The Phantom Child by AJ Wills is a gripping psychological thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Karina’s idyllic vacation in Turkey turns nightmarish when her young son, Jacob, disappears—only for her husband, Ronan, to insist their child never existed. What follows is a mind-bending exploration of memory, reality, and the fragility of the mind. Wills crafts a taut, suspenseful narrative that raises chilling questions about what’s real and what’s imagined, all while delving into the complexities of marriage and identity. This page-turner will keep readers guessing until the very end.

Amazing edge of your seat story you won't be able to put down this is a thriller which will keep you turning the pages long into the night

"The Phantom Child" was everything it promised to be even though it missed quite a few trigger warnings (gas lighting, abuse, loss of child - either real or perceived.) AJ Wills delivered an absolute thriller of a psychological ride that kept me scratching my head as I read and read, trying to figure out what was going on!

While difficult to read at times, this book provided the shakeup that my typical reads needed to keep things fresh. I would recommend it for those looking for a psychological thriller with appropriate trigger warnings in place.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this ARC.

The idea for this novel was very good in theory, but in the end, I don't really know what to think about it.
The beginning is very slow to establish itself, before entering into the subject of the book. Then, I found that it was often quite far-fetched, not necessarily credible. Too many plot twists, the pace is quite uneven, and I didn't really appreciate the character of Karina, who often has rather incomprehensible and thoughtless reactions. The ending also disappointed me a little with its umpteenth twist which, in my opinion, was not necessary.
Too much plot convenience lowers my rating. It's not a bad novel, just average.

A fantastic book which I raced through to see if the child had ever been real.

Thanks to net galley and the publishers for this arc

4 stars

WOW. WOW. WOW. WOW.

I don’t even know what to say - the number of twists and shocking story lines was just absolutely mind blowing and they were all done so well.

Some things i saw coming, some things i didn’t. At one point i was also not convinced that Jacob ever existed. I couldn’t imagine the turmoil that Karina felt when she thought she was going crazy but knew in her heart Jacob was real.

Definitely check trigger warnings before diving into this book - child abduction, abortion, domestic violence, severe car accident, mental health representation - protect your mental health 🖤

I really really liked the authors note about trigger warnings at the beginning of the book as well / this is absolutely an author i will 100% be adding to my “read their backlog”

WELL DONE 👏🏼 👏🏼

The Phantom Child is a very good psychological thriller. Fast paced plot with many twists and turns. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and Netgalley. This is my unbiased review.

This book had me feeling anxious, stressed, angry, and betrayed throughout. I was absolutely hooked from start to end. The book starts with a rush to the airport, which had my heart rate up to 90 because everyone has experienced the last minute airport dash. Little did I know that that level of stress as nothing in comparison to the rest of the book.

Once Karina, Ronan and little Jacob arrive in Turkey, everything seems idyllic. But when Karina wakes up on the 2nd day, Jacob is nowhere to be seen, and Ronan doesn’t know who Jacob is. Their first family holiday is the beginning to the end of Karina’s happiness, sanity and trust in people.

‘Is her child even missing? Or did he never exist at all?’

Everything about this book was great; the character development allowed the reader to feel all Karina’s emotions as she has to ebb and flow with the changes in her. Even the secondary characters were very well developed.

The pacing was perfect, there was never a lull moment. Usually 10 year gaps leave the reader with a sense of missing out, but this was done so well.

If you’re looking for a book with an intriguing, unique storyline, that makes you want to climb into it to hug certain characters, and scream at others, then this book is for you.

🖍 IS HER CHILD REALLY MISSING OR DID HE NEVER EXIST AT ALL?

🖍 Pick this up if you like/don’t mind:
📌 psychological thriller
📌 a REAL page turner
📌 fast pace
📌 short chapters
📌 UNIQUE plot line ( I have never read anything like this before )
📌 lots of twists ( the main twist was kind of predictable somehow but the ending twist came as a total surprise )
📌 unlikeable characters
📌 an addictive/unputdownable/ binge worthy read
📌 on the edge of your seat vibes
📌 an open ending

🖍 Oh, my goodness!! This book was one hell of a roller coaster ride and embrace yourself because the moment you will think that everything is figured out and you’re gonna finally hit the land, you will get another jerk- the FINAL TWIST. (never in a million years would I have guessed it) A few of the things did sound implausible at times but then that’s the things with the thrillers- you have to suspend your disbelief.

