Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Audio for an advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

4+ stars

No Hiding in Boise follows the victims, family members, and the shooter, after a mass shooting in a bar in Boise. The book is told from multiple points of view, but with a focus on Angie (wife of a victim), Tessa (survivor), and Joyce (mother of shooter). I liked the book a lot and it really made me think. Joyce was my favorite character and Kim Hooper did an amazing job with her. I liked how the three women all interacted with each other.

Large group of narrators that made for an very enjoyable audiobook.

Wowza 🤩 This book was incredible! I took a chance and requested an ALC from NetGalley and I’m so glad I did. No Hiding in Boise is Literary Fiction/Psychological Drama that revolves around a mass shooting. The characterization in this book is flawless 🙌🏼 There are 11 narrators in total, with 3 women being the main characters:

1. Angie is awakened by a midnight call from an officer with the Boise Police Department and thinks there must be a misunderstanding. The officer tells her that her husband was involved in a shooting at a local bar, but how can that be when her husband is sleeping right next to her? But when she turns to wake him, he isn’t there. - narrated by Devon Sorvari

2. Tessa is the 23-year-old bartender who escapes to a backroom storage closet during the shooting. When it comes to light that five people were killed, she is burdened with the question of why she survived. - narrated by Stephanie Willing

3. Joyce wakes up to a knock at her front door, a knock she assumes is her wayward son, Jed, who must have lost his keys. It’s not Jed, though. Two police officers tell her that Jed is dead, shot at a bar. Then they deliver even worse news: “We have reason to believe your son was the shooter.” - narrated by Hillary Huber

Other minor performances by Stephanie Einstein, Madeleine Maby, Nick Mondelli, Michael Brusasco, Patrick Lawlor, Adam Barr, Pete Cross, Neil Hellegers.

These are incredibly well-crafted characters. Kim Hooper shows how complex these tragedies can become, while exploring violence, guilt, mental illness, compassion and forgiveness in an extremely raw and real way. This will most definitely be one of my top reads of 2021. It’s available June 15th. Do yourself a favor and put a hold or preorder in for this one!

Many thanks to Kim Hooper, Dreamscape Media & NetGalley for the advanced listeners copy in exchange for an honest review!

Boise, Idaho - One bar, one night, one moment, one gun, multiples lives changed forever, three women's stories.
There was a mass shooting, with fatalities, in Ray's Bar in Boise, Idaho. Although we sadly often hear about tragedies such as this, author Kim Hooper takes us deep into the journeys of three women as their stories emerge from this fateful night. While delving deep into the difficult themes of a mass shooting incident, mental illness, and painful pasts, Hooper's writing is tender, honest, and compassionate.
You will feel shock, anger, sadness, empathy, and hope, along with Tessa, Angie, and Joyce as they share intimate details of their lives before, during and after this painful occurrence shook them each to their core in different ways. As Hooper masterfully included alternating accounts given by other family members, friends and victims, readers are fully immersed in all aspects of the mystery, timeline, and details surrounding this tragic event in the town of Boise.
I listened to the audio edition of this book, with a stellar ensemble of narrators giving me full immersion into the personalities, souls, and hearts of each individual in this story. Hooper's writing and the narrator's voices took me to Boise, Idaho, Ray's Bar, homes of the victims, and a hospital on an unforgettable journey. I give praise to each narrator for contributing to the wholeness of this outstanding audiobook: Devon Sorvari, Stephanie Willing, Hillary Huber, Stephanie Einstein, Madeleine Maby, Nick Mondelli, Michael Brusasco, Patrick Lawlor, Adam Barr, Pete Cross, Neil Hellegers.
Thank you to Net Galley and Dreamscape Media for the Advance Reader's Copy of this audiobook, and I gladly provide a review of this exemplary novel.
#NoHidinginBoise #NetGalley

Wow what a book this was. Before you read any further this book has care warnings for gun crime and mass shootings but if you can get past that I highly highly recommend picking up this amazing character driven novel. I could not put this down.

