Liked it OK, I was interested enough in the whodunnit to finish. A sad portrait of a family dealing with trauma. Odd that the story was only told from the mother and son's perspective, never the husband or other family members. Also, they never resolved the shoe clue. Argh!

This was one of the hardest stories I've ever read. But I couldn't put it down. It is so real, you believe every word and as a parent, it is hard to live through. But so well written you don't want to stop.

2 1/2 stars. It's an OK book. I found Beth SO frustratingly self-obsessed it detracted from an interesting story.

Read this way back in the day when Oprah first picked it. Remember liking it then. Have no idea how I would feel about it now that I'm a mother.

An interesting read. I could never really figure out what made Beth tick. She’s a detached mother to say the least. I understand and appreciate the storyline between Vincent and Ben, but I was left wondering about what was going on in Pat’s and Kerry’s minds throughout.

Beth Cappadora is excited to attend her out-of-town class reunion and doesn’t mind taking her three young children with her because her husband works nights. She has only just arrived and is checking in at the desk when her middle child, Ben, whom she has taken her eyes off of for only briefly, disappears. After minutes, then hours, then days without finding him the family realizes that Ben is lost to them and they may never see him again. This is the story of a family’s tragedy and its impacts on their lives now and in the years to come.

I'm not sure why I could read this but some other books with difficult topics. I found this to an interesting study of how incredible stress changes people.

This started out well and I liked the plot but I found the book very disappointing. Especially as the main character, the mum, was so unlikeable.