Received this book from BookishFirst.

This is the 9th book in a series and the first one I've read by this author and in this series. However, I did not feel that I missed anything by not reading the previous books in the series.

Russ Van Alstyne is the Chief of Police in Millers Kill, a town located in New York State. His wife is Rev. Clare Fergusson and they have have an infant, Ethan. Russ is investigating a mysterious death of a young woman who was dumped on a road with no obvious trauma. This case is identical to a case from 1972 in which Russ was a potential suspect. The chief in 1972 recalls yet another identical case from 1952. This book follows Russ's investigation in the current case but also alternates between the current case and the previous two cases.

It was very well done and I enjoyed the story. Well-written and it kept me guessing. Typically, when I'm reading, I try not to guess "who did it" because I want to be "lost" in the story telling. I really enjoyed this book. ( )

It was definitely worth the wait. I'd read the series when the books originally came out, but took the opportunity to read them all again to set the scene for the latest book. One of my favorite book series. ( )

Happy to be back in Miller’s Kill. Another excellent installment in this series. ( )

Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne 9

2020 was a horrible year for many reasons but one of the good things to come out of it was a new entry in one of my all-time favorite mystery series. I looooooove Julia Spencer-Fleming and I really, really enjoyed having an update on Clare and Russ, but at the same time, discovering Russ as a young man as well. There's also more of Hadley Knox and Kevin Flynn, and those two give me all the feels. Even though quite a few years have passed since a new book was released in this series, it feels exactly the same. The mojo is there and it made me so happy. It appears she is setting up another installment as well! ( )

The story covers time periods from 1952, and 1972…and present day. There is some jumping back and forth in the timelines… so some readers may have problems following the events that occurred then and the events that are taking place in current time especially if you haven’t read any of the other books. This book has been 6 long years taking it’s place in the Fergeruson/Van Alstyne chronicles that takes place in the little town on Miller Kill where Russ is the Police Chief and Clare is the clergy of the Episcopal Church. New baby, Ethan has joined the cast. I gave the book four stars because I was not real enthused with the mystery’s resolution. Nevertheless, this is a worthy addition to this series and welcome back Ms. Spencer- Fleming. ( )

Fabulous as usual. But I'm upset with Clare's dishonesty. ( )

Clare is a new mom, and juggling motherhood with her responsibilities as an Episcopal priest. Her sheriff husband Russ is working on a suspicious death, a probable murder, that appears to be a copycat crime, one that mimics two previous ones, all twenty years apart. It makes little sense, and Russ has even less evidence to go on. It’s an intriguing mystery. The story itself is a good mix of police procedural and everyday life in a small town. Clare is still plagued by PTSD, and coping with abstaining from alcohol and pills. The characters are flawed, but that just makes the story more enjoyable. This very well written story is equally well performed by narrator Suzanne Toren. ( )

Hid From Our Eyes by Julia Spencer Fleming

Minotaur/St Martin’s Press
Bookish First Impression

I haven’t read any of this authors previous novels. This story starts out with a good crime scene in August 1952 which coincidentally seems repeated in August 1972. In 1952, Millers Kill chief of police was 50 year old Harry McNeil who worked the case with detective Stan Carruthers. A girl was found dead on Route 57 with a crucifix. According to state trooper Jack Liddle state trooper she was found face down in the road of the small town of Cossayuharie. There was no apparent signs of struggle or drug use or gun shots or knife wounds.

In 1972, Jack Liddle is promoted to chief of police when a girl is found dead on McEachron Hill Road.
Fast forward to August present day and again another young female victim is discovered in the middle of Route 137 in Cossayuharie wearing a party dress.

