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Matilda Is Missing
Garry Hartshorn and Softie Monaghan were never love's young dream. Not even on their wedding day.
Softie was sophisticated, a career woman, who owned a nice apartment overlooking St Kilda Beach. Garry had a few rough edges, plus one failed marriage and an assortment of jobs under his belt.
But Softie's body clock was ticking, and Garry wanted children …
So they got married, and produced the only thing they ever had in common.
Matilda.
Now, two years later, their golden-haired child is at the centre of a bitter custody battle. Both parents insist that her well-being is the only thing they care about.
Yet, in truth, Matilda was always the one most likely to become lost.
Softie was sophisticated, a career woman, who owned a nice apartment overlooking St Kilda Beach. Garry had a few rough edges, plus one failed marriage and an assortment of jobs under his belt.
But Softie's body clock was ticking, and Garry wanted children …
So they got married, and produced the only thing they ever had in common.
Matilda.
Now, two years later, their golden-haired child is at the centre of a bitter custody battle. Both parents insist that her well-being is the only thing they care about.
Yet, in truth, Matilda was always the one most likely to become lost.
Audible Audio
First published September 28, 2011
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About the author
Caroline Overington
30 books570 followersCaroline Overington is an Australian author and journalist.
She has worked for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, and is is currently a staff writer for The Weekend Australian Magazine.
Caroline is a two-time winner of the Walkley Award for Investigative Journalism. She won her first Walkley for a series of articles about a literary fraud, and her second for a series about the AWB oil for food scandal.
She is also a winner of the Sir Keith Murdoch prize for excellence in Journalism; and of the Blake Dawson Prize.
Caroline has published five books. Her first, Only in New York, was about working as a foreign correspondent in Manhattan.
Her second, Kickback, was about the UN oil for food scandal. It won the Blake Dawson Prize for Business Literature.
Her first novel, Ghost Child, is about a child murdered by his parents.
Her second, I Came To Say Goodbye, takes the form of a letter from a grandfather to a Supreme Court judge. It was shortlisted for both the Fiction Book of the Year, and overall Book of the Year, in the 2011 Australian Book Industry Awards.
Her latest novel, published in October 2011, is called Matilda is Missing. It is set in the Family Court, and it is about a couple's war over custody of their two year old daughter, Matilda.
Caroline's books are proudly published by Random House Australia.
Caroline is a mother of delightful, 11-year-old twins. She lives with her kids, her husband, a blue dog, and a lizard, in Bondi.
She has worked for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, and is is currently a staff writer for The Weekend Australian Magazine.
Caroline is a two-time winner of the Walkley Award for Investigative Journalism. She won her first Walkley for a series of articles about a literary fraud, and her second for a series about the AWB oil for food scandal.
She is also a winner of the Sir Keith Murdoch prize for excellence in Journalism; and of the Blake Dawson Prize.
Caroline has published five books. Her first, Only in New York, was about working as a foreign correspondent in Manhattan.
Her second, Kickback, was about the UN oil for food scandal. It won the Blake Dawson Prize for Business Literature.
Her first novel, Ghost Child, is about a child murdered by his parents.
Her second, I Came To Say Goodbye, takes the form of a letter from a grandfather to a Supreme Court judge. It was shortlisted for both the Fiction Book of the Year, and overall Book of the Year, in the 2011 Australian Book Industry Awards.
Her latest novel, published in October 2011, is called Matilda is Missing. It is set in the Family Court, and it is about a couple's war over custody of their two year old daughter, Matilda.
Caroline's books are proudly published by Random House Australia.
Caroline is a mother of delightful, 11-year-old twins. She lives with her kids, her husband, a blue dog, and a lizard, in Bondi.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews
June 17, 2023
I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook. The narrator, Leinad Walker, does a wonderful job keeping the listener engaged.
At the heart of this story is a two-year-old little girl named Matilda. Her parents, Garry Hartshorn and Softie Monaghan, are fighting for full custody of her in a divorce case.
In the book, there are transcripts of each party talking to a therapist expressing why they should be given full custody of Matilda.
The main reason these tapes are being scrutinized is that, as the title says, Matilda is missing. The reader does not discover why Matilda is missing or who took her until the final chapters of the novel.
The tapes go into detail about the relationship between Garry and Softie, beginning with how they met and ending with the demise of their marriage.
**There are a few funny moments in this book, but like most of Caroline Overington novels, a serious undertone is in the background. Nevertheless, I was captivated by the story, hoping for a good ending for Matilda.**
At the heart of this story is a two-year-old little girl named Matilda. Her parents, Garry Hartshorn and Softie Monaghan, are fighting for full custody of her in a divorce case.
In the book, there are transcripts of each party talking to a therapist expressing why they should be given full custody of Matilda.
