Eleanor Brennan is trying to get over a tragic event in her childhood, her teenage years included overdoses and self harm. Now it's time to spread her wings and with the encouragement of her mother, she goes to London to live with her uncle and his family. Securing a temp job in a publishing house where her Aunt works seems a good new start.
But at the work Christmas Party there is a suspicious death, Arabella Lane's body is found floating in the river and suddenly Eleanor isn't sure if she was involved or not. Having accepted a drink from Arabella that she knew some drugs had been put into it, Eleanor has lost the memory of a number of hours during the night and the next morning she finds she has Arabella's ring in her bag.

I've read all of Sara Foster's books and this one didn't disappoint, for me it was such an easy read and I zipped through it in two sittings.
This was part mystery/suspense and I'd almost say, part coming of age. Mostly set in the present with the mystery surrounding Arabella's death, there are also chapters of Eleanor's childhood leading up to the significant event in her younger years, which I was never sure of until it was revealed. So many things go to shape us in our lives and once again it can be the things that are never said that stop us from moving on.

An enjoyable read and thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy to read and review.

Eleanor’s memories of her nine year old self, and the traumas that had affected her family life in country Australia, would never leave her. Her mother Gillian urged Eleanor to head to London for a fresh start; to stay with her brother Ian, his wife Susan and their two girls. She hadn’t met her uncle before, but felt an affection for him, and loved the girls – but Susan was a high flying business woman, harsh and to Eleanor’s mind, a cold woman.

After only being at her temp position for three weeks – the one her aunt had set up for her, as she was an integral part of the children’s publishing house – the Christmas party cruising on the Thames was looming and Eleanor wasn’t sure she wanted to go. She hadn’t made any friends and knew she would feel uncomfortable. But she did go – and it was the beginning of another dark and terrible time in her life, and in the lives of those around her.

For Arabella Lane’s body was found in the Thames the following morning – and Eleanor had briefly been in her company at the party the night before. But the worst for Eleanor was – she had no memory of those hours; the police continued to question her. Did they believe her? Her past kept colliding with the present – why couldn’t it leave her alone? Why was this happening to her? Would she ever find the inner peace she craved?

The Hidden Hours is another gripping psychological thriller by Aussie author Sara Foster which is filled with intensity, emotion and grief. The tragedy which was the young Eleanor’s life was written well – past chapters interspersed with the present day and drawing in the incredible trauma of her adult life. Written in present tense, (which always feels strange to me!) it didn’t take me long to settle into the rhythm of the story. I thoroughly enjoyed The Hidden Hours and highly recommend it.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital copy to read and review.

Eleanor aged 21 has recently arrived in London from rural Australia, trying to escape a traumatic past, staying with her Uncle & her Aunt, who finds her work in the publishing house where she also works. Eleanor’s life becomes even more disturbed & complicated when she arrives at work to discover that following the office party the previous evening, Senior executive Arabella Lane has been found dead in the waters of the Thames. Unfortunately, Eleanor may have been one of the last people to see Arabella alive, but she has no memory of the events in the hours immediately before or after Arabella’s death. Was she involved? She has no idea!

As Eleanor struggles to remember the night before, the story of not only that tragic night, but also Eleanor’s troubled past is revealed. As we flit between past & present it becomes more apparent why Eleanor is so troubled. The story gripped me from the beginning & I wanted to know what happened that night, but also as the back story of the past was building I wanted to find out what had happened to her & her family. As the tension built it became a real page turner! This book is much more than a psychological thriller, driven by characters and place as well as events. I have read all Sara Foster’s novels to date & this didn’t disappoint, thank you Netgalley & Simon Schuster for the chance to read & review The Hidden Hours.

