She Treads Softly: Watch Where They Hide

Saturday, March 2, 2024

Watch Where They Hide

Watch Where They Hide by Tamron Hall
3/12/24; 256 pages
William Morrow
Jordan Manning #2

Watch Where They Hide by Tamron Hall follows Chicago TV crime reporter Jordan Manning as she investigates the disappearance of an Indiana mother of two. It is recommended mystery.

Shelly Biltmore calls Channel 8 News to talk to reporter Jordan Manning because her sister Marla, has been missing for several weeks and she suspects foul play. Marla, who is in the middle of a divorce, dropped her two children off at daycare and then disappeared. Shelly doesn't think the police are taking her concerns seriously and does not believe her sister would leave her children willingly. She thinks Marla's husband is responsible. Jordan travels to Indiana and begins to look into the case.

Jordan Manning is an interesting, fully realized, likeable character and it was a pleasure to see her following clues and uncover hidden secrets to solve the mystery of what happened to Marla. The missing person case here has Jordan mainly following up on information her sources uncover or reveal. It would have been nice to see some more ground breaking discovery of information, a more intricate, interesting plot, and some heart-stopping suspense along the way.

Even though this is the second in a series, it was easily read as a stand-alone novel. I like the character of Jordan Manning and see potential in future installments of the series. Thanks to William Morrow for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

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John Updike's six rules for reviewing:

1. Try to understand what the author wished to do, and do not blame him for not achieving what he did not attempt.

2. Give him enough direct quotation--at least one extended passage--of the book's prose so the review's reader can form his own impression, can get his own taste.

3. Confirm your description of the book with quotation from the book, if only phrase-long, rather than proceeding by fuzzy precis.

4. Go easy on plot summary, and do not give away the ending.

5. If the book is judged deficient, cite a successful example along the same lines, from the author's oeuvre or elsewhere. Try to understand the failure. Sure it's his and not yours?

To these concrete five might be added a vaguer sixth, having to do with maintaining a chemical purity in the reaction between product and appraiser.....Review the book, not the reputation.... Better to praise and share than blame and ban. The communion between reviewer and his public is based upon the presumption of certain possible joys in reading, and all our discriminations should curve toward that end.