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Story of a Stolen Girl
UCLA freshman, Darby Richards, remembers sitting at the tables of a private LA gambling club, but not how she ended up in Ankara, Turkey. Her life is in danger. Everyone is searching for her, but authorities are baffled. Her mother is desperate.
Darby tries to escape at each twist and turn. Her widowed mother, a successful architect, does something no other mom has ever done before. If she fails, her daughter will be lost forever.
Story of a Stolen Girl tells of a mother’s love and how far she will go to rescue her only daughter.
Darby tries to escape at each twist and turn. Her widowed mother, a successful architect, does something no other mom has ever done before. If she fails, her daughter will be lost forever.
Story of a Stolen Girl tells of a mother’s love and how far she will go to rescue her only daughter.
344 pages, Paperback
Published July 20, 2018
21 people are currently reading
65 people want to read
About the author
Pat Spencer
9 books73 followersDr. Pat Spencer has a lifetime of experience publishing fiction and nonfiction. Her book credits include the literary and historical fiction trilogy of Sticks in a Bundle Trilogy — Sticks in a Bundle: The Early Years (Book I), Transitions (Book II), and The Decision (Book III) -; Golden Boxty in the Frypan, historical fiction; A Baker’s Dozen For Writers: 13 Tips for Great Storytelling; and Story of a Stolen Girl, an International thriller; and Sticks in a Bundle. Her textbook is published by Milady/Cengage Learning.
Pat’s short story, A Healing Place, won the 2019 Oceanside Literary Festival. Other short stories and articles are published in journals such as the Literary Yard, Scarlet Leaf Review, Potato Soup Journal, Almost an Author, Vine Leaves Press, and Academy of the Heart and Mind. Pat authored a column in the Press-Enterprise newspaper and served as a columnist and contributing editor to Inland Empire Magazine.
Pat lived in three countries and seven states. She loves to travel and spent time in Europe, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, New Zealand, Australia, Italy, Greece, Mexico, the Galapagos, and the Bahamas, as well as Alaska and the Hawaiian Islands. She has road-tripped across the continental United States several times. Pat enjoys getting to know people and learning about their culture.
Dr. Spencer, a retired professor and community college president, lives in Southern California with her husband. She speaks to service and community organizations on human trafficking, writing processes, and her books. When not writing, Pat golfs, reads, walks the beach, hangs out with family and friends, or frequents book clubs and writing critique groups.
Pat’s short story, A Healing Place, won the 2019 Oceanside Literary Festival. Other short stories and articles are published in journals such as the Literary Yard, Scarlet Leaf Review, Potato Soup Journal, Almost an Author, Vine Leaves Press, and Academy of the Heart and Mind. Pat authored a column in the Press-Enterprise newspaper and served as a columnist and contributing editor to Inland Empire Magazine.
Pat lived in three countries and seven states. She loves to travel and spent time in Europe, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, New Zealand, Australia, Italy, Greece, Mexico, the Galapagos, and the Bahamas, as well as Alaska and the Hawaiian Islands. She has road-tripped across the continental United States several times. Pat enjoys getting to know people and learning about their culture.
Dr. Spencer, a retired professor and community college president, lives in Southern California with her husband. She speaks to service and community organizations on human trafficking, writing processes, and her books. When not writing, Pat golfs, reads, walks the beach, hangs out with family and friends, or frequents book clubs and writing critique groups.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
July 6, 2022
A special thank you to all of you who have supported Story of a Stolen Girl and efforts to raise awareness of human trafficking. This horrible crime against our young people must stop!
November 21, 2021
Terrifyingly Realistic.... Wow
All the things I thought I knew about human trafficking is nothing compared to the things I saw play out right before my eyes with Darby. The descriptions she gave, the very real fear she felt, the tenacity she displayed had me cheering her on the entire way. Darby's experience horrifying experience is one I will not soon forget. Her fear was projected onto me and it seemed as if I was there with her. And the resilience of her mom, Nina was nothing short of amazing. Experiencing what she went through and fighting through doubts, worry, fear, and dread all while having a 'never give up' spirit, was inspiring to say the least. A parent/daughter should never have to experience what these two did, but sadly it's an all too familiar thing that happens in today's world. Author, Pat Spencer, did an excellent job telling a -- too close to home-- story that will have you holding your breath at every page turn. Excellent read and highly recommended!
All the things I thought I knew about human trafficking is nothing compared to the things I saw play out right before my eyes with Darby. The descriptions she gave, the very real fear she felt, the tenacity she displayed had me cheering her on the entire way. Darby's experience horrifying experience is one I will not soon forget. Her fear was projected onto me and it seemed as if I was there with her. And the resilience of her mom, Nina was nothing short of amazing. Experiencing what she went through and fighting through doubts, worry, fear, and dread all while having a 'never give up' spirit, was inspiring to say the least. A parent/daughter should never have to experience what these two did, but sadly it's an all too familiar thing that happens in today's world. Author, Pat Spencer, did an excellent job telling a -- too close to home-- story that will have you holding your breath at every page turn. Excellent read and highly recommended!
September 9, 2022
Pat Spencer contacted me and asked me to read and review her book. I bought my own copy, and when its turn came up, commenced to read. The opinions here are my own, not influenced by the author in any way.
