Stealing Jenny

Stealing Jenny

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3.56 of 5 stars 3.56  ·  rating details  ·  424 ratings  ·  96 reviews
Paperback, 208 pages
Published September 2011 by Full Quiver Publishing
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Community Reviews

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Jeffrey Hite
I have to admit that when I first started reading this book I was not sure I would like it. I have a very soft spot kids and especially babies. The thought of something bad happening was not appealing to me. But I found that once I had started reading I could not put It down.

The book was well written, and the characters we all very real. One thing that I have noticed about many “Christian” books the Christian aspects over whelm the story. This is not the case with Stealing Jenny, the the Christi...more
Jamie Bentz
Yes, Gable's 'Stealing Jenny' is certainly a work of suspense...but it is so much more than that. It is an edge-of-your-seat story of perseverance, faith and a love that withstands the test of the unthinkable. Ellen has created believable characters and a plot that is sure to captivate readers by pulling at heart strings all while testing a tolerance for some thrilling suspense.
At the heart of Ellen's characters lies a depth that is sure to be understood by any Christian who has been tested w...more
Erin Mccole
I snagged a copy of Stealing Jenny by Ellen Gable just before leaving on a road trip... that ended with our family staying in a cabin in the woods for two days. What's the premise of Stealing Jenny? I don't think I'm giving too much away, but think Catholic _Misery_ (not Catholic *guilt,* silly--a different animal all together): a twisted soul kidnaps someone to, you guessed it, a cabin in the woods.

My review? I hate the use the cliche "fast-paced page-turner," but it fits. The characters were b...more
Norma Budden
Stealing Jenny introduced me to the perfect mother - a woman who put her children first in all things, a woman who might have gone on to have half a dozen additional children had life not stepped in and ripped the decision from her.

Without going into all of the details, Jenny was pregnant with her fifth child when the unthinkable happened: she was kidnapped by a woman who wanted a child of her own to raise, a woman who had stalked her for months, right up to the week before Jenny was due to deli...more
Karen Kelly Boyce
Stealing Jenny by Ellen Gable is one of the best books I have ever read. Jenny Callahan is kidnapped and finds herself chained in a remote cabin. I, myself, found I was chained to this book. I couldn’t stop reading. The faith of the parish priest and the prayers of the people Jenny left behind displayed the comfort of faith and the strength that it brings. The pro-life stance is evident but never preachy. Ellen Gable is a masterful storyteller, but never more so then in this work. It kept me on...more
Mark Rolph cassanto
I really wanted to express my thoughts to everyone who hasn't yet read STEALING JENNY. It's not about 'who-dun-it', but about how a good plot gets even better with an unexpected ending. This fictionalized account of a kidnapping is very close to the realities of most urban centers and what we 'glance' over in the news; hearing about some tragic cases. What you don't see in the news items is the personal 1st person point of view. Not only do you see the 1st person point of view in vivid colour in...more
Valjbianco
I have just finished reading a most enjoyable story.

STEALING JENNY is a fast paced easy read, good for the heart, mind and soul. The story is straight forward and unpretentious, cleverly weaving the intrigue of a murder mystery in and out of the otherwise mundane existence of a normal smalltown Canadian family. In so doing, the author effectively reminds the reader how precious the "normalcy" of everyday family life really is.

The story unapologetically celebrates the lives and love of a thorough...more
Elena
Stealing Jenny, the third novel by award-winning Canadian author Ellen Gable, combines crime drama with psychological thriller in a book that I found impossible to put down. We read from time to time in the news about attacks upon pregnant women and the kidnapping of infants by certain deranged persons, finding it hard to believe that anyone could be that crazy. Unfortunately, the unique circumstances created by our time, in which women can have almost total control over the procreative process,...more
Ruth
When Ellen Gable asked me if I would like a review copy of this novel, I made sure she had read my reviews of her earlier books: Emily's Hope and In Name Only. I had read gushing reviews of those books from other Catholic bloggers and, to put it simply, I didn't share those gushing opinions, and wanted to make sure she knew it before she sent me a review copy.

So, what about this one? Well, for one thing, I don't read many thrillers, and that's what this is. When I do read thrillers, they tend t...more
Kelly
I finished reading Past Suspicion by Therese Heckenkamp earlier this week and really enjoyed the mystery and suspense. I noticed that Therese Heckenkamp left a review for Stealing Jenny on another book review site. Interesting how I was just on the same one to leave a review for Stealing Jenny. I enjoy the right type of suspense novel. Reading the description about a pregnant women being kidnapped immediately attracted me to the story. I got Stealing Jenny as a freebie for the Kindle not too lon...more
Cathy
I usually find christian fiction to be very repetative; but Stealing Jenny by Ellen Gable was such a terrifyingly realistic suspense story that I couldn't put this book down.

