Safe and Sound

Amelia and Kylee’s favorite cousin, Grace, disappeared when she was babysitting them. The girls were asleep upstairs, oblivious to what was happening downstairs. The discovery of a chilling smear of blood in their kitchen started the saga that would haunt them for years. Six years later, Amelia and Kylee are still obsessed with Grace’s disappearance and determined to discover what happened. McHugh (The Weight of Blood) offers many plausible suspects, including Grace’s sleazy boss at the local waffle house, her sinister uncle with a history of unspeakable acts, and her boyfriend, who didn’t want her to leave for college. Each new clue deepens the suspense until the surprise ending. McHugh paints a poignant portrait of a community underlaid with desperation, where dreams are stifled and secrets fester beneath the surface. Jorjeana Marie does an exceptional job of capturing the characters’ voices and moods as they interact with each other. Her portrayal of the young women’s racing thoughts and growing fears rings true.