Fast paced, fun, and suspenseful thriller - this is what I experienced while reading this book.

I was completely engaged as I moved along with the central characters and witnessed their complex character arcs unfold. It was truly a captivating journey.

However, I did notice a certain illogical (perhaps intentional?) mistake in the plot, which led me to take one point off. But to be honest, meh, I can live with that.

Overall, this book had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The fast pace kept the excitement building, and the suspenseful moments had my heart pounding.

As a die-hard James Patterson fan, I was not disappointed. His writing style is as engaging as ever, and he has a knack for creating characters that you can't help but root for.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good thriller. It's a must-read for fans of the genre and a great introduction for those new to James Patterson's work.

So, if you're looking for a thrilling and entertaining read, look no further. This book has it all!

Maybe I’m just having a bad book reading spell.

I’d read Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider, and I even read When the Wind Blows. I have Cat & Mouse and Jack & Jill, so I borrowed Hide & Seek from the Library.

I was really disappointed in this story. The constant question of “Did she do it? Didn’t she do it? If she didn’t do it, who did?” was way too much in this book. I like mysteries, but they need more of a story than this tale of womanly woe.

I didn’t like Maggie at all and thought Will was a psychotic wimp. I think Maggie’s daughter Jennie was about the only character I did like. Maggie should be a stronger female character, but instead she’s a wimp.

If you must read it, hopefully you’ll borrow it from a friend or the library rather than spending money on it. It just didn’t live up to my expectations and left me feeling rather dissatisfied. I was hoping for a more engaging and complex mystery, but unfortunately, this one fell short.

I’ll probably think twice before picking up another book by this author in the future.

A well-known celebrity finds herself in the center of a storm as she stands trial for the heinous crime of murdering her husband. The courtroom is filled with anticipation and紧张气氛. The prosecution presents a compelling case, painting a picture of a woman with a motive and opportunity. But the defense is not one to back down easily. They launch a fierce counter-attack, challenging the evidence and raising doubts about the witnesses. The trial unfolds in a fast-paced and exciting manner, with twists and turns at every corner. The jurors are on the edge of their seats, trying to piece together the truth. Will the celebrity be found guilty and face the consequences of her actions? Or will she manage to prove her innocence and walk free? The outcome of this trial is anyone's guess, making it a thrilling and unforgettable experience for all involved.

Maggie rises after getting out of prison for killing her husband. She rises to become a'superstar' whose songs and voice resound everywhere. Her song attracts Will Shepherd to approach and possess her. However, happiness for Maggie does not last.

Trauma like what Maggie has experienced takes a long time to heal. But with the loved one, the patient is able to recover slowly. However, this trauma can also return if there is a trauma that occurs that can trigger the old feelings again.

SH feels sorry for Maggie's life which is full of trauma and thus difficult to trust others. The trauma makes her try to distance herself from having relationships with other people.

Mental illness and also trauma need to be helped and treated so as not to disrupt the daily functions of life. In this script, not only Maggie has a problem but also Will. He is able to become a person without feelings when making mistakes.

Patterson's style is truly captivating. It makes you feel as if you're sitting in a movie theater, completely engrossed in a thrilling film. The events unfold at a rapid pace, keeping you on the edge of your seat. The skilful manipulation of the timeline adds an extra layer of intrigue, making it difficult to predict what will happen next.

The character structure is also excellent. You can easily relate to Maggie, a kind-hearted individual who simply wants to pursue her dreams of singing and songwriting while escaping the painful memories of her past. Sadly, tragedy seems to follow her everywhere she goes.

Then there's Will, the psychopathic killer with a charming manner and the ability to achieve most of his twisted dreams through his good looks and athletic fitness. He is a truly terrifying and complex character.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will happily read other works written by Patterson. Kudos to him for creating such a gripping and engaging story.

Hide and Seek is my initial encounter with Patterson's work. His reputation for provoking, angering, or warning is widely known and even cherished by many as a testament to literature's power to evoke such intense emotions. However, my personal experience during and after reading Hide and Seek was one of repulsion. I was disgusted by this revolting tale, angered by its characters, and perhaps most significantly, I was appalled that I couldn't resist reading the entire book in one sitting, even foregoing the Packer game. This undoubtedly speaks volumes about Patterson's writing prowess. He has the remarkable ability to dissect the evil within human nature while simultaneously crafting a novel with such a breakneck pace that critique takes a backseat to simply getting to the end. My eyes burned, and my head drooped, yet I felt compelled to offer my critique.

