The Crack in the Teacup, by C.M. Albrecht, is a mystery fiction novel with a slight seasoning of romance and suspense to spice things up. The story line is centered in a small Californian town where an 11-year-old boy, Jerry Beakey, goes missing on his way to a music lesson. Author C.M. Albrecht skillfully walks the reader through every aspect of the case and what happens in police departments, support centers and within the family of the missing person.

There are two main characters in The Crack in the Teacup. Detective Steve Music and his co-workers butt-heads with the FBI while working on the case. Lovely, and sympathetic, Shelly Lambert guards an awful secret and harbors a guilt that drives her to volunteer at the Missing and Exploited Children Coalition whenever she could get away from her job as a Notary.

Whenever Detective Music and Shelly meet during the investigation, something deeper between them happens. Neither of them seems to know what to do about it. Steve discovers Shellys secret when he looks into her past and creates a huge rift between them that could destroy their romance.

A classic who-dun-it written in the Agatha Christi style with a very unusual motive for child kidnapping. I suspected nearly everyone involved at some point in the book and I liked that the characters represented true society, with people of different races, ideals and backgrounds. The Crack in the Teacup has very little violence, but a lot of mystery and a happy ending.

ISBN#: 1-59466-037-9
Author: C. M. Albrecht
Publisher: Port Town Publishing

Lillian Brummet

Lillian Brummet

Co-author of the book Trash Talk, a guide for anyone concerned about his or her impact on the environment rash Talk embarks on frugal and conscious living techniques for the individual. We focus on the reuse of 'waste' materials and reducing consumption of resources. Trash Talk is written to empower people to feel more positive about their worth as individuals in a hectic, expensive, environmentally stressed world. We show how to make a real and visible difference, while saving money at the same time. Publisher: Publish America Released: July 21, 2004

Author of Towards Understanding (ISBN#1-4137-9337-1) - This book of 120 poems is written in chronological order. It is a story of survival, of breaking the chains of inner demons, finding value and purpose in life and growing towards understanding - but not quite reaching it. The poems also embrace the environment and question society. Towards Understanding will reach today's female audience because it is a true chronological story of a young woman growing through childhood trauma, being independent at age 13, moving through healing, finding self-worth and questioning society. I truly believe, and hope, that the book can help other women. Publisher: Publish America. Earliest Estimated Release: Late December, 2005