What do you think?
Rate this book
Misty Pines Mystery #1
Hidden Pieces
He has nothing left to lose but this case. Can he rescue a young victim before there’s another death on his conscience?
Sheriff Jax Turner is staring down the barrel of his broken past. On the brink of ending it all, he feels like a failure following his daughter’s tragic passing and his subsequent divorce. But when a schoolgirl vanishes and her backpack is found in a sex offender’s backseat, the weary lawman drags himself into action and vows to nail one last sociopath.
Shocked to discover the missing preteen’s aunt had lost her life in an abduction years prior, the devastating outcome that he’s taken personally, Jax believes the killer has returned with a vengeance. But as the desperate cop frantically hunts down a mysterious relative in search of a suspect, the girl’s time keeps ticking away…
Can the jaded sheriff take down the culprit and bring the poor youngster home alive?
Sheriff Jax Turner is staring down the barrel of his broken past. On the brink of ending it all, he feels like a failure following his daughter’s tragic passing and his subsequent divorce. But when a schoolgirl vanishes and her backpack is found in a sex offender’s backseat, the weary lawman drags himself into action and vows to nail one last sociopath.
Shocked to discover the missing preteen’s aunt had lost her life in an abduction years prior, the devastating outcome that he’s taken personally, Jax believes the killer has returned with a vengeance. But as the desperate cop frantically hunts down a mysterious relative in search of a suspect, the girl’s time keeps ticking away…
Can the jaded sheriff take down the culprit and bring the poor youngster home alive?
336 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 25, 2022
28 people are currently reading
11286 people want to read
About the author
Mary Keliikoa
8 books787 followersMary Keliikoa is the author of DON'T ASK, DON'T FOLLOW, a domestic thriller, and the award-winning HIDDEN PIECES, DEADLY TIDES and KILLER TRACKS novels in the Misty Pines mystery series. In addition, she is the author of the PI Kelly Pruett mystery series, which includes the Shamus Finalist and Lefty, Agatha and Anthony award-nominated DERAILED for best debut.
A Pacific NW native, she admits to being that person who gets excited when called for jury duty. When not in Washington, you can find Mary with toes in the sand on a Hawaiian beach. But even under the palm trees and blazing sun, she’s plotting her next murder—novel that is.
www.marykeliikoa.com
https://www.amazon.com/author/marykel...
A Pacific NW native, she admits to being that person who gets excited when called for jury duty. When not in Washington, you can find Mary with toes in the sand on a Hawaiian beach. But even under the palm trees and blazing sun, she’s plotting her next murder—novel that is.
www.marykeliikoa.com
https://www.amazon.com/author/marykel...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 214 reviews
October 25, 2022
Hidden Pieces by Mary Keliikoa
Sheriff Jax Turner is so committed to killing himself that his gun is already in his mouth. But wait! His radio squawks the code for a missing child. His biggest work related regret was that he failed a missing child twenty five years ago so the suicide is paused while he takes this one last call.
Misty Pines is a small town and we proceed to meet what seems like half that town, plus visitors, plus farm workers, plus people who live elsewhere. It was really hard to keep track of all the characters and we even have to keep track of people we don't meet but are just discussed.
I did like Jax and I can understand his depression due to losing his child to cancer, five years ago. But I wish we didn't have to be in on what felt like all his running thoughts. I wish his thinking process could have been portrayed in different, more concise manner. Then there is another character that we spend a lot of time with and being in her head was worse.
As the second half of the book spills its guts and lets us into what is going on, I didn't believe it for a minute. Just because we are told things happened a certain way doesn't make them believable to me. So that let the air out of the story for me and I didn't care to try harder to fill the plot holes.
This was a buddy read with Jayme and Susan and it did make for a very interesting discussion.
Publication October 25, 2022
Thank you to Level Best Books and NetGalley for this ARC.
Sheriff Jax Turner is so committed to killing himself that his gun is already in his mouth. But wait! His radio squawks the code for a missing child. His biggest work related regret was that he failed a missing child twenty five years ago so the suicide is paused while he takes this one last call.
Misty Pines is a small town and we proceed to meet what seems like half that town, plus visitors, plus farm workers, plus people who live elsewhere. It was really hard to keep track of all the characters and we even have to keep track of people we don't meet but are just discussed.
I did like Jax and I can understand his depression due to losing his child to cancer, five years ago. But I wish we didn't have to be in on what felt like all his running thoughts. I wish his thinking process could have been portrayed in different, more concise manner. Then there is another character that we spend a lot of time with and being in her head was worse.
As the second half of the book spills its guts and lets us into what is going on, I didn't believe it for a minute. Just because we are told things happened a certain way doesn't make them believable to me. So that let the air out of the story for me and I didn't care to try harder to fill the plot holes.
This was a buddy read with Jayme and Susan and it did make for a very interesting discussion.
Publication October 25, 2022
Thank you to Level Best Books and NetGalley for this ARC.
October 25, 2022
When offered an advance reader’s copy of the new Misty Pines mystery series, by Shamus Award finalist and Lefty, Agatha and Anthony nominated author, Mary Keliikoa, my answer was “Yes, Please!”
But, unfortunately, this book was a mixed bag for me…
Sheriff Jax Turner is literally about to pull the trigger on his life. Notes have been written to his ex wife and former partner explaining why he can’t go on. The gun is in his mouth when his radio suddenly crackled to life..
