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کودک را به من بده
دنیای شیشهای و آرام کتی در آن نیمهشب برای همیشه درهم شکست و او را با حقیقتی وحشتناک روبهرو کرد. رمان جنایی «کودک را به من بده» را مل مکگرات به رشتهی تحریر در آورده است. این رمان روانشناختی و هیجانانگیز پر از ماجراهای غیرقابل پیشبینی است که مخاطب را ساعتها با خود همراه میکند. این رمان پرکشش یکی از پرفروشترین کتابهای یواساس تودی معرفی شده است.
416 pages, Paperback
First published July 27, 2017
661 people are currently reading
2841 people want to read
About the author
Mel McGrath
9 books111 followersMel McGrath is an award-winning writer of non-fiction and crime novels. She is an experienced journalist, broadcaster, teacher, event organizer and speaker, with particular interests in London, literature, crime, feminism and psychology.
As M.J. McGrath she writes the acclaimed Edie Kiglatuk series of Arctic mysteries, White Heat, The Boy in the Snow and The Boneseeker. As Melanie McGrath she wrote the critically acclaimed and bestselling family memoir Silvertown. McGrath lives in London and on the Kent coast.
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As M.J. McGrath she writes the acclaimed Edie Kiglatuk series of Arctic mysteries, White Heat, The Boy in the Snow and The Boneseeker. As Melanie McGrath she wrote the critically acclaimed and bestselling family memoir Silvertown. McGrath lives in London and on the Kent coast.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 463 reviews
September 29, 2017
You can read all of my reviews at Lit·Wit·Wine·Dine.
"Who was the creature, this mother, wife, psych, who looked like me and sounded like me, but who had never once in a dozen years suspected her husband of cheating, let alone having another child?"
Give Me the Child is a page-turner straightway! It's told in the first person by Cat, who learns her husband has another child after a middle-of-the-night knock on the door. The mother of the child has died and husband Tom must now raise his daughter, Ruby Winter.
So.... My first thought was that the you-know-what was going to hit the fan in a very big way. I think very few women could keep it together if they found out their husband had fathered another child so very close in age to the one they share together. But Cat seems to be taking this all in stride. Okay, I get it. You don't want to cause a big scene in front of the children, right? You are going to really give it to him the first chance you get, right?? I could not believe it, but she didn't!! She was impossibly passive and compliant with the whole thing, though she wasn't thrilled. There were times I wanted to scream at her:
image:
But perhaps she is pressured to maintain an even keel because of her history of psychosis. She wouldn't want Tom thinking she was having another "episode". If she divorces Tom, she could risk losing custody of their daugther, Freya. Maybe she's just one of those people who forgives easily. Perhaps her professional training has taught her to maintain her composure even under the most stressful of circumstances. Or maybe she's hiding something herself. Do we have an unreliable narrator on our hands?
Things go from weird to weirder when we begin to become acquainted with Ruby Winter. She isn't behaving like the typical grieving child. However, Tom makes the valid argument that grief can manifest itself if different ways. The poor thing has had a difficult upbringing, after all. Still, Cat becomes increasingly unsettled when she begins to notice certain exchanges between Freya and Ruby. As Ruby's behavior becomes more and more concerning, she advises Tom that she feels Ruby needs professional help. For some reason, Tom is absolutely opposed to the idea. Relying on her intuition, Cat does a bit of digging into the death of Ruby's mother, Lilly Winter. She feels uneasy but she has no proof of wrongdoing. The nagging feeling stays with her. She does a little snooping in the home office Tom is always locked in. She's not the snooping kind (of course she's not) but what she finds shocks her. She begins to think:
image:
As Cat is trying to make sense of all of this and ensure that her daughter is safe in their mess of a household, things are getting tense at Cat's place of work, known as The Institute. Cat studies psychopathy, otherwise known as CU (callous and unemotional) personality disorder in children. She is working with a particularly disturbed boy whose family dynamics further complicate his case. London is in turmoil with murders and riots all around. Cat is being hounded by a reporter from her past. Needless to say, all of these things compounded have Cat functioning under a great deal of stress. Her own sister questions her stability.
The thing I loved most about this Give Me the Child was that it had me asking questions until the very end. When it comes to reading mysteries, I love being lead and mislead at the same time. Mel McGrath subtly offered clues that had my mind going in different directions from paragraph to paragraph at times.
The ending was both surprising and frustrating. (I'm wondering if we might hear from Dr. Cat Luppo again.)
Mel McGrath previously published a series of three mysteries under the name MJ McGrath. This is her first published standalone novel. I will certainly look forward to reading her next.
4.25/5 stars
Thanks to HQ for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
P.S. If you've made it this far and have any GIF sizing wisdom you'd like to impart, please PM me.
"Who was the creature, this mother, wife, psych, who looked like me and sounded like me, but who had never once in a dozen years suspected her husband of cheating, let alone having another child?"
Give Me the Child is a page-turner straightway! It's told in the first person by Cat, who learns her husband has another child after a middle-of-the-night knock on the door. The mother of the child has died and husband Tom must now raise his daughter, Ruby Winter.
So.... My first thought was that the you-know-what was going to hit the fan in a very big way. I think very few women could keep it together if they found out their husband had fathered another child so very close in age to the one they share together. But Cat seems to be taking this all in stride. Okay, I get it. You don't want to cause a big scene in front of the children, right? You are going to really give it to him the first chance you get, right?? I could not believe it, but she didn't!! She was impossibly passive and compliant with the whole thing, though she wasn't thrilled. There were times I wanted to scream at her:
image:
But perhaps she is pressured to maintain an even keel because of her history of psychosis. She wouldn't want Tom thinking she was having another "episode". If she divorces Tom, she could risk losing custody of their daugther, Freya. Maybe she's just one of those people who forgives easily. Perhaps her professional training has taught her to maintain her composure even under the most stressful of circumstances. Or maybe she's hiding something herself. Do we have an unreliable narrator on our hands?
