It's the phone call every mother dreads. I'm climbing into the car after a trip to the grocery store. As the engine starts, my phone rings. It's my stepdaughter, Shelby, who is babysitting my three year old daughter, Millie. "I only went upstairs for a second," she says through her sobs. "She's gone".

It must be the phone call every parent dreads to hear - their child is missing. The story is told from multiple perspectives. There's lots of secrets being kept and lies being told. This is much more than a story about a missing child. The pace is fast from the beginning. Is Shelby hiding the truth about her stepsister's disappearance? The twists kept coming and the truth is out about what really happened. This gripping and addictive storyline held my attention throughout.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #Bookouture and the author #NicoleTrope for my ARC of #TheStepchild in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for allowing me to review this title. A real psychological thriller!
This story was very unexpected. I enjoyed it and was hooked from the beginning.. I liked the way the author developed the storyline to keep the interest level high and the expectation of what might happen was always there. I didn't anticipate how the story would conclude at all. I felt very sorry for the stepdaughter, Shelby and her sister Millie. Equally, Ruth deserves sympathy. The parents had things to hide which added to the build up.

You must read this book. I now want to read more work by Nicole Trope.

A fantastic psychological thriller! I read this in under 24 hours, it was so good. The story surrounds three year old Millie who goes missing after being babysat by her older stepsister, Shelby. What has happened to Millie? The story starts to unravel the mysteries and secrets of the family and those closest to Millie and makes for a seriously gripping story! I was very pleased with this book. Thank you Netgalley for this ARC!

A psychological thriller with heart.

This book hooked me in immediately— a child goes missing, her sister is holding something back, her stepmother receives a strange text w/a warning, and how does the mysterious character who narrates part of the story fit in? Nicole Trope captures the nuances of blended families and the vulnerability of the children involved — what exactly happened to three year old Millie? Why isn’t anyone talking? And who is it that knows the truth? To say much more would give away spoilers, but this is a domestic thriller not to be missed.Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. #NetGalley #TheStepchild

Having loved Nicole Tropes previous book, I was excited to have this recommended for me. I will first list all the things I didn’t like about this book….. nothing! And what I loved….. everything!! the suspense., the palpable fear, the shock, the complexities of the characters, the plot - it was just impossible to put down! The entire book was so cleverly written, I couldn’t wait to find out what had happened to little Millie - with that pit in my tummy that you can only get when you have a legit fear that the worst has happened! Absolutely loved it!

Wow what an excellent read this was , i really could not put it down until I had finished it , Leslie leaves Millie her daughter in the care of Shelby her step daughter while she runs some errands , on her return Millie is missing and Shelby has clammed up , they know she is hiding something but then so is Leslie , we know that the story that Shelby is telling is not the truth and as the story unfolds we find out bit by bit what happened and why .
Brilliant 5 star read

I guess everyone occasionally feels they have to keep a secret from their nearest and dearest. It probably does no one any harm until something dreadful happens and then every detail counts. The Step Child opens with a missing three year old girl and we quickly find that almost everyone is hiding something. But are these things important to the case or not?

When three year old Millie disappears her stepsister, Shelby, obviously has lots to hide. Her mother, Leslie, who was out at the time also has to account for her whereabouts. And then there is Ruth who does not appear to be related in any way and yet knows far too much about what has happened. The tension is huge as we worry about what has happened to poor little Millie.

I like the way the author moves around the different perspectives of Shelby, Leslie and Ruth. She constantly misdirects the reader as to the possible guilty party and when all becomes clear it is a huge shock. I found it gripping and read the book in one sitting!

This was an excellent story, well told and I would recommend it.

4.5.

‘A secret kept is a secret you live to regret. As a child, that regret had manifested in the form of small punishments: no ice cream after dinner, no television time. But what is the cost of secrets as an adult? Surely, surely this is too high a price.’

Leslie Everleigh’s twelve-year-old stepdaughter, Shelby often babysits her three-year-old daughter Millie. The two sister’s have a good relationship, and Shelby is responsible for her age, so Leslie doesn’t hesitate to leave her in charge while she makes a quick run to the grocery store one Saturday morning. Okay, so maybe she’s a little hesitant, as her stepdaughter hadn’t wanted to babysit that day, had made plans to go shopping with her friend Kiera, but Leslie promised Shelby she’d only be gone an hour tops.

