Wishing Makes It So [Paperback]

Marilyn Meredith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2006

In an effort to make a change in a child's life, Alyse and Steven take in a four-year-old who has been thrown out of several homes prior to theirs. Because of their successful parenting of three children of their own and Steven's career as a counselor, they feel sure they can help Belinda and give her a loving home. However Belinda quickly proves to be a great challenge. She is often disobedient and trouble making, hurting the other children and vandalizing their possessions. At times she seems sweet and innocent, easily charming the unwary. Her desire to be the only child takes a deadly turn.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Five Stars. "Thrilling from the first to the last page, Ms. Meredith has created a story that will truly horrify the reader. Stepeh Kind does not create suspense nearly as well. Even when you think the story is over, there is more, and you will see how the devil can hind behind the lovely and the unexpected easily. This is one of the most bone chilling novels I have ever read." ~ Amanda Killgore, Huntress Reviews. --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 164 pages
• Publisher: Hard Shell Word Factory (June 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0759937605
• ISBN-13: 978-0759937604
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,429,903 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Turn-of-the-screw suspense, July 23, 2006

By 

Pat Browning "Author of ABSINTHEOF MALICE" (Yukon, OK USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wishing Makes It So (Paperback)

This novella by Marilyn Meredith is classic suspense. Meredith gets right to the story with her opening line: "Warmth and love were but a wisp of a memory to the toddler."

Meet the Chrestman family. Steven is a social worker. Alyse has a B.A. degree in Early Childhood Education and has worked as a preschool director. They love each other and their three lively, well-adjusted children. They're active in their church and community. They decide to share their good life with a child who is considered un-adoptable.

Into their midst comes four-year-old Belinda. She's extremely bright. She has been terribly abused. She seems to have collected more emotional baggage in four years than most people acquire in a lifetime. She is devious. She is dangerous. Did her destructive impulses begin in the womb or in the cradle?

Belinda enchants everyone and nobody wants to believe she's responsible for the events that begin to pile one upon the other. Meredith takes this tale to its terrible conclusion with turn-of-the-screw precision.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars deep suspense laden character study, June 4, 2006

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wishing Makes It So (Paperback)

Kenniwick County Social Services Department Social Worker Jocelyn Perigard explains to Alyse and Steven Chrestman that the four year girl they want to adopt has had behavioral problems in the foster homes that she resided in. However, the idealistic young couple, parents of three healthy children (Andrew, Holly and toddler Pammy), wants to do something good for someone else. They chose the troubled Belinda because they believe their successful parenting experience coupled with his background as a social worker and her PH.D and work with preschoolers provide them with the skills to succeed in bringing the child into a loving caring environment.

However, in spite of their good intentions, Belinda proved more than just a handful. At times sweet and innocent, she more often is vindictive, sneaky, and nasty. She takes pleasure in hurting other children and vandalizing other people's property. However, she soon decides that she needs to be the only child in the Chrestman household and considers becoming the only female as she covets her daddy's attention. Mommy knows but daddy seems charmed by the child.

WISHING MAKES IT SO is a deep character study that Dean Koontz would be proud to have written as the suspense grips readers from start to finish. The story line is fast-paced but filled with surprise spins as tension mounts from the moment Belinda enters the Chrestman home and never slows down until her final arrival at the house she called home for awhile. Readers who appreciate a strong tense thriller filled with real people will want to read Marilyn Meredith's superb shocker in which the roads to hell is paved with good intentions while your escort may be a beautiful little girl with a devil of a heart.

Harriet Klausner

5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating - a real page turner!, January 29, 2010

By 

Anita L. Wilson "Lynn Hill" (Palestine, Tx) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Wishing Makes It So (Kindle Edition)

This book kept me on edge - the writing flowed well and the suspense kept me glued to the screen (I read it in kindle edition). I actually thought it was a true story until closer to the end the events became so 'out there' I had to go back and re-read the description to realize this was fiction! It reads much like a true story and will keep you captivated. Again the later events begin to get a little TOO dramatic as to not seem as real, but still, it's a reall page-turner and I devoured it.