A very strong and thought provoking story which will make people discuss the merits and issues around the novel .

As her young children are playing in the park she falls asleep for a minute and then is alerted by of a shout that one of her children has fallen in the river, gone forever. The police and river search produce no body and write it off as an accidental death. 19 years later she receives a letter stating that her daughter is alive and so the story begins. The search begins and splits the family into 2 fragments, those who want to find the missing twin and those who want just to let bygones be bygones. The friction and feeling that the mother is feeling after blaming herself for all them years is expertly written and you feel sorry for her and just want to help in the search.

The author style of writing is very descriptive and easy to read and digest. The characters traits and reactions to the events that unfold are first rate and you feel and sense of their every emotion. The main thing that struck me about this particle story is as a parent if you don't keep an eye on your children 100 per cent and take your eye off them for one second it can haunt you for a lifetime.

A riveting read which touches the heart strings and every emotion you can think of with an excellent twist at the end. ( )

This is my first Delhi Laine mystery. Aside from the distraction of it causing the Beatles' "Penny Lane" to run through my mind while reading it, I did enjoy the story.

The plot begins when Delhi, her husband Colin Fitzhugh, and daughters Jane, and four-year-old twins Caitlin and Hannah are living in Stratford-upon-Avon, England for an archeology professors seminar. At the time Delhi is pregnant with their fourth child, Jason. One idyllic day in the park by the river Caitlin disappears and is presumed to have drowned. She has never been found. The family returned to New York and now Hannah is in college. Jane is launched on a career in New York City. The fallout? Hannah Is overweight and feels like she wasn't loved as much as her twin, and Delhi and Colin live separately although there are no plans for divorce. Delhi has remained in the comfort of old books by running a used book store and online service.

Then Delhi receives a message: "Your daughter didn't drown."

Is it possible? Could she still be alive? Colin and Hannah are opposed to searching for her after so many years, but Delhi and Jane are determined to solve the mystery and, if Caitlin is alive, find her and bring her home. The mystery is relatively simple but obstacles come up at every turn.

One tiny quibble I have won't bother anyone else. Colin is a professor at Princeton and Jane went to "Douglas" but dropped out in her sophomore year to get married. I suppose that means she went to Douglass College at Rutgers University, my alma mater. Maybe Culberson should have just made up a name?

I would suggest this for a hot afternoon's reading. The snowy scenes should cool you off.

Recommended
Source: Partners in Crime Book Tours ( )