Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra

Hidden Salem is the 19th book in the Bishop/Special Crimes Unit series by Kay Hooper. I have now read a total of six books in the series and I must say – I really would like to (okay – maybe even bordering on need to) go back to the beginning of the series and read all of them. Hidden Salem was so compelling that I could barely put it down. The plot and flow of the book was reminiscent of many of the other later books in the series I have read but this is in an odd way comforting, I know what I will get with a Bishop/Special Crimes Unit book. The characters were interesting (and yes – I would like to read more about the relationship between Grayson and Geneva).

The story begins with SCU Agent Geneva Raynor already in downtown Salem, North Carolina (small town off the Appalachian Trail), with the assignment of trying to discover what is really going on in the town where 3 people have gone missing. Geneva’s psychic abilities are only picking up static – how very strange!

While out walking about town, Geneva passed a hunter (while her shield was relaxed momentarily) and gleaned from his thoughts the following:

“Oh, God, oh, Jesus, what coulda done that? I never seen so much blood, so much … What kind of animal coulda … And all that on the rocks … all them symbols or signs, like witchcraft … but in blood, I know it was in blood …”

Now if that did not start the story off with intrigue I don’t know what would. I certainly felt unsettled but wanting to read on to find out what, if anything, Geneva could find out about this hunter’s thoughts. It isn’t until days later that her partner on this case, SCU agent Grayson Sheridan, shows up in town. When he arrives though – he discovers that Geneva is missing.

The original plan was that Geneva and Grayson are to act as strangers until such time as it is not feasible while working the case. This goes a bit off the rails since Geneva is missing. But with a bit of an investigation, Grayson does discover where Geneva has been (as she is finding her way out of captivity). As their working relationship progresses, you can tell there is tension – but they work well together. Of course, this tension is not fully explained nor resolved… something to look forward to in a future book perhaps?

I also enjoy the burgeoning talents of each of the agents. These talents seem to expand and possibly morph over time and that adds a certain element of anticipation with respect to what they can do while on a case.

The reader is also introduced to Nellie Cavendish, who is at the outskirts of town with her pit bull. She has powers, which she has does not yet fully understand. She had received a letter from her father, ten years after his death, as her 30th birthday is approaching, telling her to go to Salem. She does so in the hopes of figuring out her heritage. She can feel the evil in the town but has no idea how connected to it she really is.

Another character that is integral to the story is Finn Deverell – a current resident and a member of one of the Five Families of Salem. He needs Nellie’s help to stave off another “Five” family member who is trying to gain control and power from all the families for nefarious reasons.

I really enjoyed getting to know Finn and Nellie as they got to know each other as well as their interactions with Geneva and Grayson. Lots of action and interesting twists (and scary crows!).

If you enjoy mysteries with a paranormal twist, hints of potential romance (at least so far for these main characters), and a well crafted book, then I suggest picking up this 19th installment of the Bishop/Special Crimes Unit series by Kay Hooper. I can’t wait to see what is in store for Salem with the next book in the series: Curse of Salem.

Salem is a strange place. Four people have mysteriously disappeared but no one notices and the crows seem to watch everything. Bishop’s agents and Nellie arrive to investigate. ARC from NetGalley.

This was a pretty good book. The story was well paced. The main characters were really exciting to follow on their journey. I hadn’t read this author before even though I’d always wanted to. I was not disappointed.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

Hidden Salem, along with many of Kay Hooper's other titles, has a serious creep factor. Salem is an unusual little town that It can't be found using GPS. The residents are just as unusual; as a general rule, they have strong physic shields.

Geneva has been sent to Salem to investigate a number of persons suddenly gone missing. Strangely, the local militia have discovered several bodies, attributed death to exposure, and closed the cases. Even more unusually, the local residents aren't talking.

Nellie has been told to visit Salem before her thirtieth birthday. Accompanied by her pitbull, Leo, and a great number of crows, she's in Salem to discover the truth about her family.

I enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to any fans of paranormal mystery.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received a free digital copy of this title to review from Net Galley.

#HiddenSalem#NetGalley

Hidden Salem by Kay Hooper is book 19 in the Bishop/Special Crimes Unit series. A big fan of this paranormal series , it was a good suspenseful read

I would like to thank Berkley Publishing Group & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.

Hidden Salem is part of a series which does not have to be read in order though it is helpful to read the earlier books first. Two of Bishop's operatives go undercover in a small, isolated Appalachian town. They are investigating four gruesome murders and must solve the mystery of the deaths quickly in order to save a kidnapped child.

I visited Salem last year and fell in love with the city. I love reading anything featured here! This is a fun October read.

When Nellie Cavendish received a letter 10 years after her father’s death asking her to go to his hometown, she is skeptical. She doesn’t know much about her own history; her father kept his distance from her and apparently her mother just took off. Now she feels obligated to go to Salem before her 30th birthday to take care of things for a father she barely knew. She has no idea what things she will be taking care of. Nellie has always been psychic, but when asked to join the Special Crimes Unit by Noah Bishop, she refused. Once she gets to Salem, she poses as a photographer and not only takes photos of the beautiful scenery, but also some bodies she finds in the woods. Noah Bishop knows what is going on, and sends two agents, Grayson Sheridan and Geneva Raynor to protect Nellie and get to the bottom of some evil that has been ongoing in the town for decades, including a missing 10 year old girl. Nellie’s family is one of the original five families who founded the town, and her uncle Duncan, who is most interested in power, is the reason that Nellie’s father left in the first place. Nellie knows she is being watched by crows, and they seem to be under some kind of spell.

Although Kay Hooper fans have probably read the previous novels, which mostly consist of trilogies, Hidden Salem can be read as a standalone novel. The writing is excellent, and although there is an element of the supernatural, it seems just as real as the characters. Hooper doesn’t go over the top with the supernatural, and while there is plenty of building suspense, it’s just enough to keep readers on the edges of their seats. Hooper is good at developing her characters; the main characters are likeable, and Duncan is one of those that readers love to hate. While the dénouement isn’t a surprise, the scenarios leading up to it are spellbinding and the characters must do things that are not only uncomfortable, but they feel they don’t have enough experience to do.

Anyone who needs a new series with a bit of supernatural will enjoy this book and Hooper’s previous novels.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

I had never read a Kay Hooper book, and am so glad I did! Won’t be my last. I didn’t know this was part of a series, but the author did a great job with bringing readers up to speed.

Unique and creative.
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Even though this book is a part of a series, I was not lost too much in the direction of the story. This series is intriguing and I plan on grabbing more from it.

Do you enjoy reading about paranormal instances? Hooper has developed a story that will keep you reading late into the night. With tales of witchcraft and powers no normal human has, that we know of, Hidden Salem is a story that leaves us wondering if these abilities and Talents can really be true.

Power can make people do evil things and this book is a perfect showcase of creepy crows and subtle manipulation that can overtake and change an entire town. Who do you trust when everyone seems to know your business and who you are?

With chilling twists and well placed turns this story ended with an explosive climax that I wish would have built up just a bit better. It seemed fast compared to the buildup but was satisfying and so unique.

The character build up could have been a bit better in some instances, but I think that could be due to the fact this is a series. Favorite character is definitely Leo, who softens the creepiness, just a bit.

Interesting, captivating, and definitely unique! Hidden Salem is a great choice for the paranormal twist you are looking for.

