Barbara Gowdy, Helpless

Helpless

Barbara Gowdy

Henry Holt, Apr 2007, $24.00

ISBN: 0805082883

In Toronto, single mom Celia Fox works two jobs while raising her beautiful, mixed-race daughter, nine-year-old Rachel. Celia works at Tom's Video and plays jazz and blues at Casa Hernandez Motel. As protective as Celia is of her daughter, she is unaware of the impact her exotic looking offspring has on men, but begins to comprehend when a child model agent wants to hire Rachel; Celia has doubts, but Rachel sees a chance to earn money that she and her mom could use. However, mom is unaware that repairman Ron has seen Rachel and fallen in love.

Ron wants to save his beloved from poverty and maternal neglect and abuse. When a blackout occurs, Ron realizes he has the opportunity to save his Rachel so he abducts her for her own good. He enlists his girlfriend Nancy to help him "protect" the child, but finds his needs for her beginning to overwhelm his reasoning. As the police search for the missing preadolescent and Celia fears the worst, the media turns the abduction into a circus.

This is a deep, psychological study that looks into the minds of the key cast members especially mother, daughter, kidnapper, and accomplice. The storyline is totally character-driven with the suspense coming from the subtle changes in attitudes of the prime quartet. Celia suffers from guilt and doubt as she deals with a caring mother's worst nightmare; Rachel begins to change her attitude as the Stockholm Syndrome begins to take affect. Nancy begins to have doubts that they did the right thing for the little girl as she realizes that Celia is not a terrible, abusive mother. However, it is creepy Ron who makes the tale as he begins to conclude his pristine reasons are not pure. This is a frightening, insightful, suspense thriller that never lets the readers pause for a moment.

Harriet Klausner