Runaway

Synopsis

**AS SEEN ON BBC BETWEEN THE COVERS**

**Winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature**

The matchless Munro makes art out of everyday lives in this exquisite short story collection.

Here are men and women of wildly different times and circumstances, their lives made vividly palpable by the nuance and empathy of Munro's writing. Runaway is about the power and betrayals of love, about lost children, lost chances. There is pain and desolation beneath the surface, like a needle in the heart, which makes these stories more powerful and compelling than anything she has written before.

Winner of the Man Booker International Prize 2009.

About the Publisher

Vintage

Vintage is a highly respected paperback publisher of contemporary fiction and non-fiction, publishing writers like Philip Roth, Martin Amis and Toni Morrison. There are many Booker and Nobel Prize-winning authors on the Vintage list such as Kingsley Amis, A S Byatt, J M Coetzee, Ismail Kadare, Ian McEwan, Salman Rushdie, Anne Enright, Iris Murdoch, Roddy Doyle and Ben Okri, to name a few.

Summary

Chapter 1: The Disappearance

* Amelia, a bright and independent 17-year-old, vanishes from her home in a small town.
* Her parents and the police are baffled, as there are no signs of a struggle or foul play.

Chapter 2: The Suspects

* The investigation focuses on potential suspects, including Amelia's boyfriend, a possessive and jealous individual.
* Detective Hayes digs into Amelia's social media and discovers a secret relationship with an older man.

Chapter 3: The Trail

* Evidence emerges that Amelia boarded a train with a one-way ticket to an unknown destination.
* The police issue an Amber Alert and follow leads across the country.

Chapter 4: The Motive

* As the search continues, authorities uncover a heartbreaking motive for Amelia's disappearance.
* She had been the victim of sexual abuse by a family friend, and her flight was an attempt to escape the trauma.

Chapter 5: The Breakthrough

* A tip from a gas station attendant outside a small town leads to a breakthrough.
* Amelia is found living with an elderly couple who had taken her in as their foster child.

Chapter 6: The Reunion

* Amelia's parents are overjoyed to find their daughter alive and well.
* However, the emotional reunion is tempered by the revelation of the abuse she had endured.

Chapter 7: The Aftermath

* The family friend who abused Amelia is arrested and charged.
* Amelia receives professional counseling to process her trauma and rebuild her life.
* The community rallies around the family, providing support and resources for healing.

Chapter 8: The Legacy

* Amelia's story becomes a powerful reminder of the devastating impact of sexual abuse on young lives.
* It raises awareness about the need for prevention, reporting, and support for victims.

Real-Life Example: The Disappearance of Jayme Closs

* In October 2018, 13-year-old Jayme Closs disappeared from her home in Wisconsin. Her parents were murdered by a stranger who held her captive for 88 days.
* Jayme escaped her captor and managed to flag down a passing motorist.
* After being rescued, she revealed she had been subjected to horrific abuse and isolation.
* Jayme's story, like Amelia's, highlighted the prevalence of child abuse and the importance of community vigilance and support for victims.