<i>“People keep secrets</i>

2.5 stars rounded up. I've just relocated back to the PNW so this one held a special place in my heart. Taking place in Washington, I loved imaging the travel, the waterfalls, the hikes. But something about the way it's written kept me from fully falling in to the story. I liked the articles and the other added styles of how the story was told, but the multiple POV just made it hard to really feel pulled in. But the conclusion was well done and I did like the story, I just didn't love it.

<i>A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.</i>

This is my first book by Gregg Olson and I was really excited to be approved for a digital copy! At 475 or so pages it wasn't a super long book but for me some parts dragged on. It was interesting enough to want to know what happened but I wasn't "dying" to know. It was just kind of "meh" for me and the ending where these horrible women basically had good things happen to them was annoying.
As always, thanks to Netgalley for a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I had never read Olson before and am excited to have a new author to add to my TBR.
If you like a dark, twisty page turner this one is for you. It’s not quite thriller (bit slow) but there is a bit of a mystery/who done it element. I enjoy a shifting timeline and changing perspectives and that is how this story is told. Close attention is required! Not everyone likes the jumping around but it worked for this reader as I enjoy looking at a plot from many angles. There are a lot of characters, but I do feel it all came together in the end. I’m glad to have read this textually as I feel like I might have been quite confused with an audio version. I often had to double check the date at the top of the chapter to be clear about where I was.
The premise of this novel is different; is there a cult or not? The suspense was maintained throughout and the secrets were revealed slowly. There was enough excitement and possibly anxiety to keep me hooked.
The main character Lindsay and she was totally relatable to me, a middle-aged woman. The other characters are quite well drawn also, and although I didn’t relate to them all I believe they were quite realistic. Their interactions kind of reminded me of high school female friendships. Again, there are a lot of them so this is not a book that you can skim! I think it was worth paying attention to get to the conclusion.
Thanks for the advance read, Thomas and Mercer.

A young woman is found at the bottom of a ravine ... a victim of murder. Detective Lindsay Jackman is charged with investigating. While Jackman is thrilled to be leading her own investigation alone, it's also stressing that the opportunity only came because her partner and mentor committed suicide.

When the victim is identified, it turns out she was a journalist, in the midst of writing an expose of The Hive. The queen bee is a wellness guru who has millions of followers.. mostly all women. Marnie Spellman started with building a cosmetics empire and then became a healer and assuring all of eternal beauty.

What Jackman finds is that the murder of this woman is somehow connected to the secret past of Spellman twenty years ago.

Jackman finds more questions than answers .. especially as there are those who want those secrets buried forever .. and will do whatever it takes to keep them there.

This is a well-written, well-plotted story line full of twists and turns that rival a roller coaster ride. it's fast-paced with the suspense starting on the very first page and maintaining a high level of mystery leading to am explosive, unexpected conclusion. The characters are solidly drawn. I do believe that detective Jackman would make a terrific series character.

Many thanks to the author / Thomas & Mercer - Amazon Publishing / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological thriller / police procedural. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

As a young girl, Marnie Spellman’s life changed and she became determined to create her vision by promoting a specialty lifestyle brand. Though Marnie had a longstanding effect on her loyal followers, another suspicious death causes Detective Lindsay Jackman to investigate Spellman Farms and members of the inner circle.

“Time is important. So is commitment. Can’t live properly without managing both.”

In this complex crime investigative, the plot landscape is divided between various timelines and character perspectives spanning over twenty years. Though the influence of Marnie is ever present, we learn about her through the experience of the other characters. As such, this chosen method adds to the manipulation of perception, which is a central theme.

There were many elements that intrigued me in this novel, particularly how people can exploit the vulnerabilities of others for their own gain. Interestingly, this cast of characters were diverse yet not very likeable as a whole, but I wanted to enjoy hating some of them. Overall, while the plot unfolded at a fairly steady pace, there were times when it felt like simultaneously too much and too little of a download of plot movement. That said, all plot points were reconciled at the ending.

The Hive is mystery steeped in deceit and secrets. This book would appeal to those seeking a multilayered and ambitious storyline.

I have many, many thoughts about this book, but I'm not sure that I can put them in some semblance of order. First of all, I went back to see if I had ever read a book by this author and I had - but only one. I read my review and really liked that book so Mr. Olsen was batting 100%. But this book, well, I really had a hard time with it.

