Lonesome Road

Rating:
Summary: Gripping, educational, entertaining all the way through.
Review: Every mother will instantly relate to the terror that grips Ruth Brough (rhymes with rough)when her young son, Lang, disappears without a trace. Your own heart stands still at the need to drain the home pond, at the constant, unceasing fear and pain she and her family must confront on an hourly basis while continuing a daily life. Her veterinarian husband must continue his practice, and their thoroughbred broodmares demand constant attention, a salvation, of sorts, in itself.

Adding to the mix, the detective assigned to the case, Albert Blount, is a highly educated black man working in a region still holding some prejudicial mores. His natural dedication is implemented by the obvious feelings of others that he may not perform as well as is needed to locate a white child.

This reader not only received the adrenalin rush of a mother when a child is in mortal danger, but was exposed to facts of horse breeding and care that would not have been brought to my attention otherwise. No wonder it is an expensive and heart breaking business. Coming from an area of the country that, I believe, is a little more advanced in understanding cultural mixes, I was at times taken aback by views expressed by the characters. Having come from a different region, however, I know that these views, unfortunately, still hold true in many areas of the United States.

Martha Bennett Stiles has written in the first person, interweaving the past with the present which kept me on my toes to discern which was which. I did get off track on occasion but on the whole, found the intermingling of the years to hold my attention quite well. I read consistently for three evenings to reach the summation of the crisis and was not disappointed. I intend to read it again to pick up on the more tangible, educational aspects. After all, I know people who own horses! And I will always be my own childrens' mother and will always hold their safety close to my heart.

Rating:
Summary: Don't Expect to Put This One Down Easily
Review: I lost 3 nights of sleep, anxious to see whether or not things would turn out right for Rose, Grove, Lang and Joanna. Right, of course, meaning that Lang would come home healthy - a question Rose agonizes over constantly; that Rose would withstand the heavy strain on her self and her family; and that Grove and Joanna would be able to get past their own fear and pain to support Rose in hers.

Ms. Stiles quickly got me involved with the cast of characters - all extremly well drawn, with sympathy and depth. I recognized pieces of myself in nearly every one of the major characters. It became important that the young detective be able to solve his case quickly and successfully, despite the very real handicaps of race and rural setting. And I got a chance to consider how I would hold up after the disappearance of one of my children - something I have carefully not looked at before. The horse country background refuses to stay in the background - becoming an integral part of setting and story.

Anyone who deals with children, parents, horses, neighbors, or strangers will be glad they read this one - even to the point of going to the office groggy with lack of sleep!

Rating:
Summary: An engrossing, well-written book, sleeper of the year.
Review: This book fully engages the reader in the terror a family experiences when their child is kidnapped. The story is extremely well-told and involving. But there's so much more than the agony of the family members, particularly the mother, although that is so strongly felt. There is also a great deal of humor, surprising as that may seem, and the characters who gather around the family are sharply drawn. We were also very interested in the setting of the book, the Bluegrass area of Kentucky, because of the author's understanding of the class and racial tensions which collide in that pastoral setting. The book which comes from a small publisher has not received the attention we think it merits. Well, now you know that we think this is a really good book you shouldn't miss.