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Skeet Bannion #3
Every Hidden Fear
Skeet's Cherokee grandmother has come to live with her and her teenage ward Brian, and Skeet is still trying to adjust to the change while also keeping the peace on the local college campus. Then Ash Mowbray, a bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks, comes back to Brewster as a wealthy developer, pushing plans to build a shopping mall on the outskirts of town that will destroy the town square businesses. The town council is split on his proposal, and emotions are running high.
Mowbray makes things worse by announcing that he is the real father of the high school athlete Noah Steen, having left Noah's mother, Chelsea, pregnant as a teenager when he fled town after high school. Chelsea and her husband Norman are horrified that Mowbray has publicized that Norman is not Noah's father and afraid that he will steal their beloved son from them. Noah is shocked to learn the truth of his parentage and furious with Mowbray. It's not long before Mowbray turns up murdered with Noah as the prime suspect. Brian and Noah's girlfriend Angie turn to Skeet to find the murderer and save their friend.
Linda Rodriguez's Every Hidden Fear is a thrilling and emotionally-resonant mystery, told by a masterful writer in full command of her craft.
Mowbray makes things worse by announcing that he is the real father of the high school athlete Noah Steen, having left Noah's mother, Chelsea, pregnant as a teenager when he fled town after high school. Chelsea and her husband Norman are horrified that Mowbray has publicized that Norman is not Noah's father and afraid that he will steal their beloved son from them. Noah is shocked to learn the truth of his parentage and furious with Mowbray. It's not long before Mowbray turns up murdered with Noah as the prime suspect. Brian and Noah's girlfriend Angie turn to Skeet to find the murderer and save their friend.
Linda Rodriguez's Every Hidden Fear is a thrilling and emotionally-resonant mystery, told by a masterful writer in full command of her craft.
- GenresMystery
304 pages, Hardcover
First published May 6, 2014
1 person is currently reading
64 people want to read
About the author
Linda Rodriguez
73 books40 followersLinda Rodriguez’s novel, Every Last Secret featuring Skeet Bannion, won the 2011 St. Martin’s Press/Malice Domestic First Novel Competition and will be published by St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books on 4/24/2012. Rodriguez has published two books of poetry, Heart’s Migration (Tia Chucha Press, 2009), winner of the 2010 Thorpe Menn Award for Literary Excellence, and Skin Hunger (Potpourri Publications, 1995, Scapegoat Press, 2007). She received the 2010 Inspiration Award from the KC Arts Fund, the 2009 Elvira Cordero Cisneros Award from the Macondo Foundation, and the 2009 Midwest Voices and Visions Award from the Alliance of Artists Communities and the Joyce Foundation and has been both a Ragdale Fellow and a Macondo Fellow. She is the vice-president of the Latino Writers Collective, a member of International Thriller Writers, Sisters in Crime, The Writers Place, and Wordcraft Circle of Native American Writers and Storytellers, and has published poetry and fiction in numerous journals and anthologies. Her poems have been broadcast on The Writers Almanac with Garrison Keillor (NPR) and New Letters on the Air (NPR). She is currently working on a book of poetry based on teachings from her Cherokee grandmother and another novel featuring Skeet Bannion.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 1, 2015
Skeet Bannion is head of campus police. She is also a single mom. Her ex-husband is still wanting her back, her father is making nice with a former caregiver who happens to be about 30 years younger than he. Then there's her grandmother who has moved in to help Skeet take care of her teenaged foster son. Throw in a sheriff's detective and the tall, dark and handsome man of dubious intent and she most certainly does not need any more drama in her life.
In comes Ash Mowbray, a man now, but a bad, bad boy when he left the town as soon as he turned eighteen. He's back now, working as front man for a land developer. But he's also back tell secrets. His son by a teenaged girlfriend that he walked away from, the older ladies he did 'yard work' for, the drugging of another young lady, a man he accuses of theft way back when ... he certainly is not well-liked.
But now .... he's dead. And Skeet must help the young man accused of murder..... the man's son.
This is third in the series. This one could probably be alright as a stand alone, but much better if you read them in order to watch how the relationships progress. I really liked the series, so I'm giving this one 5 stars. I like the characters and over time they have become well fleshed out.
