Traffic Stop: Human Division

by Stacey L. Cahill

About the BookIn the placid village of Liberty, Nebraska, everything on the surface is simple. It’s a tight-knit community and the streets are safe. From the outside, families like the Kennedy’s are perfect exemplars of their little community.Otis Kennedy, the patriarch, serves as the small town’s legal kingpin and good-old-boy extraordinaire. His son, Layne, is a dedicated mortician and single father doing his best to make ends meet for his daughter, Marley.Marley, however, breaks this mold. A loner by disposition and privy to dark secrets that would destroy her family’s reputation, Marley is disillusioned with the world; her only light in this darkness is her twin brother Seth, a spiritual chimera that acts as her literal guardian angel.Marley knows the truth; There is a rotten vein that runs through her family, through her town, through society Human Trafficking. Otis, when he’s not at Elk’s Club meetings or on the gold course, acts as legal counsel for a human trafficking ring. Layne suffers every day to forget the death of his first love, Marley’s mother, Lupe.And when Marley gets caught up in the darkness that pervades her family, it is only the Kennedy’s efforts and her ancestral Mayan ties that can pull her through the abyss.

302 pages, Paperback

Published December 1, 2023

Reviews

[Sara Gentry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Traffic Stop: Human Division is a powerful story that takes place in a rural community in Western Nebraska. The setting itself draws readers in, dispelling any prior beliefs that rural American communities are safe from the nightmares of sex trafficking. The uncomfortable truth that these crimes are committed and this industry is supported by people we encounter every day is seen first hand as the reader gets to know the Kennedy family.

The author explores the intricate connection of how tragedies and traumas of the past are woven into the subconscious mind of unhealed adults, influencing their thoughts, feelings, and actions. Most chapters are narrated by a member of the Kennedy family (Seth, Marley and Otis) and move the reader between the past and present fluidly. The author brought each character to life, including Seth (Marley’s chimera), creating an experience for the reader to feel deeply connected to each. You will love them, hate them, pity them, and feel immense empathy when you think it’s least possible. You will be with them as they grow in the depths of their sorrows and into the freedom that only exists through intense healing. You will be reminded that even the most horrific human beings were once simply innocent children.

As Layne and his (badass) therapist Linda Lynn peel back the layers of generational trauma it’s nearly impossible to not feel a full spectrum of emotions. Linda’s minimal yet powerful presence throughout helps us process the emotions we are feeling parallel to Layne Kennedy. The trust built in the therapeutic process elevates the feeling of hope even in the most hopeless chapters. As Seth narrates the spiritual contrast between good and evil, right from wrong and forgiveness and resentment we are exposed to the reality of the human experience with the turn of each page. It truly makes the reader question just how fictional the content really is.

Moms, dads, grandparents, teachers, social workers, clinicians, first responders, spiritual and political leaders should all have this book on their must read list. This fictional depiction of real world horrors provides us with a vehicle to begin the hard conversations necessary for us to put an end to human trafficking and begin healing our communities.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

You won’t fall in love with the characters in this book, but they will probably keep you up at
night. After meeting some of them, you might feel like you need to take a scalding shower, to
listen to some of the counsel they’re given, and to feel grateful if your life story doesn’t match
up with Marley’s.

It honestly took me a minute to wrap my head around Seth’s character as his is not one I’ve
encountered in any other book I’ve read. The story is developed partly through Seth’s
sometimes limited and sometimes insightful perspective that propels the story. His character
has limitations, but don’t we all only see our side of the story?

Debut author Stacey Cahill has managed to weave together many different perspectives in
addition to Seth’s. She presents a disturbing reality check into how trauma has written versions
of itself, unbidden, into the lives of these characters. The simple thought that “hurt people hurt
people” barely scratches the surface here. She does not sidestep the uncomfortable, or even
unbearable, showing readers a more complex rendering of the issues – pride, substance abuse,
grief, lust, dishonesty – that culminates with human trafficking. Cahill has built characters who
aren’t lovable, but they certainly feel authentic.

