SMALL TOWNS CONTAIN BIG SECRETS
A vicious serial killer roams the Irish Midlands-his sight always set on the next victim.
A successful businessman finds the perfect recipe for getting away with murder.
No bodies, no evidence.
No evidence, no suspect.
High art and low morals collide when graduate Sharona Walters discovers a multi-million-euro art scam. She delves in, unwittingly putting herself on a direct trajectory with danger as the killer accelerates his murder spree.
When Sharona gets drawn into the killer’s orbit, she peels away his public persona and exposes the psychopath underneath.
Suddenly, the small town has no hiding place…
It's such a pleasure to be hosting the blog tour for Hiding in Plain Sight today. Many thanks to Eoghan Egan, City Stone Publishing and Zoe from Zooloo's Blog Tours for inviting me and for my advance digital copy of the novel.
Last year I read and reviewed the second novel in Eoghan Egan's Ganestown Trilogy, The Other Side of Fear. I loved it but regretted not having read the first book, Hiding in Plain Sight. It's been a year but I've finally rectified that and thoroughly enjoyed discovering how the characters I became so invested in are introduced and first developed.
There is a really striking sense of place in Hiding in Plain Sight, thanks in part to the liberal scattering of Irish Gaelic words (there's a handy guide explaining their meaning at the front of the book). Ganestown might be a fictional town in the Irish Midlands but the cast of characters who inhabit it epitomise the sort of close-knit community that exists all over. It is initially slightly confusing figuring out the links between people but how the characters are connected to one another does become clearer and there's also an explanatory cast list at the front which helps. One of the major characters, however, isn't named until later in the novel and is just known as the art dealer. His anonymity only serves to add to his menace as he acts upon his wicked plans and he's a thoroughly despicable, terrifying individual.
However, this is a multilayered storyline and the actions of a chilling serial killer are just one strand in this consistently engaging book. The three stand-out characters for me are Hugh, Ferdia and Sharona. It's fair to say that Hugh is going through a difficult time; it's observed that bad luck comes in threes and that's certainly the case for him. He learns some truly heartbreaking news at the same time as suffering knocks in his personal and professional life. Hugh could easily have become a pitiable figure but Eoghan Egan ensures he is never pushover and yet retains his integrity. Likewise, Ferdia is the very embodiment of the rough diamond; having already read the sequel I enjoyed seeing how elements of what takes place in that book are set in motion here, partially due to Ferdia's actions. Meanwhile, it's soon obvious that Sharona's an intelligent, forthright young woman and I particularly appreciated her interactions with the redoubtable Dorothy Ridgeway.
The interchanges between all the characters are beautifully observed and completely believable, even those who are not as likeable but this is a dark and gritty novel at times with some truly shocking developments. The tension becomes almost unbearable as the art dealer's dreadful plans further abductions and murders and even though I had some idea of the outcome having read the series out of order, I was still utterly gripped throughout. However, I would recommend reading the books chronologically and therefore the way the author intended, if possible!
The balance between the warmth and humour shared between friends and families, and the much darker elements in society is commendable from start to finish; Hiding in Plain Sight is a terrifically compulsive thriller. I highly recommend it and look forward to more.
Hiding in Plain Sight is published by City Stone Publishing. Purchasing links can be found here.
Follow the blog tour for reviews of Hiding in Plain Sight and The Other Side of Fear. Details are below.
About the Author
A native of Co. Roscommon, Ireland, Eoghan wrote his first story aged nine.
At college, he studied Computer Programming, works in Sales Management & Marketing, but his passion for reading and writing remains.
Eoghan’s work got shortlisted for the 2018 Bridport Short Story Prize, and Listowel’s 2019 Bryan McMahon Short Story Award Competition. His novel was a contender in literary agent David Headley’s opening chapter Pitch Competition, and during March 2019 and April 2021, Eoghan’s entries won Litopia’s prestigious Pop-Up Submissions.
A graduate of Maynooth University’s Creative Writing Curriculum, and Curtis Brown’s Edit & Pitch Your Novel Course, Eoghan divides his time between Roscommon, Dublin and Southern Italy.
The first in his trilogy of crime fiction novels, Hiding in Plain Sight was released in 2020. Book two, The Other Side of Fear was published in 2022. Book three is due for publication in January 2024.
When he’s not writing, Eoghan can be found at literary festivals or headbanging at heavy metal gigs.
Thank you so much for sharing your fab review and supporting the tour x
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