Title:	The Child
	Author:	Fiona Barton
	Published:	June 27, 2017, Berkley
	No. of Pages:	384
	Cover Price:	$26.00 Hardcover, $28.00 Paperback, $12.99 Kindle

---

Even though Fiona Barton’s second thriller, The Child is written in the style of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train, it is a wholly different type of novel altogether, and is, hands down, one of the best novels of the year. When the tiny skeleton of a baby is unearthed by construction workers doing renovations on Howard Street, and it is suspected that it may be the remains of Alice, who was kidnapped from a maternity hospital almost 40 years , previously, Kate Waters, a reporter, dives into the story as a human interest offering, having no idea how deep she will become involved as she interviews Alice’s mother, Angela, and later a younger woman named Emma, who insists it is her baby at the construction site, which she buried years later when she secretly gave birth at 14 years old. The three women form a bond and make the evolving psychological suspense come alive and seem real.

The Child should not be missed. Not only is there palpable suspense and intrigue, but the writing is excellent, the characters are well-developed, and the story is fascinating. Barton has outdone herself with this excellent novel, and readers will find that they want to immediately pick up everything she has written so far.

Although the novel isn’t particularly fast-moving, it will be read quickly because most readers will find that they cannot put it down. There is something in the novel that almost everyone can relate to, and the surprise ending will keep readers thinking about the book for weeks afterward. Fiona Barton is an author to watch – there is no doubt that she will be a celebrated best-selling author for years to come.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.