“Sheriff Turner, we have a code Ten-Fifty-Four. Urgent. Response Needed.” Lost Child or Runaway.”
In Misty Pines? The place that should have been a fresh start for him? A town where everybody knew everyone, which means that he knows this kid??
“On my way”
The author writes intriguing characters who get under your skin, and for the first half, I was riveted. Although I DID have to jot down notes to remind myself of how each character connected to the others in this small town, I enjoyed the complexity.
It was nice to see a step-mom, Elena still care about Allison, ( the missing girl) who was in her life for eight years, during the time she was married to Daniel, despite their eventual divorce.
Although “missing teens” is a common trope, there were plenty of interesting, credible suspects to investigate initially, but just past 50%, I began to suspect one person in particular.
I was half right.
But, getting it half right isn’t what brought my rating down.
The second twist is one that when used, I NEVER care for. And, once the author began to flesh out this second revelation-the story lost its appeal for me.
I was VERY disappointed in the direction it took, and was hoping for something else.
And, there are plot holes.
How was a certain person never recognized? How can we only be given a theory for the “damning evidence” and not something more definitive?
I can’t say more without giving anything away, but for me, the denouement is EVERYTHING!
If the ending is strong-it can raise my rating significantly, BUT if it’s weak-it brings my rating down.
2.5 ⭐️
Be sure to check out the amazing reviews of Susan and MarilynW who read this with me to see if they agreed…
Available Now!!
Thank You to Level Best books for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
But, unfortunately, this book was a mixed bag for me…
Sheriff Jax Turner is literally about to pull the trigger on his life. Notes have been written to his ex wife and former partner explaining why he can’t go on. The gun is in his mouth when his radio suddenly crackled to life..
“Sheriff Turner, we have a code Ten-Fifty-Four. Urgent. Response Needed.” Lost Child or Runaway.”
In Misty Pines? The place that should have been a fresh start for him? A town where everybody knew everyone, which means that he knows this kid??
“On my way”
The author writes intriguing characters who get under your skin, and for the first half, I was riveted. Although I DID have to jot down notes to remind myself of how each character connected to the others in this small town, I enjoyed the complexity.
It was nice to see a step-mom, Elena still care about Allison, ( the missing girl) who was in her life for eight years, during the time she was married to Daniel, despite their eventual divorce.
Although “missing teens” is a common trope, there were plenty of interesting, credible suspects to investigate initially, but just past 50%, I began to suspect one person in particular.
I was half right.
But, getting it half right isn’t what brought my rating down.
The second twist is one that when used, I NEVER care for. And, once the author began to flesh out this second revelation-the story lost its appeal for me.
I was VERY disappointed in the direction it took, and was hoping for something else.
And, there are plot holes.
How was a certain person never recognized? How can we only be given a theory for the “damning evidence” and not something more definitive?
I can’t say more without giving anything away, but for me, the denouement is EVERYTHING!
If the ending is strong-it can raise my rating significantly, BUT if it’s weak-it brings my rating down.
2.5 ⭐️
Be sure to check out the amazing reviews of Susan and MarilynW who read this with me to see if they agreed…
Available Now!!
Thank You to Level Best books for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
September 4, 2022
Missing Pieces?
I was hooked into first part of the book because of an intriguing plot about missing teen Allison and a down and out Sheriff. While I normally don't read disappearing child plot lines, I was invested quickly - in addition to several scenarios and possiblilites stirring my imagination.
While I had high expectations based on the front half, this turned into a miss for me. Plot holes and a disproportionate amount of damaged characters brought my attention away from the mystery at hand.
Thank you to Marilyn and Jayme for reading and sharing their thoughts with me.
I appreciate the opportunity to read this and want to thank Mary Keliikoa, Level Best Books, and NetGalley for my advance reader electronic copy.
I was hooked into first part of the book because of an intriguing plot about missing teen Allison and a down and out Sheriff. While I normally don't read disappearing child plot lines, I was invested quickly - in addition to several scenarios and possiblilites stirring my imagination.
While I had high expectations based on the front half, this turned into a miss for me. Plot holes and a disproportionate amount of damaged characters brought my attention away from the mystery at hand.
Thank you to Marilyn and Jayme for reading and sharing their thoughts with me.
I appreciate the opportunity to read this and want to thank Mary Keliikoa, Level Best Books, and NetGalley for my advance reader electronic copy.
October 27, 2022
Wow! What a novel. It crackles with realism, a page turner that sucks you in and won't let you go till the last page. This is a domestic thriller that mystery fans will enjoy. Its a slow-burn that continues ramp up with each page until the very end.
November 15, 2022
This is listed as a first book in a new series, so I hope that some of what I found lacking in this book will grow with the series. I like when books change perspectives to show you the story from more than one point of view, but there was something about how it occurred in this book that took away from my overall enjoyment or how believe able I found the story to be. The big surprise twist in the last bit of the book wasn’t very surprising or twisty for me. I thought there were giant red flags hinting that at through the entire story. I did like the sheriff character, I had a lot of empathy for him. He starts his piece of the story so ready to kill himself the gun was in his mouth, but the report of a missing child is enough to get him to take one last call. As we find out he lost his daughter to cancer and his wife to the grief he fleshed out and became a more real (if overly focused and driven) character. I did like how the mystery tied to another mystery in the past and that reveal was a little more interesting to me. Overall it wasn’t a bad book and the setting and some of the background characters had some potential so I do hope there is a book two.
