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The Forgotten Child
Lights blinded her in an eerie white flash. She yanked the wheel as she felt the impact from the car behind her. There was a sharp pain, and then a bang in front of her, and after that nothing but darkness.
Holly Kendal is trying to put her painful past and broken marriage behind her and focus on her beloved son, Milo. But while driving him home on a dark February night, Holly loses control on the rain-slicked tarmac, and her car spirals off the road.
When Holly regains consciousness, everything is silent and in the dark, she can’t see Milo. Desperately, she claws her way out of the car and forces the back door open.
To her relief, Milo is where she left him, injured but breathing – but then she sees something that makes her heart stop.
Milo isn't the only child in the car. Next to him is another little boy, unharmed but unconscious.
And Holly has absolutely no idea who he is.
Holly Kendal is trying to put her painful past and broken marriage behind her and focus on her beloved son, Milo. But while driving him home on a dark February night, Holly loses control on the rain-slicked tarmac, and her car spirals off the road.
When Holly regains consciousness, everything is silent and in the dark, she can’t see Milo. Desperately, she claws her way out of the car and forces the back door open.
To her relief, Milo is where she left him, injured but breathing – but then she sees something that makes her heart stop.
Milo isn't the only child in the car. Next to him is another little boy, unharmed but unconscious.
And Holly has absolutely no idea who he is.
335 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 27, 2019
264 people are currently reading
434 people want to read
About the author
D.E. White
24 books97 followersPseudonym for author Daisy White
Librarian's note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarian's note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
September 30, 2019
EXCERPT: Holly cut through the last bit of rope as (he) finished his call. She bunched her legs under her, arranging the rope around her wrists and ankles, ready for a moment when she could attack him. She was fairly confident that if he came close she would be able to tackle him before he pulled a gun. If he had a knife he might have a chance to use it, but she didn't care. She knew she would fight to the death as much as the boys were going to have to, for her son.
This was going to be it, her last fight. Without ropes or referees, without gloves or timers, she was going to fight not just for her life, but for all of them. Her muscles quivered, but she arranged her face into an expression of passive terror and let her old instincts rise.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Holly Kendal is trying to put her painful past and broken marriage behind her and focus on her beloved son, Milo. But while driving him home on a dark February night, Holly loses control on the rain-slicked tarmac, and her car spirals off the road.
When Holly regains consciousness, everything is silent and in the dark, she can’t see Milo. Desperately, she claws her way out of the car and forces the back door open.
To her relief, Milo is where she left him, injured but breathing – but then she sees something that makes her heart stop.
Milo isn't the only child in the car. Next to him is another little boy, unharmed but unconscious.
And Holly has absolutely no idea who he is.
MY THOUGHTS: I was expecting more of a psychological thriller than what I got, which was a very action based story of a family and community who thrive on the proceeds from drug dealing and human trafficking.
There were no characters that I particularly liked, except perhaps Devril, or Devil as Milo calls him. No, not even Holly.
It is, in parts, very repetitive. There were a couple of times that I almost threw in the towel. I felt no suspense, no sense of being thrilled at any point during the read and, on reflection, I am unsure why I bothered to finish it. The whole thing felt sordid and grubby. The cover, which I like, is the most atmospheric thing in the book,
Not my usual reading fare and not an experience that I am planning to repeat.
Reading is a personal and subjective experience, and what appeals to one may not please another. So if you enjoyed the excerpt from The Forgotten Child, and the plot outline appeals, please do go ahead and read it.
😖😖
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Daisy White is the best-selling author of The Ruby Baker Seaside Mysteries, set in 1960’s Brighton and published by Joffe Books.
Her new psychological thriller ‘Remember Me’, published by HQ Digital (HarperCollins), is out Feb 2019, with another, Blindsided’ to follow in July 2019.
She lives on the Sussex coast and has two children, both of whom are bookworms, so it must run in the family!
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to HQ Digital via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Forgotten Child by D.E. White for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system, please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
This was going to be it, her last fight. Without ropes or referees, without gloves or timers, she was going to fight not just for her life, but for all of them. Her muscles quivered, but she arranged her face into an expression of passive terror and let her old instincts rise.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Holly Kendal is trying to put her painful past and broken marriage behind her and focus on her beloved son, Milo. But while driving him home on a dark February night, Holly loses control on the rain-slicked tarmac, and her car spirals off the road.
When Holly regains consciousness, everything is silent and in the dark, she can’t see Milo. Desperately, she claws her way out of the car and forces the back door open.
To her relief, Milo is where she left him, injured but breathing – but then she sees something that makes her heart stop.
Milo isn't the only child in the car. Next to him is another little boy, unharmed but unconscious.
And Holly has absolutely no idea who he is.
MY THOUGHTS: I was expecting more of a psychological thriller than what I got, which was a very action based story of a family and community who thrive on the proceeds from drug dealing and human trafficking.
There were no characters that I particularly liked, except perhaps Devril, or Devil as Milo calls him. No, not even Holly.
It is, in parts, very repetitive. There were a couple of times that I almost threw in the towel. I felt no suspense, no sense of being thrilled at any point during the read and, on reflection, I am unsure why I bothered to finish it. The whole thing felt sordid and grubby. The cover, which I like, is the most atmospheric thing in the book,
Not my usual reading fare and not an experience that I am planning to repeat.
Reading is a personal and subjective experience, and what appeals to one may not please another. So if you enjoyed the excerpt from The Forgotten Child, and the plot outline appeals, please do go ahead and read it.
😖😖
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Daisy White is the best-selling author of The Ruby Baker Seaside Mysteries, set in 1960’s Brighton and published by Joffe Books.
Her new psychological thriller ‘Remember Me’, published by HQ Digital (HarperCollins), is out Feb 2019, with another, Blindsided’ to follow in July 2019.
She lives on the Sussex coast and has two children, both of whom are bookworms, so it must run in the family!
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to HQ Digital via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Forgotten Child by D.E. White for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system, please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
October 3, 2019
Firstly, I have to say I love Daisy White's Ruby Baker series set in 1960s Brighton so I was thrilled to see her branch out into the psychological thriller genre. Upon reading the synopsis (blurb) for this book, I must say I was incredibly intrigued and excited by the the promising storyline. It was such a unique concept that left many questions as to how it might play out.
The story begins with Holly Kendal driving in the dark and driving rain with her young son Milo in the back, who is lost in the game he is playing that Holly has to keep telling him to turn it down so she could concentrate. Before long a car begins tailgating her at very close proximity with bright headlights blinding her in the rear view mirror. When another car is approaching from the opposite direction, seemingly on her side of the road, Holly must swerve to avoid colliding with him blasting her horn at the same time.
