When Time is a River

Susan
Clayton-Goldner
Genre: 
Mystery

Eighteen-year-old Brandy has had to adjust to a number of big changes — not the least of which is having a stepmother only a few years older than she is, and a three-year-old half-sister. Her little sister Emily isn't really so bad, though, and Brandy doesn't mind having to look after her from time to time.  When Emily goes missing from the park while under Brandy's watch, however, she feels she can be the only one to find her.  Ignoring the detectives on the case, she mounts her own search, and threatens the entire investigation in the process. Brandy also finds out firsthand that family secrets have a way of coming out. 

Finally, a mystery/suspense novel that is not completely predictable! The terror is genuine and the reader will be left with a racing pulse and hitched breathing, but unable to put the book down. If readers can get past how remarkably lenient the lead detective is about Brandy doing her own investigation — even though she has been warned to cease — the rest of the story is fantastic. Some of the characterizations are a bit flat, which is disappointing. However, these are more than made up for by the writing itself, which has a natural ebb and flow to it, making it easy for readers to believe the dynamic twists in the plot and the constant pull on detectives to find the little girl.

Yannie Sorensen