November 4, 2023
Sheriff Jax Turner is on the brink of taking his own life when he gets a radio call that a teenage girl is missing. He postpones his plan to commit suicide and begins the search for the missing girl and her abductor. As his investigation progresses he starts to see parallels between this disappearance and the disappearance of two sisters 25 years previously.
I had a hard time staying focused on this book in the beginning although I don't really know why. There are many characters, some of whose names are so similar that I kept getting confused. For instance the missing girl's mother is named Emily and her step-mother is named Elena, and both are divorced from her father. When I was done reading the book I went back and re-read some of the first few chapters but I still don't know why I had such a problem. I suspect I'm just burned out as far as this trope is concerned.
After about 50% I had settled into the story and had most of the characters straight in my mind so I did enjoy it more. The book was well written and a fairly easy read but I didn't care much for the way it ended. I can't say that I "liked" any of the characters but a few of them had some depth to them and I had my suspicions of who was the guilty party. I would probably read another book in this series.
My thanks to Lisa Daily from Swell Media and Level Best Books via Netgalley for the opportunity to read a DRC of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
Published October 25, 2022.
I had a hard time staying focused on this book in the beginning although I don't really know why. There are many characters, some of whose names are so similar that I kept getting confused. For instance the missing girl's mother is named Emily and her step-mother is named Elena, and both are divorced from her father. When I was done reading the book I went back and re-read some of the first few chapters but I still don't know why I had such a problem. I suspect I'm just burned out as far as this trope is concerned.
After about 50% I had settled into the story and had most of the characters straight in my mind so I did enjoy it more. The book was well written and a fairly easy read but I didn't care much for the way it ended. I can't say that I "liked" any of the characters but a few of them had some depth to them and I had my suspicions of who was the guilty party. I would probably read another book in this series.
My thanks to Lisa Daily from Swell Media and Level Best Books via Netgalley for the opportunity to read a DRC of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
Published October 25, 2022.
November 3, 2023
3 Stars (4 stars up to 75% and 2 stars for the last 25%)
One Liner: Starts well but not my favorite trope!
Sheriff Jax Turner is on the brink of ending everything forever when he is forced to solve the case of a missing schoolgirl. Jax is determined to not lose this chance and find the fourteen-year-old Allison. However, he soon realizes that the case is a lot more complex and might be connected to a kidnapping case twenty-five years ago. He couldn’t solve it and couldn’t let go of it either.
Dealing with the loss of a daughter, broken marriage, and depression, Jax has to sort through the lies and half-truths of witnesses. With so many people unwilling to reveal even the necessary information, Jax’s attempts to save Allison become frantic.
Can he save the girl this time?
The story comes in the third-person POV of Jax Turner, with a few chapters from Elena’s.
My Thoughts:
Book one of the Misty Pines series works well as a standalone. I got this ARC last year but couldn’t read it on time. Now that I have book two waiting, I decided to tick them off the list.
The book starts with a short prologue where Allison is kidnapped. Then, we see Jax Turner deciding to end his life when the news reaches him. With no alternative, he begins to work on the case and hopes bringing Allison back safe might help with some of his demons.
The first half of the book is quite good. While the beginning is slow, the pacing gets better over time. It is a bit confusing with names like Emily and Elena, but not for long. There are quite a good number of characters, though.
Jax’s POV reads semi-frantic and suits his state of mind. He is a deeply troubled man and not that easy to like. He also tends to be fixated on suspects, some with reason and some even when not necessary. Still, all of this makes him real rather than perfect.
Trudy is my favorite character in the book. I hope she is in book two and we get to know more about her life. The other characters aren’t yet fully developed. It takes time when setting up a series, so that’s fine.
The second half starts well, but the last quarter is a mess. I know some readers will love that kind of twist, but I hate that stuff. More than 15 years ago, I was impressed by the trope when I read it the first time, but not anymore. Also, it led to a truckload of plot holes in an otherwise decent plot.
I did guess about the culprit, but only after the hints appeared in the last section. Readers do not have enough information to guess, which is not fair. Moreover, despite the details matching, the reveal doesn’t feel strong.
I like the development of Jax’s arc toward the end. It makes me eager to book two and see whether he gets better.
To summarize, Hidden Pieces starts and progresses well but falls flat at the end. Mystery writers need to stop using THAT trope. It feels amateurish.
Thank you, NetGalley and Level Best Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #HiddenPieces
TW:
One Liner: Starts well but not my favorite trope!
Sheriff Jax Turner is on the brink of ending everything forever when he is forced to solve the case of a missing schoolgirl. Jax is determined to not lose this chance and find the fourteen-year-old Allison. However, he soon realizes that the case is a lot more complex and might be connected to a kidnapping case twenty-five years ago. He couldn’t solve it and couldn’t let go of it either.
Dealing with the loss of a daughter, broken marriage, and depression, Jax has to sort through the lies and half-truths of witnesses. With so many people unwilling to reveal even the necessary information, Jax’s attempts to save Allison become frantic.
