The Rocking Horse

by Gloria Zachgo

Can a family that has been savagely ripped apart find healing and redemption? Are the mysteries hidden in the human heart destined to reveal themselves? The Rocking Horse, Gloria Zachgo’s spellbinding suspense novel, charts the harrowing emotional journey of one family that is torn asunder, then magically drawn together again. Jenny Preston has been missing for twenty-two years after being taken at the age of two on the very night her mother Amanda, Aunt Ruth, and Uncle Don were brutally and senselessly murdered. While Jenny's grandparents learn to cope with the tragedies, the sheriff, Will Barclay, must grapple with his own guilt and secrets involving the murders. The crime, which rocked the small town of Shady Creek, Kansas, has never been solved. More than two decades later, a woman who calls herself Julie Hendricks is led by a childhood toy to Shady Creek, where she finds refuge from an abusive husband. Living on her own for the first time in her life, she starts to regain her self esteem and make new friends. Her life is then turned upside down again when she discovers she may be the child that was abducted from this very town so many years ago. With the encouragement of her new friends, and a very special someone, she returns to Chicago to learn the truth of her childhood history from her father. After a gripping turn of events, Julie returns to Shady Creek to wrestle with the emotional complexities of her new life and how her past life is starting to catch up with her. An unexpected hero comes to Julie’s aid. A story of family, home, and the grave consequences of actions, The Rocking Horse explores the aftermath of the most unimaginable the disappearance of a child. Fast-paced and full of intrigue, this riveting read mines the depths of the human heart on its road to recovery.

Genres: Mystery, Romance, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Suspense

302 pages, Paperback

First published August 18, 2011

About the author

It’s a natural for Gloria Zachgo to write stories with Kansas settings. She grew up on a farm in Lincoln County, where she attended one of the last one-room schoolhouses in the country. After graduating from Brown Mackie Business School, she married her high school sweetheart.
Living out of state for several years, Gloria and her husband moved back to their Kansas roots. While their children were young, she ran a small business out of their home. It was when her children left the nest, that she pursued a lifelong dream and took various art lessons.
Always wanting to learn new things she joined a creative writing group in 2006, and soon found she had a passion for writing fictional short stories. One particular short story was written on the prompts of a gingerbread man and a small toy horse. It led to her first novel, The Rocking Horse. “I knew there was more to the story. I kept seeing the image of a young woman, all alone, with a quirky little toy trying to give her a message.”
“I love writing about ordinary everyday people and their struggles with what life deals them.”
Gloria certainly did write about the struggles of ordinary people in her second novel, Never Waste Tears. She lets five individuals each tell their own story of what Kansas looked like in the 1860s, when the land was free, but the true price was often high.
Gloria’s characters often completely take over their own destination. In her latest novel, Hush Girl: It’s Only a Dream, Nicki Reed is no exception. Gloria simply wrote what Nicki felt as she delved into her past.
Gloria Zachgo and her husband currently reside in Wichita, Kansas. To learn more about Gloria feel free to visit her website – www.gloriazachgo.com

Reviews

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Rocking Horse" by the extremely talented Gloria Zachgo, is one of the best books I've read in quite some time.
If I didn't know that this was the author's first novel, I'd think I was reading a novel off of one of the top bestseller lists. This book certainly deserves a top spot in the rankings.

The story is enthralling and deliciously addictive. Once you start reading, you can't put it down. You won't want to put it down. Real life and it's duties become mere annoyances while reading this novel. I've stayed up too late, and functioned with too little sleep ever since I started it. However, it was worth every moment.

Ms. Zachgo doesn't mess around. She's a natural born storyteller, with a smooth, clear voice and an 'ear' finely tuned for suspense. Very 'real' characters to like, love and hate.
While reading, you feel as if you are a part of this small town; they become your family and friends. Ms. Zachgo even managed to make me care about the murderer, which was no small feat.

I highly recommend this book to everyone. No matter your favorite genre, you can't miss with this book or this author.
I'm eager for more Ms. Zachgo. Please write more soon!