The book I just read was a thriller with a chilling undertone. Extensive research went into this story, as did the author's conviction that writing it would help expose the seamy underbelly of human trafficking in the western world.
There are just perceptible places in the story where the research has gaps and Ms Spencer has had to string bits of facts together based on conjecture. How would a brothel filled with sex slaves feel, how would it function? For the most part it works, including the leap from the end of the action to the epilogue.
I don't normally read thrillers, but I am glad I read this one. Mostly. I may not sleep well for a few nights in my safe Canadian bed in my farmhouse.
The book I just read was a thriller with a chilling undertone. Extensive research went into this story, as did the author's conviction that writing it would help expose the seamy underbelly of human trafficking in the western world.
There are just perceptible places in the story where the research has gaps and Ms Spencer has had to string bits of facts together based on conjecture. How would a brothel filled with sex slaves feel, how would it function? For the most part it works, including the leap from the end of the action to the epilogue.
I don't normally read thrillers, but I am glad I read this one. Mostly. I may not sleep well for a few nights in my safe Canadian bed in my farmhouse.
August 17, 2022
I thoroughly recommend this book! A great write.
I felt it was so true of what is happening today thousands go missing every year in all countries.
This book I couldn’t put down finished in one day.
Read it.
I felt it was so true of what is happening today thousands go missing every year in all countries.
This book I couldn’t put down finished in one day.
Read it.
June 4, 2022
(UK’s Fiction Fix Online Moderator, author, editor and proof-reader, and workshop leader.)
This has been on my list of books to read for a while. The book pulsates with a feverish energy. I can imagine the author writing the first draft in an absolute stew of impatience to get the story told. The urgency comes over very clearly. Why? Because the central characters, seventeen-year-old Darby and her mother Nina Richards, are the victims of a kidnapping by international human trafficking criminals.
Out for a night at an exclusive gambling establishment, college freshmen Darby and her roommate Esma, become separated by the machinations of the sinister Professor Balik. Esma returns to her room to discover that Darby hasn’t come back, calls Nina and confesses that their night out has gone drastically wrong, and Darby is missing. The trafficking gang kidnap Darby at the beginning of the book, where the linear energy of the story stops, then starts again as the Los Angeles Police begin their investigation. Meanwhile, a call to her partner at the architects’ practice where she works achieves compassionate leave for Nina and a claim via the company’s insurance which covers such incidents – which brings in an experienced investigative team who will negotiate with the kidnappers to get Darby back.
This sets them up in an oblique opposition to the police investigators, headed by Detective Wasden. Although the two teams share information about Darby’s whereabouts, their collaboration doesn’t produce many results beyond an investigation into the Dark Web –both teams independently discover the same information. It reveals where Darby is advertised for sale. Darby is blonde so is considered a high-value "commodity", as compared to the darker-haired women from around the world who are also held captive.
Early on in the narrative, Detective Wasden and his team discover the criminal gang have used a drug called Devil’s Breath (from a member of the nightshade family) to render their victims willing slaves. The author doesn’t dwell overly on the abuse that the women suffer, and the reason she can avoid some of the excesses other authors might feel compelled to include is that the traffickers use the drug to put their victims into a suggestible state. Darby is very feisty when alert and not under the influence of the drug, so the gang uses it to make her compliant. There are the three generations of Nina’s family, and with only days to find Darby before she’s abused or (potentially) killed, Nina needs the presence of her mother Sally to support her. However, Nina isn’t convinced that either team will bring her daughter back alive…
This is a book about women in a man’s world, and is a testament to the spirit of independence women who lived during and after the Second World War found and took to their hearts, and it’s the one in which I was brought up – before the brash modern world was forged. It’s the spirit that says, “I don’t have something important that I need, so I’ll go out and buy it, and if I can’t do that I’ll damn well make it myself to finish the job.” Ever since the throwaway economy came along and swamped people’s ingenuity that attitude has been eroded. But it’s back in spades in this book. I really like the emphasis on the support women can give to each other throughout the story. And there are the women Darby meets eventually during her imprisonment. There are also a couple of women in both teams working on recovering Darby who are willing to help Nina separately from their day jobs. This produces a strong feminist streak in the novel, and makes it a must-read for anyone who regards themself as a writer with feminist interests.
The book is written in a very distinctive way – the chapter headings are locations and dates, almost like a diary – and the story is delivered via the medium of multiple shifting viewpoints – so I enjoyed that aspect of it and found it an accessible read, as that’s my favourite format too. This delivery involves the use of dramatic irony, whereby the reader has more information about the story than the individual characters, and uses it to reconstruct the story – like a jigsaw puzzle. And that fabulous energy? Once the investigation gets going in earnest, it accelerates continuously, whereas it falters at the start in time with various setbacks that occur.
So Story of a Stolen Girl is as much social commentary as it is thriller and life-affirming feminine support system. The sense is always that the women will get the problem solved by co-operating with each other, rather than waiting for the men to rescue Darby, though none of the male characters are cyphers, and all are keen to help. But the real power is always with the women; it’s a women’s problem and demands a woman’s solution.