Can he save the girl this time?
The story comes in the third-person POV of Jax Turner, with a few chapters from Elena’s.
My Thoughts:
Book one of the Misty Pines series works well as a standalone. I got this ARC last year but couldn’t read it on time. Now that I have book two waiting, I decided to tick them off the list.
The book starts with a short prologue where Allison is kidnapped. Then, we see Jax Turner deciding to end his life when the news reaches him. With no alternative, he begins to work on the case and hopes bringing Allison back safe might help with some of his demons.
The first half of the book is quite good. While the beginning is slow, the pacing gets better over time. It is a bit confusing with names like Emily and Elena, but not for long. There are quite a good number of characters, though.
Jax’s POV reads semi-frantic and suits his state of mind. He is a deeply troubled man and not that easy to like. He also tends to be fixated on suspects, some with reason and some even when not necessary. Still, all of this makes him real rather than perfect.
Trudy is my favorite character in the book. I hope she is in book two and we get to know more about her life. The other characters aren’t yet fully developed. It takes time when setting up a series, so that’s fine.
The second half starts well, but the last quarter is a mess. I know some readers will love that kind of twist, but I hate that stuff. More than 15 years ago, I was impressed by the trope when I read it the first time, but not anymore. Also, it led to a truckload of plot holes in an otherwise decent plot.
I did guess about the culprit, but only after the hints appeared in the last section. Readers do not have enough information to guess, which is not fair. Moreover, despite the details matching, the reveal doesn’t feel strong.
I like the development of Jax’s arc toward the end. It makes me eager to book two and see whether he gets better.
To summarize, Hidden Pieces starts and progresses well but falls flat at the end. Mystery writers need to stop using THAT trope. It feels amateurish.
Thank you, NetGalley and Level Best Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #HiddenPieces
TW:
April 6, 2023
3.5 Stars
October 31, 2022
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. The story opens with the Sheriff of the small town of Misty Pines, Jax Turner, contemplating suicide as he can’t seem to move on after the cancer death of his young daughter five years ago. He has the gun in his mouth when the radio alerts him to a missing teenager. Reluctantly he postpones his death and goes to investigate.
He soon becomes fully invested in the case which turns out out to be an abduction rather than the runaway that everyone initially assumed. It also bears an uncanny resemblance to a case 25 years ago when he was a rookie cop and found a terrified teenager in the woods. She and her sister were abducted together only the sister was not so lucky and was later found dead. The survivor blocked out her memories of the ordeal.
Jax has to rely on three trainee deputies as his right hand man, Deputy (Chapman?) is away on an off-the-grid fishing trip. There are many red herrings as various avenues are explored. Unfortunately not many of these can be immediately discounted so the case gets quite murky quite quickly. Chapman returns unexpectedly early and is happy to jump straight into the investigation. Jax is relieved to have his experienced sidekick back, now they can make some real progress.
But, as usual, things are not as they seem. I guessed some of it quite early but the author did have more twists up her sleeve which made for a very exciting ending. This was quite an immersive read with the brooding atmosphere of the small town which was almost a character in itself. The other characters were very well developed and portrayed - some very likeable, others not so much but they were all quite realistic. I think this could be the start of a very good series and I will be keeping an eye out for more books by this author. Many thanks to Netgalley and Level Best Books for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.
He soon becomes fully invested in the case which turns out out to be an abduction rather than the runaway that everyone initially assumed. It also bears an uncanny resemblance to a case 25 years ago when he was a rookie cop and found a terrified teenager in the woods. She and her sister were abducted together only the sister was not so lucky and was later found dead. The survivor blocked out her memories of the ordeal.
Jax has to rely on three trainee deputies as his right hand man, Deputy (Chapman?) is away on an off-the-grid fishing trip. There are many red herrings as various avenues are explored. Unfortunately not many of these can be immediately discounted so the case gets quite murky quite quickly. Chapman returns unexpectedly early and is happy to jump straight into the investigation. Jax is relieved to have his experienced sidekick back, now they can make some real progress.
But, as usual, things are not as they seem. I guessed some of it quite early but the author did have more twists up her sleeve which made for a very exciting ending. This was quite an immersive read with the brooding atmosphere of the small town which was almost a character in itself. The other characters were very well developed and portrayed - some very likeable, others not so much but they were all quite realistic. I think this could be the start of a very good series and I will be keeping an eye out for more books by this author. Many thanks to Netgalley and Level Best Books for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.
October 1, 2022
What an unexpected ending that was! While I had an inkling in part of it, the rest shocked me. I love a good police procedural and look forward to reading more from this author.. it was fast and easy read, that will keep you guessing.
Misty Pine Sheriff, Jax Turner, is about to take his own life when a call comes through about a missing 14 year old girl, Allison. He literally had the gun in his mouth. He quickly turns it around and heads back to town to find Allison. It soon becomes clear that there are links to a cold case that has haunted him for years.
It was a really well written and interesting story,
Thanks to Level Best Books and NetGalley for my advanced copy to read. Published in October 25th
Misty Pine Sheriff, Jax Turner, is about to take his own life when a call comes through about a missing 14 year old girl, Allison. He literally had the gun in his mouth. He quickly turns it around and heads back to town to find Allison. It soon becomes clear that there are links to a cold case that has haunted him for years.