*I received this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

I'm not really sure how I feel about this book- it was unsettling the whole way through, but I kept expecting certain events to happen and then they just... didn't. For example, the entire vibe I got the whole way through, and which was very much built up, was that the old next door neighbour was a paedophile. And the way the character was presented made that basically seem a given. And then he just... wasn't. Same with the father- he's a jerk, and the assumption was that he would become abusive. And he just... didn't.
So I was just going along reading and waiting for the other shoe to drop and it pretty much never did. Even by the end when it was revealed who the killer was, I was honestly a bit disappointed, as I'd been led to expect a bigger plot twist than what eventuated.
I'd really enjoyed Foster's previous book All that is Lost Between Us, which I received via NetGalley last year. And this was just not as good.
But I am interested to see what she comes up with next- I don't ever read mystery or crime novels, and so far this author has gotten me to read both of hers now so she must be doing something right.

I'd seen the blurb for The Hidden Hours on Goodreads and marked it to read late last year. It is written in present tense and mostly from Eleanor's perspective. There are snippets at the beginning of each chapter told from another character in the story's viewpoint, adding a little more depth to the story. I'm not normally a big fan of present tense, but it didn't take me long to get into the rhythm of the story and ultimately I felt it was probably the correct choice in this instance.

Eleanor is a deeply troubled character due to something tragic that happened in her childhood. Not only is she facing the drama of not being able to remember what happened during the hidden hours, or if she was somehow involved in Arabella's death, memories and anxieties regarding her past are brought to the surface. Eleanor is a deeply troubled character who isn't sure what is real or who to trust. On the one hand I liked this aspect or flaw in her personality, on the other, it meant she was too indecisive and easily manipulated. There were times I willed her to do something, rather than languish in her room feeling sorry for herself. The secondary characters were mostly strangers to Eleanor, and so I didn't really know much about them, other than what Eleanor herself knew about or thought of them. This made it difficult to not only know who the murderer was, but also in terms of character development.

Eleanor is facing two sets of demons and she needs to face both her past and present. This leads to two storylines unfolding at the same time. The plot is well written with plenty of potential murderers in Arabella's case. There is misdirection by the characters, and especially from Eleanor herself due to who she does or doesn't place her trust in. The pace is reasonably slow, but the psychological aspects keep it interesting.

The Hidden Hours is a quick and thrilling read.

I enjoyed The Hidden Hours, it was an evenly paced thriller. Not finding out whodunnit until about 10 pages towards the end was great. The beginnings of each chapter with small dialogues of each person who witnessed/dealt with Arabella helped draw you in, hoping that maybe one of those characters may be the killer.

The Hidden Hours is not a "in-too deep" thriller, and won't keep you awake at night, though it will keep you guessing.

Book blurb...

Keeping her secret may save her family.

But telling it may save her life.

Arabella Lane, senior executive at a children’s publisher, is found dead in the Thames on a frosty winter’s morning after the office Christmas party. No one is sure whether she jumped or was pushed. The one person who may know the truth is the newest employee at Parker & Lane – the office temp, Eleanor.

Eleanor has travelled to London to escape the repercussions of her traumatic childhood in outback Australia, but now tragedy seems to follow her wherever she goes. To her horror, she has no memory of the crucial hours leading up to Arabella’s death – memory that will either incriminate or absolve her.

As Eleanor desperately tries to remember her missing hours and uncover the events of that fateful night, her own extended family is dragged further into the dark, terrifying terrain of blame, suspicion and guilt.

Caught in a crossfire of accusations, Eleanor fears she can’t even trust herself, let alone the people around her. And soon, she’ll find herself in a race against time to find out just what happened that night – and discover just how deadly some secrets can be.

My thoughts…

Sarah Foster’s, The Hidden Hours, hits the spot for those who love to read thrilling, evocative mysteries.

I felt so much for Eleanor as she tries to start a new life in London. Unfortunately, her new life is affected by her past and her family.

The plot is well paced and keeps you reading to the end and the vivid descriptions were just right. I felt the cold of London’s winter and the loneliness of Eleanor’s childhood throughout the book.

Sara Foster introduces us to the character of Eleanor gradually. Eleanor's current day troubles and her past as a child are beautifully told in a way that brings the past and present together in an ending you won’t see coming.

I am a Sara Foster fan and I’m thinking this is her best yet. Another fantastic Australian Author.

