Suspenseful mystery thriller.
Based on a true story, the 1976 Chowchilla kidnapping, this fictional novel describes a similar event. Two creepy guys devise what they think will be a fool proof crime that will net them a big payoff. They stage a road construction barrier to stop the bus taking 10 kids to a local daycare center after school. They then abduct the kids and the bus driver and bury them 20 feet underground in a shipping container they’ve sunk in a quarry where they’re both employed. Against all odds and some very bad decisions, can the children and the bus driver survive these desperate circumstances?
This moved quickly with short chapters and alternating points of view. The four main voices are of the characters Sheena (mother to Sage and Bonnie), Sage (12 years old), Jessa (the bus driver) and Ted (one of the kidnappers). I will say that I was really turned off by so much of this novel being told from the points of view of the child. I do not like to hear the voice of children in an adult novel, but that’s a pet peeve so I’m interested to see if that bothers anyone else as it did me. I would have rated the book a full star higher had so much of the narrative not been in the voice of Sage.
Often repeated, the following mantra expresses the feelings of Jessa (a convicted felon) while buried and trying to keep it together for the children: “I accept my past, understand my present, and look forward to my future.” The kids below ground are scared, hungry, thirsty, dirty, and running out of air. Can she keep them calm? I know some didn’t like this character, but I felt for her. She was grossly misunderstood and overcame her deficits to help the kids. The ending really didn’t say what happened to the kidnappers in any great detail. I was just disappointed that the focus seemed to be on the kids which, as I’ve said, I’m not into when reading this type of suspense thriller.
I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book. There were 4 different narrators, some of whose voices I liked more than others. The person who did the child voice got on my last nerves as they so often do. I do not appreciate it and I don’t know which performer of those 3 females did the voice of Sage. I do feel that having the larger cast production does add more enjoyment of the book in most cases.
Story was 4 stars but too much of the book told from the child’s point of view knocked it down to 3 for me.
This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Tags - kidnapping of children, Alzheimer’s, suspense, mystery thriller