Clearly Hidden by Lindy Bergin Conroe

 

Clearly Hidden by Lindy Bergin Conroe

Review by Doug Holder

In “Clearly Hidden" by Lindy Bergin Conroe, we have a well-honed mystery story about an aptly named woman writer, “Pen.” It seems that this protagonist is having her life threatened by any number of bad-acting men. Conroe, who has worked as a therapist for many years, expertly gets into all the baggage and messiness that comes with life and relationships. But she is a writer as well-- so she does not forget her Holy Grail—writing an engaging novel.

If you are a fan of Cape Cod then you will be especially drawn to this book because of the author’s painterly eye. Her writing can be described as painterly because she evokes the coastal landscape, the azure lap of the ocean, the breath taking views of glacial rock, against the ravages of the sea and time. The sea, maybe because of its primal amniotic pull, is a place for many of the characters to meditate, as the plot thickens.

Conroe traces her character Pen’s progress from a wallflower to an unabashed warrior—against those who seek her demise. And of course, she has help with her beefcake boyfriend---- a romantic interest—that makes things more interesting. As Louie Armstrong sang to his gal Lucy, “ Take your shoes off Lucy/and let’s get juicy”

Any by the way—much to my epicurean pleasure-- Conroe is into food, and can we say there is a lot to 'feast' your eyes on—at one point I had to rush out of my home for a lobster roll and a bear claw.

Highly Recommended.