REVIEW OF ‘THE CHILD’ BY FIONA BARTON

5 STARS *****

Published by Transworld Digital on 29th June 2017

 

THE BLURB . . .

When a paragraph in an evening newspaper reveals a decades-old tragedy, most readers barely give it a glance. But for three strangers it’s impossible to ignore.

For one woman, it’s a reminder of the worst thing that ever happened to her.

For another, it reveals the dangerous possibility that her darkest secret is about to be discovered.

And for the third, a journalist, it’s the first clue in a hunt to uncover the truth.

The Child’s story will be told.

MY REVIEW . . .

I’ve been eagerly awaiting Fiona Barton’s next offering after really enjoying ‘The Widow.’ This, her new book, quickly pulled me in.

I soon got used to the (mainly) three viewpoints the story is told from and felt the characterisation was excellent; there was good separation between the strong female voices which enabled me to quickly get to grips with them all. I thought the inclusion again of Kate’s character, the hard-nosed journo with a heart, was a smart move and I welcomed hearing a bit more about her family life.

The narrative was skilfully crafted and gripping and I spent the whole time enjoying the twisty ride but at the back of my mind, trying to figure out how the characters were connected to Baby Alice. I had several theories but was still surprised by the satisfying and clever ending.

I found the author’s insight into the changing world of journalism and newspapers fascinating and thought-provoking, as was the glimpse of the celebrity/ghostwriting biography scene.

I like Fiona’s no nonsense writing style, her often minimal phrasing. I found ‘The Child’ to be an excellent follow-up to ‘The Widow’ and would highly recommend.