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Ghost Child
In 1982 Victorian police were called to a home on a housing estate an hour west of Melbourne. There, they found a five-year-old boy lying on the carpet. There were no obvious signs of trauma, but the child, Jacob, died the next day.
The story made the headlines and hundreds attended the funeral. Few people were surprised when the boy’s mother and her boyfriend went to prison for the crime. Police declared themselves satisfied with the result, saying there was no doubt that justice had been done.
And yet, for years rumours swept the estate and clung like cobwebs to the long-vacant house: there had been a cover-up. The real perpetrator, at least according to local gossip, was the boy's six-year-old sister, Lauren…
Twenty years on, Lauren has created a new life for herself, but details of Jacob’s death begin to resurface and the story again makes the newspapers. As Lauren struggles with the ghosts of her childhood, it seems only a matter of time before the past catches up with her.
The story made the headlines and hundreds attended the funeral. Few people were surprised when the boy’s mother and her boyfriend went to prison for the crime. Police declared themselves satisfied with the result, saying there was no doubt that justice had been done.
And yet, for years rumours swept the estate and clung like cobwebs to the long-vacant house: there had been a cover-up. The real perpetrator, at least according to local gossip, was the boy's six-year-old sister, Lauren…
Twenty years on, Lauren has created a new life for herself, but details of Jacob’s death begin to resurface and the story again makes the newspapers. As Lauren struggles with the ghosts of her childhood, it seems only a matter of time before the past catches up with her.
363 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2010
63 people are currently reading
1167 people want to read
About the author
Caroline Overington
30 books579 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 252 reviews
February 7, 2019
Caroline Overington's writing style is really easy to read. Again she's written chapter by chapter from different characters' perspectives. She nails the voices of various Aussies - the cop, the foster carer, the underprivileged and abused. I enjoyed the voice of the police officer, very salt of the earth, and also I think she captures the essence of the 1980's as well. It just all sounds real. The way she writes, you seem to just fall into the peoples minds and I think it really works. I do recommend this, and am looking forward to another. As always, quite dark themes though. I get the feeling she's seen a lot of this stuff in her career as a journo. Again a lot of issues relating to DOCS and as a mum to four young kids, wow there's a lot of this stuff in real life too, but thankful I am that I live a good life.
February 17, 2023
The right to life is a complex, complicated issue.
One afternoon, police get a frantic call from a woman (Lisa Cashmere) claiming that her son (Jacob) was "bashed" on his way home from school and is now unresponsive. However, when paramedics arrived at the Cashmere home, they find a different scene. Jacob's lying on the floor with his hair soaking wet and his mom standing over him yelling, "get up!".
Lisa and her boyfriend were later charged with manslaughter and went to prison, but popular opinion is that the real perpetrator was Lauren (Jacob's younger sister).
The author paints the picture of what happened to the Cashmere kids after they were separated and put into foster care.
The reader slowly learns the truth about what transpired that day through testimony from the lead police inspector, the physician who attended to Jacob, and family admissions. The truth is heartbreaking.
**Caroline Overington is becoming one of my favorite go-to authors. This is my third novel by her and it is wonderful. I love the way she writes. There are always serious topics covered but she presents them in a palatable way ** 👍
One afternoon, police get a frantic call from a woman (Lisa Cashmere) claiming that her son (Jacob) was "bashed" on his way home from school and is now unresponsive. However, when paramedics arrived at the Cashmere home, they find a different scene. Jacob's lying on the floor with his hair soaking wet and his mom standing over him yelling, "get up!".
Lisa and her boyfriend were later charged with manslaughter and went to prison, but popular opinion is that the real perpetrator was Lauren (Jacob's younger sister).
The author paints the picture of what happened to the Cashmere kids after they were separated and put into foster care.
The reader slowly learns the truth about what transpired that day through testimony from the lead police inspector, the physician who attended to Jacob, and family admissions. The truth is heartbreaking.
**Caroline Overington is becoming one of my favorite go-to authors. This is my third novel by her and it is wonderful. I love the way she writes. There are always serious topics covered but she presents them in a palatable way ** 👍
July 9, 2013
It actually took me a while to figure out this book was fiction. Find it brilliant to write a book like this - I wish I had thought of it.
I really liked this book - the characters are so interesting and the whole story could very well have been a true crime.
I think the semi bad reviews on this side about the book is mainly by people who began reading it, expecting the crime and Jacob to be the main focus. The book is more about what happens to the remaining members of the family and why. I loved it!
