Stormi's Review: Searching for Vivian by Babette Hughes
NetGalley
Publisher: Lamplight Press
Released: February 25th 2016
Genre: Women's Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers
Length: 128 pages
Format: ebook , paperback
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Blurb
In 1966, seventeen year old Vivian Russell disappeared like smoke. The seemingly senseless murder of her parents in their home in Cleveland, Ohio was as inexplicable as her vanishing act in its aftermath. Her younger sister, Emma-traumatized by the horrific event-grows into a capable and relentless investigator who decides to do whatever it takes to find her. Her search takes her through the turbulent sixties-Viet Nam, The Black Panthers, dead ends, and bank jobs. Along the way, she finds herself and, whether she is prepared for it or not, the truth. Babette Hughes Born in Cleveland Ohio, Babette Hughes grew up in the time of Prohibition and bootleggers. Her father was one of the first bootleggers in the country, and was murdered by the Mafia in a turf war at the age of 29. Babette was just two at the time. Writing has allowed her to draw from her unusual life experiences to create her characters and tell their stories (and sometimes cautionary tales) in vivid detail. Now 93, she still writes every day with a fluidity and grace of a woman half her age. “The truth is liberating, but sometimes elusive.” She explains. “I’m always looking for it and how to best write about it, and I probably always will.”
Four Boundless Stars
I want to say thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review. Searching for Vivian was a sad book. Emma is just 10 when her parents are murdered and her older sister, Vivian, is kidnapped. Emma becomes a recluse. She has little to no friends and lives her life for her Aunt. When her Aunt passes away suddenly, she begins to feel the need to find her sister. The biggest question Emma needs to answer is "Where is Vivian?" This book was very straight forward. In the first part you meet Emma and see her story as she begins the search for Vivian. Along the way she come across things that really were better left in the past. In the second part, you see Vivian's story and the truth about what happened to her. I think my favorite part was the fact that when she begins searching for her sister, Emma begins to blossom. She comes out of her shell and becomes freer than she was when she was younger. In finding her sister, she ultimately finds herself. This made me feel good about her as a character. She had such a hard life that it feels good to see her make a better life for herself. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was written well and kept me reading late into the night.