When the justice system fails her daughter, one courageous mother takes matters into her own hands. In a wrenching race against time, the safety of one child becomes entangled in the theatrics of family court, bottled-up family dynamics, media frenzy, and the pressure of the political machine.
A stunning family legal drama
about a brave mother who defies the court
to save her daughter from its "justice."
Motherhood. The most profound human experience is being put to the test.
Rachel Belmore is a poised, determined, yet vulnerable advertising executive fighting to bar her charming former husband, Dr. Wesley Belmore, from molesting their five-year-old daughter, Ellie. Caught in a nightmarish justice system, Rachel’s odyssey takes a turn for the worse when she loses her battle in the court of Judge McGillian. The judge, a gregarious man who believes that he applies the law without prejudice, is nevertheless trapped in his biases, which throw him into the eye of a media storm.
His young, easy-going law clerk, Phil Crawford, hides a dark secret as he sets out on a mission to change the fate of children betrayed by the justice system. The compassionate Phil forces his way into Rachel’s plight, but fails to dissuade the Judge from his harsh viewing of her case.
To save Ellie, Rachel must take the law into her hands and suffer the consequences.
Against the backdrop of media frenzy, corporate indifference, political corruption, family treachery, terrorism and judicial callousness, the story unfolds in blazingly sure-penned prose to reveal loyalty, the kindness of strangers, devotion, passion, and friendship. In a riveting tale of surprising twists, Puppet Child is a moving tribute to a mother who remains dignified, honest and loving as she changes the rules.
Professional Reviews
TOP 10 FAVORITE FIRST NOVELS 2002 !!!!
This is a stunning book -- both gripping and thought provoking. Carner writes with an ease and impact that belies the fact that this is her first published novel. She, and it, deserve a wide audience, no, not a wide audience, a huge audience....
...a carefully researched, suspense-packed story!
Carner is a masterful storyteller who has crafted a riveting plot that both entertains and brings an important social issue to the forefront. Through rich character development and constant surprises for the reader, Carner explores how Rachel’s ordeal affects the rest of her life. The protagonist is forced to take a lot of time off from her job as an advertising executive at a prestigious women’s magazine, which likely ends up costing her a promotion. She must call on family and friends to help her in ways that seem unthinkable. And, she finds herself in a romantic relationship with a very unlikely suitor.
...a carefully researched, suspense-packed story!
a gripping and plausible page-turner that is very highly recommended
Talia Carner writes knowingly and believably.... Her action-packed novel (hard to believe it's her first) kept me turning the pages long after I should have turned off my bedside light...
This is a fast-paced, breath-holding novel told mostly through crisp dialogue and Rachel's dark thoughts.... The reader (meaning me) wanted to rant at the system and rave at the torture of the child.
Puppet Child is written without wails of pity for the mother and child. It tells its story as it might have happened. The emotion comes from the reader. This is a book that will not be finished, put down and forgotten. It lives with you.... It's a dynamic book that should be read and then handed around to friends....
Imogene, a country-bred girl, longs to make a life for herself in New York City. She joins forces with her former college roommate to start a movie production company in the big city.
A homonymless man writes shows what it's like to look up the laid he skirts when you’re lying prone(d) to the sidewalk, beer / joint / needle dangling from your hand /lips / arm.
