Hidden Nature is on sale now — and this is the best place to discuss it.
The official description goes like this:
Natural Resources police officer, Sloan Cooper, and her partner had just taken down three men preying on hikers in the Western Maryland mountains. Driving back, she pulled in at a convenience store—and walked right into a robbery in progress. One gunshot from a jittery thief was about to change her world.
After being shocked back to life on the operating table, she has a long recovery ahead, so she moves back to her parents’ peaceful house in Heron’s Rest. As for the boyfriend who dumped her via text while she was in the hospital, good riddance.
She may be down, but she’s not out. So when a woman vanishes, leaving her car behind in a supermarket parking lot, Sloan searches online for similar cases. She finds them, spread across three states. Men and women, old and young—the missing seem to have nothing in common. And the abductions keep happening.
Luckily, the new man in her life shares her passion for solving this mystery. But it will take every ounce of endurance to get to the dark heart of this bizarre case—and she’s willing to risk her life again if that’s what it takes to stop the horror.
I really had fun reading Hidden Nature and am enjoying it again as I listen to the audio edition.
How about you?
Laura
Waiting for my copy
Me too!
I received my copy last night 7pm EST! That’s because I ordered it in the UK some time ago but am visiting my daughter in Maine. Haven’t started it yet (took great restraint) because I’m saving it for the flight back to the UK tomorrow – can never sleep on these red-eye flights! Thoroughly looking forward to reading it though!
Grabbing my Nook and retreating to my backyard swing to enjoy a beautiful day with a new Nora. Great way to spend a late Spring afternoon.
Getting book delivered TODAY. Can’t wait. Thanks Nora for always writing a book that’s so hard to put down.
Just had my local bookstore save me a copy to pick up. Loved your excellent, thorough synopsis of the story! And that beautiful picture of you two. Just killer! I’ve read your books for years & years, of course re-read them too. You’re great…Cjm
Just had my local bookstore save me a copy to pick up. Loved your excellent, thorough synopsis of the story! And that beautiful picture of you two. Lovely! I’ve read your books for years, of course re-read them too. You’re great…Cjm
Only on chapter 2 but I know it will be wonderful as all of her books. And then I’ll listen. In six months I’ll do it all again and enjoy it even more.
Just finished listening to it and loved it. The narrator always has a way of making me feel like I am in the story. I already miss Sloan and Nash.
Hi Laura! Miss seeing you, but Joan and I will be traveling to Boonsboro on June 7 to pick up our copies. It’s our girls’ trip each time that there is a new release. We would be up there this weekend, but I have a sisters’ trip to Mackinac Island in Michigan starting on Friday!
Wine gives us clarity, right? The other evening over a nice red, a friend asked if I would want to live forever. I said, “Only if Nora Roberts does.” So, as all things are possible, live – and write – on!
Thought this was great! The characters were interesting, the plot was intriguing, everything just clicked.
I got my paperback a month ago. Really enjoyed it. It was interesting to have different POVs. I always have to look at a map to find the area each book is set in. Just adds to my enjoyment.
I do the same thing with the nap!
Waiting for my turn at the library
Love this book and the main character. Can we have a series with Sloan?
Sloane is a one and done. Nora doesn’t build series from her standalones.
Gotta say this book is freaking me out! I think Nora is channeling her Stephen King!
I agree. Nora has written about some really disturbing subjects. Undercurrents and Come Sundown spring to mind . But this one really freaked me out.
I think it because you would use the stereotypical ‘nice couple next door’ that kept to themselves tag to describe them that you see on all of those serial killer documentaries.
The psychological stuff is harder to stomach than the violence sometimes.
Happily spending this rainy day ensconced with cozy fireplace going digging into a new Nora Roberts book. Thanks for so many years of reading pleasure Nora. Loving this one as usual.
I loved it! Had to spend the entire day waiting for a repair person, which normally annoys the heck out of me (the Fix It Brothers would never) but today it gave me the opportunity to sit and read the book. I so enjoyed the way Nora got in digs at extremist viewpoints and those who think they are above the law. Thank you Nora for another great read! I plan to reread before the winter holidays just for those cozy meal prep and holiday decorating vibes.
I’m loving it so-far, about half way thru. What happened to the embossed NR on the cover of the book? I always looked for that and was disappointed when it wasn’t there. I wondered if I had a counterfeit copy!
That was discontinued with Mind Games. -Laura
Sorry to see that go away!
As always loved the story!! I really love the brother sister relationships! The only bad thing I could say was I hate to get to the end😁.
I just finished it, and enjoyed it – loved the characters, the relationships. Nobody writes relationships – friends, family, lovers – the way Nora does.
But… it wasn’t as suspenseful for me until the end confrontation – I had no problem putting it down at bedtime. And I really would have loved to know more about Clara and Sam, their background, how they met, how they developed into the folie à deux they had… and Sam’s individual development into a more violent person.
You can only fit so much into one book, If I’d spend more time focused on Clara and Sam’s backstory, I’d have short-changed Morgan and Miles, and the on-going story.
Sorry-who are Morgan and Miles? I am about halfway thru book so maybe they appear later
They are from Identity — which I’m discussing on FB and Nora had just answered a question about them. She meant Sloan and Nash.
Laura
Yes, I did! Got my sites mixed up!
Loved the book. Nora writes characters that I get invested in and I hate to say goodbye. Definitely a reread. Thanks Ladies.
Laura – glad to hear you read first, then listen. I do as well, and I’m looking forward to hearing the fabulous January Lavoy’s narration of this one.