*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author for review purposes. (Thank you Gloria Zachgo for the opportunity to read your wonderful book). I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Gloria Zachgo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am the author of this book. I am anxious to hear other opinions. Enjoy.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. It went quickly and was interesting. I almost couldn't put it down, but that may have been because the chapters were short and it was easy to read just one more, and just one more, etc. I originally gave it four stars because it was an easy read that kept me going. However, after thinking about it more, I dropped it to three stars. The first thing I liked about it was that the author kept the reader informed and the challenge was waiting for the story's characters to figure it all out. I liked that the author laid it all out before us and there weren't any surprises -- until I got about two thirds of the way through it and a new character joined the story, a guy who was there all along in this small town where everybody knew everybody but we'd never heard of, a well-known eccentric who had all the answers that unraveled the mystery. That was so disappointing that they couldn't figure it out without it being handed to them on a silver platter. There were already enough clues and ways to verify since all they really wanted to know was who Julie was. That's where the story went downhill for me and I started re-evaluating the book. Even Julie's appearance in Shady Creek was a bit contrived, along with her reasons for hiding, and then her suddenly breaking cover and returning to Chicago was a set up. Then I got to thinking that since the story wasn't about the murders, they weren't even necessary. Jimmy's role was just a bit part to give Sheriff Will an excuse to not solve the crime, which took the focus off the crime and allowed the story to morph into a disappearance mystery. I couldn't believe that such a gruesome crime just got dropped, that a doped up stranger without premeditation committed and got away with the perfect crime, that Amanda's parents didn't have a clue about the guy, that the perp went on to live a happy, successful, respectable life, that the aforementioned previously unheard of character slipped in and contaminated the crime scene beyond solution. Bad guys are never brought to justice in this story. It's only dumb luck that they never have to be punished for their crimes. The book has a happy ending, but not a happily ever after, which redeems the story for me a little bit. A wedding doesn't solve all of the problems. Surely, Julie/Jennifer/Jenny is going to need some time and/or therapy before she can completely trust again.

[Candace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gloria Zachgo's novel, The Rocking Horse, is a wonderful story that I enjoyed from the first page until the last. On the day I started the book, my husband and I decided to head to the gym. I LOVE gym time. Not because of the great work out, or the sweating, or knowing I can come home and eat a cookie guilt free. No, I love going to the gym because Exercise Time equals Candace's Reading Time. With a book in hand I can literally walk an entire evening. I perch myself on a treadmill, raise the incline, and read away. This particular evening was no different from the others: I placed my novel in the treadmill book/magazine holder, started some soft music on my iPod to drown out the background noise, and started to walk.



I had no idea that The Rocking Horse would captivate me to the point where I had to finish it the same evening I first opened it up. Zachgo's The Rocking Horse is a wonderful mystery that has a little bit of romance and multiple thrills mixed in. The novel begins twenty-two years in the past, in the small town of Shady Creek, Kansas. The close knit community is shocked to learn that three of their loved citizens were brutally murdered with no suspect in sight. The mystery of the fateful night deepens when it comes to light that a two year old little girl, Jenny, was kidnapped from the murder scene. Two decades pass and the town has yet to forget that heinous night. The hope is still alive that little Jenny is safe somewhere.



Fast forward to present day where Zachgo introduces her readers to Jennifer, a young woman who finds herself running from an abusive husband in Chicago. In her suitcase she carries a new identity, cash, clothing, and a toy rocking horse that she has had since she was a child. Staring at a map, trying to decide where to start her new life, Jennifer's rocking horse suddenly loses its button eye which falls right onto the city of Shady Creek. Taking it as an omen, Jennifer, or Julie according to her new identity, heads to Kansas. What Shady Creek has in store for Jennifer will leave her life greatly altered.

Gloria Zachgo's, The Rocking Horse, is a truly wonderful story. It is well written, has a great plot, believable characters, and a mystery that will keep you guessing until the end. I believe my favorite character is Barbara, the mother of the murdered young lady and grandmother of missing Jenny. Barbara lived through her own personal Hell and was still able to grow from the experience and live her life to the fullest. The close bond that Barbara and Julie formed was a joy to read.

I absolutely recommend The Rocking Horse to all fiction lovers. It has the perfect combination of suspense, sadness, romance, and true friendships. Get ready to have your heart strings pulled, and good luck putting the book down for the evening! Hat's off to Mrs. Zachgo for weaving a story that will stay with me for days to come.

I received a copy of 'The Rocking Horse' from Gloria Zachgo for the purpose of review.

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twenty-two years ago, in Shady Creek, Kansas, three people are found murdered. Two year old Jenny Preston is found alive. She is the daughter of Amanda Preston who was one of the victims. Jenny is later taken from the crime scene to the home of the town sheriff and is abducted. Neither crime was solved. So opens Gloria Zachgo's novel, The Rocking Horse.
Fast forward 22 years and Julie Hendricks who is running from an abusive husband arrives in Shady Creek. Everyone she meets is shocked by her striking resemblance to the murdered Amanda. She quickly makes a life for herself that includes a job and friends. However, she is not who she claims to be. Her name is actually Jen Sanders and because she fears her husband she has bought a new identity. A cherished childhood toy accompanies her to Shady Creek - a most unusual wooden rocking horse. She needs to decide her future and surprisingly, it is her past that will play the largest role.
The novel provides a sweeping examination of the lives of the people connected to that awful night 22 years ago. Shocking secrets are exposed with devastating results. The author's mastery as a story teller keeps the reader enthralled. She skillfully developed the characters and provides powerful descriptions of their emotions.
I found the book to be exciting and easy to read.
I received this book for free from LibraryThing Member Giveaways and I give this review willingly.

