The Child’s Secret

by Amanda Brooke

A little girl is missing. Her parents are hiding something. Who will pay the price?

When eight-year-old Jasmine Peterson goes missing, the police want to know everything.

What is local park ranger, Sam McIntyre, running away from and why did he go out of his way to befriend a young girl?

Why can’t Jasmine’s mother and father stand to be in the same room as each other?

With every passing minute, an unstoppable chain of events hurtles towards a tragic conclusion.

Everyone has secrets. The question is: who will pay the price?

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Adult, Thriller, Drama, Mystery Thriller

450 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 14, 2016

About the author

Amanda Brooke lives in Liverpool with her teenage daughter, Jessica. When her three-year-old son died from cancer, Amanda was determined that his legacy would be one of inspiration. Yesterday's Sun is inspired by her experiences of motherhood.

Reviews

[Bookread2day · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my view The Child's Secret by Amanda Brooke is a real must buy, must read. Every page is filled with powerful scenes going on, that makes you grip the book and not let go. I loved all of the story and was so pleased with the ending. I also have The Missing Husband by Amanda Brooke to read. Sam McIntyre is a broken man his daughter died and he left his wife to go to Liverpool to escape emotional ties. A warrant card is produced to question Sam over missing eight-year Jasmine Peterson. Sam had become heavily involved in the family of the Petersons lives, far more than he ever intended. With Jasmine missing and her parents are hiding something, who will pay the price? I don't want to give too much away. Please read The Child's Secret. The novel is totally unputdownable. Amanda Brooke has become on my favourite authors that I shall follow very closely from now on.

[Shelagh Rice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and I wish I could give it 3.5 stars. It deals with very serious issues but without being graphic. It is well written and flows well and explores the relationships between people with issues and secrets. I didn't fully connect with the characters and I don't know why, I can't put my finger on it but they remained elusive and I therefore did not believe or care enough for them.

[Steph · Rating 2 out of 5]

What was so disappointing about this book were the characters. It was a good plot and could have been fantastic and a real page turner if the characters had been at least a tiny bit engaging or interesting but they just weren't. Not one of them.
From the get go you knew what Sam was hiding,maybe not the full details but it wasn't any great mystery and he was just too dull and boring.

I absolutely hated Anna,for her to say it's always her bad taste in the wrong men is a joke as she's verging on a fully fledged bunny boiler. Together a few months and she's dropping hints about being put in his car insurance and getting a key for his house,she was such a pain in the ass!

Laura and Finn were boring and even Jasmine was a rather dull child,Selena was nothing special neither.

For me it's the characters that make or break a book and I felt like giving up once but I persevered tho I couldn't finish the last part because I was utterly bored by then and I just didn't care what became of any of them.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted on This Chick Reads

*Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

Last year I had the opportunity to read Amanda Brooke's 'The Missing Husband' which I absolutely enjoyed and as it was my first AB book I've made a promise to myself to watch out for her next books. I was over the moon when I saw a proof of 'The Child's Secret' in my mailboxand my hands were itching to make a start because I had a strong feeling Amanda's once again created a complex and layered story with memorable characters. My intuition was right, I devoured this book in a day and spend the next couple of days thinking about all the topics (very sensitive ones) this book covers.

'The Child's Secret' opens with scene where we find out little Jasmine is missing and Sam McIntyre, a local park ranger whom Jasmine met when she visited the park with her class, is questioned about his involvement i the disappearing. Going back in time, to the day when they met in front of the Allerton Oak and following their strange friendship, we find out more about Jasmine and Sam and their little secrets. As you read on, you start suspecting and assuming wh might be responsible for Jasmine's missing, but there are big chances you might be wrong. At least, that's what happened to me. But, through Jasmine and Sam's story we also get to meet her mother and father, a bit of a dysfunctional family with secrets of their own. It was hard reading what Jasmine's mother went through every day, sacrificing for her daughter's happiness and future. I've read many books where women were abused by a member of the family, but there's something about the way Amanda describes it that made me almost feel it on my skin. I felt anger, pain, pity, heartbreak... all at once and the thought how lucky I am not to have experienced such a thing never escaped my mind.

Told from different POVs, 'The Child's Secret' is one of these beautiful, thought provoking reads perfect for book clubs as it raises so much discussion about family, abuse, past mistakes and consequences which will probably follow in the future. It's also a book with characters so well portrayed and memorable, you'll feel like being in the same room with them.

I did try to predict the ending and who's responsible for Jasmine's disappearance, but I was proved wrong. This is definitely a good thing, and I wouldn't change a single thing about it. However, what was troubling a bit was the slower pace at the beginning which for some readers can be a problem, but a fair warning, read on and you won't be sorry. Though it seems there's too little action at the beginning, remember this is a women's fiction with psychological thriller/mystery elements where characters and human nature are far more important than million things happening at once. You're given loads of information to build a picture of Sam and Jasmine's relationship in your head, to really get to know them and their motives for the following events.

I already said I wouldn't change a thing about the ending, however what I would add or what would have made this book even more intriguing (in my opinion) is more shocking revelations. I expected a very big BANG, some jaw dropping moment that would spice the plot a bit, but even without it, it's definitely a great book that I'm happy I've read and which once again proves Amanda's writing skills that keep you glued to the pages. I already can't wait for Amanda's next novel, I'm getting slightly addicted to her writing. Note to myself: get to her previous books, you know you're missing out on a lot.

[Louise Mullins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in six hours!

This is a very well written book with lots of suspense. A missing daughter, a distraught mother, a husband and father whose hiding something and a suspicious park ranger who involves himself in the families lives too much. Who knows what happened to Jasmine, and what secret is she hiding?

Brilliantly executed.

My only disappointment is that I felt it was a little too long, and the story dragged in places. The momentum kicked off in the end though and I raced through the pages to discover the tragic conclusion.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys light crime novels or mysteries.

[Debra K]

For a more detailed review, check out my review below:

Debra's Book Cafe


Debs :-)

[Julie Boon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first novel I have read by Amanda Brooke and I was drawn in from the very first page!

Jasmine is a little girl who lives with her Mum Laura and her Dad Finn. She goes on a school trip to a park where there is a very old tree that the Park Ranger Sam says has magic powers and if you write a note and put it near the tree, it can grant wishes!

Poor Jasmine is desperate for her Dad to get a job as being out of work is making him very unhappy and abusive, therefore her Mum is also sad and home life is far from idyllic. So when she finds out that the "Wishing Tree" can grant wishes, what harm can it do?

Sam is a Park Ranger and loves teaching the local school children about nature and especially telling stories about the Wishing Tree.

When Jasmine goes missing the police question Sam as they seem to think he was involved. I loved how the chapters went from the present (when Sam was questioned) and then back to before and up to Jasmine's disappearance.

Everyone is a suspect, including Sam's girlfriend Anna and his landlady Selina, who has more to her past than even Sam knows about!

There was a good mix of characters in the book. Jasmine was a sweet, good natured little girl who just wanted her Dad to love her. Her Mum Laura seemed quite weak at first, but I loved it when she came in to her own when Jasmine disappeared. Anna wasn't all she seemed and it was great to see these characters changing throughout the story. I think my favourite character was landlady Selina. She was always loyal and looking out for Sam and only wanted the best for him.

I loved this book as it keeps you guessing right up until the very last page (and I mean the very last page!!) about what happens to Sam.

I definitely want to read more from this author as I was thoroughly engrossed in this book.

[quizqueen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was sent this book to review. It had some interesting facets to the storyline but the leading male character really annoyed me because he was so indecisive and his girl friend's whining and pushiness was obnoxious. It had just about enough to encourage me to finish the book although the ending was a forgone conclusion. This book didn't convince me that this is an author I will particular follow in the future.

[Chanel Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have very mixed views on this book. The first half of the book was incredibly slow and dragged on so much. I found myself only able to read a few chapters at a time before I got bored and gave up. I did start to enjoy the story a bit more once I was halfway in, and although I found is rather predictable by the end, I did enjoy the story.
Overall the story was decent but it didn't hold my interest very long to begin with.

[Rose Stephenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

fantastic read

[Kirsty · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have so many issues with this book.
The first issue is the main character Sam. He comes across all mysterious and secretive. I think this is to keep you interested in him and want to find out why he is that way.

However I just found him incredibly annoying, almost whiney. Ooh poor Sam, people are getting close to him and liking him and ooh no he doesn't deserve it. I feel like it was laid on too thickly. Even when I found out his secrets it still didn't make me like him further. I felt like it was an over reaction but I have not been in that situation so I can't really say.

My other issue with this story is the whole Peterson set up. You discover early on that all is not well. And then once Sam and even the teacher Anna knows what's wrong, no one thinks oh social services should be notified. There is no mention of the police or social services at all (well police are obviously involved when Jasmine is missing). And to me I found this ridiculous. You have this teacher Anna who is so immature. All she cares about is getting Sam all to herself. She doesn't seem to care about Jasmine's situation despite being her teacher! Safeguarding is part of a teacher's role.

I know this is a made up story but if there are police and other rules followed, I don't understand why no one wanted to make this family safe. Instead the focus was on the girl's wishes.

I only kept reading this because I wanted to find out what happened to Jasmine.
This story is close to home for me so maybe that's why I have so many issues with it.

[Crazy_smiler · Rating 2 out of 5]

BOOOOOOO!!!!!

Perhaps I'm being too harsh but for me this was the kind of sappy, eye rolling, when will it be over book.

I disliked the people too much. Not all. I liked Selena and Laura most. But Sam drove me NUTS!!!! Heck I hated him. He just irritated me. He was also incredibly selfish.

Things just felt too stereotypical. Too Hollywood. The ending part where it should have been awwwww was like hooo boy. Well I knew it was coming but when?

The much too convenient of similarities with the cars was more something in a cartoon in my opinion.

I'm sad to say that I feel the author was trying too hard to make this a book that will give you feels but it's something that may have worked on my 12 yr old self. But not my adult self.

I was disappointed thinking this book was going to really draw me in with mystery. But nope! Nada! The secrets I had much higher expectations for. Though what it was was still bad I just must be too jaded and seen too much.

Her skipping along after moments ago was extremely down and depressed. I doubt that.

I almost quit the book but was far enough in I punched it to the end.

P.S. I think the book should have been called "The Wishing Tree". The name used is too generic and mainstream. I think this title would have been much better suited. Also there should have been cranes on the cover. Again my opinion.

[Shona Booky Ramblings of a Neurotic Mom · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn't my first novel written by Brooke, and I do actively seek them out. With this book, I didn't even read the blurb, I saw that it was written by Amanda Brooke and I immediately wanted to read it. Her previous books have been beautifully written poignant stories that are infused with such emotion that the reader is also filled with such emotion, that it just leaks out of your eyes. And this one was no different.

This story begins with Jasmine missing and the police turning up to question Sam. But the story unfolds in two parts... the day of her disappearance, and the events following the day Sam first met Jasmine. Throughout the book we learn more about Sam, about Jasmine and her family, and we learn that people are keeping secrets... secrets that lead to the events of Jasmines disappearance. I will admit that on more than one occasion I was sure I knew where this was going and who was responsible and I'll admit that i was wrong every time.

This is the kind of book, that when you are finished, makes you want to reach out to the children in your life and pull them a little closer, hug them a little tighter and remind them of how much you love them.

[Andrew Pender-Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘the child’s SECRET’ by Amanda Brooke turned out to be rather different than expected. The name and blurb strongly suggested a dark mystery, a story in which a child goes missing and much of the tale is taken up with finding her. Little of the story involves searching for a missing child and the narrative is more one of adults with difficult past and current lives dealing with their demons and less one of a tension-ridden search for a small child. Overall there are too many conversations and changes between people, time, and place. This, as well as the book being, frankly, too long, causes the unravelling of ‘the child’s SECRET’ to rather drag on though the book does pick up pace towards the end. A major plus in the book’s favour is the author’s ability to create believable characters, particularly when it comes to the adults. We are taken deeply into the reasons for their behaviours and that of Jasmine, the child who goes missing. Some judicious pruning would, however, have made for a more intense and satisfying read. Still, ‘the child’s SECRET’ was worth the effort.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've given this a reluctant 3 stars as the author had the power to leave me thinking about this story after I'd closed the last page, but I was debating a 2 for the fact the whole story hangs around miscommunication, stubbornness and a bloody tree FGS! I don't think any of the characters acted particularly realistically (except, perhaps, the dog) and as with any story following this theme, there is a lot of reliance on one person not talking to another to make a chain of events kick off. I struggled to get through the first 3/4 and whilst the build up and ending chapters were easier (relief is nearly finished perhaps?) I did find overall this was a bit of a slog. I probably wouldn't read more from this author but I have to give credit where it's due in the fact this left me feeling sad about Sams history after I'd closed the book (but the twee last letter from Jasmine was just a fluffy happy ending, not convinced it was needed)!

