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Wire Mesh Mothers
It all started with the best of intentions. Kate McDolen, an elementary school teacher, knew she had to protect one of her students, little 8-year-old Mistie, from parents who were making her life a living hell. So Kate packed her bags, quietly picked up Mistie after school one day, and set off with her toward what she thought would be a new life. How could she know she was driving headlong into a nightmare? The nightmare began when Tony jumped into the passenger seat of Kate's car, waving a gun. Tony was a dangerous girl, more dangerous than anyone could have dreamed. She didn't admire anything except violence and cruelty, and she had very different plans in mind for Kate and little Mistie. The cross-country trip that followed would turn into a one-way journey to fear, desperation... and madness.
400 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2001
2 people are currently reading
110 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Massie
178 books161 followersElizabeth (Beth) Massie is a 2-time Bram Stoker Award and Scribe Award-winning author of horror/suspense, historical fiction, media tie-ins, nonfiction, and short fiction for adults. She also writes novels for teens and middle grade readers. Her series, Ameri-Scares, is currently in development for television by Warner Horizon (Warner Brothers), LuckyChap, and Assemble Media. Stay tuned! She lives in the Shenandoah Valley with her husband, illustrator Cortney Skinner.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 4, 2025
I don't know why Elizabeth Massie isn't more popular.
This is just one guy's humble opinion. But here, that humble opinion isn't able to gush enough about this book. Granted, this is the only book of Massie's I've read, but you can bet your ass I'm gonna try out more.
The storytelling is fabulous because it delves deep into the psychology of the characters. Even minor characters who have only passing scenes are richly drawn and feel alive. The book starts with a fairly simple premise, but expounds on it and develops it in such a way to be very engaging. It weaves the past and present and hopes for the future (immediate and long term) for each of the three main characters: (1) Kate McDolen, the underappreciated teacher and wife that married into a rich family and is expected to NOT work; (2) Mistie, an abused 8 year old girl who has already been put through the darkest of ringers that life has to offer, even after Kate tries to help her; and (3) Angela "Tony" P, an embittered 15 year old girl with a massive case of self-loathing and loathing of all women created by
What starts out with Kate making some bad, but well-intentioned decisions for Mistie's benefit, she ends up on a collision course with Tony, who has just participated in a violent crime. What I found most impressive was just how chilling and believable a villain/antagonist Tony was. Her backstory will give you context for her belief that all women are "garbage" tempers and colors what might otherwise a shallow character. Tony's immaturity and poor reasoning skills (combined with a gun) make her that more terrifying and antagonist as she carjacks Kate and Mistie, forcing them to take her from Virginia to a ranch in Texas where Tony is convinced her father (who had left her "worthless" mum) will shelter her and hide her from the law.
The book (again, just my humble opinion) really does a good job of showing the evolution of the three main characters' interactions with each other, their psychology, and the odd co-dependency this thrown together trio develops.
I had inklings where the story would end, but I was pleasantly satisfied when the details were revealed.
Life is complicated and messy. I thought this book did a good job of painting that picture in a literary format. If I could give this one 6 or 7 stars out of 5 I would.
This is just one guy's humble opinion. But here, that humble opinion isn't able to gush enough about this book. Granted, this is the only book of Massie's I've read, but you can bet your ass I'm gonna try out more.
The storytelling is fabulous because it delves deep into the psychology of the characters. Even minor characters who have only passing scenes are richly drawn and feel alive. The book starts with a fairly simple premise, but expounds on it and develops it in such a way to be very engaging. It weaves the past and present and hopes for the future (immediate and long term) for each of the three main characters: (1) Kate McDolen, the underappreciated teacher and wife that married into a rich family and is expected to NOT work; (2) Mistie, an abused 8 year old girl who has already been put through the darkest of ringers that life has to offer, even after Kate tries to help her; and (3) Angela "Tony" P, an embittered 15 year old girl with a massive case of self-loathing and loathing of all women created by
What starts out with Kate making some bad, but well-intentioned decisions for Mistie's benefit, she ends up on a collision course with Tony, who has just participated in a violent crime. What I found most impressive was just how chilling and believable a villain/antagonist Tony was. Her backstory will give you context for her belief that all women are "garbage" tempers and colors what might otherwise a shallow character. Tony's immaturity and poor reasoning skills (combined with a gun) make her that more terrifying and antagonist as she carjacks Kate and Mistie, forcing them to take her from Virginia to a ranch in Texas where Tony is convinced her father (who had left her "worthless" mum) will shelter her and hide her from the law.
The book (again, just my humble opinion) really does a good job of showing the evolution of the three main characters' interactions with each other, their psychology, and the odd co-dependency this thrown together trio develops.
I had inklings where the story would end, but I was pleasantly satisfied when the details were revealed.
Life is complicated and messy. I thought this book did a good job of painting that picture in a literary format. If I could give this one 6 or 7 stars out of 5 I would.
March 25, 2015
Thelma and Louis on meth. Disturbing, engrossing, necessary. A very gritty look at child abuse and the role of parents in modern society. Every teachers worst nightmare.
November 12, 2010
Scary demented ride. Great read.
September 12, 2008
What a waste of time and I'm actually annoyed that I took the time to finish this. I guess I kept hoping it would get better, and as I read the last page I felt suckered into reading it. I guess the best thing about the book was the title.
The characters were such stereotypes, and the author kept trying to "lead up" to some big plot points, but never came through. There wasn't one likable character in the book, and although sometimes that can work for the book, this time it did not. The ending felt like a cheat, and like it was written in a hurry.
Like I said, I am annoyed that I even wasted any time on this horrible book.
The characters were such stereotypes, and the author kept trying to "lead up" to some big plot points, but never came through. There wasn't one likable character in the book, and although sometimes that can work for the book, this time it did not. The ending felt like a cheat, and like it was written in a hurry.
Like I said, I am annoyed that I even wasted any time on this horrible book.
July 3, 2010
This is a very well-written study of the roles and responsibilities that parents and teachers have in raising children, and the cost of failure in those situations. It was compelling reading, but in the same way that one is compelled to slow down and look at a traffic accident. The characters are all well drawn, but virtually none of them are at all likeable; they're wretched people, though mostly through no fault of their own. It's a very good book, but quite depressing, with some uncomfortably graphic moments.
April 15, 2015
I really loved this book. Loved the writing and the disturbing back stories of the characters. I'll definitely be looking out for more Massie novels.
December 3, 2015
Yes, this is a horror just not in the way you're probably thinking. Waste of time and money.
June 17, 2023
Why did this book get me all emo? It's not sexy, or romantic, or even very violent. But the story struck mw str8 in the gut.
Maybe it's cause I listened to it. Maybe that's why it hit me so hard
.but it sure did
Maybe it's cause I listened to it. Maybe that's why it hit me so hard
.but it sure did
June 3, 2018
so many typos and dumb mistakes
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews