HIDDEN by Catherine McKenzie

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It was an almost normal Friday evening when Jeff Manning set off to walk home from work. Almost, in that he had had to fire the person who hired him at the company, but otherwise normal. A few hours later the police arrive at the Manning house with devastating news: Jeff has been killed in a car accident.

Claire is grief stricken at the loss of her husband. She tries to keep herself together for the sake of her twelve-year-old son, Seth, but she never imagined she’d be without her husband.

A few towns over Tish waits to hear how the firing went. When Jeff doesn’t call, Tish is immediately concerned. She worries that Jeff may no longer be interested in her but it’s not until the following Monday, when the company announces the tragedy, that Tish learns the truth.

Catherine McKenzie’s latest is a heart wrenching read about families and relationships. The story is told from three viewpoints—Claire’s, Tish’s, and Jeff’s—bringing the reader through each of the character’s lives and relationships as well as their intersections, allowing the reader an in depth look into the choices they’ve made along the way.

And it’s a sad story, to be sure. Jeff, dead at such a young age and Claire forced to face the possibility of her husband’s infidelity while unable to confront him over it. And Tish who must deal not only with the loss of someone she loves but must face the reality of her feelings and how they will affect her family if brought to light.

Hidden not only lives up to the expectations set by each of McKenzie’s three previous books (all of which have been personal favorites of mine) but also shows great growth on the part of the author. The previous three have all dealt with somewhat serious topics, they’ve also included enough comic relief to make them lighter in general. Hidden tackles infidelity, death, and so much more but in a more serious tone than the previous releases.

4/14 Becky Lejeune

HIDDEN by Catherine McKenzie. New Harvest (April 1, 2014). ISBN 978-0544264977. 304p.

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