I got this softcover in this Little Free Library in Plaistow, NH while dropping off some books of my own.

The premise: a child disappears in a moment on a foggy day, changing the lives of those left behind. The premise has been used before, of course, including in Still Missing by Beth Gutcheon, which inspired the film Without a Trace, but this novel takes a somewhat different turn. While some aspects are familiar - the ongoing grief and stress, the breakdown of the relationship - others are unexpected, and while I found myself somewhat unsatisfied by the conclusion, I was still involved with the story throughout.

The setup here is that Abby, the narrator, is not the child's mother; she's dating the father and they plan to marry, but haven't yet. This compounds Abby's guilt over having let the child run off while in her charge, and adds her to the suspect list early on - though the police do seem to behave in a reasonable manner regarding checking motives and alibis.

Part of the story focuses on Abby's refusal to accept the loss of Emma, even after one of her shoes is found at the beach and everyone else concludes she must have drowned. This is where the author could have delved into unrealistic hopes vs. "giving up", and the in-character discussions do cover this ground - but the story... moves elsewhere. I can't say much more without spoiling it, but there's a mix of coincidence and persistence that unravels the mystery, though there are some unresolved issues remaining. (One of those has to do with Abby's original relationship vs. that with the over-the-top friendly, helpful, attractive, connected, and skilled fellow she meets along the way. He's just a wee bit too good to be true!)

Anyway... despite its flaws, it's a memorable story, and I'm glad I gave it a shot.

I left this book in the Little Free Library; hope someone enjoys it!

[See other recent releases in NH here.]

*** Released for the 2019 Clean Start for the New Year release challenge. ***