And that urgency, that pulsating power is what kept me reading this tale on a day when I had very little energy to do anything else. From the point when the distraught Nina seeks help from the women in the recovery teams, the pace winds up and up, like a graph of acceleration representing the relationship between speed and arrival.
Through writing this book, the author has become a vociferous campaigner on behalf of the women and children trafficked around the world every day.
This has been on my list of books to read for a while. The book pulsates with a feverish energy. I can imagine the author writing the first draft in an absolute stew of impatience to get the story told. The urgency comes over very clearly. Why? Because the central characters, seventeen-year-old Darby and her mother Nina Richards, are the victims of a kidnapping by international human trafficking criminals.
Out for a night at an exclusive gambling establishment, college freshmen Darby and her roommate Esma, become separated by the machinations of the sinister Professor Balik. Esma returns to her room to discover that Darby hasn’t come back, calls Nina and confesses that their night out has gone drastically wrong, and Darby is missing. The trafficking gang kidnap Darby at the beginning of the book, where the linear energy of the story stops, then starts again as the Los Angeles Police begin their investigation. Meanwhile, a call to her partner at the architects’ practice where she works achieves compassionate leave for Nina and a claim via the company’s insurance which covers such incidents – which brings in an experienced investigative team who will negotiate with the kidnappers to get Darby back.
This sets them up in an oblique opposition to the police investigators, headed by Detective Wasden. Although the two teams share information about Darby’s whereabouts, their collaboration doesn’t produce many results beyond an investigation into the Dark Web –both teams independently discover the same information. It reveals where Darby is advertised for sale. Darby is blonde so is considered a high-value "commodity", as compared to the darker-haired women from around the world who are also held captive.
Early on in the narrative, Detective Wasden and his team discover the criminal gang have used a drug called Devil’s Breath (from a member of the nightshade family) to render their victims willing slaves. The author doesn’t dwell overly on the abuse that the women suffer, and the reason she can avoid some of the excesses other authors might feel compelled to include is that the traffickers use the drug to put their victims into a suggestible state. Darby is very feisty when alert and not under the influence of the drug, so the gang uses it to make her compliant. There are the three generations of Nina’s family, and with only days to find Darby before she’s abused or (potentially) killed, Nina needs the presence of her mother Sally to support her. However, Nina isn’t convinced that either team will bring her daughter back alive…
This is a book about women in a man’s world, and is a testament to the spirit of independence women who lived during and after the Second World War found and took to their hearts, and it’s the one in which I was brought up – before the brash modern world was forged. It’s the spirit that says, “I don’t have something important that I need, so I’ll go out and buy it, and if I can’t do that I’ll damn well make it myself to finish the job.” Ever since the throwaway economy came along and swamped people’s ingenuity that attitude has been eroded. But it’s back in spades in this book. I really like the emphasis on the support women can give to each other throughout the story. And there are the women Darby meets eventually during her imprisonment. There are also a couple of women in both teams working on recovering Darby who are willing to help Nina separately from their day jobs. This produces a strong feminist streak in the novel, and makes it a must-read for anyone who regards themself as a writer with feminist interests.
The book is written in a very distinctive way – the chapter headings are locations and dates, almost like a diary – and the story is delivered via the medium of multiple shifting viewpoints – so I enjoyed that aspect of it and found it an accessible read, as that’s my favourite format too. This delivery involves the use of dramatic irony, whereby the reader has more information about the story than the individual characters, and uses it to reconstruct the story – like a jigsaw puzzle. And that fabulous energy? Once the investigation gets going in earnest, it accelerates continuously, whereas it falters at the start in time with various setbacks that occur.
So Story of a Stolen Girl is as much social commentary as it is thriller and life-affirming feminine support system. The sense is always that the women will get the problem solved by co-operating with each other, rather than waiting for the men to rescue Darby, though none of the male characters are cyphers, and all are keen to help. But the real power is always with the women; it’s a women’s problem and demands a woman’s solution.
And that urgency, that pulsating power is what kept me reading this tale on a day when I had very little energy to do anything else. From the point when the distraught Nina seeks help from the women in the recovery teams, the pace winds up and up, like a graph of acceleration representing the relationship between speed and arrival.
Through writing this book, the author has become a vociferous campaigner on behalf of the women and children trafficked around the world every day.
July 25, 2021
In Pat Spencer's Story of a Stolen Girl, corporate executive Nina Richard's most precious daughter Darby is kidnapped from a club near her UCLA college campus. When no ransom call comes in, Nina realizes this isn't about money. It's about human trafficking, the value of her slender blond-haired daughter's worth in an international world where women are sold into sexual slavery. When the police and the FBI fail to find Darby (despite their efforts), Nina steps in. After all, it's her job to keep her children safe. Failing that, to rescue them. Danger doesn’t matter to her, just Darby's return. Nina will do what she must, even what she didn't think she could.
The power behind this tale is tangible. You couldn't be closer to Darby and Nina's story unless it was happening to you. I hurt for both of them, felt dirty, hopeful, hopeless, and then empowered. This is a story once you've read it, you won't forget.
5/5 without reservations.
The power behind this tale is tangible. You couldn't be closer to Darby and Nina's story unless it was happening to you. I hurt for both of them, felt dirty, hopeful, hopeless, and then empowered. This is a story once you've read it, you won't forget.
5/5 without reservations.
