The Hide- Blog Tour

 

Author: Linda Newbery 

Publisher: Writers Review Publishing 

Publishing Date: 22nd October 2026 

Many thanks to the publishing team and Random Things Tour for my copy of the book and a spot on the tour

Blurb 

Alys knows the dangers of surrendering to obsession. As a student, she witnessed the tragic loss of a talented but tortured friend. Since, she’s curated a cautious existence as art teacher and single parent to her daughter, Rowan.

A change in circumstances – promotion, new home – brings opportunities and even the chance of a rewarding relationship. But the reappearance of Fraser, from Alys’s college days, triggers fear that the guilt they share will blight the present. Forced to intervene in a delicate situation involving sixth-form students, she puts herself at risk of exposure, threatening both her professional and her private life. 

Rowan, 19, feels at odds with an uncaring society but is determined to bring about change for animals and the environment, influenced by her charismatic new lover, Vix. Alys worries that Rowan will take part in law-breaking actions, and that she’ll be overwhelmed by frustration, grief and the impossibility of living up to her own demanding ideals. 

How can Alys find fulfilment when the past constantly reminds her that she doesn’t deserve happiness?

 

My Thoughts 

My first read from the author and it was good. 

Some stories make you think about how well we really know the people around us, and The Hide sounds like exactly the kind of book that makes you question how much of the past we ever truly leave behind.

At the heart of this story is Alys, an art teacher and single mum who has spent years trying to move forward after a devastating loss. But when someone from her past reappears, the life she has carefully put together begins to feel much less secure.

What particularly interests me about this premise is the way the past and present become intertwined. Guilt, difficult choices and buried secrets all play a part, while Alys finds herself caught in a situation where doing what feels right may come at a considerable personal cost.

I’m also intrigued by the involvement of sixth-form students and the questions this raises about responsibility, trust and how far we should go to protect others. There seems to be more to this story than simply uncovering what happened years ago; it also explores the lasting impact of our decisions and the things we carry with us long after we think we have moved on.

Linda Newbery's novel sounds like an absorbing read for anyone who enjoys character-driven fiction with an undercurrent of unease and complicated human relationships.