Barbara Sherrod

Gone Missing: a Contemporary Women's Novel Barbara Sherrod

When psychologist Marjorie Kander's friend commits suicide in 2001, Marjorie, already feeling oversensitive and stressed due to menopausal symptoms, flees her life. Leaving behind her Colorado home, family, and psychology practice, she finds retreat in a small Kansas town. Marjorie's associate, part-time search -and-rescue volunteer Gloria, is fearful of commitment. She is perfectly content living an adventurous life alone, but with Marjorie gone, Gloria feels she must forfeit her lifestyle to become a surrogate wife and mother to the Kander family. All too soon, Gloria realizes she cannot be the anchor that the Kander family requires. Marjorie's husband, Mike, is battling seemingly uncontrollable rages; her daughter, Clare, is addicted to unhealthy romances; her son, Douglas, is a lost spiritual seeker; and Betty, Marjorie's mother-in-law, is in poor health. Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away, Marjorie is gradually accepting the true cause of her anxiety. Having obtained this awareness, she plans to return home, but a blossoming relationship with a local doctor jeopardizes her vow. Gone Missing follows these two women as they cope with demanding personal events, and when the September 11 terrorist attacks shake the country, Marjorie and Gloria realize that they must find a common strength and renew their lives.