Following her mother’s dying revelation, Kirsty’s life is about to unravel. Shocked to hear that her father is not Rick, the man serving time for armed robbery whom she hates and fears, but a wealthy accountant named David, Kirsty seeks him out. Until she makes contact he is blissfully unaware of her existence. Desperate to form a relationship with him, Kirsty hides the shameful truth about … about Rick’s imprisonment, but her attempt to make a new life for herself is fraught with problems in the face of David’s unreceptive wife and spoilt, possessive daughter.
As Kirsty is soon to discover, the past is not so easily silenced and there is to be no escaping Rick’s clutches. The real nightmare begins with his untimely release from prison and the harrowing events that follow.
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Kirsty, a young woman left alone in the world after her mom dies and Rick, her step-dad, is incarcerated for robbery struggles with her mom’s bedside confession, that Rick is not her biological father.
Desperate for family, Kirsty seeks out her newly-disclosed dad, David. His world is turned upside-down, as he has a respectable life as an accountant, with a wife and daughter. But David being a decent man, doesn’t turn Kirsty away, and slowly brings her into his world.
The only problem for Kirsty is that she has not told David about her step-dad being a criminal and when Rick is released from prison, and discovers his family is gone, he goes on the hunt. His intention isn’t to ruin Kirsty’s life, exactly, but to use her new situation to his advantage.
And thus begins Kirsty’s nightmare. One that is ripe with twists and turns, much like real life. The horror this young woman has already lived through with Rick as a dad abusing her mom is shown through the story as a believable childhood history. She isn’t one to share it easily. And I was excited to see Kirsty grow throughout the story as the stakes are increased with a romantic partner who is also kept in the dark.
The intrigue builds to a rush of excitement in the fast-paced, adrenaline-pumping conclusion. No spoilers, but it was an intense journey!
One of the things I enjoyed most about this unique story is how the author used each character’s POV so we got a glimpse not just of each of their world-views, but of their worlds. Dave’s wealth was a vast difference to Rick’s seedy world where he surrounded himself with criminals and deceit. He could have gotten a job out of prison and turned to the straight-and-narrow, but we get to see how he thinks and wants nothing to do with getting a job. He’d rather stick with what he knows and make a quick buck.
If you enjoy suspense, thrillers, and delving into the human psyche, then this book is for you. I found this a thoroughly heart-pounding wild ride!
This was the first book I’ve read by this author and I couldn’t quite put my finger on how to classify it. Is it a thriller? Is it suspense? Is it a mystery? I think it has all the elements of these three types of novels but so much more because the narrative is interesting and complex and keeps you turning pages.
Brenda Guiton has produced a book that is solidly written and develops well. I’m admittedly a slow reader, but I couldn’t wait to sit down each evening to be readily enticed back into the world of these well-rounded characters. I would happily read another novel from this fine author and recommend this one for a fast read.
AT THE END OF THE SENTENCE
Having previously read and enjoyed two other titles by this author, I couldn’t resist picking up a third one. And I’m so glad that I did. This was a great read … maybe my favorite.
When Kirsty’s mother Liz dies, Kirsty learns that the abusive criminal who she believed to be her father, Rick, was only a poor excuse for a stepfather. A far more respectable man, David, who has a wife and another grown daughter, is her true biological father. Kirsty meets David and his family, but she is nervous about revealing too much, fearing her past might be too much for her new family to accept.
Rick, who now is out of prison, wastes no time in making trouble in every way he can … and Kirsty is a wreck.
No more about the plot, only to say that it is intricately woven with lots of interesting and quirky characters … paired with all the craziness that life has to offer. What I really appreciated was that I never had any trouble following the eclectic cast in this suspenseful tale. I thought the storytelling was clever, nicely executed, and the ending well done.
After three very enjoyable reads, it’s a safe bet that I’ll be reading more by Brenda Guiton. She really knows how to tell a good story.
Kirsty Wilde is about to embark on a journey that will change her life. A deathbed confession by her mother leaves her numb and filled with questions. She finds out that Rick, a cruel, violent criminal who made life with him unbearable, is not her father. She longs to get away from her old life before he gets out of jail and start fresh. With her new found knowledge of her true parentage, she decides to reach out to a man she’s never met. David Atherton gets the shock of his life when a package is delivered to his office. As he reads the note enclosed, he finds that he has a daughter he has never known of, by a woman he once loved in his past. Kirsty Wilde waits in heartbreaking turmoil for a response–she longs to meet David and learn of a relationship she never knew of–but will he want to meet her? She’s ashamed of her past and hides it, and is even more afraid of the violent Rick.
Author Brenda Guiton takes us on a family’s journey as they meet the young woman who has so dramatically entered there lives. David’s wife Diane is torn between resenting Kirsty’s intrusion into her family, yet empathizes with the daughter who has faced so much drama and hardship. Hannah is torn by the knowledge she has a sister–she’s been a very privileged only child, will she resent Kirsty, or embrace her? David is kind and tries to form a relationship with Kirsty, but is it too late to forge a bond with a daughter he never knew?
Family drama, tragedy, romance and a strange twist of events culminates in a violent showdown. Will the secrets of the past and a man bent on cruelty bring everything crashing down? This is a bittersweet tale of a family in flux, and the spirit of hope that may unite them. A great read, highly recommended!