Carol Lea Benjamin Without a Word

Without a Word

Carol Lea Benjamin

Morrow, Sep 2005, $23.95, 288 pp.

ISBN: 0060539011

Five years two months and eleven day ago, Sally Spector was walking Roy the family pet when she vanished. Her daughter Madison has not spoken since her mother disappeared and is the prime suspect of murdering her doctor for causing a drooping eyelid. Though hurt by his wife's abandonment, Leon is more worried over his daughter; he concludes that Madison needs to see that her mother is okay if she is to start to heal.

In Manhattan's Washington Square Park, Leon sees Rachel Alexander walking her pit bull Dashiel a former therapy dog. He asks for her help in finding his missing wife and mother to his shell shocked daughter. Seeing father and daughter wear deep psychological wounds from the abandonment, Rachel agrees to help starting with Dashiel offering friendship to the distraught girl. As Rachel investigates the disappearance and the homicide, she soon learns that the doctor's mistress apparently committed suicide. Rachel knows this is too coincidental to be happenchance; she wonders who connects a mute frightened girl, her doctor, and his mistress for that missing link is the killer.

WITHOUT A WORD is a remarkable private investigative tale because the prime cast members seem genuine and the events quite plausible. The hearts of readers will go out to the silent sad little murder suspect who as Rachel digs deeper into the case it seems increasingly likely she committed the homicide though the sleuth's gut and Dash's opinion evidence by his actions towards Madison speak otherwise. Fans will be fully entertained as Rachel works the missing mommy inquiry for a fee and the murder investigation pro bono for a little girl who has touched her soul.

Harriet Klausner