The title Hide and Seek clearly暗示了对人们如何以及为何隐藏和欺骗的探讨。小说的叙述者时而为来自纽约的歌手玛吉·布拉德福德。在小说的开篇几页，她出于自卫杀死了自己的丈夫。她在接下来的许多章节中为他哀悼，然后又投入了生命中的另外两段恋情，与帕特里克和威尔，而这两人都在与她交往期间死去。这位“黑寡妇”的故事大多是通过讲述而非展示呈现的，仿佛玛吉在揭示自己真实感受的同时，又在隐藏自己匆忙恋爱的原因。她的视角充其量是不完整的，而且很难让人信任，尽管她在监狱中的讲述唤起了一些同情。玛吉·布拉德福德究竟是谁？真的有可能不是一个，而是三个重要的伴侣都死去了吗？玛吉真的对任何人都有感情吗？

与玛吉的故事交织在一起的是威尔的故事。他的章节是以第三人称叙述的，这使威尔显得冷酷无情，甚至有精神变态的倾向。威尔隐藏在他的魅力和英俊外表之下，巧妙地撒谎以掩盖死亡、失败的足球梦想以及他可怕的童年，包括与一位阿姨的乱伦关系。他油嘴滑舌，对法律和社会规范毫不在意。由于他的操纵，他从未暴露自己生活的真相。威尔·谢泼德究竟是谁？（这里有一个模式）他是否杀死了自己的兄弟？后果对他有任何影响吗？如果他还活着，他和社会将会怎样？

当人们向自己或他人隐藏时，有些人会通过不同的方式寻求救赎、快乐或逃避。玛吉在杀死第一任丈夫后迷失了自我，给自己贴上了“杀人犯M”的标签，并在帕特里克身上找到了短暂的爱情。在帕特里克的妻子死于癌症后，他全身心地投入工作，隐藏自己的感情，直到玛吉重新点燃了它们。人们隐藏和寻找。当他们被媒体曝光或在法律法庭上时也是如此。玛吉同时面临这两种情况。反映现实的是，报纸和律师揭示了玛吉被制造出来的、支离破碎的形象，她被描绘成一位知名歌手、家喻户晓的名字和一个发疯的母亲。这些标签过于简单化，而当玛吉学会不再隐藏时，她的角色（以及这本书）变得更加坚强。这本书的现实是残酷的：无论是个人还是集体，人性都不可信。

奇怪的是，这本书的前半部分和后半部分感觉脱节。在整个前半部分，帕特森审视了威尔死亡之前的事件。他揭示了一些心理问题，同时情节仍然快速发展。但在后半部分，在玛吉因谋杀威尔而受审期间，每一个事件和人物都被生硬地塑造，写作也很草率。对于有罪或无罪、活着或死亡的二分揭示的铺垫大于事件本身，仿佛帕特森失去了动力。简而言之，《捉迷藏》太多地是由悬念和情节驱动的，而不是由其角色驱动的。

Hide and Seek by James Patterson is a captivating novel that delves into the complex lives of Maggie Bradford and Will Shepherd. Their past is filled with bitterness and wickedness, and their present stardom is fading. They are disgruntled, dangerous, provocative, and indecisive.

The story has its slow moments, and there were times when I wanted to skip some pages. However, the excitement builds up in the concluding chapters, leaving the reader eager for the truth and final answers. It's a drama that unfolds gradually, with a series of somewhat dull narrations that keep you on the edge of your seat.

Overall, the concept of the story is well-developed and mature. Just like the characters, it is desperate, pretentious, daring, and always thirsty for affection. While it may not be a perfect read, it has enough elements to keep you engaged. I would rate it 3 out of 5. - @alphafelix / Alpha Felix

Hide and Seek
James Patterson

For a thriller, a three-star rating can be considered low, especially if the book is by James Patterson. But in my opinion, this book has turned out to be extremely boring, and I'm disappointed with the repetition of the same story. There's nothing new to tell in the story. I've read this story countless times in Sidney Sheldon's books: an ordinary girl becomes famous and is accused of a crime that she commits. This very familiar plot could have been presented beautifully, but it wasn't. Reading about one after another romance, marriage, murder, and trial in Maguire's story, I was getting impatient and wondering when this book would end? In short, it's a tiresome and frustrating experience.

I had high expectations for this book, especially since it's by a well-known author like James Patterson. However, it failed to meet those expectations. The story felt flat and unoriginal, and the characters lacked depth. I found myself skimming through many pages just to get to the end.

Maybe I'm being too critical, but I believe that a good thriller should keep the reader on the edge of their seat from start to finish. This book didn't do that for me. It's a shame because I really wanted to like it.

“Hide and Seek” by James Patterson

Reading this book was an absolute thrill, much like traveling on a speeding train with breathtaking scenery whizzing by outside the window. The book, consisting of 365 pages, is divided into 6 parts, including a prologue and an epilogue. I must admit that I devoured all 356 pages in one sitting.