The preview ends just as it introduces a new character at pediatricians questioning fetal alcohol symptoms. Really? We don’t get any more information so we have to read the book! What a tease! ( )

Nope. Some good stuff here, but nope it just doesn't jell. ( )

It's been a long stretch since the last Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne outing; the author went through a really awful spell of personal losses including her husband and her mother, which naturally impeded her writing for some time. And to be honest, I was not terribly taken with [Through the Evil Days], although I tore through it, and reviewed it positively back in 2014. In retrospect, I've felt there was way too much drama and peril, straining belief, so I hadn't been yearning for the next installment, but ultimately I decided I did want to see what happens next. Let me tell you...this one is GOOD. Much more a puzzler than a thriller. We are drawn into the investigations of three mysterious deaths with nearly identical circumstances---three lovely young women found lying dead on a deserted stretch of road in fancy dress, missing shoes or identification, and with no visible cause of death. Oh...and these deaths occurred in 1952, 1972, and "present day", which is early in the 21st century. Chief Van Alstyne hopes that modern forensics succeed in determining how the latest victim died, provide clues to how the three deaths are connected---because surely they must be connected---and clear his 20-year-old self of involvement in the last one. This is more Russ's story than Clare's, which is fine with me, because I have found her a less interesting, less sympathetic character since she stopped struggling with the moral dilemma of falling in love with a married man. Now, I AM yearning for the next installment, because there are definitely loose ends dangling at the end of this one.
Review written May 2020 ( )

Russ and Clare have a lot of stress to deal with in their lives. A new baby, Clare’s guilt over alcohol and pill use in her first trimester, her lack of daycare use and shuffling the baby from different friends and family to accommodate her busy church duties. Russ too is worried about the police force being disbanded to the State Police while working a new case that involves a dead woman that resembles and unsolved case in 1972 where he was a person of interest and also an unsolved murder of another woman in 1952 The thinking is that the current murder and the murder in ’72 are copy cats of the 52.

I enjoyed this book even though I don’t usually like books that flip back and forth in every chapter. With the help of the his wife, mother and former mentor Russ is able to bring justice to all the victims ( )

Fans of Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne have waited a long time for this book, and I was worried it might be difficult to reconnect, or the book wouldn’t live up to previous books in the series. Well, I had no need to worry. I dropped into the town of Millers Kill, NY like I’d never left, and there were Clare and Russ acting for all the world as if time hadn’t passed them by, either. Julia Spencer-Fleming gave just enough detail to remind me how things stood for the pair, which would also be sufficient for anyone new to the series (but if that’s you, it’s still best to start at the beginning). And then she laid out a straightforward crime scene, made immediately more complicated by its uncanny similarity to unsolved crimes from 1972 and 1952.

And as with any good mystery series, the crime is only part of the story. The local police force is threatened by a referendum In the next election, just a few months away. Russ has to schmooze with voters and community leaders to convince them to vote “no,” while also taking care of his team, which has its own share of internal drama. Clare is recovering from a nearly catastrophic personal situation, and is also struggling to balance work and family demands. While the mystery is solved in a satisfying way, there’s more than one cliffhanger that has me hoping the next book isn’t too far off. ( )

Hid from Our Eyes by Julia Spencer-Fleming is ninth in the Reverend Clare Fergusson and Police Chief Russ Van Alstyne series. This novel works well as a standalone but I would enjoy reading the previous ones. The mystery is set in three separate time periods. In 1952, the body of a young woman is found on a deserted country road, dressed in an expensive dress but without anything to identify her. The cause of death remained a mystery and the culprit was never found. In 1972, another unidentified young woman suffers the same fate and the crime is never solved. Now, in the present day, a third body is found in the same circumstances and it is up to Chief Van Alstyne and his police force to solve this crime and hopefully in the process, solve the other two murders. This is a suspenseful police procedural set over a period of fifty plus years. The only problem with the ending is an attempt by the author to set the scene for the next novel but I highly recommend Hid from Our Eyes. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Net Galley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. ( )