Meanwhile the car behind her is still hot on her tail, if not closer. Suddenly she is shunted from behind and tries to keep her own car on the road when the one behind rams her again. She over-corrects and ends up plummeting down the embankment and into the woods, stopping short of a tree. Both Holly and Milo are unconscious.
When Holly awakes, her first thought is of Milo as she scrambles in the twisted wreck in search of her son. Despite the pain shooting through her body, she climbs out and manages to open the back door to see Milo unconscious but unharmed. But then she sees Milo is not the only one in the backseat. There is a second child, also unconscious...and Holly has no idea who he is or where he has come from.
A passerby has seen the accident and called for emergency services despite not remaining at the scene (that alone is illegal here in Australia), and Holly finds herself and Milo transported to hospital along with the mystery child. She is given the all clear and Milo just has a few cuts and a broken leg, but the other child is not so lucky. He remains in a critical condition in a coma, his identity still unknown.
But things take a surprising turn when DNA taken from the mystery child reveals a familial link to Holly. How can that be? All her family are dead, except for her father and a childless aunt. So who is this mystery child?
And that is where any similarities to the outline for the story ends. What we are given instead is a story surrounding a criminal community and the families involved who thrive on the proceeds of drugs and human trafficking. While the story showed promise at the outset, the synopsis given was very misleading as it didn't really focus on the child at all but more about the seedier side of organised crime. The whole thing felt sordid and grubby, and was a disappointment. I couldn't even finish it so I've no idea how it all ended up or who the child was and how he fit into the story.
The few characters I met up to the point I gave up, I didn't like. Not even Holly. Her ex-husband was a piece of work. He cheats on her, moves in with his teenage bit of fluff and somehow everything that happens is Holly's fault. He is a classic narcissist who thrives on accolades of applause and attention and once he no longer receives that, he looks for it elsewhere. The fact that he was Holly's university lecturer should have been a red flag to her then. He basked in her adoration of him but when that wore off, he traded her in for a younger model. He was vile and I felt I needed a shower after listening to his tirade. Holly's father was once head of a criminal empire on the estate from which she came - something her ex-husband never let her forget. Her aunt still lived on the estate and she was OK, but I still think she had rose coloured glasses when it came to the estate. And I got exhausted listening to Milo.
Much of the book I found hard to follow and slightly convoluted. It chopped and changed from past to present without really much indication, making my head spin. I didn't know where I was half the time.
I was disappointed as I really expected more of a psychological thriller, and THE FORGOTTEN CHILD was more of an action-based story about organised crime. Not my cup of tea at all. It seems THE FORGOTTEN CHILD really was forgotten in this story.
However, reading is a personal thing and what appeals to one may not appeal to another. While I didn't particularly enjoy THE FORGOTTEN CHILD I'm sure there are many others who will. But don't judge by the synopsis as it is very misleading and not really about that at all (a pet peeve of mine). If you think you might enjoy it from what I've outlined, then why not give it a go?
I would like to thank #DEWhite, #NetGalley and #HGDigital for an ARC of #TheForgottenChild in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
The story begins with Holly Kendal driving in the dark and driving rain with her young son Milo in the back, who is lost in the game he is playing that Holly has to keep telling him to turn it down so she could concentrate. Before long a car begins tailgating her at very close proximity with bright headlights blinding her in the rear view mirror. When another car is approaching from the opposite direction, seemingly on her side of the road, Holly must swerve to avoid colliding with him blasting her horn at the same time.
Meanwhile the car behind her is still hot on her tail, if not closer. Suddenly she is shunted from behind and tries to keep her own car on the road when the one behind rams her again. She over-corrects and ends up plummeting down the embankment and into the woods, stopping short of a tree. Both Holly and Milo are unconscious.
When Holly awakes, her first thought is of Milo as she scrambles in the twisted wreck in search of her son. Despite the pain shooting through her body, she climbs out and manages to open the back door to see Milo unconscious but unharmed. But then she sees Milo is not the only one in the backseat. There is a second child, also unconscious...and Holly has no idea who he is or where he has come from.
A passerby has seen the accident and called for emergency services despite not remaining at the scene (that alone is illegal here in Australia), and Holly finds herself and Milo transported to hospital along with the mystery child. She is given the all clear and Milo just has a few cuts and a broken leg, but the other child is not so lucky. He remains in a critical condition in a coma, his identity still unknown.
But things take a surprising turn when DNA taken from the mystery child reveals a familial link to Holly. How can that be? All her family are dead, except for her father and a childless aunt. So who is this mystery child?
And that is where any similarities to the outline for the story ends. What we are given instead is a story surrounding a criminal community and the families involved who thrive on the proceeds of drugs and human trafficking. While the story showed promise at the outset, the synopsis given was very misleading as it didn't really focus on the child at all but more about the seedier side of organised crime. The whole thing felt sordid and grubby, and was a disappointment. I couldn't even finish it so I've no idea how it all ended up or who the child was and how he fit into the story.
The few characters I met up to the point I gave up, I didn't like. Not even Holly. Her ex-husband was a piece of work. He cheats on her, moves in with his teenage bit of fluff and somehow everything that happens is Holly's fault. He is a classic narcissist who thrives on accolades of applause and attention and once he no longer receives that, he looks for it elsewhere. The fact that he was Holly's university lecturer should have been a red flag to her then. He basked in her adoration of him but when that wore off, he traded her in for a younger model. He was vile and I felt I needed a shower after listening to his tirade. Holly's father was once head of a criminal empire on the estate from which she came - something her ex-husband never let her forget. Her aunt still lived on the estate and she was OK, but I still think she had rose coloured glasses when it came to the estate. And I got exhausted listening to Milo.
Much of the book I found hard to follow and slightly convoluted. It chopped and changed from past to present without really much indication, making my head spin. I didn't know where I was half the time.
I was disappointed as I really expected more of a psychological thriller, and THE FORGOTTEN CHILD was more of an action-based story about organised crime. Not my cup of tea at all. It seems THE FORGOTTEN CHILD really was forgotten in this story.
However, reading is a personal thing and what appeals to one may not appeal to another. While I didn't particularly enjoy THE FORGOTTEN CHILD I'm sure there are many others who will. But don't judge by the synopsis as it is very misleading and not really about that at all (a pet peeve of mine). If you think you might enjoy it from what I've outlined, then why not give it a go?
I would like to thank #DEWhite, #NetGalley and #HGDigital for an ARC of #TheForgottenChild in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
October 28, 2019
Holly, driving in the dark and rain with her young son Milo in the back of the car, gets run off the road and ends up wounded... and with an extra child in the car. Luckily, Holly and Milo are more or less ok, but the second child is not.
