Is Gregg Olsen’s novel The Hive a thriller? A mystery? Do I really know the difference between the two? Some people call it a murder mystery, and others categorize it under “drama;” while I think it’s mostly a psychological thriller. There are two mysteries that detective Lindsay Jackman is trying to solve; while investigating the circumstances surrounding the discovery of college-student-Sarah Baker’s body, found at the bottom of a ravine, she is also trying to determine why her professional partner and father-figure detective Alan Sharpe committed suicide.
Detective Jackman learns that Sarah Baker was a college journalist, researching Marnie Spellman. Spellman is a wellness influencer who owns and runs a cosmetics empire and lifestyle brand on a farm on Pacific Northwest’s Lummi Island. Spellman is now all but a recluse, but decades ago, she was a magnetic inventor, author and cult-like figure, who drew women to her inner circle known as The Hive. As detective Jackman scrutinizes the turn of events regarding Sarah Baker’s death, she realizes that The Hive hid a darker side, including murder.
There is another underlying mystery that runs throughout this book, and that is the question of what kind of appeal did Marnie Spellman have to the women who left their homes and families to become part of The Hive? While outsiders have always viewed the farm and its workers as a cult, the women who were part of Spellman’s cosmetic empire felt that it was their privilege to serve Marnie. The Hive believed that Marnie had a direct connection to a divinely female god, and eagerly soaked in her knowledge of how to live their most enlightened lives.
Honestly, I did not adore the writing, but I could not put the book down, so I would confidently recommend it as not life-changing but engrossing and engaging. I found parts of the book confusing, and even a tiny bit predictable, but all in all, if you like crime fiction, and thriller/suspense novels, I think you’ll enjoy it.