Things go from weird to weirder when we begin to become acquainted with Ruby Winter. She isn't behaving like the typical grieving child. However, Tom makes the valid argument that grief can manifest itself if different ways. The poor thing has had a difficult upbringing, after all. Still, Cat becomes increasingly unsettled when she begins to notice certain exchanges between Freya and Ruby. As Ruby's behavior becomes more and more concerning, she advises Tom that she feels Ruby needs professional help. For some reason, Tom is absolutely opposed to the idea. Relying on her intuition, Cat does a bit of digging into the death of Ruby's mother, Lilly Winter. She feels uneasy but she has no proof of wrongdoing. The nagging feeling stays with her. She does a little snooping in the home office Tom is always locked in. She's not the snooping kind (of course she's not) but what she finds shocks her. She begins to think:
image:
As Cat is trying to make sense of all of this and ensure that her daughter is safe in their mess of a household, things are getting tense at Cat's place of work, known as The Institute. Cat studies psychopathy, otherwise known as CU (callous and unemotional) personality disorder in children. She is working with a particularly disturbed boy whose family dynamics further complicate his case. London is in turmoil with murders and riots all around. Cat is being hounded by a reporter from her past. Needless to say, all of these things compounded have Cat functioning under a great deal of stress. Her own sister questions her stability.
The thing I loved most about this Give Me the Child was that it had me asking questions until the very end. When it comes to reading mysteries, I love being lead and mislead at the same time. Mel McGrath subtly offered clues that had my mind going in different directions from paragraph to paragraph at times.
The ending was both surprising and frustrating. (I'm wondering if we might hear from Dr. Cat Luppo again.)
Mel McGrath previously published a series of three mysteries under the name MJ McGrath. This is her first published standalone novel. I will certainly look forward to reading her next.
4.25/5 stars
Thanks to HQ for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
P.S. If you've made it this far and have any GIF sizing wisdom you'd like to impart, please PM me.
July 24, 2017
This turned out an unexpected surprise to me as when I saw the title and read the blurb I thought I had the story pretty much in the bag, give or take. But, it was much more than I expected.
This is one hell of a dysfunctional family.
Cat is a child psychologist which comes in handy within her family life.
She is married to Tom. They have one child, Freya and at first seemingly look and sound like the average family.
The author soon makes us aware of splits, lies and secrets very early on in the book, but as a reader we are not sure where this will lead us.
Cat has always wanted another child, but she wasn't quite expecting the way it happened.
I won't broaden out more on the story and events or I will spoil it for you.
I will explain though that all is not what it seems and the 'winds of time can change' most dramatically.
Cat is under severe pressure to keep Freya safe and away from harm, but does she succeed?
I can't begin to imagine Cats emotional rolling feelings at the discovery of her husbands infidelity let alone having to house his 'love child' half sister of Freya.
But Ruby is no meek and mild mouse of a girl, there are some underlining issues for sure.
A remarkable impacting story that will keep you turning pages and the ending was just perfect.
My thanks to HQ for providing me with an advanced paperback copy.
I HAVE 3 SIGNED COPIES TO GIVE AWAY THANKS TO THE PUBLISHERS
INFORMATION ON MY BLOG
https://sueandherbooks.blogspot.co.uk...
This is one hell of a dysfunctional family.
Cat is a child psychologist which comes in handy within her family life.
She is married to Tom. They have one child, Freya and at first seemingly look and sound like the average family.
The author soon makes us aware of splits, lies and secrets very early on in the book, but as a reader we are not sure where this will lead us.
Cat has always wanted another child, but she wasn't quite expecting the way it happened.
I won't broaden out more on the story and events or I will spoil it for you.
I will explain though that all is not what it seems and the 'winds of time can change' most dramatically.
Cat is under severe pressure to keep Freya safe and away from harm, but does she succeed?
I can't begin to imagine Cats emotional rolling feelings at the discovery of her husbands infidelity let alone having to house his 'love child' half sister of Freya.
But Ruby is no meek and mild mouse of a girl, there are some underlining issues for sure.
A remarkable impacting story that will keep you turning pages and the ending was just perfect.
My thanks to HQ for providing me with an advanced paperback copy.
I HAVE 3 SIGNED COPIES TO GIVE AWAY THANKS TO THE PUBLISHERS
INFORMATION ON MY BLOG
https://sueandherbooks.blogspot.co.uk...
October 25, 2017
What a wonderful book; seemingly a long time in development, but all the better for the wait.
I stumbled across MJ McGrath through her High Artic novels set in the Canadian claimed Ellesmere Island. I have always loved her writing and the Inuit detective, Edie Kiglatuk was a delight. The three mysteries have a great sense of place and I wasn't surprised to learn Mel had been there to experience the place for herself.
That she would renage on a trading deal and go off exploring without a guide as a consequence, with just a vegtable peeler for protection is also no surprise. she writes with clarity and insight and has the ability to bring places alive and make historical events real and within one's own understanding.
Give me the child is a book from a closer to home perspective. It is set in London and brings the capital alive like few books I have read. Clearly the writer is at home in her own familiar surroundings and has produced a novel worthy of the current psychological trend in thrillers where family relationships rarely reflect the people you thought you knew.
However, I feel the delays in the novel's creation may be more complicated as the environment was so well known to this London girl. Some of her work promoting other female authors may have left Mel unable to concentrate on her own projects but I think the book itself was harder to write than most and perhaps reveals more of the author's own personality and inner self. At its heart is the tag of a mental health illness that once given is so difficult to live with and find validation apart from that label.
I loved these insights into mental health conditions and how they are used in this story to undermine a young professional woman and place her almost overnight without support or the means to protect her daughter.
I loved the sense of running; the heartbeat of the city and the observations of its rioting when her own situation was unravelling. The book as lots of domestic settings which once a stranger is introduced into the mix the unexpected happens. I loved the character of Cat, her doubts and failings but her strength and love for those who are vulnerable which transform her work and her selfless love to her child.