It started off fairly well, actually jumped right in to the action and the pacing was good. It definitely peaked my interest. Then something happened - maybe around the middle section -maybe earlier.... I'm actually not sure when. This book has way too many characters. Characters that really have absolutely no bearing on the plot itself. It starts with a woman experiencing Postpartum depression and we learn all about her life, her baby, her depression, her thoughts of suicide. The only reason that she was introduced was so that she could find the body. (that's not a spoiler, it happens right a the very beginning). We never see her again. There are many characters like that - extemporaneous people whom we are given info dumps on - and for what reason? Just for them to introduce one thing or another to the story?

And then there is the timeline. The shifting timeline is what started the negative turn for me. This book is told in a kind of omniscient POV that is told from or about many, many different characters. When I say many - I really mean it. This made the timeline REALLY difficult to follow. We have the present present (around the 18th - 20something of September 2019), then the recent present (Aug to Sept 2019), then the past....and here is where things get crazy. We jump from 2000, to 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997 and not necessarily in that order. Are you getting an idea? And if things were consistent or in a chronological timeline, that's one thing. But it's not. One paragraph has us in present present, then the next one we are back to 2000, then back to present present, but a week ago present........that started to drive me crazy.

Without spoilers, the other issues that I had with this are going to be a little difficult to explain, but one thing that I CAN explain pretty much made me want to bang my head against a wall. Lindsay is a detective. Supposedly, from the information that we are given, she is supposed to be a good detective. Why then was the car of the victim never searched? Why was it never dusted for prints? She gets information later that someone sees someone else returning the car home and going into the house to pick up an item. Does that not seem like it should be a lead???? What about phone records. Wouldn't a homicide detective subpoena the victims phone records to find out who the victim talked to on the day of her murder? Seriously, why was none of this done??

And exactly how good of a detective can she be if she doesn't investigate the victims friends at college, or try to find out if she even had a boyfriend? Isn't it usually the husband/boyfriend or someone close to the victim in crimes like this? And she was found naked. Was there a rape kit done to see if there was any evidence? Could there possibly have been residual DNA or possibly sperm? From a police procedural aspect, there were so many things that were missed that it had me grinding my teeth. (no spoilers so I'm being vague with the specific details)


There's more, but those are pretty much impossible to discuss because it will give out information that it is better that the reader experience on their own.

Last but not least, the ending left something to be desired. I know that every story cannot have a HEA, but the fact that a certain person got away with everything just left a bad taste in my mouth.

Now, after all of that - the premise was definitely unique. The characters of the Hive never really seemed like they were actually a team, but that might have been from the alternating POV's and timelines. Once you started to discover anything about any of the secondary characters, the POV changed and we were thrown back to something else. Because of that, there really isn't a lot of depth to these women.

With all of that being said, I didn't hate it. It just wasn't my cup of tea.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. Any and all of the opinions are mine and mine alone.

The Hive is organized around two parallel murders--one in the past of a woman who went missing from a 'cult' and one in the present day who was investigating that disappearance and murder. I found this book to be an interesting exploration of the dynamics that underlie cults--how the type of psychopathy that disguises itself as empathy via charisma attracts people with their own severe dysfunction.

Thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

What can I say. I read the book. I've finished the book. Did I enjoy it? I can't say I did. But it has nothing to do with the way it's written.

Working in legal services I've come across cults and its victims many times. I've seen the evil humans are capable of. I've read numerous case files and was gasping every time by the audacity, charisma, meticulousness of cult leaders and their organisations. How detailed, how thoroughly they built their images and their organisation. How creatively they could twist any truth or lie to satisfy their needs and purposes.

Gregg Olsen has done an amazing job in creating The Hive - the story of cult leader and her close circle, It seemed so innocent and good on the surface, creating cosmetic products and a message behind, that every woman is eager to hear and follow - find your self, find your voice... But as any cult, this one was not about creams and lotions, it was about money and power, dominance and submission, twisted evil and multilayered lies.

Characters in this book are so revolting they are brilliantly done. The story has so many turns that happy end is nowhere in sight... and it is not coming, not really.

The Hive is not your straight forward thriller or whodunit story. It's a narrative of the extent to which humans can go to cover their deeds and of the extent to which a human, a leader can go to crush others remaining all 'white and fluffy' themselves.

