Hidden in Q&A with Catherine McKenzie

Jan 21, 2013 Catherine McKenzie rated it it was amazing · (Review from the author) · review of another edition

My new book - coming in June ...

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Jun 07, 2013 Lisa Brackmann rated it it was amazing

In some ways, Catherine McKenzie's fourth novel, HIDDEN, resembles a mystery. It's a story about a relationship triangle, between Jeff, the husband whose unexpected death tears out the hearts of two women: his wife, Claire, and Tish, the co-worker with whom he had an intense bond -- but what exactly was its nature?

In HIDDEN, the mystery is not "who dunnit" but why, and even, what did they do, exactly? One result is that like a suspenseful mystery, it's a compulsive page-turner.

McKenzie handles ...more

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Apr 15, 2015 Catherine McKenzie rated it it was amazing · (Review from the author) · review of another edition

Hidden is out in German! Check it out ....

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Jun 30, 2013 Luanne Ollivier rated it really liked it

I've been a fan of Canadian author Catherine McKenzie from book one. She's just released her fourth book - Hidden. I never know what to expect when I start one of her books - all four have been completely different reads. What I do know is that I'm going to enjoy it.

What if you died unexpectedly? What if there were secrets you were keeping? What would happen then....

"...we all lie about things. Little things, big things. We all keep stuff hidden. And the longer you're with someone, the more st I've been a fan of Canadian author Catherine McKenzie from book one. She's just released her fourth book - Hidden. I never know what to expect when I start one of her books - all four have been completely different reads. What I do know is that I'm going to enjoy it.

What if you died unexpectedly? What if there were secrets you were keeping? What would happen then....

"...we all lie about things. Little things, big things. We all keep stuff hidden. And the longer you're with someone, the more stuff there is like that..."

McKenzie explores that premise in Hidden. Jeff Manning is struck and killed by a car one night. This unexpected loss leaves two women grieving - his wife Claire.....and his co worker Tish.

Hidden is told in those three voices, with Jeff recounting his life with his wife and his...relationship... with Tish. We are privy to Claire's grief and her memories of their life together. And we get to know Tish and her family as well. (Sharp eyes will be able to tell whose chapter it is by the font used in the first line)

McKenzie's exploration of the dynamics of these relationships is incredibly well drawn. The sense of grief both women feel is palpable and beautifully written. My heart broke for Jeff's son Seth as he attempted to deal with his father's death. I initially expected to dislike Tish, given that she is 'the other woman'. But is she? When is a line crossed? I found my thoughts on each character and their choices changing with every new chapter and revelation revealed.

Although the main focus is these three characters, Catherine also explores the relationships between family members, friends and workmates as well. Tim and his brother Jeff have one of the most difficult of all. McKenzie does an impressive job writing from a male perspective. Actually, it was all impressive. I was caught up in the story and characters from the first page. The ending caught me totally unawares - and had me rethinking what I had read.

Catherine McKenzie has written a very real, insightful and powerful novel exploring the complex and complicated relationships that shape our lives. This would be a fantastic selection for a book club.

Another fantastic novel from a very talented author. I can't wait to see what she comes up with for book number five!
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Mar 14, 2013 phyllis frosst rated it it was amazing

Have been a fan of Catherine McKenzie since I first read Spin. I was surprised to find that her latest, "Hidden" diverges from her first three novels, but delighted to find that it improves an already great body of work. Hidden has multiple narrators, and the narratives move forward chronologically although not simultaneously. It's wonderful. The flow of the book is steady, you become engrossed in the characters, and then the plot turns and twists as you race to the finish, staying up way too la ...more

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Mar 13, 2014 Melissa rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I thought that Hidden was very well written. It was easy to get into the minds of all the characters involved, even when I didn't agree with what they were doing. There were times I almost forgot I was reading a book because it felt so honest and genuine with realistic settings and dialogue. I kept wondering what would happen next and Catherine threw in some twists throughout. The ending felt anticlimactic, but the story was still powerful and intense. I never condone cheating, whether it is phy ...more

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Nov 15, 2013 Jennifer Rayment rated it it was amazing

The Good Stuff

Natural born storyteller - to me anyone who can write a novel that has me wanting to ignore everything around me is truly gifted. McKenzie is truly the type of author that doesn't disappoint.
Characters are real, warts and all. These are people you know and feel for
Great for book club discussions
No black and white, these are realistic characters with real problems that you will relate too
Uncomfortable, yet makes you think and want to make changes
Feels deeply personal
Couldn' ...more

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Mar 25, 2014 Liz Fenton rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I really enjoyed HIDDEN--it had me from page one and I could not stop until I learned what was really going on. McKenzie did a great job of building suspense--I was really sad when it was over!

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Mar 27, 2014 Julie Busa rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I don't often write reviews for books I have read, but in this instance I was compelled to write one. Hidden is the first book I have read by Catherine McKenzie. From the first page, I was hooked. This book is about relationships and dealing with infidelity from each person's points of view. There are lots of twists and turns that make it difficult to put this book down. I look forward to reading more from this author. ...more

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May 28, 2014 Anna rated it really liked it · review of another edition

It took me a while to actually sit down and read this book. That's one of the perils of actually buying a book - I figure that once I own it, I can read it any time, and I read library books instead.

Once I actually sat down and started reading it, though, I had a hard time putting it down. It kept me guessing until the end, and every time I thought I had things figured out - did they have an affair or didn't they? - some new information came out, and had me questioning everything I thought I kne ...more

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