His From Our Eyes is the ninth novel in a series from Author Julia Spencer-Fleming. I would describe this as a hybrid novel. A cross between a cozy mystery and a police procedural. Having just had a new baby, Clare Ferguson returns to her work in the church and her husband, Chief of police, Russ Van Alstyne continues to head the small and financially challenged police department at Miller’s Kill. This small department is thrown for a loop when the body of a young, unidentified woman is found on a rural road. With fancy clothes, fresh makeup and an unknown cause of death, the girl bear an eerie resemblance to 2 prior unsolved deaths. One in 1952, another in 1972. Both cases the women were dumped on the same road, never identified and their cause of death remains unknown. With three apparent homicides left unsolved, Russ is under a lot of pressure to solve these unusual deaths as the town council weighs throwing out the MKPD completely and using the State Police instead. Clare stuck in the middle hopes to use her position as a religious influencer in the community to help her husband in any way she can. Having not read the previous 8 novels I certainly may have some deficits of character development. I do believe by and large;however, that this story can stand alone. This isn’t a fast paced, heart pounder. It is more of a slow burn with the story unfolding methodically and slowly over 300 plus pages. If you live by the seat of your pants this may not appeal to you. This story has its strengths in the character stories and the ongoing development of the characters. We do get a setup for a storyline at the end of this novel. Thank you to Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review. ( )

What a delight to be back in Miller's Kill with Clare and Russ! We get a look at three murders, decades apart, with disturbing similarities. At the same time, Russ is trying to save his job and his team's jobs, while he adjusts to being a new parent. Clare is right there with him, dealing with her own demons as she carries on a life full of strained squash and welcomes a new intern. Spencer-Fleming does a great job with interweaving related stories from 1952, 1972, and the book's present day. Not the absolute best of the series, but a very good addition. ( )

Thank you in advance to the publisher, Minotaur Books, and BookishFirst for providing an advanced review copy. A positive review was not required. All words and thoughts are my own.

This is the first novel by Julia Spencer-Fleming I’ve read.

When I saw it on BookishFirst, I HAD to use my points to redeem for it. The premise grabbed me – three similar murders about 20+ years apart. As of note, the timeline in this novel has “present day” about 2006. Russ makes a comment about it being 34 years since the last one.

Content warnings will include: references to Tea Party, racism, white supremacists, drug and alcohol use, along with post-partum issues. None of this really seemed to be part of the main plot.

The reason this novel took the author seven (7) years to write was due to personal reasons. She had decided to pause writing it due to family obligations with her son in August 2016.

About a month later, her husband was diagnosed with cancer and died in September 2017. So, readers do need to take this into consideration when trying to get into this novel after a seven (7) year hiatus.

This is #9 in the Fergusson/Van Alstyne mysteries. It works as a standalone read, though I am sure readers will get more out of it if they have read the series. I had not read any prior to this novel.

This time, Clare and Russ are married with an infant son. Russ is facing the dissolution of the police department because some feel it isn’t needed, while Clare is facing some personal demons despite being a reverend.

The cases in 1952 and 1972 could be connected as well as the 1972 and current day. But, there is no way the 1952 and the current day case can be connected given the 54 year difference.

However, Russ was a person of interest in the 1972. He was never charged, but still remained of interest.

This is told in all three times; written in quick, short chapters making this a nearly non-stop read. The ARC was 423 pages and I was able to get through it in about a day.

Despite the pacing, this was hard to get through and I did feel bogged down in parts. I felt like it was a clear struggle to read.

It seems like the police are never going to catch a break. Lead after lead seems to fizzle out – frustrating the police and the reader. As much as I can keep up with multi-part and multi-plot stories, this was a bit of a stretch for me.

Carnies, communes, and even rich people are not safe from suspicion in this multi-generational murder mystery.

In addition to the problems with the case; there is a matter of a lawsuit against the police department, a current officer, and a former officer. While this is interesting and I am sure it is setting up the events in the next novel (from the way this goes, it looks like there will be a #10) … it does cloud the current story a bit.

Clare’s situation is overwhelming – her work as a reverend, her son, and also battling addiction. She gets an interesting intern that can’t seem to find placing within the church – a transgender woman, Joni. And, Joni has a connection to the case, the current one and the 1972 one as well.

Throughout the story; things bounce back and forth between keeping the police department, the 1952 investigation, the 1972 investigation, the current day, Clare’s issues, and the lawsuit.