In a world where psychic talent is still a relatively rare phenomena, the population of a small town in the Appalachian mountains seems to have a high percentage of it. Readers will plunge into evil and darkness from the get go as the agents of the Special Crimes Unit try to use their psychic senses to get beyond the static that is clouding them and covering the town.  With watcher crows hovering and seemingly being used as spies along with the locals the story reminds me of a Hitchcock movie full of dark suspense. 
Nellie Cavendish unbeknownst to her is a descendant of one of the founding families of the town of Salem. A letter from her dead father and her dreams are pulling her towards the town in advance of her thirtieth birthday.  She is haunted by unspeakable dreams and the crows that seem to crowd around her almost like sentinels. Accompanied by beloved pit bull Leo she finally arrives in Salem to soon meet up with Finn Deverell the man her father asked her to place her trust in and the agents from the FBI.Geneva Raynor has been in the town undercover for three works and has not only sensed the evil vibe that permeates but also uncovered some mutilated bodies and the disappearance of a young girl. Unfortunately she and fellow agent Grayson Sheridan seem to be running blind on their psychic senses on this one and will need their considerable skills as FBI agents to stop the evil.The focus of the story is on the evil and stopping the Cavendish patriarch who has formed the townspeople into a cult under his control. While there is nothing overt and really no romance at all there is an implication of possible relationships between Nellie and Finn and Geneva and Grayson. Since many of these characters have been introduced for the first time I'm guessing potentially some form of romance may evolve in future books if they show up.The author deftly brings her story to an exciting conclusion complete with a psychedelic thunderstorm and the ever present crows. All in all not the best in this series but an enjoyable read if you can get past the darkness.

HIDDEN SALEM is an amazing read that you might not want to read alone or at night. The evil that this author comes up with for her stories continues to bring chills up and down readers' spines. Author Kay Hooper is very adept at leading you down the path she wants you to go, until she throws you a twist or two, then leads you to a different path. Fantastic, though at the time rather frightening, read that provokes thought as well as gives readers pleasure in knowing the good guys win!

Annetta Sweetko, reviewer for Fresh Fiction

Complete review may be found at: http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=70438

Salem is a lovely small town in North Carolina – it’s self sufficient, self governing, and the residents are happy. And people are disappearing. When the FBI receives no cooperation from the county sheriff, Special Crimes Unit Chief, Bishop, decides to send in two undercover operatives. Noah Bishop has strong psychic abilities, and has recruited agents with varying abilities, as well, to tackle crimes that are out of the ordinary.

Agents Geneva Raynor and Grayson Sheridan have worked together in the past, and have a history which is hinted at as being somewhat unsettling, though it’s never fully explored or explained in this book. They’re both professional enough to be able to put that aside and investigate the mysterious town and its residents, especially now with time running out and a young girl missing.

Nellie Cavendish is descended from one of the founding families of Salem generations ago. She was born here, but was taken away by her father at a young age in order to protect her. Her father has since died, but left her a mysterious letter, telling her that she needs to return to Salem before her thirtieth birthday. He states that she has a power, the only one capable of stopping the rampant evil there.

HIDDEN SALEM is a fairly quick read, but is full of Kay Hooper’s trademark twists and creepiness. You never can tell who can be trusted, or what new and unique psychic power may be revealed. The good vs. evil battle is taken to a new level when supernatural powers are involved. HIDDEN SALEM is the latest in a series of books involving Noah Bishop and his unusual agents. The couple introduced here have not appeared in previous books, so this story is easily read as a standalone. Unlike other books in this series, there is no romance element, which I missed, as that adds another interesting layer to the agents’ psychic connection. My guess is that this couple will appear again in the future, and will have their past together finally revealed. This fast paced novel never had a dull moment, as there were elements of murder, cover-ups, telepathic connection to animals, the occult, and even stealing psychic talents from others. This whirlwind makes for exciting reading, and I’d recommend it for fans of supernatural thrillers.

Hidden Salem is the 19th installment in author Kay Hooper's Bishop/Special Crimes Unit series. After a very long time away from this series, I chose to see what I missed. In this story, Salem, a little, spooky town off the Appalachian trail, is the backdrop for the story. The story actually features (4) different characters: Geneva Raynor, Nellie Cavendish, Grayson Sheridan, and Finn Deverell. Geneva and Grayson are both members of the FBI's Special Crime Unit. They are both psychics who are called on by Bishop to investigate Salem.

Salem has its own militia led by Duncan Cavendish, one of the leaders of the original (5) families who settled Salem. The others are Blackwoods, Deverells, Hales, Cavendish, and Ainsworth. Someone in Salem is killing and absorbing dark energy. In Salem, Geneva, tries to blends in as a photographer while attempting to learn the whereabouts of 3 bodies that have gone missing. As she explores further, she learns that the count is now 4 bodies and someone is doing a remarkable job of covering up their crimes.

Geneva knows she's being watched and someone has gone through her things. But, she can't just give up and leave town. While waiting for Grayson to show up, she lets herself get distracted and ends up missing. Geneva is also worried about a girl who went missing while her family seems to left town without her. What is going on here? Who is to blame for the heave static and darkness surrounding the town?

Nellie Cavendish is a curious character. She was orphaned by her fathers death. Her mother died after she was born. It storms when she's very upset or nervous or anxious. She's being followed around by crows everywhere she goes. She has powers she doesn't fully understand and after receiving a letter from her father ten years after his death telling her to go to Salem, she goes in hopes of figuring out her heritage. She can feel they evil in the town but has no idea how connected to it she really is. Along with her trusty pit bull Leo, Nellie must tread carefully where Finn Deverell is concerned while learning what it is that she's supposed to actually do.

Grayson Sheridan also works for Noah Bishop at the SCU. Normally, the SCU needs to be invited by the local authorities, but Bishop has a feeling that the authorities are involved in whatever is happening in Salem. Grayson arrives as an experienced hiker to discover that there's static around the town that seems to be created by dark energy. He also learns that Geneva has gone missing not knowing that she's been captured and kept as a hostage for reasons that are later revealed. Grayson starts to think like Geneva, and finds a message in the newspaper. He ignores the direct command to go in search of Geneva.

With these Bishop novels, there are usually different main characters even though Bishop does always play a significant part as the boss of the unit. He always knows when his agents are going to be needed. As it has been awhile since I've read this series, I don't have any clue whether or not Geneva or Grayson have appeared in other books. The index in the back of the book doesn't seem to indicate they have. Apparently, there are quite a few psychics in this world, not all of whom actually accepted Bishop's call to work for him and SCU. Bishops motto is somethings have to happen just the way they happen. He seems to be accurate to a point and knows how his agents will react very well.

Actual Rating: 3.5

Hidden Salem, the 19th book in the Bishop Crime Unit Series by Kay Hooper, continues the suspense and strange happenings of the team that looks into the paranormal events that appear just about anywhere possible. This time the Bishop team of Geneva and Grayson arrive in a strange little town where evil lurks to investigate the disappearance of three people. At the same time Nellie Cavendish seeks information about her roots in Salem where original offspring of the founders of the town still reside. Nellie is surrounded by the strange, crows, storms, and inability to be near electronic devices, all of which lead her to seek answers. Town residents seem to be happy, unaware, or just accepting of strange and/or Satanic type activities in their local area. Together Nellie, Grayson and Geneva seek answers to all their questions. Hooper has once again added a suspenseful enjoyable read to her popular series, one of my favorites.

This review was originally posted on <a href="https://booksofmyheart.net/2020/04/05/hidden-salem-by-kay-hooper/" target="_blank"> Books of My Heart</a>
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Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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I have enjoyed this <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/52529-bishop-special-crimes-unit" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em><strong>Bishop Special Crime Unit series</strong></em></a> for a long time.  Sometimes the stories feature long known members of the team and some are completely new characters.  With well known characters, there is the advantage of already knowing them and having better developed characters who then further progress.  With new ones, it makes it easier for new readers to jump into the story.

<strong>Hidden Salem</strong> is a story with new characters.  So even though this is book 19, it could be read out of order or possibly even standalone.  I would read a few of the earlier books to understand the leadership and forming of the team, especially Bishop and Miranda, and also to know the inside terms and jokes.