April 14, 2023
This is a gripping, action-packed novel about a sensitive subject. It's also about mother-daughter relationships and the strength of a mother's love. When her eighteen-year-old daughter, Darby, goes missing, Nina Richards can't sit and wait for the authorities to find her and takes it upon herself to locate her. What she discovers is unbelievable and horrifying. If you like fast-paced, heart-stopping stories, you will enjoy this book. The author obviously did a lot of research to create a believable work of fiction. At the end of the book, Ms Spencer explains why she wrote this book and how she hopes it will bring attention to the deplorable human trafficking that happens all over the world, not just in third-world countries.
December 10, 2018
Suspenseful! Riveting!
An exceptional piece of literary work which brings awareness to the global problem of human trafficking. The book draws the reader in and won't let go.Story of a Stolen Girl crystalized a mother's worse nightmare. What if your daughter was kidnapped and sold to despicable men? The question playing in the back of the reader’s mind while turning each page. What if… A must read!
An exceptional piece of literary work which brings awareness to the global problem of human trafficking. The book draws the reader in and won't let go.Story of a Stolen Girl crystalized a mother's worse nightmare. What if your daughter was kidnapped and sold to despicable men? The question playing in the back of the reader’s mind while turning each page. What if… A must read!
February 14, 2023
Eighteen-year-old Darby Richardson and her college roommate get an invite to a private gambling club. Darby leaves to get breakfast with one of the patrons and disappears into the world of human trafficking and sex slavery. Her mom, Nina is beside herself with fear. She begins a relentless effort to find her missing daughter that includes law enforcement agencies, private investigators, social media, and television. Her story reaches the highest office of the US government, and yet no one seems able or willing to get the job done. The only recourse she has is to rescue Darby herself.
The book is a thriller with a definite time crunch. The action is frighteningly realistic but most of the coercion and brutality (and all of the rape) occur off-stage. There isn’t any graphic sex or violence, so readers can focus on the complexities of the investigation and ultimate rescue. It’s a tough subject, so I appreciated the way the author handled it.
The story does go into some detail about a drug called Devil’s Breath used in kidnappings. It’s scary stuff that leaves its victims compliant and without memories of what happened to them. The perfect drug for the slave/sex trade. And it was convincing enough to make me look it up. Yes, it’s real. That alone will give a reader the creeps.
This is a page-turner with a strong plot and engaging characters. I appreciated Darby’s guts even though she wasn’t able to free herself. Nina’s daring was admirable, and her ultimate plan wasn’t as easy to execute as she thought it would be. I liked that everything kept going wrong for her.
The author makes a strong statement about human trafficking with some frightening statistics about its prevalence in all corners of the world. One of her points is that this could happen to any family. She reinforces her warnings and outrage in an afterword with a call to arms. Highly recommended to readers who enjoy fast-paced thrillers.
The book is a thriller with a definite time crunch. The action is frighteningly realistic but most of the coercion and brutality (and all of the rape) occur off-stage. There isn’t any graphic sex or violence, so readers can focus on the complexities of the investigation and ultimate rescue. It’s a tough subject, so I appreciated the way the author handled it.
The story does go into some detail about a drug called Devil’s Breath used in kidnappings. It’s scary stuff that leaves its victims compliant and without memories of what happened to them. The perfect drug for the slave/sex trade. And it was convincing enough to make me look it up. Yes, it’s real. That alone will give a reader the creeps.
This is a page-turner with a strong plot and engaging characters. I appreciated Darby’s guts even though she wasn’t able to free herself. Nina’s daring was admirable, and her ultimate plan wasn’t as easy to execute as she thought it would be. I liked that everything kept going wrong for her.
The author makes a strong statement about human trafficking with some frightening statistics about its prevalence in all corners of the world. One of her points is that this could happen to any family. She reinforces her warnings and outrage in an afterword with a call to arms. Highly recommended to readers who enjoy fast-paced thrillers.
March 3, 2021
I so appreciate this author bring attention to the horror of international human trafficking and how large these crime syndicates are. They are not just the criminals lurking in alleys. They are politicians, professors, CEO's and all play a part and on how it has become so well funded and organized. As a mother I could not imagine what these young girls, women and boys have to endure at the hands of these evil monsters. I truly hope there continues to be more attention and resources put in effect to help fight and dismantle any form of human trafficking.
January 14, 2019
A gripping book about a little publicized problem. I only gave it 4 stars (really would have like the 4 1/2 star option) as I felt the rescue of Darby was rushed. Would I have followed the same path as her mother to get her home? I don't think I would have had the courage.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2018
Story of a Stolen Girl is an eye-opener that everyone should read. This thriller, the story of a mother’s love and strength tells the story of an eighteen-year old girl kidnapped from UCLA and trafficked into the world of sex and drugs, is based on events that are happening daily. Devil’s Breath is the drug that was used to sedate and capture numerous young women into this evil world of abuse and horror. Clearly, a huge amount of research was needed to bring this story to an exciting conclusion. The novel reveals shocking facts about trafficking that most of us would never have known but should be aware of. It is horrifying to know that young American citizens are prime targets for this despicable crime.
Characters in the book were fully developed and believable. It is an easily read book that you won’t want to put down.
