by Margaret Sutton

**Spoilers**

One of the best Judy Boltons in which we learn that Roberta, Judy’s little boarder cum-surrogate daughter-cum-little sister who saved Judy and Peter’s life on their wedding day is actually a semi-famous cold case kidnap victim. She wandered out of her beautiful garden when she was 3 years old and was picked up by a man who had just lost his wife and daughter. She was held for ransom which was paid by her well-off parents, but meanwhile the kidnapper was arrested on another charge. 5 years went by. She was handed off to one unloving person after another and her name was changed. Eventually, she made her way to Judy’s loving care. This is all discovered while Judy and Peter are chasing down the hot money that was paid for the ransom which started to reappear once her kidnapper, whom Roberta thought was her father, got out of prison.

Roberta sees her old garden on a seed packet and she starts to remember her old life. The scene where Roberta (Barbara) is returned to her loving family in Chicago and says goodbye to Judy is pure gold. I defy anyone to get to the third to the last chapter and be able to put this book down. 

December 11, 2020