In comes Ash Mowbray, a man now, but a bad, bad boy when he left the town as soon as he turned eighteen. He's back now, working as front man for a land developer. But he's also back tell secrets. His son by a teenaged girlfriend that he walked away from, the older ladies he did 'yard work' for, the drugging of another young lady, a man he accuses of theft way back when ... he certainly is not well-liked.
But now .... he's dead. And Skeet must help the young man accused of murder..... the man's son.
This is third in the series. This one could probably be alright as a stand alone, but much better if you read them in order to watch how the relationships progress. I really liked the series, so I'm giving this one 5 stars. I like the characters and over time they have become well fleshed out.
March 11, 2015
This mystery, which inhabits the borderland between a cozy and a police procedural, has a university security chief whose mother's family is Cherokee. Skeet's grandmother, quite probably my favorite character in the book, is wise and loving without being a stereotype, and Linda Rodriguez clearly brings a unique flavor to the tropes of the mystery genre without losing what makes it a great comfort read. I liked visiting the fictional town of Brewster, with all its infighting and hidden conflict.
May 7, 2017
Too many characters and too many loose ends. Maybe because it is not the first in the series and maybe because there are more to come, but it had a very vague and unsatisfying ending.
March 10, 2021
Nothing saves this book.
December 29, 2023
A library find.
December 2023.
December 2023.
May 8, 2014
Following Every Last Secret and Every Broken Trust Chief of Campus Police Skeet Bannion is back in Every Hidden Fear. Secrets have a way of coming back home to roost and that certainly is the case with the return of Ash Mowbray.
Back in the day he had been what would now be termed “a troubled teen.” Unfortunately for many of the residents of Brewster, Missouri the return of Ash means huge problems. Secrets long thought buried in the best of families as well as the worst are now vulnerable to the light of day as Ash has come back home seeking payback for so many slights and flat out wrongs. There is a scale to everything, but for Ash nearly everyone is guilty of horrendous crimes. On a daily, if not minute by minute basis, while publicly telling secrets he is also unleashing hatred and scorn on everyone in his wake.
That appalling public behavior wasn’t the plan wealthy investor Walter Lynch had in mind when he teamed up with Ash. The plan was to get city approval to build a new shopping mall in the a wealthy area of Brewster. If the mall is actually built it will probably destroy the small businesses on the town square. It is certainly understandable why some, faced with the almost sure death of a business they have worked their entire life building, would take the threat of a new mall very personally.
The battle lines have been drawn hard between those who want the mall and the potential economic growth it could bring and those who believe it will ruin the quality of life in this small university town located twelve miles from Kansas City. The last thing those opposing the new development want is for Brewster to become nothing more than another bedroom community for their monolithic neighbor. Walker Lynch and his hired gun Terry Heldrich are still an unwelcome presence as far as Skeet is concerned. The behavior of Ash who has escalated the anger on both sides by the second with his insults and poisonous comments has made the battle even more personal for many.
Ash has good reason for at least some of his anger. He came from a rough upbringing and knows very well how far his parents had to go to survive. He also knows how some of the women in town sought him out more for the bedroom possibilities than for his skills on the football field or mowing their yard when he was a teen in high school. Everywhere he goes Ash is vocal about his allegations concerning the past conduct of many in the town while also making sure that everyone knows his intent, in the name of progress, is to tear down the old power structure.
With Ash around nothing is safe and nothing is sacred. That means many locals have multiple good reasons to want Ash dead and not just the parents of a teenager named Noah whom Ash has loudly and very publicly proclaimed is his son much to the shock of Chelsea and her husband Norman. Before they can really deal with their shock and the implications to their son and their family, Ash is found dead on a nearby golf course and Noah is the primary suspect. For many, he is the only suspect as their minds are made up that he did it even if he swears he didn’t.
Thanks to the wisdom of her Cherokee grandmother and her own grudging unwillingness to leave a case outside of her jurisdiction alone, Skeet Bannion starts digging into what really happened the night Ash was murdered. Once she starts, she soon learns far more than she ever wanted to about many of the folks involved while hunting for a very clever killer.
