It Only Takes a Moment

"It Only Takes A Moment” by Mary Jane Clark

Eliza Blake, is a very a successful anchor at a top rated morning News show. She thinks that she has seen the worst that man can do to man, until one day her young daughter and housekeeper are abducted. Now the horrors that Eliza has faced vicariously during her career, has become personal. Very personal. We, as the audience are treated to a behind the scenes look at what happens to a TV personality when their lives fall apart and we get to view it in brutal living color with a wide screen and high definition.

This is a fast paced book about the four most critical days of abduction. It’s tightly written with short, well paced chapters. Great characters, that are very well written and for the show more most part, believable; if a little stereotypical. The red herrings alone add to the enjoyment of this novel and keep you guessing as to who-dun-it right up to near the bitter end.

I enjoyed “It Only Takes a Moment” so much, that I will be purchasing several more of Ms Clark’s earlier novels, and this one is defiantly a keeper. show less

My Review of It Only Takes A Moment by Mary Jane Clark
In the tradition of James Patterson’s style of writing with the short, gripping, easily read chapters, Mary Jane Clark gives us the enthralling novel, It Only Takes a Moment. In the prologue, Eliza Blake, the heroine of the book, is walking up to a small casket in a funeral home. Immediately the reader knows they are in for a great page-turning ride as the first chapter then takes us back to a normal morning routine for Blake.
Eliza Blake is the host of the highly popular KEY News morning show. She is used to dealing with the media when spellbinding news keeps the viewer riveted to their television set and the anchor tense and engaged. Leaving for work as normal one morning, Eliza show more Blake soon discovers that this is no ordinary day. She finds out that she is part of just the sort of frantic news story that she often reports on. Blake’s 7-year-old daughter is missing and thus begins the thrill ride of a novel! Eliza realizes every parent’s worst nightmare has happened--her child has been kidnapped!
After Eliza had left and her 7-year-old daughter, Janie, was at day camp, Mrs. Garcia, the housekeeper, finds herself face-to-face with two odd cartoon-looking characters that attack her. They force her to call the Day Camp and tell them she is coming to pick up Jamie. What follows is a race to find Mrs. Garcia and Janie!
Eliza springs into action on a mission to find her daughter, even though she becomes one of the many suspects the FBI investigate. With the help of her neighbors and friends, Eliza and the rest of the “Sunrise Suspense Society”, made up of psychiatrist Dr. Margo Gonzalez, producer Annabelle Murphy, and camerman B.J. D’Elia, begin to try and unravel clues to the whereabouts of terrified Janie Blake. One clue comes from a psychic who knows details even the press didn’t know about. There are ransom notes, suspicious letters, and more clues to keep track of but they all add to the suspense of this fast moving thriller.
Eliza’s group and the FBI search through all of her fan letters to see if there might be a clue in them. Just when one of the many clues makes the reader think they are having an “A-HA!” moment, it turns around and leaves one still puzzled.
The short, fast paced chapters keep the reader going from one page to another. It Only Takes a Moment is a gripping novel of suspense in which author Mary Jane Clark will be making many news fans that may have not read her books before with this reviewer being one of them. Highly recommended!
Submitted by Karen Haney, July, 2008 show less

I typically have tried to stay away from her books, but I am glad this one didn't stay away from me! The author keeps the reader on the edge of their seat throughout the book, and never lets go of you for one single second! From the beginning to the very end-an ending, by the way, that I so did not expect!-I never lost interest at all.

I found this book a little light for my taste. The short chapters were disconcerting and I felt that the characters lacked depth and I was not invested in their safety. I t was an easy read and I finished it quickly which was fine as the story felt quite superficial and suited the brief writing style.
I can see that the author knows well the politics of the newsroom and television reporting as this reads more like a script for a show than an in depth story based on the kidnapping of a child. I felt none of the urgency that I should have felt.
One thing that intrigued me was the surprise that I encountered at the end of the book. The villain was NOT who I expected it to be.

It has been a few years since I have read a book by Mary Jane Clark. I have two more books to read to be caught up with all of the books she has written. And even though I have not read her books in a while I had no problem picking this book up and remember exactly who Eliza Blake was.
The book starts off with Eliza at work and the housekeeper, Mrs. Garcia and Janie-Eliza's daughter- getting Janie ready to head to day camp. After Janie has left a mysterious black van pulls into the Blake's drive way, two people get out and they go into the house and makes Mrs. Garcia go with them. They tell her all of the bad things that will happen to Janie if she doesn't listen. They tell Mrs. Garcia that she has to drive to camp and sign Janie out. show more
That is just the first few pages of how the book started, it already has you guessing, right? I guessed all the way up until the last chapter. When I found out who the actual kidnappers were I had to pick my jaw up off the floor.
Mary Jane Clark is an amazing author and if you like suspense and mystery then this book is for you! show less

This was another very good book in a list of good books. I was completely clueless until almost the last page, literally! The characters are becoming closer, although I find Mack superfluous. I did wish Clark would have put a little more time into BJ but do enjoy the strength and "realness" of the women characters. So glad Mrs. Garcia was okay.

This is the story of the kidnaping of the young child of a TV news anchorperson. There is a twist at the end that I didn't see coming but other than that it seemed fairly standard fare. It's a quick summer read.