The story brilliantly brings simple events together and it is good for the plot that secrets are hidden and masked from the reader as well as Cat in her struggle to understand Ruby and her relationship to Freya. At no time does the novel allow you to rest and cruise in your reading once the doorbell rings on the perfect family home of Tom and Cat Walsh.
"People find different ways to unhook themselves from their pain. I of all people know that. Some get drunk, either to forget or give them whatever it is they need to punch out at the first unwitting passer-by; others take drugs, hurt themselves or have sex with strangers."
Clearly Melanie McGrath is a talented writer and the book is not completely auto-biographical as she clearly denied an Artic guide his desired trade. She is evidently at the height of her profession and I hope it is not too long before another book comes to publication.
The author has entered a congested market of familial thrillers and risen to the top; most others will now pale into insignificance and be seen as the inferior products they are. If you have time for one book this summer take this one with you - seriously it is that good.
I stumbled across MJ McGrath through her High Artic novels set in the Canadian claimed Ellesmere Island. I have always loved her writing and the Inuit detective, Edie Kiglatuk was a delight. The three mysteries have a great sense of place and I wasn't surprised to learn Mel had been there to experience the place for herself.
That she would renage on a trading deal and go off exploring without a guide as a consequence, with just a vegtable peeler for protection is also no surprise. she writes with clarity and insight and has the ability to bring places alive and make historical events real and within one's own understanding.
Give me the child is a book from a closer to home perspective. It is set in London and brings the capital alive like few books I have read. Clearly the writer is at home in her own familiar surroundings and has produced a novel worthy of the current psychological trend in thrillers where family relationships rarely reflect the people you thought you knew.
However, I feel the delays in the novel's creation may be more complicated as the environment was so well known to this London girl. Some of her work promoting other female authors may have left Mel unable to concentrate on her own projects but I think the book itself was harder to write than most and perhaps reveals more of the author's own personality and inner self. At its heart is the tag of a mental health illness that once given is so difficult to live with and find validation apart from that label.
I loved these insights into mental health conditions and how they are used in this story to undermine a young professional woman and place her almost overnight without support or the means to protect her daughter.
I loved the sense of running; the heartbeat of the city and the observations of its rioting when her own situation was unravelling. The book as lots of domestic settings which once a stranger is introduced into the mix the unexpected happens. I loved the character of Cat, her doubts and failings but her strength and love for those who are vulnerable which transform her work and her selfless love to her child.
The story brilliantly brings simple events together and it is good for the plot that secrets are hidden and masked from the reader as well as Cat in her struggle to understand Ruby and her relationship to Freya. At no time does the novel allow you to rest and cruise in your reading once the doorbell rings on the perfect family home of Tom and Cat Walsh.
"People find different ways to unhook themselves from their pain. I of all people know that. Some get drunk, either to forget or give them whatever it is they need to punch out at the first unwitting passer-by; others take drugs, hurt themselves or have sex with strangers."
Clearly Melanie McGrath is a talented writer and the book is not completely auto-biographical as she clearly denied an Artic guide his desired trade. She is evidently at the height of her profession and I hope it is not too long before another book comes to publication.
The author has entered a congested market of familial thrillers and risen to the top; most others will now pale into insignificance and be seen as the inferior products they are. If you have time for one book this summer take this one with you - seriously it is that good.
August 11, 2021
Really enjoyed this book, very dark and twisty with a storyline that is very believable. Well written and just obtained another book by this author! Thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend x
September 8, 2017
Imagine a knock on the door in the middle of the night, and you find your husband’s child stood on the door step, a child you had no idea even existed until that moment, well that’s pretty much the premise for Give Me A Child. Oh my what a tangled and gripping read this book turned out to be, with unreliable narrators and a dysfunctional family at the centre of this well constructed plot, prepare yourself for a hell of a ride. I do love an unreliable narrator as you are never quite sure what to believe, so I feel I’m always reading such books on an uneven keel, never sure where the author is leading you which I personally enjoy when reading a book.
Mel McGrath has created an array of dysfunctional characters some more likeable that others, but what an intriguing bunch, firstly there’s Cat a mother who suffered with mental health issues whilst pregnant, Ruby a child who really unsettled me, she appears to have an aura of malevolence radiating from her which made her a very creepy character. I’m not going to rehash the plot details as all you need to know is in the book description, but Give Me The Child certainly made for a highly original read.
As Cat tries to accept Ruby into her life things take a sinister turn, and it’s not long before she begins to fear for her own daughters safety, but have recent events made Cat unstable, or is there something much more frightening taking place? The author expertly weaves her magic, it’s a tale of families, lies, secrets and mental health although they are familiar and often used subjects in this genre, the author has presented the reader with an highly original and gripping plot, which made for a compelling read.
I could say so much more about this book but in doing so I would be at risk of giving away spoilers, what I will say is it’s a book with many layers, full of malice and intrigue and utterly terrifying as you are never quite sure where the plot is heading or what’s going to happen next. Give Me The Child is very much character led so if you like a fast paced read, this book may not be for you. If like me you enjoy a book that’s taut with tension and makes for unsettling read then look no further, Give Me The Child is a book I would highly recommend.
Mel McGrath has created an array of dysfunctional characters some more likeable that others, but what an intriguing bunch, firstly there’s Cat a mother who suffered with mental health issues whilst pregnant, Ruby a child who really unsettled me, she appears to have an aura of malevolence radiating from her which made her a very creepy character. I’m not going to rehash the plot details as all you need to know is in the book description, but Give Me The Child certainly made for a highly original read.
As Cat tries to accept Ruby into her life things take a sinister turn, and it’s not long before she begins to fear for her own daughters safety, but have recent events made Cat unstable, or is there something much more frightening taking place? The author expertly weaves her magic, it’s a tale of families, lies, secrets and mental health although they are familiar and often used subjects in this genre, the author has presented the reader with an highly original and gripping plot, which made for a compelling read.