Cherokee heritage and the often very painful legacy of secrets have long been hallmarks of this excellent series. They are present in great detail here in this complex and multilayered novel. Third in a series that must be read in order due to ongoing character and secondary storyline development, Every Hidden Fear by Linda Rodriguez is deeply nuanced and rich in details as it moves along steadily for nearly 300 pages. Continued character development caused by the passage of time and previous events is always present in this book and series as is the meaning of family in all its many forms. The mystery itself is complex with many facets and numerous suspects with several of them among Skeet’s friends. Every Hidden Fear is another very good read from an award winning author and a book well worth your time.
Every Hidden Fear: A Skeet Bannion Mystery
Linda Rodriguez
http://www.lindarodriguezwrites.blogs...
Minotaur Books (A Thomas Dunne Book)
http://www.minotaurbooks.com
May 6, 2014
ISBN# 978-1-250-04915-5
Hardback (also available as an e-book)
296 Pages
$26.99
Material supplied by the author in exchange for my objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2014
Back in the day he had been what would now be termed “a troubled teen.” Unfortunately for many of the residents of Brewster, Missouri the return of Ash means huge problems. Secrets long thought buried in the best of families as well as the worst are now vulnerable to the light of day as Ash has come back home seeking payback for so many slights and flat out wrongs. There is a scale to everything, but for Ash nearly everyone is guilty of horrendous crimes. On a daily, if not minute by minute basis, while publicly telling secrets he is also unleashing hatred and scorn on everyone in his wake.
That appalling public behavior wasn’t the plan wealthy investor Walter Lynch had in mind when he teamed up with Ash. The plan was to get city approval to build a new shopping mall in the a wealthy area of Brewster. If the mall is actually built it will probably destroy the small businesses on the town square. It is certainly understandable why some, faced with the almost sure death of a business they have worked their entire life building, would take the threat of a new mall very personally.
The battle lines have been drawn hard between those who want the mall and the potential economic growth it could bring and those who believe it will ruin the quality of life in this small university town located twelve miles from Kansas City. The last thing those opposing the new development want is for Brewster to become nothing more than another bedroom community for their monolithic neighbor. Walker Lynch and his hired gun Terry Heldrich are still an unwelcome presence as far as Skeet is concerned. The behavior of Ash who has escalated the anger on both sides by the second with his insults and poisonous comments has made the battle even more personal for many.
Ash has good reason for at least some of his anger. He came from a rough upbringing and knows very well how far his parents had to go to survive. He also knows how some of the women in town sought him out more for the bedroom possibilities than for his skills on the football field or mowing their yard when he was a teen in high school. Everywhere he goes Ash is vocal about his allegations concerning the past conduct of many in the town while also making sure that everyone knows his intent, in the name of progress, is to tear down the old power structure.
With Ash around nothing is safe and nothing is sacred. That means many locals have multiple good reasons to want Ash dead and not just the parents of a teenager named Noah whom Ash has loudly and very publicly proclaimed is his son much to the shock of Chelsea and her husband Norman. Before they can really deal with their shock and the implications to their son and their family, Ash is found dead on a nearby golf course and Noah is the primary suspect. For many, he is the only suspect as their minds are made up that he did it even if he swears he didn’t.
Thanks to the wisdom of her Cherokee grandmother and her own grudging unwillingness to leave a case outside of her jurisdiction alone, Skeet Bannion starts digging into what really happened the night Ash was murdered. Once she starts, she soon learns far more than she ever wanted to about many of the folks involved while hunting for a very clever killer.
Cherokee heritage and the often very painful legacy of secrets have long been hallmarks of this excellent series. They are present in great detail here in this complex and multilayered novel. Third in a series that must be read in order due to ongoing character and secondary storyline development, Every Hidden Fear by Linda Rodriguez is deeply nuanced and rich in details as it moves along steadily for nearly 300 pages. Continued character development caused by the passage of time and previous events is always present in this book and series as is the meaning of family in all its many forms. The mystery itself is complex with many facets and numerous suspects with several of them among Skeet’s friends. Every Hidden Fear is another very good read from an award winning author and a book well worth your time.
Every Hidden Fear: A Skeet Bannion Mystery
Linda Rodriguez
http://www.lindarodriguezwrites.blogs...
