When the Stars Go Dark

This is simply a magnificent tale of love, stress, uncertainly and family. The thrust of the story surprised me. It is one of those rare books where I read almost every word. It is, however, not a story for the faint of heart. Kudos to Paula. C'est magnifique....

A beautifully written story set at the time of the Polly Klaas abduction that evokes that time without seeming at all set in the past. A detective who has investigated one too many crimes against children and who has not recovered from some unnamed trauma of her own flees her family to return to Mendocino, where years ago a girl disappeared - and where another young woman has gone missing. She throws herself into the search. It could all be a worn-out plot line if the author wasn't so talented at establishing characters and a sense of place. Those who enjoy a well-turned phrase along with their pacey mystery are in for a treat.