I love a character driven novel and I love it even more when we have multiple narrative and this book has that by the bucket load. Not only do we follow Tessa, Angie and Joyce but we also get to hear some of the other stories from people at the bar the night of the shooting. They only get one chapter each but some of those really pack a punch.

I loved getting to know Angie. I think she was the character I connected with most. She is a typical modern woman trying to have family and career and struggling to get support from her husband Cale. Through Angie we get to know Cale and he is really the key that links so much of the happenings in this book. Kim Hooper does such a good job of drip feeding the information though, giving us tiny facts and incidents here and there so we never really know Angie and Cale right until the very end.

I found Tessa really intriguing as a character. Like Angie, her life kind of has to keep going after everything happened and I think she had the biggest fall out after the incident. She is such an old head on young shoulders type of person and I really loved how this author threw obstacles at Tessa and we get to see how she deals with them. I would love to know what is next for her and really hope perhaps we could meet her again in future books.

Joyce was probably the hardest of the three women to get to know, like deep down know what makes her tick get to know. She is very guarded and she has her reasons for being so. I feel like we almost can only get to know Joyce through Angie and through Tessa and here is where the beloved mixed media text comes in because we also get to know Joyce through some online message boards about the incident and I think those were really telling and really helped to move the plot of the book along.

Overall I found these women and their stories so compelling. I tried to guess what was going to happen to all three of them but I had no idea things would play out the way that they did. I loved the writing and I loved the characters in this book and whilst it deals with a shocking and hotly contested topic, I think that it did so in a sensitive and considered way. I really recommend this novel.

The aftermath of an irrational decision that affected others, yes, that is what happens in Boise. This is an audio book for me and is very well done.
We meet the survivors, and we get to know them, from the killer’s Mom to some of those killed family, and some survivors.
Really makes you think how you would handle something so horrendous if this happened to your loved one?
The author did a great job of keeping my attention, and she wrapped up this story with closure.
I received the audiobook through Net Galley and Dreamscape Media, and was not required to give a positive review.

No Hiding in Boise tells the story of three women, Tessa, Joyce, and Angie, that are forever linked by the tragic events late at night at a local bar. As the story unfolds, we understand just how deep this connection runs.
Great read and highly recommended. Great writing and superb narration. Themes of gun violence and mental health.

*I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media in exchange for my honest review

This one took my breath away! No Hiding in Boise is a character driven novel, which reminded me very much of Jodi Picoult. Tough, raw issues are addressed in this book and it was handled so well. There are multiple stories that all intertwine together (again, very reminiscent of Picoult) and there were even twists. Highly recommend, 5 out of 5 stars.

Riveting! Strangers-connected by a random act of violence-lives forever change. There has been a shooting at Ray's Bar. Multiple people are dead including the shooter. There were survivors whose lives were forever changed. Kale told Tessa to run and hide. Both survived but Kale was shot in the head. He remembers nothing including Tessa. Tessa is the connecting factor among the survivors. Her survivor's guilt prompts her to visit Kale in the hospital where she meets his wife and explains that he saved her life. By accident, Tessa crosses paths with Joyce, the mother of the shooter. While the press and random strangers seek to crucify Joyce for raising a killer, Tessa befriends her-seeming to understand Joyce is a kind person and had no control over the mental problems of her deranged son. These strangers, connected by such a tragic event, form a bond that helps them begin to move forward in hopes of healing. After all, only they can relate to what has occurred. This is a gripping, emotional story of how life can be forever changed in an instant. They cannot change what has happened to them but they can make the best of the hand they were dealt. The book was read by multiple narrators - each a different character. This helped to create a realistic experience. Excellent!
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this advanced review copy. In return, I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

This is a very good audiobook. I enjoyed the range of perspectives from the different point-of-view characters. The details about Boise's geography and culture felt accurate to me, a Boise resident. The narrators were excellent.

