Set in 1983, HIDE is one of those novels that clearly demonstrate how a couple of simple life choices can send somebody spiralling into dark territory very quickly. There's nothing unusual in the setup as Alec Johnston moves into the sort of share house we've all probably lived in at some time. A slightly grotty old house, this time in Swansea, South Wales, which he shares with three other young men - Minto, Stobes and Black.

Minto is an odd character, a menacing bikkie type with a very young girlfriend who is fragile beyond belief. Johnston, with more than a sneaking suspicion that he should just keep his nose well out of it, finds himself drawn to the very vulnerable Sindy, and right into Minto's bad books as a result.

Moving between the interactions of Johnston and his housemates and Johnston's parents, and friends, in Cardiff, things get increasingly weird, tense and threatening in a way that's absolutely mesmerising. In a very bad, slow burn, darker and darker sort of way that had this reader sitting up way too late, with all the lights on. In an elegant twist however, this isn't Sindy being moved from one dangerous and manipulative relationship to another. Johnston is a decent young man, his parents are good people, and there collective willingness to help somebody in trouble is nicely pitched - not cloying or over-played.

Written in a series of short, pointed chapters, HIDE keeps twisting up the tension, creating a creepy, all-consuming, "who is going to be for it now" sort of vibe that keeps the pages turning no matter how uncomfortable it gets. Even the move from darker, small town, up close Wales to the wide-open outback of Australia doesn't help, as it turns out that bright light cast in dark places just makes them easier to see into. The concluding chapters of HIDE were an absolute standout, with the twists and turns revealing an intricately knitted together tale of bravery and determination and the tension never lets up as the most unlikely heroes emerge into that light, right up to a tantalising finishing paragraph.

https://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/hide-sj-morgan ( )

Hide is Australian author S.J. Morgan's first adult novel and it's a thrilling read.

It's 1983 in Swansea, South Wales where we first meet Alec Johnston. A somewhat flawed character who doesn't quite know what to do with his life, Alec is sharing a flat with bikies, Minto, Stobes and Black. (Great names right?)

The overbearing Minto has a girlfriend Sindy and while Alec knows he should mind his own business, he can't help but be drawn in by Sindy's vulnerability and the situations she finds herself in. Try as he might, Alec just can't seem to get out from under the gaze of his bikie housemates; Minto in particular.

Alec seeks help from his parents who live in Cardiff and are easily the most memorable fictional parents I've encountered in a long time. I was definitely rooting for the parents the whole way; perhaps even more so than our protagonist Alec at times!

What develops is a slow burn domestic noir which ramps up the tension as the short punchy chapters progress. The action moves to Australia (not a spoiler, this is in the blurb) and the novel develops into a crime thriller which kept me turning the pages.

Ultimately, I would have liked more information on Sindy and a watertight ending but the conclusion was a satisfactory one, just the same.

With an atmospheric cover design which accurately conveys the trouble ahead for Alec, I believe Hide will appeal to crime fans who enjoy a good domestic thriller.

* Copy courtesy of the author & Midnight Sun Publishing * ( )