Wednesday, May 29, 2013

THE FACE OF THE EARTH by Deborah Raney



When Mitchell Brannon’s beloved wife of twenty years kisses him goodbye one autumn morning, he has little idea that his life is about to change forever. Mitch returns from work early that evening, surprised Jill’s car isn’t in the garage. Her conference in Kansas City is only a few hours’ drive from their little town of Sylvia, Missouri. But her voice on the answering machine makes him smile. “Hey, babe, I’m just now checking out of the hotel, but I’ll stop and pick up something for dinner. Love you.”

Mitch sets the table with their best china and lights some candles, looking forward to their first weekend as empty nesters. But at eight o’clock, the candles have burned to stubs and Jill still hasn’t shown up. Mitch tries her cell phone only to get her voice mail over and over again. Their two college kids haven’t heard from their mom either.

At midnight, Mitch’s irritation turns to dread. And later, when the police and Missouri Highway Patrol have turned up nothing, the Kansas City hotel calls to say they’ve found property belonging to Jill in a hotel maid’s possession.

Mitch enlists the help of their next-door neighbor, Jill’s best friend, Shelley, and together they search for clues to Jill’s disappearance. As days turn into weeks and weeks into months, Mitch and Shelley’s friendship grows ever closer––and decidedly complicated with Jill as the tie that binds them together. Just when Shelley decides to finally reveal her feelings for Mitch, a clue to Jill’s whereabouts is uncovered. But every lead seems to be a dead end, and Mitch wonders how he can honor the vows he made to a woman who has seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth.

My thoughts...

I love a good mystery and that's why I enjoyed this book. Jill has been at a teacher's conference but doesn't make it home, there are no clues to her disappearance. The author has written with such emotion you feel what the family is going through. When Jill's husband, Mitch, enlists the help of her best friend Shelley the two are attracted to each other. Mitch is consumed with feelings of betrayal and Shelley decides to move away.

The characters are ones you will care and want the best for. What does the spouse of a missing person do about a future relationship? I have to say this book brought tears to my eyes more than once, I sympathized with each of them. It's very well written and the mystery isn't solved until the end. A wonderful read!

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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