Thomas y Anna Lange forman una cálida pareja que vive feliz con sus dos hijos, Paul y Tracy, en Connecticut, en una hermosa casa en el campo. Un día, mientras Anna está en el jardín jugando con Paul, oye llorar a Tracy, que está enferma, y acude a atenderla. Cuando vuelve de nuevo con el pequeño, éste ha desaparecido misteriosamente. De poco sirven las pesquisas de la policía ni las investigaciones del detective encargado del caso. El desconsuelo y la tristeza hacen mella en la familia y se altera el orden de su existencia. Pasan diez largos años y, por fin, los indicios parecen favorables. Paul llama a la puerta de su hogar, al que ni siquiera reconoce. Anna, que siempre intuyó que su hijo estaba vivo, se encuentra ante un adolescente arisco y desarraigado, es un extraño, y así lo sienten Thomas y Tracy. La vida familiar se desestabiliza notoriamente y la tensión psicológica aumenta cuando el pasado continúa presente y lo que se vislumbra en confusos presentimientos se va desenmascarando, convirtiéndose en una verdadera amenaza para los Lange.

I like her mysteries. Easy to read. Everything wraps up in the end. ( )

From Fantastic Fiction Book Description:
Eleven years ago, Anna Lange's life was shattered when her young son, Paul, disappeared -- though she never gave up hope that he might be alive. Now, her son has been returned. The joyful family reunion is short-lived, however, as the nervous, withdrawn Paul begins to behave strangely. Anna's husband and daughter grow fearful living in the same house with him. But Anna believes that Paul is still recovering from the extreme psychological trauma he experienced the night he disappeared -- though he claims he has no memory of that time. Does he or doesn't he? Someone remembers -- and will stop at nothing to keep the truth a secret.

My Thoughts:
I liked the book from the very first page. It has enough suspense to really hold your interest and I was very surprised that the culprit was not who I thought it was. Patricia MacDonald tried to give each member of the Lange family their own voice and personalities which she succeeded very well in doing. Those personalities did at times grate on my nerves. Thomas, Anna's husband, presented a very impersonal attitude toward their son, and Tracy, their daughter continuously whined and made fun of her brother. But it did make the reader stop and try to look at how they would feel if they were in this character's shoes...a 13 years old girl whose brother she couldn't even remember was to show up on her doorstep 11 years later. Or a father who had accepted that his son was gone forever now was suddenly presented with this child that was so changed from the one that disappeared. A very well presented story that should satisfy any mystery and suspense fan. ( )