How this child came to be in the car, by whom he was put there and why, makes up for the biggest part of this story. However, although it is a big part of the story, it is not the whole story. The Forgotten Child is a story about a young woman, born and raised on an infamous housing estate in a criminal family, who desperately wants to escape her life and become someone different. How she does this is not by moving to the other part of the country or some such thing, it is by marrying a nice man, a cultured and well-off teacher, and having his child. This, sadly, is not the right way because the nice man turns out not to be so nice. So Holly is alone again, trying to hold on to stressfull job (which she loves) and fighting off family members who want her to come back and be a part of criminal activities.
The book starts of allright but quite soon I was a little lost between all the comings and goings of the family. There are three families but not all members of these families are the same sort of criminal. Some are trying to escape to a 'better' life, as Holly does, but not all succeed. Others become even more entangled in very, very bad things.
There are some very likable characters though, and once you get the idea of who is who and who did what in the past (and why), it becomes clear that things could get very nasty for Holly - or very good.
Which one it is, you have to find out for yourself.
Thanks to NetGalley for this digital review copy.
How this child came to be in the car, by whom he was put there and why, makes up for the biggest part of this story. However, although it is a big part of the story, it is not the whole story. The Forgotten Child is a story about a young woman, born and raised on an infamous housing estate in a criminal family, who desperately wants to escape her life and become someone different. How she does this is not by moving to the other part of the country or some such thing, it is by marrying a nice man, a cultured and well-off teacher, and having his child. This, sadly, is not the right way because the nice man turns out not to be so nice. So Holly is alone again, trying to hold on to stressfull job (which she loves) and fighting off family members who want her to come back and be a part of criminal activities.
The book starts of allright but quite soon I was a little lost between all the comings and goings of the family. There are three families but not all members of these families are the same sort of criminal. Some are trying to escape to a 'better' life, as Holly does, but not all succeed. Others become even more entangled in very, very bad things.
There are some very likable characters though, and once you get the idea of who is who and who did what in the past (and why), it becomes clear that things could get very nasty for Holly - or very good.
Which one it is, you have to find out for yourself.
Thanks to NetGalley for this digital review copy.
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August 2, 2020Did not finish
August 26, 2019
I so enjoyed this book I love this authors work and she has gone gangster and done it so good. Holly has tried to leave her past behind . she has split from her husband. she is trying to bring her Milo her son up she is driving home one night when someone drives her off the road when she wakes up there is another child in the car . and now she has to go back to her past and find answers . lies trust deceit in this book but a must read . this book is brilliant grips you from the 1st page
August 27, 2019
The title and description were so intriguing. Unfortunately the book did not live up to either. It really didn't focus on the child but was about the seedier side and organized crime. Writing was choppy and hard to follow. Not a good fit for me.
August 27, 2019
This book follows Holly Kendal on the search for answers about a boy appearing in her car after an accident. This search leads to danger and even more confusion. Holly struggles with her relationship with her unfaithful ex-husband, Tom, and encounters an old flame, Devril, who keeps reminding her of the past she is trying to forget.
The synopsis and title are a little misleading because the story isn't centrally focused on figuring out the identity of the child. That is more of a background conflict. The story focuses mostly on organized crime and Holly's family and past. This is a little confusing, but the plot that does take place isn't a bad one.
This book has a lot of different types of characters, some are good, and some are genuinely evil. It was interesting to see who wasn't faking their good intentions.
This book wasn't what I was expecting to read. I'm not very interested in organized crime, so the book wasn't really for me. I do think people who like reading stories with a more 'mafia' type of feel will enjoy it.
Thank you, NetGalley for sending me this ARC to review. All opinions are my own and honest.
The synopsis and title are a little misleading because the story isn't centrally focused on figuring out the identity of the child. That is more of a background conflict. The story focuses mostly on organized crime and Holly's family and past. This is a little confusing, but the plot that does take place isn't a bad one.
This book has a lot of different types of characters, some are good, and some are genuinely evil. It was interesting to see who wasn't faking their good intentions.
This book wasn't what I was expecting to read. I'm not very interested in organized crime, so the book wasn't really for me. I do think people who like reading stories with a more 'mafia' type of feel will enjoy it.
Thank you, NetGalley for sending me this ARC to review. All opinions are my own and honest.
September 26, 2019
Wow this book really starts with an adrenaline pumping introduction. As Holly is driving in the night she is being bombarded with hateful texts and is being tailgated by a van on a dark lonely road. The inevitable crash knocks her out for a while and when she wakes up there is a strange child in the car with her son. Where did this child come from? How and why is he unconscious in her car?
The mysteries continue to add up as secrets from the past come back to haunt not only Holly but her friends and family.
The characters develop well over the course of the book and I loved getting to know Holly and the other characters. I like how the story and the histories of each character meshed perfectly with the story making this a riveting read that I couldn't put down.
The story itself is intriguing it had me hooked from the beginning and there are numerous twists and turns throughout to keep the reader's interest. I thought I had worked it out several times but then the story twisted again and I had to rethink.
A brilliant book with a lot going on all the way through I loved it. 5 stars from me.
The mysteries continue to add up as secrets from the past come back to haunt not only Holly but her friends and family.
The characters develop well over the course of the book and I loved getting to know Holly and the other characters. I like how the story and the histories of each character meshed perfectly with the story making this a riveting read that I couldn't put down.
The story itself is intriguing it had me hooked from the beginning and there are numerous twists and turns throughout to keep the reader's interest. I thought I had worked it out several times but then the story twisted again and I had to rethink.
A brilliant book with a lot going on all the way through I loved it. 5 stars from me.
September 6, 2021
Holly is running. Several years ago her brother disappeared and his girlfriend were murdered. Was this the doing of her father ... a crime boss? She's making new life for herself and her young son... away from the family she's grown to hate and fear.
When she becomes involved in an auto accident, she finds that her child is not in the back seat ... her child has been replaced by a child she's never seen.
She has spent years trying to escape her past .. evidently someone will go whatever it takes to lead her back. Her abusive husband? Her crime-ridden family? And where is her son?
This was a bit of a slow starter ... with many characters being introduced. There are plenty of twists and turns leading to a conclusion that wasn't quite unpredictable. This was not the author's best ... but it won't keep me from reading her again.
Many thanks to the author / HQ Digital / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
October 22, 2019
A captivating story-line and a brilliant read!
Daisy White has delighted me with this clever and gripping contemporary psychological thriller. I was not prepared for the exciting and intense roller-coaster read this book inflicted on me! Although I had been expecting this to be more of a psychological thriller than it was, I was not in the least disappointed in this superb action-packed story about a community and family embroiled in drug dealing and human trafficking. Single mum Holly Kendal is run off the road and regains consciousness to find a mysterious child in the backseat of her car along with with her son. Who left the forgotten child and why?