Twenty-one year old Eleanor Brennan has recently arrived in London from Australia and is living with her Uncle Ian, Aunt Susan and their two young daughters.
Susan is the CEO of Parker & Lane, a major publishing house, and she gets Eleanor a temp job there working for Nathan Lane, the obnoxious husband of the "elegant, graceful" Arabella, a marketing and publicity executive whose "laugh can make you smile even when you haven't heard the conversation."
On the morning after the firm’s Christmas party, Arabella’s body is found floating in the Thames near Waterloo Bridge. Eleanor is horrified when she realises she may have witnessed what happened to her. Only she can’t remember a thing, other than being vaguely aware she had spent some time with Arabella the evening before and that Arabella may have spiked her drink. When Eleanor later discovers Arabella’s ring in her bag she is even more distraught, but terrified to go to the police in case they suspect her.
This is a novel full of psychological twists and turns. Initially, it is about the murder of Arabella then progressively includes flashbacks to Eleanor’s childhood in the Australian bush and a time when her once-secure family began to crack at the seams before finally breaking apart.
The plotting is excellent and it keeps you guessing as suspicions ebb and flow. Although some of the characters are self-serving and unpleasant, it is well-balanced with others who are far more likeable. Unlike other thrillers, there are no truly evil people here, just those whose foolishness or uncontrolled passions push them into actions from which there is no escape. As one character observes, it is not hate, but love, that "is part of the problem".
There are times when Eleanor’s reluctance to reveal all to the police while trusting others makes you feel like giving her a good shake but as her past is slowly unravelled and you realise where she is coming from, you have to feel more compassionate towards her. The ending feels just a bit rushed with a few questions unanswered, but overall this is a most satisfying read and it genuinely did keep me up reading into the small hours.
Four and a half stars.

With many thanks to Simon & Schuster Australia and NetGalley for the ARC.

After a traumatic event which has shaped her formative years, 21-year old Eleanor Brennan is trying to put the past behind her and move on with her life by leaving Australia for a year’s work experience at a successful publishing firm in London. She is shocked and dismayed when she wakes with a severe hangover after the office Christmas party to hear that one of the executives of the firm, Arabella Lane, has died overnight under suspicious circumstances. Eleanor was one of the last people seen talking to Arabella before her death, but she has little to no recollection of the night’s events. What happened in the hours between talking to Arabella at the party, and arriving drunk and dishevelled back at her uncle’s house? Eleanor is sure she only had very little alcohol – did someone spike her drinks? As the investigation into Arabella’s death continues, Eleanor becomes more and more convinced that she may have witnessed something terrible that night. Without any memory of the “missing hours”, and with the killer still at large, is she putting herself in danger? In a city full of strangers, whom can she confide in and trust?

Amnesia has long been used in psychological thrillers as a means to lead the reader on a slow journey of discovery, whilst building suspense and maintaining a sense of menace and danger to the protagonist throughout the story. I generally like the idea, as it opens the door to so many possibilities, but find that there definitely is an art to making it work. Whilst The Hidden Hours got off to a rather slow start for me, and I found it difficult initially to bond with Eleanor, the introduction of snapshots into Eleanor’s past quickly got my attention and worked well to foster understanding of how her past has influenced her present state of mind. The little clues linking the past and present worked well to keep me intrigued, even if I admit that I was much more drawn to the mystery of Eleanor’s childhood tragedy than the murder of Arabella Lane. It is obvious that Foster has an intimate understanding of the hardships faced by people in rural Australia, and does a great job in building and atmosphere of impending doom for the child Elly. Some small hints sowed seeds of the tragedy to come, but I was still surprised when it was revealed, and felt an intense sense of empathy and sadness for the young girl.

I also liked the sense of isolation Eleanor experiences as a visitor staying at her maternal uncle’s house, and the growing sense of isolation and dread as suspicion about Eleanor’s involvement into the events leading up to Arabella’s death mounts. There was real potential to exploit this isolation to build more suspense and tension as Eleanor’s back is against the wall with no one to support her, which was not quite fully realised for me. Adult Eleanor appears a bit “bland” and timid at times, slowing the story down. I would have liked to see her endowed with a few more flaws, character quirks and spunk to make her more engaging and memorable.