I could say so much more about this book but in doing so I would be at risk of giving away spoilers, what I will say is it’s a book with many layers, full of malice and intrigue and utterly terrifying as you are never quite sure where the plot is heading or what’s going to happen next. Give Me The Child is very much character led so if you like a fast paced read, this book may not be for you. If like me you enjoy a book that’s taut with tension and makes for unsettling read then look no further, Give Me The Child is a book I would highly recommend.
August 30, 2017
I devoured this book when I read it. There was something very compulsive about Give Me The Child, almost like you know something bad is about to happen but you cant look away. That’s how I felt when I was reading it anyway!
Is it just me, or are kids possibly one of the creepiest plot devices in books lately?! I don’t know about you guys, but the mere mention of a quiet or distant child in a book sets of all of the warning bells in my head and I want to put the book in the freezer. I have two of my own, so it freaks me out to read about children in books these days.
Anyway, I digress. Give Me The Child is an interesting take on the psych thriller genre. The main character, Cat, is a child psychologist researching psychopathic indicators (!!!!) in young vulnerable children, which in itself is tough enough. Add to that the arrival of Ruby Winter, tension at home and you’ve got more than enough to keep the reader interested to see where the story will go.
Highly recommended!
Is it just me, or are kids possibly one of the creepiest plot devices in books lately?! I don’t know about you guys, but the mere mention of a quiet or distant child in a book sets of all of the warning bells in my head and I want to put the book in the freezer. I have two of my own, so it freaks me out to read about children in books these days.
Anyway, I digress. Give Me The Child is an interesting take on the psych thriller genre. The main character, Cat, is a child psychologist researching psychopathic indicators (!!!!) in young vulnerable children, which in itself is tough enough. Add to that the arrival of Ruby Winter, tension at home and you’ve got more than enough to keep the reader interested to see where the story will go.
Highly recommended!
August 10, 2017
What starts as a sweet lil family story soon turns into the most dysfunctional family with a bunch of dirty secrets. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough!
May 16, 2018
This was a surprising read for me. I honestly didn't think i'd like it, the cover wasn't appealing, the synopsis wasn't anything to get excited about, i hadn't heard of the author and yet i really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed it so much in fact, that i couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting.
Who knew a knock at the door could change your life forever? Dr Cat Lupo has the perfect life, she has beautiful husband, a beautiful daughter and although she craves another having another child, she is content with her life. Until that knock on the door, changes everything. Ruby Winter could be the child she always wanted, with her mother dead and nowhere else to go Cat must put her feelings aside and accept this child with open arms. If only it were that easy. Something about Ruby Winter isn't right, there is a change in behaviour in her own daughter Freya, and her husband is becoming increasingly agitated and accusing her of slipping back into her mental illness. But Cat knowns she isn't crazy, something about that girl isn't right, and she isn't the only one who thinks so. When your sanity is questioned, when secrets and lies are around every corner, Dr Cat Lupo must do everything she can to protect her family, and herself. From Ruby Winter? or is something more sinister going on?
The story developed at a rather slow pace, but with enough mystery and suspense to keep you invested. I needed to know what the hell was going on, is Cat losing her shit? or is Ruby Winter not as innocent as she seems? For some reason children/mystery/horror is a crossover i've always loved, especially when it comes to there innocence and the darkness that sometimes intertwines with that innocence.
Some parts did drag alittle, more because i was impatient to find out what was happening. I really liked the writing, it wasn't a book that had alot of complex words that had me stopping and grabbing a dictionary although there is abit of terminology, when it comes to personality disorders and mental illness in children, which was explained in the book (thank fuck).
The characters were well thought out and felt real. I didn't really have a favourite in this book, sometimes that happens, but i equally enjoyed all the characters.
I have to say the husband Tom, is one of those people you want to slap, because he refuses to see reason and then throws the past mental illness at Cat, like she is batshit crazy.
As someone who has mental illness and have had this done to me, it was infuriating the crap out of me throughout most of the book.
If you are looking for a well written novel about family, lies, mental illness and the secrets that can destroy lives, this is the book for you. I dont know much about this author but i will say, i enjoyed the written she presented in this book and i hope her other books are just as good and thought provoking.
Recommended for : Mystery/ Psychological-Thriller/ Fiction
Who knew a knock at the door could change your life forever? Dr Cat Lupo has the perfect life, she has beautiful husband, a beautiful daughter and although she craves another having another child, she is content with her life. Until that knock on the door, changes everything. Ruby Winter could be the child she always wanted, with her mother dead and nowhere else to go Cat must put her feelings aside and accept this child with open arms. If only it were that easy. Something about Ruby Winter isn't right, there is a change in behaviour in her own daughter Freya, and her husband is becoming increasingly agitated and accusing her of slipping back into her mental illness. But Cat knowns she isn't crazy, something about that girl isn't right, and she isn't the only one who thinks so. When your sanity is questioned, when secrets and lies are around every corner, Dr Cat Lupo must do everything she can to protect her family, and herself. From Ruby Winter? or is something more sinister going on?
The story developed at a rather slow pace, but with enough mystery and suspense to keep you invested. I needed to know what the hell was going on, is Cat losing her shit? or is Ruby Winter not as innocent as she seems? For some reason children/mystery/horror is a crossover i've always loved, especially when it comes to there innocence and the darkness that sometimes intertwines with that innocence.
Some parts did drag alittle, more because i was impatient to find out what was happening. I really liked the writing, it wasn't a book that had alot of complex words that had me stopping and grabbing a dictionary although there is abit of terminology, when it comes to personality disorders and mental illness in children, which was explained in the book (thank fuck).
The characters were well thought out and felt real. I didn't really have a favourite in this book, sometimes that happens, but i equally enjoyed all the characters.
I have to say the husband Tom, is one of those people you want to slap, because he refuses to see reason and then throws the past mental illness at Cat, like she is batshit crazy.
