hidden bodies book review

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Los Angeles, where the locals are all ‘sick with aspirations’ of fame

Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes review – the killer who plays it by the book

Booksellers have assumed starring roles in novels before. Few, however, have been quite as unusual – quite as psychotic – as Caroline Kepnes’s creation, Joe Goldberg.

Goldberg was last seen in Kepnes’s original and excellent debut, You , in which he fell for a customer, leaving a clutch of bodies along the way as he relentlessly stalked her into going out with him. Hidden Bodies opens with Joe having seemingly put the past, and his “tragically ill girlfriend Guinevere Beck”, behind him. He’s in a new relationship, with Amy, and Kepnes’s narrator, as scathing and charismatic as ever, is still working in Mooney Rare and Used Books in New York. So is Amy, and they are, wonderfully pretentiously, collecting copies of Portnoy’s Complaint .

“It’s one of our favourite books and we reread it together... I want to possess all the dark yellow copies ever made and keep them in the basement so that only Amy and I can touch them. I’m not supposed to overstock a title, but I like fucking Amy near our yellow wall of books. Philip Roth would approve,” says Joe.

But Amy isn’t as in love with Joe as he thinks; she robs him and scarpers to Los Angeles, not the best move when you’re dealing with a serial killer. He sets out to find her, forcing himself reluctantly into the world of Facebook and Tinder and Hollywood as he tries to track her down. Along the way, he meets various people who get on the wrong side of him; he’s also creatively caustic about the Angelenos he comes across, all “sick with aspirations” of fame.

“It’s the little things that make you want to kill someone, the way Milo drinks Diet Dr Pepper and ties his Jewfro in a bun and lifts his shirt to show off his stomach and wipes his glasses down even though they’re not dirty.” Italics have rarely been used to such cutting effect. “This, this is why you have to kill people. If you don’t, they don’t learn anything.”

There’s plenty of sex, as a new love interest – Love, sister of Forty, named by tennis-obsessed, loaded parents – comes into Joe’s sphere. And Joe might have left his past behind him on the east coast, but he can’t stop worrying about the DNA evidence he abandoned at the scene of one of his murders.

He also can’t stop offing the people he comes across, whether it’s for reasons of violent dislike or because they get in his way. He is both self-aware, at one point even slamming the “ridiculous, second-person cuntiness” of a casting call, and terribly deluded. “In the past, I had a tendency to be intense; you might even call it obsessive,” he says, underplaying it somewhat. “Beck was such a mess that in order to take care of her, I had to follow her home and hack into her email and worry about her Facebook and her Twitter and her nonstop texting, all the contradictions, the lies.”

The plot of Hidden Bodies is occasionally preposterous; it sags a little in the middle as Joe’s relationship with Love develops; and Kepnes’s antihero gets away, literally and absurdly easily, with murder. But despite his dark proclivities, Joe is a horribly funny, strangely seductive narrator to spend time with – bitingly intelligent and simultaneously misanthropic and desperate for love.

When he buys “rope and duct tape, plastic bags, cable ties and plastic gloves” for use in a murder, “the girl at the register winked and said she’s also a big fan of Fifty Shades and this is what has become of our society. Fucking and killing are the same damn thing.”

It’s hard not to end up rooting for him.

Hidden Bodies is published by Simon & Schuster (£14.99). Click here to buy it for £11.99

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BOOK REVIEW: Hidden Bodies (You #2) by Caroline Kepnes

Synopsis: THE RIVETING SEQUEL TO THE HIT BOOK YOU, NOW A NETFLIX SERIES “Kepnes hits the mark, cuts deep, and twists the knife.” —Entertainment Weekly “Delicious and insane...The plot may be twisty and scintillating, but its Kepnes’s wit and style that keep you coming back.” —Lena Dunham “Hypnotic and scary.” —Stephen King “Obsessed.” —Jessica Knoll, New York Times bestselling author of Luckiest Girl Alive In the compulsively readable sequel to her widely acclaimed debut novel, You, Caroline Kepnes weaves a tale that Booklist calls “the love child of Holden Caulfield and Patrick Bateman.” Joe Goldberg is no stranger to hiding bodies. In the past ten years, this thirty-something has buried four of them, collateral damage in his quest for love. Now he’s heading west to Los Angeles, the city of second chances, determined to put his past behind him. In Hollywood, Joe blends in effortlessly with the other young upstarts. He eats guac, works in a bookstore, and flirts with a journalist neighbor. But while others seem fixated on their own reflections, Joe can’t stop looking over his shoulder. The problem with hidden bodies is that they don’t always stay that way. They re-emerge, like dark thoughts, multiplying and threatening to destroy what Joe wants most: true love. And when he finds it in a darkened room in Soho House, he’s more desperate than ever to keep his secrets buried. He doesn’t want to hurt his new girlfriend—he wants to be with her forever. But if she ever finds out what he’s done, he may not have a choice…

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Review: Hidden Bodies (#2, YOU) by Caroline Kepnes

My thoughts.

Chilling, charming, fascinating—Kepnes delivers another unputdownable chapter in psychopath Joe Goldberg’s life. An absolute must read.

Related Posts : See more Creeptastic Reads | See more Suspense, Mysteries & Thrillers | 2016 Favorites
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Hidden Bodies marks the return of a voice that Stephen King described as original and hypnotic, and through the divisive and charmingly sociopathic character of Joe Goldberg, Kepnes satirizes and dissects our culture, blending suspense with scathing wit.

Joe Goldberg is no stranger to hiding bodies. In the past ten years, this thirty-something has buried four of them, collateral damage in his quest for love. Now he’s heading west to Los Angeles, the city of second chances, determined to put his past behind him.

In Hollywood, Joe blends in effortlessly with the other young upstarts. He eats guac , works in a bookstore, and flirts with a journalist neighbor. But while others seem fixated on their own reflections, Joe can’t stop looking over his shoulder. The problem with hidden bodies is that they don’t always stay that way. They re-emerge, like dark thoughts, multiplying and threatening to destroy what Joe wants most: truelove. And when he finds it in a darkened room in Soho House, he’s more desperate than ever to keep his secrets buried. He doesn’t want to hurt his new girlfriend—he wants to be with her forever. But if she ever finds out what he’s done, he may not have a choice…

As first appeared on USA Today

With Hidden Bodies , Caroline Kepnes delivers a more riveting, more chilling, more fascinating sophomore novel as our favorite sociopath Joe Goldberg takes on Hollywood. What makes Kepnes’ voice so remarkable is her ability to imbue satirical wit into a narrative that is suspenseful, charming and unexpectedly poetic. This rare combination of elements makes her brand of thrills distinctive and unputdownable.

After learning his lesson with Guinevere Beck, Joe finds himself in love with a woman nothing like the former. Amy Adam loves literature, lives off the grid and boldly grabs life by its reigns. She eats superfruits, doesn’t fight about “stupid shit” and gets Joe in a way no one else has. Certainly not Guinevere Beck. They’re deliriously happy and life is looking up for Joe.

“She kisses my cheek and life is a fever dream and I wonder if I’m in a coma, if all this is a hallucination. Love fucks with your vision and I have no hate in my heart. Amy is taking all of it away, my healer, my Bactine beauty.”

Until they’re not. In a twist of fate, Joe leaves leaves New York behind, trading in the fast bustle of the city for the vapid, nonsensical LA life.

“Making it in Hollywood is the most disgusting phrase in the English language. It’s more disturbing than prolific serial killer and rare terminal illness.”

He’s determined to make his four kills five, but he quickly finds himself unexpectedly entrenched in the glitz of Hollywood’s circus. Joe finds love again with grocery chain heiress and Hollywood socialite, Love Quinn.

Before he knows it, Joe is on fire… drinking champagne, going to Cabo, talking with famous producers, meeting actors and living a wonderful life despite the moments when his mind wanders to the one mug-shaped mistake of his past.

“I captured the flag. I moved to Los Angeles. I found Love; I fell in love. And now this, the hardest thing to do in this world, one of the hardest things, and I’m about to do it. I’m going to make it in Hollywood.”

But Joe being Joe, when complicated gets more complicated and a clingy neighbor, an intrusive ex, a corrupt cop, a Cocaine-snorting brother, and others all threaten his newfound idyllic life, he must remedy the situation the only way he knows how. More bodies hide in Joe’s wake.

And as his body count rises, the past begins to rear it’s intrusive little head and it’s unclear whether Love will trump all or once again leave his heart in ruin. Because in the end, all Joe wants is to be loved, to be a part of something that is wonderful and wholly his.

“The real horror of my life is not that I’ve killed some terrible people. The real horror is that the people I’ve loved didn’t love me back.”

Getting into Joe’s psyche is hypnotic and fascinating, especially as you experience him weaving a dream-like alternate reality for his life. He’s charming and quick-witted and delusional and you can’t help but love him despite his psychopathic tendencies. With her singular style, endearing antihero and captivating social satire, Kepnes will leave you entirely satisfied and ready for more.

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'Hidden Bodies' by Caroline Kepnes: EW review

Anthony is a Senior Writer for EW.

There’s something deeply insidious about the storytelling of Caroline Kepnes. Her novels are simultaneously so funny and so twisted that they coil down into the mud at the bottom of our brains and unsettle every selfish, creepy, and chaotic impulse. She makes it feel good to be so bad. And with Hidden Bodies (on shelves today), her second book about the delightfully manipulative sociopath Joe Goldberg, Kepnes once again puts us on the side of the bad guy.

She introduced us to this murderous anti-hero in the 2014 thriller, You , which took the innovative approach of unfolding its stalker tale in the second person. Charismatic Joe narrated his predatory obsession with Guinevere Beck, a young New York woman, directly to her – to us – in a way that made the reader feel both powerful and helpless. We were in his head, but trapped in her body, like a hostage tied to a chair listening to their captor’s triumphant monologue. Joe’s a sick puppy, but he’s also funny as hell, and its easy to get an icy thrill from his savage deeds while still squirming with the kind of guilt that never once crosses his mind.

In the sequel Hidden Bodies , Kepnes, a former EW writer, trades in the second-person narration for more conventional first-person approach. We’re still floating along in Joe’s pitch-black stream of consciousness, but we’re no longer the object of his affection/derision. This time, Kepnes sends her romance-obsessed serial killer on a mission of revenge to Los Angeles, where his excessive narcissism allows him to fit right in among the Hollywood grotesques.

When you love yourself as much as Joe does, the rest of the world can’t help but seem horrific and ugly by comparison. He’s such a prima donna, so self-pitying and vainglorious, that nearly every situation that doesn’t immediately flatter him invites his rage instead. And if he happens to be embarrassed or rejected … well, to quote the Eagles: “somebody’s gonna hurt someone before the night is through.” But Joe doesn’t savor death. Although he could hold his own at a cocktail party alongside Hannibal Lecter, Patrick Bateman, and Frank Cauldhame, he’s not bloodthirsty. Murder isn’t his raison d’etre , it’s just a regrettable but necessary form of justice that he knows the rest of the world is too craven to dispense.

In You he was a lovesick psychopath, driven to vile crimes by runaway emotion. In Hidden Bodies , Joe has matured. This clean cut young man now fancies himself an avenging angel, ridding the world of human debris, although his extreme punishments are doled out over slights like insults and jealousies. He’s like a small claims court judge who can dole out capital punishment.

Most of all, Joe wants you, the reader, to know – it’s hard having these high standards. And sure, everybody hurts, but nowhere near as much as he does. “Los Angeles is full of places to hide a body,” he informs us early in the book. “But when the person inside the body doesn’t love you, it’s not an easy thing, turning that breathing person into a dead one.”

After he meets and swoons for a dilettantish producer/actress/writer/trust-fund-baby named Love, first we worry for her safety, then we worry Joe may have uncovered someone just as sinister as he is. Or is she merely fatally oblivious? As Joe’s Hollywood status rises along with the stack of corpses, Kepnes makes us yearn for the collapse even as we delight in Joe’s dirty deeds the way a dieter savors the sight of someone devouring jelly donuts.

Occasionally, Joe is a little too lucky, or a character’s reaction to his suspicious activities is a far more trusting – or forgiving – than we can accept. Every now and then, a plot point in Hidden Bodies defies belief. But then, I thought of every deranged killer who is finally caught, only to have the people in his life appear on the news and describe their shock, SHOCK that such a mild-mannered fellow could do such heinous things — even as they look back and see the warning signs in retrospect.

The truth is, instead of clearly detecting the intentions of other people, even the worst in our lives, we imagine our own morals and thoughts are shared by them. These justifications are like little movies we project on the people around us. We can all be narcissists who see the rest of the world as a reflection of ourselves. Every so often, we encounter someone who disguises true cruelty in this mirage.

As realistic thriller, Hidden Bodies sometimes makes us say, “Nah, no, not possible.” But maybe that’s just to make ourselves feel better. As satire of a self-absorbed society, Kepnes hits the mark, cuts deep, and twists the knife. A-

HIDDEN BODIES

Hidden Bodies marks the return of a voice that Stephen King described as original and hypnotic, and through the divisive and charmingly sociopathic character of Joe Goldberg, Kepnes satirizes and dissects our culture, blending suspense with scathing wit.

In the compulsively readable follow-up to her widely acclaimed debut novel, You , Caroline Kepnes weaves a tale that Booklist calls “the love child of Holden Caulfield and Patrick Bateman.”

In Hollywood, Joe blends in effortlessly with the other young upstarts. He eats guac, works in a bookstore, and flirts with a journalist neighbor. But while others seem fixated on their own reflections, Joe can’t stop looking over his shoulder. The problem with hidden bodies is that they don’t always stay that way. They re-emerge, like dark thoughts, multiplying and threatening to destroy what Joe wants most: true love. And when he finds it in a darkened room in Soho House, he’s more desperate than ever to keep his secrets buried. He doesn’t want to hurt his new girlfriend—he wants to be with her forever. But if she ever finds out what he’s done, he may not have a choice…

praise for Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes

“It is just as delicious and insane as its predecessor. I love this woman’s mind, and hate that fact that she’s made me fall in some sick kind of love with a very bad boy protagonist… The plot may be twisty and scintillating, but its Kepnes’ wit and style that keep you coming back.”

-Lena Dunham

“There’s something deeply insidious about the storytelling of Caroline Kepnes. As satire of a self-absorbed society, Kepnes hits the mark, cuts deep, and twists the knife.”

– Entertainment Weekly

“’Hidden Bodies’ is ambitious in all the right ways, and solidifies Caroline Kepnes’ place as one of the most unique and undeniable voices of her generation. Fans of “You” will not be disappointed.”

– Examiner

“With its scathing social satire and loathsome yet strangely charming leading man, Kepnes’ sophomore effort is well worth the read.”

– Kirkus ( read full review )

“The story reads like the love child of Holden Caulfield and Patrick Bateman but without the gore and misogyny, which means nothing stands in the way of the reader enjoying Joe’s cynical, murderous charm. Though it is a sequel to You (2014), Hidden Bodies may be even better on its own.”

– Booklist

“His running commentary on life in L.A. brings to mind the American Psycho narrator’s cynical views, and Joe’s twisted attempts at relationships will appeal to fans of Dexter.”

– Library Journal

“Caroline Kepnes’ Hidden Bodies is completely badass. As a follow-up to the smash hit You, which was praised by Stephen King and Lena Dunham, Kepnes slays the page and our souls with this creepy thrill ride. The book isn’t just for women, but for every suspense junkie who enjoys sharp wit and fun.”

– San Francisco Book Review

“Caroline Kepnes’ You was the thriller of the summer last year. Now, Kepnes is back with another terrifyingly seductive page-turner for your spring break travels. The worryingly likable Joe Goldberg is on a quest for love, and nothing’s going to stand in his way — even if it means murder.”

– Bustle

“The next Gone Girl is a title that’s been tossed around considerably in literary circles, but Kepnes’ sophomore effort is worthy of the comparison.”

– In Style

“Joe undergoes a surprising personal transformation, and remarkably, the author convinces the reader to empathize with her killer protagonist.”

– Publishers Weekly ( read full review )

“Kepnes succeeds in convincing us to root for her insanely narcissistic yet strangely charming protagonist, and she is magnificent at satirising the collection of vacuous Hollywood wannabes that he encounters. ”

– The Guardian ( read full review )

“Darkly Glittering…Totally Addictive.”

– Erin Kelly, author of The Poison Tree

“You will need this book. Caroline Kepnes just became my new favorite writer.”

– Colleen Hoover, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author

“Everyone’s favorite miscreant is back! Join Joe as he heads off on another adventure in search of revenge and love in this clever, canny and creepy tale that’s every bit as delectable as YOU. Caroline Kepnes is my latest obsession.”

– Mary Kubica, New York Times Bestselling Author

“The follow up to the bestselling You… this is every bit as creepily compulsive…Both funny and terrifying in equal measure, don’t miss this when it’s published 14 January. And if you’ve not already read You, get hold of both pronto!”

– Closer UK

“Has there ever been a more seductive psychopath?”

– Woman & Home UK

“If you haven’t had the good fortune to read 2015’s sinister thriller, You by Kepnes, then we recommend you do so now and then follow it up with this equally compelling sequel. Like Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr Ripley before him, the novel’s anti-hero Joe Goldberg is in equal measures terrifying and brilliant…A proper rollercoaster of dark entertainment, Kepnes is a name to know and watch. We’d like to see Hidden Bodies in film form starring Ryan Gosling, please.”

– Stylist UK

“The author’s challenge is to make this smart psychopath utterly disarming and even more so than in her first novel, Caroline Kepnes achieves this brilliantly…in this clever, fast-paced thriller.”

– Daily Express UK

“Fifteen months ago, Kepnes published her first thriller, You, a debut so impressive that I suggested: ‘If you read only one thriller in 2015, make it this one.’ This sequel more than lives up to that and, even more excitingly, it extends the extraordinary story of the foul-mouthed, amoral, hyper-randy and intensely creepy bookstore assistant Joe Goldberg, who was the focus of the first book…The nihilism of Los Angeles and the world of movies and music is superbly evoked…But it is the character of the rampant Goldberg that casts a distinctive spell. There are hints of the great Patricia Highsmith in Kepnes’s story-telling and, like her, she never allows the tension to sag. Second thrillers are tricky to pull off, but this proves they can be done brilliantly.”

– Daily Mail UK

International editions.

Canada Indigo , AMAZON

Australia, Paperback Simon & Schusters

german edition EGMONT INK

SWEDEN FORUM

Czech-Republic Domino

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Hidden Bodies (Kepnes)

Hidden Bodies Caroline Kepnes, 2016 Atria Books 448 pp. ISBN-13: 9781476785622 Summary In the compulsively readable follow-up to her widely acclaimed debut novel, You , Caroline Kepnes weaves a tale that Booklist calls “the love child of Holden Caulfield and Patrick Bateman.” Hidden Bodies marks the return of a voice that Stephen King described as original and hypnotic, and through the divisive and charmingly sociopathic character of Joe Goldberg, Kepnes satirizes and dissects our culture, blending suspense with scathing wit. Joe Goldberg is no stranger to hiding bodies. In the past ten years, this thirty-something has buried four of them, collateral damage in his quest for love. Now he’s heading west to Los Angeles, the city of second chances, determined to put his past behind him. In Hollywood, Joe blends in effortlessly with the other young upstarts. He eats guac, works in a bookstore, and flirts with a journalist neighbor. But while others seem fixated on their own reflections, Joe can’t stop looking over his shoulder. The problem with hidden bodies is that they don’t always stay that way. They re-emerge, like dark thoughts, multiplying and threatening to destroy what Joe wants most: truelove. And when he finds it in a darkened room in Soho House, he’s more desperate than ever to keep his secrets buried. He doesn’t want to hurt his new girlfriend—he wants to be with her forever. But if she ever finds out what he’s done, he may not have a choice ( From the publisher .)

Author Bio • Birth—ca. 1977 • Where—Hyannis, Massachusetts, USA • Education—B.A., Brown University • Currently—lives in Los Angeles Caroline Kepnes is a native of Cape Cod and the author of many published short stories. After graduating from Brown University, Caroline moved to New York where she covered pop culture for Entertainment Weekly and Tiger Beat . She also worked as a staff writer on the first season of ABC Family's The Secret Life of the American Teenager . Caroline’s second novel, Hidden Bodies , is the follow-up to her debut novel, You , which was optioned by Showtime. Caroline now lives in Los Angeles, where she writes fiction, drinks artificially sweetened caffeinated beverages, and avoids freeways. ( From the publisher .) Visit the author's website. Follow Caroline on Facebook.