Jenny Callahan, a devout Catholic mom overjoyed by the imminent birth of her sixth child after three heartbreaking miscarriages, stands at the bus stop with her young son, waiting for her daughters’ return from school, when she’s approached by a woman offering to share some maternity and baby clothes, she accepts, with no id...more
Jen
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Sue
I received a free Kindle copy of "Stealing Jenny" from Goodreads Giveaway author Ellen Gable. Stealing Jenny by Ellen Gable is a terrifyingly realistic suspense story,but it’s also a beautiful life-affirming novel that offers so much more.I couldn't put this book down.

Jenny Callahan, a devout Catholic mom overjoyed by the imminent birth of her sixth child after three heartbreaking miscarriages, stands on the bus stop with her young son, waiting for her daughters’ return from school. When she’s a...more
Nancy Belanger
Ellen Gable's Stealing Jenny is a suspenseful and masterfully done story that kept me on the edge of my seat. She weaves the story together with such fine details that I felt like I was actually in that smelly, musty, creepy cabin with Jenny and Denise! Her attention to so many little details, such as the family's day-to-day life, the aftermath of the kidnapping, how the characters were feeling at any given moment, etc. makes for enjoyable reading. I like to see what the characters are eating, f...more
Lynda Kelly
This was a pretty good story although there was some slackness in editing, sadly. Missed words out or a him when it should be her for example. I had expected it to be highly religious but thankfully it wasn't the case.
Jenny is kidnapped while almost full-term with her 6th child. In places I wasn't too sympathetic but then I'm not a mother and I have little affinity with kids. In places I felt more for the kidnapper and her sadness.
Jenny in places came across as a little selfish. I have to wonder...more
Melanie
All Jenny Callahan wants is one more baby to hold in her arms. And now, after suffering three miscarriages, Jenny and her husband, Tom, are expecting their sixth child.

Denise Kramer, their neighbor, wants a child herself. Since she's unable to conceive and the adoption agency won't allow her to adopt a child, Denise devises a plan to finally get a child - putting Jenny and her unborn baby in danger and fighting for their lives.

The main characters in 'Stealing Jenny' are Catholics, and since I'm...more
Annmarie
I usually don't read this genre, but I am so glad I picked up Stealing Jenny by Ellen Gable! The main characters, Jenny and Tom, are so real. It was easy to become immediately drawn into their lives. Ellen Gable does a good job of painting a portrait of a devout Catholic family,warts and all. These are average people who struggle with their faith...sometimes they lose and sometimes they win. I enjoyed the fact that the story incorporated Church teaching on fertility in a way that was natural and...more
Krisi Keley
Sep 18, 2011 Krisi Keley rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone
Stealing Jenny by Ellen Gable is a terrifyingly realistic suspense story that could be ripped from the headlines, but it’s also a beautiful life-affirming novel that offers so much more.

Jenny Callahan, a devout Catholic mom overjoyed by the imminent birth of her sixth child after three heartbreaking miscarriages, stands on the bus stop with her young son, waiting for her daughters’ return from school. When she’s approached by a woman offering to share some maternity and baby clothes, she accepts...more
Barbara
Sep 08, 2012 Barbara rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone looking for an absorbing suspense novel with a message
Stealing Jenny, a compelling suspense novel, skillfully explores the challenge of facing horrific circumstances while hanging on to faith and hope. Author Ellen Gable draws us deeper and deeper into the drama of a loving family from a quiet neighborhood whose peaceful lives are shattered when a menace hits close to home. As events escalate, the characters struggle to cope while hanging on to faith. Gable has a knack for unveiling true-to-life human reactions when surreal threat meets ordinary li...more
J.S. Bailey
Stealing Jenny is an interesting novel that hit close to home for me in some ways. Jenny Callahan is nearly due to give birth to her sixth child after suffering three consecutive miscarriages, when a mentally unstable woman--Denise Kramer--kidnaps her with plans to steal the baby and leave Jenny for dead. You have to feel a little sorry for Denise because of her infertility and troubled past. Despite that, her character gave me the creeps as she showed no remorse in what she did to Jenny.

