This book was my worst nightmare come true. As terrifying as I found it though, I couldn’t put it down. The twists and turns were unexpected, and I loved the realistic dialogue. Hold your babies tight!

First, thank you to NetGalley, author Maria Frankland and Bookotoure publishing for the opportunity to review this book.

I’m not sure where to start and I am highly conflicted on if I liked this book or not. The premise around the storyline was good, the different character points of view I liked but overall I just feel it was under whelming.

The title really doesn’t come into play until 75% through. It is a slow read with multiple characters. I found the writing style to be a bit juvenile but I also went into this book blind so perhaps that is this author’s audience.

I feel it had so much potential to be gripping and suspenseful. The little camera with clips of writing I feel weren’t even really necessary. It ends with questions still and was easy to figure out what was happening early one.

Perhaps this is just a one off and I’ll try another of her books in the future but I just wasn’t overly ‘thrilled’ with this one.

3⭐️⭐️⭐️

LOVED !!!
Right up my ally. Incredible writing I was hooked Right from chapter one and have reccomended to so many people !

I will be back for more 🤩

This story was not for me, it was such a slow burn to the point I got bored by it. I did finish it but it was tough.

The story was hard to get into. There were a lot of viewpoints from the start, which made the story hard to follow.

First, I want to thank Maria Frankland, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.

DANG!! The Taken Child seriously read like nail biting bingable true crime series on Netflix that you can’t stop watching! WOW!! Maria Frankland is one talented storyteller that is for sure!! If you are a fan of true crime, mystery, suspense, missing persons, police procedural, then this is the book for you!

Maria would like to dedicate this book to her gorgeous niece Thea, who gave her the inspiration for the story.

What hooked me first was the scene of the book where the students were going on a school trip and being chaperoned. The three chaperones all knew each other and their backstories were very interesting to today’s present drama.

What I found quite interesting is that at the end of each chapter there was an eerie saying in bold typed letters. Each one seemed to get darker and darker as they went on.

In between the story there are breaks where we chapters about the investigation by Di Gilbert filling us in on all the latest.

This book had a lot of twist and turns, secrets galore, and shocking revelations.

I will say that it was not as fast paced as I like my stories to be and it took me a while to get into the storyline.

This book is all about secrets. The plot was different and I was all here for it. Told by multiple POV's , this book kept me engaged the whole way through.

Maria’s books never fail to excite, This was another excellent read.

Then Taken Child is about a class of schoolchildren who visit an adventure camp along with their teachers, I found it easy to read and even chuckled at some of the ear,ly comments from the kids in the bus, you could imagine it happening, having had boys myself, Just so typical of boys, Of course there was a mix of attitudes and jealousy between the parents and teachers. Having been a divorced parent myself with sons it is always hard to share your children with the other party and in this story especially if drinking was an issue with a parent, Never a good idea,

It took a while before things kicked off and by the time we arrived at the climactic end, I felt I was there witnessing events. Visiting adventure camps was never my thing and even my sons weren’t keen. I’m no thrill seeker and even more so now having read this book, An excellent thrilling read.

struggled with this book at the beginnibg just too many characters and i was a bit confused over who was who and whats happening once i got into the story it was enjoyable i just dont think it was for me.

This book was different from many I have previously read as it contained a vast cast of characters, and was told from many POVs. Their history with one another was complicated, which made for an interesting plot. The characters were flawed and complex. Five woman all have had some history with David in one way or another. Each of the woman, along with David, tell their POVs, and I soon discovered that I did not like David at all! We also hear the POV of Harry, one of David's friends. After the initial confusion from the varied POVs wore off, I was invested in knowing where this story would take me.

After a woman dies at a campsite, everyone becomes a suspect when it discovers she did not just fall to her death. I questioned everyone and found myself only rooting for Kirsty. This was a good read that kept me entertained and curious about where the story was headed. There were good twists and turns throughout, and I loved the ending.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Phenomenal work! Completely addictive. Highly recommend and will be purchasing for my libraries. Can't wait to read what comes next!

