I think La Nora’s next book should be about serial killers who flip houses and not the cops who catch them.
There were two places in Hidden Nature where it felt like Nora Roberts was interested in what she was writing – the home renovation and the icky serial killers. Ok, there was a third area where she perked up – when she was writing about dogs. But, I think we all agree that the dogs and the serial killers should be kept separate. Her cop, Sloan, was possibly her most thinly written main character yet. And Sloan’s love interest was barely interesting. I don’t even remember his name and I read it like 5 minutes ago. I have been slogging through this book for a week and I give up. I hear it gets better in the last 40%, but I just don’t want to read it anymore. I think Nora Roberts is tired of writing about relationships. And fair, she’s been writing relationship books for decades.
Sloan is a Natural Resources cop (I guess this is like if the park rangers and postal inspectors had a baby). After busting people committing crimes in federal parks, she and her partner stop at a gas station where she walks into a robbery in progress and is shot twice. She dies and is resuscitated. This is the most interesting part of the book until the last 40%, which I didn’t read, so don’t hold me to it.
With the exception of the serial killing and the occasional criminal, everyone is reasonable and all conflicts are quickly resolved. Sloan’s family is loving and supportive. The two new men who move to the area slide easily into a niche and pick a sister to date.
The serial killers are very icky. I didn’t want to be in their heads, but they were also the most complex characters. And frankly, they were more weird and religious than complex. Clara is a white woman who is on a mission from god, and Sam, a black man, is her husband (?) who is the muscle.
It is still a Nora Roberts book, so easily readable and could be fun if you want to read about weird religious serial killers.
I received this as an advance reader copy. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.