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The Shadows We Hide Allen Eskens Books

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The Shadows We Hide Allen Eskens Books

THE SHADOWS WE HIDE presents the reader a bit of a conundrum. Expecting a murder mystery, I first found myself in the midst of Joe Talbert's unsolved personal and relationship issues. The murder and the mystery was there but did not seem the essence of the novel.

There's so much here for Allen Eskens's fans. SHADOWS is the proper sequel to THE LIFE WE BURY. We pick up years down the line. Talbert's life seems pretty much in order. The touchy issue is only Lila facing the bar exam. Then stuff happens. Rapidly.

There's so much here for a first time Eskens reader. Enough background comes forward - the longtime reader needs that as well (it's a few books down the line). Like any good series writer (and I mean good - Connelly, Deaver, Silva), Eskens allows entry at this point. The new reader may be inclined to go back to see where things all began, but Eskens presents no barriers.

I spoke with Eskens one time. He talked about his personal reading. Of course, he reads the work of his competitor/colleagues. But he reads literary fiction as well.

And that is, perhaps, where someone expecting only a page turner might fall by the wayside.

Eskens's characters breathe. By page 50, not only do I want to know who done it, I want the issues between Joe and Lila resolved. I want Joe to find peace with his own background and history. I want Jeremy, Joe's autistic brother, to somehow let Joe know his appreciation for what Joe has given.

In essence, I want the world between the pages to be a better place. Eskens creates a world I care about. People I care about. I find myself not turning pages because of cliff hangers (although he does that well), not because I can't wait to see the cataclysm around the next corner. I turn pages because somehow I gain vision of the way Joe's world ought to be. I turn pages because I really want Joe to do the right things even though I understand the why's of just what he is doing.

So THE SHADOWS WE HIDE was not quite what I expected.

And I remember a second date. The first one had been over a year earlier, and the girl dropped me like a hot rock. She finally agreed to go out a second time. I expected to have to work really hard to have a chance at a third. But things had changed.

This one took. And I've been married to the woman for 47 years.

So, does Allen Eskens have 42 more books in him?

I hope so.


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The Shadows We Hide Allen Eskens Books Reviews

Disappointing. The dialogue seemed simplistic and repetitive, and every time you turned around there was yet another clue dropped from gossip or just dropped in the protagonist’s lap. Hard to support the lead character Joe as he seemed greedy, shallow, and self-righteous. Multiple fistfights, one-dimensional villains, and law enforcement moved way too rashly or Ill-advisedly given the circumstances. I enjoyed the first book in this series but this one felt rushed and without layers.
I fell in love with The Life We Bury. Joe is such a likable character and I've been happy to read all of Eskens subsequent books. This one is possibly the best. It was interesting to explore Joe's past, with all the many twists and turns of the story. As always, Joe's relationship with Jeremy is touching. Things are not so smooth with his girlfriend, Lila, but we understand a little more about the two of them. The book uncovers the background of his father through the investigation of his murder, and unexpected family ties emerge. Eskins also adds some interesting developments with his mother. Throughout the novel, I was always interested, often surprised and never disappointed. What a wonderful author! I look forward to many years of reading his work.
And in this case, I was glad to be wrong. The Shadows We Hide is a murder mystery and much more. It was great to re-enter Joe Talbert's world. I've become very fond of him and other recurring characters, especially Joe's autistic brother, Jeremy. I don't know anyone who is autistic but I bet the author does. Jeremy's appearances in the story are thoughtfully written.
Allen Eskens is an awesomely talented weaver of tales. To anyone new to his intriguing creations, I highly recommend starting with his 1st offering, The Life We Bury. After that, you won't want to miss Eskens' The Guise of Another, The Heavens May Fall, and The Deep Dark Descending. All 5 Eskens books are well worth your time.
I'm looking forward to #6 .....
I love it when an author writes a thoroughly engaging story that takes you on a bumpy ride to a destination that can't be guessed ahead of time. Picture if you will a road trip along old Route 66. You see and investigate several old roadside attractions because you are drawn to them by curiosity and sense of adventure, are properly (or inappropriately -- sometimes wildly so) entertained, and then move on to the next diversion on your long and interesting trip. Now compare that to a long drive on the most boring road in America, with no gas stations, restaurants, or even rest stops on your route. There is nothing there but miles of open desert, a hot scorching sun, and a mountain range 70-80 miles away. Which road would you rather travel?

My choice has always been the more interesting path, the one more likely to offer up surprises and require thoughtful decisions when encountering that occasional "bump in the road". You can do a lot worse by not following Allen Eskins on the journey he offers to you in his newest novel. Yes, I do like a story that requires some thought and analysis, with characters able to morph given changing circumstances, and yet retain (or regain) their dignity while changing for the better, even though their "new normal" might be less than their hopefully best outcome.

This is a thinking person's murder mystery disguised as a "coming of age" story, a thriller with nefarious characters, a detective novel, a story of addiction and redemption, and a primer on autism. Mr. Eskins' goal in winding all these silky strings together is to present you with another well written story of people acting at their best and worst, with tempting choices met and overcome, and with proper actions rewarded with a normal life -- at least as normal as it can be given the circumstances. Lots of people in this world face challenges that you and I might be lucky enough to avoid, but all of us can either step up or give up during the rough times we might encounter.
THE SHADOWS WE HIDE presents the reader a bit of a conundrum. Expecting a murder mystery, I first found myself in the midst of Joe Talbert's unsolved personal and relationship issues. The murder and the mystery was there but did not seem the essence of the novel.

There's so much here for Allen Eskens's fans. SHADOWS is the proper sequel to THE LIFE WE BURY. We pick up years down the line. Talbert's life seems pretty much in order. The touchy issue is only Lila facing the bar exam. Then stuff happens. Rapidly.

There's so much here for a first time Eskens reader. Enough background comes forward - the longtime reader needs that as well (it's a few books down the line). Like any good series writer (and I mean good - Connelly, Deaver, Silva), Eskens allows entry at this point. The new reader may be inclined to go back to see where things all began, but Eskens presents no barriers.

I spoke with Eskens one time. He talked about his personal reading. Of course, he reads the work of his competitor/colleagues. But he reads literary fiction as well.

And that is, perhaps, where someone expecting only a page turner might fall by the wayside.

Eskens's characters breathe. By page 50, not only do I want to know who done it, I want the issues between Joe and Lila resolved. I want Joe to find peace with his own background and history. I want Jeremy, Joe's autistic brother, to somehow let Joe know his appreciation for what Joe has given.

In essence, I want the world between the pages to be a better place. Eskens creates a world I care about. People I care about. I find myself not turning pages because of cliff hangers (although he does that well), not because I can't wait to see the cataclysm around the next corner. I turn pages because somehow I gain vision of the way Joe's world ought to be. I turn pages because I really want Joe to do the right things even though I understand the why's of just what he is doing.

So THE SHADOWS WE HIDE was not quite what I expected.

And I remember a second date. The first one had been over a year earlier, and the girl dropped me like a hot rock. She finally agreed to go out a second time. I expected to have to work really hard to have a chance at a third. But things had changed.

This one took. And I've been married to the woman for 47 years.

So, does Allen Eskens have 42 more books in him?

I hope so.