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Detective Finnegan Beck #2
The Child Before
She began to sing, the girl. Her voice was soft, so soft it was almost of the wind. It was a lullaby. She cradled her arms, rocking them gently back and forth. As if she was holding a baby. But she was not. Her arms were empty.
On a cold morning a cyclist finds the brutally-slaughtered body of a woman in her car, on a remote lane leading to the long-abandoned Irish village of Kelly’s Forge.
But when Detective Finnegan Beck arrives from the nearby town of Cross Beg to investigate he notices there’s a baby’s seat in the back of the car. A bottle of baby’s milk lying in the footwell. And no child.
Little Róisín isn’t the first child to go missing from that same remote location though. There was another baby girl, taken more than fifty years before, who was never found. Has too much time passed for there to be a connection, or does something – or someone – link these two crimes?
Beck claims he does not want to stay in Cross Beg. His heart is back in Dublin, with the woman he loves. But, knowing that a child’s life depends on him changes things. He knows he has to find the missing baby girl. Because if he doesn’t, he fears there’s a chance everyone will give up the baby for dead, just like they did before…
This dark, twisted page turner will keep you up all night. Perfect for fans of LJ Ross, Patricia Gibney, and Rachel Caine.
Readers are loving Michael
‘Gripping... Keeps you guessing till the end... Unrelenting pace... excellent writing... The needle of suspicion keeps moving from one suspect to another... If you loved the detective series of Harry Bosch or Cormoran Strike, you will enjoy this one.’ Goodreads reviewer
‘A page-turning, don't-put-it-down, yes-you-will-be-up-all-night kind of read… amazing!’ SPW Writes, 5 stars
‘Cracking... made me tear through the pages... I thought I knew whodunnit it. I wasn’t even close! ... gripping.’ Between My Lines
‘Omg!! What an amazing and thrilling story!!!’ Goodreads reviewer
‘Started with a bang and just kept going! The twists kept coming... I couldn't put it down. I cannot wait to read more from this author!’ Goodreads reviewer
‘Tense, powerful and emotional... gripped my attention from the very first page and I couldn’t tear my eyes away... fantastic.’ Stardust Book Reviews, 5 stars
‘Crikey, I wasn't expecting the bad guy to be HIM! ... I was pulled into the story from the very beginning and every time I had to put the book down, I couldn't wait to pick it up again... All the stars from me and looking forward to the rest of the series.’ Rona Halsall, 5 stars
‘I have never, ever read a whole book in one day… until now.’ Booked Up Girl, 5 stars
‘Bloody brilliant... Oh my goodness me... One seriously, fantastically and brilliantly written book with cracking characters and cracking storylines. I was hooked on this book from the first moment Simply unputdownable...
On a cold morning a cyclist finds the brutally-slaughtered body of a woman in her car, on a remote lane leading to the long-abandoned Irish village of Kelly’s Forge.
But when Detective Finnegan Beck arrives from the nearby town of Cross Beg to investigate he notices there’s a baby’s seat in the back of the car. A bottle of baby’s milk lying in the footwell. And no child.
Little Róisín isn’t the first child to go missing from that same remote location though. There was another baby girl, taken more than fifty years before, who was never found. Has too much time passed for there to be a connection, or does something – or someone – link these two crimes?
Beck claims he does not want to stay in Cross Beg. His heart is back in Dublin, with the woman he loves. But, knowing that a child’s life depends on him changes things. He knows he has to find the missing baby girl. Because if he doesn’t, he fears there’s a chance everyone will give up the baby for dead, just like they did before…
This dark, twisted page turner will keep you up all night. Perfect for fans of LJ Ross, Patricia Gibney, and Rachel Caine.
Readers are loving Michael
‘Gripping... Keeps you guessing till the end... Unrelenting pace... excellent writing... The needle of suspicion keeps moving from one suspect to another... If you loved the detective series of Harry Bosch or Cormoran Strike, you will enjoy this one.’ Goodreads reviewer
‘A page-turning, don't-put-it-down, yes-you-will-be-up-all-night kind of read… amazing!’ SPW Writes, 5 stars
‘Cracking... made me tear through the pages... I thought I knew whodunnit it. I wasn’t even close! ... gripping.’ Between My Lines
‘Omg!! What an amazing and thrilling story!!!’ Goodreads reviewer
‘Started with a bang and just kept going! The twists kept coming... I couldn't put it down. I cannot wait to read more from this author!’ Goodreads reviewer
‘Tense, powerful and emotional... gripped my attention from the very first page and I couldn’t tear my eyes away... fantastic.’ Stardust Book Reviews, 5 stars
‘Crikey, I wasn't expecting the bad guy to be HIM! ... I was pulled into the story from the very beginning and every time I had to put the book down, I couldn't wait to pick it up again... All the stars from me and looking forward to the rest of the series.’ Rona Halsall, 5 stars
‘I have never, ever read a whole book in one day… until now.’ Booked Up Girl, 5 stars
‘Bloody brilliant... Oh my goodness me... One seriously, fantastically and brilliantly written book with cracking characters and cracking storylines. I was hooked on this book from the first moment Simply unputdownable...
273 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 5, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
August 22, 2019
The Child Before is the second book in the Finnegan Beck series, set in Ireland. The first, Where She Lies, was a really well-written mystery with a tough as nails detective and an intriguing mystery.
Detective Inspector Finnegan Beck’s latest case involves the murder of a woman in her car, on a remote lane leading to the long-abandoned Irish village of Kelly’s Forge. The woman’s young child has also gone missing. Now it’s up to Beck to solve the mystery. There are other subplots as well, which showed a lot of promise in the initial chapters.
The Child Before opens with alternating chapters between the present and the second narrative involving the disappearance of a baby from the isolated Kelly's Forge, some 60 years prior in 1954. The subplot about the past mystery did add a layer of intrigue but it was abandoned midway and never really played any major role in the story.
On the bright side, the main story was riveting. There are several probable suspects in the beginning and the story does well to keep you guessing. On the downside, there is a lot going on in this story, with random new characters being introduced and several other subplots that don’t really go anywhere. The narrative feels disjointed as the focus keeps shifting to either of the subplots which don’t further the main story. It was hard to guess the killer's identity but he was never a prime suspect anyways. The story does leave you with a lot of unanswered questions, especially the prologue.
Beck is not an ideal hero - but his rebellious character is the highlight of the book for me. He's rude, alcoholic and has his personal demons to deal with but in the end, he gets the job done. His supporting cast is not that well fleshed out, feeling one-dimensional in the end.
Having enjoyed the first novel in this series, Where She Lies, I was eager to read the second book. Sadly, it was not better than the first part. However, as a standalone, the plot & premise of this book is good and DI Beck is still a great character. I strongly recommend the readers to read the series right from the start.
Many thanks to the publishers Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC.
Detective Inspector Finnegan Beck’s latest case involves the murder of a woman in her car, on a remote lane leading to the long-abandoned Irish village of Kelly’s Forge. The woman’s young child has also gone missing. Now it’s up to Beck to solve the mystery. There are other subplots as well, which showed a lot of promise in the initial chapters.
The Child Before opens with alternating chapters between the present and the second narrative involving the disappearance of a baby from the isolated Kelly's Forge, some 60 years prior in 1954. The subplot about the past mystery did add a layer of intrigue but it was abandoned midway and never really played any major role in the story.
On the bright side, the main story was riveting. There are several probable suspects in the beginning and the story does well to keep you guessing. On the downside, there is a lot going on in this story, with random new characters being introduced and several other subplots that don’t really go anywhere. The narrative feels disjointed as the focus keeps shifting to either of the subplots which don’t further the main story. It was hard to guess the killer's identity but he was never a prime suspect anyways. The story does leave you with a lot of unanswered questions, especially the prologue.
Beck is not an ideal hero - but his rebellious character is the highlight of the book for me. He's rude, alcoholic and has his personal demons to deal with but in the end, he gets the job done. His supporting cast is not that well fleshed out, feeling one-dimensional in the end.
Having enjoyed the first novel in this series, Where She Lies, I was eager to read the second book. Sadly, it was not better than the first part. However, as a standalone, the plot & premise of this book is good and DI Beck is still a great character. I strongly recommend the readers to read the series right from the start.
Many thanks to the publishers Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC.
May 3, 2019
I am rating this book 3 and 1/2.
It was going to be 3* as it was an OK book. But it did kind of redeem itself towards the end.
This seems to be book 2 but I’m told it can be read as a stand-alone. It seemed OK to me, I didn’t feel I’d been missing anything from the first book.
This is basically about a woman who was in her car with a baby seat at the back along with her child. The woman gets attacked and the child is missing.
There’s a hunt on for the baby.