The Forgotten Child was so full of drama and suspense that it had my heart racing and I was absorbed in the story from the start. Daisy White gave the reader a mixture of excellent characters, some of whom had appeal despite their flaws, though others were slightly less palatable and were meant to be scorned. Holly was strong, tough and edgy and I liked her enough to root for her throughout the story as the tangled and complicated connections in Holly's life were revealed and unravelled. This worked in retaining my interest and attention and I was never bored but instead, was lured ever deeper into this compulsive tale.
The book was a commanding read and the author’s talent made this a wonderful story that I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated for the entertainment it was. The ending was something of a surprise to me as I did not anticipate the conclusion.
Overall, I'd say that The Forgotten Child is a little gem and a book that I'm so pleased to have read!
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from HQ Digital via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
Daisy White has delighted me with this clever and gripping contemporary psychological thriller. I was not prepared for the exciting and intense roller-coaster read this book inflicted on me! Although I had been expecting this to be more of a psychological thriller than it was, I was not in the least disappointed in this superb action-packed story about a community and family embroiled in drug dealing and human trafficking. Single mum Holly Kendal is run off the road and regains consciousness to find a mysterious child in the backseat of her car along with with her son. Who left the forgotten child and why?
The Forgotten Child was so full of drama and suspense that it had my heart racing and I was absorbed in the story from the start. Daisy White gave the reader a mixture of excellent characters, some of whom had appeal despite their flaws, though others were slightly less palatable and were meant to be scorned. Holly was strong, tough and edgy and I liked her enough to root for her throughout the story as the tangled and complicated connections in Holly's life were revealed and unravelled. This worked in retaining my interest and attention and I was never bored but instead, was lured ever deeper into this compulsive tale.
The book was a commanding read and the author’s talent made this a wonderful story that I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated for the entertainment it was. The ending was something of a surprise to me as I did not anticipate the conclusion.
Overall, I'd say that The Forgotten Child is a little gem and a book that I'm so pleased to have read!
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from HQ Digital via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
October 30, 2019
I expected this to be a psychological thriller, but it was more about criminal activities and human trafficking.
Holly and her son Milo were driving in a dark road when they wete made to go off road by a car hitting them. When she became conscious, she found another child in the backseat who had a DNA link to hers. But she had no idea as everyone in her family were dead. The story moved on...
My first book by this author, I was excited with the initial parts of the story. They kept me enthralled and curious to know about the second child. But the book turned dark with human trafficking as it's concept which was not what I wanted to read at that moment.
The characters were pretty much unlikable, and the writing staccato going awry between past and present. My brain couldn't follow it easily. Organized crime was not my cup of tea, which was not told to me in the blurb. Found it to be quite misleading.
Overall it was an okay story.
Holly and her son Milo were driving in a dark road when they wete made to go off road by a car hitting them. When she became conscious, she found another child in the backseat who had a DNA link to hers. But she had no idea as everyone in her family were dead. The story moved on...
My first book by this author, I was excited with the initial parts of the story. They kept me enthralled and curious to know about the second child. But the book turned dark with human trafficking as it's concept which was not what I wanted to read at that moment.
The characters were pretty much unlikable, and the writing staccato going awry between past and present. My brain couldn't follow it easily. Organized crime was not my cup of tea, which was not told to me in the blurb. Found it to be quite misleading.
Overall it was an okay story.
September 28, 2019
I hate to write a review that is more negative than positive. Like other reviewers, I would not have chosen this book except for the synopsis about the car wreck and the extra boy in the car. The first few pages of the book were definitely engaging and I didn’t want to put the book down. But then the story took a turn. It was no longer about a mysterious boy in a car. There were pages and pages of dialogue. The story got more and more unrealistic. Definitely not my kind of book. Thanks to NetGallery and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 28, 2019
First of all I would say to anyone considering buying this book to ignore the early less than favourable reviews that have been posted. There was an original blurb written for this book which I don't think did it any favours. I read the book and expected one type of story but got something quite different, and I think it is this that has led to some lower star reviewers. I understand it has now been amended to a better description for the book. Holly had a difficult start in life, being the daughter of one of the criminal families who ran the Seaview Estate where drugs and crime were rife. After the unsolved death of her mother and then the disappearance of her brother when his girlfriend and baby were murdered, she took her life in a completely different direction and tried to leave the past behind. Although different, ultimately things were not really much better for her, and now she finds herself living nearby and once more trying to make a new life for herself and her young son. One night they are involved in a car accident but on regaining consciousness she finds an extra child in the wrecked car. With no idea who he is or where he came from, she finds herself thrown back into the past she so desperately wanted to forget and has to fight to keep hold of those she cares about whilst never knowing who she can trust anymore. Although the child in the title is important, this is really a story about rival family gangs and the competition between them on a run down drug infested estate, involving some members who want to break free of this lifestyle and others who want to immerse themselves fully and become top dogs. It was sad to read how most of the people who disliked the lifestyle were still not brave enough to try to do something to stop it, preferring to simply accept that's how things are or run away instead. Well written, the book had a slowish start, with a lot of characters to get familiar with, and for a while it was hard to see where the story was going. However the strands did later all start to weave together to reveal the truth, and the action at the end made up for it as all questions were finally answered and things made sense at last!
November 2, 2019
The Forgotten Child
by D. E. White
2 ⭐⭐
📘My Review📙
I found this story to be very boring and the characters unlikable. I could not connect with any of the characters.The story was more Organized crime not psychological thriller. If you like crime/ mob/ human trafficking type stories then this book is good for you. The blurt sounded really good but it is not what the book is really about. I found it to be quite misleading. This novel is REALLY about Holly and how she can’t lose her connection to organised crime. Not about Holly regaining consciousness after a car crash and finding a random child in her car. Even though this happens in first chapter of the book , and we find out who the child is pretty quick. Then the rest of the book is all about Holly and her connection to organized crime. Which is not something I have an interest in. Had they been more honest in the description of this book and the title of the book it would have gave readers more of an idea what they would have been reading and probably less bad reviews.
The author also switched from past to present in such a way it was not easy to follow. There is also ALOT of characters to keep up with in the two crime families so get a notebook ready. It would have been more better if the anonymous child was more of a feature of the story like the blurb states. I wanted to read this book on the basis of the blurb. Sadly the two do not match up. This just is not my type of book. Thank you netgalley , the author , and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
#TheForgottenChild #NetGalley
by D. E. White
2 ⭐⭐
📘My Review📙
I found this story to be very boring and the characters unlikable. I could not connect with any of the characters.The story was more Organized crime not psychological thriller. If you like crime/ mob/ human trafficking type stories then this book is good for you. The blurt sounded really good but it is not what the book is really about. I found it to be quite misleading. This novel is REALLY about Holly and how she can’t lose her connection to organised crime. Not about Holly regaining consciousness after a car crash and finding a random child in her car. Even though this happens in first chapter of the book , and we find out who the child is pretty quick. Then the rest of the book is all about Holly and her connection to organized crime. Which is not something I have an interest in. Had they been more honest in the description of this book and the title of the book it would have gave readers more of an idea what they would have been reading and probably less bad reviews.
