Days and Hours

Days & Hours quickly begins with the disappearance of a baby. As part of her job working as a prosecutor for the County's Human Services, Rachael Flynn has to decide whether to return the newborn to his mother. While Marcie may not be the best mother in the world, Rachael believes she is innocent. As her investigation continues, Rachael is more and more confused about who could be behind the taking of the infant. When the baby is taken again, Rachael is determined to find the truth. At all costs. As an attorney, I've worked too many of these cases. They never fail to break your heart. This book does a masterful job of capturing the reality ... and heartbreak of these cases. The details of the case and investigation are right on and gripping. This book was one I kept thinking about in between reading it.

Susan Meissner isn't one of my favorite authors simply because she tells such good stories, but also because her characters are so delightful and real that I want to go and live with them! In Days & Hours, Meissner once again takes us into the world of Rachael Flynn, attorney, as well as Rachael Flynn, wife and mother--and friend of Fig. I can't imagine seeking out a friend like Fig--but I can't imagine giving him up either. My children are all grown with children of their own, but I have to believe their personalities would be much more rounded and diverse had they occasionally had someone like Fig as a babysitter and--dare I say it--a mentor. Of course, they didn't, and I'm not an attorney married to an artist, as is the main character in Meissner's Rachael Flynn mystery series, but while I'm lost in the pages of one of these excellent tomes, for a little while I become that intelligent, curious, gifted young woman--and I can't wait to see what we will discover on our search for truth and justice. Days & Hours tackles a very difficult subject--child abuse and abandonment--and handles it in a realistic but gentle manner. And that, of course, is characteristic of Meissner's writing and leaves us wanting more. I am always a bit sad when I close the cover at the end of one of her books, but also quite anxious for the next one. Susan Meissner's writing is as good as it gets, and I'm honored to be her fan, as well as her friend.

When lawyer and mother, Rachel Flynn wakes to the sound of her own screams, she realises the case she is working on is taking more of a toll on her than any case before. Newborn baby, Leo Shipley had been left to die in a dumpster and his single mum's claim to have no recollection of the night seem flimsy at best. Leo's future rests with Rachel ~ does she return him to his mother whose own family believes she is not fit for motherhood or does Rachel resign Leo to the revolving door of foster care? When Rachel's decision results in further tragedy, will she be able to move past her guilt to solve the mystery surrounding this helpless baby and the danger stalking him? Days and Hours is an intriguing mystery coupled with a compassionate look at the complex and difficult life of single parenthood. Susan Meissner's prose is tight and descriptive, the reader guilelessly drawn in to the compelling storyline with perfectly timed revelations. Susan's characterisation is superb, from Rachel, wrestling with the competing demands of her legal career, motherhood and marriage, Marcie, repeating her history of bad choices and the effervescent Fig with his weird culinary tastes and unique babysitting practices! Prepare to be enthralled, dismayed, entertained and totally hooked not only by the twists and turns of the case but also Rachel's internal struggle. The mystery remains hidden until the closing pages as Rachel's dreams, and God's promptings, lead her closer to the truth about Leo and her own future. An excellent addition to this unique series further cementing Susan Meissner's place on my bookshelves.

Days and Hours is tragic, beautiful, awful and realistic. Susan Meissner has done it again. This is the first of her Rachael Flynn series that I've read, and I will be picking up those I've missed. Meissner writes with depth and compassion, honesty, and a poignancy that wraps around the reader, bringing her characters to life in the reader's imagination. Rachael's life, like so many real women, becomes intertwined with her job. Bad enough. But when the job is gut-wrenching on bad days and difficult on good ones, Rachael is faced with choices beyond what most women are forced to consider. Several moments in the book go beyond "just a good story" into soul-tweaking. Rachael's family, friends and life read real. Okay, maybe her husband is a little too sweet. Many young mothers don't face the choice of hiring a nanny vs. staying home in their cozy loft either. Fig, my favorite character, is over the top, but he reminds me of a few men I've known and loved. The situation of a baby in peril will likely disturb more sensitive readers. So beware if you fall into that category -- some of the scenes are brutal. The Christian jargon is low level and once again borders on realistic. Rachael's reliance on God just happens to permeate her life and others also as she interacts with them. Looking for an author who produces great book after great book? Meissner needs to be on your check it out list.

A baby has been found abandoned in a trash bin. The mother insists that the baby was kidnapped. While all evidence seems to point that the mother left her child there, Rachael Flynn seems to believe her story. Then the baby disappears again and is found left for dead. Once again, it looks like the single mother appears to be unfit to take care of her children. Rachael, however, feels that something is missing and with her dreams and intuition does her best to prove the mother's innocence. Susan Meissner has become my new favorite author. Every one of her books that I have read, I have not been able to put down. This book was no exception. I had been introduced to Rachel Flynn with the 2nd book in this series and I loved her character. With this book the reader really gets to see what it's like to be a single mother. There are so many stereotypes andpre -thinking that society has about unwed mothers who have many children with different fathers. I will even admit, when I read the first chapter I prejudged Marcie to be an unfit mother with the way she treated her kids. But then as you keep reading you see how you cannot group all these mothers in the same category. While there are some that really have no clue how to raise kids, there are others who do everything in their power to help them and just can't keep ends meet. The mystery in this book was very very good, I had no idea who was the culprit and was really surprised to find out who it was and especially whey they did it. I really like Trace and his friends helping out Rachael again with their drawings. I like Fig the best and his "kumquat" nickname for Rachael. I loved his proposal scene and also his weird food choices. The ending indicates that this is the last Rachel Flynn book but I'm hoping there maybe one day there will be more. I really enjoyed this book and Meissner definitely proves that she is a top notch author.