Hide Away by Jason Pinter Suspenseful thriller with plenty of twists and turns. Astutely portrayed multidimensional, characters. Rachel Marin and Sarreno would make for an interesting partnership, either personal or professional, in future books of this series. Very entertaining, fast paced read.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book

Very good story and plot, well written and with great characters. Some descriptions can be a little too much, but why complain over more reading material? The only real problem is the author's fear of using "me" when appropriate; "I" is not an object pronoun.

Rachel Marin is a single mom with children Eric and Megan who is trying to escape her past and make a new start in Ashby, Illinois. When the disgraced former Mayor's body is found laying on top of a frozen river, appearing to be suicide, Rachel knows that it was murder.

What follows is a fast paced thriller where Rachel puts her life on the line to find out the truth, much to the ire of Detectives Serrano and Talley. The detectives can't figure why Rachel is so dogged in her pursuit of justice for Constance and begin to suspect she has a part to play.

The story is told through the POV of both Rachel and the detectives. Rachel's story is told through two timelines, the present and the events leading up to what caused her to flee from where she originally lived in Connecticut. The changing of the POV and different timelines is seamless and very well done.

I like how we get to know Rachel over time and how events in her backstory coincide with her actions in the present. The chemistry between Rachel and her children as well as Rachel and Serrano and Serrano and Talley feel realistic and not forced. The plot to me wasn't predictable, although like most thrillers, suspension of belief is necessary. Overall a fun read that I would recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher Thomas and Mercer for providing me with a digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

For me, this book was unsatisfying. I was expecting a badass, cool female-centric thriller. Instead, I found a woman so desperate to protect people that she annoyed an entire police force. It lost me a bit when it came to the multiple perspectives and time jumps. I would have liked to stay with Marin’s side of the story because she was the most fascinating person with heartbreaking motives that go beyond simply being a nuisance to detectives.

The skill in this novel is found in the slow unravelling of the backstory of all the characters. As soon as I found myself losing interest, Pinter gave me another breadcrumb to add to the background. The twists are genuinely surprising and for me, this is what saves the story.

Rachel changed her name and moved her son and daughter from their home to a new life. She also changed her life style and she won't allow anyone to victimize her. She's certain that her friend Constance did not commit suicide, so much so that she forces Detectives Tally and Serrano to include her in the investigation. They both have their own back stories (nice characters, btw). If it's implausible that the police would allow a civilian the sort of latitude Rachel has, keep in mind this is a beloved plot line in thrillers and Rachel, more so than some amateurs, is fiercely determined. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A well done page turner. I'm curious where this series will go next.

5 Stars

This is the first book in a new series by Jason Pinter called Rachel Marin Thriller mysteries.

We spend a majority of the book wondering what really happened in Rachel’s past and why. We know she is running from something and we know it killed her husband and mentally did a number on her son who found his father’s gruesome body in a burlap bag.

The story jumps back and forth in time here and there so be aware. But that is totally easy to follow since the time jumps usually happen at a point where the story just needs a bit of explanation.

I was floored by how Sherlockian Rachel was after leaving clues for the cops about the murder of the town’s former mayor. They were set on believing it to be a suicide but she threw out so many facts that I am sure they had their mouth’s agape at her rapid fire fact dropping. Loved that part so much.

Rachel has a bit of Bruce Lee in her and she became a totally different person after the death of her husband. This whole story is just so captivating and has you glued to the page the entire time. It isn’t always about following the murder investigation but that is a big part of the story. We spend quite a lot of time just getting to know Rachel and her motivations and what her life is like now opposed to in the past. I am sure the author knowingly did this because this will be a long-running series that I am sure will be a real winner for Pinter.

I can’t wait for the next installment to come out. So excited! If you love a good mystery/thriller, you have to check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

This is the first book in the Rachel Marin series. Jason Pinter has the Henry Parker series also which I have not read. This is a good story of a seeming normal woman who is raising her family as a single mom. She moved to small town Illinois to blend in and forget her past. In reality she is a fierce warrior for justice and won't let the police rule a murder a suicide. Not the killer and the cops are looking into her past which she is desperate to hide. A good beginning with a kick to get you ready for book 2. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

In Hide Away, the present day mystery involves the death of the former mayor in what, at first glance, appears to be suicide. In a separate timeline we learn how single mom Rachel turned into the vigilante she is today, and what that means to her. This is the start of a new series. The main point of view is Rachel's, but we also hear from the investigating detectives; all three are intriguing characters I look forward to reading more about in the future. The mystery is fast paced which is a nice balance to the slow burn of learning about Rachel. I recommend Hide Away to those who enjoy character driven mysteries.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC. The opinions in this review are honest and my own. #HideAway #mystery #thriller

"Sometimes behind the kindest eyes lay the darkest hearts."