There’s a lot going on in the book, but I didn’t feel any shocks, surprises or any eagerness in my wanting to turn the pages in haste.
It got disjointed to me where there was supposed to be a tie from the past. It felt like the author had to make it fit, not natural progression.
It read more like a mystery come drama to me.
You may love this book, this is purely my thoughts on this.
This seems to be the year of the children, either missing, or mix ups at birth.
This wouldn’t put me off of reading more from the author. Maybe I’ve read too many “missing children” books so far this year.
It was going to be 3* as it was an OK book. But it did kind of redeem itself towards the end.
This seems to be book 2 but I’m told it can be read as a stand-alone. It seemed OK to me, I didn’t feel I’d been missing anything from the first book.
This is basically about a woman who was in her car with a baby seat at the back along with her child. The woman gets attacked and the child is missing.
There’s a hunt on for the baby.
There’s a lot going on in the book, but I didn’t feel any shocks, surprises or any eagerness in my wanting to turn the pages in haste.
It got disjointed to me where there was supposed to be a tie from the past. It felt like the author had to make it fit, not natural progression.
It read more like a mystery come drama to me.
You may love this book, this is purely my thoughts on this.
This seems to be the year of the children, either missing, or mix ups at birth.
This wouldn’t put me off of reading more from the author. Maybe I’ve read too many “missing children” books so far this year.
June 2, 2019
Having thoroughly enjoyed the first novel in this series, Where She Lies, I was eager to dive into this, the second outing for DI Finnegan Beck. Sadly, it was quite disappointing. The writing style was very different from the previous instalment as it was disjointed and so overly descriptive that the narrative moved forward at a terribly slow pace. That said, the main plot was intriguing and was what stopped me from just abandoning it in favour of something else. I do hate to give a less than positive review, but I feel that where it is warranted constructive criticism can be helpful to both the author and potential readers, and I feel it is warranted here.
As I said, the main plot is compelling and engaging, but there were also many subplots, and this made the story quite convoluted and confusing and not in a good way. They really added nothing to the overall story, in fact, they took away from it. I truly hope the third instalment is as entertaining as the first. I will pick it up but only because I know how capable Scanlon is at producing the goods, and whilst I, unfortunately, cannot recommend The Child Before, I heartily recommend Where She Lies if you enjoy gripping police procedural's and haven't already read it. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.
As I said, the main plot is compelling and engaging, but there were also many subplots, and this made the story quite convoluted and confusing and not in a good way. They really added nothing to the overall story, in fact, they took away from it. I truly hope the third instalment is as entertaining as the first. I will pick it up but only because I know how capable Scanlon is at producing the goods, and whilst I, unfortunately, cannot recommend The Child Before, I heartily recommend Where She Lies if you enjoy gripping police procedural's and haven't already read it. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.
May 26, 2019
THE CHILD BEFORE is the second in the DI Finnegan Beck series by Michael Scanlon and I held out high hopes for this book after enjoying the first one. Sadly, it didn't live up to my expectations. The description made it sound for interesting reading and, having enjoyed the first one, I was looking forward to this book.
I was really interested to see where Beck would go after being redeemed and restored to his former rank of Detective Inspector but the only positive I could find remotely interesting in him this time round was his giving up the drink. Having said that, he did get himself completely blotto towards the end of the book and I thought "Why?"
THE CHILD BEFORE opens with alternating chapters between the present and some 60 years prior in 1954 in narrative. The historical narrative is of a young boy who witnesses the traumatic removal of his mother by the local police following the disappearance of his baby sister, Bernadette. The mother is covered in blood so naturally the police believe she has killed the baby. I thought "this sounds promising" but then after half a dozen or so chapters, they stopped. Presumably because we learnt the identity of the boy in the historical narrative. But what of THAT mystery?
The present narrative features the return of Detective Inspector Finnegan Beck, who had been demoted and relocated from Dublin to Cross Beg after a questionable shooting. He was cleared in the previous book and restored to his former rank of Detective Inspector. As in the first book, he continues his struggle with alcohol but I was pleased to see he had embraced sobriety and attended AA meetings. His so-called friend, Dr Gumball, also the State Pathologist, spent his free time drinking himself to oblivion and seemed rather put out that Beck now chooses not to. I could have throttled the selfishness out of Gumball for belittling a man who was taking sobriety seriously.
Beck's latest case involves the murder of Samantha Power, who was discovered in the wood of desolate village Kellys Forge with her throat slashed open, and the disappearance of her baby daughter Roisin. The team work simultaneously investigating Samantha's horrific murder and in the search for Roisin, in the hope the baby is still alive. Whilst this is the central story arc in the book, there are other sub plots going on beneath the surface as characters deal with issues in their own lives as we try to figure out who may be responsible.
When a second body is discovered the case hits much closer to home making it personal for the team as they endeavour to solve both murders. As the investigation builds it becomes apparent everyone has secrets of their own and those woven into the storyline slowly begin to surface.
THE CHILD BEFORE is peppered with some colourful characters who are woven neatly into the story. Claire Somers, Beck's partner whose own relationship issues surface, has recently married her journalist partner Lucy Grimes and the couple have unsuccessfully been trying for a baby. Lucy doesn't feature in this story as much as she did in the previous book, except through mention. Inspector O'Reilly, who has been a thorn in Beck's side since his arrival in Cross Beg. He doesn't rally like Beck and made it known when he was of a senior rank before Beck's rank was restored, making them now of the same rank. Superintendent Wilde - not sure about him. He was pretty chummy with O'Reilly in the first book and they appeared to be "against" Beck at the time. In this book, he is more on the side of his officers. Vicky, a journalist also in AA with Beck though I'm confused as to where she first popped up or how she really fit in. She just seemed to be there with no real purpose. And then there are potential suspects. Maurice Crabby, who runs the local supermarket and appears to be somewhat strange. Billy Hamilton, Roisin's father and Samantha's violent ex. Edward Roche, her current partner who seemed to be a bit of a bully himself. Mikey Power, Samantha's brother who scarpered to Australia ten year before but was back on holiday. He annoyed me with his constant use of Aussie slang calling everyone "mate" and using terms no real Aussie actually uses. I should know - I'm Australian and when a writer from lands afar portrays an Aussie, it just seems ts false. It was irritating, to say the least.
I enjoy most crime thrillers and mysteries but I can't say I enjoyed this one much. I found it somewhat disjointed which is a shame considering I loved "Where She Lies" (the first one) and was looking forward to this one. However, I found THE CHILD BEFORE lacking in depth and believability. Unlike most books where everything is tied up neatly, this book fails to do so. I was left with unanswered questions as to what happened to the child that disappeared in 1954 and its mother now in a sanatorium, amongst other things. If you are going to introduce a mystery from half a century ago, the least you can do is bring some form of closure to it in solving it! The only answer we got for it was a "monster". Instead, it's just filed away as something or other one can't be bothered to deal with. I was most disappointed and felt cheated.
While the book does move at a decent pace, I found it a disappointing follow-up to the first Beck novel and I hope the third one is an improvement.
I would like to thank #MichaelScanlon, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheChildBefore in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/
I was really interested to see where Beck would go after being redeemed and restored to his former rank of Detective Inspector but the only positive I could find remotely interesting in him this time round was his giving up the drink. Having said that, he did get himself completely blotto towards the end of the book and I thought "Why?"
THE CHILD BEFORE opens with alternating chapters between the present and some 60 years prior in 1954 in narrative. The historical narrative is of a young boy who witnesses the traumatic removal of his mother by the local police following the disappearance of his baby sister, Bernadette. The mother is covered in blood so naturally the police believe she has killed the baby. I thought "this sounds promising" but then after half a dozen or so chapters, they stopped. Presumably because we learnt the identity of the boy in the historical narrative. But what of THAT mystery?
The present narrative features the return of Detective Inspector Finnegan Beck, who had been demoted and relocated from Dublin to Cross Beg after a questionable shooting. He was cleared in the previous book and restored to his former rank of Detective Inspector. As in the first book, he continues his struggle with alcohol but I was pleased to see he had embraced sobriety and attended AA meetings. His so-called friend, Dr Gumball, also the State Pathologist, spent his free time drinking himself to oblivion and seemed rather put out that Beck now chooses not to. I could have throttled the selfishness out of Gumball for belittling a man who was taking sobriety seriously.
Beck's latest case involves the murder of Samantha Power, who was discovered in the wood of desolate village Kellys Forge with her throat slashed open, and the disappearance of her baby daughter Roisin. The team work simultaneously investigating Samantha's horrific murder and in the search for Roisin, in the hope the baby is still alive. Whilst this is the central story arc in the book, there are other sub plots going on beneath the surface as characters deal with issues in their own lives as we try to figure out who may be responsible.
