I've read books by this author before that I loved, so I had high hopes for this book. It wasn't my favorite, though. I went into it hoping I would love it, but it didn't hold my attention very well. A lot of characters were introduced pretty quickly, and I had a hard time keeping everyone straight. That may be a personal issue though. Others may not struggle with that. It wasn't a terrible book, it definitely had some interesting parts, and good little twists. It just wasn't exactly what I had been expecting, and overall, not something I could rave about. I will still read other books by this author though, because I did really like some of her others!

I haven’t seen many reviews for this book, and the ones I have seen were widely mixed, so I was a bit hesitant going into the story. Fortunately, I’m in the camp (pun totally intended) that really enjoyed this thriller! The book is centered around a weekend field trip into the woods that turns tragic, in more ways than one. I will say, the characters weren’t that impressive, though I did grow a soft spot for one of them…

Along with 36 children, we have:

David, a teacher who is recently (bitterly) divorced, and the father of Toby, the main student in the story
Kirsty, Toby’s mother, who lost custody of him in the divorce because of alcoholism, but has now been sober for a year
Leonie, a fellow teacher (who is dating David)
Catherine, the head teacher (who lets David into her room)
Mia, the teaching assistant (who has a tiny crush on David)
Jeanette, a parent helper (who had an affair with David)
and
Harry, a volunteer at the camp (and is an old friend of David’s)

Are we seeing a trend here? Definitely! The campers all settle in, and begin a weekend of adventure and outdoor activities. Their weekend is cut short though, as a death rocks the camp. While the police are there investigating, Toby goes missing. Is the death related to him disappearing? The suspense was definitely there in the end…

I saw most of the ending coming, but it was still action-packed and fun to read. I thought this was relatively original, and definitely entertaining (as well as quick enough to read in one sitting). Four stars!

(Thank you to Bookouture, Maria Frankland and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on June 25, 2024.)

I love Maria Frankland so was thrilled to get an ARC via NetGalley. The title of the book is misleading but in a good way! Going to a camp with zip lining, rock climbing and rappelling added excitement to the book. But what really made the book was the colorful cast of characters! Switching between multiple points of view added to the flavor of the book! I wasn’t surprised at the reveal but certain parts definitely had me guessing! There’s a lot of drama between the headmistress, the teachers, teachers’ assistants, children and camp staff! They all played a role in this book! It’s a fast read, and I enjoyed it very much!

A well written book from this author whom I have always enjoyed but to be honest I didn't enjoy this as much as her previous books.

I found it hard to get into the storyline, didn't like some of the characters and in parts I found it a bit slow and confusing.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of The Taken Child by Maria Frankland due to be published June 25, 2024.
David and Kirsty are divorced, with David having full custody of their son, Toby. While on a school field trip a body is found - there is a killer in the camp. Then Toby disappears. Will they find him in time?
I had previously read The Hen Party and I Let Her In by Maria Frankland and loved both of them so I was thrilled to get The Taken Child.
The beginning of the book is the bus trip to where they are going – the teachers, assistants, head teacher, and a couple parents. All are women except one – David. His ex also happens to be going as a parent helper. The women on the bus acted like a bunch of high school girls, in my opinion, talking about the lone male teacher, who he was interested in, making snide remarks, etc. It was really quite funny.
Interspersed are conversations with the detectives investigating the body – you have no idea who that is until later.
I was a little disappointed in this book – it was just okay – not as good as the other two I read. The women were just all too catty!
#NetGalley #MariaFrankland #Bookouture #TheTakenChild

This is a wild ride, so well written, full of twists and turns that make you wonder what is going to happen next. I love Maria’s writing, she writes such intelligent characters.