The author also switched from past to present in such a way it was not easy to follow. There is also ALOT of characters to keep up with in the two crime families so get a notebook ready. It would have been more better if the anonymous child was more of a feature of the story like the blurb states. I wanted to read this book on the basis of the blurb. Sadly the two do not match up. This just is not my type of book. Thank you netgalley , the author , and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
#TheForgottenChild #NetGalley
September 27, 2019
I’ve read a number of D.E White’s (she’s also published under the name Daisy White) novels over the years so when I hear she has a new book out, it’s always a must read for me.
Holly Kendal is a single mum, trying her hardest to put her ex husband and troubled past behind her. She’s driving home with her son Milo when she skids off the road, crashing her car.
When she wakes up, she finds not only her son but another boy. Who is this child and where did he come from? Unable to rest until Holly knows who the boy is, she must look into her past and confront the secrets that lie there.
The Forgotten Child is a tense and intriguing thriller with a cast of fascinating characters.
Holly is a great character that you really can’t help rooting for. She’s worked hard to escape from her gangland past and built a new life for her and her son, working in call centre for the ambulance services, yet she still has an edge of toughness about her. Ugh and her ex husband, how she deals with him is beyond me!
The book was billed as a psychological thriller but it felt like it was edging more into a gangland thriller territory. This type of novel is not usually my cup of tea but D.E White’s writing draws me in every time!
I did feel that the boy who Holly finds in her car, the whole incident that starts the story, got a little forgotten in the overall story but of course that’s just my opinion.
The Forgotten Child is a gritty and intense read that’s packed with tension from that very first page.
Holly Kendal is a single mum, trying her hardest to put her ex husband and troubled past behind her. She’s driving home with her son Milo when she skids off the road, crashing her car.
When she wakes up, she finds not only her son but another boy. Who is this child and where did he come from? Unable to rest until Holly knows who the boy is, she must look into her past and confront the secrets that lie there.
The Forgotten Child is a tense and intriguing thriller with a cast of fascinating characters.
Holly is a great character that you really can’t help rooting for. She’s worked hard to escape from her gangland past and built a new life for her and her son, working in call centre for the ambulance services, yet she still has an edge of toughness about her. Ugh and her ex husband, how she deals with him is beyond me!
The book was billed as a psychological thriller but it felt like it was edging more into a gangland thriller territory. This type of novel is not usually my cup of tea but D.E White’s writing draws me in every time!
I did feel that the boy who Holly finds in her car, the whole incident that starts the story, got a little forgotten in the overall story but of course that’s just my opinion.
The Forgotten Child is a gritty and intense read that’s packed with tension from that very first page.
August 25, 2019
Overall: 2.5/5 Stars
Characters: 3/5 Stars
Believability: 3/5 Stars
Blurb: 2/5 Stars
Personal Opinion: 2/5 Stars
When I read the blurb for this book, I was really intrigued and excited to read it. I loved this really unique situation that left me questioning how it could play out. There were so many directions this could go.
The way this started, made me think that it was going to be this really intense read, but it didn't take long at all before I realized this book's focus wasn't about what you get in the blurb at all and I quickly became disappointed. The piece of the story that makes the blurb so intense and intriguing is only a very small thread through a very different story. This isn't to say that the book itself wasn't well written or interesting, because it was. It just wasn't what I was expecting at all and ended up not being to my tastes.
There is a heavy thread through this that deals with criminal activities, organizations and the families that make those up. Those aspects were treated in such a blasé way, I wasn't a fan. When combined with the difference in my expectations of what this was about, it made it difficult for me to enjoy the story.
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions stated are honest and my own.
Characters: 3/5 Stars
Believability: 3/5 Stars
Blurb: 2/5 Stars
Personal Opinion: 2/5 Stars
When I read the blurb for this book, I was really intrigued and excited to read it. I loved this really unique situation that left me questioning how it could play out. There were so many directions this could go.
The way this started, made me think that it was going to be this really intense read, but it didn't take long at all before I realized this book's focus wasn't about what you get in the blurb at all and I quickly became disappointed. The piece of the story that makes the blurb so intense and intriguing is only a very small thread through a very different story. This isn't to say that the book itself wasn't well written or interesting, because it was. It just wasn't what I was expecting at all and ended up not being to my tastes.
There is a heavy thread through this that deals with criminal activities, organizations and the families that make those up. Those aspects were treated in such a blasé way, I wasn't a fan. When combined with the difference in my expectations of what this was about, it made it difficult for me to enjoy the story.
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions stated are honest and my own.
October 17, 2019
Review for 'The Forgotten Child' by D. E. WHITE
Available to read and review on NetGalley
Well let me start with WOW!!! This was one of the best suspense/thriller books that I have rea din a very long time. It kept me constantly turning the pages and on the edge of my seat. The whole 'just one more chapter' definitely described me reading this. It was extremely well written and pulled me in from page one until I sadly fell out at the end. I loved the characters who were very strong and realistic. I loved the fact that it is set in the UK. Extremely well written I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thrillers, suspense and a good book in general. It was filled with twists and turns to keep me guessing and I would have never guessed the ending. I would definitely read more from this talented author and its just a shame I can't give it more than the 5 stars on Goodreads as it definitely deserve more. Well done D. E white you have definitely made a new fan here.
Available to read and review on NetGalley
Well let me start with WOW!!! This was one of the best suspense/thriller books that I have rea din a very long time. It kept me constantly turning the pages and on the edge of my seat. The whole 'just one more chapter' definitely described me reading this. It was extremely well written and pulled me in from page one until I sadly fell out at the end. I loved the characters who were very strong and realistic. I loved the fact that it is set in the UK. Extremely well written I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thrillers, suspense and a good book in general. It was filled with twists and turns to keep me guessing and I would have never guessed the ending. I would definitely read more from this talented author and its just a shame I can't give it more than the 5 stars on Goodreads as it definitely deserve more. Well done D. E white you have definitely made a new fan here.
September 28, 2019
Wow what a ride! From the very start of The Forgotten Child, the reader is pulled into a thrilling who done it type mystery. Holly is driving home with her son and getting vitriolic texts from her ex-husband when she is run off the road. When she comes to, she checks the back seat only to find a second boy is now suddenly in the car with them. How did he get there? Who is he? Who called the ambulance? This is just the start of this book and just one of the mysteries that are unraveled. I will not give out more of the plot because I don't want to spoil the book for other readers. I really loved that the characters and layers in this story were so complex. This was a very intricately woven tale that kept me guessing until the very end. Fantastic book!
