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.
Angela’s Review
This is a follow up to Barton’s first novel The Widow, and I enjoyed this one almost as much as I enjoyed the first. Part of the charm for me is the character of Kate Waters the investigative journalist who solves the mystery in both books. This time Kate is paired with a young journalist and she takes him (and us) through the process of investigating a story that cannot be solved through web searches only.
In The Child, the suspense comes immediately. The book’s short chapters and multi-narrative device propel readers forward. Drawn back and forth between each character’s back story and their present situation, I was constantly figuring out what role each played in the discovery of the child. And as soon as you think you’ve figured out who did what, it changes. Then changes again.
In addition to being a page-turning whodunit, The Child is also a subtle exploration of the relationships between mothers and their children, their bonds, and battles. What makes a good mother? When it comes to maternal love, is there a fine line between helping and hindering? I thoroughly enjoyed this one and I give it 4.5 stars.