It was a really well written and interesting story,
Thanks to Level Best Books and NetGalley for my advanced copy to read. Published in October 25th
September 22, 2022
Misty Pines Mystery #1
Sheriff Jax Turner is staring down the barrel of his broken past. On the brink of ending it all, he feels like a failure following his daughter's tragic passing and his subsequent divorce. But when a schoolgirl vanishes and her backpack in found in a sex offender's back seat, the weary lawman drags himself into action and vows to nail one last sociopath.
This is the first book in a new series where we have a Sheriff Jax Turner investigating. The case shows possible links to a case he had worked on decades earlier. Jax is looking for a missing fourteen-year-old girl who never turned up for school. We get many different scenarios surrounding the disappearance. Jax and his team have to question many of the town's folk, so there is lots of suspects to choose from. The characters' backstories are interesting and have real depth. Jax Turner is portrayed in a very clever way. I loved the authors writing style. The plotline held my attention throughout. The pace is fast from beginning to end. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this new mystery series.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #LevelBestBooks for my ARC of #HiddenPieces in exchange for an honest review.
Sheriff Jax Turner is staring down the barrel of his broken past. On the brink of ending it all, he feels like a failure following his daughter's tragic passing and his subsequent divorce. But when a schoolgirl vanishes and her backpack in found in a sex offender's back seat, the weary lawman drags himself into action and vows to nail one last sociopath.
This is the first book in a new series where we have a Sheriff Jax Turner investigating. The case shows possible links to a case he had worked on decades earlier. Jax is looking for a missing fourteen-year-old girl who never turned up for school. We get many different scenarios surrounding the disappearance. Jax and his team have to question many of the town's folk, so there is lots of suspects to choose from. The characters' backstories are interesting and have real depth. Jax Turner is portrayed in a very clever way. I loved the authors writing style. The plotline held my attention throughout. The pace is fast from beginning to end. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this new mystery series.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #LevelBestBooks for my ARC of #HiddenPieces in exchange for an honest review.
August 3, 2022
Sheriff Jax Turner is thinking of ending his life, his daughter has died, his wife has left him and he’s stuck on the case from twenty five years ago that he couldn’t solve which left one girl dead and the other traumatized. Then a call comes in, a local teen is missing. Jax vows to solve this case and bring this young girl home. I really enjoyed this fast paced, first book in the Misty Pines mystery series. I look forward to reading the next book in this series. Thank you to Lisa/Swell Media and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
July 20, 2022
An exciting and original mystery! The disappearance of a teenage girl has dark implications for the small Pacific Northwest community of Misty Pines when the crime is linked to a decades-old murder. Keliikoa has a knack for writing nuanced investigators, and haunted-yet-relentless sheriff Jax Turner is no exception. HIDDEN PIECES is absorbing and expertly-plotted, with the kind of twist that leaves you gawking at the page. I couldn’t stop reading.
November 11, 2022
Great Book...one of the best I've read lately!
This was my first giveaway win on Goodreads and I'm glad it was...as this author is one of the best mystery, thriller writers that I have come across in a long time and I can't wait to read what she writes next, will be first in line for new releases and am now, a life long fan.
In this mystery/ thriller, Keliikoa manages to develop characters who have motivations, thoughts, reactions, feelings, writing them so well, as to make the reader fell them, adding that with the mystery of a teen going missing, you can't help but question every character as they are cast! Are they the one, as something is suspicious, or off, about every single person! I had no idea who or what was behind Allison (the teen) going missing and with many reads, an author has a hard time masking all this information in a story. Mary, has no problems in hiding any reveals, keeping me questioning the entire book. And, it seemed like each time you thought you were gonna get a puzzle piece, something to help solve the mystery, you only got another question, something that gave you no answer and only made you wonder more. The whole mystery/ psychological thriller is very complex and rivals writers who are on the New York best sellers list!
And, it wasn't just dealing with the mystery of the missing girl that you got to read about but the investigator, the sheriff, Jax who, in the opening of the book, he is on the edge, ready to end his life with a bullet to the brain, gets interrupted from his demise by this new case (thank God), that a reader gets to find out about, why Jax is at the bitter end. And, it is a topic that some can understand (not that any who does, wants to) is the loss of a child and the demise of the parents relationship and after, how nothing seems to be left to live for in life. Jax has just finalized his divorce, after the death of his young daughter, the only reason the marriage didn't survive was because of the child loss, all the more horrible for those involved to absorb. That the memories of such a perfect life lost between the pair can be so painful that they end it all without trying to muddle through the horrible life after, together. Not knowing how, better to just call it quits.
The parents of the missing girl play the largest part in the book, their relationships and motivations, but we also learn that Misty Pines has a past, with a killer that was never unmasked and because a small town is, well, small, many of the people involved, even the killer, are closer than you think! Mary Keliikoa manages to bring readers to the edge of the seat, brings characters to life that you love to love and love to hate, characters who become real to the reader and my hope is that I get to see and read about some again. The best part of the book, I must say, is the psychology of the characters she creates here, learning about the depths of the psyche, how scary and twisted they can become, especially when there is a master of manipulation behind them. And, while Jax helped others, solved his case and got his man in the end, we see a small step forward out of his desperation in the end, leaving readers hoping for the man, hoping to hear from him, about his wellbeing, in the future.