After a few weeks, I still can clearly picture Otis’s car ride with Rob. I can imagine Marley
noticing for the first time a lock on her bedroom door. I hear echoes of Linda Lynn’s poignant
conversations with Layne Kennedy.

While this book shows how damaging one’s choices can be, it also presents the opportunity for
healing. Though some of the characters have caused irreparable damage to others, no one is
beyond redemption.

[Tiffany L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stacey Cahill has spent endless hours in her career as a mental health professional listening to stories of childhood abuse and neglect, human trafficking, suicide, a broken immigration system, grief and loss, substance abuse, and a plethora of other ways humans endure suffering in this world, and she has craftfully woven these stories into one family’s saga of trauma and triumph. While Traffic Stop: Human Division is written as fiction, it is full of life’s truths about the darkness and evil in our world, and not just off in some third-world country but right here in small town America. It highlights the impact of generational trauma on families and shines a light on how we can fix these issues if people are willing to acknowledge this evil and do the work to make real, lasting change. This story is also a beautiful intersection of culture, spirituality, resilience, determination, and emotional intelligence - shining a much needed light on a massive problem in our world but shining an even brighter light on HOPE. I would venture to guess that most people will read this book and find themes throughout its pages that resonate with them and their loved ones just as I did, and I hope that it lights a fire under everyone who reads it to stand against human trafficking and more importantly find ways they can help make a difference. We all live in this world together and when we intentionally come together with love and truth, even the darkest, most evil people cannot win.

[Tiffany Quicke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been awaiting the arrival of this book for sometime. In my head, I had imagined what the book might be like. It was completely opposite of my expectations. When I heard the book was on human trafficking I was expecting story after story of those involved with trafficking. Instead, this book is written like a story and surprisingly involves the entanglement of mostly one family. The thing is, you know this family, or someone like them, you may not know it yet. While some of the parts are difficult to read, it is a story everyone needs to hear. We can’t stop this horrible epidemic without everyone being aware. My favorite parts about this book is that all throughout the book faith and counseling are weaved on these pages. It makes me feel hope that there is healing for those surviving and fighting through the dark world of trafficking. Stacey, thank you for being brave enough to jump in with both feet to tackle a very difficult topic that is silently taking over.

[Bailey J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Because the author provides a deep dive into each character during their journey together, the reader is able to sympathize with severe generational abuse associated with Marley, Seth, Layne, and Otis. Stacey Cahill weaves the importance of talk therapy throughout the story and provides the reader with a level of comfort and understanding one would typically find impossible when discussing such difficult subjects. There is a great spiritual aspect to this story; in combination with sound counseling practices, these are the only things that could possibly explain drastic changes in the characters over time. "Traffic Stop: Human Division" is a deep dive into the minds of both victims and perpetrators and masterfully highlights the importance of accepting help to work through all of life's traumatic events.
- Bailey J. Koch, Ed.D.

[Elisa Pereyra-Molina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I needed to understand the family structure:

  Jonathon ‘Otis’ Kennedy – Grandfather

  Momma Jane – Otis’ enslaved wife

  Layne Kennedy – Otis and Jane’s Son

  Marley – Layne’s daughter

  Seth – The Chimera

Then, I was able to absorb the complex dynamics, I was introduced gradually to intergenerational trauma. And, through the murky relationships, guided into an understanding of how isolated kids get ‘groomed’ into the Sex Slave Market aka Human Trafficking. There are many raw chapters but know that in the end, “A Change is Going to Come” (part two in the book). There may or may not be redemption; it’s up to the reader to decipher. In closing, having a Chimera as a main character is brilliant!

If you need help Text* 233733

[Michelle Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear Future Readers, I was captivated by this dynamic novel that carefully guides the reader through several perspectives of individuals involved in intergenerational trauma and human trafficking. The story also brings hope as well by detailing the steps taken toward healing through counseling and family support. The characters have experiences, thoughts, and feelings that many of us can relate to, bringing them to life off the page. I found myself glued to this novel, intrigued by the characters, and with an invested interest in learning how their stories ended.

Michelle Allen, Nebraska