The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf

Family secrets lie just beneath the surface in this suspenseful debut novel, set in contemporary small town Iowa. 7 year-old best friends Calli and Petra are closer than most girls that age - Calli, a selective mute since the age of 4, relies on Petra to be her voice, while Petra seems to instinctively know what Calli needs at any given time. When both girls disappear from their homes one hot summer morning, no one anticipates how the day will end.

When Deputy Sheriff Louis finds out about the missing girls, he immediately sets out on the case. While his history with Calli's mother, Toni, complicates his involvement, he has no intention of backing off the case. Toni, along with Petra's parents, anxiously await news as Calli's brother and other volunteers search for the girls in the woods. Griff, Calli's father is supposed to be away on a fishing trip; however he did not get away that morning as planned. Could he be responsible for taking the girls? What other secrets will be uncovered throughout the course of the search?

While there are some plot holes in this story, overall it is a mesmerizing read. Told from multiple viewpoints, including silent Calli's, the short chapters and increasing tension keep the pages turning. Fans of Jodi Picoult or Anita Shreve will appreciate this novel, as well as anyone who is looking for a quick and engrossing family drama.

Crazy Love by Leslie Morgan Steiner

Leslie Morgan had it all. At the age of 22, she had already overcome substance abuse problems, graduated from Harvard and had a great job at Seventeen magazine when she met her "knight in shining armor." Conor was handsome, he was smart, and he had overcome a tough childhood to become a successful investment banker in New York City. Sure, he was a little quirky, but Leslie was sure, with a little patience and a lot of love, they would live happily-ever-after.

Before long, they were inseparable and making plans to move in together. As their relationship progressed, so did the controlling behaviors and violence. Not only did Conor talk Leslie into putting both of their student loans into her name when they attended grad school together, he also convinced her to finance her own engagement ring. Believing that their love was one for the ages, she did these things to prove her love and commitment to their relationship. Leslie finally overcame her denial and offered Conor an ultimatum - if he hits her again, that will be the end of the relationship. He agreed to this condition, and was able to live up to it...until the night he almost killed her. Although it wasn't a totally clean break, eventually Leslie realized that in order to move forward with her life she needed to take care of herself first and foremost and Conor was nothing but an impediment to that end.

This book, a memoir, was difficult to read at times, as it should be. Leslie was fortunate enough to have enough resources and education to help lift her out of the cycle of abuse, something that many women lack. I believe it took alot of courage to write this book, and whether or not the reader can relate to Leslie's situation, it is inspiring to read. It takes a hard look at love, what it is, and most of all, what it is not.

In Contempt by Christopher Darden

In 1995 it was difficult to find an adult American unaware that O.J. Simpson was on trial for the murders of Nicole Brown, Simpson's wife, and Ron Goldman, Nicole's friend. The media blitz of what became known as "The Simpson Trial" was unprecedented and the news coverage was constant. Perhaps interest was so high because the trial touched a nerve with many Americans on many levels. Without question, the trial drew a heightened awareness to the issues of domestic violence, unjust police practices and the state of race relations in America, all, still "hot button" topics today.

This book gives a firsthand account from the perspective of co-prosecuting attorney, Christopher Darden.

Darden spends a little time at the beginning of the book describing his childhood of a rather meager existence but makes clear that strong family ties and a hard work ethic were instilled in him. He describes the people who helped him along the way and gives a personal glimpse into what he considers his own failings, especially in his adulthood.

However, the meat of the book really is an account of the circumstances that lead to Darden becoming co-prosecutor and some of the highlights, and "lowlights", of the actual trial. Darden recounts conversations between himself and famed defense attorney Johnnie Cochran, lead counsel for the defense, F. Lee Bailey, co-counsel for the defense, Marcia Clark, co-prosecuting attorney and Judge Lance Ito, whose face graced many a magazine cover and TV screen during the lengthy trial.

Darden also talks about the personal torment and ridicule he and his family endured because of his role in the trial as an African American male co-prosecuting an African American male.

He recounts the many pieces of evidence and replays the now famous moment when O.J. Simpson attempted to put on the infamous "bloody glove", describing in detail what he saw from exactly where he stood in the court room, and the media circus that preceded, and followed, that moment.

As an added bonus, for those who are inclined to listen to the audiobook version, Darden reads the book himself. So it is like a personal conversation listening to him, and the reader is immediately transported back to 1995 and the hoopla that surrounded what many called "The Trial of the Century".

Other books written about the trial include: Murder in Brentwood by Mark Fuhrman, 1997 and Without A Doubt by Marcia Clark, 1997, as well as the much publicized If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer released for publication in 2007. The latter book was originally scheduled for publication and then cancelled by the publisher because of public outcry that a murderer was profiting from his crime. However, the rights to the book were awarded to the Goldman and Brown families and became part of the financial settlement award as a result of the guilty verdict against Simpson in the civil suit brought by the families against Simpson. The civil trial found for the families and against Simpson in 1997, a decision that was upheld upon appeal in February, 2008. The families also added some 14,000 words to Simpson's original manuscript, and added the subtitle, Confessions of a Killer.

If I am Missing or Dead by Janine Latus

This was a strange little book. I picked it up after reading the description and learning that the title was derived from a letter that was written by the author's sister; the letter was found in Amy Latus's desk at work following her disappearance. Rather than a book solely devoted to her sister's story, however, the author also uses this opportunity to share her own experiences with domestic violence.

Amy and Janine grew up in a traditional family, 2 of 5 children. While their mother remained a strong support for the girls their entire lives, their father was more on the creepy side, using inappropriate touches and comments towards his female children, eventually completely alienating them from him. Janine moves out of the house prior to finishing high school, yet manages to graduate and go on to college. Amy, the baby of the family, remains at home with her increasingly unhappy parents.

As the girls grow up and move into serious relationships, they find themselves in a pattern of behavior that is all too common in abusive partnerships - when things are good they're great; but when they are bad, they are dangerously bad. Janine leaves one abusive relationship for a charming, handsome doctor, who she marries; Amy marries an alcoholic who she ends up supporting most of the length of their marriage. One of the reasons Amy's story is such a tragedy is that she left this bad marriage, started taking care of herself, attended graduate school and was enjoying her life - only to have the whole cycle start over again when she became involved with an ex-con named Ron Ball.

I expected this to be a book about Amy, but it was mostly about Janine and her own abusive relationship. I found it an interesting comparison, as Janine was able to leave her abusive relationship right around the time Amy was murdered. This book is difficult to read - the pain and humiliation endured by these two women will stay with the reader long after the book is finished. Amy's story will live on through this book and hopefully inspire others to break the cycle of abuse.

If you or someone you know is a victim of family violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at (800) 799-SAFE (7233). This is a 24 hour hotline accessible from all 50 states that can provide you with information on local programs and shelters.