Thank you to the author for a Goodreads giveaway gift and a great read! I will definitely be watching for more from her!
This was my first giveaway win on Goodreads and I'm glad it was...as this author is one of the best mystery, thriller writers that I have come across in a long time and I can't wait to read what she writes next, will be first in line for new releases and am now, a life long fan.
In this mystery/ thriller, Keliikoa manages to develop characters who have motivations, thoughts, reactions, feelings, writing them so well, as to make the reader fell them, adding that with the mystery of a teen going missing, you can't help but question every character as they are cast! Are they the one, as something is suspicious, or off, about every single person! I had no idea who or what was behind Allison (the teen) going missing and with many reads, an author has a hard time masking all this information in a story. Mary, has no problems in hiding any reveals, keeping me questioning the entire book. And, it seemed like each time you thought you were gonna get a puzzle piece, something to help solve the mystery, you only got another question, something that gave you no answer and only made you wonder more. The whole mystery/ psychological thriller is very complex and rivals writers who are on the New York best sellers list!
And, it wasn't just dealing with the mystery of the missing girl that you got to read about but the investigator, the sheriff, Jax who, in the opening of the book, he is on the edge, ready to end his life with a bullet to the brain, gets interrupted from his demise by this new case (thank God), that a reader gets to find out about, why Jax is at the bitter end. And, it is a topic that some can understand (not that any who does, wants to) is the loss of a child and the demise of the parents relationship and after, how nothing seems to be left to live for in life. Jax has just finalized his divorce, after the death of his young daughter, the only reason the marriage didn't survive was because of the child loss, all the more horrible for those involved to absorb. That the memories of such a perfect life lost between the pair can be so painful that they end it all without trying to muddle through the horrible life after, together. Not knowing how, better to just call it quits.
The parents of the missing girl play the largest part in the book, their relationships and motivations, but we also learn that Misty Pines has a past, with a killer that was never unmasked and because a small town is, well, small, many of the people involved, even the killer, are closer than you think! Mary Keliikoa manages to bring readers to the edge of the seat, brings characters to life that you love to love and love to hate, characters who become real to the reader and my hope is that I get to see and read about some again. The best part of the book, I must say, is the psychology of the characters she creates here, learning about the depths of the psyche, how scary and twisted they can become, especially when there is a master of manipulation behind them. And, while Jax helped others, solved his case and got his man in the end, we see a small step forward out of his desperation in the end, leaving readers hoping for the man, hoping to hear from him, about his wellbeing, in the future.
Thank you to the author for a Goodreads giveaway gift and a great read! I will definitely be watching for more from her!
Currently reading
January 10, 2023Hi Friends! Thank you so much for reading HIDDEN PIECES. The premise of this novel was based on a crime in my hometown when two girls went walking out on a rural road and one of them did not make it home alive. The question this book delves into is what might have happened to the girl that survived that fateful day. What can grief and guilt do to a person? How can it transform them, for good or bad? The protagonist, Sheriff Jax Turner, staring down the barrel of his own broken past, must answer the same questions when a new case of a missing 14-year-old girl gives him purpose and one last shot at redemption.
The backdrop is also an area I know well, having spent many years living at the Oregon coast. The oppressive weather of the northern coastline is its own character in the novel.
I weaved all of the above scenarios in a way that I hope keeps you turning the pages! Happy Reading!
The backdrop is also an area I know well, having spent many years living at the Oregon coast. The oppressive weather of the northern coastline is its own character in the novel.
I weaved all of the above scenarios in a way that I hope keeps you turning the pages! Happy Reading!
August 4, 2022
Jax Turner is the sheriff in the town of Misty Pines. He has lost his wife, his daughter, and his job could be next. What does he have left to live for? As Jax thinks of ending his life, he gets a call over his radio that a young girl, Allison, has gone missing. As he starts to unravel the clues as to how Allison went missing, he begins to find meaning in his life again.
There are so many twists and turns in the book that I absolutely LOVED. I can’t remember the last time that I read a book that kept me this interested. I literally could not put it down. I typically have a hard time with thrillers/mysteries because their ending is very obvious. No this book! Kept me guessing up until the epilogue. Literally. I will be reading any and all misty pines books that come out in the future.
Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this and giving me my very first ARC. I could not have asked for a better book!
There are so many twists and turns in the book that I absolutely LOVED. I can’t remember the last time that I read a book that kept me this interested. I literally could not put it down. I typically have a hard time with thrillers/mysteries because their ending is very obvious. No this book! Kept me guessing up until the epilogue. Literally. I will be reading any and all misty pines books that come out in the future.
Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this and giving me my very first ARC. I could not have asked for a better book!
October 20, 2022
I loved this fast paced terrifying thriller. Once I started reading I could not put this book down, I devoured this book in one sitting. Yes this book is that good. I was fully immersed in the story that was unfolding. Full of red herrings, packed to the rafters with tension and suspense with an ending that blew me away and was definitely not what I was expecting. Loved it!!!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
October 18, 2022
This was a really great story, another new author for me and this one didn’t disappoint. It was twisty and quite fast-paced and it held my interest all the way through. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.
August 14, 2022
My thanks to Level Best Books, as well as NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of Hidden Pieces.