But one hour turns into two, due to long queues at the checkout, and as Leslie is about to leave the parking lot for home she receives a frantic call from Shelby, saying she left the room for a minute to use the bathroom, and when she came downstairs Millie was gone, the front door wide open. Shelby’s searched everywhere, but Millie is nowhere to be found. Leslie rushes home. So does her husband Randall (Shelby’s father), who’s been playing golf with some clients. The police are called. But, when they start to question Shelby, there are several holes in her story that just don’t add up. Is she lying?

Leslie has a secret too. She didn’t just go to the grocery store. She went somewhere else first.

A woman called Ruth also has secrets. She knows things, she saw things, but is she ready to have it all come spilling out…

The Step Child was my second read by Nicole Trope (I read The Family Across the Street last year) and this author sure knows how to pen a gripping, emotional, fast-paced, binge-worthy domestic thriller. I zoomed through this in a day, and it was a quiet Saturday well spent. And, oh my, those twists and reveals sure kept me on my toes. I also liked how the chapters grew shorter as the novel progressed as it really increased the tension and saw me reading even faster.

All three alternating POV’s – Leslie, Shelby, and Ruth – were characters you felt for, and their thoughts, emotions, and behaviour were accurate and affecting. It was a tough read, but it was never graphic, instead focusing on the long reaching consequences of suppressed trauma, and how much it invades overall mental health, and infects every part of you. And also how something can be going on right under your nose, but you are oblivious. Other themes I took away was that a child’s love for a mother never dies, a child will forgive almost anything And, that family isn’t always blood-related.

The Step Child was a very good read. I look forward to reading whatever Nicole Trope writes next, as well as working my way through her backlist.

I’d like to thank Netgalley, Bookouture, and Nicole Trope for the e-ARC.

Publication Date: 15th March, 2022.

The Stepchild is my 2nd book by Nichole Trope to read in 2022, the first being The Family Across the Street, and both are phenomenal! Both of these titles were so thought provoking and anxiety-inducing that I had to put them down at times because of the emotion that the author was able to transfer off the page.. I definitely could have read them in one sitting had it not been for that.

The Stepchild is told from 3 points of view: Shelby- the stepdaughter, Leslie- the stepmother, and Ruth, whose identity and connection becomes clear as the story moves forward. Each of their view points are equally compelling and often heartbreaking! The characters were written so well that I felt I knew them personally was able to feel all of their emotions.

Shelby is babysitting her 3 year old step sister Millie while Leslie is out running errands on a Saturday afternoon. Millie goes missing while in Shelby's care. This is where the drama begins as they race against the clock to find the missing child and the truth about what has taken place.

With alternating chapters of all three points of view, we find out bits and pieces of their lives and what has brought about this nightmare of a situation. There are some shocking secrets revealed throughout but the conclusion was a hopeful one.

This book deserves every star, I highly recommend! Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC of The Stepchild in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Net Galley for an ARC of The Child by Nicole Trope. This is my first read by this author but it won't be my last. Holy cow did I ever enjoy this one!

Another one of those fast paced thrillers that will put you at the edge of the seat, by Nicole Trope!

Shelby is twelve years old and is asked to babysit her three-year-old half-sister Millie. But while babysitting, Millie goes missing.

The story is told from the perspectives of Leslie (Millie's mother and Shelby's stepmother), Shelby and a woman named Ruth, who seemed to be obsessed with Millie's disappearance. From the start of the chapter, when Millie goes missing to the end, the story is fast paced, packed with twists and turns that you wouldn't even expect! The story started getting more tense in the middle of the story and boy, the ending was completely unexpected. Kudos to the author for keeping the reader at the edge of the seat while reading this thriller! I stayed up all night reading the book, wondering what is going to happen--will Millie be ever found? Did someone kill her? What really happened to her? And finally all those questions were answered at the end!

Overall, if you like reading fast paced thrillers that will keep you up all night, an uputdownable thriller that will keep you at the edge of the seat, then this book is one for you--worth five stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Nicole Trope is a master of the domestic psychological suspense novel. “The Stepchild” follows a successful formula for Trope – multiple viewpoints, a mysterious figure from the past, and twists and turns galore. Fans of family drama and suspense won’t want to miss this one!

This novel sucked me in from the very first chapter. Leslie’s 3-year-old daughter Millie goes missing while Leslie’s 12-year-old stepdaughter Shelby is babysitting. Shelby insists that Millie has run away, but we know right away that Shelby is hiding something from the police as well as her dad and stepmom. The perspectives alternate between frantic mom Leslie, secretive and anguished Shelby, and Ruth, a troubled but sympathetic character whose connection to the family isn’t initially apparent. All three viewpoints are emotional and compelling, which puts this gripping novel a cut above the typical thriller. I found this to be a quick read, the perfect length to keep the reader riveted as the story hurtles toward its stunning conclusion.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me an advance copy of this book.

