Artists Registry

Book Summary

The idyllic life of Jill, a privileged Manhattan homemaker, is shattered when she loses her husband in the collapse of the World Trade Center on 9/11.  After the first plane hits Tower One, Ryan is able to get a phone call through to Jill to express his love for her and their son, Blake, and to share his belief he won’t make it out of the building alive.  His final words to her are “Please take care of Tommy!”  Jill has no idea to whom he is referring and is unable to get answers before communication is lost.

Ryan’s death, and the series of events that unfold during the day, expose the possibility of a child borne from an affair he had with a woman who also perished on 9/11.  Although Jill is surrounded by family and friends in the immediate aftermath, she feels inexplicably isolated as she faces the demise of her husband and the moral dilemma of honoring his final plea to care for Tommy.  The sudden change in her circumstances leads Jill to realize the vacuous nature of her life and the ulterior motives of close friends and family members.  Fortunately, she discovers a profound meaning to that life, thanks to the wisdom and comfort of her seven-year-old son and the four-year-old boy who tragically became an orphan on that fateful day.