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

I watched a show about this case a few years ago (before the Netflix documentary was released). "Heartbreaking" doesn't even begin to describe this tale. The truths investigators uncover on their quest for answers are so shocking, it's hard to believe they really could have happened. Despite its tragic subject, this is a wonderful book. It's extremely well written, balancing facts & personal memories of Sharon, painting a picture of a real human being (& not a "Jane Doe"). At a little over 280 pages, I finished it in only a few days (& probably could have done it faster if I'd had the time to sit down). I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone with an interest in true crime novels...

I was not at all familiar with this story before reading this book. It is a very tragic story and frustrating that it is mostly unsolved. I was hoping the answers would be in the epilogue but not to be. Now that I have read this book I hope to someday find the actual identity of Sharon. Good book. Good story.

Of course all true crime are increditably sad and this book definitely was too. It was very well written and researched and very hard to put down.. To me true crime, when written well, is mystery just ficticuous and unbelievable stories that couldn't be imagined. This book had the crime, investigation, prosecution, etc. that make up a good book. Was obvious the author was very into everything about toe people who made up this book and that made it more readable, to me. Would definitely recommend this book.

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.

If I didn’t know that this was a true story, I would’ve bet the farm that it was a suspense thriller. This poor girl is a true hero. So are all the people that fought so hard to put the awful killer behind bars. My hope is that someday, her true identity will be found. God bless all parties involved for this amazing book!

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".

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

I live in France and had never heard about this case before so every turn and twist was a total surprise for me. If it had not been a true story I would have found it totally unbelievable. I feel for this beautiful child that deserved a brilliant future. What she has been through is heartbreaking. I know it happened several decades ago but it still seems unbelievable that such events could have unfolded without anyone nocticing or questioning them. A very sad and tragic story beautifully written. This book is an hommage to her brilliant personality, she deserves not to be forgotten.