I thoug...more
Kaye Hinckley
Ellen Gable pursues a distinct market of already committed Catholics interested in the family life of Catholics. In that pursuit, she does a fine job, and "Stealing Jenny" is an example. I found the book warm and loving, especially Jenny's relationship with her husband, Tom, who respects his wife first as a woman, and then in her role as a mother. There is a strong contrast in the book between Jenny and her female kidnapper, one that Gable plays up. The book also has a nicely paced element of su...more
Kathryn
The story and plot were good; but I didn't find the characters likeable. At all. I actually felt most connected to the "bad guy" -- Denise. To me, Jenny and Tom were extremely whiny (Jenny more so than Tom) and by the end, I was rooting for Denise (sad but true). I have a hard time with families with tons of kids, but I decided to see if maybe she had a good reason for wanting another child. In my opinion, (like Denise) I thought her reasoning was lame and not well laid out.

Other than that and s...more
Lisa Hendey
Stealing Jenny is a gripping novel filled with engaging characters, a compelling mystery and a message which underscored the precious dignity of life. I literally couldn't put it down. As the other reviewers have shared, the pace of this novel will keep you turning the pages until the end and wishing for more. Ellen Gable's storytelling gifts shine, but another part of the value of Stealing Jenny is the tremendously positive message of the book. I give Stealing Jenny my highest recommendation an...more
Gina
Jenny and Tom Callahan are a happily married devout Catholic couple who are about to have their 6th child. After 3 previous miscarriages, Jenny has been nervous about this pregancy because she is on bed rest for placenta previa, a condition in which the placenta is below the baby blocking the way for a regular birth. Jenny will need a c-section in a few weeks for the baby and herself to survive. However, Denise Kramer, an obsessed and mentally ill neighbor is obsessed with having a baby and is j...more
iamjenai
Stealing Jenny is a Christian novel and I'm surprised that I didn't have any problem reading it. I have read some Christian novels in the past and I didn't like most of them because they're too focused on the moral values, you know those books teaching you what's right and wrong, I'm not really comfortable reading Christian novels that are too "clean". Stealing Jenny in my opinion is not overly religious book, I actually enjoyed reading it.


I liked the characters especially Jenny and Tom Callaha...more
Demi (Breaking Bookshelves)
3.5 Stars.
More @ Breaking Bookshelves

Ellen Gable’s Stealing Jenny was incredibly hard to put down. It was a quick read once you really settled into it. I don’t know what it is, but there’s no words that come to mind right now about this book. I like the novel, but I don’t have much to say about it. I don’t know if that’s a bad thing, or a good thing. I’ve been sitting in front of my computer screen trying somehow to put my thoughts in order (albeit not very well) and figure out how I should word...more
Shannon
I found this book for free on Kindle*. I'll be honest, I only read it because it was free. But it suprised me. It was a little slow but kept me turning (or flicking) the pages and I was really suprised by the ending! I never imagined it would end that way.


*I still refuse to purchase a Kindle...but I did get a new cell phone and downloaded the Kindle app. With me still unable to work, it's saving me gas money on having to drive to the library. My "home" library is 20 minutes away, one way.
Renee
I can't remember what online contest I entered but I won a free copy of Stealing Jenny and am ever so glad I did. It's an excellent book and one I couldn't put down on this cold dreary afternoon. Ellen Gable's writing has improved since her last book Emily's Hope

Stealing Jenny is the story of two women - Jenny, a pregnant woman, happily married with children and Denise, a divorced woman, unable to have children due to scarred fallopian tubes. The book is a crime drama/thriller and it kept my att...more
Jen Quintanilla
I've learned my lesson - most of the kindle books offered for free on Amazon are books with Christian/Catholic themes. Not that having those themes makes a book bad but be upfront in the description instead of letting me find myself halfway through a book that is preaching to me. This particular book was just so predictable and at times over the top in its conveying its message. I won't be getting anymore free kindle books from amazon.
Dj
It is not that I dislike Christian novels. I judge books by the writing, the plot, the dialog, the characters...you get the idea. This book isn't bad, and as far as a Christian novel goes, it isn't too overdone, but the writing wasn't all that great. The story is ok, but I would have liked more character development. If you really enjoy Christian novels, I would recommend the book. If you don't, you probably shouldn't bother.
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Stealing jenny (Kindle Edition)
Stealing Jenny (ebook)
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Ellen Gable (Hrkach) is an award-winning, bestselling author of four books and publisher/editor of two additional books. All three of her novels have been #1 on Amazon Kindle's Religious & Liturgical Drama category. Her third novel, Stealing Jenny, is a contemporary suspense novel that has been in the top ten of that category for 18 months. Ellen is currently President of the Catholic Writers'...more
More about Ellen Gable...
In Name Only Emily's Hope Come My Beloved Angela's Song Growing Up in God's Image

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