The Stolen Hours

By: Allen Eskens

Narrated by: MacLeod Andrews, Christine Lakin, Tina Huang

In this thrilling mystery, a woman finds herself in a race not only for justice but for her life, from the bestselling author of The Life We Bury

"Riveting, hold-your-breath." —Karin Slaughter, New York Times bestselling author

Lila Nash is on the verge of landing her dream job—working as a prosecutor under the Hennepin County Attorney—and has settled into a happy life with her boyfriend, Joe Talbert. But when a woman is pulled from the Mississippi River, barely alive, things in the office take a personal turn. The police believe the woman’s assailant is local photographer Gavin Spenser, but the case quickly flounders as the evidence wears thin. It seems Gavin saw this investigation coming—and no one can imagine how carefully he has prepared.

The more determined Lila is to put Gavin behind bars, the more elusive justice becomes. Battling a vindictive new boss and haunted by the ghosts of her own unspeakable attack, which she’s kept a dark secret for eight long years, Lila knows the clock is ticking down. In a race against an evil mastermind, it will take everything Lila’s got to outsmart a killer—and to escape the dark hold of her own past.

“A near-perfect thriller, The Stolen Hours is a true nail-biter that will have you reading long into the night.” —Book Reporter

“Even readers who predict the tale’s biggest twist before it arrives will still have the breath knocked out of them by the surprises that follow.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“There’s not a moment misplaced or a second lost. With the precision of a watchmaker, Eskens assembles the fine parts of a mystery and sets them to the tempo of a thriller, leaving the reader breathless.” —Craig Johnson, author of the Walt Longmire Mysteries

Critic reviews

“A riveting, hold-your-breath, frightening mystery. The Stolen Hours is a thoroughly captivating legal thriller.”
—Karin Slaughter, New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Wife

"A rousing legal thriller that’s also an acute study of female victimization and male privilege."—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“In Allen Eskens’ newest thriller The Stolen Hours, there’s not a moment misplaced or a second lost. With the precision of a watchmaker, Eskens assembles the fine parts of a mystery set to the tempo of a thriller, leaving the reader breathless.”
—Craig Johnson, New York Times bestselling author of the Longmire Mysteries

"The Stolen Hours is as good as it gets; a heart-pounding and utterly engaging thriller that had me turning the pages at warp speed. At the core of this magnificent and beautifully told story is Lila, a strong yet vulnerable woman in search of the truth. But Eskens cleverly lets her share the spotlight with two other women whose strengths and weaknesses play off of and enhance each other. Alone, each is a character that readers will identify with and root for. Together, they're unstoppable. I loved this book!"—Karen Dionne, New York Times bestselling author of The Marsh King’s Daughter and The Wicked Sister

“The plot provides satisfying twists and poses thought-provoking questions about gender. Eskens reliably entertains.”—Publishers Weekly

"A stunning small-town mystery."—Marilyn Stasio, New York Times Book Review, on Nothing More Dangerous

"The next best thing to Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird . . . A magnificent book and an uplifting one."—New York Journal of Books, on Nothing More Dangerous

"Riveting . . . Eskens vividly renders how small towns try to keep their secrets, and how sometimes they cannot."—Ron Rash, author of Serena, on The Shadows We Hide

Brilliant . . . Darkly lyrical and brutally intimate."—Publishers Weekly (starred review), on The Shadows We Hide

Worth the wait

I’ve read all of Allen Eskens books and this one is fantastic! Great new POV and fully captivating

Don't miss this one!

Not since John Grisham's "The Client" have I been so completely captivated with a novel. I felt as though I lived through Lila's character, feeling her confusion, determination, defeat, tenacity and ultimate victories. The supporting cast brings dimension and unpredictability, whether they are supporting the protagonist or the antagonist.
I liked seeing things through the perspective of both the psychopathic antagonist and the integrity and grit of the protagonist. There are shocking twists and turns that I did not see coming. This book is in my top 10 and will be revisited. Highly recommend.

Best Yet

My husband and I have enjoyed past books by Mr. Eskins, but this is the best yet. A great thriller.

Excellent

Finally a great audio has come into my library. Anything that Karin Slaughter recommends, is always a great selection

Not to be missed

Once again Eskens keeps you on the edge of your seat. I couldn’t put this one down!