Missing Max

Karen Young
Howard Books (2010)
ISBN 9781416587491
Reviewed by Tracey Rock for Reader Views (04/10)


Jane Madison seemed to be living a nice comfortable life and career.  She is married and has a six-month-old son by the name of Max with her husband Kyle, both attorneys - and a teenage stepdaughter, Melanie.  While visiting Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Jane leaves her son in the hands of Melanie to pick up food for them to eat.  It only takes one moment for Melanie to be inattentive to Max and, he is gone.  Max seems to have vanished, without a trace and no leads as to his whereabouts.  Like many families who have suffered this type of loss, the Madison family tries to deal with their grief in many ways and all have this underlying feeling of blaming the other one for Max’s disappearance.  Jane has taken up the cause of finding missing children through an organization that leave her little time for her family and career.  Kyle throws himself into his work and drifts away from his wife.  Their relationship soon turns sour and on the brink of no return.  Melanie, who completely blames herself for her brother’s disappearance tries the most dramatic outlet for her grief by becoming pregnant, thinking this will replace her brother.   As if things could be any worse, now Jane has a stalker after her.  What do they want?  Why her?  Can this have anything to do with Max?  Is Max still alive?  “What kind of evil possessed a person to take another’s child?” 

“Missing Max” is a gripping story and a parent’s worst nightmare.  Karen Young knows exactly how to grab you from the very beginning of the story and keep you reading – and guessing – to the very end.   Her tale of a family dealing with a loss of a child is accurate and seems all too real.  There are so many unexpected turns and subplots to this story that you will not want to put the book down.  This book had me getting up and checking on my own kids to make sure they were safe!  It is a must-read for anyone who has dealt with a loss of a child or who has children. 

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