Whilst the novel got off to a slow start for me and I struggled with the first few chapters, it soon gained momentum and managed to keep my interest. The mystery concerning Eleanor’s past was intriguing, and the end contained enough revelations and surprises to make the journey worthwhile. However, I felt that there was not quite enough suspense to market the novel as a “psychological thriller”, and lovers of that genre may find it a bit lacking in tension and “thrill” elements.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free electronic copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Eleanor Brennan has decided to leave Australia and start anew in London. She has had a traumatic childhood (which is slowly and cleverly revealed throughout the book). She moves in with her distant uncle, Ian, and his family. Ian's wife, Susan, is a high flying career woman and is the CEO of Parker and Lane, a publishing company. She helps Eleanor to land a job at the company as a personal assistant to Nathan Lane. Three weeks later, and despite not really knowing anyone, Eleanor decides to attend her work Christmas party. Here she meets party girl, Arabella Lane, a publishing executive and wife of Nathan. Arabella's father is also the owner of Parker and Lane. The next morning Arabella is found dead in the cold Thames River. Nobody knows if she was pushed or jumped and Eleanor was one of the last few people to see her alive. Only problem is Eleanor can't recall what happened. Foster's clever writing keeps us guessing about suspects and motives and definitely has you guessing to the climatic ending. A great thrilling read.

Eleanor Brennan, 21, is living in London with her uncle and aunt after wanting a new start from her haunting childhood in outback Australia. She lands a job at a children's publishing company, Parker & Lane, where her aunt is the CEO. She has only been there for 3 weeks when she finds out that the director of the company, Arabella Lane, has been found dead in the Thames river, just hours after the company's annual Christmas party. It isn't known whether Arabella jumped, or if she was pushed. Eleanor remembers chatting with Arabella at the party, but after having her drink spiked, she can't recall much else. She begins to panic as she was one of the last people to see Arabella alive, and doesn't know whether she had anything to do with her death. It doesn't help when the Art Director, Will Clayton claims that he saw Arabella and Eleanor together at the party, or when Arabella's ring is found in Eleanor's handbag.
Eleanor is questioned as a witness but she struggles to fill in the missing hours of that night.
Throughout the story, the pieces of the puzzle are slowly put together. There are many suspects, and a lot of mystery involved which kept me intrigued. The other storyline that runs throughout the book is the journey of Eleanor's childhood, and the reason why she wanted to make the change to a new country. I really enjoyed this element of the story, perhaps even more so than the mystery surrounding Arabella's death.
I must say that the ending fell a little flat for me. I was hoping for a bit more but it just felt a little bit disjointed. But if you are after a good mystery, then The Hidden Hours certainly fits the bill!

The Hidden Hours looked really promising. A fast-paced thriller about a death among the tight-knit publishing community.

Unfortunately, for me, the layout slowed the story down. Heads hopped, and overwrought explanations got in the way until such point that it was chugging along like a car without fuel.

I did skip ahead to find out whodunnit - I still wanted to know, regardless, but the layout and style just didn't quite work from me.

I'm sure there are others who will love it, however.

Not so much a psychological thriller as a murder mystery that is told through the eyes of Eleanor Brennan, a 21 year old Australian who moves to London to work in a publishing company. She lives with her aunt and uncle and their two young girls while her aunt also works at the same publishing company. Eleanor's life becomes even more complicated when the wife of the owner of the publishing company is found dead the morning after the office Christmas party. Eleanor doesn't remember much of the party as she was drugged by the murder victim and it's this memory loss that sustains much of the tension in the novel. In parallel, we are also given insights into the traumatic nature of her family life back in Australia which initiated her move to London. Another enjoyable read by Sara Foster.

I really enjoyed this book the twists and turns kept me guessing until the end. Definitely will recommend this title.

A page-turner with the protagonist's past (in Australia) and present (in the UK) skillfully drawn and interwoven. The characterisation and setting were standouts for me and I rated this book a 4..5 stars read.