Taking a group of primary school pupils on a residential trip is enough of a horror story to start with! However, throw in a group of adults who have enough issues & you have a book that was very difficult to put down. Popular teacher Leonie has planned the trip with year six teacher David. She is more involved with him that that which is strictly academic! Head teacher Catherine is very uptight. She was brought in to 'save' the school & is doing a good job of it although it doesn't always make her popular. Classroom Assistant Mia hero worships Leonie. Two parent helpers are also along to help, although it was supposed to be a lucky dip they are the board of governors daughter & David's ex wife! Their son desperately wants to be with Mum but Dad has custody. A melting pot for trouble. Told from various points of view, this story never failed to hold the interest- Goodness knows what any of them saw in David- perfect creep! I got to really like Catherine as the story went on.

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for keeping me up a late reading this great story!

What an amazing read this was! Tense and gripping, absolutely addictive. I could not put this down. So well written and so clever. Loved this one.

This book was written beautifully. I didn't know it was possible to despise a character so much just from a book, but here we are!

I did however, find some parts of the story a bit unrealistic and had trouble connecting with it for this reason, but overall this was a great read!

This page-turning #psychologicalthriller is full of twists, right up until the end. There are several characters that play a part in the actions of this story. I was filled with the excitement as all the details unfolded in this thrilling novel.

Thank you, Maria Frankland, Bookouture, & Netgalley for my copy! All opinions are my own.

I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the editor for sending me an advance copy of this upcoming title. Your hard work and dedication to this project are truly commendable, and I am incredibly honored to have the opportunity to review it before its official release.

The depth and quality of this work are a testament to your meticulous attention to detail and your passion for bringing exceptional stories to life. From the engaging narrative to the well-developed characters, it's clear that a tremendous amount of effort has gone into every aspect of this book.

I am genuinely excited about this title and eager to share my thoughts and insights. Having the chance to read it in advance has been a wonderful experience, and I am confident that readers will be just as captivated by it as I am.

Thank you once again for this incredible opportunity. Your support and trust in my feedback mean a great deal to me. I look forward to continuing to work together and witnessing the success of this fantastic book.

Two battling parents over custody of their son at a camp doesn’t bode well.
Add secondary characters who stick their noses into the mix and trouble is right around the corner.
I felt the sorriest for Toby because the adults around him were more immature, especially his parents.
What unfolds is a nightmare of large proportions.
But someone has to win and someone has to lose so it’s fait accompli.

Maria Frankland's THE TAKEN CHILD is a chilling, twisty tale with many adults misbehaving with their own agenda on a three-day children's school trip outing that turns into a nightmare. A desperate search for a missing little boy and a murderer.

As the truth unravels behind all the obsession, betrayal, secrets, and lies, a mother's nightmare and a frantic race against time to find her child before it's too late add a gripping element to the story.

About...

The setting revolves around a school residential (kind of like a summer camp). If you are in the US and unfamiliar with the term: Residential trips are school trips that last a few days, and pupils must stay away from home. They are usually activity-based and are one of a child's first experiences of being away from home.

From the prologue, we get a glimpse into the danger that lies ahead. There is a lot of drama, jealousy, manipulation, pettiness, deception, and backbiting involving a divorced woman, a man, and a little boy caught in the middle.

There are a lot of characters to keep up with. These women are blind to David, and it sounds like he gets around. This is like a Peyton Place, Desperate Housewives episode with children.

In addition to the thirty-something children, we have the following characters:

~David:
A teacher. Narcissistic. Father of Toby. Ex-husband to wife Kristy. (divorced) Unfortunately, he has custody.

~Kristy:
Mother of Toby. Ex-husband David. She lost custody due to drinking. She has been sober for a year and is ready to reunite with her son. She is a parent helper on the trip.

~Toby:
Son of David and Kristy. A scared little boy on the trip.

~Harry:
A volunteer at the camp. He invited the children for this adventure. An old friend of David.

