Jean Taylor got married young. She's allowed her husband to control most aspects of their married life. He takes care of things so that she doesn't have to. They're unable to have children, and although this makes her immensely sad, that's the way it is. After a local toddler goes missing and is assumed kidnapped, Jean's husband falls under suspicion. She sides with her husband and supports his innocence. When he is tragically killed, she no longer has to be the perfect, supportive wife. She is now the widow, and as that widow, does she know more than she originally claimed? And is she willing to share some of her suspicions with the public?

I liked this slowly evolving novel for the most part. Jean's character was infuriating at times, with her seemingly ignorant support of her husband and unwillingness to explore her own feelings. Some readers would be put off by this so-called "weak" character. However, it did keep the reader guessing to a certain extent. For the majority of this story, I felt like I *thought* I knew the underlying truth, but there was just enough doubt to make me unsure. This is the first in a series of novels that features the character of Kate Waters, a reporter who covers the kidnapping story. She's not the main character, but she does feature throughout the novel. I did enjoy this enough to want to read the second book of the series, which I've already started. ( )