I see this series as romantic suspense but there was no romance here.  It followed a similar path to other books in the series.  There's a big bad and the team has to figure out who it is and take them down if necessary.  I liked Geneva and Grayson but they were not particularly well developed. This was also true of Nellie and Finn.  Leo is my favorite character.  <strong>Hidden Salem</strong> would have benefited from more emotional development of these characters perhaps with a romance or more of a "team" feeling with a few more characters from the series or updates on their current situations.

The investigation was suspenseful.  Determining who were good guys vs. bad guys was tricky. I also kept wondering if there was going to be a romance.  When things came to a showdown, it was over in a flash.

You will want to read the character bios, psychic terms and abilities, and author's note whether you are an old or new reader.  These are at the end but I would read them first.  Since all the key players in this book are new to the series, I would say the characters should have been developed here so they wouldn't need bios. But with this many books, I do appreciate the info verifying this is their first appearance in the series.

I love this series, along with <strong>Hidden Salem,</strong> as this is my favorite kind of paranormal, a specific kind of magic.  The series is uneven with some books more romance, others more mystery. There are characters like Hollis, who is not in <strong>Hidden Salem</strong>, who is key in many other books. Bishop, and less so his wife, Miranda, are in nearly every book with varying degrees of involvement.

This is easy, breezy romantic suspense with a little creepy paranormal thrown in for good measure.

Fun characters you really like, some dangerous situations, and a character straight out of a 1970’s horror movie round out the fun.

The read is fast, suspenseful and purely entertaining.

This was a very enjoyable read.

Also, though it’s book 19 in this series, you can start anywhere.

*ARC Provided via Net Galley

Kay once again delivers with a bang in this 19th installment! She's one of my favorite guilty pleasure reads, and NEVER disappoints! I particularly liked this one as I'm compelled by the mythos of Salem! Thank you for yet another FANTASTIC read!

Hidden Salem by Kay Hooper is book 19 in the Bishop Series. I recently picked up reading Kay Hooper again. I will say her world is slightly difficult to pick back up but doable. Honestly this book was not what I was expecting. I was really confused at who the main couple was at first. I enjoyed that this didn't follow the first instinct formula. It was still a formula but not the obvious one. Fast pace, murder, mystery and romance. There were really three main characters and I liked that the third main character did not have a love interest or need one. This was a well written book and enjoyable. I give it a solid 3 stars.

4.5 Stars

This is the 19th book in the Bishop/Special Crimes Unit series by Kay Hooper.

Kay Hooper is always a favorite read of mine. When I need a guilty pleasure book, she is an author I turn to in a pinch.

Basic premise: Nellie Cavandish has a history in Salem. She is a descendant of one of the five founding families. She barely knew her parents who left her in the hands of caregivers. On her 21st birthday she began to notice strange things. Crows always surround her and storms come and go depending on her moods. She has come to Salem on the eve of her 30th birthday looking for answers to all these unusual happenings.

Bishop, head of the Special Crimes Unit, has sent in Grayson and Geneva separately to investigate. Geneva gets kidnapped by a faction in town who are aligned with this book’s Big Bad. Geneva, Grayson and Nellie have to work together to bring down this Big Bad and free the crows and the townspeople from his villainy.

The backstory in this was pretty intense and lengthy. While I understand you need to relate a lot of this to have the book make more sense, I felt like so much was overkill. It seemed like the story didn’t really start until halfway through. By then I was finally getting a grasp about what this premise was about and who the main players were. With these Bishop novels, there are usually different main characters even though Bishop does always play a significant part as the boss of the unit.

For the people who have never read a Bishop novel, I thought a bit more should have gone into that particular backstory since the whole premise of his group is a little bizarre.

But overall, a very good read that I highly recommend you trying!

If you love a good mystery/thriller with some supernatural/paranormal aspects, definitely try this one on for size. 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.