The Midnight Child by Karen McQuestion

 

Sharon Lemke thought her life would be quiet now that she is retired.  But she soon finds out differently.  The first big change is when her daughter asks her to give a foster child, an eighteen-year old named Nikki, a room for a few days.  Sharon reluctantly agrees but after she meets Nikki the two decide to make the change full time.

The second change involves Sharon's neighbors in the back.  The Flemings moved to the neighborhood a few years ago.  The father is a doctor and the mother looks like a society woman, always dressed to the nines and hair and makeup just so.  They have one son, Jacob, who is in high school.  But if that is so, why did Sharon see a small girl washing dishes one night at eleven?

She and Nikki decide to investigate.  After a couple of attempts when the Flemings denied a small child being in the house, they decide to turn the case over to the social services department.  But when that agency starts to investigate, the Flemings panic, worried that their dirty secrets will come spilling out?  Is there really a child there and what will become of her?

Karen McQuestion has written a novel that delves into dysfunctional family relationships and how easily some children can fall through society's cracks.  There is drug abuse, hidden secrets and a woman's rage that controls all those around her.  This is my first book by the author.  She started in self publishing and was the first self-publisher to sign an Amazon contract that led to a movie deal.  Since then she has written numerous books that have a large audience.  This book is recommended for mystery and women's fiction readers.