gritty, strong, and intriguing character. So is Max Caplan. In this book they are up against white supremacists. This is not a simple missing person's case. Plus, there is that dynamic between Vega and Cap. He has an almost grown daughter and wants to work on their relationship and being in her life, and well, you can't really do that if you knee deep in it.
I devoured the previous books in this series, but I found this one hard to get into and once I was there, although I enjoyed this one, it failed to "wow" me as the other books in the series did. I'll still be anxiously waiting for the next book in the series.
Thank you to Text publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Alice Vega is back and this time she has been called upon to find football player Zeb Williams who literally ran the wrong way and kept on running. Just where did he go? What happened to him? Will Vega find him?
Vega is an interesting, flawed, gritty, strong, and intriguing character. So is Max Caplan. In this book they are up against white supremacists. This is not a simple missing person's case. Plus, there is that dynamic between Vega and Cap. He has an almost grown daughter and wants to work on their relationship and being in her life, and well, you can't really do that if you knee deep in it.
I devoured the previous books in this series, but I found this one hard to get into and once I was there, although I enjoyed this one, it failed to "wow" me as the other books in the series did. I'll still be anxiously waiting for the next book in the series.
Thank you to Text publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
March 25, 2022
PI Alice Vega had been tasked with finding Zeb Williams, an athlete who was famous for ‘the run’, something no one could understand. He’d vanished thirty years prior and although he’d been looked for many times, he was still missing. What Vega uncovered in the small town of Ilona – the last place Zeb had been seen – was white supremacists and a gang – the Liberty Boys - so cruel and vicious that she was determined to take them all down.
While ex-cop Max Caplan and Vega were normally partners in the PI business, they were estranged because of a previous case. So Vega did it all on her own. The obvious danger to her wasn’t something she thought too much about, her infiltration of the Liberty Boys more important to her case. But when it affected her father as well as Cap’s daughter Nell, it made her angry. Would Vega succeed in her wish to oust the members of the Liberty Boys? And would she find Zeb Williams?
Hideout is the 3rd in the Alice Vega series by Louisa Luna, and the first of the author’s I have read. I feel Hideout easily stands alone – it did for me, not having read the first two. Vega is a crazy one-person tornado with two sides to her. Some of the things she did!! But it was her way or no way – and she got results! A twisty, adrenalin-filled thriller, Hideout is one I happily recommend.
With thanks to Text Publishing for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
While ex-cop Max Caplan and Vega were normally partners in the PI business, they were estranged because of a previous case. So Vega did it all on her own. The obvious danger to her wasn’t something she thought too much about, her infiltration of the Liberty Boys more important to her case. But when it affected her father as well as Cap’s daughter Nell, it made her angry. Would Vega succeed in her wish to oust the members of the Liberty Boys? And would she find Zeb Williams?
Hideout is the 3rd in the Alice Vega series by Louisa Luna, and the first of the author’s I have read. I feel Hideout easily stands alone – it did for me, not having read the first two. Vega is a crazy one-person tornado with two sides to her. Some of the things she did!! But it was her way or no way – and she got results! A twisty, adrenalin-filled thriller, Hideout is one I happily recommend.
With thanks to Text Publishing for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
April 1, 2022
Vega, Vega, Vega.
Where’s my gun, fuckface?
This book appeared unexpectedly in my letterbox from Text Publishing, and I’d like to thank them profusely for this. Such an excellent read. I was intrigued, and as is my want, hunted down numbers one and two in the series; these books should absolutely be read in sequence to absorb the full experience. I listened to the first two which sped up the process to reach this instalment. What a quality series. I will also seek out this in audio, it is worth reading twice (narrator Tavia Gilbert is outstanding).
PI Alice Vega is crazy strong, resilient, unafraid, and quirky. Her forte is missing people, her strike rate excellent. She has veered away from this here and is attacking a cold case, a particularly strange case of the disappearance of a young college football hero who disappeared in the oddest way, back in the 1980’s, literally running away from a football field mid game.
Vega works better alone, but does have a long-suffering partner, Alex Caplan, Cap as he is known, who plays a much lesser part here. Their relationship is paramount to the Alice Vega series, and in my opinion, integral to the series, thus my insistence to read in order.
This case takes Vega to Oregon, and a murky region where white supremacists are infiltrating the young folk with nasty ties to many of the community. The community is on edge, and Vega will bust any balls she needs to. Vega gets into character and digs deep to crack this case – unafraid to fall into deep danger. Able to fall into someone else, splitting herself into two different beings to get what she needs. Always showing a rock hard exterior, the author showed a couple of skilled scenes where we saw a softer side, quietly noticed by Cap also.
Number three is all Vega, in the back of my mind consistently was Cap and how he was going to reappear. His relationship with his college aged daughter is also paramount to this series as well, between the three of them the riddle of this case slowly creeps to a quite thrilling conclusion.
Vega’s physical resilience is most impressive, I do yoga at an extremely basic level, and reading about her practice is fun, I had to re-read and re-read the yoga sequences to work out what the heck she was doing. A one-handed headstand while encumbered? Vega, you rock.
Where’s my gun, fuckface?
This book appeared unexpectedly in my letterbox from Text Publishing, and I’d like to thank them profusely for this. Such an excellent read. I was intrigued, and as is my want, hunted down numbers one and two in the series; these books should absolutely be read in sequence to absorb the full experience. I listened to the first two which sped up the process to reach this instalment. What a quality series. I will also seek out this in audio, it is worth reading twice (narrator Tavia Gilbert is outstanding).
PI Alice Vega is crazy strong, resilient, unafraid, and quirky. Her forte is missing people, her strike rate excellent. She has veered away from this here and is attacking a cold case, a particularly strange case of the disappearance of a young college football hero who disappeared in the oddest way, back in the 1980’s, literally running away from a football field mid game.
Vega works better alone, but does have a long-suffering partner, Alex Caplan, Cap as he is known, who plays a much lesser part here. Their relationship is paramount to the Alice Vega series, and in my opinion, integral to the series, thus my insistence to read in order.
This case takes Vega to Oregon, and a murky region where white supremacists are infiltrating the young folk with nasty ties to many of the community. The community is on edge, and Vega will bust any balls she needs to. Vega gets into character and digs deep to crack this case – unafraid to fall into deep danger. Able to fall into someone else, splitting herself into two different beings to get what she needs. Always showing a rock hard exterior, the author showed a couple of skilled scenes where we saw a softer side, quietly noticed by Cap also.
Number three is all Vega, in the back of my mind consistently was Cap and how he was going to reappear. His relationship with his college aged daughter is also paramount to this series as well, between the three of them the riddle of this case slowly creeps to a quite thrilling conclusion.
Vega’s physical resilience is most impressive, I do yoga at an extremely basic level, and reading about her practice is fun, I had to re-read and re-read the yoga sequences to work out what the heck she was doing. A one-handed headstand while encumbered? Vega, you rock.
