I recently had the pleasure of reading an ARC of The Taken Child by Maria Frankland, courtesy of Netgalley, the author, and the publisher Bookoture. Having enjoyed Frankland's previous work, I was intrigued by the premise of this novel, although I found the title and cover somewhat misleading in relation to the main storyline.

The Taken Child delves into the tumultuous relationships and hidden secrets among colleagues at a local primary school, set against the backdrop of a school camp. While the title may suggest a focus on a child abduction, this event serves as a backdrop rather than the central plot.

Narrated from multiple perspectives, including those of teacher Leonie, teaching assistant Mia, head teacher Catherine, and parent helper Kirsty, the story unfolds with gripping intensity. As tensions rise and buried resentments surface, the characters' lives become increasingly entangled in a web of deceit and betrayal.

Amidst the drama, Frankland skillfully explores themes of workplace conflict, personal struggles, and the consequences of keeping secrets. The abduction subplot adds an additional layer of intrigue, though it is not the primary focus of the narrative.

Despite the title's divergence from the main storyline, The Taken Child is a compelling read that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Frankland's adept storytelling and rich character development make for an engaging experience, earning this book a solid four stars. Many thanks to Netgalley, Maria Frankland, and Bookoture for the opportunity to delve into this captivating tale.

My, Worst. Nightmare. As a mom of four, this book just made me cringe, and crawl out of my skin. It was soooo intense! So good and well written! I loved the storyline, the characters and the realness of this situation. I stayed up way too late, and hugged all my babies the next day a little extra. Add this book to your TBR list.

Twists...OMG the twists. I was mind blown at this read! From the beginning I was like Oh...WOW...OMG! The absolute best pyschological thriller.

Great book by this author. Plenty of twists and turns with a great ending. Looking forward to more by this author.

Thanks to Maria and netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
I enjoyed this book but it’s not my favorite of hers (I’ve read all her books) there were quite a lot of characters to keep track of and none of them were likeable.
The ending felt a bit rushed and I was left with questions. I did like Toby though felt he got a good ending!

The title grabbed my attention so had high hopes for this book but it left me a bit disappointed. There are so many characters, with preppy names that I couldn’t keep everyone straight. Every character had conflicting issues and hidden agendas. The first half of the book is spent with these young mommas and daddies all griping about their problems with each other, as they are chaperoning a three day school field trip together. Also, no-one was particularly likeable. For these reasons, I struggled to engage with the story.. but I persevered…

Toby’s dad has full custody of his son so the only way mom can spend some time with him is by helping out on his school trip. All the while ex husband, David, glares at her, making everyone uncomfortable. The field trip is marching along like clockwork as planned by the highly organized and overbearing teacher. But the next day the peace is shattered when a body is found. There’s a killer in the camp, and you’ll understand that no one can trust anyone, that is if they ever did. And the kicker is… young Toby has now disappeared.

As the investigation unfolds, old secrets are surfaced, and the truth of what happened and Toby’s whereabouts, becomes seeming out of reach.

Good book for psychological thriller fans. Word to readers… read intentionally in the beginning to keep straight in your head who is who or you will become lost as this reader found herself.

A solid book that delivered on its promises of being a thriller. I really enjoyed it but did predict the ending quite early on, and as others have said, most of the characters were really unlikeable. An all round decent book.

Wow! What a book! I couldn't read it fast enough. The tension and pace were absolute magic! Brilliantly unsettling, with characters so deftly woven that you never quite know who – if anyone – you can trust. Another riveting and powerful psychological thriller from this talented author. Maria frankland is a fantastic author and I’ve read all her books.

This book weaves a complex web of lies and deceit, with a central figure causing chaos and manipulating many. It's a tale of grudges, vengeance, and unexpected twists. When arrogance meets downfall, the dynamics shift, leading to surprising outcomes. The cat-and-mouse game takes unexpected turns, showing that even the best-laid plans can unravel. With a captivating plot and intriguing twists, this story keeps readers engaged and eager for more. A top-notch narrative from a consistently talented author, deserving of 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC!

This author is one of my favourites and I know when I read it I am going to be in for a ride and it is not what it is seems. This was the case again and all the strands. At the beginning I was confused re the number of characters but it all worked. She completely captured the vibe of the early years parent/teacher setting - I remembered the different mums (not to the extreme of course)
This was a definite one setting read for me.

WOW - what a brilliant story. It's so well plotted and unputdownable. I read it in one day. A three day school outing goes haywire. There's an event that derails the entire event. There is deceit and lies and pulse pounding action from start to finish. There are diary inserts - but who wrote them? Two exes battle over their child. A past misdeed and a race to save a life and find a missing child. All put together in a winderful story by Maria Frankland. Highly recommended. Thank you NetGalley and Bookoutire for the ARC of this great book.

I had high hopes for this book but it left me a bit disappointed. So many characters, all with conflicting issues and hidden agendas. The first half of the book was spent with them all griping about their problems with the other characters, who were all conveniently chaperoning a school camp together. Most of them were not particularly likeable either. The entire premise, and its sub plots, seemed highly unlikely to me, so I struggled to engage with the story.

This book was immense
It was about a boy called Toby
He had full custody from his father David
Then he disappears and the mother would do anything to get Toby back
I had an ARC

Certainly!

Maria Frankland's 'The Taken Child' is a riveting tale of suspense and intrigue that follows the journey of a family torn apart by a devastating event. When a child goes missing under mysterious circumstances, the lives of those left behind are forever changed. As the investigation unfolds, secrets are revealed, and the truth becomes increasingly elusive. Frankland masterfully crafts a narrative filled with unexpected twists and turns, keeping readers engaged until the final page. With its compelling characters and atmospheric setting, 'The Taken Child' is a must-read for fans of gripping psychological thrillers.

I really enjoyed this! The plot was original but it did feel a bit weird that the entire cast of characters seemed to focus around this one main character and their relationships towards him defined them and how they acted. If anything the child should have been central but this felt to be all about David.... which was odd. Anyways, it had some really good twists and turns. The characters were a bit annoying since all women apparently love the same man but other than that, it was a decent enough wee thriller. A bit of a different setting than anything else I've read and some really well plotted out twists

With quite a few characters I wasn't sure if I was going to follow this but the skillful
way the author wrote in the characters they fitted into the story so well.
This was such a well paced thriller where all is not as it first appears.
Really enjoyable.

Interesting read and one I devoured in an afternoon. Definitely a school outing to have avoided at all costs and not a nice place to be a member of staff. Some elements of the book were confusing … especially the ending, but overall it was still an entertaining read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review. At the beginning, there were alot of characters to learn, but the author described them so well and fit them into the story perfectly, so I learned who was who quickly. This was a fast paced thriller and I'm glad I was along for the ride. A child disappears on a school trip, and the mother is frantic to get him back. Alot of side stories, which made it even better. Five stars.

During a school trip, what looked like a fantastic weekend will be ruined after a tragic death.
The novel alternates chapters between the different points of view of the adult characters, of which there are several, which takes a bit of agility until you get used to it, and the police investigations.
I have to say that I found it hard to sympathize with the female characters, I think they were too stereotyped for my taste. That said, the author does a brilliant job of making us hate David.
I enjoyed the novel and loved trying to guess first who the victim was and then figuring out the culprit. Overall, a good domestic thriller.

Wow family secrets and thrilling read to keep you on the edge of your seat

What a fantastic read. I could not put it down. Thank you for the opportunity to review Netgalley and Bookouture

Solid 4 stars for me