The Forgotten Child: A Psychological Thriller

by J.R. Cloice

She escaped once.
She won’t look away again.

Grace Powell knows what it means to disappear.
As a child, she was taken and forgotten—left with wounds no one could see. She survived. She moved on. At least, that’s the story she tells everyone.

Now, another small town is cracking apart.

A pastor is dead.
A rookie cop is drowning.
And the sheriff who should want answers is working much too hard to hide them.

Sent in to assist, FBI Agent Grace Powell notices a faded flyer of a missing girl. It shouldn’t matter. The case isn’t hers, and the Bureau warned her not to get involved.

But the girl is the same age Grace was when she vanished… and something inside her refuses to let go.

As Grace digs deeper, the town slams shut around her.
Evidence disappears.
Witnesses end up dead.
Every confession points the wrong way—and the sheriff wants her gone before she uncovers what they buried.

Then the Bureau turns against her.

Alone, cut off, and running out of time, Grace hunts a girl this place erased long ago—because saving her may be the only way to save herself.
And the men protecting the secret will kill to keep it in the ground.

Perfect for fans of Lisa Gardner, Tana French, and Gillian Flynn, THE FORGOTTEN CHILD is a chilling small-town thriller where the past never stays buried… and the missing never stay silent.

Genres: Thriller

162 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 15, 2025

Reviews

[Kristen C · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book that kept me turning pages well into the night. The main character is a stubborn, strong woman that follows her gut no matter the consequence. The only thing the book doesn't include is a big OMG moment, but still has plenty of drama to keep you entertained. If you like a good mystery, strong leading woman or a good police drama you will definitely like this book.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

The story begins with Grace undercover doing a run to try and catch an abductor. She ultimately succeeds, but the culprit insists that Grace used excessive force. Grace’s boss told her to take a vacation. Grace went back to her hometown and was later called to handle a case. It seems that there was a killing on Federal land. Grace initially refused, but later she decided that she would take it. On the way to the scene she kept seeing fliers talking about a missing 6 year old girl. This brought flashbacks where she experienced the same situation. On arriving at the scene she discovered that a pastor had been killed at a brothel. After reviewing the scene, she started her investigation to try and narrow the suspect pool down. At the same time Grace decided to look into Belle’s, the 6 year old girl, disappearance. Reviewing the files she saw several discrepancies that raised questions.
Grace eventually figured out why the pastor was at the brothel and brought an individual to the sheriff’s office where the sheriff charged him with the killing. That individual wound up being beaten and had to be transported to the hospital. The sheriff considered the case closed while Grace still felt they had the wrong person. Grace eventually determined and brought the suspect in to the sheriff’s office. As a result of this person being questioned by the sheriff, the case involving Belle was also closed. Grace was not convinced and continued her quest. She determined who was responsible and went to confront them. Upon arriving, a battle happened.
I
To discover who killed the pastor, who was responsible for Belle’s disappearance and how it all ended, then you need to read this book. You won’t be disappointed!

[DianaRaven · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE FORGOTTEN CHILD  is an FBI Crime Thriller by author J.R. Cloice. This well written murder and kidnapping mystery has a twisted plot that will keep you guessing and reading to find out what will happen next. It is an easy read, keeping your attention from start to a surprise finish.

Grace Powell is an FBI agent who has never fully recovered from her own experience of being kidnapped when she was six years old and won't take any case involving children. 

Her new case involves a small town pastor brutally murdered. The sheriff that requested FBI help doesn't appear to be to happy to have her "really" investigate, he just wants her to quietly and quickly close the case. He doesn't want the town people upset.

Then there's the posters all over town about a little girl missing for six months. Grace can't help but ask questions about the girl's abduction, but can't seem to get any straight answers. She decides to break her rule and work this case. There's just too much that mirrors her own kidnapping. Shes driven to find this  little six year old girl, no matter how many obstacles she runs into. She will not let this child be forgotten.

The suspense builds steadily with lots of twists and turns packed into this story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read. It definitely brings up some issues related to childhood trauma. I had to take a breath a couple of times on the truth of how Grace feels as an adult…after all of those years…even with her intelligence. The damage is done & kids have to find some way to cope with it and the guilty parties.

I liked this story & kept rooting for Grace & Belle. Be saved. Get safe! Victims are often left to trust others who are not necessarily as honest and decent, such as the Sheriff in this book. Yuck!

I do wish it was a little longer to get more depth about Grace’s character and her story. I found her interesting and hopeful. She was willing to sacrifice herself to save another kidnapped child. That’s the highest level of empathy imo.

Most powerful quotes for me:

Page 17: “Every street is a scar, every building is a reminder….And she hates the way it still has that kind of power over her.”

Page 37: “Some wounds never bleed, but they still kill slowly.”

Note: My copy was definitely not proofread, but the impact of Grace’s strength was the same. Enjoy.

[Chere Gruver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder? Missing child? Or both?

What a fantastic story! I never know what to expect when I start a book by an author new to me. This one surprised me. A lot. And in a good way too! The way the main character, FBI Special Agent Grace Powell, never gives up, but knows how to read people and clues. The way she mentors one of the local deputies. How she deals with the fact she was a “missing child” herself. All this makes for a great story that kept me turning pages. I finished this book in one sitting, it was that good. I just could not stop reading it. The writing fit the subject perfectly, the plot moved along at a good pace and the characters are all superb!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Harriet Flowers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow just Wow!! This book grabbed me from the first page!! It’s thrilling, chilling and nonstop suspense!! Every book of hers is phenomenal!! My heart pounds as I read. I’m certain I know until I don’t!! The FBI agent in this book is unstoppable!! Her instincts are on point. Even when her supervisor takes her off of a case, she doesn’t stop!! She doesn’t take sides. She stands for the truth and she will uncover it even if it ends her!! If I could give this book a 10 star ranking I would!! If you like suspense thriller books, look no further, this book is for you!!

I voluntarily received an arc copy of this book and I am voluntarily writing this review!!

[Mrs K.Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Forgotten Child is a story about dedicated Detective Grace Powell an FBI Agent and how she looks for the truth. Grace goes on leave at her Mother's house but she is called back to work on a  case nearby to her Mother. She works with Nick an Officer at the Local Police Station. But is there more than one case for her to find the truth? There are some twists and turns but Grace is determined to succeed to find the answers that others are ignoring.
Excellent story which I highly recommend.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Forgotten Child: An FBI Crime Thriller, my first read from relatively undiscovered author J.R. Cloice. An enjoyable 187-page read. The premise of the story is good, what's delivered even better! “I received a complementary Kindle copy of this book before purchasing it and am voluntarily leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. I look forward to reading more from this author with Last Seen Unknown: An FBI Crime Thriller high on my TBR list! (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

[Jacquelyn Schingeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book follows an FBI agent that has a background from her childhood that confronts her when certain cases appear in her vicinity. She is sent to a small town to investigate a murder but is not welcomed by the Sheriff in the town. She has one ally on the force that the sheriff assigns to her in an attempt to be updated on anything she is doing. Keeps your interest threw solving the murder case and another open case in the Town that has been open for months that she determines she must follow.

[Mary Urban · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-written thriller with a gripping plot and a strong, rounded main character. Beware the small, idyllic towns, where nothing is as it seems, and the strong-willed FBI agent with a chilling past who arrives there because sometimes the past stretches out and reaches the present. This story will hoock you and you will not stop reading until The End.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Terry M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast paced and couldn't put it down. When FBI Agent Grace Powell is sent to investigate a murder in a small community, she becomes involved in so much more. While dealing with and surviving her own demons, she finds herself looking into an old case of a missing child. As the town tries to keep it buried, she becomes more determined to solve the mystery, regardless of the danger and being thwarted at every turn. An excellent read and highly recommended.

[Nadine Sturgill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grace is a no stopping FBI agent. After being told to take a vacation she goes "home" for a visit. She comes across an old flyer of a missing girl and it trudged up memories Grace has pushed way far to the back of her mind. Then Grace is pulled into a complete different investigation. She becomes obsessed and is even relieved of duty for a stint but continues to obsess over the case of Lil Belle. Ending was intense. It was a great read!.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grace is an FBI agent with a traumatic childhood experience when she was 6. As a result, she refuses to work any cases involving children. While investigating the brutal death of a pastor, she keeps seeing posters regarding a missing child. Since the sheriff seems unwilling to give Grace any real answers, she decides to investigate the child's disappearance. Good police procedural and good characters. The story does move a tad slow at times, but is overall enjoyable.

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace Powell is an FBI agent who goes to help when a pastor is killed and she sees a poster that a little girl was kidnapped. And since it happened to her when she was little, after finishes the project, she just can't leave until she finds out if the police had done everything to find this little girl.

[Constance Norgaard · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Forgotten Child: An FBI Crime Thriller. J.R. Cloice

An FBI agent enters a small town to see about a deceased Minister. This leads to an odd crime and a missing child. Who is at fault and who needs too be watched. To trust anyone in town is hardly possible so Grace is most likely on her own. Mystery leads to more mystery.

[Melody Pritchard · Rating 2 out of 5]

The storyline was intriguing,the characters were likable/unlikable to fit the story.The problem I had was the lack of proofreading/editing.I totally understand a few bloopers, but this book was full of them,it had confusing sentence structures and at one point it had two chapters transposed. I did finish the book because I did like the storyline, but I thought the ending was terrible.

[Nicole Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh my this book was so good I read it i one sitting I did not want to end it I hope there is going to a series on this cause it would be so good.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Judy Kay Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace is a force

Well-written crime mystery thriller that kept me reading while neglecting other important things. Grace is a kick-butt, no-nonsense, never-back-down FBI agent, the likes of which every criminal should fear and every victim needs on their case.

[Mary C. Tubia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book

I loved this book. It kept me reading late into the night.
I would suggest some proofreading as there are few typos but also the story gets a little jumbled in the Belle investigation.
It was a very enjoyable story.

[Trish · Rating 2 out of 5]

So poorly written 😕

The basic story was interesting, could have been good. But it appears it is not checked for misspelling, incomplete sentences, correct names, and there are so many poorly written parts. I honestly think it's the worst I've read.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, but needs work

Overall the story itself was good and relatively engaging. However, the narration needs work and it could use a good proofreading. The narrator does not use proper inflection.

[Taylor Gamble · Rating 2 out of 5]

It had every opportunity to be such an amazing book. I loved the idea behind it, however the misspelling and grammar issues threw me for a loop. And then, it felt rushed at the end to wrap up everything. Great plot, just poor execution.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I pretty much enjoyed this book but the writing is sorely in need of some editing. The plot is good but there are some places where it seems like sections of the book have been edited out. however, I did purchase the next book in the series so I'll see if that one's any better

[Melba · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a gamut of emotions as I read this book. Full of suspense & thrills throughout. I received an advance copy, and I enjoyed reading it.

[Jean Napier · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointing

The story was great, but grammatical errors, left out words, and problems with continuity were very distracting. The Kindle version needs some editing.

[Sandra Mireles · Rating 4 out of 5]

The forgotten child

This book was amazing. I was locked in right from the start. Small towns hide big secrets and FBI agent Grace won't stop until she unravels each one!