Book Reviews With Hidden Bodies , Caroline Kepnes delivers a more riveting, more chilling, more fascinating sophomore novel as our favorite sociopath Joe Goldberg takes on Hollywood… suspenseful, charming and unexpectedly poetic…With her singular style, endearing antihero and captivating social satire, Kepnes will leave you entirely satisfied and ready for more. USA Today Kepnes succeeds in convincing us to root for her insanely narcissistic yet strangely charming protagonist, and she is magnificent at satirising the collection of vacuous Hollywood wannabes that he encounters. Guardian ( UK ) Fifteen months ago, Kepnes published her first thriller, You , a debut so impressive that I suggested: "If you read only one thriller in 2015, make it this one." This sequel more than lives up to that and, even more excitingly, it extends the extraordinary story of the foul-mouthed, amoral, hyper-randy and intensely creepy bookstore assistant Joe Goldberg, who was the focus of the first book…. The nihilism of Los Angeles and the world of movies and music is superbly evoked…. But it is the character of the rampant Goldberg that casts a distinctive spell. There are hints of the great Patricia Highsmith in Kepnes’s story-telling and, like her, she never allows the tension to sag. Second thrillers are tricky to pull off, but this proves they can be done brilliantly. Daily Mail ( UK ) There’s something deeply insidious about the storytelling of Caroline Kepnes. As satire of a self-absorbed society, Kepnes hits the mark, cuts deep, and twists the knife. Entertainment Weekly Joe Goldberg, the narrator of Kepnes’s dark, quirky sequel to 2014’s You , is a serial killer who otherwise leads a normal life.... [In this second novel, he] undergoes a surprising personal transformation, and remarkably, the author convinces the reader to empathize with her killer protagonist. Publishers Weekly Kepnes received strong reviews when she debuted last year with You , featuring creepy antihero Joe Goldberg, dangerously obsessed with a woman who bought a book at the East Village bookstore where he works. In this sequel, Joe become equally obsessed with new bookstore employee Amy Adam. Library Journal The story reads like the love child of Holden Caulfield and Patrick Bateman but without the gore and misogyny, which means nothing stands in the way of the reader enjoying Joe’s cynical, murderous charm. Though it is a sequel to You (2014), Hidden Bodies may be even better on its own. Booklist Kepnes expertly tosses up roadblocks to keep her murderous antihero busy and the reader constantly guessing.... With its scathing social satire and loathsome yet strangely charming leading man, Kepnes' sophomore effort is well worth the read. Kirkus Reviews

Discussion Questions Use our LitLovers Book Club Resources; they can help with discussions for any book: • How to Discuss a Book (helpful discussion tips) • Generic Discussion Questions—Fiction and Nonfiction • Read-Think-Talk (a guided reading chart)

( We'll add specific questions if and when they're made available by the publisher. In the meantime, use our generic mystery questions. )

GENERIC DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Mystery / Crime / Suspense Thrillers

1. Talk about the characters , both good and bad. Describe their personalities and motivations. Are they fully developed and emotionally complex? Or are they flat, one-dimensional heroes and villains? 2. What do you know...and when do you know it? At what point in the book do you begin to piece together what happened? 3. Good crime writers embed hidden clues in plain sight, slipping them in casually, almost in passing. Did you pick them out, or were you...clueless? Once you've finished the book, go back to locate the clues hidden in plain sight. How skillful was the author in burying them? 4. Good crime writers also tease us with red-herrings —false clues—to purposely lead readers astray? Does your author try to throw you off track? If so, were you tripped up? 5. Talk about the twists & turns —those surprising plot developments that throw everything you think you've figured out into disarray.

Do they enhance the story, add complexity, and build suspense?
Are they plausible or implausible?
Do they feel forced and gratuitous—inserted merely to extend the story?

6. Does the author ratchet up the suspense ? Did you find yourself anxious—quickly turning pages to learn what happened? A what point does the suspense start to build? Where does it climax...then perhaps start rising again? 7. A good ending is essential in any mystery or crime thriller: it should ease up on tension, answer questions, and tidy up loose ends. Does the ending accomplish those goals?

Is the conclusion probable or believable?
Is it organic, growing out of clues previously laid out by the author ( see Question 3 )?
Or does the ending come out of the blue, feeling forced or tacked-on?
Perhaps it's too predictable.
Can you envision a different or better ending?

8. Are there certain passages in the book—ideas, descriptions, or dialogue—that you found interesting or revealing...or that somehow struck you? What lines, if any, made you stop and think? 9. Overall, does the book satisfy ? Does it live up to the standards of a good crime story or suspense thriller? Why or why not? ( Generic Mystery Questions by LitLovers. Please feel free to use them, online or off, with attribution. Thanks .) top of page (summary)

Hidden Bodies

67 pages • 2 hours read

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Summary and Study Guide

Hidden Bodies is a 2016 thriller by author Caroline Kepnes. Lauded by acclaimed horror writer Stephen King and Entertainment Weekly, Hidden Bodies is the second book in the You series, which is preceded by the novel You. The You series has been adapted into a popular Netflix series that follows the books’ major beats but varies in some of the details.

Hidden Bodies is a thriller but also serves as a satirical look at the nature of fame, social media, emotional unavailability, love , and codependence.

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Content Warning: This novel depicts intimate partner violence and emotional abuse, substance use disorder, and mentions suicide.

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Joe Goldberg is the novel’s protagonist and a serial killer living in New York City. He is in what he assumes is a happy relationship with a woman named Amy Adam . Joe’s infatuation with Amy allows him to move past his failed relationship with Guinevere Beck—a woman he killed in the previous novel in the series. Soon, Amy proves to be a manipulative thief. Amy understands Joe’s infatuation with her and uses it against him. She steals from Joe after breaking into the basement at Mr. Mooney’s bookstore, where Joe works. When he finds that Amy left the East Coast for Hollywood, Joe quits his job and goes to LA to find and kill her. After he arrives, he joins Facebook and Twitter and begins hunting her. Simultaneously, he meets Delilah, a fame-obsessed woman who lives in the apartment complex Joe moves into. Joe sleeps with Delilah occasionally but primarily uses her to make connections in the community.

Delilah connects Joe to a celebrity named Henderson; he is the host of a popular web show called F@ck Narcissism. At a party at Henderson’s mansion, Henderson does a comedic bit about his girlfriend named Amy, who constantly mocked her ex-boyfriend’s lack of sexual talents. Joe realizes Henderson must be dating Amy, so he kills Henderson for indirectly mocking him, even though Henderson admits that he tied to date Amy, but she rejected him. Joe makes Henderson’s death look like a suicide.

Joe eventually finds Amy when she tries to sell a rare book— Portnoy’s Complaint, one of Joe’s favorite novels—at the store where he works. She recognizes him and vanishes before he can confront her. During this period, he meets Love Quinn , a producer who is the wealthy daughter of Lottie and Ray Quinn, the magnates who created The Pantry chain of grocery stores. Love and Joe soon fall in love, but their relationship is complicated by her twin brother, Forty, an erratic, self-loathing person with a substance use disorder.

At a family dinner, Joe meets a man named Milo, who shares a past with Love. Milo sells a movie script and casts himself and Love as the romantic leads. After, Love treats Joe differently, showing Milo preferential treatment at Henderson’s memorial. Despite his misgivings, Joe goes to Palm Springs with them to be on set during the shoot. He becomes increasingly agitated by the affection Milo shows to Love and at the amount of kissing scenes Milo writes into the movie. Eventually, Love chooses to be with Joe instead of participating in an explicitly sexual scene in Milo’s movie.

