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Margitte's Reviews > The Child

The Child by Fiona Barton
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FROM THE BLURB
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?
The author's first book, The Widow, had such an emotional impact on me, that I did not even want to write something about it. So I was a bit weary of her next book, since I did not want to be so emotionally invested in a novel again. Too much of a good thing, sort of. But ever since reading The Widow I knew I wanted to read this author again.

This novel had the London newspaper world as main background in finding the story behind the little baby buried in the garden. A maze of mystery could be expected to find the story and for the seasoned reporter Kate Waters, the needle in the haystack was just too alluring to ignore the small news report in the The Post that morning. She became the keeper of those secrets when she unraveled the threads one by one. She knew how to ask the right questions, but could not publish the answers. By disturbing the surface she knew something will pop up but did not expect the eruption of unexpected secrets she would encounter.

I just love this kind of suspense mysteries. Fiona Barton stitched the different threads together the way I want it. This tale was gross, shocking, upsetting, but deeply humane. And so realistic in so many ways. It's about the emotions and personalities behind events. So yes, the goal is to get the reader knotted, as in totally connected, to the almost unbearable, unimaginable trauma of the events. Atmospheric, like a volcano waiting to blow.

It was great to have Kate Waters back on a story. She was an outstanding character in The Widow and now became the protagonist in this one. A good ensemble of strong characters drove this story again: Emma Massingham (now Simmonds) and her mother Jude; Nick and Angela Irving; Professor Will Burnside; police investigators DC Turner and DI Sinclair; Detective Inspector Bob Sparks; Barbara Walker, and a few interesting peripheral ones more.

So yes, five stars it is. Definitely entertaining and gripping. A good denouement, although I figured it out very early on. I just wanted to see the baddies pay for their sins, and they did so magnificently. Fiona Barton and Kate waters left a very happy reader behind. :-))
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Reading Progress

Started Reading
September, 2017 – Finished Reading
September 29, 2017 – Shelved
September 29, 2017 – Shelved as: 2017-read
September 29, 2017 – Shelved as: 2017-releases
September 29, 2017 – Shelved as: british-author
September 29, 2017 – Shelved as: british-novels
September 29, 2017 – Shelved as: crime-novel
September 29, 2017 – Shelved as: detective-story
September 29, 2017 – Shelved as: drama
September 29, 2017 – Shelved as: fiction
September 29, 2017 – Shelved as: mystery
September 29, 2017 – Shelved as: suspense
September 29, 2017 – Shelved as: reviewed

Comments Showing 1-13 of 13 (13 new)

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message 1: by Bianca (new)

Bianca I'm glad you loved it so much. I'll pass though on account of having read too many mystery/ thrillers already.


Julie Fantastic review, Margitte!! I'm glad you liked it!! 😊😊


Kaceey Excellent review Margitte!🤗


Margitte Bianca wrote: "I'm glad you loved it so much. I'll pass though on account of having read too many mystery/ thrillers already."

Yes, I space them out, otherwise it becomes to formulaic, Bianca.


Margitte Julie wrote: "Fantastic review, Margitte!! I'm glad you liked it!! 😊😊"

Thanks, Julie


Margitte Kaceey wrote: "Excellent review Margitte!🤗"

Thanks, Kaceey


PattyMacDotComma You make this sound so good, Margitte - drat! Mt TBR is about to topple under the weight! 😊


message 8: by Deanna (new)

Deanna Another great review!!


Margitte PattyMacDotComma wrote: "You make this sound so good, Margitte - drat! Mt TBR is about to topple under the weight! 😊"

lolol Patty, join the club!


Margitte Deanna wrote: "Another great review!!"

Thanks, Deanna :-) So great to see you!


Miriam Smith (A Mother’s Musings) This sounds great, fab review Margitte 🌹


Margitte Miriam wrote: "This sounds great, fab review Margitte 🌹"

Thanks, Miriam!!


message 13: by Liz (new) - rated it 4 stars

Liz Super review.


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