What We Hide by Collene Coble and Rick Acker

What We Hide by Collene Coble and Rick Acker
Series: Tupelo Grove Book One
Publisher: Thomas Nelson, July 2, 2024

The Well Read Fish is sad to announce that one of our dear reviewers, author Joan Hall, passed away last weekend.

We were blessed to have Joan’s reading/reviewing experience at The Well Read Fish. She was a passionate reader, especially of mysteries, being a mystery writer herself. Her most recent release, Edge of Twilight, is a dual-timeline mystery set in New Mexico and has been well received by her fans, as all her books have been. She was a terrific writer.

Joan loved her family, reading, writing, her friends, big trees, the Beatles, cats, Christmas, and the Lord. Please pray the Holy Spirit will comfort those grieving in her absence.

Joan scheduled the following review shortly before she died. It is her final review.

REVIEW BY JOAN HALL

I’ve been a fan of Colleen Coble for several years, but this is the first book I’ve read co-written by Rick Acker.

Savannah Webster is ready to move on with her life. After the death of her only daughter and subsequent separation from her husband, Hez, she’s given up hope of reconciliation. Then, Hez unexpectedly walks into her life, asking for a second chance.

Hezekiah (Hez) is trying to put the pieces of his life back together. The former district attorney turned to alcohol to help with his grief. He tells Savannah he’s turned his life around. She turns him down, but continues to doubt her decision.

She’d rationalized what she thought was best instead of asking God what she should do. And he was impressing the need for truth on her heart.

Collene Coble and Rick Acker, What We Hide

Savannah stumbles upon paperwork leading her to believe some pre-Columbian artifacts are being stolen from Tupelo Grove University, where she teaches. Not only that, but when she finds the body of the university president, and becomes a leading suspect in the murder, she contacts the best attorney she knows—Hez.

The suspect list is large, all connected to the university, including Savannah’s sister, Jessica.

The authors weave a lot of twists and turns in the plot. Several scenes are written from the antagonist’s point of view, which adds to the element of suspense.

I had my suspicions about the antagonist’s identity, which turned out to be correct, but it didn’t keep me from reading to the end. I also questioned the motives of other characters. This book can be read as a stand-alone novel, since the mystery is solved. However, Coble and Acker treat readers to a cliffhanger leading into book two, and I immediately snatched a copy.

I give What We Hide four and a half well-deserved fish.

I purchased the Kindle version of What We Hide through Amazon.