May 23, 2022
3.5 Alive Vega is a kick ass investigator who specializes in finding the missing. A well known college football player does an extremely unusual thing during an important game and then disappears. Seen only once in thirty years, this is the case with which Vega is tasked. It will turn dangerous when during the hunt she will find herself confronting white supremacists and their !on reach.
Although the first in series remains my favorite, this turned into a devastating timely read as while reading this the killings in Boston occured. Such a horrific happening with white supremacy at its core. The violence portrayed that Alice suffers at their hands mimics the real violence they cause.
I did very much enjoy the way this book ended, and also meeting Cap and his daughter again.
Although the first in series remains my favorite, this turned into a devastating timely read as while reading this the killings in Boston occured. Such a horrific happening with white supremacy at its core. The violence portrayed that Alice suffers at their hands mimics the real violence they cause.
I did very much enjoy the way this book ended, and also meeting Cap and his daughter again.
March 24, 2022
⭐️4 Stars⭐️
Hideout by Louisa Luna is gripping crime fiction that was intense, edge of your seat and gritty!
Private Investigator Alice Varga finds missing persons and lands herself the cold case of missing footballer, Zeb Williams. Varga is a kick-ass, resourceful and particularly creative woman who seems to have no fear whatsoever! She has exceptional skills at finding people that don’t want to be found, however Varga’s methods sometimes border on unhinged.
Zeb Williams has been missing for thirty years, last seen playing the big Cal-Stanford football game where he grabbed the ball and ran the wrong way, straight off the field and out of the stadium. He became legendary with a cult following.
The small town of Ilona appears to hold a clue as the last place Zeb was sighted. Our protagonist heads there where she comes across an emerging problem with a disturbing group named the Liberty Boys who are part of a white supremacist network.
There’s a hell of a lot of action, violence and surprising twists as she follows leads, will Varga be able to solve this case ?
I liked the relationship between Alice and Cap an ex-cop and her partner who is dealing with his own problems, I also warmed to Caps character.
A very richly detailed and edgy read.
Publication date 16 March 2022
Publisher Text Publishing
Thank you so much to Text Publishing for an early copy of the book to review.
Hideout by Louisa Luna is gripping crime fiction that was intense, edge of your seat and gritty!
Private Investigator Alice Varga finds missing persons and lands herself the cold case of missing footballer, Zeb Williams. Varga is a kick-ass, resourceful and particularly creative woman who seems to have no fear whatsoever! She has exceptional skills at finding people that don’t want to be found, however Varga’s methods sometimes border on unhinged.
Zeb Williams has been missing for thirty years, last seen playing the big Cal-Stanford football game where he grabbed the ball and ran the wrong way, straight off the field and out of the stadium. He became legendary with a cult following.
The small town of Ilona appears to hold a clue as the last place Zeb was sighted. Our protagonist heads there where she comes across an emerging problem with a disturbing group named the Liberty Boys who are part of a white supremacist network.
There’s a hell of a lot of action, violence and surprising twists as she follows leads, will Varga be able to solve this case ?
I liked the relationship between Alice and Cap an ex-cop and her partner who is dealing with his own problems, I also warmed to Caps character.
A very richly detailed and edgy read.
Publication date 16 March 2022
Publisher Text Publishing
Thank you so much to Text Publishing for an early copy of the book to review.
February 21, 2022
Detective Alice Vega is back in her third series installment, Hideout; searching for missing football player Zeb Williams who ran the wrong way on the field in the final seconds of a tied game, disappearing from the stadium and in to local legend 30 years ago.
Vega finds herself in Oregon thanks to a small clue but her search for Zeb is interrupted by a disturbing group of white supremacists. These two unrelated cases seemed an odd combination but as readers see Vega handle this case solo (her partner Cap from the first two books in the series is dealing with his own stuff at home) we learn more about the enigmatic detective than we have previously. This is another slow burn thriller but this time we see a whole new level of badass from Vega and I was here for every second of it!
While I was required to suspend my disbelief a tad more than I expected, I enjoyed getting to understand Alice Vega a bit more and am hopeful the next book will see Vega and Cap reunited with a case as strong as the first two books.
Thanks to Doubleday and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Hideout is scheduled for release on March 8, 2022.
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
Vega finds herself in Oregon thanks to a small clue but her search for Zeb is interrupted by a disturbing group of white supremacists. These two unrelated cases seemed an odd combination but as readers see Vega handle this case solo (her partner Cap from the first two books in the series is dealing with his own stuff at home) we learn more about the enigmatic detective than we have previously. This is another slow burn thriller but this time we see a whole new level of badass from Vega and I was here for every second of it!
While I was required to suspend my disbelief a tad more than I expected, I enjoyed getting to understand Alice Vega a bit more and am hopeful the next book will see Vega and Cap reunited with a case as strong as the first two books.
Thanks to Doubleday and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Hideout is scheduled for release on March 8, 2022.
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
July 26, 2023
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**4.5 stars**
Hideout by Louisa Luna. (2022).
(Alice Vega; #3).
PI Alice Vega is hired to track down Zeb Williams, whose mysterious disappearance has earned him a cult following and still haunts the marriage of his ex-girlfriend. Estranged from her partner and ex-cop Max Caplan, Vega heads alone to the small town Zeb was last seen, where an anxious community is threatened by a local hate group. As Vega infiltrates the group, she uncovers disturbing secrets that put at risk her own father and Cap's daughter. No one can cut to the truth like Vega, but this time is it too much for her to handle?
This is one of my favourite crime thriler series, and you can absolutely read each book as a standalone if you wish. Alice is such a bad-ass female lead character, it's truly exhilarating when she takes on the bad guys and gives them what for. This storyline was intriguing as it starts off with a cold case of a long missing sports star, and somehow also turns into Alice infiltrating a local white supremacist gang in a small town - violence is a big feature. Differing from the first two books was the mostly absent Max Caplan, and I did miss their connection so hopefully a future book will have him feature more heavily with more involvement together.
Overall: another fantastic Alice Vega crime thriller that I'd highly recommend, I sincerely hope there's more to come.
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
**4.5 stars**
Hideout by Louisa Luna. (2022).
(Alice Vega; #3).
PI Alice Vega is hired to track down Zeb Williams, whose mysterious disappearance has earned him a cult following and still haunts the marriage of his ex-girlfriend. Estranged from her partner and ex-cop Max Caplan, Vega heads alone to the small town Zeb was last seen, where an anxious community is threatened by a local hate group. As Vega infiltrates the group, she uncovers disturbing secrets that put at risk her own father and Cap's daughter. No one can cut to the truth like Vega, but this time is it too much for her to handle?