There is a lot to track and keep up with in this story. Some readers might get frustrated. Those who enjoy more complex and twisted plots will likely enjoy this.

The author did a great job with trying to keep it all together and work well. She did a great job in keeping the mystery until nearly the very end. The connection and “motive” was a bit weak in my opinion. The 1972 and 2006 murders were connected, and in a slight way – so was the 1952. The writer didn’t go into too many details with the cases.

As far as Clare being the average reverend, I don’t know much about the Episcopal church to know either way so I can’t comment as to whether or not she is believable. Either way, for me, she wasn’t that compelling of a character.

The end of this story seems to wind down too quickly to set up for the next story. And, the way this one ends, the next one might be a “have to read”. The author assures us it won’t be another seven (7) years though.

This wasn’t a great read by any means, but it wasn’t a bad read either. It did keep me interested. And, I don’t consider the time I spent reading it that much of a waste.

I would highly suggest that those who are interested in the novel to read the previous eight (8) before this to get the idea of the series.

Fans of the series and author will probably like this.
( )

Hid From Our Eyes is the ninth installment in the Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne mystery series. This mystery is three-fold. Three separate dead women found on the highway in a fancy dress with no discernible cause of death. In 1952, the Chief of Police Harry McNeil is certain this was no drug overdose, but it’s out of his jurisdiction. He does what investigating he can along with a young patrolman named Jack Liddle who is also unwilling to write her off. In 1972, Chief of Police Jack Liddle investigates an identical mysterious death and Russ Van Alstyne who found the body is among the suspects.

Now, the third dead woman in similar circumstances makes Chief of Police Van Alstyne certain there is a connection between all three deaths. Of course, it is awkward that he was a suspect in 1972 and never officially cleared, especially as there is a plebiscite on whether or not to close the local police department and let the state police take over.

There is also a lawsuit alleging a local police officer planted drugs on her ex-husband. He sounds a peach and no one would blame her, but she knows she did not do that, but what about the other officer, now working undercover for the state police. Did he do that on her behalf?

Hid From Our Eyes is an excellent mystery. It is absolutely fair. We get the information when Russ gets the information. There are none of those Nero Wolfe moments when a clue arrives and the detective goes “Aha!” and we don’t learn what that was until the narrative explanation in front of all the suspects at the end. In fact, readers were not even inflicted with the long narrative explaining the detective’s inductive reasoning. That is what I call fair!

There was a moment in the 1972 narrative when I thought Chief Liddle missed an obvious clue, but other than that, everyone was smart. This is a smart, fair mystery and the actual solution was unexpected, a fresh solution that I had not imagined. That is all one can ask for.

I also like the sub-plots and how one story percolated in the background that I am certain will be central in the tenth in the series. This was my introduction to this series and I was not confused by starting with the ninth. References to the past were passing and infrequent, so I never felt lost. I am looking forward to the tenth.

I received an e-galley of Hid From Our Eyes from the publisher through NetGalley

Hid From Our Eyes at St. Martin’s Press | Macmillan
Julia Spencer-Fleming on Facebook

https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2020/04/27/9780312606855/ ( )

After a six year absence Spencer Fleming returns with her Claire Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne series in “Hid From Our Eyes.”. Russ and Clare are married with a four month old son, Ethan. Clare is trying to assume her church duties and balance home and childcare problems. Russ is faced with the possible demise of the Miller Kill Police Department depending on a vote in the upcoming November election. To save money the city council proposes that the State Police take over the town policing. He is very much against this because they don’t know the communities or do crime prevention.

For the third time the body of a young woman in fancy dress but no shoes is found face down on the same country road with no visible explanations for the cause of death. In 1952 the State Police dismissed it as a hit and run. In 1972 the man who reported the body, a returning veteran is thought to be guilty. He was Russ who is now is faced with the third body. He is determined to solve the case and in doing so involves the police chief from 1972.

In an attempt to win the vote Clare and some church elders become involved in the Save Our Police campaign which leads to involvement with a wealthy summer family from New York.