Minotaur Books (A Thomas Dunne Book)
http://www.minotaurbooks.com
May 6, 2014
ISBN# 978-1-250-04915-5
Hardback (also available as an e-book)
296 Pages
$26.99
Material supplied by the author in exchange for my objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2014
Read
November 2, 2014Skeet's Cherokee grandmother has come to live with her and her teenage ward Brian, and Skeet is still trying to adjust to the change while also keeping the peace on the local college campus. Then Ash Mowbray, a bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks, comes back to Brewster as a wealthy developer, pushing plans to build a shopping mall on the outskirts of town that will destroy the town square businesses. The town council is split on his proposal, and emotions are running high.
Mowbray makes things worse by announcing that he is the real father of the high school athlete Noah Steen, having left Noah’s mother, Chelsea, pregnant as a teenager when he fled town after high school. Chelsea and her husband Norman are horrified that Mowbray has publicized that Norman is not Noah’s father and afraid that he will steal their beloved son from them. Noah is shocked to learn the truth of his parentage and furious with Mowbray. It’s not long before Mowbray turns up murdered with Noah as the prime suspect. Brian and Noah's girlfriend Angie turn to Skeet to find the murderer and save their friend.
Linda Rodriguez's Every Hidden Fear is a thrilling and emotionally-resonant mystery, told by a masterful writer in full command of her craft.
Pearl is the murderer. She slept with Ash when she was younger and he was a teenager. She was being blackmailed by Bea.
LIBRARY BOOK - very good
Mowbray makes things worse by announcing that he is the real father of the high school athlete Noah Steen, having left Noah’s mother, Chelsea, pregnant as a teenager when he fled town after high school. Chelsea and her husband Norman are horrified that Mowbray has publicized that Norman is not Noah’s father and afraid that he will steal their beloved son from them. Noah is shocked to learn the truth of his parentage and furious with Mowbray. It’s not long before Mowbray turns up murdered with Noah as the prime suspect. Brian and Noah's girlfriend Angie turn to Skeet to find the murderer and save their friend.
Linda Rodriguez's Every Hidden Fear is a thrilling and emotionally-resonant mystery, told by a masterful writer in full command of her craft.
Pearl is the murderer. She slept with Ash when she was younger and he was a teenager. She was being blackmailed by Bea.
LIBRARY BOOK - very good
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2014
Skeet Bannion is head of the campus cops at a university near Kansas City, though I haven't figured out why a small university needs its own cops, or how she gets to solve crimes that aren't university related. Nevertheless, a former bad boy comes back to town to start a new business development and is soon murdered. There are lots of suspects and the solution isn't obvious till near the end. Lots of loose ends in Skeet's personal life means another book should be coming soon; at least I hope so. The mystery isn't very deep, but there are lots of interesting, well-drawn characters.
August 10, 2016
And again Linda pulled me into the story that I could barely think about anything else but how it would go on and kept guessing who the murderer was until the end. I just wish this wouldn't have been the last book in the series....or maybe it will be continued?
I just can't believe how few ratings and reviews this series got. So glad I picked up the first one at the local library and got hooked. I highly recommend the mysteries around Skeet Bannion and hopefully you have the chance to get your hands on a copy! Don't miss out on this fantastic series!
I just can't believe how few ratings and reviews this series got. So glad I picked up the first one at the local library and got hooked. I highly recommend the mysteries around Skeet Bannion and hopefully you have the chance to get your hands on a copy! Don't miss out on this fantastic series!
July 2, 2014
I love this series - this is the third book and maybe the best. Main character is a Cherokee woman who has been a cop and now is head of security at a college. She is very involved in the comings and goings of the townspeople and gets involved in trying to solve murders in the town. When she needs time to put together the facts in a case, she knits and lets her mind figure it out.
June 17, 2018
Didn't care much for this one. The 2nd in the series that I've read, the 3rd in the complete series. There's just something off. The main character is supposed to be part-Native American, and a big deal is made of that in the reviews, but the actual reading has very little mention.
June 15, 2014
I enjoy Linda's books because they are set locally and they are mysteries. They are a nice, light read that I look forward to with each new book in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 11, 2016
I really wish this series would continue! I really got to know the characters, and I am sad to leave them! This is another excellent story by Linda Rodriguez, I highly recommend this series!
August 13, 2021
The third in a mystery trilogy with Skeet Bannion, a campus police detective, solving another murder mystery, this was another engaging read by Rodriguez.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews