The Shadows We Hide

5 Glowing Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Deceit, lies, and secrets.“Sometimes home isn’t a place, it’s a person.”A powerful sequel! A multi-layered twisty page-turner that will HOOK you from page one to the explosive ending. Infused with lyrical prose, an awe-inspiring journey of self-discovery and redemption. 🙌Talented storyteller and bestselling author, Allen Eskens wowed up with his debut (Joe Talbert #1) The Life We Bury, and he is back with a killer follow-up! I could not imagine a follow-up, but he does it again!Picking up from Joe Talbert #1, Joe and Lila are still living together in a small apartment, and they have custody of Jeremy, his autistic brother. Lila is in law school and preparing for the bar. She is stressed.Joe is a reporter for the Associated Press in Minneapolis, but he is on leave due to a story from the last book, that is up in the air regarding the Senator.In the meantime, he learns of a man named Joseph Talbert that has been murdered in a small town in southern Minnesota. Could it be his loser dad that he has never met?He decides to take off to see what is going on. It appears his father had remarried. His wife inherited some money, and she died (or was murdered or committed suicide), and now Joe has been killed, and if Joe is his son, he may inherit millions. Plus, he learns he may have a step-sister, which is now in a coma. What has his dad done now?Lila and Joe's relationship is strained because she needs to study, and Joe takes off and leaves Jeremy with her. Then Jeremy has an accident at his job and no way Lila can do everything.So Joe takes Jeremy with him as he investigates. They are staying at a motel, back in his hometown where they grew up — the darkness of the past surfaces. Also, Lila tells him about a letter from his mother, which was sent to them months ago, but she did not reveal until now. They have a deal, never talk about his mother after the hell she had put them through. It was not pretty!Of course, if you are familiar with Allen Eskens' books and Joe Talbert, there is always something complex and multi-layered. And this is a doozie!Things start unraveling. Joe senior's brother Charlie is also a deadbeat like Joe. He wants to get his hands on the inheritance. He wants the daughter even though she is in a coma. Does he plan on killing her too? Joe cannot take on another child to raise if indeed, she is related to him.The cops are after the daughter's boyfriend for murder because they think he did it. However, Joe believes he is innocent and puts his reporter hat on and his investigative skills to work.The plot thickens when another girl at a bar becomes involved, and a long list of others who wanted Joseph dead. The local cops are not very cooperative. Then there is the will, the paternity test, and is this girl Angel, Joe Talbert's step-sister. Then there is a secret affair that changes everything. Who will inherit the millions?While in town, Jeremy starts talking about his mom, and Joe finally reads the letter he swore he would never read. He runs into her landlord and appears his mom has been clean for many years and has a real job and has cleaned up her act and living back in the same apartment.Does he dare take Jeremy to visit her? Can he trust her ever again? Could his mother shed some light on the mystery surrounding Joe's death? Tension mounts and Lila and Joe's relationship becomes even more strained. He is worried about his job, and if he inherits the money, and Lila could care less about the money.However, the investigation may be more complicated than they imagined, and things may turn out positive on one end, but the other not so much.Eskens keeps the emotions, tension, and suspense high at a nail-biting pace. As always, the character development is superb and non-stop action.Joe is one of my favorite characters (a true hero), and he is put through the test tenfold with his relationships: Jeremy, Lila, his mom and the business with his father he never met and possibly a sister to care for— all while trying to help solve a murder than may not provide him with the outcome he intended.However, in the long run, he will get his reward. Not maybe in money but love and happiness. I am still rooting for these two, so hopefully, they will receive some pleasure if there is Joe Talbert #3. It looks like we will get more of Lila in book #7! I can't wait. She deserves a medal and a book of her own.If you have not read this author, I highly recommend all his books. He has a winning style, which makes his characters come alive on the pages.I enjoy how the author skillfully weaves his characters in and out books similar to Michael Connelly, but he also has the literary human interest angle going on, reminiscent of William Kent Krueger and Randall Silvis—two other favorites.Better get this one on your list! You must also read NOTHING MORE DANGEROUS, coming Nov 12, 2019. His best YET! Look for my elevator interview ride with Allen Eskens coming Nov 12. It is going to be awesome!I purchased the audio and e-book - a nice combo. Zach Villa (Narrator) always gives an outstanding performance!#JDCMustReadBooks

Joe Talbert works as a reporter for the Associated Press. Because of an investigative report he did about a state senator, he is being sued for libel and is in danger of losing his job. Currently, his boss has put him on leave. His girlfriend Lisa is busy studying for the bar exam. Joe and Lisa have custody of Joe's younger brother who is autistic.When Joe finds out that a man with the same name as his has been murdered in Buckley, a small Minnesota town, Joe gets in his car and decides to find out what happened. Joe never knew his father, and his mother, who was a drug addict and alcoholic, told him that his father was Joe Talbert, Sr. Joe figures that perhaps this murder victim could be his biological father.When Joe gets to Buckley, he meets an interesting crew of characters, all telling him what a lowlife Joe Talbert Sr. was. Meanwhile, his mother, from whom he's been estranged, is trying to weasel her way back into his life.This is a follow up novel to 'The Life We Bury' but it can be read as a standalone. The characters are well-developed and the narrative is quick to pull the reader in. The book is well-written and has a great surprise ending.

I just finished this and jumped right into another of Mr Eskens' books. The characters are so real and full of genuine emotions, the story is none stop twist and turns. I couldn't ask for more from a book. Start with "The Life We Bury" then jump on this one, before you're one you'll want all his books.

"Home is not a place, it’s a person."I discovered Allen Eskens’ book "The Life We Bury" at the end of 2018, and immediately fell in love with both the story and the writer’s skills. I was ecstatic to learn shortly thereafter that the sequel was already published and awaiting my one-click. And just as I hoped it would be, this one was every bit as remarkable as its predecessor– two solid winners for me!Five years separate the ending of the first book and the beginning of "The Shadows We Hide." Joe Talbert has graduated from college and is presently an investigative reporter with the Associated Press. He and Lila, who has just finished law school and is frantically studying in preparation for the Bar Examination, along with Joe’s autistic brother Jeremy, are all now living under one roof.Blending elements of time-honored whodunits with fast-paced discovery while interweaving a bit of both family drama and an ongoing romance that’s on shaky ground, Eskens skillfully keeps predictability hidden from the reader’s eye. Boredom is out of reach. Captivating readers with compelling layers and vivid environments, the case produces a series of well-planned shocks. Clothed in a mystery personally related to Joe, the author deals with some sticky situations in developing a realistic and honest portrayal. Despite his best intentions while cracking open the case, Joe manages to stumble into a bit of temptation and trouble. Altogether, this is a fun read, smartly crafted and uniquely told with just the right amount of detailed description where visualization of each scene was perfectly framed and mental images focused on each colorful character.Color me head-over-heels for these characters. I really hated saying good-bye to Joe, Lila, Jeremy and Kathy and am so excited over the news that Mr. Eskens plans to continue this delightful and addictive series with Lila’s backstory up next.I highly recommend reading both these books. They are refreshing, well-written and can be read as standalones – but I bet you won’t stop at just one. They don’t need to be read in the order they were published, but it’s my suggestion that you do so. Readers looking for a new voice in what I call comfy mysteries should pay special attention to both Allen Eskens and Joe Talbert. The reading experiences will be well-worth your time.Meanwhile, I’m moving on to the three remaining books on Mr. Eskens’s backlist that are receiving rave reviews as well, and feature Max Rupert, a Minnesota detective and a good friend to Joe Talbert.Coming in November, 2019, expect a new book from this author -- Nothing More Dangerous.

This story had enough twists and turns to keep me interested. It's hard for me to find fiction that I like, so "good job" to Mr. Eskens. I'm moving on to his latest book now.

Bought as a gift for a book clubRecipient choose

In this stand alone novel, the story of Joe Talbert the hero of "The Life we Bury", is continued with a new murder and some of the cast of characters from Allen Eskens previous books. Time has marched on for Joe Talbert. He is still living with his girlfriend Lila and his autistic brother, Jeremy as he is now his legal guardian, having removed him from his mother's care or lack thereof. Joe has not spoken one single word to her, Kathy, since the hearing for legal guardianship. Kathy was removed from court and charged with using meth during the proceedings.Joe, a reporter, learns he is being sued by a Senator for his latest exposee when he is served along with his boss, Allison, who approved the article. The only way to get himself out of the mess would be to reveal his source and he will not do that. So he is offered a leave of absence which coincides with something he feels he must investigate for personal reasons. He discovers an obituary for a Joe Talbert and realizes this may be his long lost father who abandoned his mother during her pregnancy. But when he finds out that his father did not die of natural causes and he may also have a half sister who is in a coma, he leaves the city and heads for the small town where all this took place. And thus begins the roller coaster ride.I loved this latest book from Allen Eskens and again will have to wait for his next one. This author is thoroughly readable.

I came here from The Life We Bury, could not wait to see how Joe is doing. And wow, have not been able to stop listening, Joe’s journey once again touched my heart and Mr. Villa narrated once again beautifully. Hope Joe’s story continues in the near future and till then I will definitely be listening to this one again and again.

Terrific read, intriguing, well written, hard to put down. Great follow up to Allen Eskens “The Life We Bury”, which introduced the Joe Talbert character.

It really moved, never a dull moment.