The main reason these tapes are being scrutinized is that, as the title says, Matilda is missing. The reader does not discover why Matilda is missing or who took her until the final chapters of the novel.
The tapes go into detail about the relationship between Garry and Softie, beginning with how they met and ending with the demise of their marriage.
**There are a few funny moments in this book, but like most of Caroline Overington novels, a serious undertone is in the background. Nevertheless, I was captivated by the story, hoping for a good ending for Matilda.**
January 23, 2014
This is my first book from this author and I loved it. In fact I sat up until after midnight and read it in one sitting. The story just flowed from one chapter to the next and there never seemed to be a suitable moment to put the book down. The theme of the book is marriage breakups and how they affect all members of the extended family. The main characters' story is told as a series of taped conversations with the Family Court counsellor and they really show the worst side of two people fighting over a child whom they both claim to love. The title is very meaningful because Matilda is missing from the dialogue for most of the book. I will certainly try more books from this author.
December 22, 2012
Softie and Garry are from two different worlds. She is an accomplished career woman from a middle class background and he grew up in foster care after a horrific childhood incident and takes life very much as he finds it. They were never really suited for one another, but Softie went against her better judgement and settled. Why? Because she was approaching 40 and desperately wanted a child. In hindsight she knows it was the wrong decision, yet at the time Garry was there and available. And like many women Softie believed that she just might be able to "fix" him.
This novel is told in quite an unusual way and as you start reading you wonder when you are actually going to come across what is described in the main blurb of the story. Told through the eyes of outsiders, it shows the whole situation from different angles and perspectives - which I thought actually worked really well. The main voice is that of a man in his sixties, who as a character I thought was absolutely spot on. You could imagine this man easily, right down to his old man wardrobe and what he has for dinner each night.
Matilda is missing delves into the horrible reality of the fractured families and how the courts deal with them. It shows there are never really any winners and that things are ultimately best left out of it altogether if possible. It also shows that judges in such cases are fallible too - they don't always get it right and when that happens the fallout can be tragic.
This book also explores the theme of the biological clock and how women are pressured by the medical profession, family, friends and their own biology to settle for just about anybody if it means you can have a baby by a certain age. Softie herself knows she is making the wrong choice but does it anyway, so strong is that time pressure.
Matilda is Missing deals with uncomfortable subject matter in such a way that is easy to read. The way the story is structured is suspenseful in that you are drawn into each different angle and ultimately want to know what really happened to Matilda.
This novel is told in quite an unusual way and as you start reading you wonder when you are actually going to come across what is described in the main blurb of the story. Told through the eyes of outsiders, it shows the whole situation from different angles and perspectives - which I thought actually worked really well. The main voice is that of a man in his sixties, who as a character I thought was absolutely spot on. You could imagine this man easily, right down to his old man wardrobe and what he has for dinner each night.
Matilda is missing delves into the horrible reality of the fractured families and how the courts deal with them. It shows there are never really any winners and that things are ultimately best left out of it altogether if possible. It also shows that judges in such cases are fallible too - they don't always get it right and when that happens the fallout can be tragic.
This book also explores the theme of the biological clock and how women are pressured by the medical profession, family, friends and their own biology to settle for just about anybody if it means you can have a baby by a certain age. Softie herself knows she is making the wrong choice but does it anyway, so strong is that time pressure.
Matilda is Missing deals with uncomfortable subject matter in such a way that is easy to read. The way the story is structured is suspenseful in that you are drawn into each different angle and ultimately want to know what really happened to Matilda.
June 24, 2017
I couldn't put this book down. Via counsellor's tapes(unlikely but effective!) we hear alternate first-hand accounts from each of the parents, Softie Monaghan and Garry Gary, as to how they came to be in court fighting for custody of their two year old daughter, Matilda. It’s left to Barry, a good-hearted, pragmatic Footscray working class bloke in his sixties, to work out how the hell the court subsequently got it all so wrong, and how to put things, if not right, slightly less disastrously.
Overington introduces all the confusing elements of background and complicated family history that make the job of family law courts so difficult. Neither partner is blameless and neither is beyond redemption. This is what makes their situation so sad, and also what makes it so impossible for the Family Law Court to get any kind of handle on it.
The message for parents out there is clear: act in the best interests of your children, stay calm, and stay out of the Family Law Court if it’s at all possible.
Overington introduces all the confusing elements of background and complicated family history that make the job of family law courts so difficult. Neither partner is blameless and neither is beyond redemption. This is what makes their situation so sad, and also what makes it so impossible for the Family Law Court to get any kind of handle on it.
The message for parents out there is clear: act in the best interests of your children, stay calm, and stay out of the Family Law Court if it’s at all possible.
