by Cynthia Chow

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of Wherever She Goes. There is also a link to purchase it Amazon, and an indie bookstore where a portion of the sale goes to help support KRL.

What kind of mom voluntarily gives up her daughter? The complicated answer to that question is a secret Aubrey Finch has held since her divorce, when she allowed her husband Paul to assume primary custody of their daughter Charlotte. Aubrey feels the judgment of the other mothers at the park, those mysterious women who always seem to fit in and know how to raise a family. Raised in a series of foster homes since the death of her prostitute mother, Aubrey has learned to blend in and go unnoticed by observing and assimilating. It’s why it takes the shocking sight of a boy being kidnapped and forced into an SUV to have Aubrey willing to report it to the authorities and face the police. When no witnesses back up her story and no one else reports that their child has gone missing, the police not only disregard her observations, they begin to look more closely at Aubrey and her life.

Aubrey has done everything she can to erase her former life, the details of which are slowly revealed throughout the novel. What can be shared is that she has skills that enable her to investigate on her own, using the talents she once exploited for a profit to now track down a seemingly non-existent child and his mother. Aubrey’s investigation risks shattering the safe life she has attempted to build for herself, one built of comforting lies and a pretend normalcy. The pressure of keeping up the façade is what led Aubrey to end her marriage to Paul, a pattern of punishment that began with guilt she still feels from the death of her mother.

This extraordinary novel slowly unravels the story of a damaged woman who attempted to live her entire life under the radar without being noticed. Aubrey thought she could start over and erase her past with Paul and Charlie, but it was a life spent living as another person. Her interactions with a distant and understandably baffled Paul are painful and fascinating, and one never doubts Aubrey’s love for her daughter. As the threats ratchet up and Aubrey uncovers an even darker secret held by a powerful criminal family, she will find that in order to survive she must finally decide whether she has the strength to fully allow someone into her life. This bestselling author ventures successfully into new grounds with a standalone thriller featuring an outstanding heroine, one whose strength is unleashed when it comes to protecting those she loves.

To enter to win a copy of Wherever She Goes, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “goes,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen August 17, 2019. U.S. residents only. If entering via email please include your mailing address (so if you win we can get the book sent right out to you), and if via comment please include your email address. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

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Use this link to purchase the book & a portion goes to help support KRL & indie bookstore Mysterious Galaxy:

Wherever She Goes: A Novel

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Cynthia Chow is the branch manager of Kaneohe Public Library on the island of Oahu. She balances a librarian lifestyle of cardigans and hair buns with a passion for motorcycle riding and regrettable tattoos (sorry, Mom).

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases using those links. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.