The Buried Hours

A Novel

By: R.S. Grant

Narrated by: Kathleen Early, Tim Lounibos, Thor Knai

Is she following a path of redemption or an enemy’s revenge? A crime reporter’s traumatic past comes back to haunt her in a twisting novel of lies, betrayals, and killer secrets.

Investigative crime journalist Signe Gates’s life became a nightmare the day she was kidnapped and drugged. After forty-eight missing hours, she woke to a blur of unsettling memories and a warning from her unknown abductors: tell anyone what happened and they’ll die. They’ve already proved they will deliver on that threat.

For two years, Signe has been haunted by what she knows she did and terrified of what else could be buried in her memories.

Then an informant tells her two men recently found dead in Yosemite are connected to her missing hours, and more answers await her in the park’s backwoods. But she must hurry. Desperate to know who targeted her and why, she has no choice but to embark on the dangerous journey.

With a seasoned hiker acting as her guide, Signe ventures into the wilderness to solve a crime, get justice for the crimes committed against her, and overcome her demons. If only she could trust the man leading her into the backwoods…

Because with each new suspicion, deliverance is starting to look more and more like a trap.

©2023 R.S. Grant (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Grant skillfully shuffles familiar tropes and writes with precision and pace, keeping the stakes high by intermittently casting suspicion on the three most prominent men in Signe’s life.”—Kirkus Reviews

“The plot clips along at a satisfying pace, and Grant pulls off several successful surprises…”—Publishers Weekly

“The Buried Hours is an intensely emotional ride, dark yet so very satisfying. Grant's characters are immediately compelling, her storytelling taut and intelligent. I couldn't put it down!”—Karen Rose, New York Times bestselling author

Twisted Tale

I really enjoyed the twists in this story. It’s a story of brutal betrayals and deceit, not for the faint of heart, but uncovering the truth is freeing for both the characters and the reader.

Great story. Complicated though.

This is a book for people who like complicated plots, mercurial characters and great descriptions!

Dark and Gritty

This was a lot darker than any of Ms Grant's previous novels. I suppose, that's one reason to publish this story under RS Grant. I was very disappointed that the narrators consistently mispronounced tagalog. People, it's pronounced tuh-gaa-luhg. That's the only criticism I have. While this story was darker than I expected, it was gritty, filled with twists and betrayal... and a happy ending!

Trigger warning

This story centers around a brutal rape. Readers should be aware before purchasing the novel.

Pretty good overall

A good thriller that grabbed my attention immediately...

However, it's also unnecessarily full of pandemic-era politics, including a bizarre rant about how TV specials about Atlantis are secretly recruitment tools for white supremacy. Sorry, what?

It didn't ruin my experience, but I can't help but wonder how much better the book might have been without the periodic nods to the pandemic. It isn't central to the plot in any way.