June 5, 2022
I do enjoy Caroline Overington's books which cover a wide range of subjects and somewhat objectional characters.
.
In Matilda is Missing the focus is very much on what happens to children when their parents can't agree following a break-up. Be warned Matilda is Missing gives us an illustration of one of the worst kinds somewhat balanced by a less acrimonious but still heart-breaking split.
Not an easy listen and the ending may be a little too up in the air for some.
.
In Matilda is Missing the focus is very much on what happens to children when their parents can't agree following a break-up. Be warned Matilda is Missing gives us an illustration of one of the worst kinds somewhat balanced by a less acrimonious but still heart-breaking split.
Not an easy listen and the ending may be a little too up in the air for some.
March 8, 2013
Caroline Overington is a fascinating writer - she has a great ability to show the reader an issue and then keep us in suspense over what we should think about the characters and I really enjoy her ability to write male voice which is believable. I struggled a little with this book as the two main characters Softie and Gary are so unlikeable and incompatible as a couple. Despite this fact (which they are both aware of) they decide to have a child - unsurprisingly the marriage falls apart and they head to the family courts fighting for Matilda. Both characters are unreliable witnesses and we clearly see how both sides can manipulate situations and appearances - seemingly without much regard for how Matilda will ultimately cope. There is a killer twist at the end which will make this a great story for any book group.
November 16, 2014
3.5 stars
Caroline Overington is a fabulous author. She writes about current social issues and keeps the reader on the edge of the seat. She has written some of my five star books for this year. However, I did feel that this one wasn't up there to be rated the same.
The story revolves around a bitter custody battle between Softie and Garry. The story is told from both points of view, but through taped recordings, which is very clever and I was surprised how well that actually worked.
Undeniably well written with a twist thrown in towards the end, even though this would not be one of my favourite books, it was still worth the read.
Caroline Overington is a fabulous author. She writes about current social issues and keeps the reader on the edge of the seat. She has written some of my five star books for this year. However, I did feel that this one wasn't up there to be rated the same.
The story revolves around a bitter custody battle between Softie and Garry. The story is told from both points of view, but through taped recordings, which is very clever and I was surprised how well that actually worked.
Undeniably well written with a twist thrown in towards the end, even though this would not be one of my favourite books, it was still worth the read.
September 12, 2015
Couldn't decide whether this was a 3 or a 4 star book, so I've been fair and marked it as a 4.
This book was something of a surprise to me. I actually thought it was going to be some chick-lit type read. I don't know what actually gave me that impression, maybe the cover, it sort of looks like a "Women's Weekly Great Read" type cover! But it was nothing of the sort, thank goodness.
It starts off with a bit of a humorous feel but soon reveals the sadness and the frustrations of the storyline, and has a very Australian feel to it.
I shall be keeping my eye out for more by the author, Caroline Overington.
February 5, 2012
This book is woeful. It is a gross misrepresentation of the family law process and how individuals involved in family breakdown behave.
While I could understand tweaking a few of the processes to make the story a better read, here it just makes the whole thing Di unrealistic and misleading to be dangerous.
The subject is one ripe for the picking for the basis of a good book but this way misses the point. I am worried about the readers who may believe it is accurate. The characters are inaccurate and it does a terrible disservice to them.
An absolute shame
While I could understand tweaking a few of the processes to make the story a better read, here it just makes the whole thing Di unrealistic and misleading to be dangerous.
The subject is one ripe for the picking for the basis of a good book but this way misses the point. I am worried about the readers who may believe it is accurate. The characters are inaccurate and it does a terrible disservice to them.
An absolute shame
August 24, 2012
its interesting read...an insite into a topic I know nothing about...and it makes you wonder how you come out the other side sane..very realistic writing...makes you feel like you are living it with them...
December 2, 2011
Garry and Softie were an unlikely couple from the start. Softie had a job at a national bank and owned her own flat in St Kilda, near the beach. Garry had drifted from job to job and worked driving taxi’s when they met one night at a ‘pop up restaurant’. Softie was getting to the stage where her biological clock was ticking and she didn’t have too many years left in which to have a baby. And Garry, well, he’d been married before, but too young and it didn’t work out. He thinks he’s ready for a family now. And a guy that’s ready for a family seems to be all that Softie needs.
So Softie gets pregnant but before the baby is even born, before they are even married, there are problems. Softie is embarrassed by Garry’s lack of class, by his loud and boorish ways and the way he treats a friend of hers who is gay. Garry on the other hand, barely notices anything wrong, except that whatever he does isn’t done the way that Softie likes it. Still, they get married when Softie is 8 months along and then Matilda is born.