*I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. *
*I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. *
August 21, 2019
I got this as a arc e book from Net Galley for my i pad. I enjoyed reading it. It had a good story to it. I hope to read more books by this author.
October 2, 2019
FBRC REVIEW :
DISCLAIMER :
I received an ARC( advance review copy) of this book for free from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you, NetGalley and HQ DIGITAl for providing me with an e-ARC of this book.
The synopsis is what sold me on this book. It had me intrigued so much that I had to pick this book up. The problem was that I soon realized that the story was going in a direction I did not expect at all. I wasn't really sure if that was a good thing or not. I kept reading it and kind of was not invested in the story after about 50 pages. After a couple of days, I picked it back up again and found myself pulled back into the story.
The story, the plot all of it was interesting and intriguing. The plot twists were not what I assumed would be at all. I did not expect the way the book ended. Those were the great things I found in the book.
The cons were difficult to ignore as it is vital to the story and to connect the readers to book and characters. The dialogues in the book were not natural. It felt forced and stilted a lot of the time. The interaction between the characters didn't feel like it was organic. There was no flow to it. This was frustrating as I wanted the dialogues to be natural and the conversations felt a lot like it was being forced and the responses didn't match the questions for some reason. This took away the enjoyment of the story.
The main character Holly is someone I didn't like as much. I didn't like the way she was behaving a lot of times, The whole cursing in front of the kids, not bothering to censor certain words were a few things I didn't particularly like about her character. She is also seemed to be having this weird character ARC that makes it hard to pin her down. Her life prior to her marriage and her life post-marriage are so vastly different. She keeps contradicting herself, her behavior and thoughts just were out of sync.
I don't know if the organized crime plotline was something I expected when I read the synopsis. But once I got over that, I was able to enjoy it. It wasn't a great book, but I liked it. I liked how the plot came about and how it concluded. I don't know if a certain character in the book would be able to do what he did in the end. It seemed improbable to me considering his age and the way he behaved also just seemed to be highly difficult to imagine.
There were a few characters that were part of the story, but we don't get to know much about their involvement or their contribution to a vital event in the book. So overall it was an OK book for me. The story and the plot were definitely intriguing and I did want to know how the story would end, but I didn't expect the twists or the climax. The dialogues need to be reworked in my opinion. Holly's character needs to be more clear in terms of her life and the various events that shape her. She is almost portrayed as this badass woman who is strong and courageous, but her inner thoughts and her actions do not match up to that character trait.
I gave it a 3 star rating. If you are interested in a book with good twists and unexpected climax definitely check it out and see if you like it.
DISCLAIMER :
I received an ARC( advance review copy) of this book for free from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you, NetGalley and HQ DIGITAl for providing me with an e-ARC of this book.
The synopsis is what sold me on this book. It had me intrigued so much that I had to pick this book up. The problem was that I soon realized that the story was going in a direction I did not expect at all. I wasn't really sure if that was a good thing or not. I kept reading it and kind of was not invested in the story after about 50 pages. After a couple of days, I picked it back up again and found myself pulled back into the story.
The story, the plot all of it was interesting and intriguing. The plot twists were not what I assumed would be at all. I did not expect the way the book ended. Those were the great things I found in the book.
The cons were difficult to ignore as it is vital to the story and to connect the readers to book and characters. The dialogues in the book were not natural. It felt forced and stilted a lot of the time. The interaction between the characters didn't feel like it was organic. There was no flow to it. This was frustrating as I wanted the dialogues to be natural and the conversations felt a lot like it was being forced and the responses didn't match the questions for some reason. This took away the enjoyment of the story.
The main character Holly is someone I didn't like as much. I didn't like the way she was behaving a lot of times, The whole cursing in front of the kids, not bothering to censor certain words were a few things I didn't particularly like about her character. She is also seemed to be having this weird character ARC that makes it hard to pin her down. Her life prior to her marriage and her life post-marriage are so vastly different. She keeps contradicting herself, her behavior and thoughts just were out of sync.
I don't know if the organized crime plotline was something I expected when I read the synopsis. But once I got over that, I was able to enjoy it. It wasn't a great book, but I liked it. I liked how the plot came about and how it concluded. I don't know if a certain character in the book would be able to do what he did in the end. It seemed improbable to me considering his age and the way he behaved also just seemed to be highly difficult to imagine.
There were a few characters that were part of the story, but we don't get to know much about their involvement or their contribution to a vital event in the book. So overall it was an OK book for me. The story and the plot were definitely intriguing and I did want to know how the story would end, but I didn't expect the twists or the climax. The dialogues need to be reworked in my opinion. Holly's character needs to be more clear in terms of her life and the various events that shape her. She is almost portrayed as this badass woman who is strong and courageous, but her inner thoughts and her actions do not match up to that character trait.
I gave it a 3 star rating. If you are interested in a book with good twists and unexpected climax definitely check it out and see if you like it.
November 8, 2019
Ugh. This unfortunately did nothing for me. From the goodreads synopsis, which I realize now is what I read, and which differs GREATLY from the one here in Netgalley, I was expecting more of a psychological thriller along the lines of - why does she not remember this child? Who is he to her? Is she going crazy? Is someone trying to make her think she is?
“Lights blinded her in an eerie white flash. She yanked the wheel as she felt the impact from the car behind her. There was a sharp pain, and then a bang in front of her, and after that nothing but darkness.
Holly Kendal is trying to put her painful past and broken marriage behind her and focus on her beloved son, Milo. But while driving him home on a dark February night, Holly loses control on the rain-slicked tarmac, and her car spirals off the road.
When Holly regains consciousness, everything is silent and in the dark, she can’t see Milo. Desperately, she claws her way out of the car and forces the back door open.
To her relief, Milo is where she left him, injured but breathing – but then she sees something that makes her heart stop.
Milo isn't the only child in the car. Next to him is another little boy, unharmed but unconscious.
And Holly has absolutely no idea who he is”
I just didn’t care, and honestly I felt kind of tricked by the synopsis I had read - even though there’s nothing untrue per ce in it, it paints the picture of a very different kind of narrative. I was tempted to one star, when I rarely do, not because the story itself was horrible, but I felt it was so far off the mark of what that synopsis painted for me. Even the title felt like a lie. It grabbed me, but the child isn’t “forgotten” imo - at the very least
The “accident”, the child’s appearance and even who the child was, was resolved quite early, and the rest was more crime/family drama and wasn’t really interesting to me. I kept loosing track of who was who, and how they all related within the crime families.
The actual story itself wasn’t the worst, but it wasn’t a good fit for me - the synopsis immediately pulled me in, and I wish the book had continued with that.