Characters in the book were fully developed and believable. It is an easily read book that you won’t want to put down.
January 14, 2019
While I haven’t finished “Story of a Stolen Girl” I just wanted to say WOW! The first few pages have grabbed me and I can’t wait for my vacation in a week’s time to finish this story—although most likely I won’t be able to wait until then to finish it.
Darby’s disappearance after a party at a private gambling club is terrifyingly realistic given the true life stories I have read about girls and women swept up in the horrifying reality of human sex trafficking. The author has done—in the few pages I’ve read—a fantastic job of capturing the emotions of those looking for their lost loved ones. First the hesitation and disbelief that this is happening, then the fear and anger that this did happen.
I can’t wait for some free time to see how the story unfolds…
Darby’s disappearance after a party at a private gambling club is terrifyingly realistic given the true life stories I have read about girls and women swept up in the horrifying reality of human sex trafficking. The author has done—in the few pages I’ve read—a fantastic job of capturing the emotions of those looking for their lost loved ones. First the hesitation and disbelief that this is happening, then the fear and anger that this did happen.
I can’t wait for some free time to see how the story unfolds…
September 25, 2018
A Vivid, Inspirational Story
This gripping story tells the trauma experienced during human trafficking, a worldwide problem.
The suspense starts on the first page when a young American woman, Darby, is drugged and abducted, then abused and threatened.
Stories told to her by her grandfather, who had been a prisoner of war, inspire her to survive as she struggles against her captors.
Her terrorized family, the police, government agencies and private investigators work to save Darby. Her mother’s courage and determination enable Darby’s safe return in this vivid, inspirational tale told by a skilled writer.
This gripping story tells the trauma experienced during human trafficking, a worldwide problem.
The suspense starts on the first page when a young American woman, Darby, is drugged and abducted, then abused and threatened.
Stories told to her by her grandfather, who had been a prisoner of war, inspire her to survive as she struggles against her captors.
Her terrorized family, the police, government agencies and private investigators work to save Darby. Her mother’s courage and determination enable Darby’s safe return in this vivid, inspirational tale told by a skilled writer.
October 7, 2018
I hope some one makes this book into a movie. It is action packed, an intense story of a three-generational all female family that is broken apart. It is up to the mother to bring her only daughter back after she is drugged, kidnapped and trafficked to Turkey.
The characters are totally believable and take remarkable actions. So good to read about women who take charge and do what needs to be done. Once I started reading, I couldn't put this book down. There is so much to learn about trafficking and its victims, that I am going to read it again.
The characters are totally believable and take remarkable actions. So good to read about women who take charge and do what needs to be done. Once I started reading, I couldn't put this book down. There is so much to learn about trafficking and its victims, that I am going to read it again.
October 31, 2018
I am stunned by this book. People have no idea this is going on, especially in the U.S. I hope that this book brings the plight of trafficked women and children to the news. This book should be made into a movie, so the message will be received by more people.
The mother is amazing. All characters ring true. I loved the bond between the women in this tiny three person family. I highly recommend this book, and I am going to read it for a second time.
The mother is amazing. All characters ring true. I loved the bond between the women in this tiny three person family. I highly recommend this book, and I am going to read it for a second time.
November 3, 2018
What a great read. I was unable to put the book down. The title is a giveaway on the content of the book. The book held you on every twist and turn. I would greatly enjoy going into detail of the story.
that would only destroy the reading of this wonderful book. I feel this story would make a wonderful screen play.
that would only destroy the reading of this wonderful book. I feel this story would make a wonderful screen play.
October 1, 2018
AMAZING read!! Seriously could not put this book down! Not only was it suspenseful and exciting, but the characters were so real. I couldn't help but put myself in their shoes.
Pat is an incredible author! I can't wait for her to write another one!!
Pat is an incredible author! I can't wait for her to write another one!!
September 24, 2018
Totally gripping story from the first page. Could not put it down.
July 13, 2019
I couldn’t put this book down. It held my interest from beginning to end. Even though it was fiction it opened my eyes to what can really happen. It’s a must read.
March 23, 2019
A must read! Amazing story about how close we live with human trafficking, and the fight one Mother takes to find her Daughter.
March 9, 2024
This emotional tale portrays the anguish of a mother as she confronts the forces that kidnapped her daughter, in an attempt to rescue her. This colorful, heartwarming story is written by the talented Pat Spencer. Even though this novel is categorized as ''fiction'', the book uncovers (and confronts), an actual threat that affects everyone globally. This threat is called human trafficking. The opening chapters of the novel are full of suspense and anxiety-provoking moments.
Darby Richards, an eighteen-year-old university student, is drugged and kidnapped from a private gambling establishment, and subjected to torture and abuse. Darby has the heart of a young lioness. She remembers her grandfather's old war stories. These daring stories encourage her to persevere while in the hands of her captors. Darby isn't the only trafficked victim. Countless young women experience the same brutality she does. We read their stories--which are possibly based on the stories of actual trafficked survivors. We collectively feel their hurt and pain.
When Darby doesn't return to her dorm, Esma, her roommate, informs her mother, Nina. A terrified Nina then informs the necessary authorities. Law enforcement officials, government organizations, and private detectives collaborate to find Darby. However, despite their best efforts, they are unable to locate her. This is when Nina decides to intervene to save her daughter's life. With her daughter's life at stake, this is a journey she must take alone. This mother's love proves to be an unstoppable force, even in the face of danger.