When a second body is discovered the case hits much closer to home making it personal for the team as they endeavour to solve both murders. As the investigation builds it becomes apparent everyone has secrets of their own and those woven into the storyline slowly begin to surface.
THE CHILD BEFORE is peppered with some colourful characters who are woven neatly into the story. Claire Somers, Beck's partner whose own relationship issues surface, has recently married her journalist partner Lucy Grimes and the couple have unsuccessfully been trying for a baby. Lucy doesn't feature in this story as much as she did in the previous book, except through mention. Inspector O'Reilly, who has been a thorn in Beck's side since his arrival in Cross Beg. He doesn't rally like Beck and made it known when he was of a senior rank before Beck's rank was restored, making them now of the same rank. Superintendent Wilde - not sure about him. He was pretty chummy with O'Reilly in the first book and they appeared to be "against" Beck at the time. In this book, he is more on the side of his officers. Vicky, a journalist also in AA with Beck though I'm confused as to where she first popped up or how she really fit in. She just seemed to be there with no real purpose. And then there are potential suspects. Maurice Crabby, who runs the local supermarket and appears to be somewhat strange. Billy Hamilton, Roisin's father and Samantha's violent ex. Edward Roche, her current partner who seemed to be a bit of a bully himself. Mikey Power, Samantha's brother who scarpered to Australia ten year before but was back on holiday. He annoyed me with his constant use of Aussie slang calling everyone "mate" and using terms no real Aussie actually uses. I should know - I'm Australian and when a writer from lands afar portrays an Aussie, it just seems ts false. It was irritating, to say the least.
I enjoy most crime thrillers and mysteries but I can't say I enjoyed this one much. I found it somewhat disjointed which is a shame considering I loved "Where She Lies" (the first one) and was looking forward to this one. However, I found THE CHILD BEFORE lacking in depth and believability. Unlike most books where everything is tied up neatly, this book fails to do so. I was left with unanswered questions as to what happened to the child that disappeared in 1954 and its mother now in a sanatorium, amongst other things. If you are going to introduce a mystery from half a century ago, the least you can do is bring some form of closure to it in solving it! The only answer we got for it was a "monster". Instead, it's just filed away as something or other one can't be bothered to deal with. I was most disappointed and felt cheated.
While the book does move at a decent pace, I found it a disappointing follow-up to the first Beck novel and I hope the third one is an improvement.
I would like to thank #MichaelScanlon, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheChildBefore in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/
August 22, 2019
DS Finn Beck is back .. still in the small Irish town to which he was banished from Dublin. He has put in for a transfer back to Dublin since his name was cleared. But first he has a case to solve.
A young mother is found brutally slain lying in her car on a remote road. What's even worse is the child's car seat in the back ... but no baby. Has the baby been left with someone ..or has someone taken the child? Was the mother the primary target? .. or just a way to get to the child?
This girl child is not the first one to go missing in this particular area. Fifty years ago another child disappeared and whose body was never found.
Beck is anxious to get back to Dublin, but he's afraid if he leaves now, there's a chance that everyone will quit looking for the child ... just like they did before.
DS Beck is a man with issues ... he needs anger management and he's an alcoholic, having just recently started attending AA meetings. He's really a good man at heart and wants nothing more than justice for victims of crime.
This is a well written story, going back and forth between the present day missing child and the one from decades before. Taking place in Ireland, the author makes use of old Irish folklore and really interesting small village residents. There's plenty of action, plenty of suspects with suspense that begins on the very first page.
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
A young mother is found brutally slain lying in her car on a remote road. What's even worse is the child's car seat in the back ... but no baby. Has the baby been left with someone ..or has someone taken the child? Was the mother the primary target? .. or just a way to get to the child?
This girl child is not the first one to go missing in this particular area. Fifty years ago another child disappeared and whose body was never found.
Beck is anxious to get back to Dublin, but he's afraid if he leaves now, there's a chance that everyone will quit looking for the child ... just like they did before.
DS Beck is a man with issues ... he needs anger management and he's an alcoholic, having just recently started attending AA meetings. He's really a good man at heart and wants nothing more than justice for victims of crime.
This is a well written story, going back and forth between the present day missing child and the one from decades before. Taking place in Ireland, the author makes use of old Irish folklore and really interesting small village residents. There's plenty of action, plenty of suspects with suspense that begins on the very first page.
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
May 18, 2019
Detective Finnegan #2
3.5⭐️ rounded up to 4.
The first few chapters alternate between the present time and the past (1950's). The past is told by a young boys point of view. He saw his mother being taken away by the police after her baby had disappeared. The present tells us the story of Detective Finnegan Beck who struggles with alcohol. He likes to do things his own way. A body of a local woman is found in her car and Beck is shocked to find an empty baby carrier in the back seat. Then a second body is discovered and the crime moves closer to home. There is quite a lot going on in this book. There are many twists and surprises along the way. I never guessed who the killer was, but I was not shocked by it either. Although this book is part of a series, it could be read as a standalone.
I would like to thank NetGalley,Bookouture and the author Michael Scanlon for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
3.5⭐️ rounded up to 4.
The first few chapters alternate between the present time and the past (1950's). The past is told by a young boys point of view. He saw his mother being taken away by the police after her baby had disappeared. The present tells us the story of Detective Finnegan Beck who struggles with alcohol. He likes to do things his own way. A body of a local woman is found in her car and Beck is shocked to find an empty baby carrier in the back seat. Then a second body is discovered and the crime moves closer to home. There is quite a lot going on in this book. There are many twists and surprises along the way. I never guessed who the killer was, but I was not shocked by it either. Although this book is part of a series, it could be read as a standalone.
I would like to thank NetGalley,Bookouture and the author Michael Scanlon for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 5, 2019
This is the second book in the Finnegan Beck series, about a troubled alcoholic detective, set in a small town in Galway, Ireland. The first, Where She Lies, was a solid four star read for me, but this one took me a lot longer to get into, although it did improve in the second half. While not terribly original, the author has created an interesting main character and the mystery did have me intrigued enough to stay up late finishing it.
A young woman is found dead in her car in the countryside, her throat slashed, and her baby is missing. Beck and his team discover a range of suspects, including the violent ex, nervous current partner, the brother recently returned from Australia, and the smarmy local supermarket owner, each of whom seem to be hiding a guilty secret. And this is not the first baby to disappear - in 1954 a young boy watches as his mother is taken away to an institution for murdering his baby sister, but her body was never found. Meanwhile in the present, Beck is struggling to stay on the wagon and dodging calls from his ex in Dublin, and his junior partner Claire's marriage is in trouble. Will they put their personal problems aside long enough to solve the heinous crime?
My biggest problem here was the overly long, beautifully evocative but ultimately pointless scene-setting descriptive sections at the start of most chapters - at least a page every time. I'd find myself skimming over them to get to the actual story, but that made for a disjointed read as I'd worry I'd missed a clue, so the narrative dragged on and I kept stopping to check Facebook or Goodreads, but felt I should push on as it was an ARC and I did want to know what happened. This reduced in the second half as the tension ramped up.
Beck is not a likeable hero - there are more hints this time about traumatic events in his childhood that have left him damaged and difficult, but his renegade behaviour is hard to excuse, even if the suspects he bullies and assaults do have it coming to them. Claire makes a sympathetic counterpoint at least, and her relationship problems help humanise her. The other police characters are not particularly well fleshed out, and Gimball the pathologist, who was entertaining in the first book, is now a petty booze-soaked buffoon.
The subplot about the past mystery did add a layer of intrigue, I wasn't sure it was necessary to hide the boy's identity as it's reveal wasn't any kind of surprise, but his story was very sad and I liked the way it was resolved. Then there were various other threads that didn't really go anywhere and felt a bit like padding, like the ridiculous fake-Australian brother - seriously, no one talks like that! (I've lived in Aussie and there are lots of them here in NZ.)
On the plus side I didn't guess the killer's identity at all and definitely liked the ending.
Overall this was a slightly disappointing follow-up to book one, but I'm keen to continue the series, as Scanlon has great potential as an author if he can curb the overly wordy descriptions and focus on plot and character development.
My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC which allowed me to give an honest review. The Child Before is available now.
A young woman is found dead in her car in the countryside, her throat slashed, and her baby is missing. Beck and his team discover a range of suspects, including the violent ex, nervous current partner, the brother recently returned from Australia, and the smarmy local supermarket owner, each of whom seem to be hiding a guilty secret. And this is not the first baby to disappear - in 1954 a young boy watches as his mother is taken away to an institution for murdering his baby sister, but her body was never found. Meanwhile in the present, Beck is struggling to stay on the wagon and dodging calls from his ex in Dublin, and his junior partner Claire's marriage is in trouble. Will they put their personal problems aside long enough to solve the heinous crime?
