Between The Lines

Audiobook Review

Author: Pamela Samuels Young

Performed by RC Bray

Published: Goldman House Publishing, released On Audible December 2013

Category: Crime, Suspense, Thriller

Based on the real-life horrors faced by thousands of girls, award-winning author Pamela Samuels Young takes readers deep inside the disturbing world of child sex trafficking in a fast-paced thriller that educates as much as it entertains.

Thirteen-year-old Brianna Walker is ecstatic. She’s about to sneak off to meet her first real boyfriend—a boyfriend she met on Facebook. But Brianna is in for a horrifying surprise because her boyfriend doesn’t exist. Instead, Brianna unwittingly becomes the captive of a ring of drug dealers – turned-human traffickers who prey on lonely girls from dysfunctional homes. But they’ve made a big mistake in targeting Brianna because she doesn’t meet either of those criteria. 

 

After finding out that Dre Thomas is an ex drug dealer who spent time in prison in Buying Time, Angela Evans broke off their relationship. Dre’s feeling for Angela are still strong and now he has a second chance he’s determined to make it work. Angela, who was an Assistant US Attorney, now represents children and teens, who have been sexually exploited, in juvenile court.

Dre’s niece, Brianna, is targeted by a sex trafficking ring, masterminded by the Shepherd, and abducted on her way to meet a fictitious boyfriend she met on Facebook. Charting Brianna’s appallingly horrific experiences, this story explores in detail the shocking way the human traffickers abuse and manipulate vulnerable young girls.

It still bothered Brianna – but only a little – that Jaden had refused to hook up with her on Skype or FaceTime, or even talk to her on the phone. Jaden had explained that he wanted to hear her voice and see her face for the first time in person. When she thought about it, that was kind of romantic.

Dre has given Brianna an iPhone for her birthday which enabled her to secretly open the Facebook account her mother had forbidden. Now Dre is suffering agonies for, as he sees it, putting Brianna in harm’s way. We follow his desperate search for Brianna as, unable to rely on the police, Dre calls in any favours he can and recruits people from his own criminal past. He will do whatever it takes to get Brianna back safely and bring those responsible to justice.

This is a very challenging story to listen to, on an emotional level. The horror, brutality and degradation young girls are subjected to is tragic and beyond callous. Compelling and thought-provoking, it’s impossible not to be moved and disturbed by the fact this kind of exploitation can and does happen, more than is realised.

The narration adds an extra punch with the characterisations of the predators, which are chilling in the extreme, and the ‘voices’ of the young, frightened and confused girls, quite distressingly realistic. RC Bray does an excellent job with what must have a been very tough read.

Pamela Samuels Young tackles an intensely difficult subject with a no holds barred and very well written story, showing the whole, true horror of child sex trafficking.