After shooting wraps, a police officer named Robin Fincher appears. Earlier in the novel, Fincher gives Joe a ticket for jaywalking. Wary of Fincher’s interest in him, Joe lures him to Mexico, where the Quinns are holding a party to celebrate the conclusion of filming. Joe traps Fincher in a glass-walled panic room in a house that is under construction and owned by Axl Rose. After accusing him of stalking celebrities, Joe watches Fincher throw himself against the wall of the panic room with such force that the impact kills him. Joe buries him under a cactus in the front yard. Back in California, Joe and Forty begin writing scripts together, although Joe does the vast majority of the work. Forty sells two of the scripts but refuses to give Joe a writing credit. Joe pursues Forty to Las Vegas after he disappears on a bender. Joe tells Love that he is going to find her brother for her, but he plans to kill Forty when he finds him. Joe drugs Forty and holds him underwater at a spring, believing he has killed Forty. Next, Joe goes to Little Compton to get a mug—the last piece of evidence in a house where he killed a key character in the previous novel.

Love surprises Joe at a hotel while he is trying to figure out how to infiltrate the home where he left the mug. Joe tells Love the truth about himself. She locks him in a bathroom while she retrieves the mug, although he thinks she is locking him in to call the police. Love forgives Joe because she does not believe that hating anyone is ever justified. She tells him that Forty has always been an outsider. He killed the family’s puppy because it loved her more than him, and she has always blamed people for not loving Forty more. After the confession, Joe and Love expect to have a happy future together, particularly when she reveals that she is pregnant.

Forty resurfaces. Joe’s attempt to murder him failed. Forty blackmails Joe into writing for him, but the coercion ends soon when Forty dies after being hit by a tourist’s car while jaywalking. Joe writes a moving eulogy for Forty and delivers it at his funeral, which grants him the approval of Reese Witherspoon, Susan Sarandon, and other celebrities. Joe encounters Amy Adam on a beach and decides to spare her life, rather than risk the potential consequences of killing her.

Shortly after, Joe proposes to Love in a Taco Bell, where police arrest him for a murder committed in the previous novel. However, Joe and Love have kept their stories straight, and he does not think the police will have enough evidence to convict him. He considers himself a retired killer and looks forward to life with Love and his child.

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Sometimes You Don’t Have to Write a Sequel

Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes

March 8, 2019 by Classic Leave a Comment

Woo boy. The sequel to “You” was just flat out terrible. I read it immediately after finishing “You” and was disappointed. Kepnes decides to not have Joe tell his story directly to his love interest in this one. Also we ended up with Joe kind of all over the place. It seems like he is in love one minute and then ready to toss it all away the next. This isn’t the same Joe who couldn’t bear to be away from Beck for even more than a second. This Joe seems to be mimicking the guy in the last book. Also Kepnes weirdly throws Joe in a Hollywood setting and meeting famous people and I just lost all interest after a while. Eventually Kepnes remembers the first book and that pushes in here and there, but we don’t get back to the events in “You” until really the end of the book. I also didn’t like the love interest in this book (Love) because she didn’t seem real at all. Maybe that’s what Kepnes was going for, but I thought she was delusional as anything. The only person that seemed to have any sense and saw Joe for what he was, was Amy.

“Hidden Bodies” picks up almost a year after the events in “You.” Joe is happy and in love again. He has met someone new, Amy, who is just as crazy about Joe as he is with her. They work in the bookstore together and even though Joe isn’t a fan of Amy’s grooming habits he is happy and in love.

Quick aside #1 the Joe we met in “You” would never have put up with Amy’s grooming habits. He would have either made her change or talked about it enough to make her do something about it. This was one of the instances while reading that I felt like Kepnes had switched around Joe’s character.

After a quick getaway back to one of Joe’s crime scenes, Joe is shocked to realize that Amy has been playing him for a long time and managed to get away from him to become an actress in Hollywood.

Quick aside #2, so Kepnes tries to explain this away by the fact that Amy is totally off the grid and Joe can’t snoop on her the way he wants to. He does still get into her phone, but doesn’t see anything there that alarms him. Frankly there are red flags galore around Amy and Joe isn’t a stupid person (recall how he sussed out Dr. Nick) so him being shocked by the fact that Amy was planning on ripping off the store and getting away from him didn’t seem realistic to me.

Joe realizes that he needs to get away from New York, follow Amy, and kill her. Yup, the same guy who was in love with her a minute ago is now just straight up going to kill her.

Quick aside #3, it would have made more sense for Joe to want to track Amy down to make her love him again or work on things, etc. because once again, see You book #1 and the events with Beck.

Joe is not in top form in this one to me and is written so inconsistently. He makes assumptions about mostly everyone he meets and most if not all, are incorrect. He is also weirdly obsessed with getting a blow job every five seconds. I found “You” to be in your face about sex, masturbation, and how much Joe loved sleeping with Beck. But in this one he seems like an oversexed frat boy. And when Joe finds another love in this one (via a character named Love that made me hard cringe) it didn’t feel the same. He seemed ready to give up any time the road got tough with her. When once again, this is the same guy who straight up murders someone because he thinks the guy was making fun of him via his ex girlfriend.

The secondary characters in this one don’t breathe for me as a reader like Beck did to me. Love was insipid and one wonders why she would even look twice at Joe considering the other men she was with prior him. Joe’s next door neighbor seemed sad and once again we don’t find out much about her except Joe hates her because she’s needy. In fact, in this one it seems like all of the women are needy harpies that just need to be told what to do via Joe and have hot sex with him. There’s seriously a scene where Love tells Joe she doesn’t like to have oral sex and Joe is upset about it and my brain just tried to run away from me.

Love’s family seemed one dimensional and even her twin brother Forty (why God, why?) just seemed like a rich boy stereotype. Kepnes was going in a different direction slightly with Forty and Joe and then she punted things and I thought that would have worked better than what we ended up getting in the end.

The writing wasn’t as engrossing in this one. I found myself getting bored reading about Joe following around his rich girlfriend and her family. It didn’t seem to matter and his contempt for Beck and Amy throughout this book didn’t ring true. Switching up the narration from Joe talking to Beck (the object of his obsession) to Joe just talking about random things and how much he hated and wanted to kill everyone he met was just boring. The flow wasn’t good either. I think I fell asleep a few times here and there and finally at one point started to skim because I just wanted to get the book over with.

The setting change to California actually wasn’t a good idea. I don’t know, it didn’t seem real and Kepnes name dropping real celebrities after a while turned me off. Everyone in Hollywood is fake but Joe. Yes, murderous Joe is the only real person there.

The ending was so weak. We don’t know what future is ahead for Joe, but Joe sees his life as pretty perfect and one wonders if he isn’t right.

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How did that book end? Book spoilers to jog your memory.

Caroline Kepnes | Hidden Bodies | Ten-Second Spoilers

In the compulsively readable sequel to her widely acclaimed debut novel, You, Caroline Kepnes weaves a tale that Booklist calls “the love child of Holden Caulfield and Patrick Bateman.”