Now what I expected, but I think that was partially because of the school differences. I also expected the child to be younger. It was a good read and I enjoyed it, but not my favorite book by her. The ending though.....ah-mazing! Overall, her books do NOT disappoint

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 One of the best parts of my reading journey in 2024 has been discovering Maria Franklin’s books because i always know I am in for a real treat. The Taken Child did not disappoint; a beautifully written novel depicting a mother’s worst fear. Mistrust among the adults in this school community is rampant and tensions are high. But when a young child goes missing and a dead body is found, this three day trip turns into an eternity of living hell. An absolutely gripping thriller with layers of lies and deceit that will keep the reader on the toes until the very end!

Review is posted on Goodreads and final review will be posted on Instagram ahead of the publication date!

What a fantastic read. Full of twists and turns, a real page turner.

Could not put this down and read it within 2 sessions.

Well done Maria Frankland, another gripping read.

Thank you to Netgallery and the publisher for this ARC. The publication date is the 25th June. One word WOW I devoured this in one sitting! Yet again Maria has delivered with her twisty and mind- blowing plots that kept me gripped until the very end!

My favourite character was Leonie whilst reading it I would always wonder what would happen next for her and what would I do if I was in that situation. I’d highly recommend this book 5 stars! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

2.5 stars rounded up. I hate to do it. I love this author, but this book was not my cup of tea at all. A group of school children go to a camp. A child goes missing. Then another one goes missing. This is a big web of lies and deceit and more lies and more deceit. There is a lot going on in this book. Too much. There also were a lot of characters. Too many for my liking. By the end of the first chapter I didn't know who was who or why or what.

The story was not boring, but I felt lost and unattached to the story and the characters. I didn't like any of them. I had to keep thinking about who was who. Also, the story is told through multiple viewpoints, and each character has a secret. Oy. My head was spinning. I did enjoy the ending and will akways read new books b this author. This one, however, wasn't for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. I greatly appreciate it. I do recommend this book. It gets good ratings and others will like it.

Children go on a school trip to a camp.
A child goes missing and there is a tangled reason why he has to pay the price for the sins of his father.

I normally like Maria Frankland's books.
But this one fell very short for me.
The characters are undeveloped and there are far too many characters to keep up with.

The plot is so-so, but is definitely not original.

Sorry, but this is a no-go for me. I am sure there are readers that will devour it, because the author is known, but compared to previous books, it did not stand out for me at all.


Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this book.

Many thanks to netgalley, the author and bookouture for approving my request to read this book.

I'm a huge fan of Maria's books and once again I really enjoyed this one.

The Taken Child takes place on a school residential trip and is a well written, tightly woven psychological thriller which most definitely kept me wanting to turn the pages until the big reveal at the end-I'm now most dubious about sending my own child on a residential trip!

This story is told from multiple viewpoints and each of the characters has a secret they are keeping though I have to say I loved them as much as I hated them.

I'd recommend this if you are a fan of domestic thrillers, you won't be disappointed!

#thetakenchild #netgalley #bookouture

The Taken Child by Maria Frankland is a compelling psychological thriller with lots of family secrets. The story is told in alternating points of view, which gives the reader insight into each character.

The Taken Child is a good domestic thriller that delves into character relationships, moral dilemmas, addiction, and betrayal.

I was a bit surprised by the identity of the person responsible. The book is a good, twisty story.

#TheTakenChild #NetGalley @Bookouture

Well, the author certainly made my brain work overtime! 

This book is one giant web made of lies and deceit and one big spider in the middle who is the instigator of it all, making a lot of people sad, furious and jealous.

Sometimes you go too far and someone will hold a grudge, biding their time before they pounce.

Someone thinks they know it all and the whole world is at their feet. But when you are on a high horse for too long, it's time you dismount and someone will happily help you do so.

The cat is waiting for the right time to lure the mouse into the trap, but what if the mouse has help and the roles are being reversed? 

A plan can be perfect on paper, but that does not mean it's foolproof. 

I love the cover ot this book and I loved the intrigues and twists. An excellent story by an author who always delivers. 5 stars

Thank you