It's a scary book. It is even more scary because it feels so true and real. We truly don't know what 'a good' person is capable of given the circumstances. We don't know what we are capable of.

This is one good, scary, mind-twisting and soul-crushing book. Gregg Olsen needs to be congratulated

Book Review: The Hive by Gregg Olsen
Published by Thomas & Mercer, June 8, 2021

4.0 Stars.

Lummi Island, San Juan Archipelago, Whatcom County, WA.

Two deaths decades apart rock the world of this idyllic island community in the northernmost part of Washington State next to the Canadian border.

The island hosts Spellman Farms, the bee hive and cosmetics business owned by Marnie Spellman, author, "The Insatiable Heart", and HSN (Home Shopping Network) /QVC sales queen, where she successfully peddles her line of apiary and beauty products and glibly preaches her holistic missives into a money machine in a bevy of those ubiquitous late night infomercials.

Marnie also happens to be a soi-disant "Sacred Feminine" to anyone who'd listen, to which thousands, inspired, gullible or both, answer the siren call, de-facto "Avon Ladies" all, with five of the respondents designated as the Elite and members of the "Hive", that is Five plus the Queen Bee at the eye of the cult.

Ferndale Detective Lindsay Jackson is put in charge of the present day Jane Doe investigation, later identified as Sarah Baker, student journalist probing rumored irregularities or worse at Spellman Farms. Ferndale is east of the island on the mainland north of Bellingham, capital Whatcom county and its most populous city.

Author Gregg Olsen, a Washington State native, with the novel's location as his bailiwick, delivers a complex, tedious and twisty tale depicted in two timelines, as Detective Jackson goes through the background and story of "Queen Bee" Marnie and each member of the "Hive", which includes an aging movie actress and a frazzled US senate candidate, invariably multimillionaires.

Indeed, so complex with so many characters and so many turns as for a reader to easily lose the thread at any given point. Apart from the fact that the story does appear to be implausible and quite a bit removed from reality.

Not exactly a blockbuster but a good read.

Review based on an ARC from Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley.

The Hive's biggest strength is also its biggest weakness. We spend a lot of time getting to know these characters which provides an interesting and sympathetic look into why these women are drawn to Marnie and her cult. However, we don’t get that much time of them at the farm which I think would have been really fun/interesting.


full link:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52734671-the-hive

Detective Lindsay Jackman is looking into the death of a young journalist who was writing a story about Marnie Spellman, a wellness guru who operates a "farm" in the Pacific Northwest producing apiary-based products, mostly cosmetics, and considered a cult by some. Detective Jackman begins to investigate links between this death and the death of a member of the Spellman "hive" twenty years previously. Her partner, Alan Sharpe, recently and shockingly committed suicide and she is left to try and solve the case on her own.

I had a bit of difficulty keeping up with the changes in the timeline since they seemed to jump all over the place and I had to backtrack a couple of times to remind myself where I was. As well, I found some of the dialogue a little stilted, I think mostly due to the lack of contractions at times, like using "I will" instead of "I'll", or "I hope you are happy" instead of "you're" during a conversation. I enjoyed the story but think there are too many characters and too many timelines to keep it cohesive. I thought it was well-written though and easy to read but it was very long. It wasn't really an "edge of your seat" book but worth reading and I liked how everything was wrapped up in the epilogue.. I'm a bit of a Gregg Olsen fan so I may be slightly biased. 3.5 Stars!

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for access to an ARC of this novel.

This is an author that I never hesitate to pick up. I am pulled into his stories from the beginning and they keep me turning pages to the end. They are a one sitting read for me as I can't put them down. This book is no different. I loved this story. The characters are relateable and just brought the story to life. This is a well written, engaging, fast paced thriller that has alot going on. This author does a great job with his attention to details that gave the story a realistic feel. Lindsay is a great character and was my favorite as she tries to figure out this mystery. This is a great story that I would highly recommend as well as picking up this author's other books as well.

Having long been a fan of Gregg Olsen I was looking forward to this read. The premise of the group of five women surrounding the “queen” making facial products from royal jelly, among other items, was very creative. I really enjoyed the sections about Lindsay, a police officer investigating a murder, she was tenacious in her quest to connect the mystery surrounding the murders and the women at Spellman Farm. She seemed realistic to me. The other women’s characters never seemed to gel for me, other than evil Marnie, which left me wondering what drew the other women to her. Calista was truly a puzzle and I couldn’t understand the choices she made. I was able to figure out much of the revelations before the ending. It was just an ok read for me.
My thanks to Gregg Olsen, Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read an arc of this just published book.

