To Keep Her from Harm

In Krantz’s novel, a protective mother violates a court order to go into hiding with her young daughter.

Manhattan-based interior designer Laura Ballard is ready to start a family. She’s 36, and, as her sister frankly puts it, biological clocks are “unforgiving.” She starts dating real estate developer Steven Carter and, not long after they move in together, she becomes pregnant. Laura certainly isn’t oblivious to Steven’s short temper and outbursts, but when his anger escalates into something more serious, the expectant mother leaves him and moves in with her parents (“She now had her own and her baby’s safety to consider”). She later gives birth to Amanda, whom Steven periodically takes away for scheduled visits, sometimes for only a half-hour at a time. By the time Amanda is toddler-age, Steven has warmed up to his daughter, though he’s not always patient with her and sometimes scares her when he yells. Laura has reason to suspect Steve has outright abused the girl, who’s reluctant to talk about a particular incident. The court doesn’t agree and grants Steven partial physical custody, so a worried Laura packs her things and heads north to Canada with Amanda. She keeps a low profile using an alias, paying with cash, and planning to homeschool her daughter. Meanwhile, Steven reports Amanda as a missing child. Around the same time, he realizes his propensity for anger has been nothing but trouble and seeks help from a therapist. Will that be enough to prove he’s a good father and that Amanda is safe with him? And what will happen when he offers a substantial reward for information about the girl’s whereabouts?

Krantz tackles an incendiary topic with discernment and authenticity. The story, which unfolds through Laura’s and Steven’s alternating narrative perspectives, isn’t black and white; readers get an early look at Steven’s side when one of Amanda’s overnight visits becomes a source of contention. Each of the parents is both sympathetic and flawed—while Laura undeniably breaks the law, her intentions aren’t malicious, and while Steven tries to be a good person and an even better father, he simply can’t control his temper. Laura’s consistently reliable parents (mother Rose seems to be the Ballards’ peacemaker, and Robert never hides his disdain for Steven) ground the story, representing the sturdy family unit that Laura and Steven don’t have. The rest of the supporting cast shines as well, from the other moms at Laura’s playgroup in Canada to Helen, Steven’s sister, the only one of his three siblings who still talks to him. The author’s skill at building characters is evident in her depiction of Amanda, who, for most of the book, is a toddler at that age when she says what she’s thinking and it’s often easy to see why she might be crying. But she’s simultaneously in her own world, and understanding what she says (or why she won’t say something) is a matter of interpretation. The final act takes a drastic but still believable turn, leading to a denouement that many readers won’t likely predict.

A realistic, gripping portrayal of family, trust, and the value of self-improvement.