When a Mother's worst fear comes true and her child goes missing whilst entrusted into the care of her twelve year old stepdaughter, she is determined to discover the truth about what really happened.

I've struggled with this review if I'm honest because whilst I did enjoy reading it, I just don't have a lot to say about it! I didn't particularly warm to any of the characters, although I did feel hugely sorry for Shelby.

I am particularly fond of books which are told in the perspectives of multiple characters, as is the case with this one.

This is the first book I've read by Nicole Trope and I will be keeping my eye out for future releases.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review 📖

New author for me. Great book. I especially liked the way the author ended most chapters that made me want to continue on. Definitely hard book to put down. Loved the twists and turns the story took. I wasn't sure I liked the character Ruth in the book but she definitely turned out to be an important part of this book . I can't wait to read more by Nicole Trope. Best missing child book ever!

Firstly, I am thankful for the opportunity to have received a free copy of this eBook through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. I have read a couple of books from with author previously which I have enjoyed, so was excited to get into this one.

It definately doesn't disappoint. I could not put this one down and finished it in a day. Stayed up way too late, just to see how it would end.

Two families, two children, someone from the past.....full of twists, absoluty loved it!

I rate this eBook 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ stars and would recommend to those who enjoy their psychological thrillers!

#TheStepChild #NetGalley

3.5 rounded up.

This was another very good domestic thriller from Nicole Trope. Twelve year old Shelby is the stepchild. Her father Randall is now married to second wife Leslie and they have a three year old girl, Mille. Shelby shares her time between her father’s household and her mother, Bianca’s. Bianca has also remarried. A very common blended family situation - right? One weekend things come to a head though and the keeping of secrets makes it very hard to work out what is going on.

One Saturday Leslie needs some groceries and leaves Millie in the care of Shelby, telling her she’ll only be gone an hour. In fact she is gone for close to two hours. She did not just go shopping. When she does return Shelby is in a panic as Millie has disappeared. According to Shelby she just popped upstairs to the bathroom and by the she returned Millie had the door open and had disappeared. But that is not what happened either.

Meanwhile Leslie is getting anonymous messages telling her that her husband is not who she thinks he is. And there then there is Ruth who suffers from agoraphobia and OCD but who has seen something on one of her rare outing that prompts her into taking action to prevent what happened to her from happening to another innocent.

It is easy to think you know what is going on her but don’t be so sure. There are more secrets to come out and some breathtaking betrayals. The story is told through the POV of Leslie, Shelby and Ruth and as you get to know them better you really feel their pain. It takes a lot of bravery for some of the stories to be told and, unfortunately, the scenario is far too common. The story was excellent but I felt it was let down slightly by too much repetition of some elements. Nevertheless I will be very keen to see what Nicole Trope comes up with next. Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

This is my second book by Nicole trope. I must say I absolutely loved it. It starts off little confusing with the three different point if view. But after a few chapters it starts to make sense. It was Rollercoaster of emotions anger,sad and surprised. At the end it all comes together. I loved the ending. It wasn't rushed or leave things unfinished. I'm hoping for second book more about Ruth's backstory.

The Stepchild is a gripping, can't-put-down, emotional thriller. The story is told from three POVs - Leslie, Shelby, and Ruth - and focuses on the disappearance of three-year-old Millie. The author does a fantastic job of developing each of the characters; although, I'll admit that Ruth was my favorite! The book deals with themes of blended family, past trauma, and abuse. It is well-written and nicely paced. This was my first book by Nicole Trope, but it won't be my last. I'll definitely be reading more from her.

I went into this thinking it'll just be the same as every other "child suddenly vanishes and the family all have their individual secrets" type book but omg, this was just worlds apart! Trust me you have never read a book quite like this before. It took me on such a journey that I literally couldn't out it down, sleep be damned!!! Absolutely amazing, the whole thing just sucks you in and keeps up the questions and the tension chapter after chapter. Such a good book!!definutely recommend

My favorite missing child story ever! My copy seemed to have some mysterious sticky substance that wouldn't let me stop turning the pages, my eyes glued to the book, my heart pounding, missing lunch, absolutely immersed in this tight tense thriller. Loved, loved, loved it.