PINTEREST
BLOGLOVIN
GOODREADS
Published by Transworld / Corgi
ebook: 29 June 2017 | Paperback 14 December 2017
364 pages
| About the Book |
When a paragraph in an evening newspaper reveals a decades-old tragedy, most readers barely give it a glance. But for three strangers it’s impossible to ignore.
For one woman, it’s a reminder of the worst thing that ever happened to her.
For another, it reveals the dangerous possibility that her darkest secret is about to be discovered.
And for the third, a journalist, it’s the first clue in a hunt to uncover the truth.
The Child’s story will be told.
| My Thoughts |
The Child is the second novel by Fiona Barton to feature journalist Kate Waters. This time a baby’s skeleton has been found on a building site in London. On seeing the headline in another newspaper, her interest is immediately piqued. Who, How and Why?
The story revolves around 3 women, Angela, Emma and Jude. I was keen to know what their connection was and how their past history might hold the key to the grim findings on that site. The discovery of the baby hits them hard but why?
This is an extremely clever story, with layers that are gradually revealed to reveal secrets and deception. It starts very slowly but builds to a twisty crescendo. Initially I did get a bit confused with the characters and often mixed up Emma and Angela – both women having similar character traits however that is my problem rather than the author’s because each chapter is clearly marked with a dateline and the name of the narrating character. This book also has one of my favourite things – short chapters! I’m a big fan as they can make for such an addictive read and once I got into this, it really was a case of sitting in bed late at night thinking…. ‘I’ll just read one more’!
I much preferred the Kate Waters that appears in this story than in the debut, The Widow. In The Widow, she came across as someone who would do anything for a story and would manipulate people, regardless of the consequences. However in The Child, although she hasn’t lost that determined and ambitious edge, she comes across as less ruthless and more considerate to people’s feelings.
It is with Kate’s character that the author’s own journalist background shines through clearly. Kate is under pressure here to resolve the story and deliver an exclusive that will sell papers. The preference for more instant online news forces the bosses to take cost cutting measures and it is made clear that she may not be immune from the staffing cuts if she doesn’t deliver. When she is paired with Joe, a young man on work experience her heart sinks at having to babysit him but Joe turns out to be a real asset and they do work well together, often leaving the police trailing behind!
I really enjoyed The Child and although I had guessed the outcome before the reveal, this didn’t matter at all. The characters are so realistic and their stories are superbly woven together to form a complex thriller with shocks and surprises. I wasn’t quite so taken with The Widow but I’m delighted to say that The Child was a much better book for me. I’m already looking forward to another!
My thanks to Anne Cater and Transworld for including me on the tour.
| About the Author |
Fiona Barton’s debut, The Widow, was a Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller and has been published in thirty-five countries and optioned for television. Her second novel, The Child, was a Sunday Times bestseller. Born in Cambridge, Fiona currently lives in south-west France.
Previously, she was a senior writer at the Daily Mail, news editor at the Daily Telegraph, and chief reporter at the Mail on Sunday, where she won Reporter of the Year at the British Press Awards.
While working as a journalist, Fiona reported on many high-profile criminal cases and she developed a fascination with watching those involved, their body language and verbal tics. Fiona interviewed people at the heart of these crimes, from the guilty to their families, as well as those on the periphery, and found it was those just outside the spotlight who interested her most . . .
Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon UK | Goodreads
