Publisher: WestBow Press

ISBN: 1-5955-4037-7

Genre: Inspirational/Suspense

As a professional psychologist, Susan Rose believes that she has seen evil in all of its forms.  “Physician, heal thyself!”  While dealing with the death of her college-age son, Susan is forced to look into the depths of her own dysfunctional past.  Susan returns home to help her father, who is recovering from an accident. 

Seeking solace on a late-night horseback ride, Susan is thrown from her horse and finds herself at the bottom of a ravine.  There, she finds a young man, chained in darkness.  As doubt and duty struggle within Susan’s breast, the young man whispers, “There’s a key.”  Susan frees the young man, and through a series of miraculous events, the young man returns the favor, bringing physical, emotional and spiritual healing as Susan tries to help him re-discover who he is, and where he came from.

As Susan edges ever closer to the hideous truth, doubts begin to gnaw at her heart.  Is Jacob everything that he appears to be?  Is he an angel sent from God, or is he a demon, “masquerading as an angel of light?”  And what will be the conclusion when Jacob himself remembers his own past . . . and his future?

This is the first book I’ve read by Kathryn Mackel, and while her resume is impressive (as evidenced by the back cover) I must say that this book is rather disappointing.  The author has done a wonderful job in researching the various professions her characters represent.  She does a fairly good job at keeping one guessing as to “whodunit,” and there are some very intense, emotional scenes which engage the reader.

However, the book was extremely difficult to get into.  I did not feel myself involved in the storyline until about two-thirds of the way into the book.  The scene shifts are abrupt, with very little in the way of preparation.  And following an extremely well-written, vibrant, and engaging climax, the author provided an anti-climax which “solved” all of the underlying relational issues in a too-contrived and simplistic manner.  The heroine, who had been almost completely developed throughout the story, suddenly went flat in a very disappointing second.  If you are expecting a real page-turner, The Hidden will be a disappointment. You might want to spend your book dollars on something else. $13.99. 320 pages.