This is one of my favourite crime thriler series, and you can absolutely read each book as a standalone if you wish. Alice is such a bad-ass female lead character, it's truly exhilarating when she takes on the bad guys and gives them what for. This storyline was intriguing as it starts off with a cold case of a long missing sports star, and somehow also turns into Alice infiltrating a local white supremacist gang in a small town - violence is a big feature. Differing from the first two books was the mostly absent Max Caplan, and I did miss their connection so hopefully a future book will have him feature more heavily with more involvement together.
Overall: another fantastic Alice Vega crime thriller that I'd highly recommend, I sincerely hope there's more to come.
December 24, 2022
4 stars!
This is one of the best detective thriller series currently being published. More people should be reading Alice Vega! This latest dive into rural Oregon white supremacy culture was as sharp and cutting as the first two books—and equally pulse-pounding.
Concept: ★★★★★
Plot/Pacing: ★★★
Character arcs: ★★★★
Alice Vega has a talent. She can find anyone. Dead or alive, long cold or recently missing—if you have a missing person, Vega is the person you want in your corner. A paid private dynamo outside of the law, Vega is clinical, rational, and ultimately a bloodhound on the scent when it comes to people and their motives.
Having watched Vega find two missing girls in Two Girls Down, and then several missing women in a vicious female trafficking situation, The Janes, it was quite the change of pace to see Alice Vega take on a new type of case: Zeb Williams, the missing college football star.
It's a thirty-year-old cold case with a sensational premise. One day, it's the final moments of an important college football game and it's Zeb Williams' time to shine. But instead of playing the final round of the game, Zeb takes off. As in, he runs off the field with the ball. And into the streets. And into oblivion.
He is never heard from again.
Now it's Vega's time to find Zeb, and the trail takes her to Ilona, Oregon. One of the last places you'd expect to find a young Black football player's trail, but that doesn't stop Vega. There's a simmering hint of violence in this town, and the not-so-hidden signs of white supremacy groups on the fringes. The vibes are bad. And no one wants to talk to Vega.
Armed with her unflappable sense of strength, Vega investigates this brutal small town. Will she find out what happened to Zeb? And, worryingly, will Vega herself make it out of Ilona?
I thought Hideout was a very solid third act in the Vega universe. Breaking away from the previous two books in scope and concept, this one follows a missing man for the first time and engages with racial politics in America to the uncomfortable edge. Just how Vega herself rubs people the wrong way with her sharpness, her endless focus, Hideout refused to turn away from the unrelenting truths of its narrative.
The pacing was tight (it always is).
The character arcs took on new depths for Vega and her sometimes-partner, Max Caplan—which was even more impressive in this installment because Caplan himself is barely present. Following the events of The Janes, Caplan uneasily sits this current adventure out on the sidelines for most of this tale. It's another uncomfortable edge in this story that is worried over and worried like feeling the edge of a piece of ragged fabric. Caplan and Vega can't see to stop their orbit around each other, and yet aren't connecting on the same frequency. That push/pull was so gripping and so well done. I prefer it when they are together, of course, but for this particular novel it worked so well. (And, without going into spoilers, this seemed to be a one-time problem.)
My only regret for this particular story was its mystery. The mystery of Zeb Williams was there, and it was important, but it also...wasn't. The larger narrative in Oregon and the personal dynamics between Vega, Caplan, and other characters took center stage and then some. I wish we'd had more time devoted to Zeb... and maybe a more interesting/surprising ending, if I'm honest.
I look forward to these books every year. Keep them coming, Louisa Luna!!
Blog | Instagram
This is one of the best detective thriller series currently being published. More people should be reading Alice Vega! This latest dive into rural Oregon white supremacy culture was as sharp and cutting as the first two books—and equally pulse-pounding.
Concept: ★★★★★
Plot/Pacing: ★★★
Character arcs: ★★★★
Alice Vega has a talent. She can find anyone. Dead or alive, long cold or recently missing—if you have a missing person, Vega is the person you want in your corner. A paid private dynamo outside of the law, Vega is clinical, rational, and ultimately a bloodhound on the scent when it comes to people and their motives.
Having watched Vega find two missing girls in Two Girls Down, and then several missing women in a vicious female trafficking situation, The Janes, it was quite the change of pace to see Alice Vega take on a new type of case: Zeb Williams, the missing college football star.
It's a thirty-year-old cold case with a sensational premise. One day, it's the final moments of an important college football game and it's Zeb Williams' time to shine. But instead of playing the final round of the game, Zeb takes off. As in, he runs off the field with the ball. And into the streets. And into oblivion.
He is never heard from again.
Now it's Vega's time to find Zeb, and the trail takes her to Ilona, Oregon. One of the last places you'd expect to find a young Black football player's trail, but that doesn't stop Vega. There's a simmering hint of violence in this town, and the not-so-hidden signs of white supremacy groups on the fringes. The vibes are bad. And no one wants to talk to Vega.
Armed with her unflappable sense of strength, Vega investigates this brutal small town. Will she find out what happened to Zeb? And, worryingly, will Vega herself make it out of Ilona?
I thought Hideout was a very solid third act in the Vega universe. Breaking away from the previous two books in scope and concept, this one follows a missing man for the first time and engages with racial politics in America to the uncomfortable edge. Just how Vega herself rubs people the wrong way with her sharpness, her endless focus, Hideout refused to turn away from the unrelenting truths of its narrative.
The pacing was tight (it always is).
The character arcs took on new depths for Vega and her sometimes-partner, Max Caplan—which was even more impressive in this installment because Caplan himself is barely present. Following the events of The Janes, Caplan uneasily sits this current adventure out on the sidelines for most of this tale. It's another uncomfortable edge in this story that is worried over and worried like feeling the edge of a piece of ragged fabric. Caplan and Vega can't see to stop their orbit around each other, and yet aren't connecting on the same frequency. That push/pull was so gripping and so well done. I prefer it when they are together, of course, but for this particular novel it worked so well. (And, without going into spoilers, this seemed to be a one-time problem.)
My only regret for this particular story was its mystery. The mystery of Zeb Williams was there, and it was important, but it also...wasn't. The larger narrative in Oregon and the personal dynamics between Vega, Caplan, and other characters took center stage and then some. I wish we'd had more time devoted to Zeb... and maybe a more interesting/surprising ending, if I'm honest.
I look forward to these books every year. Keep them coming, Louisa Luna!!
Blog | Instagram
February 12, 2022
Hideout is the third book in the Alice Vega series by American author, Louisa Luna. Cold cases are not PI Alice Vega’s usual remit; missing persons or minors in distress are what she typically delves into. But now she’s looking for the famous 1984 Cal kicker, Zeb Williams, at the request of his one-time girlfriend’s husband.
Max Caplan declines her offer to include him: in the five months since she almost got him killed three times, he has found steady investigative work for a local public interest lawyer, and he wants to see as much of Nell as possible before she goes off to Princeton. Vega heads to small-town Southern Oregon on her own.
