Juliet Applebaum-Wyeth, former criminal defense attorney now investigator, slips into her partner's Al Hockey's garage a.k.a. office.    After retiring from the force to become a full time investigator, Al Hockey spends much of his time babysitting their other partner, Julio Rodriquez, a released federal prisoner under supervision restraints.  Convicted of immigration fraud through computer hacking, Julio is not allowed near a keyboard of any kind.

Julio turns to Juliet for help.  His inmate cousin's cellmate, Sandra Lorgeree, has a problem. Sandra gave birth to a baby boy in jail and now he's missing.   Julio explains that women prisoners are allowed twenty four to forty eight hours with their baby before it is taken away and put with relatives. However, Sandra has no relatives to take her son, Noah, and now he's gone. The California State Department puts the child into foster care. If the parent cannot retrieve the child within six months, they lose all parental rights and they are terminated. It is into this system that the baby has disappeared.

Juliet is apprehensive about taking on this case, thinking perhaps the baby is better off. Of course that may be partially due to the fact that she has three children. However, a missing baby is a missing baby.  There is a group called The Lord of the Lambs, a church based group that helps to place these babies in homes. Are they reputable? Did they kidnap Noah? Are they connected in some way to the baby's disappearance?

A short time later, Sandra Lorgeree is murdered. Juliet vows to find the missing boy and wonders what will happen once she does find the boy. Who will take care of him? Are there relatives that no one knows about? She's determined to find out. Also who killed his mother and why? 

THE CRADLE ROBBERS is an intense read.  Covering all aspects of motherhood--prison births, car pools, play dates, nursing, and trying to retain a relationship with your spouse in the midst of it.  Juliet is busy enough with her family, but she still finds time to solve mysteries! My favorite line in the whole book was a quote Juliet gave about her grandmother, "If you have nothing nice to say about someone come sit by me".

 

THE CRADLE ROBBERS IS a great read. Look for other Ayelet Walman titles, too!