Sheriff Jax Turner is staring down the barrel of his gun. He's about to end it all due to the cancer death of his young daughter, which led to the end of his marriage. Then he receives a call that a teenage schoolgirl has disappeared. He puts his gun down and vows to solve this one last case before he carries out his suicide plan.
I think my favorite part of Hidden Pieces was how this case was seemingly tied into a fascinating case from 20 years prior. And I absolutely loved the woman who worked in the Sheriff's Department answering the phone!! However, I wish there had been a few more well-adjusted characters and maybe a few fewer red herrings. It felt a bit like Jax was living in a pinball machine and bouncing off of bumpers for the entire book. The resolution to one of the storylines made me roll my eyes. Too implausible for me.
I seem to be an outlier with my review so please take the glowing reviews into consideration, as well. I suspect I just wasn't the right audience for Hidden Pieces.
Sheriff Jax Turner is staring down the barrel of his gun. He's about to end it all due to the cancer death of his young daughter, which led to the end of his marriage. Then he receives a call that a teenage schoolgirl has disappeared. He puts his gun down and vows to solve this one last case before he carries out his suicide plan.
I think my favorite part of Hidden Pieces was how this case was seemingly tied into a fascinating case from 20 years prior. And I absolutely loved the woman who worked in the Sheriff's Department answering the phone!! However, I wish there had been a few more well-adjusted characters and maybe a few fewer red herrings. It felt a bit like Jax was living in a pinball machine and bouncing off of bumpers for the entire book. The resolution to one of the storylines made me roll my eyes. Too implausible for me.
I seem to be an outlier with my review so please take the glowing reviews into consideration, as well. I suspect I just wasn't the right audience for Hidden Pieces.
August 9, 2022
I enjoyed reading Hidden Pieces through Netgalley. Sheriff Jax Turner has lost his wife to divorce after losing his daughter to cancer. He feels he has lost his purpose when he receives a call regarding a missing teenager. Turner gives this case his all while realizing he still has so much more to live for. The plot caught my attention from the beginning and I enjoyed the unexpected ending!
August 15, 2023
Ok this was a fantastic read that I really wished I read sooner. It looks like it is book one in the Misty Pines series and I am very happy to see that. I love police procedurals and this one was right up my alley. It starts off with a young girl gone missing and all signs point to a runaway. The more that comes to light the more that all is not as it seems. Sheriff Jax Turner has his own demons that haunt him, and I will just leave it there. This is a dark, atmospheric thriller that I could not put down and just absolutely loved. I’m already waiting for the next book and cannot wait to read it.
Thank you to Level Best Books and NetGalley for the ALC to review.
Thank you to Level Best Books and NetGalley for the ALC to review.
August 4, 2022
Was able to read this thanks to Netgalley.
This book is amazing. I got sucked into it from the beginning. I felt as thoigh as I was there amongst the characters. I felt more connected to this book because I'm from Oregon. I will definitely read more books by this author. I had no clue who the culprit was until the very end. I give this book 5 stars.
This book is amazing. I got sucked into it from the beginning. I felt as thoigh as I was there amongst the characters. I felt more connected to this book because I'm from Oregon. I will definitely read more books by this author. I had no clue who the culprit was until the very end. I give this book 5 stars.
November 3, 2022
Great book. Read in one day.
September 1, 2022
Sheriff Jax Turner lost his daughter to cancer and lost his marriage because he could not handle the grief. With nothing left for him to carry on, he is thinking of ending his life. Because no one needs him now.
But then a schoolgirl, Allison, vanishes and with all the rookies in the department, he's the only one who can help. Allison's backpack is found in a neighbor's backseat who later they come to know is a sex offender.
Is this case so easy to solve and will Jax be able to find Allison before it's too late?
The epilogue didn't pull me as much as the impeccable first chapter of the book. Even though the way the story starts to open with casting suspicions from one character to other was amazing, the most beautiful part of the book was character development. I loved how author depicted grief and trauma through the characters. And the plus points are the twists that you don’t see coming.
I thank NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the ARC copy for my honest review.
But then a schoolgirl, Allison, vanishes and with all the rookies in the department, he's the only one who can help. Allison's backpack is found in a neighbor's backseat who later they come to know is a sex offender.
Is this case so easy to solve and will Jax be able to find Allison before it's too late?
The epilogue didn't pull me as much as the impeccable first chapter of the book. Even though the way the story starts to open with casting suspicions from one character to other was amazing, the most beautiful part of the book was character development. I loved how author depicted grief and trauma through the characters. And the plus points are the twists that you don’t see coming.
I thank NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the ARC copy for my honest review.
September 29, 2022
WOW. What a Wicked, Wild Ending! Never saw that coming.
Sheriff Jax Turner hunts for the abductor of Allison Krueger from Misty Pines. The teen was waiting for the bus and disappeared. The girl brings back painful memories of his past.
This was a great book and many thanks to NetGalley and Level Best Books for this ARC!
Sheriff Jax Turner hunts for the abductor of Allison Krueger from Misty Pines. The teen was waiting for the bus and disappeared. The girl brings back painful memories of his past.
This was a great book and many thanks to NetGalley and Level Best Books for this ARC!