I really liked this book - the characters are so interesting and the whole story could very well have been a true crime.
I think the semi bad reviews on this side about the book is mainly by people who began reading it, expecting the crime and Jacob to be the main focus. The book is more about what happens to the remaining members of the family and why. I loved it!
March 5, 2017
Although this is still a worthy read, I must admit that I was expecting to like it more than I did.
I found the alternating narrator (something I usually like) to be a distraction from the story.
I also thought that the original victim in tbis story quickly became a bit second hand to the stories of the other characters... and that is a shame. However at the end of the book it becomes evident that there are many "victims" in such situations.
I found the alternating narrator (something I usually like) to be a distraction from the story.
I also thought that the original victim in tbis story quickly became a bit second hand to the stories of the other characters... and that is a shame. However at the end of the book it becomes evident that there are many "victims" in such situations.
January 24, 2014
Amazing story - I loved it. The different voices and different views are so well written. The author swaps seamlessly from voice to voice, like the harried social worker (DOCS), struggling to do the right thing while being tied by protocol, to a police officer who has seen it all before, to a foster mother who struggles with becoming too attached to her foster children, to reporters who see the shock factor in the story, to the {now grown up} children around whom the scandal is based. It's all so very Australian {which I LOVE}, and relevant.
In fact, you could be forgiven for mistaking this book as non-fiction instead of a work of fiction. It's so real and believable and no doubt, albeit unfortunately, echoes real life events. It's a story of the helpless and the hopeless and the struggle to leave a past behind that will forever haunt the future.
I couldn't put this book down!
In fact, you could be forgiven for mistaking this book as non-fiction instead of a work of fiction. It's so real and believable and no doubt, albeit unfortunately, echoes real life events. It's a story of the helpless and the hopeless and the struggle to leave a past behind that will forever haunt the future.
I couldn't put this book down!
December 16, 2024
The alternating POV style did not work for me. Ultimately there were a lot of pointless details about unrelated people and unrelated matter and the actual whodunit mystery is quite thin and in fact, no mystery at all. Some of the characters were quite one dimensional like the jovial, easy-going Harley. I listened to the audiobook. The narrators did a good job of bringing the different characters to life but I wonder if a non-Australian will struggle to understand the narration, what with the generous sprinkling of Aussie slang and the broad accent.
January 9, 2024
Sluggish from start to finish
August 10, 2015
Short commentary as this was read for our face to face bookclub meeting yesterday. Lovers of this book will be pleased to know I was very much in the minority because I really did not like this book. Partially that's because of some stereotypical coincidences between the characters in this and the last book by the same author read - damaged / fragile women and more balanced / carefree despite trials blokes. Partially it's because there was so much telling it felt like there'd be an exam to pass at the end. Mostly it was because read the prologue, you've pretty much read the whole book.
November 14, 2014
I absolutely loved this book. This is the second time I have read it but I was still guessing throughout the whole book what happened to Jacob Cashman? Like other reviews I've read, I had to keep reminding myself that this book was fiction. Caroline Overington has done so well with this book that I'm looking forward to reading many more of her novels.
January 3, 2019
This could easily have been a true story (in fact, I sought out the statement at the front of the book that declared it was fiction just to make sure). It has an awful sense of realism about it and maybe that’s why the story itself ends up being almost inconsequential. More than anything else, this is a character study, an extraordinary character study presented in beautifully simple writing by a very fine writer.
Lauren Cashman, now known as Lauren Cameron, has lived a tragic life. The oldest of four siblings, she was six when her five-year-old half-brother Jacob died from a depressed skull fracture that caused a massive brain injury. Her mother and her mother’s de facto were sentenced to fifteen years in prison for manslaughter. And Lauren and her two remaining siblings were split up and sent to various foster carers. The younger brother, Harley, was lucky and was placed with a couple who became his permanent family. The two sisters were placed with many, many foster carers over many, many years. None of them became permanent.
When we first meet Lauren, it’s twenty years later and she’s been caught up in a coronial inquest that is completely irrelevant to what went on when she was a child but, of course, nothing is completely irrelevant to what went on when she was a child because it permeates her whole life, her whole existence, her whole sense of herself. Almost immediately, the story pivots back to the events of her childhood. And then through a variety of participants – the detective, reporters, social workers, the doctor who tried to save Jacob, the local priest, the shopping centre photographer who took the portrait of the children that appeared on the front page of the papers as the news of the attack broke, foster carers, even the kids themselves – the details unfold. They are told almost as if the people are witnesses recounting the events for a book being written twenty years later and I think that was a deliberate choice by the author. “Look,” she is saying, “look at how affected and devastated all these people still are all these years later.”