I loved everything about this book. What a great surprise. Each and every character was meticulously and thoughtfully developed and their overlapping and connected stories were intricately and beautifully intertwined. The audiobook, told by a variety of narrators, worked especially well with this format, which lends itself to listening on daily walks. I enjoyed every minute of it, felt deeply for the characters and their realistically portrayed struggles. I'll definitely be looking for more books by this author and recommending this audiobook widely!

Book • Review
No Hiding in Boise
Out today!
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

No Hiding in Boise follows three women, each of whom is connected, in one way or another, to a shooting that takes place in a bar in Boise. The story unravels as each of them deals with the repercussions of that fatefully tragic night.

Half way through this book, I was convinced it could be a 4.5 star book for me. The story was gripping from the very first chapter, and I loved how the author chose her perspectives to deliberately give us a clear picture of how events like this can impact people in different ways. The story is also well written, and I found the pacing to be excellent.

That being said, the ending fell flat for me. I would have loved to dig deeper into the trauma that these people deal with in the aftermath of this tragedy, and while I feel this was delved into, it felt a bit more shallow than I would have liked. Had the author taken a few more risks with this, and maybe added an extra 50 pages, I think I would have been much more satisfied. I also had an issue with connecting with any of the side characters, which is a bit frustrating as well.

All that being said, I think this book deserves your attention. The strong reviews I have seen for it are all well-grounded, I think. This may be a 5⭐️ for you, it just wasn’t quite there for me!

Thank you Netgalley, Keylight Books, and Kim Hooper for an early audio copy of this book!

In the early ‘90s, I remember watching the survivors of a mass shooting at Luby’s Diner in Killeen, Texas (10/16/91) on the Oprah Winfrey Show. I was glued to the screen, because this was such an unusual occurrence.

Here we are 30 years later, and mass shootings in America are tragically so common that they barely receive first story placement on the nightly news. It seems like with each passing event, the who/what/where/when/why becomes a little blurrier.

Kim Hooper’s latest novel, No Hiding in Boise, attempts to bring one such fictional tragedy into razor-sharp focus. A man enters a Boise bar shortly before midnight, shoots five people dead, severely injures two others, and then kills himself. Hooper’s book unravels the events of that night through the first-person perspectives of three women: a survivor, an injured man’s wife, and the shooter’s mother.

No Hiding in Boise is not a thriller, but it is thrilling. It is expertly-crafted literary fiction that tackles a tough, “this again?!” subject (see above) with a captivating approach. It is a near-perfect character study. It is moving, and it is surprising. It is highly recommended by this reader.

The audiobook features a full cast of narrators, each perfectly suited to their characters. My thanks to Dreamscape Media for providing a gifted copy for review via NetGalley.

If you haven’t heard of this book, I suggest you pick it up. It was so good! The story begins when Angie is awoken by a phone call from the police in Boise claiming her husband was shot in a shooting at a bar. She doesn’t believe them as he is supposed to be in bed next to her. Only he isn’t. From the POV of Angie, Tess – who was a bartender and survived the night of the shooting and Joyce – who finds out through the police that they believe her son to be the shooter, Hooper does an amazing job showing the different perspectives and repercussions the aftermath of the shooting. The writing drags you right in and I didn’t want to put it down. I loved that Hooper intertwined the three women’s stories and that she even added POVs of other patrons that were injured or killed in the shooting. Add this to your #tbr !

This is an important and tough book to listen (or read) to. It’s an inside (though fictional) look at people intimately involved in a mass shooting. The mother of the shooter, who loved her son and cannot imagine what she did or missed to cause his actions and all of the emotions that go along with her experience of trying to move forward with her life. Then we meet some of the victims and their families and their experiences and how they were integrally involved. Secrets old and new, emotions, unknown connections that come to light and so much more. How people slowly try to move forward knowing all they know, their injuries both physical and mental. The story takes place immediately following the shooting. It is written with respect, kindness, tenderness and some hard truths. Trying to find a funeral home to bury the shooter, wondering why your husband was in the bar at the time of the shooting when you though he was next to you in bed and so much more. This is not a gratuitous book, but one that may give us some insight to those left behind and those around it trying to live their new normal. I was a well crafted story. I am glad I listened. Mental illness is so underrated and such an important issue that is just starting to become a part of the lexicon. We need to pay more attention so we can help those who need it and make it easier for those who do can ask for help. The author did an wonderful job sharing this fictional story with the readers. The narration of the audiobook was terrific.

