Review – Hidden in the Stars

Following an attack that killed her mother and stole her ability to speak, 21-year-old Sophia Montgomery has no choice but to accept her estranged grandmother’s offer to return to their family home.

Although detective Julian Frazier is working hard on the case, Sophia unknowingly frustrates him because her inability to speak thwarts her eyewitness evidence. The fact that Julian is undeniably attracted to Sophia doesn’t help either, so Julian hides his feelings as concern for a trauma victim and focuses instead on finding the killer.

Little do they know, the clues to solving the case may be right in front of them, displayed in Sophia’s mother’s “special” quilt design. Who will realize the secret Sophia’s unwittingly been hiding in plain sight? When the truth comes to light, will Sophia find her voice again? Or will the murderer—still at large—silence her forever?

My thoughts:  I was offered the chance to endorse Ms. Caroll’s book and I turned it down. It sounded scary and I’m a member of the ‘big honkin’ chicken club’, as coined by Brandilyn Collins and few other scary suspense writers. Somehow, I’m not sure how, I ended up on the sign up sheet to review HIDDEN IN THE STARS. I don’t remember volunteering, but I might have, on accident.  

To my surprise HIDDEN IN THE STARS wasn’t nearly as scary as I thought. It was written more in the style of the NCIS investigative television shows that used to be on TV (not sure if they still are. We don’t have a TV.)  Julian and his partner, Brody, are trying to solve the murder of a Russian ballet princess Nina and the extensive damage to her daughter, Sophia, ruining her dreams of competing in the Olympics. 

HIDDEN IN THE STARS wasn’t scary at all. There were a few moments when the tension slid up the radar, but not many. Instead, this was a great romantic suspense, and the ending scenes surprised me somewhat, with the who-dun-it and why. If you like romantic suspense and shy away from the super scary stuff, don’t let HIDDEN IN THE STARS get away. It isn’t super scary.  It is great. Highly recommended.