And Then She Was Gone

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Summary: A MOTHER'S WORST NIGHTMARE
Review: AND SHE WAS GONE Susan McBride Mayhaven Publishing - 1999 ISBN: 1878044613 - Trade paperback Mystery/Police

The Spencers, Tom, Ellen, Jake and Carrie live in the small town of Litchfield, Texas, just a few miles north of Dallas. Crime is not supposed to happen in small towns, but Ellen finds out otherwise, when she takes her 4-year-old daughter, Carrie, to the park on a Saturday afternoon.

Ellen is sitting on a bench, speaking to her neighbor, Barb Vincente. When Ellen looks back a few minutes later, Carrie, is gone. Ellen is distraught she looks everywhere for her daughter. Ellen wonders how a child can disappear in broad daylight at a park filled with families, and soccer games going on.

Maggie Ryan and her partner John Phillips catch the case of the missing child. Maggie gets a visit from the sheriff of Pecan Creek, a small rural town about an hour away from Litchfield, that a 6-year-old blond haired, blue-eyed little boy went missing from his front yard. His name was Kenny Wayne. Could the cases be connected? There are many questions to answer. What is the reason for brother Jakes anger and lack of concern for his sister's disappearance?

Maggie Ryan is a very fascinating character. Susan McBride grabbed my attention in the first few sentences and kept me hanging on until the end. AND THEN SHE WAS GONE really tugs at your heartstrings.

The author is able to capture and express the feelings of helplessness and terror that a parent feels when a child goes missing, a terror that we all hope that we will never have to feel.

Kudos to Susan McBride

Rating:
Summary: A Good First Effort
Review: Child molestation and child abduction are not subjects we like to think about. However, with a deft hand, Susan McBride has created a riveting mystery that must be read in one sitting. With red herrings everywhere, and with skeletons in many closets, the story is gripping. Ms. McBride shows how complex people are and how they may not be as they appear. We have a new and terrific protagonist to add to the list of female sleuths with Maggie Ryan. This is a first novel and I am eagerly awaiting the second.

Rating:
Summary: A Terrific Book With a Difficult Topic
Review: Child molestation and child abduction are not subjects we like to think about. However, with a deft hand, Susan McBride has created a riveting mystery that must be read in one sitting. With red herrings everywhere, and with skeletons in many closets, the story is gripping. Ms. McBride shows how complex people are and how they may not be as they appear. We have a new and terrific protagonist to add to the list of female sleuths with Maggie Ryan. This is a first novel and I am eagerly awaiting the second.

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Summary: A promising author in the making...
Review: Susan McBride has done a tremendous work with her debut mystery. I say this for two reasons: one being, it's a good mystery, and two, her superb handling of a sensitive subject matter.

In the mystery, Ellen and her daughter Carrie go to the park. Suddenly Carrie disappears. Litchfield is a small town in Texas and nothing like this has happened before. Maggie Ryan and her partner are put on the case, volunteers help out, and the dogs are brought in. Ellen, her husband, and her son, each have their own way of dealing with the tragedy. In life I have found tragedy to be the key to Pandora's box, exposing unspoken or unwanted truths that we would have never faced, and in this case, it proves true for all those involved in Carrie's disappearance. While reading, I felt emotional from time to time because as we all know in this day and age that no one goes untouched when it comes to child abuse or abductions, but Maggie Ryan's feelings -- her words for the situation were so true and honest that they seem to speak for me as well; I found this comforting.

If you are thinking of turning away from this one because of the subject matter, DON'T. You have to experience the gift this writer has in conveying human emotions, her talent in building strong characters, and presenting us with a gripping, suspenseful story. AND THEN SHE WAS GONE is the beginning of a mystery series I recommend readers follow.

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Summary: But can she repeat?
Review: This author is loaded with story-telling talent and has the fictional skills to match. She knows how to unfold a plot. AND THEN SHE WAS GONE is a well-crafted, one-sitting read. But can she repeat? I'd buy her next book just to see. Dr. Bryson, Chattanooga, TN

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding New Voice
Review: This book was amazing! Could not put it down - great use of language and sensitively tackled a very difficult subject matter. Maggie Ryan is a multi-faceted character and I can't wait to read her next story. Congrats to Susan McBride on a job, very well done!

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Summary: You'll be a fan of Maggie Ryan before you're done.
Review: Unlike many first books this one is a polished, mistake free work, tightly written and without any cutesy, undisciplined characters. Susan McBride has an appealing, interesting character in policewoman Maggie Ryan, who leaves a lot unsaid without shutting us out. Not a cozy and not a violence-filled mystery, a lot of readers will find this book a good choice. It shouldn't be wasted on a beach but instead should be saved for late night leisure. We'll all be seeing more of Maggie Ryan in years to come.

Rating:
Summary: Fast Read
Review: When 4 year old Carrie Spencer is reported missing, the entire community is shocked that something like that could happen. It is soon found out that another child in a nearby community has also been abducted. Are the two cases connected? Detective Maggie Ryan must sort out all of the facts and finds that there are many secrets in the small community, including her own abuse as a child.

The author writes a gripping story about the kidnapping and murder of a small child. The Ryan character filters her perception of the events through her own history of child abuse and is a very sympathetic character. The author packs alot into a short novel.

Rating:
Summary: Fast Read
Review: When 4 year old Carrie Spencer is reported missing, the entire community is shocked that something like that could happen. It is soon found out that another child in a nearby community has also been abducted. Are the two cases connected? Detective Maggie Ryan must sort out all of the facts and finds that there are many secrets in the small community, including her own abuse as a child.

The author writes a gripping story about the kidnapping and murder of a small child. The Ryan character filters her perception of the events through her own history of child abuse and is a very sympathetic character. The author packs alot into a short novel.