Ilona is the last place anyone saw Zeb, so Vega is chatting to anyone who met him over thirty years earlier, which isn’t providing a lot of intel: it’s not looking promising for closing this case. But she quickly intuits that some people are afraid, and a white nationalist/alt-right group, Liberty Pure, is responsible. Young men are vandalising property, poisoning pets and threatening the children of certain targets. Can Vega leave that alone?
Alice Vega is clever, capable and confident in her own skills, and has access to fantastic IT resources, but that slight arrogance sees her misjudging the danger these young men present, to her detriment, and that of her father. A time of recouperation is required but, rather than being deterred, Vega is now even more determined to administer admonitions and issue warnings or threats as necessary. Tracking down the vandals who have targeted her family is not all that difficult when you have Vega’s contacts…
Meanwhile, in Denville, Philadelphia, Nell Caplan’s possessions are also the target of vandals; could this be due to Cap’s association with Vega? Or is this a separate set of disaffected youths. Nell has no intention of taking it lying down, but Cap vetoes any personal involvement by Nell for this investigation: keeping his daughter safe is still always his first priority.
There’s plenty of action in this instalment, some of it quite violent. In the course of her inquiries, Vega has occasion to purchase a baseball bat and some cans of blue spray paint, both of which she later puts to good use. She poses as a potential Pure recruit to learn more about those in charge. There’s target practice on pears with an ageing TV star, a siege situation with a sniper, and a sheriff’s badge prop plays an important role.
It's not always clear to readers exactly why Vega takes certain actions, and perhaps they are not alone: “She hadn’t planned this. In truth, on a lot of the cases she worked, she didn’t actually plan much of anything. Her job was like staggering blindfolded through the woods, holding your arms out to graze the trees with your fingertips before you ran into them.” But she seems to get there in the end.
Is the story poorer for the absence of the Vega/Caplan dynamic when questioning suspects? Probably, although their text messages are entertaining. Does Vega’s (often laugh-out-loud funny) audacity, when on her game, compensate? Maybe, but more of them working in tandem in future books would be welcome, and fans will be pleased that they seem to have acknowledged their strong feelings and accepted a deep connection. The dynamic between Nell and Cap is still fun, even as this incredibly mature teen grows up. Once again, gripping crime fiction with a final twist that is sure to elicit a smile. Highly recommended!
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by Text Publishing.
Max Caplan declines her offer to include him: in the five months since she almost got him killed three times, he has found steady investigative work for a local public interest lawyer, and he wants to see as much of Nell as possible before she goes off to Princeton. Vega heads to small-town Southern Oregon on her own.
Ilona is the last place anyone saw Zeb, so Vega is chatting to anyone who met him over thirty years earlier, which isn’t providing a lot of intel: it’s not looking promising for closing this case. But she quickly intuits that some people are afraid, and a white nationalist/alt-right group, Liberty Pure, is responsible. Young men are vandalising property, poisoning pets and threatening the children of certain targets. Can Vega leave that alone?
Alice Vega is clever, capable and confident in her own skills, and has access to fantastic IT resources, but that slight arrogance sees her misjudging the danger these young men present, to her detriment, and that of her father. A time of recouperation is required but, rather than being deterred, Vega is now even more determined to administer admonitions and issue warnings or threats as necessary. Tracking down the vandals who have targeted her family is not all that difficult when you have Vega’s contacts…
Meanwhile, in Denville, Philadelphia, Nell Caplan’s possessions are also the target of vandals; could this be due to Cap’s association with Vega? Or is this a separate set of disaffected youths. Nell has no intention of taking it lying down, but Cap vetoes any personal involvement by Nell for this investigation: keeping his daughter safe is still always his first priority.
There’s plenty of action in this instalment, some of it quite violent. In the course of her inquiries, Vega has occasion to purchase a baseball bat and some cans of blue spray paint, both of which she later puts to good use. She poses as a potential Pure recruit to learn more about those in charge. There’s target practice on pears with an ageing TV star, a siege situation with a sniper, and a sheriff’s badge prop plays an important role.
It's not always clear to readers exactly why Vega takes certain actions, and perhaps they are not alone: “She hadn’t planned this. In truth, on a lot of the cases she worked, she didn’t actually plan much of anything. Her job was like staggering blindfolded through the woods, holding your arms out to graze the trees with your fingertips before you ran into them.” But she seems to get there in the end.
Is the story poorer for the absence of the Vega/Caplan dynamic when questioning suspects? Probably, although their text messages are entertaining. Does Vega’s (often laugh-out-loud funny) audacity, when on her game, compensate? Maybe, but more of them working in tandem in future books would be welcome, and fans will be pleased that they seem to have acknowledged their strong feelings and accepted a deep connection. The dynamic between Nell and Cap is still fun, even as this incredibly mature teen grows up. Once again, gripping crime fiction with a final twist that is sure to elicit a smile. Highly recommended!
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by Text Publishing.
March 30, 2025
Listened. Tavia Gilbert can do no wrong.
Ah, so is this it then? The series has ended? Or has it? Do we know if V and Cap will return yet again? I certainly hope so.
I have really enjoyed this series overall. To be sure, this third book was not the best of the three, but it had what the other two had in spades: deliciously-drawn characters. Plenty of action. Some funny moments of reprieve. Handstands. Oh, and pitch-perfect dialogue.
I just wasn't as taken by the plot in Hideout as I was with #1 and #2, mostly because I wanted there to be waaay more interactions between two of my favorite characters ever created (C and A).
Boy, did I love the ending, though. Yeah. Totally great.
Ah, so is this it then? The series has ended? Or has it? Do we know if V and Cap will return yet again? I certainly hope so.
I have really enjoyed this series overall. To be sure, this third book was not the best of the three, but it had what the other two had in spades: deliciously-drawn characters. Plenty of action. Some funny moments of reprieve. Handstands. Oh, and pitch-perfect dialogue.
I just wasn't as taken by the plot in Hideout as I was with #1 and #2, mostly because I wanted there to be waaay more interactions between two of my favorite characters ever created (C and A).
Boy, did I love the ending, though. Yeah. Totally great.
February 3, 2022
The Alice Vega series is a great thriller series with lots of action. Alice finds missing people - it's her thing. But this time she's hired to take a cold case and find a man who has been missing for 30 years. In 1984, Zeb Williams was playing in the Cal-Stanford football game with the score tied and seconds left in the game. When the ball snapped, Zeb grabs the ball and runs in the wrong direction, running through the marching band, then out of the stadium and through the parking lot. He is never seen again. Oh there have been sightings, but nothing confirmed except for one picture - two men and a woman and Zeb in Ilona, Oregon. Alice heads that way and begins her investigation.
