Skydive - A Review

Skydive

by

Susan O’Brien

A Review

Not quite your normal cozy mystery.  Not even your normal murder mystery. Yet a book worth reading.

Kat (aka Katherine) has disappeared - almost as soon as she grew out of the foster care system, she was lost. Lost to everyone - her jailed mother, her foster parents, her friends, and to the PI “hired” to make she was okay. And, why was she lost, because she was not okay. Caught in the hands of human traffickers and nearly missing the deadline to avail herself of the help available to those leaving foster care, Kat needed help, and she did not yet know just how much help she needed.

It was up to Nicki Valentine, her colleague, Kenna, her boyfriend, Dean, the local police, and various associates and friends made along the way to find Kat before it was too late. The story of how they do so is gripping and tense. So gripping and tense I almost decided to give the book a rather poor review - with its various dark and creepy sittings (including the tattoo shop, a strip club, the basement drug hole, and the sleazy hotels they spent time visiting) and the people they had to deal with (prostitutes and drug dealers). Two things changed my mind. In the midst of this dark story there were glimpses of grace in the lives of the main characters as they found opportunities to pray and put faith into action. Though not a Christian book, faith is still present as the reader moves through the book. The second mind changer was the commitment of the author to responding to the issue of human trafficking - not just in her writing but in her life’s personal commitments as well. Her commitment to the abused was helpful in understanding the darkness that surrounded this story.

Does this book belong in the Church library - probably not; but it certainly would be worth reading by any believer or other person who has a concern for the abused and misused children in our world and in America. Though sexuality is certainly a part of the story, it is not explicit and will most likely not be offensive to most readers. Though fictional, the story opened my eyes to the underside of American culture - a side I wish did not exist.

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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are my own.