The Other Child: A completely addictive psychological thriller with a heart-pounding twist

by Amy Carver

You'd know your son anywhere . . . wouldn't you?
'Pulse-pounding . . . jaw-dropping twists!' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Wow! This had me gripped from the first page' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'I couldn't put it down!' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'Kept me glued to the page the entire time' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'A brilliant book with one heck of an emotional punch' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Louise has never felt the deep bond with her son, Alfie, that other mothers talk about. Now three, Alfie is volatile, difficult - and Louise can't help but blame herself.

Then he makes a new friend, Jacob, and everything changes. Alfie becomes calmer. Happier. Louise should be thrilled - until she meets Jacob's mother and starts noticing strange the same hospital, same birth date. . . and Jacob looks eerily like Louise's husband.

As doubt spirals into obsession, Louise's suspicions deepen. With Jacob, she feels a bond she's never had with Alfie - an unsettling, impossible connection. And soon, she's forced to confront the

What if her child isn't really hers?

A gripping, emotionally-charged page-turner for fans of Lisa Jewell, Claire Douglas and Andrea Mara - this is a mother's worst nightmare, brought chillingly to life.

Kindle Edition

Published November 13, 2025

Reviews

[Teresa Nikolic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Louise suffered post natal depression after having her son Alfie three years ago and hasn't really got that bond with him that other mothers have with their children. As he's got older his attitude towards her is quite difficult and Louise blames her PND and the fact that he spent the first few nights away from her in a high dependency unit. Then, at playgroup, he makes friends with Jacob and his whole demeanour changes, he's so much happier. When Louise meets his mum Harriet they hit it off but there's some doubt in her mind that something isn't right, the boys were born at the same hospital on the same date and Jacob looks like Mark, then there's the fact that she feels an instant bond with Jacob and she starts to believe that the boys were swapped at birth, but is that really possible?

The Other Child is a new thriller by this author, it's an intriguing read told in the third person narrative, with some interesting characters who I couldn't really take to, although I did have empathy for Louise who feels that nobody listens to her, not even her own mum who constantly puts her down. It's evident that there is more to Harriet and the incident that happened when they were both in hospital but how can Louise prove it when nobody will take her seriously, until she encounters an unlikely ally in her creepy neighbour, Drew. There are some interesting twists throughout this story but that final one was totally unexpected and a bit of an emotional suckerpunch.

I'd like to thank Headline and Netgalley for inviting me to read this, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.

[Farah G · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main theme of this book is something that I suspect will shortly become a more common trope - namely, what it means when a mother does not relate very well to her own child and begins to wonder whether that child is in fact her biological child.

I read another book on this theme recently, the debut novel by Cindy Jiban titled Probable Son, which I loved. I was initially a little disappointed, thinking that this book would be similar, but as it turned out that was far from the truth.

Louise has often found it difficult to handle her son Alfie, so when she meets his new friend Jacob - who shares Alfie's birthday and looks remarkably like Louise's own husband - she becomes convinced that Jacob is in fact their biological son.

What follows is a roller coaster ride, and I have to commend the writer for coming up with a very original and suspenseful rendering of this theme. This one is not to be missed! Highly recommended, it gets 4.5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Zelda FeatzReviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I started reading this book, I did not know that Amy Carver is a pseudonym used by Sam Carrington: I only discovered that when I finished the book.
From the very first chapter, the author creates a creeping sense of unease that slowly tightens its grip as the story unfolds. What begins as a relatable struggle—a mother feeling disconnected from her own child—quickly spirals into something far darker and more disturbing.
Louise is such an intriguing character to follow. She’s raw, flawed, and emotionally frayed, and Carver captures her inner turmoil with unsettling realism. Watching her navigate her complicated feelings toward Alfie while forming an immediate and instinctive bond with Jacob made the whole book feel like an emotional tug-of-war. I found myself both sympathetic and deeply unsettled by her—exactly what you want in a psychological thriller.
The premise itself is deliciously twisty: two boys born at the same hospital on the same day, both resembling Louise’s husband, and a slow drip of clues that make you question absolutely everything. The more Louise suspects, the more I found myself sharing her paranoia. Is she right? Is she imagining things? Or is there something much bigger happening beneath the surface? Carver plays with these questions brilliantly.
If I have one small critique, it’s that a few moments felt slightly over-the-top, but honestly, the tension and emotional stakes more than make up for it. The pacing is tight, the atmosphere is gripping, and the final reveal lands beautifully.
This was a fantastic read —dark, emotionally layered, and impossible to put down. A gripping, clever psychological thriller that earns a solid four stars from me.
https://featzreviews.com/the-other-ch...

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of ‘The Other Child’ by Amy Carver, due to be published on 26 February 2026 by Headline.

Louise, still struggling to bond with her son Alfie after suffering post natal depression, is happy to make a new friend, Harriet, who she meets at toddler group she attends with her son Jacob.

Louise instantly feels drawn to Jacob, in a way she never has with Alfie, leading her down a dark path of suspicion, heightened when she discovers both boys were born on the same day. She becomes desperate to find out the truth, but both her family and Harriet won’t listen to her, insisting she seeks professional help.

A real edge of your seat thriller, Louise’s despair is laid bare, and her distress at being ignored is heartbreaking. There are a few twists along the way, with conclusion to the story packing an emotional punch. A recommended read.

[Nicola Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The overall plot here seemed quite predictable at first, but the author did manage to break that apart and there were lots of twists and suspense throughout. Louise has struggled to bond with her young son, especially after the mental health struggles she faced after having him and due to that her husband doesn't entirely trust her. She feels isolated and lonely, so when she makes a new friend at playgroup, she feels like she is finally moving forward. Alfie and Jacob bond, but Louise starts to feel more connected to Jacob than her own son and starts to feel they must have been swapped at birth. There are lots of incidents, and the addition of a creepy neighbour who she then befriends, add more suspense and leaves the reader guessing.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

[Melissa Suslowicz Bartz · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!!!!! That ending left me speechless. This whole book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. As each chapter passed I wanted more and more. I couldn’t wait to get to the end to find out what happened. I don’t know where to start with this one. How about the story. What a mind blowing plot!!!! It was so interesting as heck and it can happen in real life. In fact, there are a few famous stories about it happening in the United States. Now on to characters. They were great. I love a mother who will go to the end of the Earth for their child. Last but not least that ending. OMG!!!!! That’s is all I’m going to say about it. So this author has written many books by different names. They are Alice Hunter and Sam Carrington. She is the best. I can’t wait for more of her books.

[Trina Dixon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Louise has never really bonded with her son Archie, she had post natal depression after his birth which was fairly traumatic. She meets another mum Harriet, who she discovers gave birth to her son Jacob the same day at the same hospital. She convinced that the boys were swapped at birth but no-one believes her. Her life starts to unravel as she tries to find out the truth.
I found this a mixed read, I've read something very similar, the same sort of storyline. The characters didn't endear themselves to me, Louise came across as an unreliable character, but I had empathy for her when nobody was listening to her.

[Big Bertha · Rating 4 out of 5]

New mother Louise struggled with baby Alfie, she never felt the bond other mothers talked about and three years later she's found out why.

This novel was a vivid portrayal of a mothers worst nightmare sending her into a downward spiral of obsession. The characters were well written, the storyline worked and with an ending I didn't see coming this was a gripping read from start to finish.

My thanks to Headline and NetGalley for the early read, all opinions expressed are my own.

[Sarah Bloomfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to netgalley, the author and the publisher for approving my request to read this book.

I really enjoyed this twisty, fast paced psychological thriller, it kept be frantically turning the pages! The characters are really well written and the plot unsettling but addictive and for me it didnt let up until the last page.

I'll definitely be recommending this book to others.

[Lara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5/5

I spent the first half of the book thinking it was just your usual baby swap book. It was a nice easy read and the ending was deffinately a shocker. I do recommend

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I didn't have to go to work, this would have been a one sit read.
It was just what I needed at the time.
A slightly unhinged, unreliable narrator (or were they, who can tell?) and a nice fast paced story to get lost in.
It gets a bit crazy towards the end, but that just made it even more entertaining.
Lots of plot twists to keep you busy.
It's what I deem a perfect beach read.

Thanks to netgalley for the free advance copy of the book.

[Nila (digitalcreativepages) · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a good trope but the writing didn't grip me. Mentally draining to finish the book
Unexpected results on the last page

[Lorna · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting

It sounds so good but it has some twists that maybe pushing bounds of possibility. A gripping read. Worth trying.

[Jan Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

kept me on my toes and twist! wow

Bit slow to get into but then I was so pleased I carried on it got better and better and what an ending !!

[Melanie Hodges · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!! I did not see that coming at all. I thoroughly enjoyed this, loved the well written characters, particularly Louise, who I could empathise with. Lots of unexpected twists in this emotional story. All in all, a well deserved 5 stars from me