Some of the characters narrate multiple chapters. Others appear only once and then recede into the background. But each person plays an important role in adding their perspective to the mix and everybody has distinctive voices, a unique way of telling their part in the story. There is no chance of mixing up in your mind who is telling the story from chapter to chapter. And there’s certainly no chance of getting bored by a narrative monotone because there isn’t one; it’s a triumphant tapestry of each person’s take on the situation.
The story doesn’t have the jaw-dropping twists and turns of some of Overington’s other books. When the big reveal comes about how Jacob actually died, who it was that caused his injury and why, it isn’t that much of a shock. It’s almost as though there has been an unspoken understanding throughout the whole book between the writer and the reader that everyone knew this is where we would end up; but it was the journey that was important, not the destination.
I feel like this review is very vague but Ghost Child is not a book that lends itself to a summary of the main plot points that will draw potential readers in with questions about what happened. It is, however, definitive evidence of Overington’s significant talent as a writer.
Still, if you’ve never read her work, I wouldn’t recommend starting with this book. Start with I Came to Say Goodbye and leave this for later when you’ll be able to see that while it isn’t her best, it’s still very good. And perhaps more importantly, that it’s a critical commentary about those who fall through the cracks.
3.5 stars actually (but closer to 4 stars than 3 stars)
Lauren Cashman, now known as Lauren Cameron, has lived a tragic life. The oldest of four siblings, she was six when her five-year-old half-brother Jacob died from a depressed skull fracture that caused a massive brain injury. Her mother and her mother’s de facto were sentenced to fifteen years in prison for manslaughter. And Lauren and her two remaining siblings were split up and sent to various foster carers. The younger brother, Harley, was lucky and was placed with a couple who became his permanent family. The two sisters were placed with many, many foster carers over many, many years. None of them became permanent.
When we first meet Lauren, it’s twenty years later and she’s been caught up in a coronial inquest that is completely irrelevant to what went on when she was a child but, of course, nothing is completely irrelevant to what went on when she was a child because it permeates her whole life, her whole existence, her whole sense of herself. Almost immediately, the story pivots back to the events of her childhood. And then through a variety of participants – the detective, reporters, social workers, the doctor who tried to save Jacob, the local priest, the shopping centre photographer who took the portrait of the children that appeared on the front page of the papers as the news of the attack broke, foster carers, even the kids themselves – the details unfold. They are told almost as if the people are witnesses recounting the events for a book being written twenty years later and I think that was a deliberate choice by the author. “Look,” she is saying, “look at how affected and devastated all these people still are all these years later.”
Some of the characters narrate multiple chapters. Others appear only once and then recede into the background. But each person plays an important role in adding their perspective to the mix and everybody has distinctive voices, a unique way of telling their part in the story. There is no chance of mixing up in your mind who is telling the story from chapter to chapter. And there’s certainly no chance of getting bored by a narrative monotone because there isn’t one; it’s a triumphant tapestry of each person’s take on the situation.
The story doesn’t have the jaw-dropping twists and turns of some of Overington’s other books. When the big reveal comes about how Jacob actually died, who it was that caused his injury and why, it isn’t that much of a shock. It’s almost as though there has been an unspoken understanding throughout the whole book between the writer and the reader that everyone knew this is where we would end up; but it was the journey that was important, not the destination.
I feel like this review is very vague but Ghost Child is not a book that lends itself to a summary of the main plot points that will draw potential readers in with questions about what happened. It is, however, definitive evidence of Overington’s significant talent as a writer.
Still, if you’ve never read her work, I wouldn’t recommend starting with this book. Start with I Came to Say Goodbye and leave this for later when you’ll be able to see that while it isn’t her best, it’s still very good. And perhaps more importantly, that it’s a critical commentary about those who fall through the cracks.
3.5 stars actually (but closer to 4 stars than 3 stars)
September 5, 2013
This author continues to blow me away the story line was fantastic and so were the characters, well worth reading :)
December 17, 2021
I found this novel disturbingly sad. I hope the children’s experience of being in the Australian social welfare system during the 80s was not a true representation but I fear it was and doubt if very much has changed.
