The Hidden Side

A journal from 1776 comforts a radio host going through family strife in the present day in Chiavaroli’s second time-jump tale set during the Revolutionary War (after Freedom’s Ring). Three women form the center of this harrowing tale, all facing the dire consequences of keeping secrets from loved ones. Natalie Abbott, a radio personality who comforts and counsels listeners in need of advice, goes through her own family trauma when her son, Chris, shoots several people, killing three, at his high school. Chris’s twin, Maelynn, faces her brother as he takes aim, yet he spares her—a moment that brings intense guilt she must grapple with for the rest of her life. Jumping back nearly 300 years, the novel turns to Mercy Howard, who becomes a spy in Loyalist Manhattan after her fiancé is hanged by the British at the outset of the Revolutionary War. As Mercy navigates treacherous New York, she keeps a journal of her secret life. Although separated by centuries, the violence and angst that surround Mercy comfort Natalie during her own period of trauma as she struggles with regret, low self-confidence, and wavering commitment to her faith. Readers already interested in time-slip novels will enjoy the emotional journey of Chiavaroli’s heroines, but those looking for a more seamless plot will become frustrated with the abrupt switching of perspectives. [em](June) [/em]