The Hiding Game

by Louise Phillips

The thrilling new bestseller from acclaimed crime writer Louise Phillips.

ABOUT THE HIDING GAME

Abby Jones, a young nanny from a small town outside Boston, is the last person with infant Jacob Rotterdam when he becomes seriously ill. Within hours, he dies, and Abby is charged with his murder.

Heather Baxter, her defense attorney, knows the case is not as clear cut as the Assistant District Attorney claims, and with enormous media attention on the trial, the stakes couldn't be higher.

When Heather digs deeper, the shadows of her own past, and her mother's unsolved murder 25 years earlier, in the same small town, begin to unravel with deadly consequences, placing both Heather, and her young client in danger.

Will Heather find the link between Abby and what happened to her mother all those years before? And will Abby walk free?

Genres: Thriller

400 pages, Paperback

First published September 5, 2019

About the author

WINNER OF BEST IRISH CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR.
LONGLISTED CWA DAGGER IN THE LIBRARY AWARD.
WINNER IRISH LITERARY AWARD, JACK HARTE AWARD & THE JONATHON SWIFT AWARD

LOUISE PHILLIPS is a bestselling author of seven crime novels, five of which were shortlisted for Best Irish Crime Novel of the Year. Her second novel, THE DOLL’S HOUSE, won the award. She has been longlisted for the CWA Dagger in the Library Award in the UK. Her fifth novel, ‘THE HIDING GAME' was optioned and developed by a major U.S. film company, and her latest novel ‘NINA' will be published in the US & Canada by Union Square & Co in November 2025. She is currently working on her eight novel.

Reviews

[Liz Barnsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

As soon as I started reading this I knew at least some of the inspiration must have come from the Louise Woodward case which many years ago was the first court case I ever watched live. Turns out I was right but there was a lot more going on than just that, as Louise Phillips presents a twisty and utterly gripping tale of small town secrets, loss, obsession and power.

Main protagonist Heather has suffered a lot of loss, both her baby sister then later her mother – her mother’s murder was never solved, and coming back to her home town to defend a young woman who everyone believes is guilty will test her to her limits.

Aside from the beautifully placed twists and turns that defines any excellent psychological thriller the emotional layers are very resonant in The Hiding Game- the relationships are dark and emotional and there is a strong and very authentic look at grief in many forms as you travel the road with Heather and others.

I was utterly glued to the pages, beautifully written, often unexpected, always compelling right up until the final heart wrenching reveal.

Loved it. Proper storytelling here – the kind of layered drama I’m fond of where character is key and there are no easy answers.

Recommended.

[Derek Flynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bestselling crime author, Louise Phillips, returns with her long-awaited new novel, The Hiding Game. This is the first of Phillips’ novels not to feature criminal psychologist Dr Kate Pearson. The setting too is different, with the action moved from Dublin, Ireland to a small town outside of Boston, Massachusetts.

Attorney Heather Baxter is hired to defend Abby Jones, a young nanny who has been charged with the murder of a baby in her care. Over the course of the case, the dark events of Heather’s past – the murder of her mother and the death of her baby sister – resurface, and the race to prove Abby’s innocence becomes something much larger and more dangerous.

At its heart, The Hiding Game is a story of mothers and daughters; of the pain of losing children, and the lengths a person will go to to protect them.

I’m a sucker for a small-town mysteries, and The Hiding Game has that in spades. Every one of the brilliantly drawn characters has something to hide. Switching point-of-view between different characters, Phillips deftly builds the suspense, as secrets are slowly revealed and the reader – along with Heather Baxter – tries to solve the mystery. While The Hiding Game is a standalone novel, I for one would love to see more of Heather Baxter and her fascinating cast of supporting characters. Brilliantly written and paced, this one comes highly recommended.

[Erika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Hatchette Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars.

Heather, a lawyer from Boston, returns to the small town where she grew up, to defend a nanny who is accused of shaking a baby, leading to his death. Heather’s mother was murdered years ago in the town and it remains unsolved.

This book grabbed me right away when I started reading, so I am shocked that it is now a full week later that I have finally finished it. I felt that there were too many characters and storylines that bogged down the book and when I put it down, I wasn’t itching to get back to it. By the time I reached the end I was questioning who some of the guilty parties even were. I did enjoy the previous novel I had read from this author so I will likely read more from her.

[Caroline Farrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heather Baxter is an attorney who by day, defends a young girl accused of killing an infant boy in her charge, and by night, is tormented as she tries to make sense of her mother’s unsolved murder, many years earlier. Through her journey of discovery, Heather uncovers several links between the two cases, often in terrible danger as she moves ever closer to a cruel and ruthless killer. A thoroughly enjoyable thriller combining exciting courtroom drama with unsettling secrets, mystery and intrigue! Thanks to NetGalley and Hatchette Books Ireland for the opportunity to read this ARC.

