Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

Still Missing by Chevy Stevens 

St. Martin's Press; July 6, 2010

Hard Cover, 352 pages

Borrowed- Compliment's of Library-

Book Synopsis

On the day she was abducted, Annie O’Sullivan, a thirty-two year old Realtor, had three goals—sell a house, forget about a recent argument with her mother, and be on time for dinner with her ever- patient boyfriend. The open house is slow, but when her last visitor of the day pulls up in a van as she's about to leave, Annie thinks it just might be her lucky day after all. Interwoven with the story of the year Annie spent captive of a sadistic psychopath in a remote mountain cabin, which unfolds through sessions with her psychiatrist, is a second narrative recounting events following her escape—her struggle to piece her shattered spirit back together and the ongoing police investigation into the identity of her captor.....(Goodreads)

When I wonder how I became the zombie I am now, how I could have gotten so lost, it always traces back to that moment-the moment I put my soul on the shelf to make room for the devil.........pg.53

Review

Annie O’Sullivan is a missing person- missing from life, stripped of her soul, dignity and psyche. After a tortuous year living with “The Freak” Annie is back home trying to piece together her life. Hiding in closets, hiding her body behind frumpy clothes and jumping at every noise drives her to be a cynical pissed off woman and Who wouldn’t after the ordeal she lived through!

The novel takes us through Annie’s journey during a one way conversation with her therapist. She talks about the day she was abducted and the horrendous days that follow. She talks about the imprisonment, the rapes and most frightening... the attachment. But Annie also talks about her life after and although she is out of the freaks prison she is still a prisoner to his rules-peeing, eating, drinking, bathing, everything is on his twisted schedule. She wants to heal, she wants to break free, but finding that free spirited girl is next to impossible.

The reader never hears Annie’s Doctor speak or even named for that matter, we read about other characters including the freak through only Annie’s interpretations… I think this approach was important to hear Annie and only Annie as she controls the story and the dialog- having been utterly ripped of her control by the freak, I thought the significance of the narrative was brilliant.

As hard as it was to read Annie’s story at the same time its a book that you can’t put down. The subject matter was not beautiful but Stevens writing was. The development of Annie’s character before, during and after and the shocking heartbreaking end will make for an unforgettable, amazing read.

Rating

Still Missing is equal parts disturbing and powerful- recommended to adults only and contains explicit graphic details on rape, sexuality, perversion, murder and abduction. also contains graphic violence, language, psychological issues, PTSD and family issues. 

5/5- Suspense-Thriller-Abduction