I really enjoyed this book.
While the subject matter was harrowing and sad, it was told in such a good way, passing from the viewpoint of the children and the mother. I don't want to use specifics here as don't want to give away the plot!
There were a few twists and turns that were genuinely unexpected. With some thrillers the same tropes can be used, but that definitely wasn't the case with this book.
It was gripping, and interesting, and kept my attention throughout - even with the 'little details' like fraulein tinky.
I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes thrillers, and who likes books like Emma Donoghue's Room.

Did not finish at about 40%. I got so bored with this as I felt like I had read it all before. After having read Room and Outside and so many others along the same lines, there just wasn't enough originality to make it worth the while.

The plot of this story was similar to a couple of other books that I have read in the past, but this book is very cleverly written. I was kept guessing the whole way through and literally had no idea when it came to the plot twist at the end. I was along the right lines but still got it wrong! I really felt for Jasmine and wanted her to be able to get better after her ordeal. I willed for both of the children to recover as well and find some peace in their lives.
I really didn't like Lena's father - I found him overbearing and couldn't understand many of his actions throughout the book. It did become obvious towards the end that he was a grieving father and wasn't coping as well as he probably thought he was - this did make me very suspicious of him throughout the book.

I really enjoyed the read and if I could have read it in one sitting then I would of. Definite 4 star read!

Lena disappeared without a trace 14 years ago presumed dead by her family and the police. But one day having fled from her captor her life over the last 14 years begins to be unraveled. However, somehow the pieces don’t seem to fit and more questions seem to need to be asked than are answered...

Wow! This is an incredibly accomplished debut novel. I have read some great psychological thrillers recently but this has raised the bar! My heart was genuinely racing whilst reading this book as I became so immersed in the intensity of Lena’s and those around her stories. This a book that really gets in your head and keeps you invested until the end with some brilliant unpredictable twists and turns.
A definite 5 star read.

I just could not put this book down! It was an addictive and surprising read, which I very much appreciate. There have been quite a few books that deal with kidnapping and holding women hostage over long periods of time. I assume that a lot of this has been inspired by the Fritzl case in Austria, as well as with the horrifying cases emerging every couple of years. But either way, I've read quite a few books that follow this plot line and until "Dear Child" have struggled to encounter something truly original. This book truly took me by surprise. I found myself empathising with the protagonist and enjoyed the POV of the child in the beginning. I think that the author has dealt with children's voices extraordinarily well. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for an unputdownable thriller.

There have been many novels written about kidnapping but this one takes an interesting approach, and I found the point of view of the bereaved parents particularly interesting. More of a character study than a whodunnit, but very well written.

What a book! I’ve started reading it in the evening. I didn’t sleep. I only stopped for a bathroom break. I’ve read it in a night. That’s how good this book is.
Emotional, full of suspense. I found myself holding my breath a few times. Subtle twists that will keep you turning the pages culminating in this unexpected ending and hitting you with yet another couple of plot twists! All along being credible, believable!
The characters are relatable, the tension palpable and there is a pleasant discomfort in not knowing what will happen next that will keep you reading it until the end. I personally disliked one of the characters but all their behaviours were acceptable and understandable when facing what they were facing.
This book is so great I struggle to find words to describe it. I loved Hannah’s points of view and without wanting to give anything way, I was so impressed with the small details that made it so fantastic!
It might feel slow paced but believe me, your mind will be running several miles per hour until you finish the book. It’s narrated by different characters and you don’t want to finish reading their perspective but also can’t wait to continue reading about the others too!
Even the cover is such a nice touch! I’m thankful to #netgalley and #quercusbook for giving me the opportunity to read #dearchild ahead of its publishing date (14.05.2020) - and in exchange for an honest review - as an ebook but I cannot wait to be able to get my hands on a hard copy and add it to my favourite collection!
I’m astonished this was a debut thriller! I’m upset I have nothing else to read by #RomyHausmann and still struggling to find words to praise this fantastic book! Can you give 6 out 5 stars? Keep your eyes open because #RomyHausmann is coming to stir the world of thriller books and possibly take the throne!

Fantastically grippy page turner that keeps you hooked throughout. Lots of little twists that keep you guessing until the end. This is going to be a huge hit in 2020 and rightfully so
Brilliant

Told from 3 different points of view, ‘Dear Child’ is full of twists and turns, just when I thought I could predict the way the story was going, another twist came along and proved me to be wrong!

I can certainly see why this book is said to rival ‘Room’ (maybe even surpass it.) as it definitely has a similar feel to it.

All in all, a fantastic book!

Dear Child had me hooked after just a few pages.

23-year-old Lena disappears one night on the way home from a party. While the news and media portray her as a ‘loose part girl’ by way of explaining her disappearance, her father, Matthias, spent 13 years hounding the police and the press, trying to get somebody to find her. Dead, or alive.