I just finished reading/listening No Hiding in Boise by Kim Hooper, and now I’m experiencing a major book hangover. My gosh, these characters really punched me in the gut. Hooper writes with so much heart, empathy, and soul. I was immediately invested in this story about three women who suddenly become connected after one unthinkable tragedy. The reader hears the individual perspectives from Angie, Tessa, and Joyce after a horrific event takes place in their residing city of Boise, Idaho. The author expertly intertwines their experiences in a way that will touch your heart. You can’t help but feel for these women, and relate to their raw, real, and emotionally-charged reactions to an unfortunate situation. Hooper flawlessly tackles tough subjects like mental health, mass shootings, gun violence, trauma, and grief. I recommend this book if you enjoy slow-burning, intense, and highly character-driven novels. It’s perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult or Diane Chamberlain. No Hiding in Boise comes out on June 15th. It’s a must-read in my opinion, so be sure to grab a copy. 5/5 fantastic stars!

In short: The lives of 3 women collide in the wake of a tragic bar shooting in Boise, Idaho.

My thoughts: I loved this book! It tackles the tough subject of the aftermath of a mass shooting and those who were impacted. This book was emotional, thought provoking and full of hope.

What I enjoyed:
Strong sense of place - I grew up in Boise so the title of this book sucked me in. All the little local touches and landmarks made me feel right at home.

Character connections - This book started strong with the initial call to loved ones about the shooting and then starts to unravel why their loved ones were at the bar and builds to when we learn how they all connect.

Multiple points of view - The book focuses on 3 mail POV’s: Angie (who’s husband is now in a coma), Tessa (the bartender who was spared) and Joyce (mother of the shooter). Interspersed between these chapters were chapters from other victims as well.

It’s no secret that I enjoy delving into the psychology of characters and in this book, we not only get a peek into the psychology of a perpetrator, but a peek into the victims and survivors.

Boise, Idaho: A shooter walks into a bar, kills five people, and severely injures two others customers before turning the gun on himself. Why? Isn’t that what we all want to know? The why behind such an unfathomable crime?

Along with brief vignettes from the shooter, and those who died, the story is primarily told from the POV of 3 characters:
-Angie, the wife of Cale, one of the injured victims. She and her husband are new parents to an infant daughter. She had no idea why her husband was in a bar instead of asleep by her side. He’s in a coma unable to communicate.
-Tessa, the bartender, who survived by hiding in a closet, urged to do so by Cale. She’s alive while he suffers traumatic brain injuries.
- Joyce, the mother of the shooter, her only son. She’s vilified by the public, wracked by guilt and grief, and trying to understand how this could have happened.

I loved hearing this story from multiple viewpoints. It was raw, real, and heart-wrenching. The author writes in a way that feels so genuine, and with such empathy for her characters. There’s a surprise reveal toward the end, which even if you’ve guessed it, still has an impact.

The audiobook featured an entire cast of narrators, all of which did an outstanding job. The audiobook was a stellar listening experience. This is not a mystery/thriller, but literary fiction, although there are a couple of surprising reveals. Highly recommended!

If I could give this book 10 stars, I would.

Tense and wonderfully riveting, this brilliantly written character-driven drama was emotionally traumatizing and an exceptional read.

A shooter walks into a bar in Boise, Idaho, and kills five people, severely injuring two other patrons, before taking his own life. Who was the shooter and why did he do it?

