It Only Takes a Moment discussion

So Stephanie kidnapped Janie for the publicity... so then Stephanie had to be Rhonda then? But if that's the case the why was Rhonda always thinking and talking about taking Janie because her own daughter, Alison died? I really can't figure it out. I don't get it, can someone please explain this?

I finished listening to this book on cd in my car. I was very confused about the ending too - and disappointed really. Yes, can someone please explain? I usually love mary jane clark's books - not this one though. Just didn't make sense.

No Stephanie is not Rhonda. I think Rhonda is mentally ill and none of what she's saying is really happening which is why her part is in italics, if I remember correctly. There were a lot of false leaders in the book.

OK, the story introduced some people with some mental troubles,like Nell, she was only 9 yrs old, but just obsessed with the mother figure of Eliza (I think!). Then we have Rhonda who was obviuosly at the end, we know that yes she sent the cookies pkg, but was mentally ill, and was only imagining that Janie was with her (remember when the police escorted her to her house, there wasn't any other person or little girl in her car, and her husband got worried that she was getting delusional again?). Now it's Stephanie and her boyfriend from the Navy who kidnapped Janie. I liked the book, but I was able to figure out that Ms. Garcia was kept in the shed the whole time. I would read more books of Mary Jane Clark.

As a busy teacher, I only have time to read for enjoyment during the summer. Since I have read all of the Mary Higgins Clark and Lee Child novels, I went to the library and tried Mary Jane Clark. I agree that this novel has too many short chapters and too many characters. Mary Higgins Clark always has extra characters to throw you off on discovering the real villian too soon. However, this author and novel bounced around too much. After reading the ending, i had to go back into the novel to figure out what just happened. That shows there was a lack of communication between the author and reader. No, Nell had nothing to do with the kidnapping. She is just a little girl who loves Eliza. No, Hugh had nothing to do with the kidnapping. He is just a mentally ill man who is a pervert. No, Rhonda and Dave had nothing to do with the kidnapping. They are just a couple who lost a child tragically. They never had Janie. Everytime they were referred to in the story with Janie, it was Rhonda's imagination. She did send the cookies to Eliza though. If you look back at real events, such as going to the Urgent Care and pharamacy, putting Ms. Garcia in the shed, the killing of Phil and the nurse , and conversations of the plan going wrong, the discussions only referred to "she said" and "he said" (not Rhonda and Dave) Those were conversations and actions of the real kidnappers, Stephanie and Skip (Carl). Rhonda was in la-la land, imagining having Janie at her house, but keeping her conversations to herself, not really to Dave. It was a confusing and disappointing ending, but in some ways clever. I wish Mary Jane Clark had used more of the ending to explain Rhonda's dillusions in detail and how those scenes were really in her head. Then the readers could have thought, "yea, that makes sense now." It just chopped off at the end, as if Mary Jane Clark was not allowed to use any more pages. lol

thank you for this convo, i got super confused at the ending :)