A special hello from the Isle of Wight to my female readers. I appreciate that now is a very sensitive time to be publishing a new edition of a novel which has at its heart the reactions of a woman to being raped and subsequently to having her twelve-year-old daughter abducted.

All I can say is that the details of this story were partly suggested and approved by my lovely wife, who had been through a somewhat similar set of experiences. It was also agreed, subject to a couple of minor incorporated revisions, by my lady editor. So I feel that it makes an original contribution to the mass of writing currently available about these subjects.

I admit I have received a few critical objections from readers to the content of this book, usually along the lines of, how can I possibly understand what a woman goes through when she experiences such ordeals. Of course, I cannot claim that my knowledge is first-hand. Nevertheless, I hope my treatment of the subject, based on the advice I mention above, is sympathetic and contains a kernel of hope for the future.

Whatever view you have of the novel, I hope that you at least consider it to be a good story.

Michael Hillier