My biggest problem here was the overly long, beautifully evocative but ultimately pointless scene-setting descriptive sections at the start of most chapters - at least a page every time. I'd find myself skimming over them to get to the actual story, but that made for a disjointed read as I'd worry I'd missed a clue, so the narrative dragged on and I kept stopping to check Facebook or Goodreads, but felt I should push on as it was an ARC and I did want to know what happened. This reduced in the second half as the tension ramped up.
Beck is not a likeable hero - there are more hints this time about traumatic events in his childhood that have left him damaged and difficult, but his renegade behaviour is hard to excuse, even if the suspects he bullies and assaults do have it coming to them. Claire makes a sympathetic counterpoint at least, and her relationship problems help humanise her. The other police characters are not particularly well fleshed out, and Gimball the pathologist, who was entertaining in the first book, is now a petty booze-soaked buffoon.
The subplot about the past mystery did add a layer of intrigue, I wasn't sure it was necessary to hide the boy's identity as it's reveal wasn't any kind of surprise, but his story was very sad and I liked the way it was resolved. Then there were various other threads that didn't really go anywhere and felt a bit like padding, like the ridiculous fake-Australian brother - seriously, no one talks like that! (I've lived in Aussie and there are lots of them here in NZ.)
On the plus side I didn't guess the killer's identity at all and definitely liked the ending.
Overall this was a slightly disappointing follow-up to book one, but I'm keen to continue the series, as Scanlon has great potential as an author if he can curb the overly wordy descriptions and focus on plot and character development.
My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC which allowed me to give an honest review. The Child Before is available now.
June 5, 2019
The Child Before is a taut and gripping thriller I'm glad I picked up. This book has a creepy prologue that sucks you right in! If crimes against children frighten you, this book is perfect. For those looking for that terrifying experience that comes with a missing baby, add in a similar and creepy cold case, this book is just the one. This book is the second in DI Beck series.
Set in Kelly's Forge and Cross Beg, Finnegan Beck is called to investigate the murder of a young woman in her car. Despite being on the job for a long time, when Beck sees the mutilated body, it chills him to the core. And then, he notices an empty baby seat in the back of the car - minus the baby! Little Róisín isn’t the first child to go missing from that same remote location though. There was another baby girl, taken more than fifty years before, who was never found. Has too much time passed for there to be a connection, or does something – or someone – link these two crimes?
Let it be noted, I certainly don't appreciate lead detectives just conveniently "dreaming up" stuff to help them solve a mystery. So I was really aghast when Beck did just that and wondered if I missed any part that said previously if Beck had some supernatural capabilities. I loved the start of this book, it's what kept me turning the pages. Cold cases that are gritty & deviant with those spine chilling details, keep me hooked; however, somewhere along the middle, this book seemed to have lost its magic, as Beck is needlessly called to another scene of crime and the focus shifts. Fortunately, the pace & my interest picked up again 70% into this book, so that in the end redeemed this book for me. Hence, with a heavy heart, I deducted a star.
Of all characters, I obviously like Finnegan Beck the most - he seems real to me. Not the perfect, polished copper but someone flawed, rough at the edges and battling his own demons. While book 2 can be read as a standalone, I wish I had picked up book 1 before getting on to this sequel as I feel I'd have gotten to know Beck more closely and better. The plot & premise of this book is good however I'd have been more impressed if there was a more substantial coverage & links to the cold case which basically is why this book is called - The Child Before. I won't give up this easy on DI Beck; he has a lot of potential.
I now find myself adding the first book to my TBR.
Thank you, NetGalley Bookouture & Michael Scanlon for an arc!
Set in Kelly's Forge and Cross Beg, Finnegan Beck is called to investigate the murder of a young woman in her car. Despite being on the job for a long time, when Beck sees the mutilated body, it chills him to the core. And then, he notices an empty baby seat in the back of the car - minus the baby! Little Róisín isn’t the first child to go missing from that same remote location though. There was another baby girl, taken more than fifty years before, who was never found. Has too much time passed for there to be a connection, or does something – or someone – link these two crimes?
Let it be noted, I certainly don't appreciate lead detectives just conveniently "dreaming up" stuff to help them solve a mystery. So I was really aghast when Beck did just that and wondered if I missed any part that said previously if Beck had some supernatural capabilities. I loved the start of this book, it's what kept me turning the pages. Cold cases that are gritty & deviant with those spine chilling details, keep me hooked; however, somewhere along the middle, this book seemed to have lost its magic, as Beck is needlessly called to another scene of crime and the focus shifts. Fortunately, the pace & my interest picked up again 70% into this book, so that in the end redeemed this book for me. Hence, with a heavy heart, I deducted a star.
Of all characters, I obviously like Finnegan Beck the most - he seems real to me. Not the perfect, polished copper but someone flawed, rough at the edges and battling his own demons. While book 2 can be read as a standalone, I wish I had picked up book 1 before getting on to this sequel as I feel I'd have gotten to know Beck more closely and better. The plot & premise of this book is good however I'd have been more impressed if there was a more substantial coverage & links to the cold case which basically is why this book is called - The Child Before. I won't give up this easy on DI Beck; he has a lot of potential.
I now find myself adding the first book to my TBR.
Thank you, NetGalley Bookouture & Michael Scanlon for an arc!
August 8, 2019
A brutal murder, a true detective and a happy end. This is an interesting thriller with more or less likeble characters. Great read.
Thank you Netgalley for this book.
Thank you Netgalley for this book.
December 19, 2019
First, I would like to thank Boukouture publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a free Kindle ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
I typically do not like to read a book from the middle of a series if I have not read the first book, but the synopsis sounded intriguing and gave me the impression that I could read it as a stand-alone novel, so I took a chance on it.
When reading this book, you really forget that it is part of a series. It is easily read as a stand-alone novel. However, my biggest complaint with the book is its lack of character building, which perhaps occurred in the first installment in the series. The first book seems to have garnered a lot of positive feedback, so maybe I set myself and my review up for failure by reading this novel on its own.
Initially, the prologue gripped me. I was so excited to read this book because the prologue was full of imagery. I read the short prologue three times over because I wanted to soak in every word.
Unfortunately, that is where the fun stops, my friends.
This book was exceedingly boring. For a mystery, one would expect some intrigue, case development, and police detective work. Honestly, I just felt as though I was watching Detective Inspector Beck Finnegan wait for someone to hand him the killer on a silver platter without lifting a single finger. Not only is Beck completely devoid of character, but he is painfully boring to read about. He doesn't do anything. He doesn't investigate anything. He doesn't really talk to anyone in the book or even the reader. The author sums up his lackluster qualities perfectly when Mikey says to Beck, "You're emotionally stunted, mate, you know that?" and the author narrates, "Beck did not reply, thought: I already know that." (This is an irritatingly incomplete sentence, by the way.)
The excellent writing in the prologue did not carry on throughout the book. Instead, obnoxiously short chapters composed of choppy, short sentences take hold. For instance:
"It was cold now in the room. And with it came a feeling, solid and heavy, pressing down on him. Which was this. The baby was dead. God, he thought. Please. God. Let me be wrong."
By this point, I had lost all hope that the book would redeem itself. I refuse to DNF books, so I carried forward, but I struggled to stay focused and kept getting lost jumping between characters (since there is nothing really unique about anyone). Again, perhaps I could have appreciated this book more if I had read the first novel in the series, but I found this book to be rather disappointing.
I typically do not like to read a book from the middle of a series if I have not read the first book, but the synopsis sounded intriguing and gave me the impression that I could read it as a stand-alone novel, so I took a chance on it.
When reading this book, you really forget that it is part of a series. It is easily read as a stand-alone novel. However, my biggest complaint with the book is its lack of character building, which perhaps occurred in the first installment in the series. The first book seems to have garnered a lot of positive feedback, so maybe I set myself and my review up for failure by reading this novel on its own.
Initially, the prologue gripped me. I was so excited to read this book because the prologue was full of imagery. I read the short prologue three times over because I wanted to soak in every word.
Unfortunately, that is where the fun stops, my friends.
This book was exceedingly boring. For a mystery, one would expect some intrigue, case development, and police detective work. Honestly, I just felt as though I was watching Detective Inspector Beck Finnegan wait for someone to hand him the killer on a silver platter without lifting a single finger. Not only is Beck completely devoid of character, but he is painfully boring to read about. He doesn't do anything. He doesn't investigate anything. He doesn't really talk to anyone in the book or even the reader. The author sums up his lackluster qualities perfectly when Mikey says to Beck, "You're emotionally stunted, mate, you know that?" and the author narrates, "Beck did not reply, thought: I already know that." (This is an irritatingly incomplete sentence, by the way.)
