Lost Sons

by Judy Clemens

Detective Stan Windemere's son, a sailor in the U.S. Navy, disappears in the frozen tundra of Russia, and Stan finds himself unable to focus on his job. He soon learns of another lost son, Clayton Kratz, who also disappeared in Russia in 1920. Stan dives into this mystery and prepares for the truth that his own son, like Kratz, may never come home.

291 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2008

About the author

Judy Clemens is the author of LEAVE TOMORROW BEHIND, the newest book in the Anthony and Agatha-nominated Stella Crown mysteries. She also writes the Grim Reaper mysteries, and wrote LOST SONS, which is a stand-alone.

She lives in the beautiful state of Ohio with her family.

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clemens is a great storyteller. Started the book Thursday morning and could not put it down. Finished it Friday morning and had to immediately call a friend and tell her about it.

It's a gripping and realistic story with universal appeal. Would be a great for book clubs to discuss.

Clemens does a great job of weaving the stories of two missing young men--from very different life circumstances--against each other. It's the story of a long-lost relief worker and a currently missing Navy enlistee. As a pacifist, it was a good one for me to read and think about what the family of MIA military personnel face.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting way to chronicle the life of Clayton Kratz, Mennonite lost in Russia in the 1920s while doing relief work following WWI. It wasn't a can't-put-down type of book but I appreciated Clemens' attempt to chronicle the difficulty Mennonites have in taking pacifism from an absolute status to that of a conviction. As she tries to show readers (predominantly Mennonite, I presume), there are Christians on both sides of this issue.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Novel about a military father dealing with his son's disappearance in Russia. He works poart time for a Mennonite organization and has intereasting interactions with the pacifist group. He also begins to research the case of Clayton Kratz, a real life Mennonite Central Committee worker who disappeared in Russia in 1920 and whose whereabouts were never discovered. I liked the Kratz story and military/pacifist interactions.

[Mariana · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was written very well. It really showed the stages of grief people can go through after a tragic loss. It was a rather quick thread but good all the same.