Hide and Seek

The September Day Series, Book 2

By: Amy Shojai

Narrated by: Amy Shojai

A stalker hides in plain sight. A victim faces her worst fear. And a dog seeks the missing - and finds hope.

Eight years ago, animal behaviorist September Day escaped a sadistic captor who left her ashamed, terrified, and struggling with PTSD. She trusts no one - except her cat Macy and service dog Shadow.

Shadow also struggles with trust. A German Shepherd autism service dog who rescued his child partner, only to lose his boy forever, Shadow's crippling fear of abandonment shakes his faith in humans.

They are each other's' only chance to survive the stalker's vicious payback, but have only 24 hours to uncover the truth about Macy's mysterious illness or pay the deadly consequences. When September learns to trust again, and a good dog takes a chance on love, together they find hope in the midst of despair - and discover what family really means.

Amy Shojai, CABC, is a certified animal behavior consultant and the award-winning author of two-dozen nonfiction pet titles and the critically acclaimed dog-viewpoint thriller Lost and Found. She is at work on her next in the series of her Thrillers With Bite! Amy lives in Texas with a smart-aleck German Shepherd, a senior citizen Siamese wannabe, and a fun-loving delinquent feline rescue. Amy blogs at Bling, Bitches, & Blood; amyshojai.com.

©2014 Amy Shojai (P)2016 Amy Shojai

September & Shadow are back!

What did you like best about this story?

I like that it dug deeper into September's background and told us the whole story of the stalker. I was disappointed that the first book hinted at, but didn't go into details, and was very glad that we got the whole story here!

What aspect of Amy Shojai’s performance would you have changed?

Amy does a fantastic job of differentiating between characters in dialogue and narration. I think she could have used higher quality recording equipment because it sounds just a bit tinny. After listening to it for a couple minutes, your ears adjust and it sounds normal, until you go to another audiobook, then you realize that the quality was 3/5 stars.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I loved the budding romance with September and her cop friend, and how far he goes to save her. I wish there were men out there like that in the real world!

Any additional comments?

3.5 stars. I received an audiobook copy from the author in exchange for an honest review; this in no way affects my opinions, although I am grateful to the author, Amy Shojai for the opportunity to listen and review her work.

Hide and Seek is the second book in the September Day series and starts off a few weeks after Lost and Found leaves off. While Lost and Found does not end with a cliffhanger, I think that reading it first will greatly enhance your understanding of this second book in the series. This book starts off a lot slower and I found it a bit difficult to see where all the pieces fit into place. There were so many different subplots going in so many different directions, that at times, I felt a bit discombobulated or disoriented. It kept skipping around and it wasn't until about 65-70% of the way through the book until the picture starts to emerge. Lots of little clues are dropped along the way that you must be aware of as they are important later on. I don't say any of this as a negative per se, I say it as it was quite the departure from the first book. This book was like different balls rolling in slowly from different directions, but once they come together and get going, it's like an avalanche or an unstoppable train. I love the alternating points of view between September and Shadow (the dog). You would think a dog's POV would be cheesy or childish, but no, Amy Shojai knows so much about animals and their behavior that this adds to the experience of the story and makes fiction an educational experience. I am definitely looking forward to listening to or reading the next book in the series as they are creative, fun, suspenseful, and exciting. These are not cozy mysteries and are not for the faint of heart!

I listened to the audio version, so I cannot comment on any spelling/grammar/formatting issues. The audio is narrated by the author, Amy, herself. You can tell this is not a professional recording, and thus should be priced accordingly. It is a bit tinny and there are a few faint crackles. This did not detract from my listening experience though, as I was used to it after the first few minutes and I am not all that picky. Her performance is great and she does a great job of differentiating between all the many characters in dialogue and narrator. It would be great as a Whispersync add-on for only a couple bucks. I enjoyed listening to this book while driving and my horse especially liked listening to Amy's voice as I was with him!

Great mixture of suspense and pets

This is the second book in a series. Listened to the first one earlier this year and loved it. However, you could easily read or listen to this book without having read the previous book. The story line is that strong. If you'd like to read about animals and love suspense and mysteries, you'll love this book. The story is told from the point of view of a dog. It is obvious the author understands dog and cat behavior. In between telling the story, you also learn facts about dogs and cats, and it connects wonderfully with everything. I look forward to reading the third book in the series.

Secretive September and Her Good Dog Shadow

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this book to a friend who loves and values the human-dog-cat connection. Woven into the story are facts examples of dog training and facts about dogs and cats that an animal lover would enjoy. The book had a well-developed suspenseful story and characters with a lot of dog/cat involvement. More than just a thriller, it shows how the character evolves from a scared woman hiding her past (even when it inadvertently put others at risk) to someone who takes a stand against wrongdoing and her evil stalker and again opens her heart to human love and friendship.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Well Good dog Shadow of course. He exemplified eagerness to please and the loyalty of a dog for his person and even his cat.

What about Amy Shojai’s performance did you like?

I liked that she used expression and changed her voice and accent for each character. She does a mean Texas accent when in character.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I liked it when September owned her power as an adult woman and took a stand against her long-time stalker in spite of her fears. I appreciated how she put the welfare of her pets above her own.

Any additional comments?

I got annoyed with September sometimes for keeping secrets and her "if onlys" that ended up putting other people in danger,over and over. A good lesson there. I enjoyed listening to this story on my road trip. I read the first book, so this one was fun to listen to. In the last chapter after the story ends, the author shares what was fiction and which facts were true in the story, as well as where to learn more about the training and cat health issue discussed in the story. I received this audio in exchange for an honest review, which I have provided.

HIDE AND SEEK: The September Day Series, Book 2

What did you love best about Hide and Seek?

I just finished the Audible book HIDE AND SEEK. I loved the story, and I adore Shadow and Macy. Great book with surprise twisst and turns and I found the reality show "Hog Hell" added some good humor. The mystery illness was scary, and I have no idea if this is a real thing. Poor September, will she ever get any rest? I was hoping that she would shoot Vincent and kill him. Teddy is also my new hero.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes--very much.

Which character – as performed by Amy Shojai – was your favorite?

I loved how she Amy Shojai's got into Shadow's point of view. He is a very good dog.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Shadow was trying to search for September.

Any additional comments?

I am a big fan of Amy Shojai. I have followed her blog for years

I like the story but not the reader.

It’s interesting realistic and entertaining but I am sorry to say the author really needs to hire someone else to do the vocal. The voices are irritating to the point of wanting to stop listening.