A Beautiful Child: A True Story of Hope, Horror, and an Enduring Human Spirit

How does one describe a book that ought to leave all who read it open-mouthed with wonder at how such things could take place in this day and age? This book is the true story of a young girl kidnapped by a man who felt her own mother was unfit then demonstrated how controlling and abusive he was toward his ward. People who read this will wonder how this man could possibly get away with doing all the things he did but at least can gain satisfaction at Floyd’s present circumstances. Questions such as what was this child’s real name, who was her real mother, and where is her son could not be answered. All we are left with is a tribute to what a girl/woman in Sharon’s position can accomplish if she has what it takes to rise above a life of abuse and create a “normal" life of her own. with all she was able to achieve before her death, I have to wonder how much she would have achieved if she’d be raised by her mother. Despite all the abuse heaped upon her for most of her life, she truly presented herself to others as a beautiful child.

Such a sad story of this girl who really has no identity as she was kidnapped at such a young age.Kidnapped and abused mentally and Physically through her short life. She was a beautiful person who hid all the pain so well and tried so hard to have her life in some way be her own. I bet she had no memory or very little of her real family. I hope they find out who she was. Bless you and rest in peace with your son. You both are beautiful souls.

A great book is one that leaves you thinking long after the last page is read. It's been a week since I read A Beautiful Child, and it's all I think about. I have seen words like "incredible" and "unbelievable" used to describe this work. I would add "sobering" and "miraculous". Sobering in that a young girl could be kidnapped in this country by a vicious murderer and actually raised as his daughter with nary a whisper from anyone. Miraculous in that Matt Birkbeck brought this young woman to life. We see her laugh, we see her cry, we see her battle the evil she was unwillingly forced to deal with. This is a book that defines a writer's career, a book to be remembered by. Mr. Birkbeck's simple yet riveting prose is purposely understated as it only can be to tell such a story so rich in imagery. A Beautiful Child is a gift, a book that must be read by every parent, teacher, social worker, police officer - by anyone - if only to remind us of the evil that lurks, and that goodness can shine so brightly even in a remarkable young woman who was thrust into hell.

I applaud Matt Birkbeck for writing A Beautiful Child. Coincidentally,I began working with neglected and abused children during the writing of this book. The writing is simple and straightforward but the actual plot is quite complex. A Beautiful Child is a true story that leaves the reader wanting to do something about abuse or help in finding missing persons. It's the kind of book you put down after reading and find yourself staring out the window for a long time. You wonder why nobody ever said anything before it was too late. Sharon Marshall could be anyone's neighbor or high school buddy; she was the girl next door, a shining example of hope for a better world. Earning top grades, listed in Who's Who Among American High Schools, Sharon read Shakespeare for enjoyment and participated in ROTC. She was headed for Georgia Tech on a scholarship, with the goal of someday working for NASA. The sweet, blonde girl with the cheery disposition would never see that dream. Neither would her little son, Michael. There's more, much more. This is a tale of baffling sadness and gross cruelty that spans generations. Warren Marshall, aka Franklin Floyd kidnapped a child, raised her as his daughter, then as his wife and mother of his child. His activities left hardened detectives appalled and searching for the answers to a mystery that remains yet unsolved.