Review: I wanted to like this more
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 05 8, 2012
I was intrigued and excited to see a mystery with a senior citizen protagonist but I liked the idea much more than I liked the execution. One of the kitchen workers leaves a newborn with Essie, a resident in a nursing home, until he can find the missing mother. Her three friends help her hide the baby from the staff as they figure out how to care for it, while also directing the search. Unfortunately, this whole premise was simply too ridiculous for me to suspend disbelief. First, there is little explanation for why the worker assumed that Essie was the best option to care for the baby. There weren't any other kitchen workers who were more qualified? He didn't have any other friends? The mother didn't have any other friends? They explained that he was afraid the baby would be taken away if they called the police, but since they thought she might be dead, it seems like that might have been a good idea (and the baby might have been better off with CPS -- sorry!) Two, the mom brought the baby to work with her but didn't bring a diaper bag with supplies? She couldn't send someone to pick up some diapers and formula? I know we were supposed to applaud the ingenuity of using depends and ensure (called something else in the book of course) but it didn't make sense. Added to the fact that this miracle baby barely cried and I just found myself rolling my eyes throughout the book.