Customer Reviews

Still Missing

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a story of hope, loss, and faith, despite seemingly insurmountable odds. It is the story of a mother's belief that her six year old son, who was abducted while on his way to school, is alive somewhere and just still missing.

Harvard University professor Susan Selky, seperated from her husband, Graham, lets her six year old son, Alex, walk the several blocks to his school all by himself. One morning she says good bye to him, not realizing until later in the day when he does not return home after school, that he simply never made it to school that morning.

The police are notified and an immediate manhunt ensues for the missing boy. The story follows the impact that the boy's disappearance has on Susan and Graham, as well as the reaction of those closest to them and of the public at large. It explores their relationship, as well as their relationship with others in the context of the tragedy which has befallen them. You definitely feel her pain.

Sensitively drawn and well written, the books explores the avenues that Susan travels in her steadfast search for her son. What happens is sure to keep the reader on the edge of his or her seat. The author plays on the reader's emotions and keeps the tension taut throughout the story, making for a real pager turner of a book. The suspense is kept up until the very end, where it boils over into a crescendo of a finale. This is, without a doubt, one of the best suspense novels to be found.

I have enjoyed several of Beth Gutcheson's other works, but found Still Missing to be very compelling. The book starts out with an everyday occurrence - Alex Selky, almost seven years old, leaves his house to walk the three blocks to school. However, the day becomes far from ordinary when, eight hours later, he does not return and his mother Susan realizes he is missing.

The novel then takes the reader through the process of locating a missing child: the initial burst of energy and compassion, the police procedure, and the attention by friends; which is inevitably coupled with a decrease in interest and loss of faith when the child is not found. Gutcheson guides the reader through both the actual happenings in the investigation of the crime and the way it effects the characters relationships with each other. Overall, I found the book a compelling read, well worth the time.

STILL MISSING is one of the greatest books Iv'e ever read. The wondering and waiting of this story keeps you flipping through the pages, wanting to find out what is going to happen next. The books kicks off with suspense as the seven year old boy never comes home from school one day.Then they suspect their gay housekeeper of molesting and killing their son. I feel this story,was much like watching a missing child report uncover on the news for months, but with out the long wait unless you are a slow reader.If you like reading suspense novels, than you will love. "Still Missing" by Beth Gutcheon.

Still Missing is a compelling narrative, and it is this that ties the reader into the commitment of 360 pages. But realistic, satisfying characters is something this novel lacks. I found myself hurrying through the story, for it dragged in many places and made me think "move ahead, move ahead," not only in my reading but in plot progression and characterization. Good writing presents plot and characters that are worth the experience. Gutcheon's Still Missing is a good read, but it lacks the magic and breathability of believable characters.

It's true, this book about a missing boy was written 20 years ago. This is my first time reading it, and it stayed pretty modern. If I didn't know it was written early 80's I don't know if I would have guessed. There were few clues.

I enjoyed this book because it was so heart-felt. You really are pulled in by the drama. The mother...what it's like to be her. And you start to wonder too, where is Alex??

Very much recommend this book. So far my favorite by Gutcheon

I read this book for my book club, and most everyone liked it. We all did agree that the subject matter was most depressing, but felt the emotions, behaviors and events portrayed by the author were very much right on with similar real life tragedies. Terrific writing style and characterization of the parents and peripheral people, the reaction of the police and the public, and all the craziness that goes along with such a horrible life event.

After all the great reviews, I expected this book to be really good. I was dissappointed. The story was predictable and the ending very weak. The book also had a homophobic tone, as well as several instances of recreational drug use among supposedly intelligent adults. Overall, I was much less than impressed.

One day, Susan Selky sends her almost-seven-year-old son Alex off to school. He disappears, seemingly without trace, and the following nine months, while Susan, her ex, the police, and many others conduct a manhunt for Alex. The novel contains a pretty strong statement about a mother's long-lasting hope and belief that her son is still alive somewhere, and not dead, as many people fear.

There's also a pretty strong statement here about how well we really know the people around us: our neighbors, and the people we let into our homes. The strength of this book lies not so much in plot (though that in and of itself is very good), but in character development and the emotional impact the subject matter has on its reader. Tension abounds throughout the book, especially in the days following Alex's disappearance--there's a great scene where they all sit and wait for hours for the phone to ring. Susan proves herself to be strong and capable, when most people would simply fall apart if put in her position. Even the cynical Detective Memetti is well developed. There's a fabulous amount of tension between Susan and her ex, Graham: they're married, but separated; they've hurt each other in the past, but they're clearly still in love with each other (she still refers to him as her husband; he's dating a girl who looks just like Susan).

Be warned that there's a fair amount of graphic violence and sex described in this novel, as well as some crude language that seemed a bit overmuch at times. There's a very strong homophobic undercurrent to the book, too. The situation with Graham seemed to fizzle out at the end, and the ending seemed very rushed and inconclusive. Other than these reservations, however, I thought this was a pretty taut, fast-paced thriller. This book certainly is completely different from some of the other books that Persephone has reprinted; but it's definitely one of those novels that make you think about it long after you've put it down.

This is a story of hope, loss, and faith, despite seemingly insurmountable odds. It is the story of a mother's belief that her six year old son, who was abducted while on his way to school, is alive somewhere and just still missing.

Harvard University professor Susan Selky, seperated from her husband, Graham, lets her six year old son, Alex, walk the several blocks to his school all by himself. One morning she says good bye to him, not realizing until later in the day when he does not return home after school, that he simply never made it to school that morning.

The police are notified and an immediate manhunt ensues for the missing boy. The story follows the impact that the boy's disappearance has on Susan and Graham, as well as the reaction of those closest to them and of the public at large. It explores their relationship, as well as their relationship with others in the context of the tragedy which has befallen them. You definitely feel her pain.

Sensitively drawn and well written, the books explores the avenues that Susan travels in her steadfast search for her son. What happens is sure to keep the reader on the edge of his or her seat. The author plays on the reader's emotions and keeps the tension taut throughout the story, making for a real pager turner of a book. The suspense is kept up until the very end, where it boils over into a crescendo of a finale. This is, without a doubt, one of the best suspense novels to be found.

Normally this type of book, I find depressing, but this time I still couldn't put it down. Being a mother, I have to admit, this is one of my worst nightmares, but Beth Gutcheon made you feel like you were experiencing exactly what the mother was going through from the first moment the boy was lost to the end of the book. So far I think this is her best book I've read. It's defintely worth giving it a try.