I think this might have been my first "Oprah" book. I was not familiar with this author although many were and I have since read her newspaper articles and columns in magazines. I liked this story because at first it seemed like a crime novel but then it turned into this psychological study of what happens to a family and their interactions when a tragedy happens. Even when things are resolved...there are still unresolved feelings and unexpected obstacles to overcome not only for the "victim" but also for the others touched by this. I thought that the author took a relatively simple story and examined it from new angles.

4 STARS

"The horror of losing a child is somehow made worse when the case goes unsolved for nearly a decade, reports Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel columnist Jacquelyn Mitchard in this searing first novel. In it, 3-year-old Ben Cappadora is kidnapped from a hotel lobby where his mother is checking into her 15th high school reunion. His disappearance tears the family apart and invokes separate experiences of anguish, denial, and self-blame. Marital problems and delinquency in Ben's older brother (in charge of him the day of his kidnapping) ensue. Mitchard depicts the family's friction and torment--along with many gritty realities of family life--with the candor of a journalist and compassion of someone who has seemingly been there." (From Amazon)

This novel grabs you from the first page and has a great balance of suspense and what is happening with the family. Usually, when I read about kidnapping it is a suspense mystery novel and how the child will be found. This book focuses more on the emotional impact of a kidnapping on a family. I would highly recommend this novel. The movie is a watered down version of the novel but I still enjoyed it.

If you want a 400+ page story that ends neatly tied up in a bow, then you better look elsewhere. 

Beth with husband, Pat, live in Madison, WI. This story begins when Beth travels to Chicago for her 15th year class reunion and insists on bringing their 2 boys, Vincent 7 and Ben 3. Shortly after arriving, Ben goes missing and all hell breaks loose. He's been kidnapped and after years of searching no one has been able to get any closer to finding Ben. Beth and Pat's family relationships break down. Pat finally talks Beth into moving back to Chicago to be close to family and to open a new restaurant with his dad and brother. What goes on from here is not easy, healthy or rational.

There were so many characters I disliked, especially Beth. I could sympathize with her emotional circumstances (how does a mother deal with the loss of a 3 year old child?), but couldn't understand her choices. And the reasoning behind those choices were a bit skewed. 

This book got reviews that went all over the map and I'm afraid I can only give it 2.5 stars.

A very good book.
A terrifying prospect for any parent to lose a child and not know what happened to him or her. I love particularly the way she handles with so much care this difficult matter and never goes over emotional, even though she could easily do it.

The anticlimax was after the child was found. Even though the characters continue to be interesting and complex the story loses its main focus and suffers for it I think.
I'm glad I chose this book. Not what I'd normally read.

No início apetecia-me queimar este livro, porque se centrava na personagem da Beth, que me deu azia do princípio ao fim.

No entanto, a partir do meio a história ficou muito mais interessante, revelando o mistério do desaparecimento do Ben e focando-se no modo como esse dia afetou a vida de toda a família, em especial a do irmão mais velho, o Vincent.

Acabei a chorar. O livro levanta muitas questões sobre relações familiares, trauma e alguns dilemas éticos. O final é muito querido.

Vale a pensa ler, se suportarem o início.

This novel was a heartbreak and a half. The loss of a child, especially one that has no solution or finality, is so devastating to the parents, the siblings, the community. It is impossible, yet it happens. The author deals with very real emotions of grief, anger, disturbing thoughts, as the family deals with the probable kidnapping of their 3 year old son. The guilt, the blame, the disbelief is unimaginable. Life starts to turn around, but the forward movement is often two steps forward, one, two or three back. The parents and siblings are profoundly affected. Even after many years and possible closure, it doesn't end there. There are blessings of support, life long friendships also that help to smooth things at times. I won't give anything away, but just read it and decide for yourself if you like it or not. I found it fascinating, a page turner, well done.

I read this book while living in Madison, Wisconson. The book takes place in Madison and is about the kidnapping of a four year old little boy. I had a four year-old son at the time with a similar name. My first introduction to the book was purely happenstance. I was driving down the road and turned to NPR. It happened to be time for "A Chapter A Day." I listened to the story, probably the first or second chapter as I drove and nearly had to pull off the road for crying so hard. I heard only two or so chapters and that was all. For the next year or so, I would pass by this book at the bookstore, too afraid to buy it, but couldn't bring myself to walk past it either. I probably picked up and put this book back down for 5 or 6 trips to the bookstore before I finally had the nerve to read it. The story was 95% excellent. She did seem to lose her focus just a little at the end, but I would still highly recommend this book to anyone. The scenes have stuck with me ever since and my four year old is now driving a car.

A story about surviving the worst that can happen as a parent. Lots of emotion, and I'm not sure what the author was saying about how the main character. Did she do the best she could under the circumstances of her youngest son's disappearance? Could she have been a better mother to her remaining children? Would any of us have done any better than she?
Critically, I was much more interested in the first half of the book and it kept my interest. The second half I got through because I wanted to know how it ended. I didn't think she followed through with the character's thoughts in a clear way. I would have liked to hear more from the child who was kidnapped and his experiences. Does anyone know if this was a movie?

What a beauty of a book, heartbreaking and just utter brilliance.

So good (and a little sad)! Now I know why it was Oprah's first ever book club choice.

This story really cut me to my core. I wonder if any mother could read this without feeling her own heart break for Beth Cappadora, whose beloved three-year-old is kidnapped in broad daylight from a hotel lobby. For the rest of the novel, Beth must navigate the torturous waters of loss, blame, and depression as the family she knew crumbles around her.
Like many of my favorite novels from the ‘90s, The Deep End of the Ocean delivers realism with a heavy serving of really interesting psychological dilemmas. The situation is just so devastating for all parties involved that I came to care very much for every suffering character, even the ones I didn’t particularly like. I’ll remember the way this one made me feel for a long time.

Well, I am pretty sure that I saw at least part of this movie long before picking up this book, but even that I think doesn't account for how predictable I found this one. Well, the kidnapping portion of the plot is really what I found to be very familiar... Overall, this is a good book, albeit a very Lifetime-movie-esque one. I had some issues with it though - surprisingly this book has some editorial problems - the hardcover version even has typos! Also, Beth's character... she just isn't very likable, which I suppose is part of the point... And the second part literally is just one bad thing after another which really jars with the ending. I think that the ending just doesn't ring true, as it just seems to be building in a different direction entirely. And, frankly, my favorite part of the plot - the conflict between Beth and Vincent/Reese never felt resolved. These characters, overall, are the kinds that you just want to reach through the pages and shake them! And the casual infidelity really stuck out to me, too - but as I really don't remember the movie, I am curious to see what Hollywood did with its adaptation. Someday...