HIDING

5 stars out of 5

In the interests of full disclosure, it's not often that I accept an offer to read a book that comes directly from the author. For the most part, that's because I've been burned in the past, and I have zero confidence that anything in the pages has ever seen the eyes of a proofreader. And as a professional writer/editor (nonfiction only), finding more than handful of errors - even in a pre-publication copy - is enough to make me apoplectic. It is - and forever will be - my belief that anyone who doesn't have the rules of grammar and punctuation down pat has no right to call him- or herself a writer.

That settled, something told me this one would be different (the fact that the author's email message to me was totally coherent went a long way toward convincing me of that, in fact; you wouldn't believe the grammatical awfulness of some of the requests I get).

And guess what? I'm delighted to report that this book is a gem well worth reading. Ms. Potts, thank you for giving me a few hours of reading pleasure - truly, I didn't want the experience to end.

The beginning happens in 2007 with the tragic death of Rebecca Brown's parents in an auto accident. At age 4, she and her older brother Austin and sister Colette were sent to live with their grandparents in northern Scotland. But their lives are mired in secrecy; the siblings are all but confined to a falling-apart home with little outside contact, under the thumbs of two people who are for the most part caring but refuse to allow questions about anything that happened in the past.

In 2021 "across the Pond," as we Americans like to say, is another family of sorts. Keller Baye, the son of a man convicted of a terrorist-type crime in North Carolina, watches as his imprisoned father is given a lethal injection (as an aside nitpick, I've been to the North Carolina Outer Banks something like 27 times and as far as I know there is no hotel on Bodie Island). By this time, Rebecca is a grown woman - albeit with understandable issues - and a relatively successful standup comedian, drawing heavily on her life experiences for material.

From that point on, chapters flip from Keller's life to Rebecca's, with each adding details about how the two characters are connected. To be honest, this then-and-now is a technique with which I've grown quite weary, although I must say it's done quite well here - and upon more reflection, it's most likely the only way this complex story could have been told (all of which is my convoluted way of saying hey folks, it works). 

It is, of course, that connection that makes the story intriguing and hard to put down. As Keller leaves the United States for England with a new identity, it's clear he intends to find Rebecca (and slowly, his reason is revealed, heightening the thrill factor). Why, exactly, is Keller so intent on finding Rebecca? And what will happen if and when he does? Most of the loose ends are tied up by the final pages, although a few are left to readers' imaginations at the rather abrupt ending.

So what's next? A sequel might be in order, or not. Whatever is in store, I'll be eager to read it. As for this one, well done!

Hiding by Jenny Morton Potts (Cahoots Publishing, February 2018); 258 pp.