The Challenge Factory discussion

Krissy & Lauren - Hidden

Checking in.
Any preferences for reading date, Krissy?

The audiobook is available with KU so I'm good to start anytime after the 2nd

I have a couple of books to finish first so how about the 10th?

10th works for me!

I'm starting today :0)

I am finishing up another book this morning so I'll be able to start this one later today or tonight

Comments up to chapter 5 (including):

It's good so far although the writing isn't the best - a bit too much telling rather than showing.

I found it strange that Lacey did not make the connection between (view spoiler)[the body and her friend Suzanne's disappearance sooner, i.e., as soon as she saw the teeth braces. For such a traumatic event, she sure seemed to forget it easily enough. (hide spoiler)]

Lacey has an original occupation though - forensic odontology. Dr. Peres reminds me of Bones :0)

I'm assuming that it is not a coincidence that the killer decided to (view spoiler)[dump the bones in Jack Harper's building. There is obviously a larger agenda at work her considering Jack used to be Cal's partner. (hide spoiler)]

Comments up to chapter 17 (not including):

The writing is getting better with each page and the story is grabbing me. I like that fact that (view spoiler)[we get the killer's POV because this ratchets up the tension for me (hide spoiler)]

The killer - (view spoiler)[Is very disturbing. The scene with the dog really upset me. I hate it when animals are abused.

I'm still trying to figure out his connection to DeCosta and why he's trying to involve Jack in the case. (hide spoiler)]

Lacey's exes - (view spoiler)[To be honest, I'm surprised that she has both an ex-husband AND an ex-lover. It seems excessive, especially considering Lacey's traumatic experiences.

Regardless of the details of their history (which I haven't gotten to yet), Frank is a total ass! Talking to Lacey like that in public is just wrong. You want to have it out with her, do it in private.

His new wife is also really smarmy... what's with the looks she gave Jack?

Michael is definitely weird. I don't think that he's the killer (too tall), but his possessiveness with regard to Lacey is inappropriate. (hide spoiler)]

I didn't get very far at all yet. Had a few interruptions. But I'll be able to get a lot done tomorrow and comment as I go

Krissy wrote: "I didn't get very far at all yet. Had a few interruptions. But I'll be able to get a lot done tomorrow and comment as I go"

It was a busy day for me yesterday as well so I didn't get a lot of reading in. I'll probably finish it today.

Thoughts up to chapter 7:

(view spoiler)[It wasn't braces she found on the skeleton but bridges. My brother has a bridge. So they aren't as obvious as braces might have been . Which could be why she didn't immediately recognize them as Suzanne's. It said that the bridges were gold but it also said that they were made for the mandibular molars so that would put them closer to the back of the mouth. Somewhere not easily seen.

I love Bones! My husband and I watched a marathon together last year. We really need to catch up with the show.

Jack is obviously the scapegoat here. The killer is framing him for some reason and I'm just going to assume it's realty related. They want Jack out of the way to take over the property he owns maybe? Seems a bit extreme. Idk. Or it's an old grudge from when Jack was on the force maybe? I guess we'll find out! (hide spoiler)]

Lauren wrote: "Comments up to chapter 5 (including):

For such a traumatic event, she sure seemed to forget it easily enough."

It's just because of the trauma. The deeper the trauma the deeper the risk your subcounsciousness burries it that deep you loose any access to all the details around the trauma and many areas linked with it. Since I'm fighting against that kind of stuff on a daily basis I was really able to understand her partially in this point.

I was so sucked into the story I didn't realise any big issues with the writting - plus I'm not a native speaker :-)

No comments on the location of the dump side of the bones from me yet, don't want to spoil anything ;-)

Lauren I'm absolutely on the same page about the killer, he's so creepy and I realised very late who he really is double creepy.

Frank - I so hated this character, each time he appears I wished I could get into the book and strangle him - a really nasty one.

I didn't like Michael even if I could understand (to a certain degree) why he acted the way he did but still I'm totally on the same page absolutely inappriopriate.

Ladies I love Bones as well even if I'm way behind in the series. I haven't watched any series in about two years so I'm really lost about all new developments and the German TV was anyway up to one year behind the original transmission/broadcst(?). As soon as I loose interest in excessive reading I'll start perhaps to watch movies/series again ;-)
Do you know if there is a big difference between the books and the series? I had so far no possibility to read the books.

Krissy wrote: "I love Bones! My husband and I watched a marathon together last year. We really need to catch up with the show. ."

I'm also behind on the last couple of seasons of Bones. I really need to get back to it.

Agnieszka wrote: "Lauren I'm absolutely on the same page about the killer, he's so creepy and I realised very late who he really is double creepy..."

Oooh! Now I'm really curious :0)

Up to chapter 18:

(view spoiler)[
I think Michael is in the picture because Lacey needs a reliable and trustworthy friend. The story would feel a little unbalanced if she had nobody in her corner. So I don't think of him as her ex-lover but as her best friend. And I don't see him as being possessive per se. I see him as being protective. As any best friend would be.

Her ex-husband is a piece of work. I'm sure he will come up again in the story. The reason his wife gave Jack a "simpering, admiring smile" was because she thought Jack an attractive guy and since she is a beautiful woman she is probably used to being the center of attention. So being flirtatious gives her the opportunity to have all male attention on her. Which is why Lacey thought Jack's dismissive glance towards her was perfect.

The dog scene was disturbing, no doubt. But it is common knowledge that the majority of serial killers started with cruelty towards animals while young. So I'm not surprised he did what he did with the dog.

That video... poor Suzanne. I am now curious how long he kept her. And what of the baby? Did I miss any mention of what became of the baby? Did he kill Suzanne before she gave birth? Or after? I don't remember the killer being specific with those details when he was thinking back to that time. (hide spoiler)]

Finished!

I'm on chapter 31 and have a weird theory based on Suzanne's baby and the idea that (view spoiler)[she is Kelly's daughter, Jessica.

In that case, the killer is Kelly and she only thinks of herself as a man. Perhaps she was one of DeCosta's victims or she was always his accomplice. She killed the girls in Mount Junction because she viewed them as rivals.

It's far fetched but makes sense is a strange way. It will be interesting to see if I'm right :0) (hide spoiler)]

Finished too.

So my theory didn't pan out although some of the guesses were accurate. I just knew that (view spoiler)[Kelly was involved somehow. (hide spoiler)]

I'm always astounded at the lengths some people will go to to (view spoiler)[have a child. I think that colluding with a serial killer might just me the most incredible! (hide spoiler)]

All in all, it was a pretty good thriller. The romance aspect was weaker and the writing needs work, but isn't too bad for a debut book.