📌 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Thanks to the author and NetGalley for ARC.
PS: I can’t wait to read more by the author ✍🏻

This was my first story by AJ Wills and I can say his will be the last I read by this author. This book was a mess, and it was hard to follow at some points. From the beginning, I could tell where the book was going and It was a major disappointment. Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for the arc.

When a mother is told that her son has never existed it is up her to find out the truth of what is happening, is this
all in her mind, has she really never had a son or is this some sort of cruel trick played by her husband,
great premise for a story with lots of intrigue

Woah this one was a belter! A chilling psychological thriller that explores the horrors that can lurk behind seemingly perfect facades, with a gripping narrative and a shocking final twist a fantastic offering here for anyone who loves this genre

This is a dark read - its so cruel for the Mum to wake up and have no trace of her child anywhere and for her husband to tel her they don't have a child. She knows a neighbour saw her son the day before but the neighbour denies it. She calls her ex-husband, surely he will corroborate her story but he also denies any knowledge of a child. Are they all in a conspiracy to trick her or is there no child at all? But despite what everyone says, she is determined the find the truth and not give up on her child.......is it all a dream or is he real and in terrible danger. Bit far fetched but an ok read

Karina, her husband, and young son Jacob go on vacation, but when her son Jacob suddenly disappears she is informed by her husband that they have no children. Was Katrina really hallucinating a child, or is something sinister going on? Really tense at first, but the story is weakened by the male villain characters, whose actions are really unbelievable and motives are flimsy. The twist at the end doesn't feel organic to the story, just tacked on for the sake of having a twist. Still an entertaining read.

What would you do if you woke up one day and the child you thought you had was gone? Every trace of him ever existing was gone. And you were told that you were out of your mind and delusional. Would you believe it or would you fight to find out the truth? This book started out so good I felt the fear and the anxiety of the mother. I liked the book but it had some potholes in the end. It was a suspenseful and intriguing story and I liked it.

This is the first novel I read by this author and to be honest it took me a little time to get used to the style. However it was well worth persevering as I thoroughly enjoyed the book after all. With plenty of twists this drama set around a mother who is convinced her young son is missing during a holiday with her husband. As if this all isn’t bad enough her husband keeps insisting their son Jacob doesn’t exist and her mind is playing tricks on her. A solid read with plenty of punch.

2 stars.
I was so excited for this book. I was expecting so much action, twists and turns, and to not want to put it down.
However, that is not what happened. Every single thing in this book was so wildly unbelievable. Nothing anyone did made any sense.

ARC received courtesy of Netgalley and Cherry Tree Publishing. Thank you!
Coming on February 1, 2024!

Spoilers*


Imagine you take a family vacation and wake up thousands of miles from home and your child is missing. Even worse, your husband tells you that there isn't and never has been a child. Karina spends a decade accepting that the son she thought she had was just a figment of her imagination; a phantom child. One day she receives an email that solidifies that she is not mentally ill or imagining her son. He's real, he's safe and with the one person she would've never suspected. Join Karina on her journey to recover her son and restore the bond she's been missing for so long. The plot twist at the very end will leave you stunned!

The phantom child by A J Wills.
After a difficult few months, Karina's looking forward to a short break in a luxury villa in Turkey with her husband and four-year-old son, Jacob. The marriage has been showing signs of strain lately, so it’ll be a chance to relax, enjoy some good food, and more importantly, reconnect with the people she loves the most. But on their first morning, Karina is startled to discover she’s slept in late. Where’s Jacob? He’s usually an early riser who likes to tumbles into their bed first thing pestering them to make him breakfast. A needle of fear spikes through Karina’s veins. She rushes to his room, but his bed is empty and he’s nowhere to be found in the villa. Frantic with worry, she raises the alarm with her husband – but he stares at her blankly, like she’s out of her mind. He says he has no idea what she’s talking about. They don’t have any children, and he’s never heard of a boy called Jacob…
A brilliant twisty read. I didn't trust Ronan at all. I did like Karina although I didn't know if Jacob was made up or not. Sammy I really did not like at all. I did have a theory but boy was I wrong. What a double twist. I really couldn't put this book down. Read in one sitting as I just had to find out what happened. I do hope there is more to come. 5*.

I was gripped by the story's beginning and kept reading until the end. It was mind-bending, a bit crazy, with many twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. The author of the book is new to me and I will look for his previous and future books.