Drawn Into Darkness

Drawn Into Darkness by Nancy Springer

Child abduction. Undoubtedly, just the thought of it is a mother's worst nightmare.

For two years now, Amy and Chad Bradley have lived with the horrific realization that their son Justin is gone, snatched in broad daylight while riding his bike on a rural road near his home. Helplessly, Chad witnessed the ordeal, unable to stop a stranger from turning their lives upside down in a matter of seconds. Amy ostensibly refuses to accept what Chad believes; that Justin is dead, that he  probably died within seventy-two hours of his disappearance, just like the statistics say. Their marriage is crumbling and debt is mounting as Amy spends every dime they have on television ads pleading for their sons's return.

Liana Clymer's life has much pretty much hit rock bottom. Her marriage to Georg (yes, no e) is over, she is estranged from her two grown sons, and her parents have sided with her ex-husband, taking him under their wings and sympathizing with him about the woes he endured while married to their pitiful daughter. The best playwright in the world couldn't have written this script. Now Liana finds herself in a small, broken-down, fuschia-colored cottage in the swampy Florida panhandle, hoping to reminisce about happier times spent there with her grandparents. She decides to be hospitable and introduce herself to the nearest neighbor for miles around who lives in the bright blue house. As the door opens, she looks into the soulful eyes of a young, timid boy who invites her to meet "Uncle Steve", an aging, graying, stoop-shouldered man with hollow, darting eyes. As the TV blares and small talk continues, an image flashes on the screen about a missing child. In that fleeting moment, Liana instantly recognizes the face of the lost boy and realizes that the danger and uneasiness she feels is all too real. In her quest to run away from the insurmountable problems of life, Liana has unwittingly entered a dark, sinister world with no escape. It will take every ounce of courage she has within her to outwit a twisted mind. Who can possibly save them in this bleak, desolate part of the country filled with murky waters and dangerous creatures? What horrors does "Uncle Steve" have planned?

This story touches upon a subject that unfortunately, has been in the news over the last several years. It does not go into great detail about the unsavory aspects of child abduction. It is, however, a story of survival and the will to live. You will meet a strong, intelligent woman who faces her own mortality and refuses to allow a depraved, disturbed individual to win. She vows to fight.  It is a story of hope. It is a story of convincing a shy, shattered child that he is indeed worthy of love.

Eerie and even a bit scary at times, this is an adult suspense novel. Short with well-developed characters, it is a page-turner that may take you out of your comfort level.

Certainly it reiterates the power of a mother's love.