This is a difficult book to both read and to review. It centres around a case of suspected child abuse and the impact that this has upon the family as the difficult but necessary investigations are undertaken. We are not talking about the levels of horrific abuse that we have seen in the papers over the past couple of years, the kind which has led to the death of a child, but it doesn't make it any easier a subject to read about. It also highlights the very real challenges in the care system, of how, even with the best interests of the child front and foremost, making a case for the guilt or innocence of parents is a beyond challenging tasks.

In this case we meet new mother, Sally, who it is fair to say has been struggling since the birth of her very wanted son, Oliver. She has suffered the same fears that any new mum might suffer but, as we soon come to learn, Sally's fears reach near obsessive levels. The more we learn about her personality, the more I understood why, but it is very easy to see why she may have becomes a suspect in Oliver's subsequent injury. She is home from a well needed, but somewhat boozy, night out with her colleagues as a kind of reintegration with the team before her return to work post maternity leave when her husband, Richard, alerts her to something being very wrong with Oliver's arm. Along with her stepdaughter, Martha, this small and complex family unit is about to be pitched into a heartbreaking and worrying situation as they stand accused of potential child abuse.

This is the kind of case that we have heard about - a twisted fracture of a child's arm, the kind that does not occur in the normal rough and tumble of their everyday lives. It was so easy to see why this may appear suspicious to the medical professionals. But both Sally and Richard are adamant they did nothing to Oliver, so who is telling the truth. Joanna Barnard explores not only the outline stages of the investigation, but the very real emotional impact of the situation on the entire family. It is clear that all is not well in the family to begin with, and as shocking revelations are made, it was hard to know who, if anyone to trust. And alongside Oliver's injury there is another, all too credible and current issue occurring in Martha's life. It is shocking but again, another of those headline making stories which has too much of an air of authenticity about it. Add it into a volatile situation where lines of communication seem to be completely broken, and it makes for a very heady mix.

This is a book I had to take time over reading, not because it is a long book, but because if weighs so heavily on your emotions, creating both anger and sympathy at varying times, that I just needed to take my time. It is handled in a very sensitive way, exploring so many aspects of life and so many issues surrounding mental health - including eating disorders and self harm amongst others - that it becomes a very emotionally complex book very quickly. Is justice served in the end? Well, I think it is perhaps the best outcome for Oliver, but if it is true justice ... Well, you'll have to read the book and make the judgment for yourself, won't you?

This was a brilliant read. As soon as I started reading this book I just knew I was going to love it. Highly recommended

Really enjoyed this and liked the format of alternating between the 3 main characters to tell the story. I liked the character development as they were all pretty unlikeable for most of the book and it was clear that the experience changed them for the better.

What a nightmare! An unexplained injury to a innocent little baby and suddenly your world is turned upside down! Baby taken away, life under total scrutiny, supervised visits not to mention, how did the little one get injured?! Oooooofff!!!

The Townsend family are dysfunctional to say the least. Mum Sally is trying her damnedest to be the perfect mum with stroppy teenager stepdaughter Martha and what I could only describes arse of a husband Richard to deal with as well as ickle baby Oliver. But Oliver got hurt, no one knows (aka is admitting) how so he’s taken to his grandparents (Sally’s in laws). I don’t know about you but having my baby taken away and only seeing him under the watchful eye of a social worker is my idea of a nightmare. Don’t think it helps there is friction between Sally and the in laws!

Barnard’s writing kept me engrossed in this tense domestic based thriller. I couldn’t work out what had happened to baby Oliver and who was covering this tragedy. I really felt for Sally’s predicament. As a mum myself, I couldn’t bear to be in that situation, knowing that someone I love could possibly have injured my child. As the story developed I felt unnerved by all this involved – who could possibly have hurt Oliver? Such an innocent wee thing.

Hush Little Baby kept me on edge throughout. The cast of characters made me distrust each of them which kept me on my toes right to the end.

Really captivating book, kept me interested right until the end. Would read more by the same author.

There was much to enjoy here, but I found I couldn't connect with it. I'd read more from this author in the future though.

When Oliver appears with a broken arm, social services take him away and start investigating his family.

Sally, the mother, is obsessive and paranoid. Richard is angry all the time and lashes out at anyone who doesn’t let him have his way. Martha is Richard’s daughter of the previous marriage. A rebellious teenager that struggles with life.

I think the characters were well done. Sally was my favorite. I felt her distress while reading her chapters. Richard and Martha were also interesting but Sally was the best.

The plot was gripping. The mystery wasn’t that surprising but I kept reading the book, excited to know what would happen next. It could improve, yes, but it was still enjoyable to read.

My biggest problem was the ending. It felt forced and not something the characters would do.

I like this book but found it very slow just did not grip me but I did finish it it well wrote but I just did not warm to the plot not a book for me

Hush little baby by Joanna Barnard.
A good read. Good story and some good characters. I liked the cover. 4*.

Thank you for letting me read this. Gripping story told by the Mother, Father and Step Sister of Baby Oliver. Whose recount is true and which character has something to hide. This is my first Joanna Barnard book and I found it to be a compelling page turner

*2 Stars*

Copy kindly received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was unsure whether or not to rate this as a 2 or 3 star book, but ultimately I chose 2. The idea of this story is great, and it's really the only thing that kept me reading until the end. I didn't particularly like, or connect with, any of the characters at all. I wanted to know what happened to Ollie, so I kept reading, but I was wishing at times the story would just hurry up so I could be done with it. In the end I was surprised by who the actual culprit was, because for the whole book I had thought it was someone else. This was in no means a terrible book, it just wasn't really that captivating for me.

Hush Little Baby by Joanna Barnard is a cleverly woven story involving a mixture of somewhat disturbed characters and covering a really uncomfortable topic

From the first page to the last, this book had me hooked!

Characters were perfectly explored, so much so that I felt as though I was the character at one time or another. The pace and storyline were nicely plotted so that it wasn't too slow or too fast, with the chapters being quite snappy.

It's a topic I think that rings with readers, given that children and often thought to be so reliant on us adults.
Excellent read, and I look forward to reading more from this author in the very near future.

Thank you so much for allowing me to preview this story.

So creepy and unnervingly tense, a very well-written story which keeps you captivated. I’d recommend leaving the light on....!

I read this book in one sitting, I was hooked from the first few pages.
A great story on a non accidental injury to a baby and the involvement of social services.
My thoughts on who was responsible were wrong, great to keep guessing who might be to blame.

Really disappointed with this one unfortunately. Where the synopsis promises secrets and scandal, the book really needs to live up to the hype. I felt this one fell short of what was promised and it left me disappointed.
I guess some people would enjoy it but it wasn’t for me.

Thanks to NetGalley, Joanna Barnard and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the speed of this book was going , it discuses a matter that is hard for any mother to go through.

Oliver the baby have broken his hand , but how? and whom?
mum and dad and big sister , each one going through the pain ,regrets and other issues . we dont know who done it until the end . but the style of writing was very engaging , I couldn't stop read .

Mainly the social serves conversions and meetings , it was just stressful and scary. but at the same time these people are not perfect , they have a lot of issues. and you don't know what to believe.

really loved this book.

Ow wow this book had me hooked its a who done it book and i kept changing my mind all the way threw and its one of them books were right on the last page theres a massive twist to the who done it and it ends it hits you like a rock and i was like ow wow i wasnt expecting that

I enjoyed this book to begin with but the story became hard to follow. Overall a good enough read, but not to my taste.

This book didnt work for me, its a shame but i didnt enjoy it