Monday, August 3, 2015

Pretty Baby - Mary Kubica

Pretty Baby
Mary Kubica
Mira, Jul 28 2015, $24.95
ISBN 9780778317708

In Chicago, Chris Wood and his tweener daughter Zoe know his wife, her mom Heidi is a fanatic when it comes to helping the impoverished and the illiterate; many who fall into both categories.  Chris and Zoe accept Heidi’s tirades as well as her working diligently at a not-for-profit though mostly they ignore her outbursts.

However, neither her husband nor her child expected Heidi to bring into their home, homeless teenager Willow Greer and her four-month old baby Ruby.  Ignoring her spouse and her daughter, Heidi obsesses on caring for Willow and Ruby.  Meanwhile, a concerned Chris looks into Willow’s past as he fears his wife may have brought a dangerous serpent to live with them.

With a superb cast that comes alive by rotating perspective between the three members of the Wood family and Willow, Pretty Baby is a profound psychological thriller that provides a captivating look at how differently (theory of relativity) each sees the newcomers and in turn Willow sees her benefactors.  Flashbacks to traumas enhance a taut twisting drama.


Harriet Klausner

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