[Eloise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a brilliant court room thriller, featuring both present and cold case murders.
Following a defense attorney called back to her home town it follows multiple points of view and moves at brilliant pace.
Focusing on justice, loss and grief this was a great read, and clearly brilliantly researched.

[Fay Flude · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in and around Boston, Massachusetts this is primarily a courtroom drama combined with a thriller. Heather revisits her old home town reluctantly as a defence attorney representing Abby Jones, accused of killing a 5 month old boy. Shaken Baby Syndrome features as the controversial medical evidence blaming Abby for the death and reading this book made me remember the case of Louise Woodward. Indeed once I reached the acknowledgements Louis Phillips mentions this case as being part of the basis for the story.
Heather doesn't want to be in her old home town because it is here that she lost her baby sister Mia (she died as a very young infant) and her mother was raped and murdered too. Heather's father kept disappearing and the man her mother had an affair with, Lucas, is the man Heather blames for her mother's brutal death. However no one has ever been brought to justice.
The mystery surrounding the cold case of Elizabeth Baxter (Heather's Mum) runs parallel to the court case Heather is involved in. There are people from Heather's childhood very much involved in her mother's death 25 years ago and the current court case, linking families together and casting suspicion every which way. The Handcocks, Jim and Alice, pay Heather to represent Abby as she is their niece and they are the ones who introduced Abby to the Rotterdam family to nanny for their son Jacob. With affairs, deceit, and misleading evidence, will Heather prove Abby's innocence and unveil the murderer of her mother?
This is an extremely enjoyable read with twists, turns and a very sensitive portrayal of losing a child. The bonds that tie mother and child are explored further with the unfolding back story of Heather hiding as a 10 year old when her mother was raped and murdered. The guilt and loss has a ripple effect causing long lasting emotional trauma for Heather which in many ways is healed by the close of the novel, leaving the reader satisfied and hopeful.
A great book toread!

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last.
I appreciated the well written cast of characters and the plot that kept me hooked till the end.
I look forward to reading other books by Ms Philips.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

[Peter P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read Louise Phillips' previous books - all set in Dublin - I approached The Hiding Game with just a little trepidation; worried that the setting of Boston might be distracting if she did not capture the feel of the place. Other than a few minor things, I needn't have worried. Good story-telling transcends place and Phillips tells a very good story. Rooted, as many great stories are, in bits of truths - the most obvious of them being a high-profile case in Boston of a nanny accused of the death of a baby in her charge by shaken baby syndrome, The Hiding Game stands is a gripping read of loss, family, murder, and intrigue.

[Rachel Chambers · Rating 4 out of 5]

With thanks to the publishers for a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

This book is right up my street. A legal thriller with lots and lots of secrets! When Heather is contacted by her mums old friend Jim to represent his niece who has been charged with the murder of a baby in her care she is forced back into a past that she has tried to forget.

The story is told in the third person from different people's perspectives which is a useful tool in revealing the plot to the reader at a nice steady pace. I spent the whole book thinking I knew what was going on only to be hit with a twist at the end. A very cleverly written plot and a really enjoyable read.

[Billie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believeable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuousluy.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.

[Kiki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ho trovato il libro un pochino lento, pero tutto sommato molto interessante. Il finale si può definire inaspettato e questo mi è piaciuto molto. È stata poco descritta la relazione tra Heather e Alex o Heather e Daniel. Adoro il fatto che la protagonista è una donna con le palle che è pronta a rischiare tutto per cio in cui crede e non ha paura di mettersi contro chiunque.

[Margo Gorman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The shadows of the past are always there and seeps through this small community. We are drawn in to this exploration of guilt and responsibility in family and community life. An unusal mix of style and story makes great reading.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, the inspiration court style everything apart for the ending felt very flat to me. Really don't like when the killer just reveals themselves. This could have been done better, but overall did enjoy.

[Jo L Caunt]

8

[Sarah Brade · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Douglas]

Got this from someone who works on An Post book awards... lot of really painful prose, so I had to skim. Not it, folks!

[Lora Anne Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Must read


Great story and easy to read right throughout
Hard to put this book out of your hands till it was finished

[Durar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the twist
Currently re-reading it
Author is really good at describing the scene so u definitely feel like ur living it
Must read

[Dearbhla O’Regan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Lianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

[Nicole Forde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this - if you’re into crime/mystery/who-done-it then this is for you

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book from Louise Phillips.

[Annenz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

[Hannah McGee · Rating 1 out of 5]

terrible writing style; waaaay too many similes and internal musings of all the characters

[Jennifer Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the definition of a page-turner! Reading this on a deadline, I fired through the book in a few sittings and never wanted to put it down. The short chapters from different perspectives gave it an extra dimension that really helped me connect to the different characters. The twists and turns throughout left me guessing right up to the final pages. A great read, I’d definitely recommend!