[Kelly Mannion · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was another 'couldn't put down' book. I have noticed in a few reviews people complaining about certain characters - I thought they all played their parts very well. I absolutely adore Sam and didn't doubt him from the off. Lots of unexpected things happened but I thought he was an amazing person, just struggling to deal with his own demons. Towards the end I was worried I wouldn't get that happy ending that I'd hoped for but I was wrong - I got it! So satisfied with the ending. So happy. Such a beautiful read :-)

[Zoe · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this book at all. I found Sam's interest in the 8 year old Jasmine uncomfortable and irritating - despite knowing there was nothing sinister behind it. I also didn't connect with any of the characters or the storyline itself. I found it all a bit dull.

[Rachel Noding · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although I desperately wanted to finish this book, the story really wasn't that great. All of the main characters were annoying bar the daughter and the dog. The ending isn't what I expected (which is good I guess) but also didn't feel right for the story. Frustrating end in my opinion.

[Pauline Chamberlain · Rating 2 out of 5]

An ok book, not as good as her others

[Gillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars as feeling generous.

Good book, ending a bit prolonged. Engaged up to a point but lost Interest as soon as the outcome was apparent.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad storyline but I thought it was a bit slow.

[Shorty6904 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bit hit and miss as I enjoyed the story but the characters were a bit boring and I kinda knew what was gonna happen. Good author but not the book this time sorry.

[Ann Dunkley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually love this author's books, but really struggled with this story. It was fine and a nice enough plot. Not for me though.

[Calista · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slow in the start but eventually gripping, The Child's Secret by Amanda Brooke tells a story about grief, jealousy, domestic abuse and how children are affected in abusive households.

Summary: A 7-year-old girl named Jasmine Peterson has gone missing. Police are investigating, and they're interrogating Sam McIntyre, a park ranger who has, in recent months, come to be close with the Peterson family.

Tropes/Genres:
• mystery
• suspense
• contemporary fiction
• set in Liverpool

Review: The story was kind of slow in the beginning, but it eventually gets really good. It touches upon sensitive topics like grief, jealousy and domestic abuse in a delicate manner. The story slowly reveals pieces of information with great pacing, allowing readers to make theories and figure out what truly happened between Sam and the Petersons while keeping everything in a suspenseful state.

Every character in the book has depth. Well, maybe except for Harper, who's just a detective who's overly convinced that Sam had kidnapped Jasmine. One shouldn't be so single-minded in detective work. A DCI (Detective Chief Inspector), no less! Apart from Harper, the only characters I absolutely disliked are Finn and Anna. You will understand when you read the book. I really like how the author paced things to slowly drop hints about his abusive behaviour towards his wife Laura and how Sam's inability to reciprocate Anna's feelings has taken a toll on her.

There are also brighter moments in the book as well, which serve as a form of balance against serious topics. Jasmine is simply such a sweetheart, and she demonstrates how children can be negatively affected by abusive households even if no direct physical harm has been inflicted on them. Emotional abuse is abuse too.

