An infant grabbed from her mother’s car. A dead end of evidence. A most unlikely source of help. Detective Matthew Finn is a fish out of water. After relocating to a small town to please his wife only to be abandoned by the cheating woman, he’s left juggling her three irritating pets along with a high-profile missing baby case. And already under pressure with a severe lack of clues, he’s wary when an anonymous tip leads to the incident’s sole witness… a gorilla. Working with a protective scientist to keep the animal out of the obsessed public’s eye, Finn frantically navigates the primate’s cryptic pictures and sign language. But with the tiny and vulnerable victim’s survival at stake, the overwhelmed investigator fears he’s rapidly running out of time. Can a cop and his curious simian assistant work together to catch a callous culprit? The Only Witness is the suspenseful first book in the Neema the Gorilla Mysteries. If you like intriguing characters, intelligent animal sidekicks, and sharp twists and turns, then you’ll love Pamela Beason’s captivating page-turner. Buy The Only Witness to see crime through sharply observant eyes today! "The Only Witness is a marvel of story-telling." - Chanticleer Book Reviews ...Pamela Beason employs knowing doses of drama, humor, adventure and romance to polish her clever premise into a sparkling jewel... Neema knows how to negotiate for a banana and steal your heart while doing it..." Read the full review at chantireviews.com/ Sympathy from a gorilla ***** 5 out of 5 stars - Avid Reader ...the characters are believable, speaking and acting appropriately. The only witness to a kidnapping, a gorilla named Neema, shows intelligence and compassion within the confines of what one would expect of animal behavior. ...I enjoy the sense of place the author incorporates.... I will watch for more of her writing. The book was a bargain. Great read for book clubs ***** 5 out of 5 Stars A lot of thought-provoking topics for discussions: - Creationism / Darwinism taught in schools - Balance between protecting privacy and catching the bad guys thru records - Human trafficking / stealing and selling babies - Private property vs public safety: gorillas as neighbors Lots of lines had me smiling and laughing. Interesting characters you care about. I couldn't put it down once I started reading. I read until 3am so I could find out what happened to the characters, both human and animal.- Amazon reader Seattle Sue I Need 6 Stars! ***** 5 out of 5 stars - Amazon reader Micki A two-month-old baby girl is taken from her teenaged mother's car. The only witness to the abduction is Neema, a 12-year-old gorilla who has been trained to communicate via American sign language. When the trainer realizes the story Neema is telling, she contacts the police. Not surprisingly, mayhem follows when they are no longer able to keep secret the identity of the 'anonymous witness'. [...] Wonderfully written, could not put it down! ***** 5 out of 5 stars - Amazon reader Lynda Lewis The Only Witness was a wonderful book. I could not put it down! It was very well written, suspenseful and kept my interest from beginning to end. Neema the Gorilla who speaks ASL is a witness to a kidnapping. The question is, will anyone believe her? If you love animals and you love mysteries this book is a double plus! I can't wait to read more by the author! This book was inspired by my fascination with animal intelligence and my work as a private investigator. I have worked on various cases where the testimony of small children was crucial. If a five-year-old child can testify in a criminal case, could a signing gorilla provide the clues to solve a crime? Does a signing gorilla hold the clue to solving a baby's disappearance? Pamela Beason lives in the Pacific Northwest, where she writes novels and screenplays and works as a private investigator. When she's not on the job, she explores the natural world on foot or cross-country skis, in her kayak, and underwater as a scuba diver. Pam is a recipient of the Daphne du Maurier Award, and her writing has been featured as Recommended Reading by Suspense magazine. She is the author of six works of fiction: Endangered , Bear Bait , and Undercurrents in the Summer Westin mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime, and The Only Witness , Shaken , and Call of the Jaguar from WildWing Press. She also writes nonfiction, and is the author of  So You Want to be a PI? and SAVE Your Money, Your Sanity, and Our Planet: 5 Lessons and 125 Tips for a Thrifty Lifestyle .She is currently hard at work on a sequel to The Only Witness , which will be published in the last half of 2013. Used Book in Good Condition