All Things Hidden

All Things Hidden is the third book in Kathy Herman's Seaport Suspense series. Ellen and Guy Jones (whom we first meet in Herman's five-book Baxter series) face one of their strongest challenges yet: caring for their aging fathers. They move the gentlemen into a local retirement community, and everything seems to be going along smoothly. One day, Ellen's father wanders into town and becomes the unwitting witness to a murder in an alley. Unfortunately for Ellen and the local police, he is also exhibiting signs of Alzheimer's and can only remember a few sketchy details. Meanwhile, Guy and Ellen's son Owen begins receiving some very strange and threatening phone calls. Are these two seemingly separate incidents linked? Are the three branches of the Jones family tree in danger? Kathy Herman is a master of suspenseful stories that draw the reader into Seaport, searching for clues to help Ellen and Owen solve the mysteries they are faced with. Ellen must face her past to be able to embrace her future, and Owen must come to terms with his own wild past. Without giving away the plot, I can safely say that it is neither boring nor predictable. I loved how Owen's past mistakes help his mother make her own peace, even though their paths are rocky and fraught with frustration. I really enjoy Kathy Herman's writing. She makes her stories both contemporary and realistic without resorting to sensationalism and graphic details. I had a hard time putting this one down! Armchair Interviews says: Don't let the fact that this is Book 3 of a series deter you from reading it. While reading the other books will give background into previous events, this book can stand on its own.