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Dawn Kopman Whidden
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A Child is Torn (Whitley & Keal Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Dawn Kopman Whidden whidden (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 481 ratings
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When dependable Evan Madison fails to show up for work, police are dispatched to his home. His ten-year-old son, Brad, is discovered inside, unharmed and seemingly alone. He is stoic, sitting in front of the television playing his favorite video game, Super Mario—and he’s covered in blood.

Veteran Police Officer Marty Keal is the first on the scene. With his many years of experience, he thinks he’s seen it all. That is, until he discovers Brad’s not really alone after all. Upstairs in their bedroom lies the brutally bludgeoned and deceased bodies of both his mother and his father. When questioned, Brad confesses to the horrific murders.

When Brad is transferred to a local mental health institution for children, Dr. Hope Rubin is brought in to evaluate and treat the child. A preliminary investigation shows no evidence of any kind of mistreatment in his past. She must determine the disturbing truth: Is Brad telling the truth? Or is he covering for someone else?

Detective Jean Whitely rounds out the investigative team; and she suspects there is much more to the case than what meets the eye. The happily married mother of two is unwavering in her determination to uncover the real truth about Brad. Was he abused? Or is he the product of an evil seed born to kill?

As the layers of truth about Brad are systematically peeled away, you will be compelled to ask yourself, which is the more dominate factor in contributing to who we are—NATURE or NURTURE?
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Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 4
    Whitley & Keal
  2. Print length
    255 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    July 6 2016
  6. Reading age
    14 - 18 years
  7. Grade level
    9 - 12
  8. File size
    2896 KB
  9. Page Flip
    Enabled
  10. Word Wise
    Enabled
  11. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  12. See all details
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Total Price: CDN$10.50
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Product description

About the Author

Dawn Kopman Whidden is a native New York author who grew up in the close-knit community of Little Neck Douglaston during the baby boomer era. She graduated from Queensboro Community college. Twenty years ago, she traded in her days of living in the bustling city for a more serene and tranquil life on a small farm in the town of Bell, located in North Central Florida. She is retired and shares her life and love with her husband of fourteen years and a stray dog she named Casey. She has also been blessed with two beautiful grandchildren.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01I3IM5A8
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2896 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 255 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 481 ratings

About the author

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Dawn Kopman Whidden

Dawn Kopman Whidden

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Dawn Kopman Whidden is a native New York author who grew up in the close-knit community of Little Neck Douglaston during the baby boomer era. She graduated from Queensboro Community college. Twenty years ago, she traded in her days of living in the bustling city for a more serene and tranquil life on a small farm in the town of Bell, located in North Central Florida.

She is retired and shares her life and love with her husband of nineteen years and an adopted stray dog she named Casey. She has also been blessed with two beautiful grandchildren. She has several mystery thrillers out as well as a magical new middle-grade chapter book.

STOLEN takes the GOLD in the READER'S FAVORITE CONTEST!

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
481 global ratings

Top reviews from Canada

Lori L.
5.0 out of 5 stars Compassion
Reviewed in Canada on December 21, 2017
Verified Purchase
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book as it kept my interest all the way through. There is murder and suspense right to the end because you are never sure if it was one person or maybe more. I would recommend this good read to anyone.
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coccotoro
4.0 out of 5 stars A Child is Torn: Innocence Lost
Reviewed in Canada on September 22, 2014
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I won a copy of "Stolen" by Dawn Kopman Whidden, through the Goodreads Giveaway Contest. As I normally like to read the books in sequence, to get more complete background character information, I went to check on her previous first two books...and decided I had to read them all. This is the review of her first novel, " A Child is Torn: Innocence Lost". My first overall impression is What a Creepy cover Picture!

This novel captured my attention right from the beginning. But classifying it under a specific genre is more difficult. This novel is more of a "Whydunit", than a "Whodunit". Why would such a sweet quiet ten year old little boy murder both his parents in cold blood, with a baseball bat? He didn't look capable of committing this terrible act of evil. A young child is found playing a video game in his living room; alone, except for his dead parents upstairs in their bedroom. He says, “I did it,” yet no one can believe it; the boy is silent. Why were the parents murdered? What really happened, and what is in the background of this family? Child abuse? A killer from outside the family?

Each chapter is devoted to an individual/character in the book, and allows for the reader to gain a better insight through multiple POV's, of their mindset, as a result of this terrible tragedy. This novel is character-driven and the characters are well developed and realistic. It uses both first person and third person narrative, switching back and forth between three characters - child psychiatrist Hope Rubin, policeman Marty Keal and homicide detective Jean Whitley.

This novel deals with the psychological issues of the drama, and deals with the author's discussion of the Nature vs. Nurture debate, a very thought-provoking concept.

Now anxiously looking forward to starting "Faceless A Mystery", her second book. Thank you Dawn for allowing me to read your memorable novel.
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P. Atkinson
5.0 out of 5 stars great book
Reviewed in Canada on January 19, 2020
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as always dawn has written another great book love all her books
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kimstories
3.0 out of 5 stars A gentle tale with a harrowing core
Reviewed in Canada on July 8, 2019
This is a tricky review to write because this book was not what I expected after the first quarter or so. It is also not really one of my chosen genres - this mix of romance and crime.
But for what it is, it is a worthy read.