In Hollywood, Joe blends in effortlessly with the other young upstarts. He eats guac, works in a bookstore, and flirts with a journalist neighbor. But while others seem fixated on their own reflections, Joe can’t stop looking over his shoulder. The problem with hidden bodies is that they don’t always stay that way. They re-emerge, like dark thoughts, multiplying and threatening to destroy what Joe wants most: true love. And when he finds it in a darkened room in Soho House, he’s more desperate than ever to keep his secrets buried. He doesn’t want to hurt his new girlfriend—he wants to be with her forever. But if she ever finds out what he’s done, he may not have a choice…

Hidden Bodies Spoilers:

This is the second You novel. At the end of the first book, Amy Adam walked into the bookstore after Joe had killed Beck. It was not Candace like in the TV show. He falls for her, she steals from the shop and runs away to LA, and he goes after her to try to kill her. Like in the show, he meets Love in LA and forgets about Amy. He killed Delilah and Fincher. Forty stole his writing so Joe tried to kill him too.

Joe went back to Rhode Island to find the mug of pee he left in Peach’s house. Love tracked him there and he confessed everything to her. Forty turned up alive and blackmailed Joe into writing more for him.

Love is pregnant. Joe goes to jail for Fincher’s murder but Love supports him and will likely use her family’s money to get him out.

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Book Review of Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes

Hidden Bodies, by Caroline Kepnes, is the thrilling sequel to the murder mystery, You. A former hater of all things social media, main character Joe Goldberg divulges into the world of technology as he stalks his ex-girlfriend all the way across the country. Set in Los Angeles, California, Joe attempts to leave his murderous past behind on a hunt to find his true love, Amy. This novel highlights the dangers of social media and the dark side of human nature.

Joe has had his fair share of hidden bodies, murdering and hiding anyone that got in the way of him being with his original girlfriend, Guinevere Beck. After Beck betrays him, Joe makes the decision to murder her since she stripped away all his happiness. He gets away with all his crimes after framing his therapist. Then, he meets Amy Adams. Joe is finally happy and begins to drift away from his old ways until she robs him. She disappears to the Hollywood lifestyle and Joe follows her. Using the social media he once hated, Joe stalks her to a small part of LA. Suddenly, Amy can no longer be found in the digital world After many unsuccessful attempts at finding Amy in person, Joe gives up. He meets a woman named Love and continues to murder those that stand in their way. The story concludes as it began, Goldberg going back to his dark past.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The story captivates readers into wanting to find out what happens next with many plot twists and unexpected scenes. I strongly recommend this read to teens who enjoyed the Netflix series or those that enjoy modern murder mysteries. It teaches the dangers of social media and how vulnerable a person can be when everything about them is public online. Also, it shows how being in love can affect someone and cause them to do things they might not have done before. It interested me that the author also makes you sympathize with the main character even though he is a murderer. The characterization and personality of Joe also reminded me of an older Holden Caulfield. Both characters, intelligent and sensitive, find the ugliness of the world almost unbearable but are superficial and ugly themselves.

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Book review: Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes

You , a debut novel by Caroline Kepnes made my top eight books of 2014 , but I didn’t love it as much as some. I certainly enjoyed it and a book written from the viewpoint of an almost-sympathetic psychopath really offered something very different.

Kepnes reintroduces us to Joe – the psychopathic bookseller – in her second novel, Hidden Bodies .

Book review: Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes

Joe Goldberg is no stranger to hiding bodies. In the past ten years, this thirty-something has buried four of them, collateral damage in his quest for love. Now he’s heading west to Los Angeles, the city of second chances, determined to put his past behind him. In Hollywood, Joe blends in effortlessly with the other young upstarts. He eats guac, works in a bookstore, and flirts with a journalist neighbor. But while others seem fixated on their own reflections, Joe can’t stop looking over his shoulder. The problem with hidden bodies is that they don’t always stay that way. They re-emerge, like dark thoughts, multiplying and threatening to destroy what Joe wants most: true love. And when he finds it in a darkened room in Soho House, he’s more desperate than ever to keep his secrets buried. He doesn’t want to hurt his new girlfriend—he wants to be with her forever. But if she ever finds out what he’s done, he may not have a choice...

Nearly six months have passed since the concluding events of You and when we meet Joe he is smitten with his new love. Amy Adam. However… Amy’s not quite the person Joe thinks and even HIS (somewhat screwy) sensibilities are offended by some of her antics.

Joe obviously has a type. He would say quirky; we would say seriously-fucked-up. Whether he’s drawn to them or them to him, I’m no longer sure.

We (along with Joe) are alerted to Amy’s duplicity quite early in novel and it almost seems as if Joe’s torn between being kinda impressed someone could ‘play’ the ultimate ‘player’; and needing revenge on the woman who toyed with his affections.

He tosses in his job and tracks Amy to Hollywood where he comes across an interesting array of locals.

We didn’t see Joe socialise much with anyone outside of his beloved Beck, in You , so it’s enlightening to see how he interacts with those around him.

We’ve all seen neighbours on the news comment on their surprise that they’ve lived next to a serial killer… ‘They seemed so normal,” they say. Joe’s a bit off but I’m not sure customers and friends would suspect he’s responsible for the deaths of several women, and random other peeps who’ve gotten in his way.

Again it’s hard not to identify with Joe – despite his proclivities. We’re in his head and the book’s told in first person from his point of view. He’s again witty and intelligent, so… frustratingly engaging.

After his arrival in LA, Joe’s sidetracked by the wealthy and eccentric ‘Love’ and her brother ‘Forty’; and suddenly he’s hanging with celebrities and traveling by private jet. Every so often, between partying and the occasional ‘compulsory’ kill, he stops to ponder on his good fortune – concerned his past will catch up with him.

I eked this book out for WAY longer than I thought possible. And in retrospect I realise it’s because I was disappointed and struggled to get into it as much as I expected I would.

Joe’s great and (again) well-written. Indeed, I (again) found the prose compelling and clever – though it’s fairly explicit at times. The support cast are sufficiently fucked-up, that we don’t worry too much when Joe feels compelled to assist them into their next life.

However… the plot felt a little ‘all over the place’. It wasn’t evenly paced and it’s almost as if Kepnes couldn’t decide (herself) where the book (and Joe) were heading. The ending felt very rushed and came (a little) from left field.

So, I was ultimately a tad disappointed. It won’t keep me from reading more however – if there are future instalments – because I have a soft spot for Joe.

Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes was published in Australia by Simon & Schuster. (I’m not actually sure when this was / is to be released as the electronic copy I have says May 2016 – so previously held off on reading and reviewing – but it’s already out elsewhere!)

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley from the publisher for review purposes.

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Sorry to hear the plot wasn’t that good but I think it is fascinating when you find characters to which you should NOT related but you can’t help it. Why writers write such good characters??? 🙂 They always make me think… why do I like this crazy??? what is wrong with me? Great review Debbie 🙂

In my review of You, I go on and on about how witty both Joe (and Beck) are and I felt quite envious. I didn’t go into detail but in this novel Joe ‘falls’ into some screenwriting and is – from all accounts – very good at it. I’m not surprised given his love of words and reading and clever mind!

What a shame it wasn’t as good as the previous book. For a serial killer he seems dare I say likeable! Thanks for sharing!

He is. It’s a good series Heather… I’m assuming there’ll be more.

I imagine it takes great skill to get your reader to like a character who’s a serial killer. Sounds interesting Deb.

You’d probably enjoy ‘You’ Michelle. I did – very much so – but it became the fast favourite of many who read it. It’s very clever and Kepnes writes very well.

I was wondering if Joe actually does confess to Love in the hotel room? She takes it so well. It seems quite unbelievable. The whole time I was asking myself whether this was a dream or really happening to Joe because he seems really disconnected from reality a lot and the way he never gets caught doing anything bad is remarkable (until the very end, of course). I’d love to hear other people’s perspectives/point of views because everything is from his point of view, for obvious reasons. Do people REALLY not have a clue until he gets arrested? It seems Amy (at the very end) is the only one who reveals what Joe was like/an outsider connection.

I must admit I can’t remember the detail of this now but recall I was disappointed in it and that he really did seem to spiral in this book!

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Hi, I’m Deborah… a seachanger living on Australia’s Fraser Coast, in Queensland. I write about books and life in general.

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Maryse's Book Blog

Following my heart, one book at a time...

Book Review – Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes

January 6, 2017 By Maryse 12 Comments

Hidden Bodies: A Novel

Before we start, if you haven’t read the first book “ You: A Novel ” skip this review and jump INTO that book ASAP (if you enjoy a subdued-creepy stalker story where he actually gets the girl… but you know. He’s crazy… so… other things). 😉

And let me tell you about “ You ” <– When I read it, I was more into “dark-romance” reads, and this one, while it IS a “love story”, well… it didn’t get me in the romance-feels, ya know? SO while I enjoyed the creep-factor, and dreaded where it could possible go (and I love dreading stuff… in books!! Always and only in books), I just didn’t find myself connecting at all to Joe. The “Hero” (actually… the ANTI-HERO, and that’s being conservative). 😉 So I liked it. But I didn’t LOVE it. But I kinda did love it, because I GET it, now. And I love it. Here’s that review .

In fact, that book just STAYED with me. Every detail, his thought processes, his need for love and affection, and his hipster-safe “feel’ (but his psychopathic ways), hooked me for the long haul. Because 2 years later, now that I’m TOTALLY into psych-thriller stories that aren’t necessarily “romance-centric”, I HAD to up my rating for it. This is one of the rare books that I never have to backtrack over my review, or skim it, to remember it. The title alone evokes all sorts of memories, and personal reactions, and I have a certain, strange fondness for it as a whole. In fact, I was craving more.

But I digress. This one ended up being just what I was in the mood for, continuing my marathon-stalkerfest and Joe is KING of all stalker-freaks, just looking for love. Er… and doling out justice where HE thinks it’s warranted. ‘Cause, you know. His extreme intelligence, his extreme care and affection for some in his life (especially the downtrodden)…

An old woman pushing a walker looks up at me. I smile. She points at the violets. “You’re a good boy.” I am. I thank her and keep walking.

…his talent for many things, and handsomeness fools just about… everybody. Delusions of grandeur. The need for what he considers “justice”. And he believes he knows better than everybody.

Except often he doesn’t know better. And he’s been (and continues to be) fooled and shamed by his own trust and need to be a part of something. A part of somebody. His need for just being … battles with his need for not.

I might become so happy that that I wouldn’t be me anymore.

THAT right there… sums up so much.

And so he must rid the world of this scourge.

A fat kid on the first floor asks me where I’m going. “California,” I say. “Why?” he asks. “To make the world a better place,” I answer. I give the kid some books, none of them rare, all of them important. The kid is grateful. and I’m noble and it’s true. I am going to make the world a better place.

But not everybody is scourge to him, although at times it comes close, so this one will keep you guessing, and biting your nails right to the very end. It’s different ’cause it’s subdued, and not so in-your-face-scary. But it still manages to creep you out like no other. Because who knows if we have a “Joe” in our own entourage? Our very best friend? Our latest business partner? Our newest crush? Or the love of our life? What if? Right ? And this one presents that exact possibility, through HIS POV.

And this, this is why you have to kill people. If you don’t, they don’t learn anything. They just reemerge, more muscled, more manipulative, more hell-bent on taking you down…

So this one? It continues exactly where book #1 left off, and now? Yes. Like I mentioned earlier (in another post), I’m wickedly (and not in a good way ’cause some are crazy!!!!) attached to the characters. Specifically, the one and only psycho… Joe.

We are happy. We don’t need you, any of you. We don’t give a f**k about you, what you think of us, what you did to us. I am the driver and Amy is the dream girl and the is our first vacation together. Finally. I have love.

Because it always stems from that, doesn’t it?

Is it weird that I almost felt like I was rooting for the bad guy? That I could be so worried for him (or maybe I was just stressing WITH him), so often???

I forgot to take the mug. That f**king mug haunts me. I understand that there are consequences. I am not unique; to be alive is to have a mug of urine out there. But I can’t forgive myself for screwing up, like some girl “forgetting” a cardigan after a one-night stand. The mig is an aberration. A flaw. Proof that I’m not perfect, even though I’m usually so precise, so thorough.

‘Cause while he’s absolutely out of his mind, and a scary psycho that you never want to cross, or even have in your life, he has his insecurities. And logic. Or at least, his “human” side developed a whole lot more in this one. Oh don’t get me wrong. In a way, it’s even more unbalanced than the first, but it’s almost like he becomes a vigilante of sorts. It’s just that… his targets (while many are deplorable in their own right), don’t necessarily deserve the wrath he dishes out.

But I’m stopping there. There is a TON of story here. Getting to know him. Getting to know those he hates. Getting to know those he loves. And some of them are one and the same. But this one made Joe real to me, and had me FINALLY connecting with him.

And that says a LOT for an author, that has her readers connecting to a serial killer. Just sayin’ 😉 You don’t always agree (actually, let’s just pretend we NEVER agree), but we still can’t help but devour his life, as he devours others.

4.5 stars! <— Yep. I liked it even better than the first. And without a doubt, I will be reading the next one IMMEDIATELY upon release.

P.S. Thank you to the publisher for sending me this review copy.

➔➔➔ Looking for more of my must-read recommendations? Browse my 5 star and 4.5 star and 4 star reviews. 😀

➔➔➔ Love this genre? Browse more psych-thrillers and stalker book features and reviews on my blog. 😀

I absolutely LOVED You and Hidden Bodies. I listened to both of them, and the voice actor that was Joe was just incredible. It’s not the kind of story I generally read, and it made me really rethink what I put out on social media, lol, but it was such an interesting story. Joe was so wonderfully wicked, and so completely unapologetic about it. Just reading the quotes above took me back to Joe’s voice. Great books!

Even though you’ve already read it old-school, Hidden Bodies is an Audible MUST LISTEN!! Narrator, Santino Fontana, nails Joe-the-sociopath, giving him depth and humor as he moves to LA in search of true love and some honesty. Seriously, give it a listen – you will not be sorry!!

Maryse, have you read the Dexter books? Reading this review brought the series to mind, and I can see you liking it.

