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Will Mummy Be Coming Back for Me?

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When childcare worker Shane Dunphy meets Jason in 1991, he is a tiny, frightened five-year-old who has stopped speaking and terrorizes even the older children in the care home with his angry, violent behaviour. Eleven years later, Shane is shocked to find Jason's file on his desk again. Jason has committed some horrendous crimes and is facing a life of incarceration. Can Shane rebuild what had been a delicate friendship, and help Jason to face up to who he is, where he has come from, and what he has done?

260 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 2, 2009

12 people are currently reading
422 people want to read

About the author

Shane Dunphy

16 books111 followers
Shane Dunphy is the million-selling author of non-fiction titles relating the years he spent as a child protection worker. He is an accomplished musician and has composed soundtracks for television and radio. Dunphy is an award-winning documentary maker and he writes regularly for Independent newspapers. He also writes a series of crime novels under the pseudonym S.A. Dunphy.

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5 stars
202 (57%)
4 stars
96 (27%)
3 stars
45 (12%)
2 stars
6 (1%)
1 star
4 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
Profile Image for Amanda.
16 reviews
April 27, 2013
I found this book disturbing as it covers the cruel cycle of sexual abuse against children. Obviously it also uncovers all the other abuse cruel people bestow on children but the story of Jason is heartbreaking and horrific! Despite the feel of the book it has been written with professionalism and compassion.
Profile Image for Katie.
28 reviews2 followers
November 12, 2016
I enjoyed this read much more than the last book I read by Shane Dunphy. This book was focused much more on the children which improved it massively. I also appriciated the point it makes that not everyone can be saved or end up living the perfect life after they abuse they have been through.
one thing that I've noticed with Shane Dunphy's writting is that he fills the books with very mondane writing and goes into very exaggerate descriptions of almost pointless things but then at the parts were you would expect more detail, it is very quick, short and undescriptive
Profile Image for JoJo Kirkman.
226 reviews
December 3, 2023
I was disappointed with the ending for this book. The reason I like these types of books is the happy ending. No matter what these people went through in their childhood, no matter what went on behind closed doors, they still found some reason to move on, to enjoy life and change it for the better, to even go as far as forgiving the people (usually the parents) that wronged them. With this book, there wasn't really a happy ending. It was about a five year old boy who was found in the basement, naked, starved for food, starved for affection, and feral. He completely stopped talking. His parents didn't give 2 hoots about Jason. Stephen helped him to open up, start talking, Jason admitted his daddy sexually abused him. But when his mother didn't show up to any access visits, he regressed back to no talking and being violent. 10 years later Stephen encounters a 17-year old Jason who is about to go to jail for raping an 80 year old (and a 2 year old when he was 13). He was to go home after finishing a few months of group sessions with his mother, and then closely monitered at home, but she never showed up. so he went to jail. Stephen Dumphy ended his child care career, Jason went to jail, cut off all contact with Stephen and served his sentence. although he isn't a sexual predator anymore, he is still involved with organised crime. Stephen and Jason never saw each other again. I suppose for some people, like Jason, there is just no hope for them, no matter how much you try to help them.
Profile Image for Aveen.
85 reviews4 followers
July 20, 2016
A sad story about how a child with a bad start in life can end up continuing down the wrong path. I had actually read this book years ago and didn't realise until a few chapters in. I knew I had read some of Shane Dunphy's books but wasn't sure which.

A good read if you are interested in children in care, social work, etc
Profile Image for Patricia Kaniasty.
1,489 reviews61 followers
July 12, 2015
Wow, was this ever a sad story. I am used to happy endings but not with this one. That poor boy and everything that happened to him. Tragic to say the least. And as a man, not much better. He is still in trouble.
3 reviews
January 8, 2012
This book was well written. It was a book that at times you couldn't put down and at other times left you feeling that you didn't want to go on.

I am glad I read the book.
7 reviews
November 28, 2011
This book was quite good. I liked the past more than the present, as I feel it had more depth. However, the book overall was a lovely read.
Profile Image for Rowlie.
328 reviews2 followers
September 28, 2012
A good insight into the work of a Child Protection Worker. Well written and also very sad.
Profile Image for J.J. Nortyperson.
Author 6 books
Read
September 24, 2016
Very sad. Shane never glosses over the realitites of abuse and neglect and their impact. Which is what makes his writing so powerful.
Profile Image for Lauren.
256 reviews13 followers
July 26, 2021
A heartbreaking, harrowing book but written with such compassion.
26 reviews
November 3, 2024
Hard to give this a rating,not sure enjoyed is the right word for a book like this.
Profile Image for Jenni.
174 reviews1 follower
March 31, 2017
Insight into the world of a case worker for the dunleavy trust. It follows shane as he supports a child neglected and abused by his family. It was alright, i will try his next one Little Boy Lost.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews

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