It would not have been a book I would have selected to read but came with my Willoughby subscription- good to try something slightly different.
It would not have been a book I would have selected to read but came with my Willoughby subscription- good to try something slightly different.
January 18, 2013
This is a smart, suspenseful story, plainly told.
When a young boy is found dead, his family is split up: the mother is sent to prison for murder & his three siblings wind up in various homes, private & state. For one of them, this is a kind of salvation, though he later takes to drinking. His sisters fare worse, falling into unhappy & early sexual relations with a variety of ill-suited suitors. I could draw conclusions about safety & hope & the tragedy that is family life for so many young people. I'm aware, though, that I may be travelling outside the auspices of the book, which sticks diligently to realism - & not philosophy. And oddly, the sister without any parental love fares better than her younger counterpart, which I guess goes towards the idea that some people are born with it, that survival instinct, and some aren't.
The format of the book is intriguing: each chapter is told from a different point of view, from the grown-up children, to the arresting officer, to the foster parents, etc. Some of these narratives add to the throughput of the story - particularly the early ones, which detail the immediate after-effects of the crime. Some of the narratives feel like they drift too far from the spine of the story, & could be shortened. (And okay, by the time I started Part Two, I was growing just a little bored.)
The voices do often lack individuality, IMHO, sounding like one of two types of characters, a) a reasonably educated person, & b) someone not so reasonably educated. The chapters, collected together, seem sometimes to miss the narrative or travel tangentially to it. There's no word on the trial itself, for example. The mother eventually dies 'off camera' without ever earning her own narrative. (I would've been very interested to hear her side of the story.) Large events happen in the lives of the survivors which seem to have little impact (though this could be the point). And, most notably, of course, the use of first-person past tense does occasionally make the novel feel more like a summary than a story. When one character comments that 'this next bit will be hard to read', I wondered who the audience was, in the minds of the characters. Who did *they* think they were talking to? Was the novel meant to be a historical record, had they all been called into a Royal Commission, were they putting together their memoirs? Or was it something else again?
I guess, now that I think about it, I didn't really care about any of the living characters. They're ciphers, really, vehicles for expressing pain. I was more interested in the poor kid who died ('the ghost child' that haunts their lives & this book), & this is what kept me reading. The Big Reveal at the end didn't work for me, I admit. But I got the idea of what the author wanted from her ending. It's sad & horrible & goes part way towards an explanation of the outcomes for the surviving siblings.
Like I said, a clever book, extremely easy to read, & it kept me up reading past my bed time. Not a lot of books can do that.
Disclaimer: I won this book in a comp!
#aww2013 no.6
When a young boy is found dead, his family is split up: the mother is sent to prison for murder & his three siblings wind up in various homes, private & state. For one of them, this is a kind of salvation, though he later takes to drinking. His sisters fare worse, falling into unhappy & early sexual relations with a variety of ill-suited suitors. I could draw conclusions about safety & hope & the tragedy that is family life for so many young people. I'm aware, though, that I may be travelling outside the auspices of the book, which sticks diligently to realism - & not philosophy. And oddly, the sister without any parental love fares better than her younger counterpart, which I guess goes towards the idea that some people are born with it, that survival instinct, and some aren't.
The format of the book is intriguing: each chapter is told from a different point of view, from the grown-up children, to the arresting officer, to the foster parents, etc. Some of these narratives add to the throughput of the story - particularly the early ones, which detail the immediate after-effects of the crime. Some of the narratives feel like they drift too far from the spine of the story, & could be shortened. (And okay, by the time I started Part Two, I was growing just a little bored.)
The voices do often lack individuality, IMHO, sounding like one of two types of characters, a) a reasonably educated person, & b) someone not so reasonably educated. The chapters, collected together, seem sometimes to miss the narrative or travel tangentially to it. There's no word on the trial itself, for example. The mother eventually dies 'off camera' without ever earning her own narrative. (I would've been very interested to hear her side of the story.) Large events happen in the lives of the survivors which seem to have little impact (though this could be the point). And, most notably, of course, the use of first-person past tense does occasionally make the novel feel more like a summary than a story. When one character comments that 'this next bit will be hard to read', I wondered who the audience was, in the minds of the characters. Who did *they* think they were talking to? Was the novel meant to be a historical record, had they all been called into a Royal Commission, were they putting together their memoirs? Or was it something else again?