Whenever someone sniffs books it always makes me think, “But not as cute as Pushkin. ”

Hey, what if Amy’s husband is named Joe? Spooky.

Great review Maryse! I didn’t realize there would be a third?? I had sort of an opposite reaction I think. I liked the first book better. But it could be because I read the two books relatively close to one another. You was just so shocking to me. And I totally agree that there is this appeal to him and you see his logic… Such good books and am so curious about the next one!!!

Tessa this DID have a sort of “Dexter” feel!!!!

Heather, thank you for the heads-up on the audiobook. It would have to be an amazing narrator to”do” Joe. LOL!!!

marina… just the way #2 ended, I just KNOW there is a 3rd.

The author is keeping mum about it for now, but everyone is asking when #3 will be out.

I can’t wait!!

What is a Pushkin, bev??

I must have forgotten how it ended??? How is that possible? BUT I just today found it at the library on a book sale rack and bought it so will reread the end for sure as soon as possible! I’m afraid to admit I was oddly attracted to Joe. But that’s what’s supposed to happen right? Please say yes.

I read You and loved it. I didn’t realize this was book 2! I am dying to read this one. I love creepy stalker type books!

Yay Lori!!! I can’t wait to hear what you think!!

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Hidden Bodies Hardcover – January 14, 2016

Book 2 of 4 You
Print length 416 pages
Language English
Publisher Simon & Schuster
Publication date January 14, 2016
Dimensions 6.34 x 1.57 x 9.61 inches
ISBN-10 1471137317
ISBN-13 978-1471137310
See all details

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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Simon & Schuster (January 14, 2016)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1471137317
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1471137310
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.1 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.34 x 1.57 x 9.61 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #4,156,358 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books )

About the author

Caroline kepnes.

CAROLINE KEPNES is the New York Times bestselling author of YOU, HIDDEN BODIES, PROVIDENCE, YOU LOVE ME and FOR YOU AND ONLY YOU. The Netflix series You is an adaptation of her Joe Goldberg/You novels.

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Book Review: Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes

“The real horror of my life is not that I’ve killed some terrible people. The real horror is that the people I’ve loved didn’t love me back.” ― Caroline Kepnes, Hidden Bodies

The suspense book Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes was released in February 2016. It is a follow-up to her 2014 book You. The second and third seasons of the Netflix thriller series You were largely adapted from it. On September 9, 2018, it made its debut. Before the first episode of the season aired, on July 26, 2018, Lifetime said that the show has been renewed for a second season. The second season, which debuted on December 26, 2019, included Hidden Bodies' concepts.

Synopsis from Goodreads...

In Hollywood, Joe blends in effortlessly with the other young upstarts. He eats guac, works in a bookstore, and flirts with a journalist neighbor. But while others seem fixated on their own reflections, Joe can’t stop looking over his shoulder. The problem with hidden bodies is that they don’t always stay that way. They re-emerge, like dark thoughts, multiplying and threatening to destroy what Joe wants most: true love. And when he finds it in a darkened room in Soho House, he’s more desperate than ever to keep his secrets buried. He doesn’t want to hurt his new girlfriend—he wants to be with her forever. But if she ever finds out what he’s done, he may not have a choice.

My reaction to this novel...

After reading its precursor, "You," which left me feeling incredibly startled, I was eager to start this novel. Because the first book was such a surprise, I had such high expectations. Throughout the first four chapters, I felt worried. It was quite remarkable how everything worked out. Actually, I had forgotten all about the "mug of urine" from the first book, which terrified me for Joe. I also pondered what Amy would do if she found out that Joe was capable of murder after I witnessed how she deceived him.

After the first four chapters, Joe went for LA to seek revenge on Amy and leave his pasts behind, and the action slowed down and became quite monotonous. I think there were far too many extraneous scenes and characters included. specifically the moments with Henderson. I grew irritated because of Love, who I find unbelievable considering that she was fully aware of what Joe did in New York yet continued to adore him, and Forty, which is quite difficult to deal with. In any event, maybe she really did love him. And after finishing this book, I realized that Joe's only real desire was to be loved; in other words, she found love via Love. Unfortunately, by the end of this book, he finds himself behind bars, leaving us to wonder how he will manage to get out and find Love once more.

With this novel, Caroline Kepnes failed to satisfy or make me happy. There are many disagreements and quiet intervals. I'll be waiting for her third book of "You," but I genuinely hope that she will be able to honor the storyline of the novel.

My Overall Rating: ⭐⭐ (2/5)

“We all get our hearts broken. We get fucked up and throw up and we cry and listen to sad songs and say we’re never doing that again. But to be alive is to do it again. To love is to risk everything”

We anticipate the unexpected in love. If you love someone, you won't just experience happiness; occasionally it may also result in anguish and tears. Sometimes it seems like a fairy tale or you're in a magical place where all you can see are fairies and prince charmings, but other times you have to risk everything for love, overcoming the monsters and evil characters that populate most fairy tales, and other times there are no happily ever afters at all.

“People are so lonely, they spend their birthdays on the Internet, thanking people for wishing them a happy birthday, people who only know it’s their birthday because Facebook told them.”

While it's true that Facebook informs our friends of our birthdays, which might be upsetting, for me, the effort in how they greet you on that day still makes it worth it, even though Facebook just reminded them of your special day. It still takes effort to compose greetings and think of appropriate words to convey to us since, even though Facebook tells them that it is a special day, some of our friends don't even bother to put a simple "happy birthday" on our wall or feed.

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Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes review – the killer who plays it by the book

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BOOK REVIEW: Hidden Bodies (You #2) by Caroline Kepnes

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Review: Hidden Bodies (#2, YOU) by Caroline Kepnes

“She kisses my cheek and life is a fever dream and I wonder if I’m in a coma, if all this is a hallucination. Love fucks with your vision and I have no hate in my heart. Amy is taking all of it away, my healer, my Bactine beauty.”

“Making it in Hollywood is the most disgusting phrase in the English language. It’s more disturbing than prolific serial killer and rare terminal illness.”

“I captured the flag. I moved to Los Angeles. I found Love; I fell in love. And now this, the hardest thing to do in this world, one of the hardest things, and I’m about to do it. I’m going to make it in Hollywood.”

“The real horror of my life is not that I’ve killed some terrible people. The real horror is that the people I’ve loved didn’t love me back.”

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'Hidden Bodies' by Caroline Kepnes: EW review

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HIDDEN BODIES

Hidden Bodies marks the return of a voice that Stephen King described as original and hypnotic, and through the divisive and charmingly sociopathic character of Joe Goldberg, Kepnes satirizes and dissects our culture, blending suspense with scathing wit.

praise for Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes

-Lena Dunham

– Entertainment Weekly

– Examiner

– Kirkus ( read full review )

– Booklist

– Library Journal

– San Francisco Book Review

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– Publishers Weekly ( read full review )

– The Guardian ( read full review )

– Erin Kelly, author of The Poison Tree

– Colleen Hoover, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author

– Mary Kubica, New York Times Bestselling Author

– Closer UK

– Woman & Home UK

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Hidden Bodies Hardcover – January 14, 2016

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