Alice is quite resourceful and I found some of her methods disturbing and violent. I don't remember feeling this disturbed by her actions in the first two books. Normally I like the character, but this time I'm not so sure. I will keep reading though, if there is another in the series. Despite this, Alice does have good intentions and goes after the bad guys. Her sometimes partner Caplan appears in this one too, although most of the time he's home dealing with family issues. I enjoyed the character Dart, who added some levity to the tension.
Thanks to Doubleday Books through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on March 15, 2022.
Alice is quite resourceful and I found some of her methods disturbing and violent. I don't remember feeling this disturbed by her actions in the first two books. Normally I like the character, but this time I'm not so sure. I will keep reading though, if there is another in the series. Despite this, Alice does have good intentions and goes after the bad guys. Her sometimes partner Caplan appears in this one too, although most of the time he's home dealing with family issues. I enjoyed the character Dart, who added some levity to the tension.
Thanks to Doubleday Books through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on March 15, 2022.
March 8, 2022
This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I enjoyed this book! I was first enamored with Vega and Cap when I read Two Girls Down several years ago. This is the third installment in the series and I would recommend reading the series in order if at all possible. I must admit that while I did like this book a lot, it was my least favorite book in the series so far. One of the things that I love about the series is the dynamic between Vega and Cap and they just spent too much time apart in this book. It was still a very solid story that I found very entertaining.
Vega takes on a cold case looking for a missing college football player who ran out of the stadium during a crazy play never to be seen again. The case takes her to a small town and it doesn’t take long for Vega to be knee-deep in the corruption and white supremacy that plague the town. Vega was on her own for much of the book, although we do get to see what is going on in Cap’s life. It was really a shame that they were not working this case together as they did in the first two books because they work so well as a team and balance each other out well. Vega can be a bit reckless in the risks she takes but it sure makes for an exciting story.
This book was filled with excitement. Vega was really dealing with two cases since she did want to find the football player but couldn’t leave the white supremacy alone. There were times when I thought that the small town of Ilona was going to be too much for her. Vega and Cap do spend some time together in the book and I think that there was some real progress in their relationship so I am hopeful they will be back to being a team in the future.
I would recommend this book to others. I thought that it was an exciting read filled with a lot of action and a mystery that kept me guessing. I cannot wait to read more of Louisa Luna’s writing!
I received a digital review copy of this book from Doubleday Books via NetGalley.
Initial Thoughts
I am somewhere between 3 and 4 stars but I will go with 4 for now. This wasn't bad but it was the least favorite book in the series so far for me. Cap and Vega were not together for most of the book which was disappointing. They work so well as a team and balance each other out well. Vega was on her own for much of the book, although we do get to see what is going on in Cap's life. Vega takes on a cold case looking for a missing college football player who ran out of the stadium during a crazy play never to be seen again. The case takes her to a small town and it doesn't take long for Vega to be knee-deep in the corruption and white supremacy that plague the town. There was a lot of action and some surprises. I found the story to be quite entertaining and fast-paced.
I enjoyed this book! I was first enamored with Vega and Cap when I read Two Girls Down several years ago. This is the third installment in the series and I would recommend reading the series in order if at all possible. I must admit that while I did like this book a lot, it was my least favorite book in the series so far. One of the things that I love about the series is the dynamic between Vega and Cap and they just spent too much time apart in this book. It was still a very solid story that I found very entertaining.
Vega takes on a cold case looking for a missing college football player who ran out of the stadium during a crazy play never to be seen again. The case takes her to a small town and it doesn’t take long for Vega to be knee-deep in the corruption and white supremacy that plague the town. Vega was on her own for much of the book, although we do get to see what is going on in Cap’s life. It was really a shame that they were not working this case together as they did in the first two books because they work so well as a team and balance each other out well. Vega can be a bit reckless in the risks she takes but it sure makes for an exciting story.
This book was filled with excitement. Vega was really dealing with two cases since she did want to find the football player but couldn’t leave the white supremacy alone. There were times when I thought that the small town of Ilona was going to be too much for her. Vega and Cap do spend some time together in the book and I think that there was some real progress in their relationship so I am hopeful they will be back to being a team in the future.
I would recommend this book to others. I thought that it was an exciting read filled with a lot of action and a mystery that kept me guessing. I cannot wait to read more of Louisa Luna’s writing!
I received a digital review copy of this book from Doubleday Books via NetGalley.
Initial Thoughts
I am somewhere between 3 and 4 stars but I will go with 4 for now. This wasn't bad but it was the least favorite book in the series so far for me. Cap and Vega were not together for most of the book which was disappointing. They work so well as a team and balance each other out well. Vega was on her own for much of the book, although we do get to see what is going on in Cap's life. Vega takes on a cold case looking for a missing college football player who ran out of the stadium during a crazy play never to be seen again. The case takes her to a small town and it doesn't take long for Vega to be knee-deep in the corruption and white supremacy that plague the town. There was a lot of action and some surprises. I found the story to be quite entertaining and fast-paced.
September 27, 2022
Definitely 4.5 stars.
In 1984, a football kicker named Zeb Williams did something he became infamous for. Instead of kicking a field goal, he grabbed the ball and ran the opposite direction right out of the stadium and kept on going. No one has seen him since. Private investigator Alice Vega, who specializes in finding missing people, takes the cold case. While investigating his last known sighting in Oregon, she runs across a white nationalist group called Liberty Pure. Physical threats are carried out against herself and the people she cares about. Not a good idea to make Vega feel the need for revenge.
This was a great story that kept me riveted until the end. Vega is not good about communicating her emotions but there are so many other things she excels at. I like the way she follows leads. I like the way she understands people and how to talk to them and ask questions. I like the way she uses her senses in her surroundings. She does what's right. Lastly, I like the way the story ended. I have certainly enjoyed every book in this series and can't wait until the next one.
In 1984, a football kicker named Zeb Williams did something he became infamous for. Instead of kicking a field goal, he grabbed the ball and ran the opposite direction right out of the stadium and kept on going. No one has seen him since. Private investigator Alice Vega, who specializes in finding missing people, takes the cold case. While investigating his last known sighting in Oregon, she runs across a white nationalist group called Liberty Pure. Physical threats are carried out against herself and the people she cares about. Not a good idea to make Vega feel the need for revenge.
This was a great story that kept me riveted until the end. Vega is not good about communicating her emotions but there are so many other things she excels at. I like the way she follows leads. I like the way she understands people and how to talk to them and ask questions. I like the way she uses her senses in her surroundings. She does what's right. Lastly, I like the way the story ended. I have certainly enjoyed every book in this series and can't wait until the next one.
May 7, 2022
I said it before and I will say it again, Alice Vega is my hero and I hope Louisa Luna will never stop writing her! Hideout is the third installment in the Vega series, and just like before Vega is still kicking ass and taking names. I did a reread of the other two books of the series before I started just so they would be fresh in my mind, and even though you don't really have to read these in order, I still recommend doing so. There is such a great buildup of Vega and Cap's working relationship, and I have spent every book so far dying for them to have a romantic relationship as well. I thought Luna took Hideout in an interesting direction this time around, and it was a little odd how heavy it was on the white supremacist aspect as opposed to finding Zeb. You do get a remedy for this, but I wasn't the biggest fan of the route used to get there.
