Kari — John Benton

A gripping story of heartache, abuse, and hope.

After being raped and beaten by her brutal stepfather, sixteen-year-old Kari Allensworth left home. And like millions of naive runaways before her, she wound up on California's notorious Sunset Strip with no money and no destination. Confused, scared, and lonely, she became easy prey for Paco, a flashy pimp who showered the love-starved Kari with compassion and kindness. But the mask of concern quickly slipped away, revealing a ruthless, cold-blooded killer. Paco forced Kari out onto the streets as a hooker and made her his slave by demanding all of her earnings in exchange for her life. Caught in the degrading world of prostitution and drug trafficking, it looked as though there were no means of escape. Then one night a woman handed Kari a novel about another prostitute who found deliverance and unconditional love. Would Kari choose the only way out -- or remain enslaved to prostitution forever?