October 21, 2022
This is a hard book to review! The first ~50%: 1.5-2 stars. The next ~40%: 3 stars. The last ~10%: 3.5-4 stars.
The first half was boring, slow and repetitive to me. I didn't need or want to read over and over the detective's thoughts about how he didn't know who was responsible for the crime or what he should do next - that's why I was reading.
The part that I struggled to get through the most was reading pages describing the detective drawing arrows between names on a white board and scribbling on a white board and then being reminded about what's scribbled on the white board.
My last grievance was two characters talking in a different language without explaining what's said or enough context.
It picks up a bit at about 60%, gets interesting and reads better with a moving plot. By the last 10% I was hooked and then came a major twist, which I can't say more about other than I was honestly surprised.
Suspend belief is neccesary.
I wouldn't read the next book in the series if there was one, but this book did redeem itself a bit.
I am a fast paced thriller / crime / police procedural fan, so this book may definitely be for you if you like police procedurals that are not so fast moving (also should note it is confusing with so many characters!).
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The first half was boring, slow and repetitive to me. I didn't need or want to read over and over the detective's thoughts about how he didn't know who was responsible for the crime or what he should do next - that's why I was reading.
The part that I struggled to get through the most was reading pages describing the detective drawing arrows between names on a white board and scribbling on a white board and then being reminded about what's scribbled on the white board.
My last grievance was two characters talking in a different language without explaining what's said or enough context.
It picks up a bit at about 60%, gets interesting and reads better with a moving plot. By the last 10% I was hooked and then came a major twist, which I can't say more about other than I was honestly surprised.
Suspend belief is neccesary.
I wouldn't read the next book in the series if there was one, but this book did redeem itself a bit.
I am a fast paced thriller / crime / police procedural fan, so this book may definitely be for you if you like police procedurals that are not so fast moving (also should note it is confusing with so many characters!).
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
July 21, 2022
Sheriff Jax Turner’s life seems to be circling the drain. He lost his daughter to cancer five years ago and his inability to deal with his grief cost him his marriage. But a local teen goes missing from the bus stop and the similarities of this case to a case Jax felt he bungled twenty-five years ago, compels Jax to pull himself together, at least long enough to find her before it’s too late.
Keliikoa keeps the tension rising as the clock keeps ticking and suspicion shifts from one suspect to the next. A desperate Jax encounters one twist after another right up to the surprising end. A compelling page turner!
Keliikoa keeps the tension rising as the clock keeps ticking and suspicion shifts from one suspect to the next. A desperate Jax encounters one twist after another right up to the surprising end. A compelling page turner!
March 23, 2023
I was immediately swept into the world of the small town sheriff and the mystery that unfolds around him. Mary Keliikoa's writing is beautiful, making you feel like you're in the midst (or mist, as it were) of everything her characters are experiencing.
October 25, 2022
Triggers: missing teen
Chilhood cancer
Abduction
Mental illness
The introduction had me wide eyed and hooked and desperate to read more.
This book has it all from missing girls, drugs, abduction, murder to illegal immigrants!
Just as you think you figured it all out there's a brand new twist and each surprising reveal had me on the edge of my seat with a fast pulse rate!
With a serial killer, a kidnapper, a missing brother, the past and present colliding and culminating in the ultimate shocking ending.
Jax' s raw pain had me tearing up a few times, and the storyline was so surprising I never would have guessed the ending. I loved it! I'm excited to see it's the first in a series!
Thank you netgalley for an arc copy in exchange for my honest review.
Chilhood cancer
Abduction
Mental illness
The introduction had me wide eyed and hooked and desperate to read more.
This book has it all from missing girls, drugs, abduction, murder to illegal immigrants!
Just as you think you figured it all out there's a brand new twist and each surprising reveal had me on the edge of my seat with a fast pulse rate!
With a serial killer, a kidnapper, a missing brother, the past and present colliding and culminating in the ultimate shocking ending.
Jax' s raw pain had me tearing up a few times, and the storyline was so surprising I never would have guessed the ending. I loved it! I'm excited to see it's the first in a series!
Thank you netgalley for an arc copy in exchange for my honest review.
August 5, 2022
I had the honour of reading this ARC thanks to NetGalley! I could hardly put it down. Sheriff Jax Turner has been struggling with his own demons since his daughter passed from cancer and he and his wife divorced. Its pretty safe to say that Sheriff Turner has checked out, personally and professionally. He is ready to end it all when a call comes through- 14 year old Allison is missing. As the investigation starts it is learned that Allison and her mom have been fighting and she wants to go live with her dad- but this is not something he could take on. Allisons backpack is found in the car of a registered sex offender, and thats where the evidence trail begins. As more evidence comes up Jax cant help but to think of a case he had years ago- the abduction of two young girls fleeing their abusive foster family. One of the girls was saved, but the other was murdered. They never caught who did it. With Jax doing some digging he realizes the girl that lived, Elena was Allisons stepmother for some time. Jax is worried it is the same person all these year later, playing sick games with peoples lives and with the police. With so many dead ends, twists and turns you never know who you can suspect, or who’s behind it all. As the clock ticks and time starts to run out Sheriff Jax gives it his all to try and bring Allison home and not have another failure on his plate. I loved this suspenseful read and look forward to other Misty Pines Mysteries!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 214 reviews