Seven years ago Olivia Powell and her children devastated and life would never be the same again.

Rachel Marin and her two children have changed their identities and moved to the small town of Ashby, Illinois. Rachel has spent the last seven years preparing herself so no one will ever hurt her or her children again.

Then one day, as she tries to live a quiet, unassuming life, she sees that a friend of hers is dead - the ex-mayor of their small town. While the police see suicide, Rachel sees murder.

I've enjoyed author Pinter's books in the past and this is a winner - and the start of a new series featuring Rachel. In the past seven years she has trained vigorously and has become a part-time vigilante.

This was an exciting story, sad but fulfilling. I liked the characters - not just Rachel but the two detectives she becomes acquainted with. There are twists I didn't see coming until almost the end of the book. I will definitely be keeping my eyes open for book two in the series.

I received this book from Thomas & Mercer through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

Hide Away by Jason Pinter is a very highly recommended procedural thriller and a wonderful start to a new series.

Rachel Marin is a mom to two kids who became a vigilante after an unspeakable crime shatters their lives. The novel opens seven years in the past on the day Rachel's life changed and then jumps to the present day when a mugger jumps Rachel on her way home. She expertly incapacitates him and hurries home to her children, Eric, 13, and Megan, 7. The family is now living in Ashby, Illinois, a small town where Rachel is hoping her kids can be safe and they can live a quiet incognito life.

When Rachel sees a news story that a former mayor of her town is found dead, most people are thinking suicide, but Rachel is one intelligent woman and she immediately figures out from the news account who the victim was, the former mayor of Ashby, Constance Wright, and that it was murder. She calls the detectives anonymously and tells them what she thinks and why. Detectives John Serrano and Leslie Tally are on the case and they track Rachel down to question her. The detectives resent her involvement in the case, but Rachel wants justice for Constance and can't leave it alone.

I'm just going to admit that once I started this thriller I stayed up way-too-late reading "just one more chapter" to finish it. I really like the character of Rachel and I liked the flashbacks that explained how she made herself into the woman she is today. Yes, she is a vigilante, but she ultimately is trying to seek justice to protect others from harm. We also won't learn exactly what the trauma was that changed her life until the very end. This means there are two cases being followed in the narrative - the present day murder mystery and the mystery about Rachel's past.

The writing and plot development is exceptional. All the characters are well-developed and have backstories and an emotional depth to them. The plot is fast paced, the suspense is relentless, and chapters set in both the present and past are equally compelling. I like the complexity of the plot and had no trouble following what was happening in both timelines. Hide Away is an extraordinary start to a new series and I can't wait until the next book is released. (Normally I read and review closer to publication dates, but my ARC initially had an earlier publication date.)

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Thomas & Mercer.

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https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3089070563
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Amazon and Barnes & Noble after publication

In this book the author introduces another potential series character, Rachel Marin. The story opens with a warm domestic scene of a young woman making dinner for her husband and two kids when a shattering (but undescribed) event unfolds, which appears to be the death of her husband. The book moves forward seven years, and single mum Rachel has moved to another state to try and restart her and her young families life. When a mugger jumps her as she’s walking home from work, she leaves him bleeding in the street and hurries home to her bookish son and daughter. It appears early on after what happened to her husband her aim is to keep her kids safe at any cost. This later leads to Rachel getting into all sorts of trouble when she sees a news report about a body found on the ice beneath a nearby bridge. The cops assigned to the case, detectives John Serrano and Leslie Tally, are shocked to discover the body is that of the town’s disgraced former mayor, Constance Wright.

They’re even more shocked when Rachel, sends Serrano a message that the death was no suicide: “Constance Wright was murdered. This leads to Rachel getting herself involved in the murder investigation, frustrating the cops involved in the case.

The story involves a complex plot, but well worth a read. I also enjoyed the characters, especially Rachel and the cop Serrano who is fighting his own demons.