It was also a bummer for me that Vega and Cap don't work together on this case like they usually do, and I really hope the next book will have them back in the same place at the same time. One thing I do have to point out since I am obsessed with audiobooks, is the fact that the same narrator has narrated all 3 books thus far. Tavia Gilbert really nails Vega as a character, and I can't imagine anyone else being a better narrator for this series. The pacing to me overall is medium, and there was a great build up to the wild and crazy ending. I spent the book just waiting for Vega's badassery to come out and I was not disappointed. Because of this, I wouldn't rate the book any lower, but I am really hoping for another blow-my-mind, nail-biting ride for whatever comes next in this series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
It was also a bummer for me that Vega and Cap don't work together on this case like they usually do, and I really hope the next book will have them back in the same place at the same time. One thing I do have to point out since I am obsessed with audiobooks, is the fact that the same narrator has narrated all 3 books thus far. Tavia Gilbert really nails Vega as a character, and I can't imagine anyone else being a better narrator for this series. The pacing to me overall is medium, and there was a great build up to the wild and crazy ending. I spent the book just waiting for Vega's badassery to come out and I was not disappointed. Because of this, I wouldn't rate the book any lower, but I am really hoping for another blow-my-mind, nail-biting ride for whatever comes next in this series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
March 30, 2022
Dnf 75%
Rare scenario in which I will give up on a book but count it as read. If I hit 70% it's good enough.
I thought this was about Vega finding a missing person from a cold case. Instead she gets caught up in some political white supremist bs and Kap (Cap?) has conversations with his daughter who .... drag races apparently????
I'm so bored, it's not going to redeem itself at this point. I may be done with this series.
Rare scenario in which I will give up on a book but count it as read. If I hit 70% it's good enough.
I thought this was about Vega finding a missing person from a cold case. Instead she gets caught up in some political white supremist bs and Kap (Cap?) has conversations with his daughter who .... drag races apparently????
I'm so bored, it's not going to redeem itself at this point. I may be done with this series.
March 7, 2022
Louisa Luna tackles white supremacy in a small Oregon town in her latest Alice Vega thriller. Vega, a private investigator based in California who specializes in finding missing persons, is hired to find a young man named Zeb Williams who went missing on November 17, 1984, and was last spotted in Ilona, OR. Alice goes to Oregon and starts digging around but becomes distracted by reports of bullying and property damage performed by young men who belong to an alt-right group calling themselves LibertyPure. Is the local sheriff involved or just looking the other way? Boys will be boys?
She tries to interest her sometimes partner and lover, Max Caplan, in joining her in her current investigation but he is too involved in personal problems at home at the moment to agree. Besides, he's a bit miffed that he hasn't heard from Vega in months. So she goes it alone.
There seem to be several people who don't want her looking into any of this and they take matters into their own hands to warn her off. Vega comes back to get some revenge and settle some wrongs--she's a little like Jack Reacher that way. Good action, plot twists and a surprising conclusion make for an exciting, satisfying thriller read.
I received an arc of this new novel from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Many thanks for the opportunity to read more of Vega's exploits.
She tries to interest her sometimes partner and lover, Max Caplan, in joining her in her current investigation but he is too involved in personal problems at home at the moment to agree. Besides, he's a bit miffed that he hasn't heard from Vega in months. So she goes it alone.
There seem to be several people who don't want her looking into any of this and they take matters into their own hands to warn her off. Vega comes back to get some revenge and settle some wrongs--she's a little like Jack Reacher that way. Good action, plot twists and a surprising conclusion make for an exciting, satisfying thriller read.
I received an arc of this new novel from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Many thanks for the opportunity to read more of Vega's exploits.
March 17, 2022
This is the third in the series; I read and enjoyed the first two. In this installment, a search for a long ago missing person by kick- ass unconventional PI Alice Vega diverges into revealing small town corruption and white nationals.
I didn’t particularly like this book, but it features a topic that needs to be addressed and should be read. Many books I read I don’t want to put down; I had no problem taking breaks from this one. What I liked previously about this series was the two main characters (Alice and Cap) and the dynamics between them; those dynamics seemed to be missing here. There also seemed to be a lot of uninteresting descriptions, side stories that seemingly added nothing to the plot, and I never enjoy reading detailed accounts of violence.
This works as a standalone, but I think you should try the first two for more of an appreciation of this series. If you enjoy an action packed story and can deal with some straining of credulity, this book is for you.
Content warnings: Descriptive violence
Thank you to #Netgalley and #JoffeBooks for the DRC.
I didn’t particularly like this book, but it features a topic that needs to be addressed and should be read. Many books I read I don’t want to put down; I had no problem taking breaks from this one. What I liked previously about this series was the two main characters (Alice and Cap) and the dynamics between them; those dynamics seemed to be missing here. There also seemed to be a lot of uninteresting descriptions, side stories that seemingly added nothing to the plot, and I never enjoy reading detailed accounts of violence.
This works as a standalone, but I think you should try the first two for more of an appreciation of this series. If you enjoy an action packed story and can deal with some straining of credulity, this book is for you.
Content warnings: Descriptive violence
Thank you to #Netgalley and #JoffeBooks for the DRC.
April 19, 2022
Alice Vega is one of my favorite female fictional characters. She’s a badass and I love her. I especially loved her and Max working together. So I was really surprised to read the majority of the book and she is working solo.
This latest installment seemed to have too many story lines it was trying to work through. First Alice is on assignment to find a football player who has been missing for thirty years. Then she runs into a local hate group. It doesn’t weave together. The pacing is off. She and Max work better together. It took until 90% of the way through the book before they started working together.
I haven’t given up on Alice. I’m counting on more for this character. This one sadly didn’t grip me like the first two installments. The ending was anticlimactic and I know Alice (and the author) can deliver more.
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.
This latest installment seemed to have too many story lines it was trying to work through. First Alice is on assignment to find a football player who has been missing for thirty years. Then she runs into a local hate group. It doesn’t weave together. The pacing is off. She and Max work better together. It took until 90% of the way through the book before they started working together.
I haven’t given up on Alice. I’m counting on more for this character. This one sadly didn’t grip me like the first two installments. The ending was anticlimactic and I know Alice (and the author) can deliver more.
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.
April 17, 2022
3.5 Stars
Alice Vega is a badass. I mean brass knuckles, gun at the ready, keeps getting up and fighting kind of BADASS. Her skills include pissing off town sheriffs in record time and brandishing a bat like nobody's business. I swoon every time she kicks someone’s ass. :) But…
“People are never one thing.”
