All That Is Hidden
Are secrets worth the price they cost to keep?
Ten-year-old Tina Hamilton finds out the hard way.
In 1968, trouble erupts when northern exploitation threatens her tiny southern Appalachian town. Some folks blame the trouble on progress, some blame the space race and men meddling with the moon’s cycles, and some blame Tina’s father. A past he has hidden catches up to him.
The clash of progressive ideas and small town values escalates the collision of a father’s past and present.
About the Book
Tina’s life changes forever when her father’s secret settles in like an unwelcome guest.
She struggles with her shaken confidence in a father who, in hiding his past, has made a string of choices that shape her childhood. Gradually, Tina gains insight into her father through seemingly unrelated circumstances: her feud with a fellow ballplayer, her friendship with Old Joe who lives alone on the mountain, a gift left to her father by a neighbor fourteen years dead, and a broken promise.
Meticulously researched, this engaging coming-of-age tale is a delightful, richly-textured tapestry of family stories woven with the timeless wisdom of generations past, all of which guide Tina and create the fabric of a journey to forgiveness that will warm your heart.
Tina is forced to answer a difficult question: are secrets worth the price they cost to keep? Pour yourself a cup of tea, settle in, and come along. Then you decide.
All That Is Hidden is perfect for fans of Sarah Loudin Thomas, Chris Fabry, or Lisa Wingate.
Reader Reviews
“Moore’s voice shines through in this coming-of-age story. She brings Southern and Appalachian life to the page in detail. You will feel like you’re smoking a corn cob pipe. . . . A powerful depiction of rights and wrongs and life as it was lived in a culture and time all of its own.” — Barbara Britton, author of The Tribes of Israel series
“Beautifully written and a tale that keeps you turning the pages. Ms. Moore is a master storyteller. It is worth the read. Bravo, Ms. Moore, Bravo.” — Olivia Rae, author of The Secrets of the Queens series
“A great book for a book club!” — Elizabeth Daghfal #Nothing Beats a Great Story
“Get ready for a lovely trip back in time to late 1960s Appalachia. Folklore, superstitions, and Appalachian dialogue are deftly woven into the story making the mountain setting as alive as any of the characters. Small town wit and wisdom reminiscent of The Waltons stirred up feelings of a bygone era when life seemed much simpler. Both tender and heart wrenching.” — Kelly Goshorn, author of A Love Restored
“What a great read! It’s a beautifully written story and the author brings it to life.” — Ann Ferri
“This story is a “sit a spell with your feet up, sipping sweet tea” kind of read. There’s love, truth, secrets, forgiveness, faith, and wisdom. It’s gentle, yet powerful at the same time.” — Heather Pickett
“I absolutely loved this book. The ending brought tears to my eyes in the best of ways. That ending was perfection and not at all what I expected. This would be a wonderful book for discussion.” — Patti Stephenson
“If you need to take a vacation and feel at home at the same time or if you love to muse about human nature, this story will treat you to all. Laura works as an artist when she writes, painting character and community details in meaningful hues that reveal a stunning picture of life in the Appalachian Mountains in a time of personal and community transformation”. — Amazon customer
“Laura DeNooyer-Moore combines a literary style with Appalachian humor. Some chapters are reminiscent of a Mayberry episode with its easy Southern lifestyle.” — Susan Sloan
“This is a journey through confusion, hurt, prejudices, fear and unforgiveness. It’s delightfully laced with folklore, superstitions and other aspects of mountain life. There will be laughter and tears. It’s tender and heart-wrenching. It will give you pause to think on several levels.” — Toni Stevens
“Truth, love, faith and forgiveness are woven throughout the book. Pull up a rocking chair, put your feet up and be ready to be swept into the story.” — Cheryl Wood
“I have read a number of best-sellers this past year. I would stack this book up against those. The writing is stellar and the message hits home for me.” — Christina Sinisi, author of Why They Call It Falling
“I thoroughly enjoyed this story. This new-to-me author quickly became a favorite. The characters seemed like normal, real people, much like close family and friends. This story was captivating, emotional and inspiring, filled with hope.” — Caroline Heinbaugh of Page-Turners blog
“I was captivated by the unfolding of her father’s secret past. . . . I recommend this touching and nostalgic read to all who enjoy family drama and coming-of-age stories.” — Connie Saunders
“ALL THAT IS HIDDEN is delightful and heart-provoking. As secrets begin to come to light, the reader understands the agony that Drew experiences over his past mistakes, and his determination to not make similar mistakes again. The dialogue is full of delightful Appalachian flavor.” — Robin Taylor Johnson
“Reading this transported me to another time and place of beautiful small town life in the 1960s. Protagonist, 10 year old Tina Hamilton, reminded me in the best way of a “Scout”-like narrator from To Kill a Mockingbird. Her coming-of-age story and her relationship with her father were portrayed with a beautiful realism that was both simple yet deep. This book was rich with meaning and emotion. I absolutely loved getting hooked into the story!” — Emma Vogel
All That Is Hidden is a beautiful novel, the kind of book that sweeps you up in its story, makes you fall in love with its characters, and breaks your heart along with theirs when they go through suffering. The “secret,” or, more accurately, secrets, of the first line of this book are artfully hidden throughout the novel, making their ultimate revelation both truly shocking and truly poignant. Tina is a very good narrator, but it is her father and his character who steals the novel–his life story is both original and compelling, and the pain and grace he experiences drew tears to this reader’s eyes. — Writer’s Digest
“No reader can help but be drawn into the mesmerizing and absorbing world of Tina Hamilton, be transported back to 1968, to Currie Hill, to a world where family values and community held real meaning . . . This richly layered story is a most rewarding read . . . and heart-wrenching to realize the moment when a child sees the truth about a parent, and loses an idol, creating an emptiness that only forgiveness can heal. The gentle power of this book gains momentum until it reaches a dramatic and moving end.” — Ann Emanuel, Commuter Week
“My extended family is from the hills of Kentucky. I so enjoyed reading the Parts sections that preceded the chapters. . . . It was like going home for a while. I consider those sections the strongest and most creative pieces of writing that I’ve reviewed for Writer’s Edge in at least five years.” — The Writer’s Edge