Hide by Lisa Gardner
Genre: Suspense
Publication Date: 2014
Number of Pages: 350
Geographical Setting: Boston, Mass.
Time Period: contemporary
Series: Detective DD Warran
Plot Summary: Annabelle and her parents have been moving
from city to city for most of her life.
Now as an adult she is ready to settle down in the city that she
remembers first living in as a child.
Soon an underground cavern is found with the remains of 6 little girls.
One of which has Annabelle’s name etches on a locket. Annabelle remembers giving the locket to her
childhood friend, Dori. Is Dori one of
the dead girls? Is Annabelle connected
to the girls’ deaths and if so how? With
both of her parents gone, Annabelle searches for answers on her own and with
the help of the police especially police Detective Bobby Dodge.
Elements of Suspense:
*Pacing –
Suspense demands a page-turning pace that draws a reader in from the first page
and keeps them reading to the final twist.
The action takes place within a narrow time frame.
*Tone/Mood – Much
of the action takes place at night or on a rainy or cloudy day. The menacing atmosphere is crucial to the
readers impression.
*Style/Language –
The story unfolds quickly in the first few pages. A roller-coaster style that builds the
feeling of dread anticipation is another style technique used. The style can be used in different chapters
by different characters points of view.
*Characterization
– Readers know the thoughts of the main characters, the hero and the
villain. This helps to build tension in
the story.
Appeal:
Action-packed, page-turner, gripping
Read-a-likes:
Triptych
(Will Trent, #1) by Karin Slaughter
Judas Kiss
(Taylor Jackson, #3) by J.T. Ellison
Lost Souls
(New Orleans, #5) by Lisa Jackson
Postmortem
(Kay Scarpetta, #1) by Patricia Cornwell
Mary,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your description of the novel. I don't usually get into detective mysteries, but this one sounds intriguing! Your synopsis makes me want to figure out the mystery! If Annabelle is involved or connected to the murder of those girls. Also, I love a fast-paced book..one that keeps me turning the page!
Mary,
ReplyDeleteI have heard wonderful things about Lisa Gardner and it seems like this would be no exception. I like that the characterization of the book includes the thoughts of the hero and the villain, it certainly draws in the reader to be able to see both sides of the story in play. I also think it would be great to be entranced by the book straight away as you say the style and story unfolds quickly. Before reading your advisory I might not have given this book a second thought, but now I want to know who the little girls are and why they were there!
Ooooh, this sounds fascinating! I'm curious how you chose this specific book to annotate. Was it already on your reading list? Did you enjoy it? I haven't read many suspense novels, but this sounds like something I couldn't put down.
ReplyDeleteActually this is one of the books that is listed in the back of our text book under the Five-Book Challenge for Suspense books. (pg 338) I had a hard time deciding which novel to read so I choose one of those books to read. I'm thinking about doing the same thing for my next book annotation.
DeleteMary, Yay! I'm glad you did that!!!! Not many of students ever try out the recommendations! Was this book a stand alone or part of a series?
DeleteThis book is a part of a series, I did not find that out until I finished reading it. I think that for the main parts of the book it was okay not to have read the other books before this one.
DeleteHi Mary,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your annotation and this was actually a book that a patron just recommended I read not to long ago. Maybe it has to move its way up my to-read list to the top. The thing that really made me want to read this though, and that I am so glad you thought to mention, was the fact that the main plot/action happens in narrow time frame. You would think that this is an obvious element for any suspense book, because an author wants to keep the reader hooked and on their toes, but I have found that this is definitely not always the case. In fact, I have been turned off of the suspense genre before, because I feel like some authors have a tendency to drag their feet, and the story really doesn't keep me hooked on the plot line. Good to know that this one is not that way!
Hi, I like your pick for suspense. It seems a little like Catherine Coulter or Sharon Sala's books. I love both of these authors, but I read them more for the romance aspect. But I do enjoy a good mystery in a story on occasion. The style/language element is really enjoyable when books build up the suspense quickly. I do prefer that if they share the villain's point of view, that they don't tell who it is just give their thoughts or prospective. I like when you have the mystery until the end.
ReplyDeleteExcellent annotation! You did a great job with your appeals, elements, summary and readalikes. Full points!
ReplyDelete