The romance relationship bits were a bit juvenile for me - I couldn't believe a qualified divorced doctor getting angry because a man she had met the night before on a blind date had not contacted her by 8am the next morning. Very teenagery I thought, and her angst and anger was just silly.
And I also thought the mother daughter relationship was a bit cardboard cut-out

But I also have very little experience with the genre and seem to remember other books I have read (Nora Roberts) in the same genre having quite similar situations, and complaints from me. So it is clearly me not them.

I was very invested in the little boy at the centre of the crime part of the book and certainly could have lapped up a whole lot more indepth investigation into the cause of what happened. But, again, this is not a hard core psychological thriller and as the book it is, it dealt with the little boy and family as expected.

So - I would absolutely recommend this book to those who like a bit of gentle romance, some complicated families, a dash of feel good love, and an interesting criminal event and investigation upon which to hang it all.

When considering the audiobook, this narrator does a great job. I barely noticed that it even had a narrator really - the book was just in my head. And I think that is a perfect narrator.

And let it be said and recorded - I am still going to go and listen to the next in the series, and I expect that now I have my expectations more accurately set, I shall enjoy it immensely.
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Top reviews from other countries

Books R Best
5.0 out of 5 stars ONE OF MY FAVOURITE READS THIS YEAR
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 15, 2016
Verified Purchase
This was one of those books where I ignore the housework and dirty dishes and bury myself in the story. It contained some of my favourite elements, mystery, child abuse, believable characters and a question with no obvious answer. It was easy to read, flowed beautifully and I could identify with the main first person character. I was a little thrown by the use of both first and third person narrative, but it worked for me once I was used to it. I loved this book and I shall look out for more books by this author.
One person found this helpful
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Haunted Reader
5.0 out of 5 stars Psychological Stunner-Don't Miss this Novel
Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2012
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I received an e-book copy from the author, via the Goodreads Group Making Connections, in return for my fair and impartial review.

Review of A Child is Torn: Innocence Lost
5 Stars

I don't very often use this phrase, but here it applies: this novel totally "blew me away." I could not but read this in the space of a few hours, as I was not about to put the book aside unfinished. That ending! The author does give a clue or two, but believe me, the denouement is not telegraphed and so comes as an unexpected revelation, to the characters as well as to the reader. Yet-logically it all works out, and after four and a half decades of self-study of psychology and a baccalaureate degree in the subject, it makes perfect sense, and I appreciate the ways in which the author works out the plot; and her discussion of the Nature vs. Nurture debate.

A young child, age ten, is found playing a video game in his living room; alone, except for his bludgeoned parents upstairs in their bedroom. He says, "I did it," yet no one can believe it; the boy is small for his age, almost silent. How could he have? Well, read on and find out: did he or didn't he? Why were the parents murdered? What really happened, and what is in the background of this family? Child abuse? A killer from outside the family? Be prepared for nearly continuous surprises in this very, very, rewarding novel.
3 people found this helpful
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Central Coast Retiree
5.0 out of 5 stars A Suspense Masterpiece
Reviewed in Australia on October 25, 2015
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This is a very suspenseful yet well-written novel which I believe may be the debut for this author. She writes very sensitively about a delicate subject, being brave enough to go where most of us would not dare. This author is very promising.
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Thomas P. Riddell
4.0 out of 5 stars A CHILD TORN WILL GRAB YOU!
Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2013
Verified Purchase
Something unthinkable has happened. A ten year old boy has killed both his parents in cold blood and the first thing he does after is to go and play a video game. As I sat down to read this tale I learned the gruesome details in the description of the book. My first thought? Brad is an evil child. But the feelings and images that are associated with evil were soon swept away after I read the first few pages- when a psychiatrist named "Hope" has hope and is determined to find the answers that will save Brad.

The imagery and feeling that the author employs in the opening of this story will grab you and keep you reading until the last page is turned. The ability to bind evilness and goodness together is key in holding the interest of the reader- especially when the main character is a traumatized ten year old little boy.

The story is well written and the interest level remains throughout. The only problem I had with the book is when the sub story lines of the other characters took me away from learning more about Brad and what drove this young boy to do what he did. But even so, the author has the skill to keep the reader's attention and all of the characters in this story are interesting and likable; so much so that we want to know more about them.

Dawn Whidden has successfully made her mark in the publishing world and I look forward to more from this skillful first time author.
4 people found this helpful
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Zelda Senior
4.0 out of 5 stars Nature or nurture?
Reviewed in Australia on July 3, 2016
Verified Purchase
The author touches on a very sensitive subject. All evidence points to young Brad having killed his parents. All other angles are explored by Hope, the child psychiatrist, and Jean, the police officer. Could there be someone else involved? Is it nature or nurture? I enjoyed reading this book, and liked how developed and rounded the characters were. I would have liked to have seen more pages devoted to the character development of Brad, so that I could gain more of an understanding of him. It also doesn't quite sit right with me the excessive amount of sympathy that seems to be shown towards Brad; even when he has hurt other children. I'm sure the killers of little James Bulger weren't shown sympathy like that.
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