| Title: | Hush, Little Baby | |
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| Author: | Suzanne Redfearn | |
| Publisher | Grand Central Publishing | |
| Publication Date: | October 8, 2013 | |
| Publisher's Description | "If I stay, he will kill me. If I leave, he'll destroy Addie and Drew." Jillian Kane appears to have it all - a successful career, a gorgeous home, a loving husband, and two wonderful children. The reality behind closed doors is something else entirely. For nine years, she has hid the bruises and the truth of her abusive marriage in order to protect Addie and Drew, knowing, if she left, Gordon would destroy her-destroy them. When, in an act of desperation, she flees, her worst nightmare is realized, and she finds herself on the run with her two young children, no money, and no plan. With Gordon in hot pursuit, there is only one inescapable certainty: No matter where she goes, he will find her. Kill her. And take her children. A riveting page-turner, HUSH LITTLE BABY exposes the shame and terror of domestic violence as well as the disturbing role manipulation and sabotage can play in the high-stakes game of child custody. Suspenseful and unforgettably moving, it's a novel about the unbreakable bonds of family and the astounding, terrifying devotion of a mother's love. |
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| My rating: | ***.5 | |
I appreciated this book, which is different than other books that I’ve read which have featured domestic violence. For one thing, Jill is not a loner who has been discouraged from having a job, or maintaining her relationships with family and friends; she’s a highly-skilled architect who feels more confident and comfortable in her professional role than with her children. Her husband is not a mouth-breathing alcoholic who is distrusted by all who know her; Gordon is a respected police officer who is well-liked by colleagues and generally regarded as the more natural parent to his children with Jill. So right off, the power dynamics of this story felt fresh to me and kept me engaged. There were a lot of soapy elements to this novel (multiple kidnappings, illness-induced memory-loss, life-threatening illness, etc.), but they never felt cheap. I’m buying this book for my library’s collection and I highly recommend it to people who enjoy suspenseful fiction.
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