Say Nothing

Parks ventures into suburban thriller territory with his latest book. Judge Scott Sampson, his wife, Alison, and their twins Sam and Emma have a wonderful life until the day Scott receives a text message from his wife that she is picking up the kids. He arrives home to find Alison surprised since she thought he was going to get them from school. Soon the truth is revealed when the phone rings and the couple learn that their children have been kidnapped. Scott must follow the abductor's orders involving a drug case he's presiding over as judge if he and Alison want to see Sam and Emma again. Parks does a fantastic job conveying every parent's worst fear while also showcasing the marital conflict and mistrust that erupts in the midst of a crisis. The complications and twists build to an unexpected climax that is both perfect and gut-wrenching.