I guess, now that I think about it, I didn't really care about any of the living characters. They're ciphers, really, vehicles for expressing pain. I was more interested in the poor kid who died ('the ghost child' that haunts their lives & this book), & this is what kept me reading. The Big Reveal at the end didn't work for me, I admit. But I got the idea of what the author wanted from her ending. It's sad & horrible & goes part way towards an explanation of the outcomes for the surviving siblings.
Like I said, a clever book, extremely easy to read, & it kept me up reading past my bed time. Not a lot of books can do that.
Disclaimer: I won this book in a comp!
#aww2013 no.6
May 19, 2012
Back in 1982 a five year old boy dies after apparently being bashed by strangers on his way home from the shops. Immediate suspicion is cast on the story being told by his mother and her boyfriend and much speculation and scandal haunt the Barrett housing estate, west of Melbourne for years to come. Although the case is gradually forgotten, it is suddenly thrust back into the spotlight almost 30 years later when the sister of the victim faces court on an unrelated manner. Will the real story finally be revealed after all these years?
In some ways Ghost Child is almost like a non-fiction book, as it tells the story through the veiwpoint of multiple witnesses - eg the investigating police officer, journalists, social workers etc. In saying that, it didn't detract from the story - in fact it worked quite well as you got a sense of the crime from many different perspectives. The writing itself is good - well paced and fairly tight.
Many themes are explored in the novel - the welfare 'sub-class', child abuse, fostering of children and the many shortcomings of the child protection system in Victoria (although it could be any Australian state) in the 1980s. You do get the sense that all these topics have been well researched and present a true account of what happened to many children. In terms of time and place, the author really gets the era and location spot on, with the many voices in the novel backing this up very well.
The suspense throughout is gradual, building towards the end when you know the real story is hopefully going to be revealed. By the time you reach the conclusion it is a real page turner.
Despite the sad (yet realistic) theme within the book, there is still a sense of hope that life can turn out OK (sometimes) with a bit of luck and a lot of determination, even if you've had an horrific childhood.
In some ways Ghost Child is almost like a non-fiction book, as it tells the story through the veiwpoint of multiple witnesses - eg the investigating police officer, journalists, social workers etc. In saying that, it didn't detract from the story - in fact it worked quite well as you got a sense of the crime from many different perspectives. The writing itself is good - well paced and fairly tight.
Many themes are explored in the novel - the welfare 'sub-class', child abuse, fostering of children and the many shortcomings of the child protection system in Victoria (although it could be any Australian state) in the 1980s. You do get the sense that all these topics have been well researched and present a true account of what happened to many children. In terms of time and place, the author really gets the era and location spot on, with the many voices in the novel backing this up very well.
The suspense throughout is gradual, building towards the end when you know the real story is hopefully going to be revealed. By the time you reach the conclusion it is a real page turner.
Despite the sad (yet realistic) theme within the book, there is still a sense of hope that life can turn out OK (sometimes) with a bit of luck and a lot of determination, even if you've had an horrific childhood.
December 30, 2011
A fairly readable book with an interesting and engaging premise: murder mystery of a five year old not twenty years ago. Who was responsible, the mother, boyfriend or six year old sister?
It's written in the form where each chapter is from a different perspective, from the sister Lauren, to the police Sargent, the brother, sister, various foster parents, reporters, coroners etc this is interesting approach and allows the whole multi faceted view of a single event.
Having said that I have to say my two main problems with this book were:
1. The writing style I noticed was a bit ordinary at times. He said, i said, she said- there was a lot of 'saying' in this book, for instance.
2. In looking at the different perspectives of people, there was just too much detail in how they did their jobs. Eg the history of welfare protocols, reporters procedures etc etc So much so that in my opinion (although at times interesting) it often detracted from the main narrative of the Cashman kids and the murder of Jacob.
In all it's a good easy read with an interesting storyline. It could have been improved somewhat and perhaps finessed but that's just my view.
It's written in the form where each chapter is from a different perspective, from the sister Lauren, to the police Sargent, the brother, sister, various foster parents, reporters, coroners etc this is interesting approach and allows the whole multi faceted view of a single event.
Having said that I have to say my two main problems with this book were:
1. The writing style I noticed was a bit ordinary at times. He said, i said, she said- there was a lot of 'saying' in this book, for instance.
2. In looking at the different perspectives of people, there was just too much detail in how they did their jobs. Eg the history of welfare protocols, reporters procedures etc etc So much so that in my opinion (although at times interesting) it often detracted from the main narrative of the Cashman kids and the murder of Jacob.
