The disappearance of a child, even worse than the death of a child, is the ultimate horror for any family. Not knowing what has happened to the child, fearing torture and death, and living with these fears can destroy mother, father, and other family members. Relationships within the immediate family are in peril, with the relationships to the extended family very much in jeopardy. The Deep End of the Ocean is the story of the traumatic loss of three-year-old Ben and the effects this loss has on his family, eventually including Ben. Recovery from the loss seems impossible. Continuing to live becomes the challenge.

Even before Ben is kidnapped, the Cappadora family is somewhat dysfunctional, its members so concerned with their own problems that they are oblivious to the basic needs of the others. Pat, the father, has a stressful but satisfying job as the manager...