Against the backdrop of flashbacks to the first two cases, town politics, the ongoing involvement of Police Officers Haley Knox and Kevin Flynn and the summer family’s bank succession issues Spenser Fleming weaves the solution to the crimes. It may seem a stretch but it all hangs together.

At the time of writing she dealt with the death of her husband, mother and close friend. Regardless she wrote a fine mystery and ended it with a cliffhanger that sets up the next book. I hope it comes soon.

Reviewed April 20, 2020

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ( )

Dead girls do tell tales--eventually!

Three murders over three different periods in time, from the 1950's to 1972 and now in the present day. How could they relate, particulate given the span of years? All three were young attractive women, posed identically. There is nothing nearby to reveal who they are. All are nicely dressed, special occasion garments. Their cause of death is unknown. Nothing can be detected.
Clare Fergusson and Russ van Alstyne are an interesting couple. Van Alstyne is the Police Chief at Millers Kill, Clare his wife, is the local Episcopalian Church minister.
We have a cast of fascinating characters with interesting hints of the stories behind them. I am still intrigued by the past and present of many of them.
I love Clare's struggle s with being a Reverend and a new mother, and her deeper struggles with alcoholism. The reality of her genuineness is a gift.
I like that Clare's new intern Joni is who she is. Introduced so naturally.
Talk about peeling an onion! The way the various aspects of the story tie together was intriguing and so multilayered as to be mouth dropping. The resolution is a stroke of genius.
My only regret is that I have not read previous novels about these two. Now my TBR list has just expanded expediently.
I was trapped by this novel. I loved it and can't wait for the next!

A St. Martin's Press ARC via NetGalley ( )

It's been a long wait for Hid From Our Eyes, but it was worth it. In my opinion, Julia Spencer-Fleming's cast of characters ranks right up there with those in Elly Griffiths' Dr. Ruth Galloway series. As far as devoted readers go, Russ and Clare and Hadley and all the rest have become friends, and we have to feel a part of everything that happens to them as well as "helping" them solve a mystery. We are most definitely invested.

Russ is really under the gun here. Not only does he have this very puzzling crime to solve, but a vote is also coming up to determine whether or not the Millers Kill police force will be disbanded. He feels as though he's coming up to a crossroads in his life. Clare herself is still fighting her own demons and has given herself the added pressure of trying to be the world's best mother and cleric. The decisions these two make by the book's end may not be to everyone's liking, but they feel real.

How's the three-pronged mystery in Hid From Our Eyes? It was a real head-scratcher for me until one specific thing was described about three-quarters of the way through the story. That's when the light bulb finally went off over my head and it was just a matter of my waiting for the characters in the book to figure it out for themselves.

Readers who loathe cliffhangers in their books are going to have something to wail and gnash their teeth over in Hid From Their Eyes. I know there are many of you, so prepare yourselves. As for me, I'll just look forward to the next time I see Russ and Clare. They are two of my favorite characters in all of crime fiction. Welcome back, Julia Spencer-Fleming! ( )

Hid from Our Eyes is an atmospheric, slow-moving mystery that leans, stylistically, into literary fiction.

The writing itself is captivating. I loved the rhythm of the words and the way the sentences were strung together. In that sense, this is an engaging read you can easily fall into.

That being said, the story lacks focus, falling victim to a scattershot of ideas and subplots. The main plot is a series of three identical murders, taking place decades apart. Because the story alternates between all three timelines with several narrators, this alone keeps us busy. But then we also have a subplot focused on town politics and the police force in crisis, another regarding Clare's difficulties battling addiction while adjusting to motherhood, another concerning a transgender woman, and yet another entire set of circumstances regarding a possible dirty cop and child custody issues. Each subplot brings us characters' backstories and all sorts of random offshoots that detract from, rather than enhance, the main plot.

