By 
About The Book:
In Marlene Adelstein’s debut novel, Sophie Last Seen, it is six years after the disappearance of ten year old Sophie from a shopping mall. Her mother, Jesse, is living in a self-destructive limbo as any sense of closure eludes her. Jesse is observed by her daughter’s best friend, Star, who carries her own secrets about that day. These two wounded souls come together to follow clues left by Sophie in her birding journals hoping to be led to Sophie or answers to her disappearance.
This inspiring tale of one woman’s journey in search of the truth about her missing daughter weaves together themes of forgiveness, romance, and acceptance.
Perfect for book clubs, Sophie Last Seen has elements of The Deep End of the Ocean and The Lovely Bones.
A mother’s psyche edges toward madness as she tries to solve the puzzle of her daughter’s disappearance. A gripping tale of heartbreak and eternal hope.”
—Beth Hoffman, New York Times bestselling author of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt
Marlene Adelstein Author
About The Author
After twenty-three years in New York City, working as a film development executive for top Hollywood producers, Marlene Adelstein began earning her living as a freelance editor working on novels and memoirs.
When she’s not reading other people’s manuscripts or writing her own, Marlene can be found walking local trails with her dog. She is partial to chocolate labs and in particular hers, a good-natured girl named Honey, who is never more than a few feet behind her. Comfortable and energized in a big city but preferring to make her home in a small town filled with other writers and artists, Marlene lives in the beautiful Hudson Valley where she loves to listen to the noise of the birds.
Lindas Book Obsession Reviews “Sophie Last Seen” by Marlene Adelstein ,Red Adept Publishing
Lindas Book Obsession Reviews “Sophie Last Seen” by Marlene Adelstein, Red Adept Publishing
Marlene Adelstein, Author of “Sophie Last Seen” has written an amazing, captivating, intense, intriguing, suspenseful and edgy novel. Marlene Adelstein is an amazing writer, and vividly describes the characters, birds, scenery and landscape. Utilizing all of my senses, I could see, hear, feel, touch, taste and smell many of the events described. The Genres for this story are Fiction, Mystery, Suspense and Thriller. The author describes her colorful and quirky characters as complex, complicated and dysfunctional. The timeline for this story is in the present and goes to the past where is pertains to the characters and events in the story.
Jesse has lived other mother’s nightmares for the last six years. Can you imagine your daughter disappearing? Jesse had taken her daughter Sophie shopping, and within a few minutes Sophie disappears. Sophie is ten years old with a fascination and obsession with birds. Sophie often compares the characteristics of birds to people. Sophie has shown her mother that crows are extremely intelligent. After feeding them, the crows often leave Sophie shiny and small objects as gifts. Sophie can also have tantrums if she doesn’t get her way. On this particular day, Sophie is upset that Jesse won’t stop to see a certain bird, and then becomes upset that Jesse won’t let her have a certain shirt from the store.
Star, one of the few friends that Sophie had, is reminded that she broke a promise to go with Sophie shopping the day that Sophie was last seen. Star also has tremendous guilt. Both Jesse and Star are working in Star’s father used bookstore, and struggle with Sophie’s loss.
Both Jesse and Star haven’t found closure with Sophie’s loss, and live dysfunctional lives. They both try to use Sophie’s bird journals for clues to what could have happened to Sophie.
The author discusses the importance of forgiveness, acceptance, faith, hope and love. I would highly recommend this suspenseful novel for those readers who enjoy this genre.
Linda's Book Obsession: 