This novel serves as a poignant reminder of the reality of human trafficking across the world. It is a reminder that we need to hold onto hope that change is possible and that readers can also play a role in bringing about that change. This book is well-paced, well-researched, easy to comprehend and engaging. The characters are written in a way that engenders empathy and complete focus. ''Story of a Stolen Girl'' is a certified must-read. I recommend it to humanitarians, law enforcement officials, and the average reader. I rate this spectacular novel five stars.
Darby Richards, an eighteen-year-old university student, is drugged and kidnapped from a private gambling establishment, and subjected to torture and abuse. Darby has the heart of a young lioness. She remembers her grandfather's old war stories. These daring stories encourage her to persevere while in the hands of her captors. Darby isn't the only trafficked victim. Countless young women experience the same brutality she does. We read their stories--which are possibly based on the stories of actual trafficked survivors. We collectively feel their hurt and pain.
When Darby doesn't return to her dorm, Esma, her roommate, informs her mother, Nina. A terrified Nina then informs the necessary authorities. Law enforcement officials, government organizations, and private detectives collaborate to find Darby. However, despite their best efforts, they are unable to locate her. This is when Nina decides to intervene to save her daughter's life. With her daughter's life at stake, this is a journey she must take alone. This mother's love proves to be an unstoppable force, even in the face of danger.
This novel serves as a poignant reminder of the reality of human trafficking across the world. It is a reminder that we need to hold onto hope that change is possible and that readers can also play a role in bringing about that change. This book is well-paced, well-researched, easy to comprehend and engaging. The characters are written in a way that engenders empathy and complete focus. ''Story of a Stolen Girl'' is a certified must-read. I recommend it to humanitarians, law enforcement officials, and the average reader. I rate this spectacular novel five stars.
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May 3, 2021Pat Spenser has written a thriller that starts out at ninety miles per hour and does not let up. An eighteen-year-old daughter is kidnapped in Los Angeles and taken by an international gang as a sex slave. Young, beautiful, blonde, and innocent, the girl disappears into the dark, hidden world of slavery. The slave traders considered her a prize capture. When rescue efforts by the L.A. Police and FBI disappoint, the stolen girl's mother and grandmother show what courageous and intelligent women are capable of.
The tension does not let up. Readers are taken on the harrowing attempts to rescue the young woman. We follow the frazzled police, the strong-willed and desperate mother, and the despicable men organizing the worldwide slave business through the dark web. The enormous profits gained off human trafficking provide sufficient money for these criminals to avoid detection and power to prevent prosecution. Their wealthy clients come from the top echelons of government, corporations, and society.
The story becomes more immediate as we learn about the millions of women, children, and men enslaved, not only from communities of poverty and underdevelopment, but also from every city in the United States. Yearly, thousands of women and children of every social level and walk of life become slaves in the US. They are prostituted, made to dig mines, work on drug farms, and even killed for their organs.
Pick up this thriller, begin to read, and you won't be able to put it down
The tension does not let up. Readers are taken on the harrowing attempts to rescue the young woman. We follow the frazzled police, the strong-willed and desperate mother, and the despicable men organizing the worldwide slave business through the dark web. The enormous profits gained off human trafficking provide sufficient money for these criminals to avoid detection and power to prevent prosecution. Their wealthy clients come from the top echelons of government, corporations, and society.
The story becomes more immediate as we learn about the millions of women, children, and men enslaved, not only from communities of poverty and underdevelopment, but also from every city in the United States. Yearly, thousands of women and children of every social level and walk of life become slaves in the US. They are prostituted, made to dig mines, work on drug farms, and even killed for their organs.
Pick up this thriller, begin to read, and you won't be able to put it down
September 23, 2022
Pat Spencer’s Story of a Stolen Girl is a real page turner. I read it overnight, unable to put it down until the end. But I won’t spoil it for you by telling you if it was a happy or sad ending. It doesn’t just tell you; it brings you into the emotional experiences of several characters: a kidnapped girl who must find the strength and strategy to survive, her mother who must confront feelings of hopelessness and fight for her daughter, and it glimpses into the minds and raw emotions of the extended family, police officers and even a high-ranking official who is a patron of the sex trade.
It introduces us to the toxic drug Devil’s Breath, the Dark Web, “virtual” kidnappers, crosses international borders to unravel the high-end trafficking ring that operates with impunity due to political, social, and legal constraints on government and police. While this is a work of fiction, it incorporates real issues and concerns. The author has a list of sources for the reader to explore trafficking and abuse. As she makes clear in her story, the perpetrators are not only unrelated criminal gangs. Family members out of economic need or under the cultural guise of double standards and gender inequality are often responsible for the abuse or sale of these victims and societies must confront these issues within their culture if it is ever to improve. Maybe YOU the reader can be inspired to lend a hand.