As someone who has mental illness and have had this done to me, it was infuriating the crap out of me throughout most of the book.
If you are looking for a well written novel about family, lies, mental illness and the secrets that can destroy lives, this is the book for you. I dont know much about this author but i will say, i enjoyed the written she presented in this book and i hope her other books are just as good and thought provoking.
Recommended for : Mystery/ Psychological-Thriller/ Fiction
November 5, 2018
I did enjoy this book. It was completely different than what I imagined it to be but in a good way. The characters were hit and miss with me and I absolutely detested Tom throughout the whole book. I did like the main character Caitlin and found her to be very strong and determined. There was one thing in the book which confused me and I don’t know if anyone else picked up on it but I was confused why Ruby and Lilly’s names were constantly said in full instead of just Ruby or Lilly it’s just something that came across a bit odd for me. Other than that it was a brilliant story. I really enjoyed reading it and would definitely recommend this book.
December 1, 2017
I really, really wanted to love this book but I couldn't get past the authors writing to actually enjoy it.
One of my biggest annoyances was the over use of a person's full name. It was crazy how often the author referred to each character this way. Very distracting.
These totals don't include the amount of times the first name was just used.
Ruby Winter: 71
Emma Barrons: 39
Joshua Barrons: 36
Lilly Winter: 65
And I didn't even get through the whole book so there could be more characters I hadn't even met yet.
One of my biggest annoyances was the over use of a person's full name. It was crazy how often the author referred to each character this way. Very distracting.
These totals don't include the amount of times the first name was just used.
Ruby Winter: 71
Emma Barrons: 39
Joshua Barrons: 36
Lilly Winter: 65
And I didn't even get through the whole book so there could be more characters I hadn't even met yet.
July 8, 2017
I enjoyed this book, from the start to the finish i just needed to know what happens next. i received a copy of this book from net galley. if you like a story that keeps you wanting more then give this book a go. When Toms love child comes to live with them life will never be the same for them all. there was a bit of medical talk, mental illness and children with issues.
July 8, 2019
Give me the child 2.75⭐️
Rubys mother died in a freak accident. Which is terrible but whats more terrible is that Ruby is now living with her father who has another family that didnt tell them about Ruby.
Shes not too happy with her dad considering her mom always told her that he was a piece of shit that never dod anything for them, which is true so she resents him and his oerfect family.
Freya his other daughter, the daughter he has a wife with starts worrying and becomes quieter and more concered as Rubys outgoing, gloomy and obnoxious personality takes over the house.
While Ruby adjusts the rest of the house os tense and frustrated seeing as though he kept this from them for years.
I didnt like how perspectives changed with the chapters and we were not told whoes perspective it was. It made the story hard to follow at times.
I also lost interest in the characters about halfway through and the mysteries of Ruby drifted away.
Rubys mother died in a freak accident. Which is terrible but whats more terrible is that Ruby is now living with her father who has another family that didnt tell them about Ruby.
Shes not too happy with her dad considering her mom always told her that he was a piece of shit that never dod anything for them, which is true so she resents him and his oerfect family.
Freya his other daughter, the daughter he has a wife with starts worrying and becomes quieter and more concered as Rubys outgoing, gloomy and obnoxious personality takes over the house.
While Ruby adjusts the rest of the house os tense and frustrated seeing as though he kept this from them for years.
I didnt like how perspectives changed with the chapters and we were not told whoes perspective it was. It made the story hard to follow at times.
I also lost interest in the characters about halfway through and the mysteries of Ruby drifted away.
June 18, 2017
Review nearer publication.
July 31, 2018
دوست نداشتم. اصلا
August 16, 2017
I received a copy from the publishers and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review*
Despite a thrilling and enthralling plot premise the overall impression left by 'Give Me the Child" left much to be desired. However, since I was blessed enough to receive this book from the publishers I struggled to the end over the course of several days and am now coming to you with my "official review"
Meh.
Maybe it's simply because I mostly enjoy YA fiction, maybe because there aren't that many thrillers I truly enjoy. Or maybe it was just bad, cliched and not that interesting. Never let it be said I'll tell you whether or not to read a book. Enjoy it yourself and decide. But for this reader Give Me the Child is a no.
I can tell the author truly tried to make this a suspenseful, on-the-edge-of-your-seat thriller but sadly, it fell flat. Very flat.
I simply
Did.
Not.
Care.
The MC, for all her being a somewhat successful psychologist seemed so very idiotic it got on my last nerves. I could not become mad at her oppressors or worried for her because she -in all her stupidity -seemed to deserve everything happening to her if she wasn't smart enough to realize it. There was a tie-in with another plot line that felt so completely and utterly random that when the big "surprise" finally worked its way in there I groaned with the implausibility and plot holes of it all.
2.5/5 stars
Despite a thrilling and enthralling plot premise the overall impression left by 'Give Me the Child" left much to be desired. However, since I was blessed enough to receive this book from the publishers I struggled to the end over the course of several days and am now coming to you with my "official review"
Meh.
Maybe it's simply because I mostly enjoy YA fiction, maybe because there aren't that many thrillers I truly enjoy. Or maybe it was just bad, cliched and not that interesting. Never let it be said I'll tell you whether or not to read a book. Enjoy it yourself and decide. But for this reader Give Me the Child is a no.
I can tell the author truly tried to make this a suspenseful, on-the-edge-of-your-seat thriller but sadly, it fell flat. Very flat.
I simply
Did.
Not.
Care.
The MC, for all her being a somewhat successful psychologist seemed so very idiotic it got on my last nerves. I could not become mad at her oppressors or worried for her because she -in all her stupidity -seemed to deserve everything happening to her if she wasn't smart enough to realize it. There was a tie-in with another plot line that felt so completely and utterly random that when the big "surprise" finally worked its way in there I groaned with the implausibility and plot holes of it all.
2.5/5 stars
October 22, 2017
So, the doorbell rings in the middle of the night. Standing at the door are a policewoman, a social worker and a child. The child's mother has been found dead in their squalid flat, and the child has told the police officer and social worker that your husband is her father. He admits that he had a one night stand 10 years before with "some woman" he met in a pub. The police officer and social worker go away, leaving the child in the care of the father she has never met, and you.
Yep, I'm sure that happens all the time ... No, I couldn't get past the sheer absurdity of the premise.
Yep, I'm sure that happens all the time ... No, I couldn't get past the sheer absurdity of the premise.
September 25, 2017
As insinuated in the title, 'Give Me The Child' is a gripping, fast-paced book. It kept me reading well into the wee hours of the night as I could not put it down. Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys a tightly plotted multi-layered story. It is very cleverly written and I was thinking about it long after I finished reading the last page.
August 3, 2017
Finding out your husband has a child almost the same age as yours and she has problems should be enough. Then your husband starts to change and your life with him. Cat can't catch a break. Good book.
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for my copy to review.
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for my copy to review.
December 28, 2017
There is a knock at Cat Winter’s door in the middle of the night, going through the possibilities of which family member has had a disaster requiring such an action Cat is wrong-footed when she realises the young child, about the same age as her own daughter Freya, who stands pale and unspeaking, is actually her husband Tom’s daughter. Yes, not the news you really want especially as Ruby’s mother has been found dead and there is no-one else to take her.
Firstly I’m so pleased that the author has a sense of humour about this scenario.
As Tom spoke I couldn’t help thinking just how bloody old and worn and unoriginal the story sounded, a clapped-out tale of a faithless husband led on by some mysterious femme fatale. If you saw it on TV, you’d reach for the remote. This wasn’t us. This wasn’t who we were meant to be. So how was it that it was what we had become?
Her assurance that this was a somewhat overused storyline led me to believe that there was far more on offer, and boy there was. Ruby is a beautiful child but Cat simply can’t relate to her and becomes increasingly anxious about the way she interacts with Freya. This might sound overly dramatic but we know that Cat had some illness that led her to be admitted to a psych ward during her pregnancy so that explains part of her anxiety, the other part is explained by the work Cat does as child psychologist with damaged children, she’s seen the worst that they offer and fears poor Ruby has some kind of personality disorder.
Tom Winter I quickly surmised was not the man you’d want by your side when dealing with life’s daily battles and since he seems to protect Ruby at Freya’s expense the tension in the book quickly mounts and battle lines are firmly drawn.
This is one of those books that you settle down to and enjoy the ride, I don’t usually like the children in my fiction, certainly not ones who are yet to reach their teens reeking of malevolence, but Ruby does but her actions are enacted relatively subtlety and in a way that is age-appropriate which made it all a bit easier to swallow. With new revelations or more the pieces fitting together as Cat digs deep to find out where all the secrets are buried whilst simultaneously trying to keep her own daughter out of Ruby’s clutches this is a fast-paced read.
Although this book begs the question ‘What would I do?’ I didn’t feel with this one that I could realistically enter the game because in my world Tom would pack his and his daughter’s bags and go and deal with whatever seeds he had sown (literally) on his own but that didn’t stop this being a very entertaining way to spend a cold and wintery day.
Firstly I’m so pleased that the author has a sense of humour about this scenario.
As Tom spoke I couldn’t help thinking just how bloody old and worn and unoriginal the story sounded, a clapped-out tale of a faithless husband led on by some mysterious femme fatale. If you saw it on TV, you’d reach for the remote. This wasn’t us. This wasn’t who we were meant to be. So how was it that it was what we had become?
Her assurance that this was a somewhat overused storyline led me to believe that there was far more on offer, and boy there was. Ruby is a beautiful child but Cat simply can’t relate to her and becomes increasingly anxious about the way she interacts with Freya. This might sound overly dramatic but we know that Cat had some illness that led her to be admitted to a psych ward during her pregnancy so that explains part of her anxiety, the other part is explained by the work Cat does as child psychologist with damaged children, she’s seen the worst that they offer and fears poor Ruby has some kind of personality disorder.
Tom Winter I quickly surmised was not the man you’d want by your side when dealing with life’s daily battles and since he seems to protect Ruby at Freya’s expense the tension in the book quickly mounts and battle lines are firmly drawn.
This is one of those books that you settle down to and enjoy the ride, I don’t usually like the children in my fiction, certainly not ones who are yet to reach their teens reeking of malevolence, but Ruby does but her actions are enacted relatively subtlety and in a way that is age-appropriate which made it all a bit easier to swallow. With new revelations or more the pieces fitting together as Cat digs deep to find out where all the secrets are buried whilst simultaneously trying to keep her own daughter out of Ruby’s clutches this is a fast-paced read.
Although this book begs the question ‘What would I do?’ I didn’t feel with this one that I could realistically enter the game because in my world Tom would pack his and his daughter’s bags and go and deal with whatever seeds he had sown (literally) on his own but that didn’t stop this being a very entertaining way to spend a cold and wintery day.
November 10, 2019
Switching between 3 and 4 stars constantly. 4 because i did enjoy and found it entertaining but 3 because I found there was a lot of pyscho babble that went over my head and I did find the whole premise rather un plausible but that’s fiction and often the most entertaining. So 3.5 stars. I’d still recommend and I’d read more by this author again no problem.