The excellent writing in the prologue did not carry on throughout the book. Instead, obnoxiously short chapters composed of choppy, short sentences take hold. For instance:
"It was cold now in the room. And with it came a feeling, solid and heavy, pressing down on him. Which was this. The baby was dead. God, he thought. Please. God. Let me be wrong."
By this point, I had lost all hope that the book would redeem itself. I refuse to DNF books, so I carried forward, but I struggled to stay focused and kept getting lost jumping between characters (since there is nothing really unique about anyone). Again, perhaps I could have appreciated this book more if I had read the first novel in the series, but I found this book to be rather disappointing.
August 12, 2019
DI Finnegan Beck has been banished to Cross Beg after an incident at his former post in Dublin. He's adjusting to life in the Cross Beg Garda Station and attending AA meetings. In this second book in the series, Beck and his team are confronted with the slashing murder of a young female in a car out on a lonely road. The biggest problem is that Beck notices that there is a car seat in the back of the vehicle, but no baby. This is classic Irish police procedural with the investigation throwing up clues and suspects and lots of questions. NO SPOILERS.
There is a lot going on in this story and it becomes complicated quickly. In addition, there's a whole second narrative involving the disappearance of a baby from the isolated Kelly's Forge, a Clachan of a superstitious and closed community in 1954. The reader knows there must be a connection to the current case, but it is a long time before any can be made. In between the forward action of the plot are long sections of description and detail about the area, history and landscape.
Beck is an interesting, but not really likable, character. He's brash, standoffish and obviously ridden with personal demons. Alcohol is his main friend, but he's trying to stay on the wagon. I think it may be too late for professional counseling to help him come to grips but I still am hopeful for his redemption. The reader sees glimpses into the other charcters' personal lives but they are still mostly just names on the page at this point. Perhaps they will be developed more in future books.
I enjoyed this and was able to finish it in a couple of hours. I'll want to read future installments in the series. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review.
There is a lot going on in this story and it becomes complicated quickly. In addition, there's a whole second narrative involving the disappearance of a baby from the isolated Kelly's Forge, a Clachan of a superstitious and closed community in 1954. The reader knows there must be a connection to the current case, but it is a long time before any can be made. In between the forward action of the plot are long sections of description and detail about the area, history and landscape.
Beck is an interesting, but not really likable, character. He's brash, standoffish and obviously ridden with personal demons. Alcohol is his main friend, but he's trying to stay on the wagon. I think it may be too late for professional counseling to help him come to grips but I still am hopeful for his redemption. The reader sees glimpses into the other charcters' personal lives but they are still mostly just names on the page at this point. Perhaps they will be developed more in future books.
I enjoyed this and was able to finish it in a couple of hours. I'll want to read future installments in the series. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review.
June 27, 2019
Having read Michael Scanlons first book Where She Lies and enjoying it, I jumped at the chance to read the second book in the series featuring Detective Finnegan Beck and set in the Galway town of Cross Beg.
The first few chapters alternate between present time and 1954 and blooming heck it gave me the shivers.
Present time the body of a woman is found in her car, brutally murdered and when a car seat is spotted in the back and a baby bottle lying in the footwell is found its soon realised a baby had been in the car and the hunt begins for little Róisín.
1954 and we’re taken to Kelly’s Forge where a young boy cowers under a blanket as his mother is questioned by the police about the disappearance of his little sister, covered in blood his mother talks of the monster that took her baby and as the boy watches his mother is taken away deemed mad.
Both stories had me totally gripped, any mysteries involving children always has me on the edge of my seat and The Child Before had me nearly on the floor and turning the pages at lightening speed.
I’ve found with this authors story telling that you really get a feel for all the characters, each one has a story or a secret and even if they aren’t a main character you still get a sense of who they are. It’s very cleverly written and certainly pulls you in.
Beck, well what can I say about him? He’s a likeable character, but a mysterious one and likes the drink a bit too much although he is now attending AA meetings and seems to be on top of it. I feel like the author is holding something back though with this character, like there’s more to tell about him and I like that, it’s exciting to think there’s more to find out about Beck.
I really enjoyed reading The Child Before, it’s filled with beautiful if not eery descriptions at times and gives you a real sense of the setting. It’s also filled with mystery and with plenty red herrings it wasn’t easy to figure out the who’s and why’s and it turned out to be quite a surprise.
I’ll definitely be recommending The Child Before and i’d say it could be read as a stand-alone but it would be helpful to read Where She Lies first, not only do you get a better insight into the characters that way but it’s a blooming good read too.
So I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from Michael Scanlon, hopefully soon.
The first few chapters alternate between present time and 1954 and blooming heck it gave me the shivers.
Present time the body of a woman is found in her car, brutally murdered and when a car seat is spotted in the back and a baby bottle lying in the footwell is found its soon realised a baby had been in the car and the hunt begins for little Róisín.
1954 and we’re taken to Kelly’s Forge where a young boy cowers under a blanket as his mother is questioned by the police about the disappearance of his little sister, covered in blood his mother talks of the monster that took her baby and as the boy watches his mother is taken away deemed mad.
Both stories had me totally gripped, any mysteries involving children always has me on the edge of my seat and The Child Before had me nearly on the floor and turning the pages at lightening speed.
I’ve found with this authors story telling that you really get a feel for all the characters, each one has a story or a secret and even if they aren’t a main character you still get a sense of who they are. It’s very cleverly written and certainly pulls you in.
Beck, well what can I say about him? He’s a likeable character, but a mysterious one and likes the drink a bit too much although he is now attending AA meetings and seems to be on top of it. I feel like the author is holding something back though with this character, like there’s more to tell about him and I like that, it’s exciting to think there’s more to find out about Beck.
I really enjoyed reading The Child Before, it’s filled with beautiful if not eery descriptions at times and gives you a real sense of the setting. It’s also filled with mystery and with plenty red herrings it wasn’t easy to figure out the who’s and why’s and it turned out to be quite a surprise.
I’ll definitely be recommending The Child Before and i’d say it could be read as a stand-alone but it would be helpful to read Where She Lies first, not only do you get a better insight into the characters that way but it’s a blooming good read too.
So I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from Michael Scanlon, hopefully soon.
May 31, 2019
The first six chapters for The Child Before alternate between the current narrative and the historical narrative. The historical narrative is by a young boy who sees his mother taken away by the local constabulary following the disappearance of her baby, the boy’s sister. Covered in blood the police believe she has killed her. And the identity of the lad when he grows up? What becomes of him?
The current narrative tells the story of Detective Finnegan Beck, a police officer who has been ‘relocated’ (demoted ) to Cross Beg from Dublin, and struggles with alcohol and his past experiences. Beck’s latest case involves the murder of Samantha Power and the disappearance of her infant daughter, Roisin.
Scanlon weaves a story with some colourful characters - Claire, Beck’s partner who has relationship issues of her own, Inspector O’Reilly who is not fussed with Beck, Vicky Beck’s potential love interest/journalist, and the bevy of characters who might be the main suspects in Samantha’s murder - Marcus Crabby (strange supermarket owner), Billy Hamilton (violent ex boyfriend and Roisin’s father), and Edward Roche, her current partner. There is also Mikey, Samantha’s brother who has spent time in Australia so he MUST have returned calling everyone mate and using slang (wink).
As the murder investigation gains momentum Beck discovers everyone has some secrets of their own and they are woven in to the storyline, sometimes a bit loosely for my liking. Towards the end of the book things all start to come together but some of the characters are still a little two-dimensional to be totally convincing. Beck is likeable however and Claire shows promise as a repeat character as well.
Unlike some books where the reader is left to ask what happened to each character, this book provides an epilogue that ties everything up neatly.
I enjoy most crime novels and thrillers. I liked this one but can’t say I loved it. I will read the prior Beck novel Where She Lies. I’ll be interested to see if it would be helpful to read the books together or whether they are ok as stand alone.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the advanced electronic copy of this book. I rate this 3.5 stars.
I think people who love crime, mystery and thrillers will enjoy this book.
Cross posting this review Netgalley and will appear on my blog (Instagram) aplace_inthesun prior to publish day.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the free advanced electronic copy of this book. I appreciate the opportunity to review this book.
The current narrative tells the story of Detective Finnegan Beck, a police officer who has been ‘relocated’ (demoted ) to Cross Beg from Dublin, and struggles with alcohol and his past experiences. Beck’s latest case involves the murder of Samantha Power and the disappearance of her infant daughter, Roisin.
Scanlon weaves a story with some colourful characters - Claire, Beck’s partner who has relationship issues of her own, Inspector O’Reilly who is not fussed with Beck, Vicky Beck’s potential love interest/journalist, and the bevy of characters who might be the main suspects in Samantha’s murder - Marcus Crabby (strange supermarket owner), Billy Hamilton (violent ex boyfriend and Roisin’s father), and Edward Roche, her current partner. There is also Mikey, Samantha’s brother who has spent time in Australia so he MUST have returned calling everyone mate and using slang (wink).
