A Beautiful Child: A True Story of Hope, Horror, and an Enduring Human Spirit

I applaud Matt Birkbeck for writing A Beautiful Child. Coincidentally,I began working with neglected and abused children during the writing of this book. The writing is simple and straightforward but the actual plot is quite complex. A Beautiful Child is a true story that leaves the reader wanting to do something about abuse or help in finding missing persons. It's the kind of book you put down after reading and find yourself staring out the window for a long time. You wonder why nobody ever said anything before it was too late. Sharon Marshall could be anyone's neighbor or high school buddy; she was the girl next door, a shining example of hope for a better world. Earning top grades, listed in Who's Who Among American High Schools, Sharon read Shakespeare for enjoyment and participated in ROTC. She was headed for Georgia Tech on a scholarship, with the goal of someday working for NASA. The sweet, blonde girl with the cheery disposition would never see that dream. Neither would her little son, Michael. There's more, much more. This is a tale of baffling sadness and gross cruelty that spans generations. Warren Marshall, aka Franklin Floyd kidnapped a child, raised her as his daughter, then as his wife and mother of his child. His activities left hardened detectives appalled and searching for the answers to a mystery that remains yet unsolved.

I could not put this book down. It was such a sad account of a life that was ruined and torn apart by a truly diabolical man. I want to learn so much more about the victims. I'm glad the story concentrated on them and that Floyd was not given a lot of time to contribute his thoughts and feelings. He should never be spoken to by anyone until he speaks and gives answers and closure for all of his many victims. It is scary that people like him walk on this earth and prey on our children!

Cannot get this story out of my head. The author is new to me and I'll most definitely read his other book and keep an eye out for new work. He had a way of bringing this young woman to life through his writing style, almost as if he sensed how she was feeling (joy through her son and her rare friendships/at same time the dread and despair as a constant backdrop. This book read like a unique hybrid of true crime and a memoir (although I get a memoir is telling of one's own story) just using that for lack of a better word. Seemed more personal than a True Crime Biography. This angel could have been ANYTHING with her intelligence and beauty had she not been absolutely destroyed by this monster. Although the ending is no secret, I kept hoping there would be some miraculous last minute twist where she and her boy would be living happily ever after. The author did a great job researching and giving her a voice, in my opinion. He appropriately gave detailed facts without exploiting the hell she was in during her life.

This was an extremely well-written and cohesive telling of an almost unbelievable true crime story. It is obvious that the author did extensive research including interviews of people who were witnesses to this tale of generational kidnapping and murder. The reader comes away with clear portraits of the book's main characters as a result of a well-constructed telling of a story that developed over 25 years. One will have to "Google" the book's chief character, "Sharon Marshall", to learn her true identity, not confirmed until late 2014. The author also offers some eye opening information about the historical difficulties of tracing "missing" children, modern day efforts to improve reporting and tracking, and the efforts of some lawmen dedicated to providing answers for the parents of the missing. One can only hope that future events provide answers to the mysteries of the disappearances of her brother and son. This is an absorbing telling of an astonishing story that leaves the reader wondering how such injustices, personified in the conduct of one man, could go unidentified and unreported for so long.

I rated this book a five because of the depth and detail of the author in telling this complex, winding story. He hooks you into the plight of poor, beautiful Sharon and the evil rained upon her by Franklin Floyd from the get go. It is a disturbing story-- absolutely heartbreaking. Birkbeck brings Sharon to life. I don't think anyone could read this story without feeling terrible pain for the suffering of Sharon and her son at the hands of a monster. Hopefully, it will also make mean-spirited, judgemental types rethink the plight of young girls forced into the sex trade businesses. We never know what others face in life when we haven't walked in their shoes. I don't think I will ever forget Sharon or Michael or the Bean family or "Stevie" who all crossed paths with the psychopath Floyd. I wish I could forget Floyd because he doesn't deserve one iota of attention. He is the devil. It is beyond tragic but Sharon is finally free of him.

This was a good book however it skipped around way too much and didn't hold my interest as much as I would've liked it to. By skipping around it was hard to keep track of the people and I had to keep referring back to previous chapters as to who they were. I probably wouldn't even read it again or recommend it to anybody.

"A Beautiful Child" is difficult to review. There are several twists and turns in the plot, perhaps at least one too many. It might not be clear at the outset, but BC is about abducted children. Readers will be pained to learn that for many years in this country, many law enforcement jurisdictions were disinterested in such cases. Sadly, the main character here is a sicko/pervert named Franklin Floyd. He kidnaps a young girl who becomes known as Sharon Marshall. He also kidnaps/abducts a boy later known as Michael Hughes. Fake names -taken from tombstones- abound in BC, which occasionally makes the plot even harder to follow. BC begins with "Sharon's" death and virtually descends into a maelstrom of depravity. Franklin "raises Sharon and Michael as his children". Readers may safely assume that the quote marks are indeed sarcastic. Franklin is no father but a hideous creature who totally mistreats his "children" for his own selfish purposes. Warning flags go unheeded. By the time the Law gets involved, the damage has been done. Sharon is a highly intelligent young woman but her dreams of a better life are shattered. As for young Michael, the poor kid never had a chance. A good review should not divulge a story's resolution. Many readers might agree that BC, through no fault of the author, does not have one. Not all true crime tales do. The depraved Floyd certainly fails to reveal "certain facts" to prosecutors". Author Birkbeck may have let BC get away from him, but the intense story saves the book. It certainly appears that Birkbeck relishes challenges: His other credit is "A Deadly Secret", about the horrible Kathie Durst murder. Strangely, DS also has no clear-cut ending. Readers may ignore the "Ann Rule Rule" and peruse the centerfold photos. They reveal little but succeed in humanizing the victims, including an unfortunate young lady named Cheryl Ann Commesso who got in Floyd's way. On straight merit, BC may only deserve a 3 star rating. Yet the author deserves credit for tackling a difficult story and shedding light on the plight of abducted children in this country. That plus its' forthcoming paperback availability merit a 4th star. Hopefully, sequels or reprintings will tie up the frustrating loose ends contained in both "A Deadly Secret" and "A Beautiful Child".

This book kept me hooked from beginning to end. It tells the story of a murderous fiend who, among other heinous crimes, abducted a little girl and reared her at first as his daughter and eventually made her his wife. Then he killed her, and her child. How he managed to achieve this feat and avoid attention in modern society is tantalizingly revealed. If you enjoy going deep into the psychopathic world of a killer and want all the details of an investigation that spans many years and calls for relentlessly determined dedication by law enforcement and associated agencies to hunt down the truth, you will be thoroughly satisfied with this read. Highly recommended.

Awesome

Great read highly highly recommended This story of a girl who did go through a lot of pain and suffering for very long. something which will leave you wondering how any of this could be real

Muy flojito y poco documentado

A very sad but good read

Im 26 years old and loved this book just couldnt believe that this had happened somewhere in the world the story is really unbelievable i actually sobbed while reading it at times. Its very disturbing but i couldnt put it down i made my mummy read it and she wasnt as keen on it as i was saying she thought the author talked a bit too much about what the police were doing and who was involved in the case etc. I just hated reading it and gettin to the end and still it was never discovered who she was just made me want to cry but really a great read loved reading about her just wonder how she kept top of the class and popular and still never spoke to anyone ever !!!!! would recommend