Opa Hysea Wise’s freshman novel defies description

From the beginning, it grabs you by the lapels with a potboiler of a mystery—a big corporation is polluting ancestral lands in an island paradise with apparent impunity. This corporation will do anything to assure its continued success. When our protagonist Smythe (like “Ms. Smith Goes to Washington”) is in the wrong place at the wrong time, the book’s title rings true in the first few pages.

“You may need a moment to catch your breath”

This is more than a beach, or stay-cation read, however, and as you won’t want to put it down, you may find that, like me, you need a moment to catch your breath.

Ms. Wise and Smythe are very similar, if you devour author statements and forewords the way I do. As readers, we know that the Devil is in the details. Where the demarcation of fiction enters, only Ms. Wise knows.

This book is a call to action for people who want positive change in their lives, as well as a damn good read. Smythe witnesses a bloody murder (not a spoiler, with no plot, there’s no story), but where she is in her life when it happens, what her path is, and what it becomes are what left me needing a moment to collect myself.

There’s romance, action, spirituality, a mystery, and a little soupçon of the Secret. And that combination is intoxicating.

Regarding the romance, I wanted more limerence—the joy of recognizing love—and physical expression of the joy of union. Yet, there are so many layers that I find myself re-reading passages of the spiritual aspect over again.

Get this book for yourself, and get a second copy to loan to friends, recognizing you are likely not getting your loaner copy back.

No Place to Hide by Opa Hysea Wise is available where books and e-books are sold.

Look for: ISBN 978-1-64146-477-2.