In all it's a good easy read with an interesting storyline. It could have been improved somewhat and perhaps finessed but that's just my view.
January 28, 2022
I listened to this one
This is a story told through the eyes of all the people who came into contact with the family of a dead child.
It deals with the repercussions of this death and is absolutely spell binding.
I cannot believe this is a debut book but I will certainly look out for this author
This is a story told through the eyes of all the people who came into contact with the family of a dead child.
It deals with the repercussions of this death and is absolutely spell binding.
I cannot believe this is a debut book but I will certainly look out for this author
Read
December 12, 2018I literally couldn't put this down.
January 11, 2015
Beautifully written, heart breaking. Loved it.
May 28, 2025
My second book by Caroline Overington, Australian author. I like her writing style. This reads like tue crime and it was hard to believe it was fictional.
A crime isbcommitted in a family home outside of Melbourne. Each chapter is a different family member, law officer, or reporter speaking. There were individual narrators, loved the Australian accents.
The four children are very young in the beginning, we get to learn of how their lives were affected by what happened.
I look forward to reading more from Ms. Overington, always exciting to find a new author you like.
This is free from Audible Plus catalog.
Trigger warning: domestic violence
A crime isbcommitted in a family home outside of Melbourne. Each chapter is a different family member, law officer, or reporter speaking. There were individual narrators, loved the Australian accents.
The four children are very young in the beginning, we get to learn of how their lives were affected by what happened.
I look forward to reading more from Ms. Overington, always exciting to find a new author you like.
This is free from Audible Plus catalog.
Trigger warning: domestic violence
September 14, 2024
Wow what an unexpected gem! Overington tells a raw, tragic account of the horrific tales of extensive child abuse and neglect, intertwined with timely themes and public opinion of the days of the text. Sadly, the stories of the Department are all too true in those days, which gives the text even more punch. It really highlighted the importance of permanency for children in Out of Home Care, and how trauma is such an individualistic experience and that it impacts siblings in very different ways.
The book was well researched and considered, and read as if it was a recount of interviews throughout and following the investigation. My only gripe was the line “you have a pussy so cumly” or whatever it was, that was absolutely not necessary haha but still not enough to ruin the read for me.
The book was well researched and considered, and read as if it was a recount of interviews throughout and following the investigation. My only gripe was the line “you have a pussy so cumly” or whatever it was, that was absolutely not necessary haha but still not enough to ruin the read for me.
January 7, 2022
Child on the Audible Plus Catalogue (free audible books for members) I downloaded it and began to listen.
This is Caroline Overton’s debut novel which is based in Melbourne, Australia and centres around the tragic death of a 5 year old boy called Jacob. Set in the early 80’s in a housing estate, the mother and her boyfriend were found guilty of murder and the story sent shockwaves around the world.
Ghost Child deals with the aftermath of this tragic event, focusing on the siblings of Jacob and how they coped having been split up and fostered out at a very young age.
With a huge cast of narrators, the awful truth about Jacob’s death is told through the police detective, social workers, foster carers, doctors and the family themselves.
It’s a wonderful work of fiction that seems real throughout and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the various voices retelling their versions of events.
This is Caroline Overton’s debut novel which is based in Melbourne, Australia and centres around the tragic death of a 5 year old boy called Jacob. Set in the early 80’s in a housing estate, the mother and her boyfriend were found guilty of murder and the story sent shockwaves around the world.
Ghost Child deals with the aftermath of this tragic event, focusing on the siblings of Jacob and how they coped having been split up and fostered out at a very young age.
With a huge cast of narrators, the awful truth about Jacob’s death is told through the police detective, social workers, foster carers, doctors and the family themselves.
It’s a wonderful work of fiction that seems real throughout and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the various voices retelling their versions of events.
January 23, 2022
Ghost Child will get under your skin being the story of a child, five year old Jacob, has died and an emergency call made. The mother reports that Jacob was attacked on his way back from the shops but others doubt the story.
What makes this book unique is that the story is told from multiple perspectives, the detective, the priest, the foster carer's of Jacob's three siblings, the siblings themselves and those connected to them. The way the story builds up is truly unusual and had me absolutely gripped. The wealth of viewpoints allows the reader to build their own impression of what might have happened on that fateful day. The characters are so perceptively drawn that it was impossible not to care about the story of a family living with a tragedy.