To answer these questions, we are introduced to the book's three female main protagonists: Angie, a new mom and the wife of one of the injured victims, Tessa, the bartender who hides in a closet during the shooting, and Joyce, the mother of the shooter. Angie was clueless that her husband Cale had been making frequent middle-of-the-night visits to the bar. Tessa struggles with survival guilt and will be forever grateful to Cale for saving her life. And Joyce has the difficult task of mourning the loss of her only son, expressing sympathy to the victims; all while asking herself "How did I miss the signs?"

Smart, engrossing, and heart-wrenching -- "Hiding in Boise" provides readers with front-row seats to the behind-the-scene happenings behind a horrific tragedy, and the tragedy's powerful impact on victims, family, the community, and a city. Even though I guessed the "Tessa reveal" early, this fast-paced story was unputdownable and anything but predictable.

I listened to the audiobook that featured an entire cast of narrators. All of the narrators did an outstanding job and the audiobook was superb.

This is my second book by talented writer Kim Hooper. Even though Kim Hooper writes about very dark subjects (ugh!), she is an author to watch and has become one of my new "go-to" authors.

Special thanks to the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

NO HIDING IN BOISE is a quiet novel that explores the ripple effects of gun violence and mass shootings. Told from multiple perspectives, the shooter’s rationale and ongoing impact of the tragedy slowly unfold. The author weaves seemingly unrelated character’s lives together in a meaningful way.

While the story hits the ground running from the first chapter, it lost a bit of momentum for me as it focused less on the plot and took many deep dives into the characters. There were a few chapters written from the perspective of victims that humanized the tragedy, but didn’t advance the story from a plot standpoint.

The novel raises timely questions about how well we truly know the people we hold most dearly. It also explores grief in a realistic way from the perspective of the shooter’s mother, victims, and victims' families. I have had A MOTHER’S RECKONING, a memoir written by the mother of one of the Columbine shooters, for far too long. I think these would make for an interesting fiction/nonfiction pairing.

The full cast audio narration really enhanced my reading experience. Audio is definitely the way to go on this one!

RATING: 3.5/5 stars
PUB DATE: June 15, 2021

A big thank you to Netgalley and Keylight books for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review. Review posted to Goodreads. Will post to https://www.instagram.com/kellyhook.readsbooks/ in advance of pub date.

There was literally not a single thing I didn't like, and I couldn't possibly list out all the things I loved about it.

First, I love the cover. It's not a style I love but something about it, or maybe something about the title called to me immediately. Then I saw it was from Kim Hooper and I couldn't request it fast enough. I was ecstatic to be approved, and I listened to it in 24hrs. I absolutely devoured it. At home folding laundry? Listening. In my car on the way to work? Listening. Have ten seconds to myself? Listening. I had to know where this book was going. Credit where credit was due, I'm sure the fact that the narrator was exceptional helped, but I'm confident I would have blown through a paper copy, too.

Every single character in this book is so incredibly real. They are masterfully fleshed out in a way that make them feel like real people, without overt, wordy descriptions. I especially loved Joyce, the shooter's mom, and her boyfriend. I loved the reference to Sue Klebold's book on one of the message boards Joyce comes across. I have read (and was really moved by) Sue Klebold's book and I think the character of Joyce gave a voice to an important and often overlooked perspective concerning these events. All of these shooters were children. They have parents, often parents who loved them, who provided a really normal childhood, and after these events they're not only coping with the loss of a child, but also living every day wondering if they could have prevented it. Joyce was just a really exceptional character and I thought her boyfriend was very fitting.

Lastly, this story reminded me a bit of "Take Me Out the Back" by Carolyn Geduld. Both are about the ripple effects of tragedy and I think it's just so important for people to realize the impact of their actions. Where as Geduld's book gave you a little taste of how a tragedy impacted maybe 15 or 20 people, this book gives you a really deep dive into the lives of three of the most impacted people. Both just really beautifully illustrate the impact of gun violence on society *without* being preachy or laying out an over the top agenda. It would serve the general public well if this book got big.