Aimee Ibrahim's husband is murdered soon after they're married, and the police are too busy trying to contain an Egyptian revolution to put time or money into the investigation. As Aimee seeks justice for her murdered husband, she learns that the man she married had secrets that could destroy her and those she loves. Her search to find the truth reveals a surprising connection with the mother she never knew, and it shows her just how far she's willing go to get justice.

THE HIDDEN by Jo Chumas takes place in Egypt in the 1940's, a period of civil unrest as the threat of Germany looms just on the horizon. There are some really stellar parts in THE HIDDEN. Aimee finds a diary written by her mother, Hezba, and the diary excerpts are compelling and emotionally charged. Hezba's story is why I kept reading. Her struggle and her actions are riveting. The entries are written more as first person narrative rather than being faithful to the form of a diary entry, but the story is extraordinary. I was actually furious in some parts due to Hezba's circumstances.

The present story doesn't carry the same emotional weight for me. Part of that is because Aimee is a pawn. She's being pushed and pulled around by forces outside herself, and I never felt the same determination in her to take charge of her life as I did in her mother. Hezba made her choices, some of them quite damning and in defiance of her caged life, but they were hers. Aimee's choices all feel like they're made for her.

The other reason this present story isn't as compelling lies in motivation. The reason behind characters actions are often unclear and simply unbelievable. There isn't enough character development for me to believe that Aimee, a girl raised in a convent by French nuns in the 20's and 30's would ever consider dancing in a brothel. Men are unreasonably abusive, violent, and lustful, but instead of feeling like a natural part of character, it feels like hardships being heaped on the protagonist so the reader will feel bad for her. All of this circles back around to Aimee being a pawn. I don't want to pity the main character, I want to root for her or him because despite the hardships they deserve to get what they want because they work for it, and I found that I couldn't root for Aimee.

THE HIDDEN by Jo Chumas is the 2013 Winner of Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award in Mystery & Thriller which does say that lots of people really enjoyed this novel. I love Hezba's story, but hers in only part of this much larger political thriller. The history is fascinating, and the time period provides plenty of conflict, as the world is perched on the edge of war. THE HIDDEN wasn't for me, but readers who love political intrigue, larger-than-life characters, and life-and-death action will enjoy the twisting plot and the gorgeous and gritty settings in THE HIDDEN.