July 4, 2017
I picked this up at BEA and was super excited about it and I chose it as my plane read from New York to San Francisco. It ended up making me so angry that I had to put it down and finish it when I wasn't in public. I'm torn with this mini review because I want to explain why I disliked it so much but since it's not out yet in Australia I don't want to be too spoilery. Sorry in advance if I am! Seriously stop reading now if you don't want some spoilers. Essentially, the main character is Dr (!!) Cat Lupo, and she's married with one child, a daughter named Freya, whose birth was traumatic for Cat. Her family life is shattered when cops arrive with a child, Ruby, who they claim is Cat's husband's daughter. Cat's husband initially denies knowing about the child and admits to an affair, and then after Cat does some digging he confesses that he lied to her and he did know about the child. Cat is a child psychologist and although she tries to repeatedly voice her concerns about Ruby's behaviour, attitude, and overall influence on Freya, she is dismissed by everyone in her life. She is manipulated, shunned, humiliated, and basically abandoned by her husband and her colleagues and her family in the most absurd fashion and by the end of it, I didn't care much about the resolution to the mystery at all; all I cared about was a resolution to this hideous characterisation of an intelligent and strong woman being portrayed as crazy and unreliable. Maybe that was the author's point because I definitely know that's how women can be and are regularly treated, but there's not enough nuance in the story to deliver this message in a poignant or remotely meaningful way. There's enough psychological abuse of women going on in reality and I don't need to read it in my fiction. Fortunately, I appear to be in the minority with my dislike of this book, so maybe you'll have better luck with it than I did.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 13, 2017
This is the first book I've read by Mel McGrath - but definitely won't be the last. Give Me The Child is a standalone psychological thriller that starts with an OOMPH and continues until the very last page. I don't want to give anything away in my review except to say that if you enjoy twisted, twisty tales with creepy and violent kids, cheating husbands and a dysfunctional family that makes MINE look like The Waltons then you should absolutely read this book.
The story is narrated through Cat Lupo, a neuro-psychiatrist, working with troubled children who has a husband, Tom and an 11 year old daughter Freya. When the doorbell rings in the middle of the night and an unknown child is brought into their lives her world is turned upside down. Coupled with her history of mental illness, she begins to question everything and everyone around her.
This is a fast-paced, page turner which kept me guessing throughout. It was incredibly atmospheric, set during violent riots in Brixton and a flurry of teenage stabbings I could literally taste the fear and panic in London. A fab book - read it soon!
The story is narrated through Cat Lupo, a neuro-psychiatrist, working with troubled children who has a husband, Tom and an 11 year old daughter Freya. When the doorbell rings in the middle of the night and an unknown child is brought into their lives her world is turned upside down. Coupled with her history of mental illness, she begins to question everything and everyone around her.
This is a fast-paced, page turner which kept me guessing throughout. It was incredibly atmospheric, set during violent riots in Brixton and a flurry of teenage stabbings I could literally taste the fear and panic in London. A fab book - read it soon!
June 7, 2017
Dr Cat Lupo aches for another child, despite her psychosis which marked her first pregnancy. Then, one night, the door bells rings and it's the Police at the door with a little girl. Cat wonders why they have brought her here. Cat soon discovers that this child his a love child of her husband Tom. He swears that this is the first time they have met. Her mother had died.
Cat a child psychologist, knows that there is something wrong with the child Ruby. She wants to keep her daughter Freya safe, away from her. But, Tom thinks that she is imagining things and she is starting to have another 'episode' again.
This book was expertly written, with many twists and turns that kept me entertained throughout the book.
Cat a child psychologist, knows that there is something wrong with the child Ruby. She wants to keep her daughter Freya safe, away from her. But, Tom thinks that she is imagining things and she is starting to have another 'episode' again.
This book was expertly written, with many twists and turns that kept me entertained throughout the book.
September 24, 2017
DNF at 10%...skipped to the end to find out i predicted part 1 of the ending right away, but not the other part of the twist. But i didnt care. I felt no connection to any characters except freya
December 10, 2023
“I had never apologised for my illness because I hadn’t thought mental illness was something anyone needed to apologise for.”
July 28, 2017
Just imagine it’s the middle of the night, the house is all quiet with everyone asleep in bed and there is a knock at the door. Stood there are police officers with a young girl. A young girl whose father is the father of your own child, a young girl you knew nothing about. What’s more you are now expected to take care of this young girl….what could possibly go wrong?
I was totally blown away by this fantastic psychological thriller from Mel McGrath. I love a good psychological thriller so I’m always on the look out for a new author to try. The author’s writing drew me in, I was total immersed in Cat’s world. I wanted to devour the book but savour it at the same time.
The more I read, the more I questioned the reliability of Cat – you’d expect a child psychologist to be a reasonably reliable narrator. But as her world start to come crashing down around her and give the fact she suffered mentally whilst pregnant to the extent that she had to be placed into care for her own safety, I began to wonder.
There are two children who really haunted me as I read this. Joshua – he’s a chilling child, I actually felt a tightening of my chest as I read certain sections about him. It is quite upsetting as a mother to think that there are children, not just people under the age of 18 but children at primary school who can be diagnosed with such extreme personalities. And then there is Ruby, the young girl who is airdropped into Cat’s life without any warning. She’s a dark child – is she hiding something, is she someone not to be trusted? I really did not know what to make of her. The extent of the darkness of these two children can only be found by reading right to the end.
I found the cover to this novel very intriguing at first, such a simple image of an escalator which makes perfect sense as the story builds to its climax.
I highly recommend this psychological thriller if you like them dark and gripping!
Many thanks to HQ and Netgalley for my advanced copy of Give Me the Child. I’m looking forward to what Mel McGrath has to offer next!
I was totally blown away by this fantastic psychological thriller from Mel McGrath. I love a good psychological thriller so I’m always on the look out for a new author to try. The author’s writing drew me in, I was total immersed in Cat’s world. I wanted to devour the book but savour it at the same time.
The more I read, the more I questioned the reliability of Cat – you’d expect a child psychologist to be a reasonably reliable narrator. But as her world start to come crashing down around her and give the fact she suffered mentally whilst pregnant to the extent that she had to be placed into care for her own safety, I began to wonder.
There are two children who really haunted me as I read this. Joshua – he’s a chilling child, I actually felt a tightening of my chest as I read certain sections about him. It is quite upsetting as a mother to think that there are children, not just people under the age of 18 but children at primary school who can be diagnosed with such extreme personalities. And then there is Ruby, the young girl who is airdropped into Cat’s life without any warning. She’s a dark child – is she hiding something, is she someone not to be trusted? I really did not know what to make of her. The extent of the darkness of these two children can only be found by reading right to the end.