As the murder investigation gains momentum Beck discovers everyone has some secrets of their own and they are woven in to the storyline, sometimes a bit loosely for my liking. Towards the end of the book things all start to come together but some of the characters are still a little two-dimensional to be totally convincing. Beck is likeable however and Claire shows promise as a repeat character as well.
Unlike some books where the reader is left to ask what happened to each character, this book provides an epilogue that ties everything up neatly.
I enjoy most crime novels and thrillers. I liked this one but can’t say I loved it. I will read the prior Beck novel Where She Lies. I’ll be interested to see if it would be helpful to read the books together or whether they are ok as stand alone.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the advanced electronic copy of this book. I rate this 3.5 stars.
I think people who love crime, mystery and thrillers will enjoy this book.
Cross posting this review Netgalley and will appear on my blog (Instagram) aplace_inthesun prior to publish day.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the free advanced electronic copy of this book. I appreciate the opportunity to review this book.
June 4, 2019
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of The Child Before, the second novel to feature DI Beck of An Garda Síochána, set in the Galway town of Cross Beg.
Maurice Crabby wakes Beck to tell him he has found a body. When Beck gets to the scene he finds a young woman half in her car with her throat slashed. Worrying but not as worrying as the empty child’s car seat. Soon a major investigation is under way to find Samantha’s killer and locate baby Roisín.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Child Before which has several good twists and a well concealed perpetrator. The novel opens in 1954 with an unnamed young boy narrating the events of the evening his sister disappeared. This narrative alternates with the current day investigation for the first few chapters. To be honest it seems a bit pointless as only the reader knows about this missing baby and Beck doesn’t find out until near the end of the novel although it does make the reader think and speculate. The investigation is well done with plenty of blind alleys and red herrings as the team struggle to establish both motive and opportunity.
I would also like to comment on the descriptive passages which are almost poetic and give the reader an excellent sense of location and atmosphere. It is most unusual in crime fiction and an added bonus.
I’m still not sure if I like Beck so Mr Scanlon must be doing something right in his characterisation. He is a recovering alcoholic with connection issues. He seems uninterested in other people, unwilling to get involved or share. Then there is the strange relationship he has with his married ex. I can’t even pretend to understand what’s going on there. Of course he’s a smart investigator but likeable? My jury is still out on that one.
The Child Before is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
Maurice Crabby wakes Beck to tell him he has found a body. When Beck gets to the scene he finds a young woman half in her car with her throat slashed. Worrying but not as worrying as the empty child’s car seat. Soon a major investigation is under way to find Samantha’s killer and locate baby Roisín.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Child Before which has several good twists and a well concealed perpetrator. The novel opens in 1954 with an unnamed young boy narrating the events of the evening his sister disappeared. This narrative alternates with the current day investigation for the first few chapters. To be honest it seems a bit pointless as only the reader knows about this missing baby and Beck doesn’t find out until near the end of the novel although it does make the reader think and speculate. The investigation is well done with plenty of blind alleys and red herrings as the team struggle to establish both motive and opportunity.
I would also like to comment on the descriptive passages which are almost poetic and give the reader an excellent sense of location and atmosphere. It is most unusual in crime fiction and an added bonus.
I’m still not sure if I like Beck so Mr Scanlon must be doing something right in his characterisation. He is a recovering alcoholic with connection issues. He seems uninterested in other people, unwilling to get involved or share. Then there is the strange relationship he has with his married ex. I can’t even pretend to understand what’s going on there. Of course he’s a smart investigator but likeable? My jury is still out on that one.
The Child Before is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
July 24, 2019
Fast paced easy read. Despite it being rather gruesome it was a good bedtime read
May 10, 2019
Inspector Beck is an unforgettable character. He’s an alcoholic, a bullying, bad boy cop with a simmering but controlled violence. He has the poise and itch of a vigilante. He likes to do things his way and gets away with it. Claire makes her mark too in her personal and professional life. In truth, there are a dire collection of oddballs throughout the novel - an intriguing bunch of misfits. You couldn’t dream them up. I had to keep reminding myself that the novel was set in Ireland as it had a distinctly American flavour in parts (certain words and phrases) I thought Billy Hamilton was a tough type and had the swagger of a cowboy in a western. Was he really the town’s stud? Whoa, were they so desperate? My first impression was the descriptive nature of the writing style, which was skilled with enjoyable imagery. In parts, however, it was overpowering and almost made me lose my grip on the plot or vital details (buildings, searches etc.) Nevertheless, the Irish humour was there, and it was a highly entertaining read. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture.
August 4, 2019
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
The Child Before is the second book in the Detective Finn Beck mystery series by Michael Scanlon. Released 5th June 2019 from Hatchette on their Bookouture imprint, it's 357 pages and available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats.
I've enjoyed this series immensely. It opens with abruptly with the horrific (off page) murder of a young mother and her baby's disappearance. The author has a masterful control of dramatic tension throughout and I wound up reading it in one setting. Mr. Scanlon's technical expertise as a writer is impressive but it's the flawed and real characters which are the beating heart of this book. I don't think I'd really enjoy working with Beck, he's a loose cannon, alcoholic, flawed, with a tendency toward violence that's just barely under control. The secondary characters, his colleagues, especially Claire (a gay married coworker having a lot of personal issues in this book), are sensitively rendered with compassion and nuance. Although it's the second book in the series, the author is expert enough to impart the necessary back-story without spoon feeding; it works well as a standalone.
The sense of place is palpable. When reading, I could hear the accents and see the places in my mind so clearly. I love well written mysteries which are steeped in their settings. This one resonates.
This is a gritty procedural/thriller and as such has rough language and mature themes. There are potentially triggering themes of domestic violence, infertility, suicide, substance abuse, child abduction, and obviously violent death. All of them are appropriately represented in context, not glorified. The denouement includes several disparate subplots and has a satisfying climax and resolution.
This book would make a superlative choice for a mystery/crime bookclub, summer read, etc. I would recommend it to fans of Michael Connelly, Val McDermid, Deborah Crombie, and that crew.
Beautifully written, this series has made it onto my auto-follow list. Can't wait to see what comes next.
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
The Child Before is the second book in the Detective Finn Beck mystery series by Michael Scanlon. Released 5th June 2019 from Hatchette on their Bookouture imprint, it's 357 pages and available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats.
I've enjoyed this series immensely. It opens with abruptly with the horrific (off page) murder of a young mother and her baby's disappearance. The author has a masterful control of dramatic tension throughout and I wound up reading it in one setting. Mr. Scanlon's technical expertise as a writer is impressive but it's the flawed and real characters which are the beating heart of this book. I don't think I'd really enjoy working with Beck, he's a loose cannon, alcoholic, flawed, with a tendency toward violence that's just barely under control. The secondary characters, his colleagues, especially Claire (a gay married coworker having a lot of personal issues in this book), are sensitively rendered with compassion and nuance. Although it's the second book in the series, the author is expert enough to impart the necessary back-story without spoon feeding; it works well as a standalone.
The sense of place is palpable. When reading, I could hear the accents and see the places in my mind so clearly. I love well written mysteries which are steeped in their settings. This one resonates.
This is a gritty procedural/thriller and as such has rough language and mature themes. There are potentially triggering themes of domestic violence, infertility, suicide, substance abuse, child abduction, and obviously violent death. All of them are appropriately represented in context, not glorified. The denouement includes several disparate subplots and has a satisfying climax and resolution.
This book would make a superlative choice for a mystery/crime bookclub, summer read, etc. I would recommend it to fans of Michael Connelly, Val McDermid, Deborah Crombie, and that crew.
Beautifully written, this series has made it onto my auto-follow list. Can't wait to see what comes next.
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
May 15, 2019
The Child Before was my second ARC – thanks so much to Michael Scanlon and Bookouture for allowing me early access in exchange for an honest review!
Okay, so honestly speaking, this book was not my favorite thriller, BUT. And it’s a big but. AFTER finishing the book, I realized this is the second in Scanlon’s series featuring the main character, Detective Beck. And just like that, everything clicked for me. See, my biggest issue with the book throughout the story was the lack of real character depth. I struggled to connect with any of the characters, but especially Beck. Beck is an alcoholic, prone to bursts of violence, and seemed to bring a lot of baggage from his past. But the whole time I was reading, I kept thinking, what is his past??? I felt like his story just didn’t get flushed out enough for me to connect with him.