It introduces us to the toxic drug Devil’s Breath, the Dark Web, “virtual” kidnappers, crosses international borders to unravel the high-end trafficking ring that operates with impunity due to political, social, and legal constraints on government and police. While this is a work of fiction, it incorporates real issues and concerns. The author has a list of sources for the reader to explore trafficking and abuse. As she makes clear in her story, the perpetrators are not only unrelated criminal gangs. Family members out of economic need or under the cultural guise of double standards and gender inequality are often responsible for the abuse or sale of these victims and societies must confront these issues within their culture if it is ever to improve. Maybe YOU the reader can be inspired to lend a hand.
August 22, 2021
The painful issue of human trafficking becomes personal for readers in Spencer’s compelling story that, although fiction, paints a horrifying reality as we live sixteen terrifying days with the stolen girl Darby and her heroic mother Nina.
Realistic scenes reveal details that Spencer gained directly from first-hand interviews with victims of kidnapping, drugs, abuse, and enslavement. "Story of a Stolen Girl" shows how these atrocities can happen even to people in relatively safe places, when young Darby is abducted from her everyday life as a college student and taken to be used as a sex slave in a foreign country. There are hints that even high-profile names may be involved.
We learn facts about a mind-numbing drug used for controlling victims, how the dark web plays a part in trafficking, and how law enforcement and private agencies track these criminal activities in attempts to rescue victims.
Spencer’s goal, as stated at the end of the book, is to make us aware that hundreds of thousands of women, boys and girls are being trafficked, abused, and enslaved in countries around the world at the present moment—the fastest growing and most under-reported crime today. The book is a worthy read, both as a thriller story and as a real-life examination of the trafficking problem.
Realistic scenes reveal details that Spencer gained directly from first-hand interviews with victims of kidnapping, drugs, abuse, and enslavement. "Story of a Stolen Girl" shows how these atrocities can happen even to people in relatively safe places, when young Darby is abducted from her everyday life as a college student and taken to be used as a sex slave in a foreign country. There are hints that even high-profile names may be involved.
We learn facts about a mind-numbing drug used for controlling victims, how the dark web plays a part in trafficking, and how law enforcement and private agencies track these criminal activities in attempts to rescue victims.
Spencer’s goal, as stated at the end of the book, is to make us aware that hundreds of thousands of women, boys and girls are being trafficked, abused, and enslaved in countries around the world at the present moment—the fastest growing and most under-reported crime today. The book is a worthy read, both as a thriller story and as a real-life examination of the trafficking problem.
July 12, 2025
I received a free version of this book from the author. The views are my own and freely given.
When 18-year-old student Darby goes missing following a night in a gambling club, it soon becomes clear that this is not a straightforward kidnapping-for-a ransom situation. Darby’s mother, Nina, expects the police to bring Darby back to her, but soon it’s confirmed that Darby is the victim of human traffickers and she has been put up for sale on the dark web.
The author has clearly done some lengthy research on the subject of human trafficking and there are shocking statistics on the pages. It’s made clear that this isn’t solely happening in poor countries.
The story is told mainly through Darby’s voice or Nina’s, but there is a wonderful contribution made by Nina’s elderly mother and her friends.
The writing was good and kept me turning the pages. When Nina speaks on the phone to a potential kidnapper her ‘voice skipped like an old phonograph record’. There were other fresh descriptions of things we pay little attention to.
This is a book with a serious message about the horrors of trafficking and of drugs used for control. It’s also a tale about the resilience of the human spirit and the lengths a mother will go to save her only child.
When 18-year-old student Darby goes missing following a night in a gambling club, it soon becomes clear that this is not a straightforward kidnapping-for-a ransom situation. Darby’s mother, Nina, expects the police to bring Darby back to her, but soon it’s confirmed that Darby is the victim of human traffickers and she has been put up for sale on the dark web.
The author has clearly done some lengthy research on the subject of human trafficking and there are shocking statistics on the pages. It’s made clear that this isn’t solely happening in poor countries.
The story is told mainly through Darby’s voice or Nina’s, but there is a wonderful contribution made by Nina’s elderly mother and her friends.
The writing was good and kept me turning the pages. When Nina speaks on the phone to a potential kidnapper her ‘voice skipped like an old phonograph record’. There were other fresh descriptions of things we pay little attention to.
This is a book with a serious message about the horrors of trafficking and of drugs used for control. It’s also a tale about the resilience of the human spirit and the lengths a mother will go to save her only child.
September 23, 2023
Sorry, I'm late to the party, but I'm glad I found this novel.
Darby and her college roommate are invited to a private gambling club. The young women debate the wisdom of going, and Darby pays the price as she disappears into the world of human trafficking. Luckily, once her mom becomes aware, she won’t stop until she finds out what happened and has her baby back. We should all have moms like this. Her mom works with the police, who seem slower than she would like and need. It’s her baby. Her mom tries everything since law enforcement and all other sources are coming up empty. The only recourse she has is to rescue Darby herself, and herein lies the charm of this important story.
Since this novel deals with trafficking, if you can’t stomach violence or rape, do not proceed. However, no graphic sex scenes are depicted. If you want an honest, in-depth dive into this illicit world to better arm yourself and understand, please buy this important book. This is no summer read.
All the characters are well-developed, and the pace is just right—kudos to the author and five stars for your consideration.