Both Garry and Softie are doting parents, just in different ways. Softie has a book that she uses to set Matilda’s routines whereas Garry is more a winging it sort of parent. Despite the fact that they both love Matilda, it isn’t enough and Softie begins to withdraw, finally taking Matilda and leaving Garry. What happens next is a custody battle, a messy custody battle as Garry fights for access to Matilda and Softie fights to restrict it because Matilda is so young. They end up in Family Court and in front of a judge known for his sympathy towards fathers and the swing away for restricting their access to merely every second weekend.
Custody battles are a nasty business, stressful and upsetting for both parents and for the children. It’s the sort of issue where it’s hard not to take sides, even inadvertently. Garry and Softie’s story starts long before Matilda Is Missing opens and neither of them is our narrator. Instead that job falls to the school-friend of the judge who handed down the decision on Matilda’s custody hearing. The judge, Frank Brooks, having since passed away to cancer has entrusted all the case notes to his long time friend Barry, thinking that maybe, he made a mistake on this one. Through cassette tapes of Garry and Softie’s recorded sessions with a psychologist, we learn their story along with Barry.
Barry is a man in his 60′s, born and raised in Footscray and retired now, pottering around with his wife Pat. Their youngest son Brian has just found himself about to be divorced and cleverly woven in is a less public custody battle away from the Family Court and a less publicised issue. Barry and Pat have two grandchildren affected by this separation and a third that was their ex-daughter in laws’s child before she married their son who they loved as though he were their own blood grandchild. Pat’s overbearing attempts to see the children and interfere in the separation have seen their visits dwindle to nothing and through Barry and Pat, we see two very different approaches to what is a painful issue – the rights of grandparents to see their grandchildren during and after a painful separation where the parents are trying to figure things out.
Matilda Is Missing once again showcases Caroline Overington’s ability to slip into the voice of a character that is far different from herself. In I Came To Say Goodbye we had Med, also a 60-something Australian man, salt of the Earth, and now we have Barry, who is a kind and methodical man, bewildered by what is left to him by Frank but determined to get through it and get to the bottom of it. He doesn’t google the case like Pat does, and skip to the ending and what happens. He listens to the recordings in order, he reads the documents, he puts the pieces together himself. All the while he is hearing about Garry and Softie, their lives, their marriage, their daughter Matilda, he is also narrating the story going on in his and Pat’s life where Pat is fighting hard, trying all sorts of tricks to see their grandchildren and Barry is more a backseat, let Nerida and Brian sort it out first, then we’ll see about the kids, sort of approach.
In having Barry as our narrator, we see Garry and Softie as a whole, rather than being presented with one side of it. To be perfectly honest, neither of them are particularly likable people and the fact that their marriage turns into a train wreck isn’t surprising, given the reason they got married (particularly in Softie’s case) and also that they are extremely incompatible in pretty much every way. Their personal grievances with each other are irrelevant though, as the issue is Matilda and what is best for her. Often (probably mostly) what is best for children is lost in the drama that is custody battles and Family Court and the need to win there and this is highlighted so very starkly in this novel. Both Garry and Softie are somewhat obsessed with obtaining the outcome that best suits them personally, rather than looking at their young daughter and agreeing to work together for what would benefit her. Cutting a young child off from a father she loves isn’t beneficial, but nor is putting her with 2 parents on a 50/50 basis where one isn’t used to caring for her full time and when both have such different parenting ideas.
I read this book in about 3 or 4 hours and loved every page of it. The Australian characters, such as Barry and Pat (who quite frankly, reminds me a bit of my own mother-in-law except mine is Sicilian) resonate with me and the way in which the story is told is riveting. I lived for the chapters that dealt with Garry or Softie’s next therapy session, hearing their own words on how they found certain things was an excellent way of having the complete picture given to the reader. Each believe they are so firmly in the right and they should be the ‘winner’ of custody, but really in such an issue, there are no winners. Matilda, and all the children out there just like her, are the losers most of all. The issue of Barry and Pat and their grandchildren also stayed with me as I never think too much about what happens with other family members when there are messy and nasty relationship breakdowns. Grandparents play a very important role in their grandchildren’s lives and to be separated must be equally upsetting for both parties.
It’s not easy to highlight important social issues and wrap them up in a story that’s so readable without being a cliche but Caroline Overington has managed to do it once again, drawing on her background as a reporter on the Family Court. I can’t wait for her next novel – it’s going to be a long wait I think!
So Softie gets pregnant but before the baby is even born, before they are even married, there are problems. Softie is embarrassed by Garry’s lack of class, by his loud and boorish ways and the way he treats a friend of hers who is gay. Garry on the other hand, barely notices anything wrong, except that whatever he does isn’t done the way that Softie likes it. Still, they get married when Softie is 8 months along and then Matilda is born.
