A story about the most unreported crimes in the world... the sexual abuse of children by family members. In a small seaside New England town in 1953...


"best of the best" Claymore Award Winner...."
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​Susan​ took her hands and tightened her fingers around his neck. She wanted to give him a chokehold, compress his neck, but he tried to break free. Then she let go and struck his head with her left fist, her best hand. She flew at him, her fingers like claws, punching and kicking, pulling his hair, scratching his face. She wanted to choke him to death, to pummel his face and quickly closed her grip back around his neck. Not confident that she could complete this task, she removed the weapon from under her pillow, plunged it, the kitchen knife, a large, shiny butcher blade, into his soft stomach. Larry groaned in pain. Blood, sticky, covered her hands and also the blanket. Susan broke her grip on Larry's body and pushed him off of her.
She didn't care if he was dead because she wanted justice. Larry won't take away her life.
Her eyes misted up and relief flooded her body.​​..
And then she woke up.

ABOUT: PATRICIA STRIAR ROHNER
Patricia Rohner was born in New York, New York, and grew up in South Orange, New Jersey. She loved to paint and write and was in the drama club. Rohner spent her summers at Camp Lown in Maine.
Rohner graduated from Brandeis University, where she majored in theater arts, and later received a certificate in communications. Later she received a master’s in social work from Simmons College and a second master’s degree creative writing from Lesley University. She worked as a LICSW, and owned a gourmet kitchen shop in Newburyport, Massachusetts. Rohner has published two novels and ten short stories in literary journals. She wrote and illustrated one children’s book.
Rohner has four wonderful children, a daughter and three sons, and twelve grandchildren, all of whom are a source of great pleasure for her. She loves to paint and write, enjoys golf and is an avid Boston Red Sox fan. She lives in Ipswich, Massachusetts, and Boca Raton, Florida.
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