[Ron Zachgo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julie Hendricks, a young woman from an affluent area in Chicago finds her life going into in a downward spiral. She plans and executes her escape, only to discover her life is even more confusing than originally thought. She is comforted by a child-hood toy that influenced the choice of a small Kansas town as her hideout, but it also provides the clue that she may actually have ties to the community. The story explains the steps that lead her to the answer. Who is Julie Hendricks? She has always felt something was missing in her life but is now content to learn the answers and start over.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Rocking Horse is a great book with a unique plot line. I was hooked after the first chapter or two, and the suspense made me want to finish immediately.

Gloria Zachgo captures that "small town feel" in her novel, and her characters have a soul and personality that's hard to come by in adult fiction.

[Melodie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Rocking Horse is one of the books that for me is a comfortable read.Immediately interesting, characters that are easy to like and dislike according to their roles in the story, and a plot that moves along.
I enjoyed the touch of magic with the rocking horse HoHo throughout the book.And while there are those that might feel the story wrapped up a bit too tidily,I thought it ended very well.

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5.0

This is an interesting twist... a mystery where the reader knows the answers from the beginning but watches as the characters search to figure it out!

Read full review in the 2013 September issue of InD’tale Magazine.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very predictable - ending seemed like it wrapped everything a little too conveniently but still an entertaining read.

[Joannine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it the story was predictable but very very good.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel will pull at your heart strings-no doubt about it.

A family was torn apart by murder and a young girl disappears. The Sheriff knew something about it but kept it to himself because he was trying to protect someone.

The young girl who disappeared has suddenly shown up in the town not realizing that she was the missing girl. She was running from a horrible marriage.

The only thing she had clung to from the day she was taken was a small rocking horse---

Who murdered her family and who abducted her? Will she ever find out who she really is?

I REALLY suggest that you read this book--------you will feel like all the characters are right there with you!!

[Valentina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting book to read. It’s what I would call a literary mystery, meaning that there’s not as much action as you’d expect from a mystery novel, instead dealing much more with character development than anything else.
The beginning is handled very nicely. There is a quick, tense pace to the writing that suits the story well. It really leads the reader onward with its smooth flow. Then the plot slows down. Not enough to make it a bother to read, but more than it should. The plot gets a bit bogged down with minutia, when it would have fared better with a bare-bones telling. However, it does pick up again a few chapters before the book ends, once again building up momentum.
The characters are what’s handled the best, I think. They are well written, and fleshed out. Jenny/Julie is the weaker of the bunch, interestingly enough since she is the protagonist, but since there are so many supporting characters that were interesting to read about, this is not such a huge drawback.
This as a fun book to read, and even though it has its faults, like pretty much every book out there, I can easily recommend it to mystery lovers.

[Lynda Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great first novel. It doesn't purport to be anything other than a terrific little story and it doesn't disappoint. I really enjoyed it. The only fault was with the editing/proofreading process and that woefully cost it 5 stars. If I were the author and I'd paid fortunes for the service I'd ask for a bloody refund.
All the way through there were apostrophe errors, most noticeably with parent's used instead of parents'. Yet at times it was correct so all the wrong ones, of which there were too many, were overlooked. The odd words missed out in sentences and lost fullstops, commas and speechmarks peppered throughout too. So disappointing. Dining was spelt as dinning three times that I saw. So with all these corrections made it would be a massive improvement.
The story was pretty predictable in places but then that didn't ruin it for me in the least. We all need happy endings (at least in part) from time to time. I doubt it will be a huge bestseller but there were certainly as many errors I found in a recent bestseller so no shame in that, I guess. I certainly hope to read more by her.

[Tricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed “The Rocking Horse”. The storyline, with its twists and turns, kept me wanting more. I was on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. Gloria created a wonderful setting with lovable (and some not so loveable) characters. Gloria nailed the down-to-earth small town people who love cooking, nature, and each other. The author weaved many elements together in this book: friendship, loyalty, compassion, hate, evil, betrayal, and forgiveness. With suspense, romance, supernatural events and genuine good versus evil, I highly recommend this book. I even fell in love with the dog!

