The Hidden Things

Written by Jamie Mason

Narrated by Corey Brill, Sean Patrick Hopkins, Madeleine Maby and 3 more

Inspired by the real-life unsolved theft of a 17th-century painting, this is a “smart and hugely entertainingly thriller, with so many sharp twists and hairpin turns that you’ll need to hold on for dear life” (Lou Berney, author of November Road) from the acclaimed author of Three Graves Full.

Twenty-eight seconds.

That’s all it takes for a home-security camera to capture the hidden resolve in fourteen-year-old Carly Liddell as she fends off a vicious attack just inside her own front door. The video of her heroic escape appears online and goes viral. As the view count climbs, the lives of four desperate people will be forever changed by what’s just barely visible in the corner of the shot.

Carly’s stepfather is spurred to protect his darkest secret: how a stolen painting—four hundred years old, by a master of the Dutch Golden Age—has come to hang in his suburban foyer. The art dealer, left for dead when the painting vanished, sees a chance to buy back her life. And the double-crossed enforcer renews the hunt to deliver the treasure to his billionaire patrons—even if he has to kill to succeed.

But it’s Carly herself, hailed as a hero, whose new perspective gives her the courage to uncover the truth as the secrets and lies tear her family apart.

A suspenseful and edgy mystery, “Hidden Things is a treat: a heist story taken to pieces and expertly put back together at off-kilter angles into a startling, smart, vivid book” (Tana French, New York Times bestselling author).

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: Aug 13, 2019
• ISBN: 9781508294054

Jamie Mason

Jamie Mason was born in Oklahoma City and grew up in Washington, DC. She’s most often reading and writing, but in the life left over, she enjoys films, Formula 1 racing, football, traveling, and, conversely, staying at home. Jamie lives with her husband and two daughters in the mountains of western North Carolina. She is the author of Three Graves Full, Monday’s Lie, and The Hidden Things.

Reviews for The Hidden Things

[Diane Cheney · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Told via numerous viewpoints, this book was far better than I expected. Very suspenful, with wonderful narrators.

[Ann Matthias · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed the characters and how they got to where they were when the story ended.

[rosalita_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

With The Hidden Things (Gallery Books, 2019) Jamie Mason has crafted a solid suspense thriller that is firmly rooted in contemporary culture. It all begins when 14-year-old Carly fends off a would-be attacker who follows her home from school. Their encounter in the front hallway of her family’s home is captured by the surveillance cameras that her stepfather, John, had installed. Predictably in the 2010s, the video goes viral on social media after first being posted on the local police website. Soon Carly is fielding questions and attention from friends and strangers alike, who all know her as the plucky teen who defeated the bad guy.Carly’s a bit overwhelmed by all the attention, but not so much that she doesn’t notice how oddly John is acting in the wake of the incident. And she isn’t immune to the household tension that erupts because neither Carly nor her mom realized John had installed surveillance cameras inside as well as outside the house.Many cities away, the viral video comes to the attention of a group of people who are particularly interested, not in Carly and her heroics, but in what’s shown in the background: The corner of an old painting that was stolen from a museum and later thought to be lost forever when an underground sale went awry. How did it end up in Carly’s house? And to what lengths will people go to get it back?The story is told from a variety of viewpoints, giving the reader insight into what all the main players are thinking and feeling. There’s Carly, of course, who is the heroine in more ways than one. But there’s also her stepfather, who finds himself trapped in a situation that could cause him to lose the comfortable home life he has finally found. And the other people who were involved in the caper-gone-wrong along with John are also given their turn in the spotlight: hapless loser Roy, ruthless bad guy Owen, and the enigmatic Marcelline, left for dead but very much alive. As they all converge on Carly’s home, no one’s sparing a thought for who might get caught in the crossfire. And it’s up to Carly to try to save herself, her family, and her “normal” teenage life.Mason does a great job of juggling the rotating viewpoints without losing the reader’s attention. She managed to make me sympathize with each of them in turn, even when I knew the unspeakable things some of them had done. And she doesn’t try to wrap things up with a neat bow and unbelievable feats of strength from a young teenager. Carly is indeed her own savior (with a little help) but she is changed irrevocably by what she learns and what she is forced to do, and Mason doesn’t shy away from exploring the consequences of those actions. It kept me turning pages to the very end, and feeling satisfied when I closed the cover.Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

[darcia_10 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This story totally hooked me. The writing has a literary flair, with beautifully crafted sentences and poignant observations throughout.Pacing is the kind of slow burn that invites us into the characters' minds so we feel the emotions, then gradually builds in urgency and intensity as the truth unravels.The plot is complex without ever becoming convoluted. Characters are well developed, realistic, and, I thought, fascinating. I loved Carly! When someone is called "fearless," it doesn't really mean they have no fear, only that they have the strength needed to move beyond the fear. That's Carly, and she's a badass teen!The Hidden Things isn't a throwaway thriller. This is a character study, a look at the lies we tell others and ourselves, and a glimpse at what people are capable of when pushed to the edge.*I received a review copy from the publisher, via NetGalley.*