The author is a fantastic storyteller and this novel proves she has style as well as substance.
What makes this book unique is that the story is told from multiple perspectives, the detective, the priest, the foster carer's of Jacob's three siblings, the siblings themselves and those connected to them. The way the story builds up is truly unusual and had me absolutely gripped. The wealth of viewpoints allows the reader to build their own impression of what might have happened on that fateful day. The characters are so perceptively drawn that it was impossible not to care about the story of a family living with a tragedy.
The author is a fantastic storyteller and this novel proves she has style as well as substance.
December 7, 2022
An addictive read. Thoroughly enjoyed the brilliant multi-voice narration of this haunting family drama. An incredible insight into the workings of the Australian child protection system. Sad but ultimately optimistic.
November 23, 2024
This story wrecked me. An Australian crime/psychological suspense thriller, that has you guessing, your heart breaking and mending, your soul laughing and crying, throughout its entirety.
It has a long list of triggers that you should definitely read through before commencing.
It has a long list of triggers that you should definitely read through before commencing.
July 30, 2018
This is the very first book I have read since i was in school ( a very long time ago) its story kept me interested all the way through, and has started me on a new journey. Relax and read.
December 14, 2021
I love a story that is told from multiple perspectives, and this does it well. I also loved the detail given to small things, the overall story and characters were interesting. Basically, I loved it.
Via audible.
Via audible.
May 1, 2022
Wow , great book! You have to remind yourself that it’s fiction as the writing style makes you believe it’s real.
Highly recommended read.
Highly recommended read.
September 7, 2025
Yeah, this was great. Not overly dramatic or sad, and had a cozy feeling, funny enough. Lauren was a bit annoying, but luckily, the diverse number of perspectives allowed me to overlook that.
June 21, 2022
I was riveted from the start. Fiction that reads like non-fiction… perhaps particularly so as an audio book. Each character narrates their own perspective, with an ending that isn’t so much a surprise as a result that was coming and makes me grieve for many of the characters, not just Jacob.
July 1, 2022
Ghost Child is a novel that is equal parts heartbreaking and sickening.
Emergency services are called to a home, a 5 year old boy, Jacob, has been beaten by a strange man. Police arrive, and something just isn’t right. Investigations lead to the mother and her boyfriend being the real perpetrators.
With a little boy now dead, rumors start to spread, and everyone looks at the siblings. The oldest being 6 year old Lauren, people are saying she had to have had something to do with it.
Now Lauren is in her late 20’s, working as a nurses aid in Sydney, Australia. When she gets tied up in an unexpected trial, it drudges up her past, and all the horrible details with it.
What really happened to her younger brother Jacob?
Travel through the lives of multiple children, a police officer, foster parents, a social worker, and more, in this soul-crushing story.
I was saddened so much by a lot of the accounts of their foster care experiences, leaving me in tears and my stomach in knots.
Lauren is a sweet person, a likable girl with a troubled story. Hers is a story that shows just how sad, horrific, disturbing, terrifying, and just plain evil life can be.
Harley is funny, a big brawny guy with a happy-go-lucky attitude. A foster-care-success-story.
I enjoyed all the perspectives of this book. It really gave me an in depth view of the story and how it could be perceived by a group of people and how it changed each of them.
Recommend!
Emergency services are called to a home, a 5 year old boy, Jacob, has been beaten by a strange man. Police arrive, and something just isn’t right. Investigations lead to the mother and her boyfriend being the real perpetrators.
With a little boy now dead, rumors start to spread, and everyone looks at the siblings. The oldest being 6 year old Lauren, people are saying she had to have had something to do with it.
Now Lauren is in her late 20’s, working as a nurses aid in Sydney, Australia. When she gets tied up in an unexpected trial, it drudges up her past, and all the horrible details with it.
What really happened to her younger brother Jacob?
Travel through the lives of multiple children, a police officer, foster parents, a social worker, and more, in this soul-crushing story.
I was saddened so much by a lot of the accounts of their foster care experiences, leaving me in tears and my stomach in knots.
Lauren is a sweet person, a likable girl with a troubled story. Hers is a story that shows just how sad, horrific, disturbing, terrifying, and just plain evil life can be.
Harley is funny, a big brawny guy with a happy-go-lucky attitude. A foster-care-success-story.
I enjoyed all the perspectives of this book. It really gave me an in depth view of the story and how it could be perceived by a group of people and how it changed each of them.
Recommend!
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