The Hidden Son (The Cayman Islands Trilogy)

The Hidden Son is a thriller in every sense of the word. The character of Lelisa Desmond, forced to decide between following orders and following her conscience, is forced through a labyrinth of consequences when she elects to do the latter. Facing off against powerful adversaries forces her to think on her toes and keeps the reader off balance as well as she dodges their attacks while attempting to clear her name. A must-read book.

Writers and aspiring writers alike will be green with envy at Dianna Benson’s debut novel. The thrilling suspense that pulls readers through her pages like a magnet and keeps them guessing is prominent throughout the novel. The picturesque scenes flowed into one another, rivaling those in even some of the most polished authors’ novels on the market today. The characters were brilliant and original, and their journey through an expertly-crafted world made The Hidden Son a joy to read.

North Carolina is an unusual setting for books, but I thought that Dianna hit her descriptions spot on. The descriptions of the local scenery were highly accurate and I knew exactly where things were taking place-I’m still expecting to walk down the street and see Lelisa coming toward me any day now. The book itself was amazing, but I’m just blown away by the fact that Dianna seemed to capture my world and put people into it. This book is proof that the old advice “write what you know” really works, because she portrayed these communities perfectly.

The Hidden Son was definitely one of my favorite books of the summer. Not only does it have the insider feel of someone who’s been on the job as an EMT, but Diana also manages to breathe enough life into her characters to have them jumping off the page and somersaulting through your mind even after you’ve put the book down. A well-written adventure that will keep you guessing until the last page!

The Hidden Son kept the twists and turns coming as I tried desperately to read quickly enough to find out what was happening next. It was like watching an action movie as the brilliantly-described pictures blossomed in my mind. I was sad that the book ended, because I raced through it so quickly that it left me wanting more. Lucky for me, this is a trilogy-I’ll definitely be back for books 2 and 3!

It’s easy to see how Dianna Benson’s experience as an EMT carries over into The Hidden Son the constant adrenaline and never knowing what will come next have infused themselves into the style of her writing. She writes with an expertise of weathering suspense that can only come from one who is used to the peaks and valleys of adrenaline rushes associated with emergency situations. She puts her characters through a lot, but in the end it’s worth it to create such a thrilling novel.

The characters in Diana Benson’s book were so amazing, it’s still hard to believe that they’re fiction. Lelisa’s struggle to decide whether she should bury information that could change everything gets readers into the novel, and the strength of Diana’s vivid descriptions keeps them reading until the very end. A great first work.