I’m honestly happy to report that this lack of connection was reader-error. Scanlon’s first book, Where She Lies, looks like it goes into all the questions I had throughout The Child Before. Originally, I didn’t think I would read anything else by this author. Now, I really want to read Where She Lies. Because character development issues aside, this story was intriguing. It is definitely more of a detective thriller, rather than psychological, but I do love stories like this where you’re on a journey with the detectives, trying to figure out whodunnit.
The story begins when a young mother is found murdered and her baby is missing. The police work to simultaneously figure out who murdered the woman and where the child might be – hoping the baby is still alive. This is the central mystery throughout the book, with some additional side stories about issues the characters are dealing with in their own lives, as well as a plot arc about another missing child from the same area, several decades prior. To be honest, I felt like some of the additional story lines wrapped up a bit too neatly at the end, but the main story did hook me in around half-way through the book.
So, overall takeaways: read the first one first! Then for sure check out this one. I bet if I’d read them in the right order, this would be more of a 4 star read for me, rather than a 3. But also, if you’re not as much into pure detective stories, this probably wouldn’t be for you either. I did enjoy the fact that the chapters were mostly very short, so I was able to read a couple and then put it down very easily. It never pulled me in to a point where I felt like I had to know what happened next, but it moved at a decent pace throughout. In the end, I’m glad I read it, and I’m excited to read Where She Lies, but it’s mostly an average book for me.
Okay, so honestly speaking, this book was not my favorite thriller, BUT. And it’s a big but. AFTER finishing the book, I realized this is the second in Scanlon’s series featuring the main character, Detective Beck. And just like that, everything clicked for me. See, my biggest issue with the book throughout the story was the lack of real character depth. I struggled to connect with any of the characters, but especially Beck. Beck is an alcoholic, prone to bursts of violence, and seemed to bring a lot of baggage from his past. But the whole time I was reading, I kept thinking, what is his past??? I felt like his story just didn’t get flushed out enough for me to connect with him.
I’m honestly happy to report that this lack of connection was reader-error. Scanlon’s first book, Where She Lies, looks like it goes into all the questions I had throughout The Child Before. Originally, I didn’t think I would read anything else by this author. Now, I really want to read Where She Lies. Because character development issues aside, this story was intriguing. It is definitely more of a detective thriller, rather than psychological, but I do love stories like this where you’re on a journey with the detectives, trying to figure out whodunnit.
The story begins when a young mother is found murdered and her baby is missing. The police work to simultaneously figure out who murdered the woman and where the child might be – hoping the baby is still alive. This is the central mystery throughout the book, with some additional side stories about issues the characters are dealing with in their own lives, as well as a plot arc about another missing child from the same area, several decades prior. To be honest, I felt like some of the additional story lines wrapped up a bit too neatly at the end, but the main story did hook me in around half-way through the book.
So, overall takeaways: read the first one first! Then for sure check out this one. I bet if I’d read them in the right order, this would be more of a 4 star read for me, rather than a 3. But also, if you’re not as much into pure detective stories, this probably wouldn’t be for you either. I did enjoy the fact that the chapters were mostly very short, so I was able to read a couple and then put it down very easily. It never pulled me in to a point where I felt like I had to know what happened next, but it moved at a decent pace throughout. In the end, I’m glad I read it, and I’m excited to read Where She Lies, but it’s mostly an average book for me.
June 3, 2019
I really enjoyed this book (and his first one) "Where She Lies" I love the character Becks - smart, dysfunctional but terribly dedicated to his job. Its lovely to have a detective novel set in the west of Ireland - I'm from Galway so nice to have local places mentioned like the Claddagh. I like the plot - his relationship with Natalie - close to the bone! I like the way he connects the past and present in "The Child Before".
Well done Mr. Scanlon ……….looking forward to more crime solving with Becks!
Well done Mr. Scanlon ……….looking forward to more crime solving with Becks!
May 28, 2019
excellent follow up to the first book. Gripping to the end. Love the plot twists and turns. cannot wait for the third instalment. Michael Scanlon is one writer to watch for the future.
May 11, 2019
This is the first book I read by this author but it is the second book in the Detective Finnegan Beck Series by this author. This can be read as a stand alone novel and you do not have to read the first book in this series to understand this book.
This book is about a police detective, Beck, battling his own demons within while searching for for a killer who murdered a mother and possibly a baby. I loved how Beck was portrayed in this book. He was an alcoholic searching for a killer and would stop at nothing to find out the truth.
I also liked there were so many twists and turns throughout the whole book. You never knew what surprise was go to happen next. This book had me holding my breathe up til the end. I would have never guessed who the killer was. I just love books like this.
Between the plot, characters and all the twists in this book it made it an easy and fast read. I would definitely recommend it and happily give it 5 Hearts❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
This book is about a police detective, Beck, battling his own demons within while searching for for a killer who murdered a mother and possibly a baby. I loved how Beck was portrayed in this book. He was an alcoholic searching for a killer and would stop at nothing to find out the truth.
I also liked there were so many twists and turns throughout the whole book. You never knew what surprise was go to happen next. This book had me holding my breathe up til the end. I would have never guessed who the killer was. I just love books like this.
Between the plot, characters and all the twists in this book it made it an easy and fast read. I would definitely recommend it and happily give it 5 Hearts❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
May 11, 2019
This is the first book that I’ve read by this author. I didn’t know that this was the second book in the series, but i got straight into it and it would be great as a stand alone book.
I love how we got to know the main character, Beck, throughout the book and the way he works with his team to find a murderer.
This book was slightly different to ones I normally read and I had to read back on couple of pages a couple of times but it was still an amazing book. There is lots of twists and turns throughout the book and it is full of surprises. I thought I knew who the killer was halfway through but I was totally wrong.
Other than going back a couple of times to recap what I read, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I look forward to the next instalment. Thank you for the advance copy 👌
I love how we got to know the main character, Beck, throughout the book and the way he works with his team to find a murderer.
This book was slightly different to ones I normally read and I had to read back on couple of pages a couple of times but it was still an amazing book. There is lots of twists and turns throughout the book and it is full of surprises. I thought I knew who the killer was halfway through but I was totally wrong.
Other than going back a couple of times to recap what I read, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I look forward to the next instalment. Thank you for the advance copy 👌
May 6, 2019
I also read the first book in the series and think both are brilliant. I love the slow unwinding of the different strands in the plot of The Child Before. This is not a bang and fireworks on every page type of book, and that's what I love about it. The juxtaposition of the 1950s with the present intrigued me. This book has great writing, it really has, and is full of atmosphere and suspense. Well deserved five stars. Thanks for the advance copy of the book.
May 30, 2019
I had high hopes for this one, perhaps too high. I would rate this at 2, maybe 2.5, stars out 5. My reasons for this being numerous. Firstly, I found the first third of the book to be much of a nothingness. Very little went on in those first 30 chapters, in spite of the alternating narrative voices, one present-day and one from 1954, when a child went missing and it's mother was remanded upon suspicion of having murdered her own baby. She maintained claims that it had been a monster that lived in the woods that had taken and killed the child which could've been a gateway to a much darker and more macabre story but ultimately it fell short.
I also had a problem with the over the top descriptions used; at one point, the author even explains to the reader what a shadow is. I felt like I was being treated as an idiot and it was reminiscent of a child's creative writing assignment where they try to cram in every big word and clever-sounding phrase they know.
I winced at the typicality of some of the character representations; the dark, brooding detective inspector with his troubled past, the lone wolf with the dark secret and complicated, unfinished relationship with a woman we never meet. Oh and of course he's a recovering alcoholic... You know the old trope; we've all come across this guy before!
Alongside all this are some confusing subplots which I believe were meant to provide character background but they fell flat, leaving all the characters one-dimensional and hard to distinguish from each other. I found myself going back to see if I'd encountered a character before and what I knew about them, they were all so unmemorable.
In spite of all of these negatives, and because I don't enjoy giving too harsh a review, I feel it is important to point out the good points that contributed to the 2/2.5 stars I awarded this book.
Some of the descriptive language is good, some of the imagery is haunting and I did feel that, having not read the first book in this series, I might have been missing something I'd have found in that book that would've added to this one. Maybe that's more of a 'benefit of the doubt' allowance than a good point but still. I think it is also worth pointing out that I read this book in short bursts over the course of a few days which could very well be why I didn't feel immersed in a taut thriller like I wanted to be. There was also the problem of the language barrier for me; a lot of Irish words that went right over my head.
The story overall has a good plot but it wasn't utilised in the best way and the wrap-up at the end was cheesy and unnecessary and didn't actually answer all the questions I had. Sorry Michael Scanlon: it's a no from me.
I also had a problem with the over the top descriptions used; at one point, the author even explains to the reader what a shadow is. I felt like I was being treated as an idiot and it was reminiscent of a child's creative writing assignment where they try to cram in every big word and clever-sounding phrase they know.