Sarah Baker, A college students was found dead in a ravine. During investigations it was discovered that she was doing research on a murdered woman called Calista Sullivan with connections to Marnie Spellman, a famous personality who formed a multi-million-dollar cosmetics empire based on products from bees. Marnie sold her product as a method to empowered women within. That beauty outside caused inner beauty. Several women would leave everything behind to work a Marnie’s farm. Her five closest acolytes were known as her Hive and together they shared many secrets. The story was okay having a cult like feel to it, but it was boring and dragged on.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and Author for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars

"Sometimes the hardest thing you did wasn't that hard after all."

Hmm, this was kind of an odd one. I don’t think I’ve ever been so conflicted about a book dealing with a supposed cult.

Police detective Lindsay has to endure the trauma of her mentor and partner having committed suicide while also trying to solve the murder of a young woman found in the woods within her jurisdiction. The story alternates between the past and present, which I was fine with. However the POVs that moved the story forward were too numerous to count.

This story had a diverse cast of characters, yet not very likeable as a whole. It was easy to enjoy hating some of them, actually. Overall, while the plot unfolded at a fairly steady pace, there were times when it felt like simultaneously too much and too little plot movement. That said, all plot points were reconciled at the ending.

I did love how this author not only did the whole big "who" reveal at the end, but also elaborated on the why, which I think MANY books in this genre miss and it sometimes makes the whole plot seem over the top, if the "who": ended up being someone who never committed a crime before, etc.

The Hive is a mystery filled with in betrayal and secrets. This book would appeal to those seeking an intense and multilayered storyline.

Hard going for me. This could have been condensed to a much more readable mystery as the plot and characters were so drawn out to where I was grateful to finish. Constantly repetitious with an ending that defies belief.
An independent review NetGalley / Thomas & Mercer

I’m a big fan of this author, but this one just didn’t work for me. It sounded so promising, but I it was too slow and I just couldn’t connect with it.

I thought I would like The Hive. I thought I did for the first 40% or so. By that point I pretty much knew what had happened, who had done each what, and why. The rest just wound around trying to justify itself. As I read, it just got more and more ridiculous. Someone killed a young woman. There are enough clue around to know who she was and who probably did it by about halfway through the book. Then you have to connect it to the murder in the past. That was pretty obvious, too. The reasons were obvious but stupid. Then a good portion of the book was spent trying to explain why so many people followed a ridiculous woman and her lotion.

Marnie is just ridiculous. As a child she was lifted by a hive of bees that then spoke to her. She spends the rest of their lives telling women that if they are beautiful on the outside then the inside will follow and that somehow this will let them take over society from men. In other words, following the exact same ridiculous expectations of the patriarchy you will somehow overthrow it. Most of the female characters seems o believe this BS. The author spends time trying to justify how this even appeals to the “feminists” in the book. This explanation of feminism can only be justified by the male mind. It is so bad.

I truly could not connect with this book at all, I really tried but it just wasn't there for me. I was to slow moving for me, and the storyline was kind of out there in my personal opinion. I have heard so many amazing things about this author, and this was my first by him. I will give his books another chance, because I know not everyone enjoys the same books.

I received a ARC from NetGalley and the publisher and this is my honest review of this book.

Detective Lindsay Jackman is called upon to the scene of Sarah Baker's murder, and for a split second it takes her mind off of another tragedy. Digging through Sarah's past, Lindsay is thrust into the world of Marnie Spellman and her cosmetic empire. Upon learning that Sarah, a journalist scoping out Marnie and her Hive which consists of her closest friends, may have stumbled upon something she shouldn't have, Lindsay must now travel back in time to when another murder took place. When she questions Marnie and her Hive, secrets are discovered that shocks Lindsay as these secrets hits too close to home.

This is the first book I've read from this author. It was intriguing but had a lot of past/present scenes that involved a lot of characters, which can be frustrating trying to keep track of everyone and how they were involved. The ending was good though. The plot is something I've never read before and I like the twists and surprises.

Thank you Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read this book.