Alice is a private detective who specializes in finding missing persons. This time out Alice is investigating a cold case. In 1984, Zeb Williams disappeared without a trace. He’s become a legend, a ghost, a mystery everyone has a theory about. But Alice is on the case now. Sooo…trouble is sure to follow. Especially when she riles up the local white-nationalist gang. Let’s just say she puts her new fungo bat to good use. Along with her undercover skills. It was weird to see Alice work this case alone though. We see a different side to her.
And where is Cap? He passes on this trip. Max Caplan, Alice’s partner, is still exhausted and recovering from previous Vega dust-ups. But you know Cap…he can’t help himself. One of my favorite parts was watching Cap interview a witness. I was like—"There you are!” That’s the Cap I know and love. The distance between Alice and Cap in this book hurt, but it was necessary and oh-so worth it. Don’t get me wrong…I missed their chemistry, but the lack of together time also kept me reading. The suspense was killing me!
In short, the characters shine in all their 5-Star glory, but the story itself is more like a 3-Star read. The Zeb football mystery gets lost along the way. And it was such a great story! It should have been center stage.
I will be right here waiting for any and all Vega & Cap cases though. I’m hooked!
Read
April 22, 2022The following book reviews have been shared by Text Publishing – publisher of Hideout:
‘[Louisa Luna] explores the darker side of human nature…[She] creates a nice balance of hope against the backdrop of violence.’
Good Reading
'Louisa Luna’s ability to make you care so much and so swiftly for Vega and Cap is second to none, and Hideout’s tense plot is an exhilarating shot of adrenaline.’
Readings
‘Pure adrenaline and Luna’s most intimate thriller yet.’
Avenue Bookstore
‘A well-written and gripping crime novel that entertains while also shining a bright light on the dark underbelly of American society.’
Jeff Popple, Canberra Weekly
‘All three books in the Alice Vega series read well as standalones, but once you’ve read one, you’ll want to read them all. This is polished writing and great characters, packed with twists and turns.’
Cheryl Akle, Australian
‘[Louisa Luna] explores the darker side of human nature…[She] creates a nice balance of hope against the backdrop of violence.’
Good Reading
'Louisa Luna’s ability to make you care so much and so swiftly for Vega and Cap is second to none, and Hideout’s tense plot is an exhilarating shot of adrenaline.’
Readings
‘Pure adrenaline and Luna’s most intimate thriller yet.’
Avenue Bookstore
‘A well-written and gripping crime novel that entertains while also shining a bright light on the dark underbelly of American society.’
Jeff Popple, Canberra Weekly
‘All three books in the Alice Vega series read well as standalones, but once you’ve read one, you’ll want to read them all. This is polished writing and great characters, packed with twists and turns.’
Cheryl Akle, Australian
August 24, 2024
Private Investigator Alice Vega has a new case. She has been hired to find Zeb Williams. Thirty years ago, Zeb was the Place-kicker in the big Cal-Stanford game. With the score tied, Zeb grabbed the ball and purposely ran the wrong way, scoring a touchdown for the other team, and running out of the stadium. After that happened, he disappeared. Zeb became a legend. Many people claimed they saw him in various places around the world, but none of the sightings were substantiated. Alice looks into Zeb's background and follows a trail to a small town in Oregon. There she runs into a local hate group who doesn't like her asking questions.
It's so nice to get back into this series. Alice is currently off on her on-again, off-again relationship with former cop Max Caplan. She does contact his daughter, Nell, and asks for a little information. Nell would love to see her dad back together with Alice, so she keeps pushing him to talk to her.
The investigation into Zeb's disappearance started off strong, but Alice got hung up by the white supremacist group that seems to be running the town. I found this storyline interesting, and I wasn't sure how it would end. The second half of the book kept me on the edge of my seat. I'm hoping the author will continue this series. I love the characters and look forward to more cases. My rating: 4 Stars.
It's so nice to get back into this series. Alice is currently off on her on-again, off-again relationship with former cop Max Caplan. She does contact his daughter, Nell, and asks for a little information. Nell would love to see her dad back together with Alice, so she keeps pushing him to talk to her.
The investigation into Zeb's disappearance started off strong, but Alice got hung up by the white supremacist group that seems to be running the town. I found this storyline interesting, and I wasn't sure how it would end. The second half of the book kept me on the edge of my seat. I'm hoping the author will continue this series. I love the characters and look forward to more cases. My rating: 4 Stars.
February 22, 2022
The Alice Vega series continues with Hideout, the third novel in the series. This is my first Louisa Luna book, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm seeing a lot of mixed opinions about this book in reviews, and I'm seeing a lot of it from people who have read the first two books. So, after reading this, I'm kind of happy I didn't realize it was part of a series and was able to appreciate it. But I'm looking forward to reading the first two and seeing how I feel afterward!
Alice Vega is a private investigator who prefers missing person investigations to cold cases of any kind. She was hired to work on a cold case for this book.
Zeb Williams, a legendary Cal football kicker, did something unexpected in 1984. Zeb was supposed to kick the ball with 7 seconds left in the game, but at the last second, he takes it and sprints to the opposite side of the field, aka the Stanford side. Cal and Stanford have long been rivals, so this came as a shock. Zeb, on the other hand, never stopped sprinting as he rushed into Stanford's end zone and scored the game-winning touchdown. No one was able to catch up to Zeb because he is a quick runner. So he raced out to the parking lot and began to remove his jersey and cleats before continuing to run. Since then, no one has seen him.
Alice gets recruited by Carmen's husband roughly thirty years later. When Zeb vanished, Carmen was dating him. Max Caplan denies Alice's request for assistance with this case. Alice got very little information from a private investigator hired by Carmen's family to find Zeb back in the day. All this PI discovered was that Zeb visited a little Oregon town. Zeb was last seen in Ilona.
Now Alice has gone down to interrogate everyone who has seen Zeb in Ilona. She doesn't acquire as much information as she had hoped. She immediately understands, however, that something is happening in Ilona that is frightening people. She swiftly discovers that a white nationalist/alt-right group known as Liberty Pure is targeting people. The property was trashed, animals were poisoned, and children of selected targets were threatened.
Vega investigates this group further. For a short time, this group becomes a big issue for her. They quickly become interested in Vega and jump her in a parking lot. She was badly injured and had to return to California to recover while still hunting for information. However, they have not seen the last of her.
Caplan is back in Denville, Philadelphia, dealing with his own difficulties while all of this is going on for Vega. Despite his disinclination to assist in the investigation of this cold case, he finds himself in Binghamton to speak with Bear Thomas. Caplan interrogated Bear Thomas, who was on the same football team as Zeb. He didn't acquire much information this time, but he did learn that Carmen and Zeb had communicated after he vanished.
He does not, however, inform Vega of this. Nevertheless, his daughter Nell contacts him as he travels back home. Her belongings have also been vandalized. Is it because of his ties to Vega? Caplan simply wants to keep his kid-safe, and Nell has no intention of letting this go. As a result, they'll have to work on it.
