Special thanks to Therese Heckenkamp of Traditional Catholic Novels.com for posting this fantastic review of Stealing Jenny:
When I first read the back cover of Stealing Jenny, Ellen Gable’s latest novel, I was intrigued by the promise of a suspense-filled contemporary story involving the kidnapping of a young pregnant mother. I was not disappointed. Stealing Jenny was everything I’d hoped, and more!
From page one, I was pulled into the story. Jenny Callahan, a young Catholic mother of five, is nearing the end of a precarious pregnancy and longing to cradle her new baby safely in her arms. With only days to go until the necessary scheduled C-section, Jenny is unaware of the unbalanced woman who is stalking her and plotting to tear this baby away from her at any cost.
When Jenny is kidnapped from a rural bus stop, her three-year-old son is the only witness. Jenny’s stunned family is desperate to find her. The abduction quickly becomes a high-profile case, with news media hounding the Callahans. Father Paul, the parish priest, offers comfort and assistance to the Callahans, and he leads a public rosary for the intention of Jenny’s safe return.
Meanwhile, Jenny awakens to find herself in a living nightmare: chained to a cot in a remote cabin, at the mercy of a sad, sick, and desperate woman. If Jenny can’t escape before her labor begins, she and her baby are both in extreme danger of death.
When I had to put this book down, I literally could not wait to pick it up again. The perfectly-paced story features a stellar cast of believable characters. Jenny is the main character point of view, but the author skillfully shifts to other character viewpoints including those of Tom (Jenny’s husband), Chris (the Callahan’s oldest daughter), Denise (the villain), and Sergeant Kathy Romano (in charge of the investigation). Also, the story is interspersed with well-timed, poignant flashbacks of Jenny and her husband before they were married, which add to the richness of the story.
Stealing Jenny is a smoothly written, chilling tale of gripping suspense. There are terrifying moments and heart-wrenching moments. Catholic faith and hope are tested. Above all, the sacredness and privilege of precious new life is made indisputably evident.
Ellen Gable is a masterful storyteller. At 201 pages, Stealing Jenny is the perfect length for an intense day of uninterrupted reading. I wished the novel was longer, not because it wasn’t complete in itself, but because it was such an enjoyable read, I never wanted it to end. I’m rooting for a sequel!
To read the review in its entirety at the Traditional Catholic Novels website, click here:
http://traditionalcatholicnovels.com/2011/08/stealing-jenny-by-ellen-gable/
Stealing Jenny will be released on September 15th or you can pre-order the book at Amazon
Plot Line and Sinker (Ellen Gable, Author) 