[Haight Ashbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in about 4 hours. The story captures your attention right away and doesn't let go, although it does slow down a bit in the middle. The story is somewhat predictable but even with knowing what's going to happen it's good enough that it still holds your interest. The characterization was okay but I felt as though we only got to know the characters on the outside and not the inside. If you're looking for an in-depth, intellectual read, this probably isn't the book for you but if you're looking for a light, easy read, this is definately it!

[Katie Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the very beginning of the story I was sucked in.

It starts off with a mother and a daughter going to visit the girls Aunt. Tragedy strikes. I do have to say after reading what happened in the home and the following event I was a little caught off guard. I know its a book but it was kind of unbelievable, but do not let that stop you from continuing on! I read the book in a day, I couldn't put it down. It is a wonderful story with the right amount of drama.

I will be reading more of Gloria Zachgo, that is for sure.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and when I got to the end I wanted more! The writing style, especially in the beginning, is a little detached or clinical. Like the death of the three people in the first few pages was told very matter of fact, no real emotions associated with it which I found interesting. The pace is slow, but in a good way. The ending felt like it sped up some and of course you know what is going to happen and everything resolves itself nicely. Still a good read.

[Jaci · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so thankful to Gloria Zachgo for the free eread of The Rocking Horse. I loved the book and could not put it down. I was sad when I was finished as I didn't want it to end. The story was great and I was near tears (some sad and some happy) many times. I hope Gloria writes more novels...I would love to read more from her.

[Nicole Weimer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given this book from the author's son and absolutely loved it. It has a great plot and is an excellent read. I have since passed it on to a couple friends and bought for family at Christmas time. I cannot wait to see what else Gloria has published.

[Laureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. The beginning drew you into the story with a big grab. The characters were well developed and worked well throughout the story. I enjoyed the conflict of Sheriff Will and his choices and how that all pulled together. It was a good read.

[Patricia Waterman]

From the moment I picked up this book to read it held my interest. It is well written with a story theme that keeps you interested through the whole book. I would like to see more books by this author.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was free and I liked the synopsis so I downloaded it. It was a quick read, nail biting at times. I feel it could haves used a better closure but all in all I enjoyed how the story played out.

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars. A two year old girl is abducted and her Mother killed. Twenty years later she leaves her abusive husband and finds her true family. Very farfetched but still engrossing if somewhat amateurish writing.

[Jennifer Bertram · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book. Its characters held my attention from page 1 to the end.

[Ruth Boynton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Destiny? Karma? Fate? If you believe in any of those.....you will enjoy this book!

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most excellent books I have read in a long time. A lot of twists and turns and a happy ending.

[Barb Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hard to believe this is a first novel. The plot was compelling from the first chapter and the characters were well developed. Very enjoyable read!

[Caroline Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book through Goodreads. Excellent book. Enjoyed reading it.

[Steph Warren · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received a free copy of this book. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*

The Rocking Horse is one of those books that is oddly unsettling due to the subversion of the reader’s genre expectations. Which is not to say that it is a bad read…in fact I couldn’t put it down!

Everything about the style, setting, characters, and plot set-up screams that this is a cosy mystery type suspense thriller. Except that the reader knows everything from the very beginning. We know who committed the murders and why they did it, and we know all along where and who Jenny Preston is.

So where is the suspense? The mystery? Why keep reading?

The answer is straightforward, and actually clearly laid out in the ‘blurb’: this isn’t a mystery thriller, despite feeling like one: it is an exploration of human relationships; family; friendship; loss; trust; and what unexpected actions we will take for the ones we love.

The story is told in simple, direct language and the author has skilfully evoked an atmosphere where you can taste the home cooking, smell the tomato plants, feel the warmth on your face and in the hearts of the good (if not flawless) people around you.

There is a strong Christian ethos/faith running through the novel, exemplified in the characters appealing to God and prayer in times of hardship. This did not feel intrusive to the plot, but instead felt like a natural part of the characterisation of the community. Strangely, whilst the ‘supernatural’ elements of coincidences and spirit presences could be attributed to this realm of miracles and guardian angels, I felt those aspects to be more paranormal than religious and was surprised at how smoothly the author wove them into the fabric of the narrative. A genuine example of the religious and paranormal being able to coexist with no dissonance!

All-in-all this is a compelling read, despite (or perhaps due to) the subverted genre expectations. There is warmth, sadness, strength and hope in the story. There are many convenient coincidences and a very neat and tidy conclusion, but these fit with the tone and style of the novel and provide a satisfying closure to the plot.

I shall be interested to read more by this author to see whether they follow a similar path, or branch in a different direction.


When he entered the front room, the first thing he saw were muddy, bloody footprints. What he didn’t see sent a cold fear up his back – he didn’t see Jenny.

– Gloria Zachgo, The Rocking Horse

(Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog)