IT ONLY TAKES A MOMENT
Mary Jane Clark
William Morrow
Suspense
ISBN: 9780061286094

Everything is going Eliza Blake's way. She is the host of the top-rated KEY News morning show, has a beautiful daughter named Janie, close friends and all the advantages money can buy.

It hasn't always been so easy, however. Eliza lost her husband to illness before Janie was born. After giving birth, she experienced a nervous breakdown but has managed to work her way back to good mental health and a happy and well-rounded life. Everything is coming up roses. But as we all know, roses have thorns. And even the most well-tended garden has weeds, as Eliza will soon find out.

The media cannot get enough of Eliza. They focus endlessly on her professional and personal lives, and she is splashed on the cover of every tabloid and periodical from coast to coast. Unfortunately, sometimes notoriety comes with a price.

Eliza returns home from work one day to find the door open, and seven-year-old Janie and her caregiver, Mrs. Garcia, are nowhere to be found. Not one to panic, she assumes they have made a trip into town. She falls asleep after a busy day only to awaken later that evening to find that neither Janie nor Mrs. Garcia have returned. Panic sets in.

Eliza dives into action by notifying the authorities and her close friends. Soon everyone rallies around this stoic single mom in the hopes of locating the missing caregiver and her precious daughter.

At first it seems that Mrs. Garcia has taken Janie as she picked her up from summer camp without Eliza's permission. Eliza knows Mrs. Garcia, however, and she'd trust her with her life. It soon becomes apparent, though, that Mrs. Garcia took the little girl under duress. But who on earth wants the child, where are they keeping her and what are their plans for a youngster whose life has barely begun?

All of Eliza's fan mail is scrutinized for clues. The FBI is called in. Child sex offenders in a 50-mile radius are contacted and checked out. No stone is left unturned as everyone knows they are racing against the clock and that each hour that passes decrease little Janie's odds of coming home alive or even being found at all.

When a psychic appears at the police station, she is written off as a nutcase, but eventually, when her visions check out, she is called back in to share her information. While the police remain unconvinced, Eliza clings to the belief that this woman may be the very one to help her locate Janie before it's too late.

IT ONLY TAKES A MOMENT is Mary Jane Clark's 11th novel. Previously a long-time producer in the world of broadcast journalism, she has covered numerous criminal investigations. She is also the daughter of an FBI agent who specialized in kidnappings, making her well-versed in the details that make this book a winner.

    --- Reviewed by Amie Taylor

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