Comments for Sufficient Ransom

Sufficient Ransom: 09/15/14

Sufficient Ransom by Sylvia Sarno is a mystery set in San Diego and Tijuana. Ann and her husband's son, Travis, is kidnapped. They believe an over zealous child protective services worker has him.

It takes about fifty pages for Sufficient Ransom to find its voice and its pacing. The introduction of Ann and Travis (while the husband is on a business trip) had me siding with the obsessed CPS worker, Kiki. Although we are told how Ann feels for her son, we don't get into her head enough to actually feel it.

Meanwhile, Travis is acting more afraid at bedtime than a child his age probably should. He's acting like he's being abused. There's also the typical excuse given, that Travis's bruises happened because he fell (off a swing). So I was willing to believe Kiki's suspicions even though I was supposed to be feeling for Ann.

Once things settle, though, the characters break out of their initially assigned roles, Sufficient Ransom becomes an interesting mystery. There are plenty of role reversals, betrayals, and unexpected alliances, all in the name of getting Travis home safely.

Three stars

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