The story unfolds in New York in the 1930s. Marielle and Malcolm Patterson are a seemingly exemplary couple. Their young son, Teddy, aged 4, disappears. The suspect is Charles Delauny, the mother’s first love. The evidence is overwhelming, and he is accused and arrested. Is he the kidnapper? It includes an intriguing courtroom drama to uncover the truth.
It is a novel straddling romance and suspense. Nothing is as it seems, making it addictive. The plot is well-crafted, engaging, mysterious, and full of tension. The characters are well-developed, with feelings of desire, guilt, and desperation. When there is infatuation, it is volcanic, full of passion, where the emotion takes precedence over everything else. Unlike many other works by Steel, this one does not include scenes of explicit sex or erotica. It has a very positive view of children, who are loved and cared for by everyone.
The author is one of the most popular novelists worldwide. Her books have been published in 69 countries and have sold 900 million copies.