The main characters are the famous songwriter Maggie Bradford, her kids, and her husband, the sportsman and film star Will Shepherd. Maggie Bradford is on trial for the murder of her husband. While waiting for a sentence, she tells her story and describes all the events that led her to jail. This is the first storyline. The second storyline展现了 the life of the famous athlete Will Shepherd. It讲述了 his childhood, family tragedy, college years, and his passion for sports. The author masterfully weaves the lives of these two people together, keeping the suspense alive until the very last page.

What I loved about this book was the main character, Maggie Bradford. She is a remarkable example of a strong and wise woman. She is an amazing mother who loves her kids deeply and is willing to do anything for them. One quote that truly shows her overwhelming love for her kids is: 'When I think about my sweet girl, my darling boy, I can feel my heart ripping – I'm forced to double over with pain. I don't feel sorry for myself; I just can't live without two of them. I can't let myself go to pieces, for their sake.' As a mommy myself, I can completely understand her feelings towards her kids.

Another aspect of the book that I liked was the author's reflections on the love for what you do, the passion for your job, and the premature end of someone's career. It can be incredibly painful when you are passionate about your job but have to give it up. One quote that really stood out to me was: 'It must be terrible for an athlete to retire, to be finished with a career so young. How would I feel if I had to give up singing?'

Everyone has their own idea of happiness, and I really liked how James Patterson portrayed Maggie Bradford's concept of this feeling. The description of the Indian summer day, with Will and Allie riding on the horse across the wide field of tall grass, was so beautiful and heartwarming. The joy on their faces and the love that Maggie felt for them was palpable.

I loved the entire book, but there were a few parts that I especially enjoyed. The first was the section before the prologue, where it is written who the book is dedicated to. I always like to know that there are people in the world who inspired the author to write the book. The second part was the epilogue. I won't say too much about it here because I don't want to spoil the ending for you. Let the mystery and intrigue remain.

If you are a fan of James Patterson's books, you will definitely love this one. It is touching, fast-paced, heart-pounding, and completely captivating. I would like to express my gratitude to James Patterson for being such a great writer and to Harper Collins Publishers for publishing this wonderful book. I'm sure that more and more readers will enjoy it because it is simply impossible to put down!

Well, I was truly traumatized.

Okay, perhaps that's a bit of an exaggeration.

There was something both extremely easy and yet quite difficult about reading this book, which is often the case when I'm delving into anything by Patterson. I hadn't perused any of his works in a really long while, and I was simply curious to discover if I still favored his writing style. To be honest, I don't have an overwhelming love for it, nor do I loathe it.

Anyhow, it was a good book. I don't have any regrets about reading it. It was precisely what I was seeking - someone so incredibly malevolent who had everyone completely and utterly deceived. I was entertained to a sufficient extent, held in a state of suspense and stress. I would say that the book accomplished its intended purpose.

It managed to keep my attention throughout, making me eager to turn the pages and find out what would happen next. Although it may not have been a literary masterpiece, it did its job well in providing an engaging and thrilling read.

Overall, I'm glad I gave it a chance and would consider reading more of Patterson's books in the future.

Outrageously mid, it was like a soda that had completely lost its fizz.

None of the characters truly felt real. I understand the concept of being a single parent, but it was baffling why a mother would treat her child as if they were her best friend.

As for Jennie and Maggie being best friends, it seemed that Maggie had to go to great lengths to pay attention to her kids.

Many of the plot choices simply didn't make sense. For instance, what Jennie said on the stand, the actions of the lawyer, Barry, and Norma, and so on.

All of this added up to a whole bunch of nothing. It left incredible plot holes and gave the impression of being very half-assed.

The claim that the USA will never make a World Cup final and win 11 Grammys is just ridiculous. Give me a break!

This story was a disappointment from start to finish, lacking in authenticity and coherence.

It failed to engage the reader and left many questions unanswered.

Perhaps with more careful planning and a better understanding of character development and plot construction, this could have been a more enjoyable read.

But as it stands, it is a prime example of what not to do when writing a story.

Good read - OK had me reading to the end but forgettable.

Maggie Bradford, a world-renowned singer-songwriter, is currently on trial for a heinous crime - murder. This is no ordinary trial; it is the celebrity trial of the decade. With her talent and charm, Maggie seems to have had it all. However, the question on everyone's lips is how could she have murdered not just one, but two of her husbands?

Will Shephard, Maggie's second husband, was a magnificent athlete and film star, equally famous as Maggie. But beneath his glamorous exterior, Will harbored dark and dangerous secrets that his fans could never have imagined and that his own wife could never have dreamed of. As the trial unfolds, the truth about Maggie's motives and Will's hidden life may finally come to light.

This story is a captivating blend of mystery, scandal, and celebrity drama. It keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, wondering what will happen next. While it may not be a literary masterpiece, it is a page-turner that will satisfy those who enjoy a good thriller.