Matthias receives a phone call informing him that Lena is potentially still alive, and he rushes to the hospital to identify her. Was Lena alive all this time? Also, who is the intelligent little girl who looks just like his daughter? A girl who was raised in a cabin with no natural light, windows bordered up, and where there were dedicated times to use the toilet? From here, the plot sure thickened and the twists and turns made for a gripping read.

This book keeps you guessing. Narrated from three different perspectives, we are never fully aware of the full truth behind the characters’ motives. My final book of 2019 didn't disappoint!

Thank you, Quercus Books and NetGalley for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! If you get the chance to read this book, do it!!

I loved this book. It was easy to read but thoroughly gripping. The writing is amazing and really got the thoughts and feelings of the characters. It also showed the bonds between them all, even if initially forced upon them.

An incredible novel!! It will be compared to ‘Room’ and come out neck and neck, possibly even a little ahead.
I love working out the truth in books like this and every time I felt I’d got a handle on what was going on a twist occurred that knocked my theory out of the water.
As in Room, the difficult job of giving a realistic voice to a child character has been done beautifully with Hannah being a fantastically likeable little heroine.
All the characters were beautifully rounded and considering this is a translation from the authors native German I don’t feel that any of the nuances have been lost. Lena’s father constantly blundering into the investigation and driving both the press, police and his poor wife up the wall is still relatable and loveable. His relationship with Hannah is a beautiful thing.
Jasmin’s processing of what had happened to her is at times terrifying and always extremely emotive. The evening the air recirculating system failed was so poignant and tender. Moments like that which stay with you long after the book is finished are how we know that Haussmann is a master of her craft.

Brilliantly written, edge of your seat plot, grief and despair written in the pages, terror and shock. Just when you think everyone is safe a twist that gets you asking questions all over again. As always a happy ending with spilt tears.
Five out of five stars for a brilliant plot that draws you in

Contains spoilers!!

Dear Child is in parts quite convoluted and jumping from character to character so many times does make it annoying at times BUT it’s worth it if you stick with it!!
I think it took too long to get to the “good” reveals such as SPOILER

the kidnapper is alive and people not being quite who they seem but it’s worth it if you stick with it!

** spoiler alert ** Spoilers spoilers spoilers

This has been on my radar,and my kindle thanks to netgalley) for a while and I FINALLY gave in and read it.
It's not published for months.
To start with,I'll admit I love a locked in the basement type story,so we were on to a winner already.
This one though was slightly mindbending,that soon it became apparent that Lena was not Lena,and I thought furiously on how this could work... how were the kids convinced?
As the story went on,the slow reveal puts everything perfectly in place.
I was convinced Hannah had killed her parents and Sara ... not sure if this was a deliberate mislead or I just have a twisted mind.
The final showdown dragged a bit I have to admit,but it was a good chance to put the kettle on ,as I had not stopped once since picking the book up.
A very very good debut.

This was quite a roller coaster of a read. Many twists in the story, just when you think you are following along just fine it takes a sharp turn and heads in another direction.
Told by three points of view, not all reliable, this was quite a page turner.
Lena has been missing for 13 years and her father has never stopped looking for answers. But like the novel Room, Lena has been living in a cabin in the woods with her captor and two children. Eventually Lena escapes and in her desperation to find civilisation she is hit by a car and ends up in hospital. When her father comes to see her, they discover this isn’t Lena. This is the first of many twists that make this story so compelling.
#dearchild #netgalley

Wow!!! This is one of those books which grabs you from the first word and doesn’t let go. It’s full of so many twists and turns I could not put it down. It follows the story of a woman and a child brought in to a hospital following a hit and run. When the child claims her mothers name is Lena it sets off a chain of events to reopen a case about a woman who has been missing for 14 years. Where has this woman been and what has happened to her over the years and is the child hers. A great twisted story that I could see as a movie.

In theory Dear Child would be a great book. It’s billed as a page turning thriller. Gone Girl meets Room. In practice though I found the whole book to be slightly insipid. It was nowhere near as pacy as I expected and just felt the whole book lacked something. I’m sure others will love this book but sadly it wasn’t for me.
Thank you to NetGalley, Quercus Books and author for the chance to review.

I was eager to read this book and it did not disappoint
The story is told chapter by chapter by each of the key characters centring around the abduction and imprisonment of Jasmin in a cabin in the woods - she manages to escape and them the story unfolds .
Gripping the reader we have children grandparents and previous victims intertwined to create and great read that keeps the reader gripped to the end

An intriguing mystery of abduction that keeps you on your toes and keeps you guessing to the last page. Well written piece of fiction and so believable. We think of abductors as crazy people but they can look as normal as you and I. And how circumstances place people in the clutches of an abductor without knowing they are in terrible danger. How people cope in terrifying circumstances and how their strength can keep them from surrendering themselves totally just demonstrates how amazing humans can be. I give it 4.5/5