“Lights blinded her in an eerie white flash. She yanked the wheel as she felt the impact from the car behind her. There was a sharp pain, and then a bang in front of her, and after that nothing but darkness.
Holly Kendal is trying to put her painful past and broken marriage behind her and focus on her beloved son, Milo. But while driving him home on a dark February night, Holly loses control on the rain-slicked tarmac, and her car spirals off the road.
When Holly regains consciousness, everything is silent and in the dark, she can’t see Milo. Desperately, she claws her way out of the car and forces the back door open.
To her relief, Milo is where she left him, injured but breathing – but then she sees something that makes her heart stop.
Milo isn't the only child in the car. Next to him is another little boy, unharmed but unconscious.
And Holly has absolutely no idea who he is”
I just didn’t care, and honestly I felt kind of tricked by the synopsis I had read - even though there’s nothing untrue per ce in it, it paints the picture of a very different kind of narrative. I was tempted to one star, when I rarely do, not because the story itself was horrible, but I felt it was so far off the mark of what that synopsis painted for me. Even the title felt like a lie. It grabbed me, but the child isn’t “forgotten” imo - at the very least
The “accident”, the child’s appearance and even who the child was, was resolved quite early, and the rest was more crime/family drama and wasn’t really interesting to me. I kept loosing track of who was who, and how they all related within the crime families.
The actual story itself wasn’t the worst, but it wasn’t a good fit for me - the synopsis immediately pulled me in, and I wish the book had continued with that.
September 23, 2019
Holly Kendal left her husband when she discovered he was cheating, but Tom is furious that Holly took their son Milo with her. One rainy evening, Holly and Milo are involved in a car accident in which Holly blacks out. When she comes to, her relief that Milo is okay turns to confusion when she notices another young boy she has never seen before sitting in the back seat next to her son. This event is just the beginning of the danger Holly faces, but she will do whatever it takes to keep her son safe.
The premise of this book is so intriguing. Unfortunately, the mystery of the boy in Holly's car is answered early on. The book mainly focuses on Holly's secrets and her past and present dealings with organized crime. There are too many "bad guys" to keep track of and the story is full of violence and strong language and is not the domestic thriller I was hoping for. However, I read all types of mysteries and may have enjoyed it more if the story had been told differently. Except for the conversations between Holly and her best friend Cathryn, much of the dialogue is stilted and the narrative is often confusing. The book also includes letters written by an unknown boy to his father that further detract from the story.
The book starts strong, gets really slow in the middle, and has a tense, violent showdown between the main players in this drama towards the end. I was pleasantly surprised when things wrap up on a hopeful note at the very end. I wish I had known what this book was really like before I had begun so I wouldn't have been disappointed by the direction the story took. Holly is a memorable character, but this book wasn't really for me.
I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of HQ Digital. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
The premise of this book is so intriguing. Unfortunately, the mystery of the boy in Holly's car is answered early on. The book mainly focuses on Holly's secrets and her past and present dealings with organized crime. There are too many "bad guys" to keep track of and the story is full of violence and strong language and is not the domestic thriller I was hoping for. However, I read all types of mysteries and may have enjoyed it more if the story had been told differently. Except for the conversations between Holly and her best friend Cathryn, much of the dialogue is stilted and the narrative is often confusing. The book also includes letters written by an unknown boy to his father that further detract from the story.
The book starts strong, gets really slow in the middle, and has a tense, violent showdown between the main players in this drama towards the end. I was pleasantly surprised when things wrap up on a hopeful note at the very end. I wish I had known what this book was really like before I had begun so I wouldn't have been disappointed by the direction the story took. Holly is a memorable character, but this book wasn't really for me.
I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of HQ Digital. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
September 25, 2019
It is late at night and recently separated mom Holly is driving her son home. There is a car following too closely, there are horrible texts coming in on her phone, then a deer jumps out in front of them and the crash is imminent. When Holly wakes up, she is in her car, and looking for her son Milo. She finds him unconscious in the back seat, but he isn't alone. There is another little boy in her back seat as well. But who is he and why is he in her backseat next to her son?
I was intrigued by the blurb and I thought that more of the story would be about the child and finding out who he was. The story took a bit of an odd turn when we found out who the child was fairly early on but Holly's own child was kidnapped from her home. Holly grew up in a crime family and there were no shortage of possible suspects, her ex husband, his new girlfriend, an ex boyfriend of hers, her father, other crime bosses from the area, her "dead but not really" brother, so many choices. I was trying to figure it out and really did not figure it out until I read who it was. So that being said, kudos to the author for making me suspect everyone and then really throwing me for a loop with who it was and why.
My frustration lies in the title and in the blurb. They really have very little to do with the story. The car crash with random child in the car and the title are both very far from the main storyline. They are almost just a side note and not really a part of the story at all.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the book to review. This is my honest review.
I was intrigued by the blurb and I thought that more of the story would be about the child and finding out who he was. The story took a bit of an odd turn when we found out who the child was fairly early on but Holly's own child was kidnapped from her home. Holly grew up in a crime family and there were no shortage of possible suspects, her ex husband, his new girlfriend, an ex boyfriend of hers, her father, other crime bosses from the area, her "dead but not really" brother, so many choices. I was trying to figure it out and really did not figure it out until I read who it was. So that being said, kudos to the author for making me suspect everyone and then really throwing me for a loop with who it was and why.
My frustration lies in the title and in the blurb. They really have very little to do with the story. The car crash with random child in the car and the title are both very far from the main storyline. They are almost just a side note and not really a part of the story at all.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the book to review. This is my honest review.
November 10, 2019
Holly Kendal loses control on the rain-slicked tarmac, and her car spirals off the road. After the accident, when Holly regains consciousness, she desperately looked for her child. But Milo isn't the only child in the car. Next to him is another unharmed but unconscious little boy. She has absolutely no idea who the child is, not someone she saw before, but somehow he seemed to have an edge of familiarity. And with this child, all the devils she tried to left in the past come to her altogether.
When I began to read this story expected to be a story about a mysterious child, we don't know where he came from. But this story mostly about Holly Kendal who tried to stay away from her father's illegal works, after she lost, firstly her mother and later her brother. She tried to leave everything illegal behind and married. But later she was divorced and trying to protect her child she found herself in everything she thought she left behind.
Firstly, I enjoyed learning more about her and her life and the mysterious child and this is well written and a good story, but at some point, I give up to care about what will happen to her. So it was ok but was not what I expected.
Thanks to #NetGalley and the HQ Digital providing me a copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review.
When I began to read this story expected to be a story about a mysterious child, we don't know where he came from. But this story mostly about Holly Kendal who tried to stay away from her father's illegal works, after she lost, firstly her mother and later her brother. She tried to leave everything illegal behind and married. But later she was divorced and trying to protect her child she found herself in everything she thought she left behind.