Darby and her college roommate are invited to a private gambling club. The young women debate the wisdom of going, and Darby pays the price as she disappears into the world of human trafficking. Luckily, once her mom becomes aware, she won’t stop until she finds out what happened and has her baby back. We should all have moms like this. Her mom works with the police, who seem slower than she would like and need. It’s her baby. Her mom tries everything since law enforcement and all other sources are coming up empty. The only recourse she has is to rescue Darby herself, and herein lies the charm of this important story.
Since this novel deals with trafficking, if you can’t stomach violence or rape, do not proceed. However, no graphic sex scenes are depicted. If you want an honest, in-depth dive into this illicit world to better arm yourself and understand, please buy this important book. This is no summer read.
All the characters are well-developed, and the pace is just right—kudos to the author and five stars for your consideration.
December 25, 2020
A must read - it's great thriller, until you realize how close to non-fiction it is - then it becomes truly terrifying.
I read this in one day - I could not put it down. I had to know she was saved.
I know it is fictionalized, but this is the most stunning book I have read in ages....You truly understand the depth, breadth and extent of the evil of human trafficking.... and are horrified at the ease and simplicity with which Darby is stolen and trafficked around the world to suit her captors.
If you think you are aware of the human trafficking issue - you will learn you are wrong.
You also learn how difficult it is to fight the issue on so many levels because of corruption and politics tying the hands of those who want to help....and why Epstien's island doesn't sound so implausible anymore - because of those willing to let it continue to save their own sorry skins.....
Release all the names now - every last one of them - no privleged exceptions...
Great, strong female characters also !
I read this in one day - I could not put it down. I had to know she was saved.
I know it is fictionalized, but this is the most stunning book I have read in ages....You truly understand the depth, breadth and extent of the evil of human trafficking.... and are horrified at the ease and simplicity with which Darby is stolen and trafficked around the world to suit her captors.
If you think you are aware of the human trafficking issue - you will learn you are wrong.
You also learn how difficult it is to fight the issue on so many levels because of corruption and politics tying the hands of those who want to help....and why Epstien's island doesn't sound so implausible anymore - because of those willing to let it continue to save their own sorry skins.....
Release all the names now - every last one of them - no privleged exceptions...
Great, strong female characters also !
May 3, 2024
Pat Spencer delivered a book that not only illuminates a crisis in our world that needs to be irradicated but does so in the most enthralling and entertaining manner possible.
The Story of the Stolen Girl is well told, researched, and shared with the reader. It flows in a captivating way, taking you on a journey that provokes thought, emotions, and passion. In a creative way, the author wakes the reader up to this seemingly underground and unspeakable crime that could take place next door. The narrative doesn't call for fear but for action. The story is thrilling and challenging to put down.
Pat Spencer's writing is one of the best I've read in a long time. This very well-educated and knowledgeable individual has done her homework in many areas.
This story touched me; it gripped my heart. I experienced the pain, the anguish, and the relief of a masterfully told narrative, leaving a lasting impression.
I highly recommend this book and Pat Spencer's other writings. I look forward to reading them.--Julie Belmont, author of Bad Blood in the Bayou-Framed.
The Story of the Stolen Girl is well told, researched, and shared with the reader. It flows in a captivating way, taking you on a journey that provokes thought, emotions, and passion. In a creative way, the author wakes the reader up to this seemingly underground and unspeakable crime that could take place next door. The narrative doesn't call for fear but for action. The story is thrilling and challenging to put down.
Pat Spencer's writing is one of the best I've read in a long time. This very well-educated and knowledgeable individual has done her homework in many areas.
This story touched me; it gripped my heart. I experienced the pain, the anguish, and the relief of a masterfully told narrative, leaving a lasting impression.
I highly recommend this book and Pat Spencer's other writings. I look forward to reading them.--Julie Belmont, author of Bad Blood in the Bayou-Framed.
September 8, 2021
I received this book from the author for an honest review.
This book was very scary and dark, and had my heart pumping. Although it is fiction it reads like a nonfiction book.
The story is told by 2 POV mother and daughter.
Darby is the daughter who has a fun night out with her best friend to a secret high class gambling club turns into a horrible night and wakes up the next morning not knowing where she is or what happened to her the night before. Nina, Darby's mother gets the phone call no mother wants to get that her daughter is missing. Nina finds out her daughter is sold into sex trafficking and will do everything and anything to get her daughter back.
It's scary that this stuff happens in real life and this book opened my eyes on how sex trafficking really is and how it is more common then I ever thought it was.
The author did a great job on research and providing information on sex trafficking throughout the book.
Thank you Pat Spencer for letting me read your book :)
This book was very scary and dark, and had my heart pumping. Although it is fiction it reads like a nonfiction book.
The story is told by 2 POV mother and daughter.
Darby is the daughter who has a fun night out with her best friend to a secret high class gambling club turns into a horrible night and wakes up the next morning not knowing where she is or what happened to her the night before. Nina, Darby's mother gets the phone call no mother wants to get that her daughter is missing. Nina finds out her daughter is sold into sex trafficking and will do everything and anything to get her daughter back.
It's scary that this stuff happens in real life and this book opened my eyes on how sex trafficking really is and how it is more common then I ever thought it was.
The author did a great job on research and providing information on sex trafficking throughout the book.
Thank you Pat Spencer for letting me read your book :)
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