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[The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes] by Diane Chamberlain
5★'s
In 1977, pregnant Genevieve Russell disappeared. Twenty years later, her remains are discovered and Timothy Gleason is charged with murder. But there is no sign of the unborn child.CeeCee Wilkes knows how Genevieve Russell died, because she was there. And she knows what happened to her missing infant, because two decades ago she made the devastating choice to raise the baby as her own. Now Timothy Gleason is facing the death penalty, and she has another choice to make. Tell the truth and destroy her family. Or let an innocent man die in order to protect a lifetime of lies.One of the most enjoyable books I have had the pleasure of reading this year. It was literally a book on steroids.
It's 1977...sixteen year old CeeCee Wilkes was alone in the world. Her mother had died when she was twelve and she spent the next four years in foster homes...graduating from high school well ahead of her classmates and working in a diner. Then she meets Tim Gleason...personable...smooth talker and 6 years CeeCee senior. CeeCee is smitten and the course is set to lead her into a situation that will make her life and those of everyone she loves, a living Hell for the next 38 years. You know from the time she reluctantly agrees to Tim and his brother's plan to save their death row sister that it is a disaster just waiting to happen.
It wasn't my usual type of book but I couldn't stop reading. It's a story of issues of morality and choice that allows the reader to root for CeeCee despite her many wrong choices. I could not stop caring about the characters...flawed though they were. Highly, highly recommend this book.