I found the cover to this novel very intriguing at first, such a simple image of an escalator which makes perfect sense as the story builds to its climax.
I highly recommend this psychological thriller if you like them dark and gripping!
Many thanks to HQ and Netgalley for my advanced copy of Give Me the Child. I’m looking forward to what Mel McGrath has to offer next!
August 2, 2017
Ooooo, this was a good one and a totally unexpected one at that! Tbat first chapter really is a corker that sets you up for a top notch psychological thriller and it doesn’t go on to disappoint. I was gripped throughout this tightly controlled storyline that wouldn’t give me any more clues than it had to and had me gasping out loud at some of the twists when I did finally work out where it was going!
When Cat has a young girl in need turn up on her doorstep one night she thinks that maybe Ruby could be the addition to her family that she has been waiting for. But after discovering some shocking facts about Ruby Winter, her husband Tom and daughter Freya both take to this child in need and it’s left to Cat to be the one who starts to wonder about their new houseguest especially once strange things start to happen. But Cat has a history that makes her a rather unreliable narrator and her job also makes her liable to look for psychopathic tendencies in children that may or may not be there so is she seeing things that just aren’t there?
I read this in one tension filled sitting (no kids so made the most of it!!) as it gradually gripped me until there was no way I was putting this book down! It had something special, an unusually intelligent and well developed storyline that worked it’s magic on the reader making this a psychological thriller worth grabbing with both hands. And for a change it was the kids not the adults who gave me the creeps here! Although not knowing who to trust made me feel incredibly uncomfortable at times and that only got worse the more we found out about those kids! The adults weren’t much better though and both Cat and Tom wound me up right from the start. Tom’s behaviour, especially in the days after Ruby arrived, made me so angry!
This book was like a breath of fresh air to me, taking a popular genre and twisting it until it snapped! A tense and traumatic read at times but one definitely worth your time.
When Cat has a young girl in need turn up on her doorstep one night she thinks that maybe Ruby could be the addition to her family that she has been waiting for. But after discovering some shocking facts about Ruby Winter, her husband Tom and daughter Freya both take to this child in need and it’s left to Cat to be the one who starts to wonder about their new houseguest especially once strange things start to happen. But Cat has a history that makes her a rather unreliable narrator and her job also makes her liable to look for psychopathic tendencies in children that may or may not be there so is she seeing things that just aren’t there?
I read this in one tension filled sitting (no kids so made the most of it!!) as it gradually gripped me until there was no way I was putting this book down! It had something special, an unusually intelligent and well developed storyline that worked it’s magic on the reader making this a psychological thriller worth grabbing with both hands. And for a change it was the kids not the adults who gave me the creeps here! Although not knowing who to trust made me feel incredibly uncomfortable at times and that only got worse the more we found out about those kids! The adults weren’t much better though and both Cat and Tom wound me up right from the start. Tom’s behaviour, especially in the days after Ruby arrived, made me so angry!
This book was like a breath of fresh air to me, taking a popular genre and twisting it until it snapped! A tense and traumatic read at times but one definitely worth your time.
July 19, 2019
If you haven't read GIVE ME THE CHILD, I do hope that you will make it your very next read.
Caitlin loves and trusts her husband Tom, they both have a beautiful daughter, Freya together. Then one evening the door goes. Her husband has a shock for her. The police have just brought his daughter that Caitlin didn't know he had . The little girl's mother had just died at home from carbon monoxide poisoning. Ruby wanted to stay with her dad. Caitlin's never once in all the years suspected her husband of cheating, let alone of having another child. Tom kept secrets away from his wife Caitlin, but just how many secrets does Tom have? Caitlin can't get over Tom's lies and his cheating. When Cat brings up the fact that Ruby his daughter is deeply disturbed and she fears that Ruby is bullying their daughter Freya, Tom gets angry with Caitlin. I've never read a book with so many twist in. If you liked reading like I did THE GIRLFRIEND MICHELLE FRANCES, SAY NOTHING BY BRAD PARKS, and MY HUSBAND THE STRANGER REBECCA DONE Then you will want to read Give Me The Child by Mel McGrath..
January 7, 2021
This was a very easy and engaging thriller to read.
However, it is not the most original or unique thriller ever. With some parts feeling very over done and filled with tropes.
If you don't like the trope of someone's mental illness being used to cast doubt over how trust worthy they are then you might not like this book. However, I do think it was used purposefully in this book.
If it wasn't for the creepy child and forensic psychologist elements then I probably would have given this book three stars.
It was well paced and the story was engaging but it felt boring and a little bit too predictable.
I think the book raised some important issues and it was one of the more accurate descriptions of a forensic psychologist that I've read but the book just didn't feel special.
Overall, a good read and I would recommend but is a bit predictable in places
TW: murder, gaslighting, mental illness and self harm/ suicide
However, it is not the most original or unique thriller ever. With some parts feeling very over done and filled with tropes.
If you don't like the trope of someone's mental illness being used to cast doubt over how trust worthy they are then you might not like this book. However, I do think it was used purposefully in this book.
If it wasn't for the creepy child and forensic psychologist elements then I probably would have given this book three stars.
It was well paced and the story was engaging but it felt boring and a little bit too predictable.
I think the book raised some important issues and it was one of the more accurate descriptions of a forensic psychologist that I've read but the book just didn't feel special.
Overall, a good read and I would recommend but is a bit predictable in places
TW: murder, gaslighting, mental illness and self harm/ suicide
August 19, 2017
I couldn't believe what I was reading. A girl turns up who was conceived through a one night stand and her father, who was unfaithful expects his wife to greet her with open arms?
More shockingly she does this hoping they can play happy families! The husband was a complete control freak and the story was ridiculous. Not for me.
More shockingly she does this hoping they can play happy families! The husband was a complete control freak and the story was ridiculous. Not for me.
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