Sufficient Ransom by Sylvia Sarno

Every Tuesday Diane from Bibliophile By the Sea hosts First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, where participants share the first paragraph (or a few) of a book they are reading or thinking about reading soon.

Ann Olson and her six-year old son were alone in the house. It was already dark. 
“Mom, can you read the story again? Please. I have to make sure that the bird finds his mother.” 
Ann scooped up the book and placed it on the shelf next to Travis’s bed. Tucking the blue 
striped quilt around her only child, she said, “I’ve read it three times. It’s time to go to sleep, sweetie.” She kissed her son’s freckled nose and stood up. “I’ll see you in the morning.” 
“Mom?” 
She knelt and caressed his soft brown hair. “What, honey?” 
He pulled the blanket to his neck. “I’m scared of the dark.” 



Title: Sufficient Ransom
Author: Sylvia Sarno 
ISBN: 9781484884591
Publisher: Savvy Scribe Press/2014
Pages: 326

6-year old Travis goes missing one day while playing in the backyard. Ann Olson is frantic. At first the police suspect her and her husband for his disappearance. 

Just before Travis went missing, a welfare officer, Kika Garcia, had wanted to take the boy away, citing Ann as a bad mother. When Kika is traced, she too is worried about Travis. Without any clue, Ann turns to religion but her husband, Richard is none too happy.

Ann can go to any length to get back Travis. She does not heed the police or her husband and we see her traversing to seedy Mexico to find him. She gets embroiled in it all. Drug dealers, murderers and preachers. All these seem to be somehow connected. When the truth comes out, everyone is devastated.

This novel keeps us on edge. The writing is easy and flowing. The plot is good. The characters are well etched. It is scary yet evil can never get away. A good thriller.