St. Louis, Missouri, 1932: Too poor to afford a funeral, firefighter Tony Scaglione and his wife Claire bury their fourteen-month-old daughter in a secluded woods. While driving around town that night, Tony stops to smoke a cigarette. Out of the darkness, a lost little girl wanders to his Packard coupe and promptly climbs inside. Overwhelmed by grief and blind to the consequences, he takes the child. Tony, Claire, and their new daughter return to the city, not knowing how this crime will affect their future. Ten years later, druggist John Bartlett has an engaging conversation with the young and vibrant Suzanne. The young girl reminds him of his own daughter, Elizabeth, lost so many years ago. When his family meets and becomes friends with hers, they begin a collision course with fate. When the truth in their lives is learned, everyone will be astounded...including the reader.
'RC Marlen is a talented first-time author and Inside the Hatboxes makes for an exciting read."
-Greg Lawrence, Author of Dance With Demons: The Life of Jerome Robbins and other books.
'RC Marlen's premise is fresh and her plot twists and turns are masterful."
-K.P. Burke, Author of Proof Through the Night: A B-29 Pilot Captive in Japan
