The Hand of Strange Children

by Robert Richardson

On the morning of 27 December, newspapers around the country recieve the following Press Association Report: Police investigating the discovery of two bodies in Hertfordshire house.

Details trickle in: the house belongs to wealthy merchant banker Charles Stansfield; present are well-known news editor Richard Barlow and members of his family.

But the victims identities are withheld. Who are they? Why has a family gathering exploded into violence and death? Through their individual voices the lives of Richard, Tim and Naomi Barlow and their mother, Florence, unfold and a shocking crime comes to light - one that has gone undetected and unpunished, culminating in a double-killing a quarter of a century later.

The Hand of Strange Children

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Crime

264 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Sandra Knapp · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author went out of their way to draw this story out, in an odd attempt to show how events from the past influenced the lives of the main characters, and why as well as how things came to a horrible climax many years later.

Three teen siblings, who together contrived to hasten the death of their already dying Father. This affects their entire adult life, and 30 years later, the guilt of keeping this secret for so long ends in tragedy.

I feel the story could have been told much better in a different way. I was not impressed by it, and didn't care for the way it was written at all.

[Julie Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent psychological story about the consequences of actions. It was clevery orchestrated to keep us guessing until the end.

I liked how the story was a mixture of past and present and first-person narrative and third because it gave depth and created tension and suspense.

The characters suited the plot - most of which were unlikeable - and demonstrated the ups and downs of human behaviour.

Well-written and engaging.

Recommended.

[Jack Heath]

Synopsis: police were investigating the discovery of bodies in a Hertfordshire house, but why were they witholding the identities? It's shocking.

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really want to give this book more than three stars, because the premise is well thought out and intriguing. However, I did not enjoy the police blotter updates and that took away from my enjoyment of the book.
Three teenagers, with their father in a coma that could last for years, conspire to assist their mother and themselves by hastening his death. This decision affects them for the rest of their lives and subsequently has tragic consequences years down the road.
They are all changed by this action, as one would expect, and I felt the character development was very well done. Had the formatting of the police / media information been different, this would easily get four stars from me.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning story of family secrets.

Without doubt one of the best books I have read this year. Although it has been shortlisted for the CWA Golden Dagger Award, to describe it as a crime novel does not do it justice, it crosses so many genre's.
At its heart it is a study of family disintegration caused by a terrible secret and the slow peeling away of the protective layers adopted by the family members is done brilliantly. I found myself almost stopped in my tracks by some of the writing, " they are teaching my youth as part oh history lessons at school" is, when read in context as poignant a line I have read in years.
Wonderful writing and a great book.

[Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

I could not get interested in this story at all but I continued to read it as I don't like to give up on a book. The end had a tad bit more to it but that was after a lot of boring things. Some adults decided to kill their father. He was in the hospital already on his death bed. So they decided to do it all of them together. At the end all their lives ended up destroyed one way or another.

[Wendy Del Toro · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found the writing too dry and the story overall pretty dull. I really couldn't have cared less who the victims where or why. This was not a "nerve-shredding mystery thriller" in any way. I picture it being written by a very buttoned up unsmiling older man while eating chalk and sipping prune juice.

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the easiest book to read. Chapters way to long. If put down, had to go back a few pages to figure out what was going on.

[Elaine Plourde · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was pretty good. You had to stay on your toes through the whole book. It was real hard to put down.

[Marbea Logan]

This book completely represents several quotes about parentage of a child. "Spare the rod,spoil the child", "the apple doesn't fall far for the tree" etc. During the upraising of all the characters, there is disconnects in general social,ethical,and emotional times of "the way things were". That accept and obedience in planned and arranged marriages placed the stepping stones of generational instability and psychological instituting of that family. Nobody wanted more,so they excused their behavior with the conditioned behavior they learned ,but tried to transition there lives on top of guilt. The ending was sickening,but not as despicable as that entire families traumas they inflicted upon themselves.