Melanie (MELNELYNN) reviewed on 1/3/2009 + 669 more book reviews

Broadcast journalism, as we know, is an exciting sometimes no-holds-barred field, and that is where Mary Jane Clark spent almost 30 years of her professional life. She knows that world well and she brings it to stunning life. Not only is Clark a former writer and producer for CBS News but her father was an FBI agent who investigated headline grabbing kidnaping and extortion cases, such as the Patty Hearst case and the kidnaping of Calvin Klein's daughter. As Clark has said, "kidnaping was my father's specialty......and I paid a lot of attention to the details at an impressionable age."

Now, bring together her knowledge of the broadcast journalist's life with her memories of what she learned from her father and you have a wow of a story, a can't-stop-reading suspense tale propelled by sharp dialogue and heart thumping twists.

With the second book in Clark's Sunrise Suspense society series we find Eliza Blake preparing for one more interview. Hers is a face much of the world knows as she's the host of one of our country's top-rated television programs - KEY to America. She's also a widow with Janie, a seven-year-old daughter whom she adores. Janie is reminded of her mother's devotion when the housekeeper, Mrs. Garcia, calls her "tesoro," explaining that the word means treasure, and says, " You are your mama's tesoro. She loves you more than anything."

That love is reiterated in Eliza's interview when the reporter asks her about Janie, and she replies, "Janie is my top priority."

With this background readers more than empathize with Eliza, they almost feel her pain when Janie is kidnaped. Two intruders wearing Popeye and Olive Oyl masks break into the Clark household one morning, and terrorize Mrs. Garcia into making a call to Janie's day camp saying that she must come and pick up the child as her mother needs her.

When Eliza returns home after a long day at work she is somewhat surprised not to find Mrs. Garcia there, but assumes she has gone on an errand. But Janie's camp bus should have delivered her to the house at 5:30, and it is soon past six. With fear filled l voice Eliza calls the police, and the chase begins. However, the combined efforts of law enforcement aren't enough. Eliza turns to her friends - Annabelle Murphy, blessed with incredible instincts; B. J. D'Ellia, photographer extra ordinaire; and Margot Gonzalez, who knows criminal minds.

It Only Takes A Moment fires forward from the first page, bristling with pinpoint characterizations and plotting par excellence. A compelling read!

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