The one issue I have with this book was the number of subplots and you don’t learn Rachel’s backstory with her husband until near the end of the book. All in all though an enjoyable read

Hide Away is the first installment in Jason Pinter’s new Rachel Marin Thrillers. The opening segue of the series is an edgy page turner that revolves around one woman’s quest to keep her children safe and to ensure justice is served. This is vigilante literature at its finest.
Mystery cloaks Rachel Marin and her children. A horrific crime shattered their lives seven years ago, and now the single mother lives in hiding with her emotionally wounded son and precocious daughter. When a disgraced woman is found dead on an icy river, first appearances point toward a suicide. But Rachel knows differently and, much to the chagrin of Detectives John Serrano and Leslie Tally, sets out to prove the woman was murdered.
Pinter has crafted a tautly paced procedural with this tale. The mystery—both that of the murdered woman and of Rachel’s past—is unraveled with Sherlockian panache. The writing style is crisp and unadorned, and Rachel is a character readers can easily invest in. The deep bond of motherhood is evident on the page, as is Rachel’s penchant for and obsession with solving crimes. She is clever, though perhaps just a bit too clever on occasion, and driven by a promise to protect those who cannot protect themselves. The rest of the cast of characters have enough depth to satisfy the characters’ motivations without being a detailed character study.
The strength of Pinter’s story lies in the portrayal of the protagonist’s emotional struggle to balance the risk she brings to her children with her crime fighting compulsion. This is a dark, twisted mystery filled with surprising twists and evocative emotion. Hide Away is an engrossing start to a new series.
Highly recommended for fans of strong female protagonists, murder mysteries, and stories of vigilante justice
Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review

Description
From the bestselling author of the Henry Parker series comes a page-turning thriller about a vigilante who’s desperate to protect her secrets—and bring a killer to justice. On the surface, Rachel Marin is an ordinary single mother; on the inside, she’s a fierce, brilliant vigilante. After an unspeakable crime shatters her life, she changes her identity and moves to a small town in Illinois, hoping to spare her children from further trauma…or worse. But crime follows her everywhere. When the former mayor winds up dead, Rachel can’t help but get involved. Where local detectives see suicide, she sees murder. They resent her for butting in—especially since she’s always one step ahead. But her investigative genius may be her undoing: the deeper she digs, the harder it is to keep her own secrets buried. Her persistence makes her the target of both the cops and a killer. Meanwhile, the terrifying truth about her past threatens to come to light, and Rachel learns the hard way that she can’t trust anyone. Surrounded by danger, she must keep her steely resolve, protect her family, and stay one step ahead, or else she may become the next victim.

My Review:
Boy, "Hide Away" grabs you from the very beginning. There are few books that grab my attention from the very start - usually it takes a while to get to the actual story-line. This book throws you into gasping from the very beginning. I was actually holding my breath when Eric opened the bag.... trust me it's heart-wrenching.

This is one of those books that will stay with you for a long time. I received this novel for free in exchange for my honest opinion. Buy it, buy it today! I highly recommend this book.

My published review in Library Journal is forthcoming but, in short, this book is excellent. Rachel Marin is a thrilling protagonist and her debut features a crackling good mystery, a diverse cast of characters, and expert juggling of various plot threads by Pinter. Can't wait for book #2.

Very good.The author did a beautiful job of developing the characters, and the book was definitely believable.I will look forward to reading his other books. He absolutely impressed me.

My first read by this author. Great prospects for future books. Interesting plot. Characters well developed. Looking forward to more from Mr. Printer.

A stunning page turner of a thriller with a brilliant character in single mother Rachel Marin.. The homicide investigation into the apparent suicide of a former city major drags Rachel back into a violent world where her life and her children are under threat,

This book was fast paced. Hard to put down. It flowed well and it was very well written. It caught hold of me and had me hooked from the start . I was literally on the edge of my seat reading this book.

Rachel Marin is a bold and complicated woman, running from a tragic past while caring for her two children. A super-sleuth, she’s sort of a cross between Wonder Woman and Sherlock Holmes. When a friend appears to have committed suicide, Rachel can instantly see that it was murder and tips off the police. Not happy with their lackadaisical response, she investigates on her own with the cops just one step behind her. It all comes to a heart-pounding climax when Rachel zeroes in on the murderer. If you’re a fan of Robert Dugoni’s Tracy Crosswhite, you’ll love this first book in the Rachel Marin series.

Great story and thrilling plot. Would highly recommend to others. Great new author to add to my list.