Guess who's back? Timothy Blake is back in Hideout, the third novel in this fantastically gritty and bloody crime series written by Australian author Jack Heath. We first met Blake in Hangman when we learned he was a cannibal working as a consultant with the FBI. In Hunter, we found him providing body disposal services for a crime lord and Hideout kicks off immediately after the closing events in Hunter.
Blake starts out with nothing to lose. Torn up by the loss of his love interest FBI Agent Reese Thistle, he's determined to stick it to a bad guy and disappear. Instead, Blake quickly finds himself in a perilous undercover situation which challenges his morals and his will to survive.
"I'm being paranoid. A common problem. Once you've done enough bad things, it's impossible not to imagine them being done to you." Page 52The tension and action is palpable and Heath has taken Blake's character farther than I ever imagined. It's this unexpected plot development that makes this dark and grisly series so uniquely refreshing.
Blake is an intelligent, clever and oddly funny anti-hero, and the reader can't help but hope he succeeds in his endeavours, despite knowing about his gruesome proclivities. Blake thinks quick on his feet and is only too aware of his flaws. However he continues to struggle with his inner demons in the series; wanting to be a better person yet readily identifying with the bad guys.
This is my favourite Australian crime series of all time and author Jack Heath has certainly outdone himself again. Wow, what a talent! But the best part of Hideout was knowing the direction Blake might take in the future and I'm so ready for it.
