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The Child

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The Child

2017 | Fiction & Poetry

As an old house is demolished in a gentrifying section of London, a workman discovers a tiny skeleton, buried for years. For journalist Kate Waters, it's a story that deserves attention. She cobbles together a piece for her newspaper, but at a loss for answers, she can only pose a question: Who is the Building Site Baby?

As Kate investigates, she unearths connections to a crime that rocked the city decades earlier: A newborn baby was stolen from the maternity ward in a local hospital and was never found. Her heartbroken parents were left devastated by the loss.

But there is more to the story, and Kate is drawn - house by house - into the pasts of the people who once lived in this neighborhood that has given up its greatest mystery. And she soon finds herself the keeper of unexpected secrets that erupt in the lives of three women - and torn between what she can and cannot tell...

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Fiona Barton
Published by Bantam Press
Edition Hardcover
ISBN 9781101990483
Language English
Edition Ebook
ISBN 9781473526938
Language English
Edition Kindle
ASIN B01LZXZET4
Language English
Edition Paperback
ISBN 9780143197737
Language English
Edition Paperback
ISBN 9780552172455
Language English
mystery

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The Child Reviews & Ratings (15)
9-10
33.3% (5)
7-8
60.0% (9)
5-6
6.7% (1)
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Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated

Jan 20, 2018 (Updated Jan 20, 2018)  
The Child
The Child
Fiona Barton | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.3 (15 Ratings)
Book Rating
Good twist at the end
Fiona Barton's thrillers are always very accessible, it truly feels like you're reading an updated whodunit. The story surrounds various women with lots of secrets, that seem to emerge after the discovery of the remains of a baby at a building site.

Emma, a neurotic writer, her cold mother Jude, the mother of a missing infant Angelica, and of course, journalist Kate Walker take centre stage in this book. Each voice is unique with Kate being driven and ambitious, Emma appearing secretive, and the fragile Angelica breaking down fairly regularly. In this way, you're unlikely to become confused as the characters are distinct.

No doubt, a lot does happen so there is a question of whether Barton may have overdone the story. However, the last twist at the end was less obvious than the others and so the story concluded satisfactorily. An enjoyable read.
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Sarah (7800 KP) rated

May 30, 2018  
The Child
The Child
Fiona Barton | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
7
8.3 (15 Ratings)
Book Rating
An interesting thriller
As thrillers go, this is a pretty good one. It's very well written and has you hooked and interested right from the start. The characters are well developed and all flawed in their own way, some to the point where you actually don't like them (but I get the feeling that's intended). There is a lot fitted into a fairly short book, but this isn't necessarily a negative. There are some benefits to books not dragging on for hundreds of pages more than necessary.

My only negatives are that sadly I saw the twist coming. Not straight away, but I cottoned on around 2/3 of the way through and I'm afraid I turned out to be right. I've probably read far too many books but it's a shame when you figure out the ending in advance. Also, the story goes at quite a pace but the ending seems ridiculously rushed.a massive build up and then a bit of a lacklustre ending, despite the twist.
  
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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated

Jan 21, 2018  
The Child
The Child
Fiona Barton | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.3 (15 Ratings)
Book Rating
As a worker tears apart an old house under construction in London, he makes an unsettling discovery: tiny bones. The police believe they belong to a baby who was buried years earlier. The story catches the eye of journalist Kate Waters, who immediately wants to determine the child's identity. Her research leads her to a missing child from several decades in the past: a stolen baby, who was never found. Kate finds herself drawn into the missing baby's case and the lives of several women: Angela, a mother who had her baby stolen many years ago; Emma, who once lived on the block where the baby's bones were found; and Jude, Emma's mother.

I really enjoyed Barton's previous novel, The Widow, and I have to say that THE CHILD did not disappoint. It's hard exactly to describe her books, but they have some sort of power over you, drawing you into their narrative and making it difficult to come back to reality until you've reached the end. Much like THE WIDOW, we're presented with a cast of disparate characters-not all of whom are particularly likeable. I hadn't realized, for some reason, that THE CHILD would feature Kate again--a journalist we previously met in Barton's earlier book. I found Kate a much more engaging protagonist this time around: she came across as more human and flawed.

Otherwise, the novel focuses on timid, depressed Emma and her difficult relationship with her mother, Jude, who kicked Emma out of the house at the sixteen. Each woman has a turn at the narration, as does Angela, who is still reeling from having her baby stolen from the hospital (and never found). Barton does a skillful job weaving their stories together. Everything unfolds in bits and pieces as the tale progresses in the eyes of each of our narrators. For me, it was extremely riveting: just as one shocking piece came out, another one would fall into place.

Barton also gives us an excellent look into the journalism business, with a focus on how Kate writes her stories, with a strong emphasis on real (face-to-face, non-Internet-based) research. We see firsthand how the current social media craze is affecting the newspaper world. It's refreshing, as we get to basically see a crime/story solved, yet not necessarily through the lens of a typical police drama.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I figured out parts of it as it went along, but found it to be a very compelling read. Definitely worth picking up.
  
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BookCritics (259 KP) rated

Jun 16, 2017  
The Child
The Child
Fiona Barton | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.3 (15 Ratings)
Book Rating
Barton's writing was very easy to read and encouraged me to read on to find out what happened in the story. The authenticity of the relationship between Jude, Emma and Will was shocking but I appreciated the honesty.
Critic- Books On My Nightstand
Original Score: 4 out of 5

Read Review: http://reviewsofbooksonmynightstand.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/the-child-by-fiona-barton-review.html
  
The Child reviews from people you don't follow
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BookCritics (259 KP) rated

Jun 16, 2017  
The Child
The Child
Fiona Barton | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
10
8.3 (15 Ratings)
Book Rating
The author kept me interested throughout. The multiple points of view worked well, was easy to follow since the chapters were fairly short. The ending…wow didn’t see that coming. I love books that throw you for a loop and this one surely did.
Critic- LadyJ17
Original Score: 5 out of 5

Read Review: http://ladyjreadingnook.blogspot.co.uk
  
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BookCritics (259 KP) rated

Jun 16, 2017  
The Child
The Child
Fiona Barton | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
9
8.3 (15 Ratings)
Book Rating
I highly recommend THE CHILD for readers looking for a psychological suspense novel that will tug on your heartstrings as much as it will keep you up all night reading.
Critic- Crime By The Book
Original Score: 4.5 out of 5

Read Review: http://crimebythebook.com/blog/2017/4/11/book-review-the-child-by-fiona-barton