Pretty Little Things – Jilliane Hoffman

 

 

Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: Vanguard Press (Sep. 7, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1593156073
ISBN-13: 978-1593156077
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Characters:
Elaine (Lainie) Emerson – 13 Years Old, Middle Child.
Debbie Emerson – Lainie’s mother, not very attentive.
Todd LaManna – Elaine’s Stepfather.
Bobby Dees – Cop with Crimes Against Children division of Coral Springs PD.

Synopsis:

Lainie Emerson is 13 years old. She’s in a new school, trying to make new friends. Her family is very dysfunctional. Like all the other teenage girls, she’s into Twilight and Myspace. Then she meets Zach. Zach is 16. He’s captain of his football team, and a good looking guy. What could any girl want more. Lainie talks to Zach through instant messages, tells him she’s older than she is, and sends him a photo of her all made up. When she agrees to meet him for a movie, the most terrifying moment of her life begins. Zach is a predator.

Detective Bobby Dees had his own daughter disappear a year prior. Her disappearance has put a lot of stress on his marriage. Lainie’s disappearance is just one of a string of missing children cases that his department is working on. But he doesn’t know exactly how sick a person he is dealing with.

Review:

This book really drew me into the story. The predator was a very sick, twisted, person, and I could feel myself being disgusted with him. Though you aren’t allowed to get to know Lainie too well before she is taken, you get to know here through her memories/thoughts. The conflict of Bobby with his own missing daughter gives him that special incentive to try to find other missing children.

The author seemed to really understand the child predator problem, and drew things out as a kind of warning roadmap. And that’s where I think the strongest aspect of this book was. We’ve all seen the “To Catch a Predator” specials, and know that it can happen, but sadly, though parents are well aware, many still don’t monitor what their children do on the internet.

I think this book should be read by any parent with teenage children. Although there was quite a bit of strong language used, and I’d have to give it a PG-13 or R rating for content and language, I think that it’s a book that some teengers should read as well.

I’d recommend this, not only for fans of thrillers, but as I said to parents, as an example of the dangers their children face. I might have to read some more of Ms. Hoffman’s books. It was my first time reading one from her, and was a very enjoyable, though disturbing experience.

Since this book goes beyond a typical thriller and into real life situations, I’d be remiss in my humanitarian duties if I didn’t provide some statistics for you:

•One in five U.S. teenagers who regularly log on to the Internet say they have received an unwanted sexual solicitation via the Web.

•25% of children have been exposed to unwanted pornographic material online.

•Only 1/3 of households with Internet access are actively protecting their children with filtering or blocking software.

•75% of children are willing to share personal information online about themselves and their family in exchange for goods and services.

•Only approximately 25% of children who encountered a sexual approach or solicitation told a parent or adult.

•One in 33 youth received an aggressive sexual solicitation in the past year.

•77% of the targets for online predators were age 14 or older. Another 22% were users ages 10 to 13.

Links:

Crimes Against Children Research Center.

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Anna at FSB Associates for a review copy of this book, it in no way influenced my review.

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