Claire Hutchings, in an effort to understand and bring to an end a recurring nightmare, delves into a past that spans from South Africa to Pennsylvania, and discovers that her life, her identity, is a lie.
Excerpt
Easing the recliner upright, Claire felt stiffness in her limbs. She stretched, got a glass of water and went to bed, quickly slipping into a sound sleep. She soon sat up with a jolt, awakened by the nightmare. Something was different this time, but she couldn’t immediately recall what it was. She turned on the light and took the notepad from her bed table. Propping herself up on pillows and closing her eyes, she tried to remember the vision, searching for the one thing that was different.
She saw herself looking down into the well, the reflection of the blue sky and clouds, her own small shadow. She jumped as she envisioned herself falling and holding onto the rough, wet rope. The silhouette appeared of the woman peering into the well. Claire saw the outline of the woman’s hair flowing out around her face.
A shiver rolled down Claire’s spine. Her eyes flew open--that was it. She could see the face! She closed her eyes and willed herself to return to that place in the nightmare, to see the face again. She went back through the nightmare quickly, like someone skimming paragraphs to get to a particular line in a book.
There it was--the silhouette, the flowing hair--and the face. The hair now had color--chestnut brown--much like Claire’s. The eyes were dark and frightened and the woman’s mouth was contorted and saying something--then she was gone. The rest of the nightmare had repeated the same as always.
Claire opened her eyes and, with a trembling hand, wrote what she had seen and experienced. She drew a rough sketch of the woman’s face and stared at it. She could be looking at a self-portrait.
The shadows on her wall disappeared into the morning sun. She looked at the clock--seven-thirty. Stretching and sitting upright, she reached for the notepad and read the notes she had made about the nightmare, examining the sketch of the woman’s face. The face was hers, but the eyes were different. She searched the eyes, looking for recognition, something familiar.
Professional Reviews
A. Dee Carey
Rarely does a mystery have this depth of feeling. Pieces is an invitation to compassion and understanding. This book will enrich you as well as entertain you. Pieces by Linda Rettstatt found its way to my keeper shelf.
This book rates a five on the lipstick scale
--A. Dee Carey
The Fox Lady
http://www.foxladycarey.com/
JoEllen Conger - Conger Books
Have you ever wondered, ‘Who am I… really?’ Claire Hutchings asks herself this question when a recurring nightmare gives her the feeling she must have been adopted. The more she tries to explain the dream, the more she discovers the puzzle pieces don’t add up. Something is missing. This is a real page turner. The suspense is so grippng, I promise you, you’ll not be able to set this book down.
This superbly complex suspense will keep you turning pages as Claire puts the pieces of the puzzle together to discover her true identity.
--JoEllen Conger
www.congerbooks.com
Mallary Mitchell
Ms. Rettstatt has crafted a wonderful, poignant tale in Pieces. I felt Claire’s emotions as she delved into the past. Each chapter is filled with suspense and well-kept secrets as Claire uncovers bits of the mystery of who she is, both literally and figuratively. Pieces engages the reader with suspenseful narration and graphic storytelling. This is an amazing, beautifully written novel. Don’t miss it.
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