Ever since he’d got the call in the middle of the night the night Molly had died, Teddy Mentor had moved the phone away from the end table by the bed . . . Even across the room, six feet away, the phone still jolted him. On the second ring, he stiffened like some zombie come to life . . .

Jesse was missing again. 

So begins the roller coater ride that is Jesse’s Girl by Gary Morgenstein.  Once close as any father and son could hope to be, Teddy and Jesse were torn apart in Jesse’s teen years.  The adopted boy chased drugs and booze to find that part of himself he thought was missing.  In doing so he created a gulf between himself and his loving parents.  The chasm deepened when his mother, Molly died, leaving Teddy to stumble along trying to save Jesse from himself.

But this is not only a story about a distraught father and a rebellious son.  Jesse’s girl dives into the relationships between parents and children, and the nagging uncertainty, unanswered questions and feelings of abandonment adopted children often feel, the need to make peace with the past and reconnect with life-long friends.

Though distant both in spirit and in fact Teddy jumps a plane from New York and tears off to Montana to find his missing son, jeopardizing his flagging career in the process.  What ensures is a wild ride of mystery, growth and discovery for both Jesse and Teddy, as Teddy follows his troubled son toward Kentucky.

When he catches up with the boy, Teddy needles Jesse into revealing he is going to Kentucky to meet a girl.  Teddy thinks Jesse’s seeking his new love; Jesse thinks he’s discovering his long, lost sister.  But who is right?

They meet Theresa – and she’s a delight to both of them – but was comes next is a mad chase across the state with the trio being pursued by a murderous Beau, Theresa’s abusive husband,  a some-what sympathetic sheriff and a determined law force.  Can they evade Beau?  Can they trust any of the lawmen?  Is Theresa really Jesse’s sister?  Will Jesse and Teddy ever reform the bonds that once bound them close as father and son?  Is there any way out of the huge mess they find themselves in?

Jesse’s girl is peopled by a vivid cast of interesting characters.  The reader never knows from page to page and chapter to chapter what quirky personality will pop up next.  None of Morgenstein’s characters are pat or easy to pigeonhole.  Their faults and foibles are laid bare right along side with moments of courage and heartrending emotion, all sprinkled with a strong dose of humor and moments of sheer panic.

Jesse’s Girl will make you laugh, let you cry and twist your guts with pure terror.  There is never a dull moment.  Need a fast-paced romp of a read.  Go pick up Jesse’s Girl.  You’ll be glad you did.