Firstly, I enjoyed learning more about her and her life and the mysterious child and this is well written and a good story, but at some point, I give up to care about what will happen to her. So it was ok but was not what I expected.
Thanks to #NetGalley and the HQ Digital providing me a copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review.
August 28, 2019
I had the opportunity to read an advanced copy of The Forgotten Child by D.E.White. Right from the start I was hooked.
Holly Kendall, a recently divorced mom to her only son Milo were driving home on a terribly dark raining night. A car came out of nowhere and road rage ensued behind her. There was no place to pull over sand Molly careened off the side of a mountain. She blacked out and when she came too she frantically started looking for Milo, but she saw someone else next to him, a little boy, she had no idea where he came from.
While in the hospital the police come to interview her and we come to learn she has a past with one of the officers. I liked how the author didn’t play out their encounter and we learned a little about Molly’s past, her family, her hometown and the cast of characters she grew up with.
This book had me at the edge of my seat throughout. Organized crime, police presence and the twists and turns trying to figure out who the little boy is made for an unputdownable book.
3.5-4 stars
Netgalley review
Holly Kendall, a recently divorced mom to her only son Milo were driving home on a terribly dark raining night. A car came out of nowhere and road rage ensued behind her. There was no place to pull over sand Molly careened off the side of a mountain. She blacked out and when she came too she frantically started looking for Milo, but she saw someone else next to him, a little boy, she had no idea where he came from.
While in the hospital the police come to interview her and we come to learn she has a past with one of the officers. I liked how the author didn’t play out their encounter and we learned a little about Molly’s past, her family, her hometown and the cast of characters she grew up with.
This book had me at the edge of my seat throughout. Organized crime, police presence and the twists and turns trying to figure out who the little boy is made for an unputdownable book.
3.5-4 stars
Netgalley review
August 31, 2019
3.5-4 stars
I enjoyed this book for the most part, but it wasn’t quite what I expected. Based on the synopsis, I thought the majority of the book would focus on the child who mysteriously appears in Holly’s car after she spirals off the road one night during a storm. The title alone, The Forgotten Child, also seems to allude to this. But there was so much more to the story, especially in regard to Holly’s painful past.
From drugs to sex trafficking to kidnapping to murder, this book was chock-full of surprises. However, throughout the entirety of the story, I really just wanted to know more about the little boy, and it turns out he’s hardly even in the book except in the beginning and the end. I do think it was a very well-written and intriguing storyline that kept my attention, and I look forward to reading more from this author.
*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
I enjoyed this book for the most part, but it wasn’t quite what I expected. Based on the synopsis, I thought the majority of the book would focus on the child who mysteriously appears in Holly’s car after she spirals off the road one night during a storm. The title alone, The Forgotten Child, also seems to allude to this. But there was so much more to the story, especially in regard to Holly’s painful past.
From drugs to sex trafficking to kidnapping to murder, this book was chock-full of surprises. However, throughout the entirety of the story, I really just wanted to know more about the little boy, and it turns out he’s hardly even in the book except in the beginning and the end. I do think it was a very well-written and intriguing storyline that kept my attention, and I look forward to reading more from this author.
*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
August 26, 2019
Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Forgotten Child!
I was so incredibly intrigued with the plot of this story, I had to read it as soon as I got approved for it! Holly gets into a car accident and after a brief moment of unconsciousness gets out to make sure her son, Milo, is ok but when she looks in the back seat there are now 2 boys sitting in the back, unconscious from the crash.... ahhh what?? Exactly why I was so intrigued!! What comes next are so many secrets between families, best friends, spouses and exes. This was a very fast read but I must warn you, after a while you will feel like you’re reading a script from The Soprano’s. There were a bit too many characters for me and I found myself confusing them all and how they were related, but other than this one minor minor complaint, overall a good book! I definitely didn’t predict the ending at all!
I was so incredibly intrigued with the plot of this story, I had to read it as soon as I got approved for it! Holly gets into a car accident and after a brief moment of unconsciousness gets out to make sure her son, Milo, is ok but when she looks in the back seat there are now 2 boys sitting in the back, unconscious from the crash.... ahhh what?? Exactly why I was so intrigued!! What comes next are so many secrets between families, best friends, spouses and exes. This was a very fast read but I must warn you, after a while you will feel like you’re reading a script from The Soprano’s. There were a bit too many characters for me and I found myself confusing them all and how they were related, but other than this one minor minor complaint, overall a good book! I definitely didn’t predict the ending at all!
September 19, 2019
I liked this book . The story line was well thought out and well written, the characters were developed and realate-able. This book takes us into a drug/gang related story line that parallels with a current life outside of this lifestyle. When Holly is run off the road a child is found in her vehicle that was not there prior to the accident. But this child is not the stranger she thinks he is. Holly must journey into her past to find out who this child is and why he was found in her vehicle. When her own son turns up missing finding these answers becomes urgent. Who is doing this and why?
Most of this book was fast paced and suspenseful but there was a period in the middle of the book where nothing new really happened and it dragged on a bit to much, for that reason it lost a star from my review.
Most of this book was fast paced and suspenseful but there was a period in the middle of the book where nothing new really happened and it dragged on a bit to much, for that reason it lost a star from my review.
September 28, 2019
I received a digital advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
On a rainy evening Holly and her son Milo are involved in a car accident, regaining consciousness Holly finds another child in the car next to Milo but who is he and who put him there. We soon learn that Holly comes from a past of organised crime, she has tried her best to forget the past, turning her back on that world and making a better future for her and her son. The accident plunges her right back into that world, long-buried secrets are rising to the surface and she will have to fight for her life.
I did enjoy the story although I found the title quite misleading, I was expecting more mystery around the forgotten child but found this more of a mafia crime style novel. The book is well written with interesting characters and an insight into the world of crime.
On a rainy evening Holly and her son Milo are involved in a car accident, regaining consciousness Holly finds another child in the car next to Milo but who is he and who put him there. We soon learn that Holly comes from a past of organised crime, she has tried her best to forget the past, turning her back on that world and making a better future for her and her son. The accident plunges her right back into that world, long-buried secrets are rising to the surface and she will have to fight for her life.
I did enjoy the story although I found the title quite misleading, I was expecting more mystery around the forgotten child but found this more of a mafia crime style novel. The book is well written with interesting characters and an insight into the world of crime.
September 20, 2019
Marketed as a psychological thriller this was more of a gang/organised crime book familiar to readers of Martina Cole and the like. There were a lot of characters to unpick from the different gangs and I often found my attention wandering. I think my reaction to the book would have been more positive if it had been marketed more logically. Sometimes this book felt over complicated and confusing. I may give this another read when I'm in the mood for this type of book and see whether or not mg opinion of it changes.
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