"One Kick"

Chelsea Cain's new mystery novel, "One Kick," debuts Kick Lannigan as the "poster child" when it comes to child kidnappings because she was one of the lucky ones who was rescued five years after her abduction.  That is, if you call "lucky" having to live with being one of the most prolific subjects of child pornography to still have her videos out there on the web for all to see.....if you call "lucky," having a mother who revels in the publicity and encourages news coverage and pictures of her daughter on every anniversary of her rescue in order to promote the book she wrote about it....

Kick's father left shortly after she came back and her sister seems to always be at war with her.  To avoid her mother she sought early emancipation and control of her own funds and moved out.  She lives in an apartment identical to her brother, James, only he's one floor below her in the same building.  He's the computer wizard and she is doing all she can to learn how to protect herself which includes learning how to shoot and purchasing her own Glock 37 for her 21st birthday.

When a former arms dealer (or so he tells her) named Bishop, shows up to ask for help in finding two children who have recently been abducted, she is suspicious of his motives but eventually agrees to work with him. The path they take includes a visit in prison to Mel, the man who abducted her, molded her into his daughter, "Beth," and groomed her for the video roles she was to play.  The investigation also leads them into danger as they look into the "families" that are part of the child pornography life.

This book was one I couldn't put down - was almost late to a lunch date as a result!  The second book in the series, "Kick Back," came out in August 2015 but is not yet available at my local library so I'm starting the first in another series of thrillers that Cain has written featuring Archie Sheridan and Gretchen Lowell.  After reading "One Kick" I don't expect to be disappointed.  pazt