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Dr. Renee Altman, a radio psychologist, has received threatening letters and thinks she is being stalked. She isn't sure whether the stalker is her estranged husband with whom she is involved in a custody battle for their six year old daughter, Molly, or if he is the husband of a woman she advised to leave him because he was abusive. She seeks Jessica Drake, L A homicide detective, for help. Renee and Jessica had been friends, but had drifted apart in recent years. Jessie is reluctant to help since she feels this is not in her field of work. She is finally persuaded and begins off-duty investigations. When Molly is kidnapped the investigation becomes the official job of the police. Renee receives phone calls on her radio show from the kidnapper who demands she persuades his wife to return to him with their son. The situation is complicated since the wife is in hiding in an abusive wife shelter and cannot be located. It becomes critical when Molly is deprived of the medication she needs for her immune system. It becomes a race to find her before she dies. Jessie is having problems in her own life.She is having difficulty relating to her mother who had abused her and her sister as children and to her father who refused to recognize what was going on. She is also attempting to establish a connection to her religion and is trying to embrace Judaism. The tension in finding the kidnapped child is well-sustained. the character building is excellent. There are excerpts of Renee's broadcasts which establish her cold personality. Jessie's introduction to her faith is portrayed in the various traditions of Judaism.It is an excellent treatment of her tentative efforts. There is a fine treatment of child and spousal abuse and its ramifications. The plot is well-constructed; easy to read; and moves at an even pace to the denouement of the kidnapper.
Reviewed by Barbara Buhrer, January 2002
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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