‘The body bobs lightly against the grey stone wall, ensnared by something unseen, resisting the current.’

Arabella Lane is a senior executive at Parker & Lane, a children’s publisher in London. The day after the office Christmas party, Arabella is found dead in the Thames. Arabella was seen with a number of different people, and in at least one heated exchange. Did she jump, or was she pushed?

Eleanor Brennan, a temporary member of staff at Parker & Lane, has travelled to London to escape her traumatic childhood in Australia. Eleanor is staying with her aunt and uncle in London. Her aunt works at Parker & Lane, and Eleanor has attended the office party to try to meet more people.

Unfortunately, Eleanor may have been one of the last people to see Arabella alive, but she has no memory of the events in the hours immediately before or after Arabella’s death. Was Eleanor involved? The only way she can find out is to remember what happened, and she’s certainly under a lot of pressure to do so. Her aunt in particular has a vested interest in discovering the truth, and Eleanor becomes caught up in the undercurrents of her aunt and uncle’s marriage.

As Eleanor struggles to remember what happened the night Arabella died, she’s caught up in the memories of traumatic events in her childhood. Everywhere, it seems, is dangerous for Eleanor. Both past and present threaten to overwhelm her. Who can she believe? Who can she trust?

From the first page this novel held my attention. While I wanted to know what had happened to Arabella, I was much more interested in the events of Eleanor’s past. Ms Foster maintains the tension as the story moves between past and present. And the ending? I found it satisfying.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster (Australia) for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

As I began reading the book, I thought it might have been one of those stories who inadvertently gives away the 'who-done-it' close to the start. Boy was I wrong. This story was easy to follow, kept the pages turning quickly and it was a story that stayed on your mind long after you put the book down. I changed my mind over and over on who I thought 'did it' until even I was confused by my own mind. If my life wasn't so busy, I could have read this book in a day.

Characters were well created with their own personal turmoils, twists and secrets. Storyline flowed flawlessly, despite reaching back into the past of Eleanor's childhood throughout the book. The little clues at the start of most chapters made you squirm for more details and threw your thought process that little bit more. Definitely a book that will go in my forever library when it does hit the shelves. A very, very good read and highly recommended!

This book was so brilliant. It gripped me from the opening page and kept me guessing until the end.

Who is the murderer? Be prepared to keep guessing right up till the last chapter.
The body of Arabella Lane, a senior staff member at Parker & Lane, is found floating in the Thames. Eleanor Brennan is interviewed by the police as part of what turns out to be a murder investigation. After surviving a childhood containing family secrets, tragedy and a period of self harm she was hoping her new job at Parker would be part of a fresh start. After only a few weeks working at the company Eleanor fears she may be one of the suspects if she was the last person to see Arabella alive an/or witnessed the murder. Eleanor attended a work function the previous night and a combination of too much alcohol coupled with a spiked drink leave her with little memory of events. She has to cope with suspicion, blame and painful memories while struggling to remember anything that happened on the night.
It took me a little while to get into the ‘rhythm’ of the story. Most of the chapters would switch to Eleanor after a few paragraphs relating to a different character. I wasn’t sure if they were included as red herrings or all had special roles. Just before the halfway mark I realized how they all fit together and I was really hooked.
Initially I saw Eleanor as immature, naïve and someone who had trouble making decisions (one of my pet hates). I became frustrated with her character and felt like reaching into the book to say “…get a move on”. Gradually I learned more about her childhood and the tragic events which helped shaped her as a person. Well before the last chapter I started to feel admiration for the way she got through it all. I really enjoyed how the author drew me into the story through Eleanor.
I felt several scenes were particularly well written. One of my favourites was a sad one involving Eleanor’s elderly next door neighbor and his dog. The author set the scene so well I could really imagine it happening and it pulled my heartstrings..
This book is recommended for readers who enjoy crime, suspense and/or mystery.
I obtained a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and this review contains my own thoughts and feelings about the story. My review will be posted on Goodreads and Amazon Au closer to the publication date and the links added to the NetGalley review.