The author brilliantly handles the three timelines, as far as bringing them all to life. Initially, though, the "Present Day" timeline tripped me up, because the years don't match up. I spent way too much time trying to figure out how the ages of the people involved could possibly fit what I was reading. Either I'm crazy or the timelines don't work as written. (I concede that it could be both.) We have "1952", "1972," and "Present Day." My math got me to 2006 as "Present Day." Keeping that in mind might prevent you from falling down the same mathematical rabbit hole I fell into.

While part of a series, in general this book works fine as a stand-alone. The abundance of backstories gives us more than we need to know about all the characters involved, and the major plot is resolved at the end. However, we're left with a major cliffhanger regarding one of the subplots, which irked me. But that's me. I don't like cliffhangers.

*I received a review copy from Minotaur Books, via BookishFirst.* ( )

Three young women dressed in party attire are discovered decades apart. What is going on?

This is the ninth in a series, although the prior one was published some seven years ago.

If you want a tight police procedural, this isn’t it. The crimes are almost secondary to the lives of Police Chief Russ van Alstyne, his wife, Reverend Clara Fergusson and ancillary characters who are members of the police department, friends, or acquaintances. The story bounces among the three time frames of the deaths; 1952, 1972, and “present day”.

I had some difficulty in the beginning getting into this story; did we really need an entire chapter on Clara giving birth? And, while I did think the motive behind the killings was a bit of a stretch, I eventually found the book engrossing and well written. The author does a good job of recreating the flavor of small town upstate New York resort areas (or any resort area) that have to balance the reality of the life of everyday locals with the needs of well to do summer people.

I did not read the prior books in this series. Although I liked this one, I have no desire to go back and read the prior eight. ( )

Julia Fletcher-Fleming is back with her ninth book in the Clare Ferguson / Russ Van Alstyne mystery series.
The time setting alternates between the month of August in 1952, 1972 and “present day” which I estimate to be 2004. The Washington County Fair is just beginning, the carnival is setting up in each of the three time frames and the dead body of a pretty young woman is found on the same rural road near Miller’s Kill. In all three cases her underwear, shoes, stockings and purse are missing. The police were unable to determine cause of death in 1952 or 1972 and Russ Van Alstyne and the Miller’s Kill Police Department are facing the same dilemma with the third victim. They are hoping that more advanced forensic testing in the present day will assist them in solving the most recent mysterious death and perhaps make connections with the 1952 and 1972 deaths.
Russ and his police department are short staffed and facing a November town referendum that will determine whether Miller’s Kill will continue to have a local police force or if the State Police will assume all protection responsibilities for the community. Nevertheless, the need to investigate and determine the woman’s cause of death and learn if or how the three deaths over 54 years are connected. The final solution is cleverly developed and the guilty parties and the reason for the murders was a surprise to me.
It was wonderful to discover that Russ has overcome his misgivings about fatherhood during Clare’s pregnancy and is a loving father to their infant son, Ethan. Clare is a caring mother and is overwhelmed with her pastoral responsibilities and lack of sleep as she is awakened during the night to nurse Ethan. Her demons continue to pursue her. In spite of the stress, she is able to assist Russ in discovering whodunit.
I have read the first eight books in the series two times because I love the characters, the great plots and the author’s wonderful writing style. I am thrilled to have been selected to read and review the Advance Reader’s Edition of Hid From Our Eyes and loved this book as much as the others. Now I can’t wait for the tenth book to be published. ( )

Hid From Our Eye
By: Julia Spencer - Fleming
Bookish first Impression:

I liked this book. I found the plot interesting. It starts when the fifty years old police Chief of Millers Kill reaches at the crime scene and finds a girl dressed in petty party dress dead. There are no signs of injury. There body does not have any stockings, shoes or a handbag (dated: August 20, 1952)

Exactly twenty years later (August 20, 1972), the police chief then again finds a girl in white lacy party dress dead in the same manner. Again there is no sign of injury on the body. No panty hose, no shoes and no handbag. A soldier who found the body is considered as a prime suspect.

Now twenty years later again in present scenario, a soldier is now the police chief and again a girl is found dead.

I found it engaging and now I am eager to finish this book as early as possible. ( )