Both Garry and Softie are doting parents, just in different ways. Softie has a book that she uses to set Matilda’s routines whereas Garry is more a winging it sort of parent. Despite the fact that they both love Matilda, it isn’t enough and Softie begins to withdraw, finally taking Matilda and leaving Garry. What happens next is a custody battle, a messy custody battle as Garry fights for access to Matilda and Softie fights to restrict it because Matilda is so young. They end up in Family Court and in front of a judge known for his sympathy towards fathers and the swing away for restricting their access to merely every second weekend.
Custody battles are a nasty business, stressful and upsetting for both parents and for the children. It’s the sort of issue where it’s hard not to take sides, even inadvertently. Garry and Softie’s story starts long before Matilda Is Missing opens and neither of them is our narrator. Instead that job falls to the school-friend of the judge who handed down the decision on Matilda’s custody hearing. The judge, Frank Brooks, having since passed away to cancer has entrusted all the case notes to his long time friend Barry, thinking that maybe, he made a mistake on this one. Through cassette tapes of Garry and Softie’s recorded sessions with a psychologist, we learn their story along with Barry.
Barry is a man in his 60′s, born and raised in Footscray and retired now, pottering around with his wife Pat. Their youngest son Brian has just found himself about to be divorced and cleverly woven in is a less public custody battle away from the Family Court and a less publicised issue. Barry and Pat have two grandchildren affected by this separation and a third that was their ex-daughter in laws’s child before she married their son who they loved as though he were their own blood grandchild. Pat’s overbearing attempts to see the children and interfere in the separation have seen their visits dwindle to nothing and through Barry and Pat, we see two very different approaches to what is a painful issue – the rights of grandparents to see their grandchildren during and after a painful separation where the parents are trying to figure things out.
Matilda Is Missing once again showcases Caroline Overington’s ability to slip into the voice of a character that is far different from herself. In I Came To Say Goodbye we had Med, also a 60-something Australian man, salt of the Earth, and now we have Barry, who is a kind and methodical man, bewildered by what is left to him by Frank but determined to get through it and get to the bottom of it. He doesn’t google the case like Pat does, and skip to the ending and what happens. He listens to the recordings in order, he reads the documents, he puts the pieces together himself. All the while he is hearing about Garry and Softie, their lives, their marriage, their daughter Matilda, he is also narrating the story going on in his and Pat’s life where Pat is fighting hard, trying all sorts of tricks to see their grandchildren and Barry is more a backseat, let Nerida and Brian sort it out first, then we’ll see about the kids, sort of approach.
In having Barry as our narrator, we see Garry and Softie as a whole, rather than being presented with one side of it. To be perfectly honest, neither of them are particularly likable people and the fact that their marriage turns into a train wreck isn’t surprising, given the reason they got married (particularly in Softie’s case) and also that they are extremely incompatible in pretty much every way. Their personal grievances with each other are irrelevant though, as the issue is Matilda and what is best for her. Often (probably mostly) what is best for children is lost in the drama that is custody battles and Family Court and the need to win there and this is highlighted so very starkly in this novel. Both Garry and Softie are somewhat obsessed with obtaining the outcome that best suits them personally, rather than looking at their young daughter and agreeing to work together for what would benefit her. Cutting a young child off from a father she loves isn’t beneficial, but nor is putting her with 2 parents on a 50/50 basis where one isn’t used to caring for her full time and when both have such different parenting ideas.
I read this book in about 3 or 4 hours and loved every page of it. The Australian characters, such as Barry and Pat (who quite frankly, reminds me a bit of my own mother-in-law except mine is Sicilian) resonate with me and the way in which the story is told is riveting. I lived for the chapters that dealt with Garry or Softie’s next therapy session, hearing their own words on how they found certain things was an excellent way of having the complete picture given to the reader. Each believe they are so firmly in the right and they should be the ‘winner’ of custody, but really in such an issue, there are no winners. Matilda, and all the children out there just like her, are the losers most of all. The issue of Barry and Pat and their grandchildren also stayed with me as I never think too much about what happens with other family members when there are messy and nasty relationship breakdowns. Grandparents play a very important role in their grandchildren’s lives and to be separated must be equally upsetting for both parties.
It’s not easy to highlight important social issues and wrap them up in a story that’s so readable without being a cliche but Caroline Overington has managed to do it once again, drawing on her background as a reporter on the Family Court. I can’t wait for her next novel – it’s going to be a long wait I think!
May 29, 2022
Oh man. This book took me forever to get to the end, and what an ending. I’m frustrated at the ending!!! The book was hard going. I had to force myself to keep reading and then in the last chapter, at page 332 the author gets to the guts of the story, what the book has been building to, oh and the epilogue!! I felt more emotion in the last 16 pages than I did through the first 332. Would I recommend it, I can’t decide. I have read books by this author before and loved loved loved them. But sadly, not this one.
October 20, 2020
3.5 stars
October 19, 2012
Not as good as I Came To Say Goodbye. Both very quick reads (possibly due to the enormous font size and double spacing).
What interested me in this book was how my impressions of the two main characters altered. Initially I felt Softie, although a bit odd, was ok, and I ended up feeling she was becoming unhinged. With Garry, I felt he was the typical 'bogun' as Softie calls him, insensitive, rude and possibly simple minded, only to feel by the end that he was a caring concerned parent who I had misunderstood (due to Softie's descriptions of his behaviour).
Having read two books by this author I don't think I'll read any more. She's a bit like the poor man's Jodi Picoult.
What interested me in this book was how my impressions of the two main characters altered. Initially I felt Softie, although a bit odd, was ok, and I ended up feeling she was becoming unhinged. With Garry, I felt he was the typical 'bogun' as Softie calls him, insensitive, rude and possibly simple minded, only to feel by the end that he was a caring concerned parent who I had misunderstood (due to Softie's descriptions of his behaviour).
Having read two books by this author I don't think I'll read any more. She's a bit like the poor man's Jodi Picoult.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 2, 2014
I'm giving this two stars as I reserve one star for novels that I am unable to finish, but needless to say I did not enjoy this novel. I found it to be unnecessarily drawn out, the dialogue was incredibly irritating, neither central character had any endearing qualities, and the story was predictable. I read it for the book club I attend and I will be honest that it is not from a genre I would voluntarily read. The only saving grace was that it was very easy reading.
February 15, 2012
An example of one of those books where you're reading it, waiting for the plotline to kick in, and 300-odd pages later the book ends.
Whilst it was a good, easy read, I felt that the plotline could have been taken a lot further, a lot earlier. It also doesn't help that so many of the characters we're meant to sympathise with are so utterly awful.
Whilst it was a good, easy read, I felt that the plotline could have been taken a lot further, a lot earlier. It also doesn't help that so many of the characters we're meant to sympathise with are so utterly awful.
October 3, 2016
This is written in such a way that it seems to take forever to actually get to the heart of the story, and when you do finally get there it is somewhat mediocre and then before you know it the book is finished and you're left thinking...ok well that was..well it just was...
March 27, 2016
I have relished reading Ghost Child and I came to Say Goodbye by Caroline Overington. I was very glad to borrow a copy of Matilda is Missing. Regrettably I have struggled on to page 146 however have to give up on this one. When do we get to the real story? The style is still excellent however for me personally I was unable to locate a story and grew weary trying.
January 10, 2014
Excellent read, great Australian author. This is the second book of have read of this author. Looking forward to reading her third book.
March 22, 2016
i didnt really like the characters in this book. I didnt enjoy this book at all
August 12, 2014
easy reading, ideal for a holiday book but it has a dissapointing ending, I feel ripped off at the lack of conclusion on one of the matters and the rushed conclusion on the other.
September 10, 2018
Dreadful book. I had to read it for book club. The first, and last, I have read from this author. 348 long pages of drivel. If I could have given a minus I would have.
January 16, 2019
A real page turner. Will be buying more of Caroline Overington's books in the future. Definitely not how I expected the book to end
September 13, 2022
Another great novel by Caroline Overington! I became so engaged in all the characters, even with their faults.
September 14, 2019
3.5 stars actually
I am still yet to read a book by Caroline Overington that I haven’t liked. This isn’t her best book but it seems like Overington’s worst books are still better than the best books of many other writers.
Softie Monaghan and Garry Hartshorn should never have gotten married. She was a sophisticated career woman. He was a rough country boy who’d had plenty of jobs but no career. But she was desperate for a child and he knew a good thing when he saw it. Even before Matilda was born, Softie knew she’d made a mistake. But she wanted a proper family for her daughter so she tried to push through.
But after two years, she was a broken woman (it seems clear that there’s some sort of post-natal depression going on as well as having a husband whose parenting approach is completely at odds with her own). So she takes Matilda and leaves.
Garry is furious and doesn’t understand what he’s done wrong. While searching for support online, he gets caught up with the Men’s Rights movement, who push him to go for full custody of his daughter (even though it’s clear he’s not the type who even wants to be a full-time father). And so begins a stereotypical bitter custody battle.
The book is actually told from the perspective of Brian, who is completely unrelated to the story, and the custody battle is long over. Brian’s friend, the Family Court judge who presided over Matilda’s case, has recently died and has bequeathed to Brian the records. He thought a travesty had occurred (despite it being his case) and he wanted Brian, being a former newspaper man, to go through everything and bring the true story to light. Brian is shocked, especially because he was never a reporter, just a factory worker who helped print the physical copies of the newspapers. But he’s retired and his son’s fighting a similar custody battle, so he dives in.
