Book Review: Rust and Stardust

Rust & Stardust
By T. Greenwood

Complimentary copy
from Publicist: St. Martin







Rust & Stardust is a historical fiction novel written by the author, T. Greenwood. The book was a difficult book to read. It is based on a true crime in  Camden, NJ in 1948. It was a kidnapping of Sally Horner. She was kidnapped and finally escaped after two years.

To me, the story itself was not the takeaway. The take away is what to tell your children how to be cautious of strangers. It gave you a perspective of what it was like to be kidnapped. What to do and what not to do when you are kidnapped. What to teach your child. What to do, and not do as a parent as well. What innocent bystanders can look for, and what to do in situations like this.

I don't know what it was like during the 1940s and '50s. Were mothers so naive to allow a perfect stranger to take their daughter on vacation?  Part of the problem was Sally Horner's mother had so many physical ailments. She didn't have a husband to lean on. She had an elder daughter about to be married.  Sally was a lonely child. I think her mother was just happy that another friend took an interest in her. When the situation came up. Her mother was overjoyed that Sally was going down the shore with her friend She didn't think it was suspicious.

*************SPOILER Alert*******************************************************


Sally was a lonely little girl(not sure how old she was). She wanted to feel like she belonged. It is the awkward age of young adolescence. When a group of girls she knew asked her if she wanted to join them at Woolworth. She joined in and went with them to Woolworth. While there they told her she had to do a dare. To steal something, Sally decided on a notebook. While sitting at the lunch counter. A stranger was observing all this. As Sally went out of the door. The stranger followed her out the door and grabbed her. He told her he was an FBI agent and saw what she had done. Sally was so scared. She believed everything the FBI agent told her. He told her he was taking her to jail.

There were so many times she could have told her mother what was going on. Before he grabbed her. But, LaSalle terrorized her. He told her if she told anybody her family would be in danger. He took her to Maryland. After a while, she became suspicious about Frank. But, it was too late. He started doing things to her that I will not say( but you can imagine without me saying. He was basically a pedophile. Before the word was used.

 After the summer he put her in a Catholic School. A sister started to become suspicious. There was a chance that Sally could have told Sister. But, she was too frightened to. The Sister eventually reported it to her superiors. They transferred her to another school, basically, she was punished for telling the truth. They then went on the run to Texas.

Where again someone became suspicious. Each time, and situation Sally could have done something to run away. But, she didn't have the instincts to know what to do.

 The best part of you want to call it the best part. Her sister had a good husband. He was persistent about trying to track down Sally. He never stopped. He really cared about his little Sister-in-law. You would think he was the family. He seemed more concerned about Sally more than anyone.

The story is a cautionary tale about what to do, and not do to teach children to keep safe when approached by a stranger. Nowadays, I don't think this would have happened so easily. Parents and schools teach children safety measures when approached by a stranger. I hope children are not so naive. I was thinking about how stupid the mother was to allow a stranger to take her child. Without checking it out first.

The book was a page-turner and was predictable what happened to Sally. I am not going to tell you the ending, and spoil it for you. It was such a depressing book. I don't think I will ever forget it. The book is not for everyone. If you are looking to read about true crime. Then the book is for you. If you don't like a depressing book than the book is not for you.

 I remember, in the '90s when my son was born. I had to have three eyes in the back of my head. I would not let my son leave my side. This was in Miami. I remember that was the time. Little children were going missing all the time. Strangers were picking up kids and kidnapping little children. Every day you would hear the news reports.

  I still remember I was in the store. My son was about 4. I couldn't find him. Children don't know any better. I couldn't find my son in a small store. I was looking, and looking for him. I was in a panic. I couldn't find him. Finally in about 10 min. Mom, here I am peek-a-boo.  He was hiding under the carousel of clothes. I was so scared. I was always worried in the back of my mind while my son was small someone was going to pick him up. Thank g-d it never happened. The book is a good book discussion I think for young mothers. To think about how to talk to kids about strangers.