~Catherine:
Headteacher and friend to Kristy.

~Jeanette:
Parent helper. Formerly had an affair with David, and still crushing.

~Leonie:
Teacher. Currently dating David. Jealous of Jeanette and not sure how she feels about Kristy.

~Mia:
Teaching assistant (Leonie's class). Has a crush on her. Jealous of David.

David and Kristy are constantly bickering and fighting over Toby. Kristy is trying very hard to follow all the rules to get the opportunity to bond with her son, win back custody, and develop a relationship.

David does everything he can to keep her away. He is quite manipulative, and all the others around him mentioned above try to get his attention. There is also tension between David and Leonie, who are going for the same promotion. They are dating, and they try to keep a secret.

The children's activities are planned; however, things do not go smoothly (this is fiction). But what did you expect from this group? Someone is murdered. Toby goes missing.

What was supposed to be a weekend of campers, fun, teambuilding, adventure, and outdoor activities for the children is cut short when there is a death at the camp. The police are called in to investigate. Who among them is capable of murder? With a killer on the loose, one dead, and a boy missing is not a good combination. Why and whodunit? Racing against the clock, their desperate search for answers begins—one where the greatest danger could lie behind the one they trust the most.

My thoughts...

THE TAKEN CHILD is a gripping twisty domestic suspense thriller told from multiple POVs. The author cleverly lines up all her players who will ultimately end up in a dangerous, terrorizing showdown and deadly game of obsession and revenge.

Mostly, all the characters are unlikable except for Toby and Kristy. David is despicable and narcissistic, and everyone seems to be the chess pieces he is manipulating—from lies, betrayal, and secrets. I liked the little reflections at the end of each chapter.

Centered around outdoor activities and nature, the atmospheric isolated setting reinforces the sense of vulnerability, danger, and fear. There is also an ongoing theme of responsibility throughout the novel. These adults are to be held responsible for innocent 5-6-year-olds as leaders and parents, and responsible for their actions. However, not all took this responsibility seriously and used the opportunity for their own wicked evil agenda.

While I enjoy watching this imaginative author on social media and reading her books, this one was just a little too dramatic for me with all the crazy adults. You feel for Kristy trying desperately to get her son back, and the adults have their own selfish plans.

With twists and turns, the author builds tension and suspense to the explosive ending, where all is unraveled. There are many potential suspects and victims, and you are unsure whom to trust. THE TAKEN CHILD has topics and themes of betrayal, crossing ethical lines, family, mental health, trauma, moral dilemmas, alcoholism, divorce, and more.

Recs...

For fans of the author and authors, Daniel Hurst, K.L. Slater, and Kimberly Belle's Three Days Missing. Looking forward to reading Frankland's upcoming title, The Married Couple, coming Aug 6, 2024.

Thanks to Bookouture for providing a digital advanced reading copy for an honest opinion.

blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: June 25, 2024
My Rating: 4 Stars
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I’m a fan of the author and have read a few of her books so was looking forward to reading The Taken Child. The blurb intrigued me. This sounded like the kind of twisty, gripping, intense read I tend to enjoy. I wasn’t disappointed. I had a great time reading this book. The plot is compelling, full of drama, intense storytelling and twists and turns. I liked the characters as well. I don’t think the title quite fits the book as there’s so much more going on than Toby vanishing. I thoroughly enjoyed this and would recommend it.

The Taken Child is a very good psychological suspense thriller. It starts off quite slow paced but the pace definitely sped up as the story progressed. I will admit to struggling slightly at the start getting to know all the various characters but it certainly didn’t take away from my enjoyment of this book. It’s a book that’s full of tension, deceit and lies and with characters who aren’t all who they seem and one or two who are really quite nasty. It’s one of those books that really took me by surprise as I really had not the slightest inclination of how it was going to all end. I don’t want to say too much in case I leave an unintentional spoiler. I really liked the anonymous sentences in bold at the end of every chapter and each one really had me thinking as to which of the characters it could be writing them.