From here on, it’s almost entirely Brian listening to tape recordings of Softie and Garry’s sessions with a court-appointed counsellor as they explain their sides of the story. It focuses heavily on their relationship before Matilda was born and for most of the book I was thinking the title was completely apt, because Matilda seems like an afterthought, only appearing very close to the end.
The format, listening to Softie and Garry talk, is a little annoying, especially when they are relating conversations with other people. “So he said… and I said… then he said… and she goes…” But, thankfully, Brian isn’t the type to interject with his opinions too much. He and Overington both allow the story to simply unfold without telling us how we should feel.
As a result, I suspect this is a book where women readers will sympathise with Softie and male readers will come down on Garry’s side and I think Overington has deliberately written it in a way that makes sure that happens because when the end comes, the lack of focus on what is best for Matilda is the lasting sensation. The Family Court case is to decide the child’s living and care arrangements and instead it becomes a de facto divorce hearing (because, of course, in Australia, all divorces are no-fault divorces). The Family Court judge has an ideology and a recent change in custody laws gives him what he needs to use it.
I didn’t see the exact ending that came but I was able to predict elements of it and like all of Overington’s books, it’s poetic in a heartbreaking way but completely lacking in justice for anyone involved. I’ve read four of her books now and I’ll continue reading her work because she never disappoints. In a word: satisfying.
I am still yet to read a book by Caroline Overington that I haven’t liked. This isn’t her best book but it seems like Overington’s worst books are still better than the best books of many other writers.
Softie Monaghan and Garry Hartshorn should never have gotten married. She was a sophisticated career woman. He was a rough country boy who’d had plenty of jobs but no career. But she was desperate for a child and he knew a good thing when he saw it. Even before Matilda was born, Softie knew she’d made a mistake. But she wanted a proper family for her daughter so she tried to push through.
But after two years, she was a broken woman (it seems clear that there’s some sort of post-natal depression going on as well as having a husband whose parenting approach is completely at odds with her own). So she takes Matilda and leaves.
Garry is furious and doesn’t understand what he’s done wrong. While searching for support online, he gets caught up with the Men’s Rights movement, who push him to go for full custody of his daughter (even though it’s clear he’s not the type who even wants to be a full-time father). And so begins a stereotypical bitter custody battle.
The book is actually told from the perspective of Brian, who is completely unrelated to the story, and the custody battle is long over. Brian’s friend, the Family Court judge who presided over Matilda’s case, has recently died and has bequeathed to Brian the records. He thought a travesty had occurred (despite it being his case) and he wanted Brian, being a former newspaper man, to go through everything and bring the true story to light. Brian is shocked, especially because he was never a reporter, just a factory worker who helped print the physical copies of the newspapers. But he’s retired and his son’s fighting a similar custody battle, so he dives in.
From here on, it’s almost entirely Brian listening to tape recordings of Softie and Garry’s sessions with a court-appointed counsellor as they explain their sides of the story. It focuses heavily on their relationship before Matilda was born and for most of the book I was thinking the title was completely apt, because Matilda seems like an afterthought, only appearing very close to the end.
The format, listening to Softie and Garry talk, is a little annoying, especially when they are relating conversations with other people. “So he said… and I said… then he said… and she goes…” But, thankfully, Brian isn’t the type to interject with his opinions too much. He and Overington both allow the story to simply unfold without telling us how we should feel.
As a result, I suspect this is a book where women readers will sympathise with Softie and male readers will come down on Garry’s side and I think Overington has deliberately written it in a way that makes sure that happens because when the end comes, the lack of focus on what is best for Matilda is the lasting sensation. The Family Court case is to decide the child’s living and care arrangements and instead it becomes a de facto divorce hearing (because, of course, in Australia, all divorces are no-fault divorces). The Family Court judge has an ideology and a recent change in custody laws gives him what he needs to use it.
I didn’t see the exact ending that came but I was able to predict elements of it and like all of Overington’s books, it’s poetic in a heartbreaking way but completely lacking in justice for anyone involved. I’ve read four of her books now and I’ll continue reading her work because she never disappoints. In a word: satisfying.
September 11, 2022
Caroline Overington (2011) MATILDA IS MISSING (AUDIOBOOK)
Audible - Audible Australia Pty Ltd
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 out of 5 stars
Audible writes, "In the struggle between warring parents, who will protect the child? Garry Hartshorn and Softie Monaghan were never love's young dream. Not even on their wedding day. Softie was sophisticated, a career woman, who owned a nice apartment overlooking St Kilda Beach. Garry had a few rough edges, plus one failed marriage and an assortment of jobs under his belt. But Softie's body clock was ticking, and Garry wanted children.... So they got married and produced the only thing they ever had in common: Matilda. Now, two years later, their golden-haired child is at the centre of a bitter divorce and custody battle. Both parents insist that her well-being is the only thing they care about. Yet, in truth, Matilda was always the one most likely to become lost."
