Hidden in Dreams by Davis Bunn (Book Review)

Shared prophetic dreams, mysterious assailants, corporate intrigue, conspiracies and the threat of global financial collapse conspire to push Dr. Elena Burroughs, the world’s foremost expert on dream analysis, to the forefront as the drama unfolds while the world watches. Burroughs’ situation is further complicated by being forced by circumstance to work closely with her most ardent critic, Jacob Rawlings whom previously had publically chastened her for her faith in a vicious debate which resulted in loss of professional prestige.

In Hidden in Dreams, Davis Bunn explores not only the nature and mystery of dreams and their impact upon the dreamer but also touches upon the role of faith and belief in our modern science culture which is becoming increasingly hostile to the notion of anything which is not purely secular. It also deals with the complex and deeply human reaction to betrayal, how we learn to cultivate trust in others, especially those whom have betrayed us historically or with whom we have philosophically little in common with and how many people opt for the safety of believing only that which they know they can quantifiably prove scientifically.

While initial interest in the book was piqued by my personal curiosity in dreams, my attention was held by a compelling and relevant storyline (our current economic crisis) and a fascination with the character of Dr. Elena Burroughs. How she responds to Jacob and others whom she has little reason to trust. How she makes peace with her faith and her profession, while remaining critical and objective. How she lives out the difference between a simplistic blind faith and her well-reasoned faith. How in spite of her circumstances, the demise of her position at the Oxford clinic, she is able to maintain her faith, trusting that God will meet her; even if it is in ways she had not previously considered.

Hidden in Dreams satisfies our desire for drama and mystery by tackling the big issues of corporate greed, world-wide conspiracies and prophetic visions of catastrophic economic collapse but it delights us at a deeper and more universally personal level. Bunn masterfully weaves all these elements into a complex, but compelling storyline. He does not sugar coat the Christian walk. Anyone who has ever walked this earth knows the experience of hurt and betrayal. Christians are not exempt from that. In the midst of our pain, we all may have questioned the goodness of life or even the goodness of God. We have wrestled with the nagging fear that tomorrow’s outlook may not look any brighter than today’s and that it may only offer more pain.

For each of us, believer or non-believer, who has ever fretted over past wounds or worried about the uncertain future, Hidden in Dreams offers us hope and encouragement. While some may balk at the perhaps overly simple romantic triangle subplot, the characters come across as real and complex, each bringing to the situation their own set of struggles, wounds and hidden motivations. The plot is well-developed and I found the book to be an engaging page turner with just enough plot twists to keep you guessing to the very end. The hope is that even in the midst of corruption, self-serving individuals and personal struggles, we can realize that there is still someone who can be completely trusted, who is not in it for personal profit or self-promotion. Hidden in Dreams unapologetically points to Him.

Hidden in Dreams is Book 2 in the Elena Burroughs “Dreams” series, but is written as a standalone book. I had not read the first book, Book of Dreams, prior to reading Book 2 and had no trouble following the storyline.

Read Chapter 1 of Hidden in Dreams for free

In the interest of fair disclosure, I received a complimentary copy of this book for review from Howard Books, a division of Simon & Schuster. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.