I winced at the typicality of some of the character representations; the dark, brooding detective inspector with his troubled past, the lone wolf with the dark secret and complicated, unfinished relationship with a woman we never meet. Oh and of course he's a recovering alcoholic... You know the old trope; we've all come across this guy before!
Alongside all this are some confusing subplots which I believe were meant to provide character background but they fell flat, leaving all the characters one-dimensional and hard to distinguish from each other. I found myself going back to see if I'd encountered a character before and what I knew about them, they were all so unmemorable.
In spite of all of these negatives, and because I don't enjoy giving too harsh a review, I feel it is important to point out the good points that contributed to the 2/2.5 stars I awarded this book.
Some of the descriptive language is good, some of the imagery is haunting and I did feel that, having not read the first book in this series, I might have been missing something I'd have found in that book that would've added to this one. Maybe that's more of a 'benefit of the doubt' allowance than a good point but still. I think it is also worth pointing out that I read this book in short bursts over the course of a few days which could very well be why I didn't feel immersed in a taut thriller like I wanted to be. There was also the problem of the language barrier for me; a lot of Irish words that went right over my head.
The story overall has a good plot but it wasn't utilised in the best way and the wrap-up at the end was cheesy and unnecessary and didn't actually answer all the questions I had. Sorry Michael Scanlon: it's a no from me.
July 2, 2019
This is the sort of book you sink into--the author has a gift for atmospheric scene setting that pulls you in and doesn't let you go. I found the parallel stories of the two children (one dead, one missing) very intriguing--I love stories that cut between different points of view, and the device was used well here. The story kept me guessing until the end, well into the evening!
June 10, 2019
Irish detective Finnegan Beck is called in to investigate the murder of a young mother and the disappearance of her baby daughter. A horrific crime but with a strong connection to a deserted village where a baby was murdered in the 1950s. Has this baby met the same fate?
This is the second book to feature Beck and this time it focuses much more on the solving of the crime and police procedure whereas the first book was more connected with Beck’s personal life. Once again though, he is forced to confront his own demons and the lines between personal and professional life are blurred.
I liked the flashback chapters which describe the 1950s and they contrast sharply with the modern day in terms of the attitude of the police and the way that a case is handled. It left lots of mystery as the reader waits to find out how that case relates to the one in the present.
The style of writing is easy to read and I enjoyed the Irish lilt to the dialogue. The chapters are short which makes the book fast paced and suited me perfectly as I could fit a couple of chapters around motherhood and work commitments 🙂
The emotional background of the police detectives is explored to give depth to their characters. The focus isn’t just on the lead detective but also his colleagues who are dealing with personal battles.
I expected there to be more fallout from the previous book but there was little so this book works well as a stand alone read. The character of Beck continues to evoke sympathy in the reader as he fights alcoholism and supports his colleagues.
I wonder what the next book in the series will bring…
This is the second book to feature Beck and this time it focuses much more on the solving of the crime and police procedure whereas the first book was more connected with Beck’s personal life. Once again though, he is forced to confront his own demons and the lines between personal and professional life are blurred.
I liked the flashback chapters which describe the 1950s and they contrast sharply with the modern day in terms of the attitude of the police and the way that a case is handled. It left lots of mystery as the reader waits to find out how that case relates to the one in the present.
The style of writing is easy to read and I enjoyed the Irish lilt to the dialogue. The chapters are short which makes the book fast paced and suited me perfectly as I could fit a couple of chapters around motherhood and work commitments 🙂
The emotional background of the police detectives is explored to give depth to their characters. The focus isn’t just on the lead detective but also his colleagues who are dealing with personal battles.
I expected there to be more fallout from the previous book but there was little so this book works well as a stand alone read. The character of Beck continues to evoke sympathy in the reader as he fights alcoholism and supports his colleagues.
I wonder what the next book in the series will bring…
June 6, 2019
This review was originally posted on Star Crossed Reviews I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Thank you to bookouture for my copy of this book via Netgalley and for letting me take part in this tour. I really enjoyed the first book in this series so I knew I had to read this book. This can be read as a standalone like most detective series but you will get more from the surrounding story if you read the first book.
Detective Beck is back and this time he is investigating the death of a young girl and a missing baby girl. Beck is still dealing with a lot of ghosts but since the last book, he is trying to overcome them. I really like Detective Beck. He is smart, instinctive and determined.
Alongside Beck, we have Claire Sommers. Claire is another character that I like. She has a lot of potential and I think she will go far. I can't wait to see her develop.
Michael does an excellent job of weaving this story. I did not guess who the killer was at any point before it was revealed. There were lots of threads to the story that slowly came together I like Michael's writing style and the pace was good. There is a good amount of action and tension in this story.
This story was gripping and addictive and I can't wait to return to this series again.
Detective Beck is back and this time he is investigating the death of a young girl and a missing baby girl. Beck is still dealing with a lot of ghosts but since the last book, he is trying to overcome them. I really like Detective Beck. He is smart, instinctive and determined.
Alongside Beck, we have Claire Sommers. Claire is another character that I like. She has a lot of potential and I think she will go far. I can't wait to see her develop.
Michael does an excellent job of weaving this story. I did not guess who the killer was at any point before it was revealed. There were lots of threads to the story that slowly came together I like Michael's writing style and the pace was good. There is a good amount of action and tension in this story.
This story was gripping and addictive and I can't wait to return to this series again.
May 7, 2019
Detective Finnegan Beck is back for his second outing, troubled but maybe not quite as much as he was. Still in Cross Beg, but missing Dublin, he is totally immersed in a new investigation which worries not only him but the whole community. Added to this Beck has to deal with problems of his own making, a partner whose private life is unravelling and a volatile set of suspects seemingly intent on destroying themselves.
When the body of a local woman is found in her car Beck is horrified to discover an empty baby carrier in the back seat. Running alongside this case are memories from the early 1950s which have haunted one of the suspects ever since. When a second body is discovered the crime moves much closer to home and makes solving both crimes much more personal.
Once again there is a huge amount going on in this story and although occasionally I found there was a little too much scene setting it is a very good read and I am hoping for a third outing for this team of detectives.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys an intelligently written crime novel or who read the previous story; neither will be disappointed.
When the body of a local woman is found in her car Beck is horrified to discover an empty baby carrier in the back seat. Running alongside this case are memories from the early 1950s which have haunted one of the suspects ever since. When a second body is discovered the crime moves much closer to home and makes solving both crimes much more personal.
Once again there is a huge amount going on in this story and although occasionally I found there was a little too much scene setting it is a very good read and I am hoping for a third outing for this team of detectives.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys an intelligently written crime novel or who read the previous story; neither will be disappointed.
June 4, 2019
I absolutely loved this book and loved it so much that when I finished it I bought Michael Scanlon’s first book and can’t wait to read it. I didn’t know when I started this book that it was the second in a series but was very happy to find out there was another one.
I don’t understand some of the low reviews of the book. This is truly a great book and not just a run of the mill boiler plate mystery book that has been written so extensively lately.
The book takes place in Ireland and has kept a lot of old Irish folklore. The story is basically about the killing of a young mother and the abduction of her baby daughter. This also parallels a murder of a young baby in 1954 in the same area.
Detective Finnegan Beck is in charge of the murder while fighting his own demons. I thought his character was very well written and I will enjoy reading more about him in the first book in the series.
I highly recommend this book and thank NetGalley and Bookouture and of course Michael Scanlon for letting me read this advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review. 5 stars for sure!
I don’t understand some of the low reviews of the book. This is truly a great book and not just a run of the mill boiler plate mystery book that has been written so extensively lately.
The book takes place in Ireland and has kept a lot of old Irish folklore. The story is basically about the killing of a young mother and the abduction of her baby daughter. This also parallels a murder of a young baby in 1954 in the same area.
Detective Finnegan Beck is in charge of the murder while fighting his own demons. I thought his character was very well written and I will enjoy reading more about him in the first book in the series.
I highly recommend this book and thank NetGalley and Bookouture and of course Michael Scanlon for letting me read this advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review. 5 stars for sure!
June 9, 2019
This is the second book in the series featuring Detective Finnegan Beck and one that I was looking forward to reading. Beck is still in Cross Beg but yearns to be back in Dublin. He and his partner Claire are called out to a remote abandoned village where a cyclist has found the body of a young woman in her car. On investigating, Beck discovers an empty child’s car seat in the back, so there is a race against time to find the killer and her baby. The story moves from the present day to 1954 when another baby went missing and was never found. Beck has the job of trying to see if there are any connections between the two cases. There are lots of suspects and all of them have hidden secrets, Beck still has a lot of personal issues, the main one being a recovering alcoholic and his partner Claire is also having problems in her private life. This is a gripping crime thriller and I look forward to reading book number three in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
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