A mute Mayan girl held captive in a crate in the Guatemalan jungle, a
big-city psychoanalyst with a rescue complex, and a journalist with a
broken heart are the characters in Sheila Dalton's second literary
novel.
Caitlin Shaughnessy, a Canadian journalist, discovers that Inez, a
traumatized young Mayan woman originally from Guatemala, has killed
Caitlin's psychoanalyst partner, Dr. Jerry Simpson. Simpson brought the
girl, who may be autistic, back to Canada as an act of mercy and to
attempt to treat her obvious trauma. Cailin desperately needs to find
out why this terrible incident occurred so she can find the strength to
forgive and move on with her life.
Inez, whose sense of wonder and innocence touches all who meet her,
becomes a focal point for many of the Canadians who encounter her. As
Caitlin struggles to uncover the truth about Inez's relationship with
Jerry, Inez struggles to break free of the projections of others. Each
must confront her own anger and despair. The doctors in the north have
an iciness that matches their surroundings, a kind of clinical armour
that Caitlin must penetrate if she is to reach Inez.
The Girl in the Box is a psychological drama of the highest order and
a gripping tale of intrigue and passion.