I recommend this book to those who want a good suspenseful read about a child who's affected by the complex problems of the adults around her. It truly touches on the intricacies of human interaction.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Setting: Liverpool, UK; 2015. Park ranger Sam has settled temporarily in Liverpool, trying to escape from his past. Whilst taking a party of schoolchildren around the park, he introduces them to the legend of The Allerton Oak, a centuries-old oak tree also known as The Wishing Tree. Sam is drawn to a lonely little 8-year-old girl called Jasmine who places a wish inside the tree, asking for a job for her father. Drawn to her by his own dark memories, Sam tries to help the family, first by getting Jasmine's father a job and then in other ways. Sam shies away from any personal involvement as far as possible, the only person allowed to get even close to him being his landlady, Selina. Jasmine's teacher Anna is drawn to Sam but he tries to resist getting drawn into a relationship with her. But when Jasmine disappears, Sam's involvement with the family leads to him being the police's prime suspect. As the police investigation proceeds, the story flashes back to the events leading up to Jasmine's disappearance. A good read, even though the reveal of what had happened to Jasmine was not a great surprise to me - 8/10.

[Dorothy Bruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that starts a little slow but turns into an amazing story.

This book started out with the pace that I wasn't immediately enraptured, but the depth of the whole story ends up with such intensity that I didn't want it to end. I never want to give away the details such that the book is not worth reading so I will give a brief synopsis. The main character is Sam, who has moved to a completely new area to escape pain from his past. He works at a local park, and in addition to normal job duties volunteers to give tours as his degree is in horticulture and he enjoys the people . The relationships that stem from some people, including his special elderly landlady and people he meets in his new location, become intense because of his inability to escape the past. The story unfolds around notes in a tree and all the worldly pain and joy experts in life. Well worth the read.

[Myreadbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was immediately attracted by the cover of this book where we see little Jasmine holding a sort of notebook and she is against a tree,

We learn right away by reading the summary that a little girl has disappeared and that her parents are hiding something.

Little Jasmine is 8 years old and disappears, and the police want to learn as much as possible about her. The forest ranger is strange, he befriends a young girl. As for Jasmine's parents, they can no longer see each other. The more minutes go by, the more the girl's life depends on it. Everyone is hiding their secrets, but who's going to pay the price?

A book that I loved to read so much I immediately got hooked on the story, which was so moving in some passages, addictive, captivating and full of suspense and twists and turns with very endearing characters. Can't wait to discover other books by this author who has an addictive pen.

[Ikira · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first of Amanda Brooke's storys I have read. The author was recommended to me by a fellow booky lover and I was not dissappointed.


Ms Brooke writes fantastically well. She brings you in to the world she clearly knows very well and makes you fall in love/hate. The visuals provided lead to a very clear map in your head which is something I truly admire - it's a difficult feat to achieve for some authors.



This story revolves around a young girl; Jasmine, who you will come to love as though she is your own. We start with finding out that Jasmine is missing and as the story unfolds in the now common then vs now format of alternating chapters, we enter the lives of Jasmines family, the local Park Ranger Sam and his Landlady. Each of the adult characters has something to hide although we don't know this to begin with.


The story of each character unfolds, leading you down a few paths of potential discovery - a few false leads and some real revelations. Each one made me question my previous assumptions about the characters on their own and the overall conclusion to the story.



Jasmines parents could have their own story and understanding the life of her mother especially is very difficult to comprehend - what a strong but equally down-beaten character she is! Her story helped me to walk a little in the shoes of a life I have been very fortunate to avoid. The road Jasmines father chose is one I came too close to as a child and I believe from reading this book that the author must have some experience of the same either directly or through speaking to others - her representation of the character and his thoughts/actions were spot on from my own experience.



It's very well written overall and the by-story about the Allerton Oak is magical - I definitely want to visit!

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a while to get into this book, I'm not a massive fan of books that go back and forth from present to past and back again etc but for this book it adds suspence to the whole read. After a while I managed to get engrossed in the pages and couldnt put it down. it is well written and keeps you turning the pages wanting to know more and more. it is dramatic, exciting, sad and heartbreaking all rolled up together. definitly worth a read

[Katie C1990 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book a little bit slow to get into at the beginning but once the real story kicked in I was hooked. I found the book kept you in suspense all the way to the end about who took Jasmine and it wasnt who I thought it would be in the end. I would have liked the book to go into more into Sam's life after with Laura and Jasmine to see if they did get the baby Jasmine wished for. Great book.