When Vega returns to Ilona, she has the bat she bought and some blue spray paint she's eager to use. She needs to pretend to be a potential Pure in order to learn out who the group's leader is. She finds all of the folks that jumped her in the parking lot shortly after discovering who this guy is. She definitely gets her vengeance, and those ass hats certainly deserved it.
As the novel progresses, this group quickly disbands and begins to focus on Zeb's case. Which I'll leave up to you to figure out because it won't be much fun if I tell you right now...
Anyway, I had a blast reading this book. It was quite enjoyable for me. It was fantastic, and I was blown away. I'm excited to read the first two books, and see if my feelings about this one change after reading them!
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸
Alice Vega is a private investigator who prefers missing person investigations to cold cases of any kind. She was hired to work on a cold case for this book.
Zeb Williams, a legendary Cal football kicker, did something unexpected in 1984. Zeb was supposed to kick the ball with 7 seconds left in the game, but at the last second, he takes it and sprints to the opposite side of the field, aka the Stanford side. Cal and Stanford have long been rivals, so this came as a shock. Zeb, on the other hand, never stopped sprinting as he rushed into Stanford's end zone and scored the game-winning touchdown. No one was able to catch up to Zeb because he is a quick runner. So he raced out to the parking lot and began to remove his jersey and cleats before continuing to run. Since then, no one has seen him.
Alice gets recruited by Carmen's husband roughly thirty years later. When Zeb vanished, Carmen was dating him. Max Caplan denies Alice's request for assistance with this case. Alice got very little information from a private investigator hired by Carmen's family to find Zeb back in the day. All this PI discovered was that Zeb visited a little Oregon town. Zeb was last seen in Ilona.
Now Alice has gone down to interrogate everyone who has seen Zeb in Ilona. She doesn't acquire as much information as she had hoped. She immediately understands, however, that something is happening in Ilona that is frightening people. She swiftly discovers that a white nationalist/alt-right group known as Liberty Pure is targeting people. The property was trashed, animals were poisoned, and children of selected targets were threatened.
Vega investigates this group further. For a short time, this group becomes a big issue for her. They quickly become interested in Vega and jump her in a parking lot. She was badly injured and had to return to California to recover while still hunting for information. However, they have not seen the last of her.
Caplan is back in Denville, Philadelphia, dealing with his own difficulties while all of this is going on for Vega. Despite his disinclination to assist in the investigation of this cold case, he finds himself in Binghamton to speak with Bear Thomas. Caplan interrogated Bear Thomas, who was on the same football team as Zeb. He didn't acquire much information this time, but he did learn that Carmen and Zeb had communicated after he vanished.
He does not, however, inform Vega of this. Nevertheless, his daughter Nell contacts him as he travels back home. Her belongings have also been vandalized. Is it because of his ties to Vega? Caplan simply wants to keep his kid-safe, and Nell has no intention of letting this go. As a result, they'll have to work on it.
When Vega returns to Ilona, she has the bat she bought and some blue spray paint she's eager to use. She needs to pretend to be a potential Pure in order to learn out who the group's leader is. She finds all of the folks that jumped her in the parking lot shortly after discovering who this guy is. She definitely gets her vengeance, and those ass hats certainly deserved it.
As the novel progresses, this group quickly disbands and begins to focus on Zeb's case. Which I'll leave up to you to figure out because it won't be much fun if I tell you right now...
Anyway, I had a blast reading this book. It was quite enjoyable for me. It was fantastic, and I was blown away. I'm excited to read the first two books, and see if my feelings about this one change after reading them!
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸
March 15, 2022
Alice Vega is part Lisbeth Salander, part Jack Reacher in this, the third in the series that bears her name.
Thirty years ago, Zeb Williams is a football player, and during the infamous Cal-Stanford game, takes the balls, runs off the field, and vanishes. Over the years, his disappearance has become the stuff of legends, replete with Bigfoot-like sightings. in the present day, Alice is asked to find him. For what purpose, she does not know. After initially declining, she eventually agrees to take it on, and starts out to determine where he is and what happened to him.
I'm a fan of cold cases, and I appreciated the way Alice started very methodically working through and puzzling out the details - and occasional red herrings - of Zeb's disappearance. She lands in the tiny southern Oregon town of Ilona, a place that has seemingly become awash in traitorous white supremacists called the Liberty Boys (a not terribly subtle reference to the Proud Boys, a very real group).
As she digs, the stakes grow ever higher, and her partner Max Caplan is not and cannot be a greater presence in the case, dealing as he is with his own issues. This doesn't deter Alice, and even after getting beaten up and told to leave town, she doggedly continues her quest to find the missing Zeb.
This is the first book in the series that I've read, and I didn't feel I was missing anything crucial by not having read the first two. There's obviously some kind of (broken) relationship between Alice and Max, and I suppose if I had read those earlier books, or if Max was involved more in this story, I would have more than a vague idea about that; however, the lack off true backstory on that didn't bother me in the least.
The story is told with a good balance of physicality and cerebral pursuits in tracking down the missing man. Alice is also not a character who gets beaten up and then is ready to go fight more after just shaking it off. There's a reality of her being a mere mortal that I appreciate,
Four and a half stars, rounded to five. Recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday for the reading copy.
Thirty years ago, Zeb Williams is a football player, and during the infamous Cal-Stanford game, takes the balls, runs off the field, and vanishes. Over the years, his disappearance has become the stuff of legends, replete with Bigfoot-like sightings. in the present day, Alice is asked to find him. For what purpose, she does not know. After initially declining, she eventually agrees to take it on, and starts out to determine where he is and what happened to him.
I'm a fan of cold cases, and I appreciated the way Alice started very methodically working through and puzzling out the details - and occasional red herrings - of Zeb's disappearance. She lands in the tiny southern Oregon town of Ilona, a place that has seemingly become awash in traitorous white supremacists called the Liberty Boys (a not terribly subtle reference to the Proud Boys, a very real group).
As she digs, the stakes grow ever higher, and her partner Max Caplan is not and cannot be a greater presence in the case, dealing as he is with his own issues. This doesn't deter Alice, and even after getting beaten up and told to leave town, she doggedly continues her quest to find the missing Zeb.
This is the first book in the series that I've read, and I didn't feel I was missing anything crucial by not having read the first two. There's obviously some kind of (broken) relationship between Alice and Max, and I suppose if I had read those earlier books, or if Max was involved more in this story, I would have more than a vague idea about that; however, the lack off true backstory on that didn't bother me in the least.
The story is told with a good balance of physicality and cerebral pursuits in tracking down the missing man. Alice is also not a character who gets beaten up and then is ready to go fight more after just shaking it off. There's a reality of her being a mere mortal that I appreciate,
Four and a half stars, rounded to five. Recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday for the reading copy.
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