[Amanda Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Hiding Game is right up there in my top reads of 2019 so far. From the first page right to the last, I was hooked. This book has it all for a crime genre. There's courtroom drama which was superbly written, a murder, and unsolved murders dating back over 25 years. If you are looking for action, gritty tension, suspense, and a complete sense of dread on occasion, then this is definitely the book for you.

The story centres around the main character Heather. She's a defence attorney called back to her home town to defend a young nanny called Abby Jones who as been accused of murdering the baby in her care. Heather had her reasons for leaving town and never coming back and these were partly due to the unsolved murder of her mother 25 years ago.

The story progresses with a number of points of view. The main points of view though are from Heather and her deceased mother. The additional points of view come from a number of characters and only last for one chapter, but they are well done and tie into the story, moving it forward and adding even more tension.

There are characters to love, characters to hate, characters you won't be sure of, and if like me the underlying tone and the emotional depth of this story, will keep you tossing and turning at night. In fact, I woke up from a dream having to remind myself that it was only a book :-)

As the story progressed, I'll admit I didn't want to put the book down. The courtroom scenes were superb and I devoured the dialogue, everything playing out perfectly in my mind. The research that went into this must have taken so long.

The pace of the story is excellent too with so many elements to uncover and I didn't guess who had committed the murders right until the end. I had my suspicions as I read, but they changed time and time again and new information came to light.

One of the things that really struck me about this book and how good of a writer, Ms Phillips is, is the emotional impact. It was more than just a crime novel, it was an emotional punch in the guts and so very real. The exploration of the depths of grief and the loss of a mother or child were treated with care and understanding.

I have no hesitation in giving this book 5 stars and can't wait to pick up the paperback version too.

[Sheila Bugler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a taut, tense and brilliantly plotted novel. I devoured this in a single day! I’ve long been a fan of Phillips’ Dublin-based crime series, and I was curious to read this novel – which is very different to the Dublin-based, police procedural novels she’s written until now. The book certainly didn’t disappoint.
The Hiding Game is inspired by the tragic story of Louise Woodward, a UK au pair accused (and then convinced) of the manslaughter of the young baby in her care. In the novel, defense attorney Heather Baxter, is asked to represent Abby Jones, a young woman accused of killing the baby boy in her care.
Heather knows the case against Abby is complicated, with the evidence stacked up against her and no obvious proof that anyone else could have harmed the child. But Heather believes Abby is innocent and she sets out to prove it in the most high-stakes case of her career so far.
Heather’s investigations into the case draw her back to her own dark past and her mother’s unsolved murder 25 years earlier. It’s an utterly gripping crime novel that keeps the reader racing through the pages towards the final, dramatic dénouement.
At its heart, this is a novel about grief and loss. Like so many good crime writers, Phillips cares passionately about the way damage in childhood shapes and influences the people we grow up to become.
This is a cracking crime novel from a writer who is at the top of her game.
Highly recommended.

[Sheri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lawyer Heather Baxter survived a horrifying experience as a child - hiding, terrified, from an intruder in her home, while her mother Elizabeth was murdered. As an adult, Heather is engaged by the wealthy Handcock family to defend their niece Abby, accused of killing a baby in her care. The stage is set for a story which blends courtroom drama with the mystery of what really happened to Elizabeth while her daughter hid.

While the story is well written and quite emotional at times, I’ll admit I did find myself confused on occasion (perhaps because I read a lot of it on a sunbed in Tenerife...). The point of view changes frequently between a number of people, which didn’t help. I kept reading, curious to find out the truth, but it did feel a fair bit longer than it needed to be and I found myself skimming bits towards the end.

All in all a good read but did feel a little overly complex at times, with a lot of characters who I sometimes struggled to keep straight in my mind.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have loved every one of Louise Phillip's books about criminal psychologist Dr. Kate Pearson and I am always recommending Red Ribbons, which is the first one in the series. I wasn't sure what to expect with The Hiding Game as it seemed to be quite a change of direction. Whereas the previous books were set in Dublin and part of a series, here we have a standalone set in and around Boston. This is part court room drama and running parallel we have many unanswered questions relating to Heather's past as she finds herself in her hometown defending a young girl accused of murdering a baby. Any reservations that I had were set aside immediately as I became engrossed in this thrilling story. The suspense builds as we get to know the various characters which are very well written and the story packs a real emotional punch. Louise remains one of my absolute favourite authors and I can't wait for book six.

[Booking_all_the_way · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heather Baxter is a defence attorney she is asked to represent Abbey Jones who is accused of killing a baby boy in her care. Heather believes the girl is innocent now all she has to do is convince the jury.
While investing this case heather is drawn back to the small town where she grew up and is forced to face the past and the death of her mother she has been running from for 25 years. Her mother’s murder is still unsolved and she becomes more and more determined to find the truth.

It’s a court room thriller with a crime investigation running in the background, I found it jumped between so many characters at the beginning making me lose track of who was who but towards the end it was more focused and I really started to enjoy it.

Publication date 5th September