Lost Child

by Gretta Mulrooney

BRILLIANT WOMEN'S FICTION TELLING A HEARTBREAKING TALE OF GOOD INTENTIONS GONE WRONG. YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO PUT DOWN THIS BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN NOVEL TILL THE SHOCKING AND EMOTIONAL CONCLUSION
What happens when you take an orphaned child into your new family?
May has just started a new life with Nathan and his son from his first marriage. May meets a recently orphaned little girl, Elva, at the children's home where May teaches. She develops a close relationship with Elva, and together with her husband, she draws the child into their loving family circle. The bereaved girl blossoms in the easy affection of the new family.
But there are clouds on the horizon: Nathan's ex-wife is hell-bent on disrupting the situation and complex ties of obligation and guilt threaten to destroy May's job, marriage, and everyone she loves.
This is a gripping, sometimes harrowing novel telling the story of a blended family fighting for survival. There may be no perfect happy endings, but with love there is always hope for the future.
Great for people who like Hilary Boyd, Jodi Picoult, Anne Enright, or Elena Ferrante

166 pages, Paperback

Published March 7, 2016

About the author

Gretta Mulrooney (1952-2023) was a British author of mystery, thriller, and crime novels. Born and raised in London to Irish parents, Mulrooney began publishing novels in her 30s, working with publishers such as Poolberg Press, Harper Collins, and Joffre Books.

Reviews

[ReadAlongWithSue ★⋆. ࿐࿔catching up · Rating 3 out of 5]

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This is a very short and quick read.

This poor little girl ends up in a care home because her mother died of an overdose on drugs.

It’s not all sad as she gets to be loved by a “new” mommy. However it doesn’t come without difficulty with a multi racial family.

I found the writing quite good, easy to follow but there was no “body” to most of the characters so, getting to see them in 3D wasn’t easy.
I couldn’t make them into fully fledged humans, if you know what I mean.

[Smitha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nine year old Elva finds herself orphaned when her mother dies of a drug overdose. Not having known any of her relatives apart from her mother, she is taken into a care home.

May has just got married and moved to London from Ireland to be with her husband Nathan and his son Matt. She is a teacher and lands a job to teach in a care home where she comes in contact with Elva. Elva and May share a bond and soon get almost inseparable. Elva starts coming home with May and quickly becomes part of May and Nathan's extended family by default.

Everything could have been perfect, but of course it isn't. The story takes an unexpected turn and before we know it,the narrative ends.

The book kept me. captivated until the end. I couldn't come to terms with the way it ended. It took away from the beauty of the rest of the writing.

[Marisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC for my honest review.

I was quickly drawn into the story and into the lives of the characters. They were all very Unbelievable – so unbelievable in fact that at first I thoroughly disliked some and I thought was quite selfish and self absorbed from everything and everyone, to find I was right but it represents the husband the most. There was quite a few characters I didn't engag with and the most was with the heroine and her husband and family are her whole life and I could empathize with her fears that her marriage and family were falling apart....but seriously the writing was so dosing it put me in a chemically end used coma.

[Seton Rae · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is hard to know what to make of this short novel by Gretta Mulrooney, Her keen observation, lyrical writing style, and gift for wrenching detail elevate a story that never quite manages to suspend the reader's disbelief. The writing is excellent, but many of the characters are broad and indistinct, including the narrator. In spite of its flaws, "Lost Child" establishes Mulrooney as a writer to watch.

[Sandra M Stott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling Reading

This is the best book I have read in a long time, beautifully written and not over long but not rushed.
The characters are all individually drawn and believable.
My heart went out to little Elva and to May and Nathan. I so wished that Nathan had been stronger when dealing with his ex but then the story would have been different.
There seems to be a golden opportunity for a sequel, it would be good to know what happened to all the characters.

[Bonnye Reed · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am of two minds about this book. It is very well written, the descriptive and scenic 'trips' wonderfully done. Some of the characters however are one dimensional. I found Nathan without even one redeeming factor. Personnel at the children's home seemed completely inept. May seems to be bright and practical, and Elva a resourceful, strong young girl holding on despite grievous pain in her life. I therefore found no satisfaction in the way this story ended. Sorry.

[Hannelore Cheney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely novella about love, abandonment and loss. Beautifully written, I read this in 2 sittings, it was difficult to put down and I highly recommend it.

[Marsha A. Barnum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and profound.

It shows how one person can ruin lives because of their selfishness. Love even good extended can cause pain and lives are complicated but all we can do is our best and keep going in love!