Had the kidnapping of Vinni actually been planned? Were Rudy and Hilda watching and planning each time Maddy and Vinni were at the beach?

Maddy couldn't stop blaming herself for Vinni's disappearance. Why didn't she have her cell phone with her instead of having to run back to the house to call the ambulance for Rudy. Was his accident really an accident or had Hilda planned that on her own too?

We follow the police investigation as well as Maddy's own investigation and share Maddy's pain as she mourns the disappearance of her daughter. Maddy did annoy me a little when she did her own investigation that might have hindered the investigation. I am sure I would have done the same though.

There were not that many characters in the story, but you did get to know each character well. Ms. Maloney described each character in detail and will have you feeling as if you are sitting right there with them and experiencing what they are experiencing.

A MATTER OF CHANCE has beautiful, detailed writing and a smooth, pull-you-in story line. You won't want to stop reading because of the engaging situations.

Mystery fans as well as suspense fans will enjoy A MATTER OF CHANCE.

There are a few sensitive topics addressed, but this book is a marvelous, moving read that will fill you with terror as well as love. 5/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the author in return for an honest review.

Loved the complexity of story and characters.

This was one of my most favorite reads in a while. It's deeply moving, beautifully descriptive and gripping. I felt like I traveled Maddy' s journey in her grief and loss.

Amazing first novel!! I felt like I was having conversations with Maddy to keep up with her life after her daughter disappears on a NJ beach. You feel her pain, her determination, and her conflicts. I had the extreme pleasure of meeting and talking with Julie Maloney and can not wait for more stories with these beloved characters. Great beach or outdoor read, just take the time to dedicate to this, you will not want to put it down!!

Julie Maloney has crafted an incredible debut novel. Beautifully written, with prose that will make you pause and reread, she has also created characters that are so real, you will not forget them after the last page is turned. Maddie Stewarts nightmare begins on a beach in New Jersey, but eventually takes her into the underbelly of the Russian mob and eventually to Germany. Along the way, Maddie begins to find a part of herself she'd all but forgotten, an artist who begins to blossom as a way to deal with the unimaginable. Thought provoking and suspenseful, this is a book club's dream novel.

I very good book. Our club enjoyed it and was thrilled to meet the author and have her join our book discussion. Learning about her research and devotion to getting this published was a treat.

3.5
you can read the summary for yourself. I thought at some points it was a little too long and convoluted - - however it was a good interpretation of how a mother who loses her child might feel None of us would know that unless we experienced it. I was disappointed that it ended so abruptly. but a good read