=====
Didn't know what to make of this. Your allegiances sway a lot as you listen to Softie and Garry. Not sure when it happened by all of a sudden I was invested. So I found this completely heartbreaking because, although this is a fictional story, you just know it's a true story for many all too often!
=====
#CarolineOverington #MatildaIsMissing #Book #Books #Read #Reads #Reading #Review #Reviews #BookReview #BookReviews #GoodReads #Audiobook #Audiobooks #Audible
Audible - Audible Australia Pty Ltd
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 out of 5 stars
Audible writes, "In the struggle between warring parents, who will protect the child? Garry Hartshorn and Softie Monaghan were never love's young dream. Not even on their wedding day. Softie was sophisticated, a career woman, who owned a nice apartment overlooking St Kilda Beach. Garry had a few rough edges, plus one failed marriage and an assortment of jobs under his belt. But Softie's body clock was ticking, and Garry wanted children.... So they got married and produced the only thing they ever had in common: Matilda. Now, two years later, their golden-haired child is at the centre of a bitter divorce and custody battle. Both parents insist that her well-being is the only thing they care about. Yet, in truth, Matilda was always the one most likely to become lost."
=====
Didn't know what to make of this. Your allegiances sway a lot as you listen to Softie and Garry. Not sure when it happened by all of a sudden I was invested. So I found this completely heartbreaking because, although this is a fictional story, you just know it's a true story for many all too often!
=====
#CarolineOverington #MatildaIsMissing #Book #Books #Read #Reads #Reading #Review #Reviews #BookReview #BookReviews #GoodReads #Audiobook #Audiobooks #Audible
August 7, 2018
This book was intriguing. The plot is written in a way that makes me think that someone is telling me a long winded story while we sit in the kitchen visiting. It might actually be quite entertaining as a book-on-tape if done right.
For me, a lot of the interest was the fact that I live on the west coast of the USA and know so little about Australia. The characters come alive in the way they speak.
On the other hand I didn't approve much of Garry and his lifestyle. What a laze about. Not the kind of person I would ever want watching my children. So I didn't feel I wanted to be on his side with all his talk of father's rights. A child is not a possession that you own. But it did give you something to think about.
The book also touches on grandparent's rights. I have definite feelings about that. I'm not divorced so that isn't the issue. My mother is a bit crazy and a horrible driver. We never wanted to leave our children with her. It would have been terrible if the court had granted her visitation rights and we were expected to leave them with her.
For me, a lot of the interest was the fact that I live on the west coast of the USA and know so little about Australia. The characters come alive in the way they speak.
On the other hand I didn't approve much of Garry and his lifestyle. What a laze about. Not the kind of person I would ever want watching my children. So I didn't feel I wanted to be on his side with all his talk of father's rights. A child is not a possession that you own. But it did give you something to think about.
The book also touches on grandparent's rights. I have definite feelings about that. I'm not divorced so that isn't the issue. My mother is a bit crazy and a horrible driver. We never wanted to leave our children with her. It would have been terrible if the court had granted her visitation rights and we were expected to leave them with her.
October 1, 2017
At first I thought this book was going to be a little predictable and the same old divorce / custody dispute but surprisingly, I couldn't put the book down, it kept me wanting to know where it was leading and what the outcomes would be. The weaving in and out from a man's perspective was well directed, although at times, not well written. I enjoyed the character building and intricacies of each person's life and how the two plots played alongside each other. A good easy read that has you thinking afterwards. It is sure to touch most people in some way.
July 7, 2024
I really enjoyed this book - through transcripts told to a court psychologist, we get to hear both sides of a he said, she said couple going through a messy divorce and child custody case. Softie, the female protagonist, was one I particularly did not like, however towards the end I could see some justification of her actions. I thought Gary was extremely misunderstood. Like her previous novels, this read as a very real story, again highlighting issues facing families and primarily children, who end up being the real victims here.
February 6, 2025
This story was unfortunate, in that it is probably a fairly accurate account of the ugly side of divorce. The real culprit was fairly predictable, but we don't find out enough evidence early on enough in the story to make it a really interesting part of the story. The tapes with Softy and Gary go on way too long. The original story in the early chapters, about Brian and his family, are lost in the endless tapes of Softy and Gary. It's not a badly written book, although I really hate pedophilia as a topic, and had I known it really was pedophilia, I probably would have skipped this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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