And thanks to Nora for writing such memorable, different novels. We fans know and appreciate your enviable and compelling talent. One more thing: as a dog mom of five Labradors, thanks, too, for almost always including dogs in your stand-alone books. I really think they add the right touch of woof!
Another excellent read. I stayed up to 5am because I couldn’t put it down. Good thing I’m retired.
Disappointed that this is one of the few Nora Robert’s books I did not care for. I did not become invested in the characters like I usually do. Thought the plot was ok but did not grab me like “Mind Games”, “The Obsession”, and most of her other stand-alones. Certainly readable but a couple of times while reading it I forgot who the author was.
Sorry you didn’t enjoy it. Not every book will resonate with every reader.
Just finished it and really liked this one. I worked for construction firms for umpteen years (retired now) and am super impressed with Nora’s amazing job of bringing those home renovations to life. HGTV is gonna be jealous! Really grew to like Sloan, but just LOVE Elsie. Thanks so much Nora. Another winner.
I loved learning about the Department of Natural Resources although the initials, DNR, brought a whole different thought to my mind (I had just finished binge watching ER for it thirtieth’s anniversary). But I renjoyed the book. I loved Sloan’s family and the Fix-It Brothers, Nash and Theo Littlefield. Nora writes beautiful family relationships. I found Clara and Sam to be very creepy, which fit with their mission. Keep up the great writing Nora. Your books always make my day.
Ok. I WILL NEVER call anyone Babe or Doll again. What creepy villains! They were so sickening that I had to skim their parts!
Loved it. I always want more romance, but that’s me.
This is your one and only story that seemed…not as intriguing. Loved the characters, storyline was great. Geez, this is difficult to write because I’ve loved your writings for years. Ok…it feels like there is some crossover starting to happen from JD Robb. I only noticed it in this stand-alone book. It was enjoyable, but unlike before I found myself being able to walk away from the book. Never had that happen before.
Sorry you didn’t like the book. Not every book hits with every reader. But there’s no crossover
I always know a book is over the top when I immediately have to go back and read it again, which I did with this one! WOW, what a heart stopper. Really loved this one!
I recently had the opportunity to listen to my library’s copy of the audiobook. I am addicted to audiobooks and can say that Nora once again hit it out of the park! Such detailed characters and wonderful dialogue as I have come to expect. I typically read the ebook first, then listen to the audiobook, but this one I’m reading the ebook second, then may listen again.
Nora you’re brilliance is that you make us care about the people who are the victims so much that it makes us so unbearably sad to know that they have moments to live…. in regards to these villains -it was so hard to read their sections – necessary for exposition – but damn it reminds me of some of the baddies in other books where I just was afraid to actually look inside their heads, Bless you, Nora, for being able to bring light and dark into balance. Another great read.!!!
I just finished Hidden Nature and loved it! I just love the way she writes! I could picture both houses in detail and felt like I was sitting on the patio with them. I appreciate you so much for writing such interesting books! Now back to JD, Robb and Dallas.
I think it’s so well written! I’m struggling a little bit because the “villains” are really creepy, which I’m sure is the intent, and January LaVoy does such a good job with this, like all the books she narrates.
I decided to give it a rest for a few days and start over, I had the same challenge with Shelter in Place, which I can now recite almost verbatim as one of my all time favorite NR books.
Thanks Nora for sharing your gift of creating memorable characters (even if they are creepy sometimes :>)
I always wonder how Nora decides on a plot line in her stand alone books. Does she see something on the news or something? I can always read and reread her books. I always find something that I missed. This is no exception as I’m already rereading this book. I love the strong family bonds she writes about. Very sweet. I enjoyed this book very much!!
Nora wrote this in Nora’s News on release day:
“Readers love to ask where I get my ideas, and while usually I don’t have an answer, the starting point for Hidden Nature came when I heard about the Natural Resources Police Department for the first time. I researched the department and found it fascinating. From there, the story began.”
Laura
Not the plot line, but for this book I read (somewhere) that Nora was intrigued by the Natural Resources Police. I had never heard of them, and my son is a Park Ranger!
As usual with Nora’s books, I loved it. And immediately reread it. I think if Nora is ever injured or something like that happens she would be like Sloan. There would be a spreadsheet, there would be 10 steps more, there would be one bite more, and just sheer determination to get well. Speaking as a retired nurse, that’s the kind of patient I want to take care of.
After I finished, I had to research the Natural Resources Police. And I always love the family relationships Nora developes.
Loved Hidden Nature. Some of the “bit” characters, or really quick mentions in the book…ie “Charlene” & “Hallie Reeder” are those the same characters that were in the Inn at Boonsboro series? In those books Charlie Reeder was the town cop & Charlene was an old girlfriend of Ryder Montgomery. And Hidden Nature is set in the same area of Maryland that Inn at Boonsboro series.
I love Nora’s books! I felt this book was too predictable. It also really reminded me of a In Death storyline. Sloan and Nash are Eve and Roarke. Drea and Theo are Peabody and McNab. She has a female partner, like Peabody. I am looking forward to Nora ‘s next book. I will always read Nora’s books!
I really enjoyed this book, and look forward to (a) rereading my e-copy and (b) buying a physical trade paperback suitable for carting around. Many of Nora’s recent standalones focus on the long-term effects of trauma in a fascinating way. The villains were unique and memorable, too. Nora’s such a pro; great to see her still developing and extending her skills.