This is a bit of a gritty read, full of excellent characterisation. especially Naomi. The plotting kept me engrossed and interested although it was hard to read at times due to the subject matter of missing children. Overall, it was a good read which left me exhausted. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Omg talk about a roller coaster read wow this book kept me on the edge of my seat threw out I just couldn't put it down this writer keeps you hooked and once your hooked your not letting go I found this book thrilling the characters were fantastic and well thought out and the little clues all the way threw keep you guessing until the end this book stays with you long after you close the book this book is well worth the read I promise you wont be disappointed

This is such an engrossing and atmospheric read. It follows Naomi, who is a child finder – she is called in when the police have got nowhere in their search and she takes up the reins. She’s trying to find a child called Madison and is sure she is alive, and as the search goes on Naomi feels an increasing connection to the missing girl. This book was on my TBR for way longer than it should have been but once I finally picked it up I couldn’t put it down. It’s such a brilliant novel and one I won’t forget!

This was a great read. I had never read a book from Rene Denfeld before, but I'll be looking for more to try in the future.

A bit of a slow starter but once you get 60% through this book is filled with anticipation, mystery and excitement. I'm excited to see where Naomi's story leads.

I loved Rene Denfeld's first book, but I really struggled with this one, and ended up abandoning it. I'll read her next one, but this wasn't for me.

The Child Finder by Rene Denfield is a dark and moving story which is beautifully told. It's uncomfortable in places due to the subject matter.

It is always heartbreaking to read a story about the very sad topic of missing children.

Five year old Madison Culver disappeared when her family was choosing a Christmas tree in Oregon’s Skookum National Forest.

Madison’s parents hire Naomi, a private investigator with an uncanny talent for locating the lost and missing, to find their beloved daughter who they believe has been kidnapped. Naomi was once a missing child herself and is passionate about her job as a Child Finder and is also determined to find the answers to her own past.

The Child Finder is an excellent, emotional and compassionate book that kept me turning the pages and I look forward to more from Rene Denfeld.

This book grabbed me from the start and left me stunned. I’m in admiration and I fully enjoyed the book.

Naomi is the child finder. Searching for Madison who has been missing for 3 years. I found the book slow to start but worth waiting. The story weaves between Madison and her captor, the captors story, Naomi and her past, the ranger and more. All the stories interlink into a fantastic story. Definitely recommend and a really beautiful book.

the child finder by Rene Denfield.
an absolutely fantastic read. hooked from page one.
Madison culver is missing for three years now. the parents call in for the child finder. her name is Naomi. She has a past of her own. She starts looking for Madison. She gets help from detective Winfield and ranger Dave. where is Madison? her parents keep insisting she is still alive. who is Mr b?
I had many emotions while reading this book. 5*.

Naomi is a private investigator who finds children thought lost forever. Propelled by her own lost past, she succeeds where others fail. But taking on a three year old cold case, searching for missing Madison Culver, may bring back memories best left forgotton.

The descriptions of the wintery forests of Oregon are great, and propelled me into a lost world of bleak white snow, frostbite and survival. The author did a wonderful job of setting the scenes ahead, and I could really feel myself becoming immersed within the cold mountains with trappers and strange locals.

The writing style is very different to other crime thrillers, with an almost lyrical and whimsical feel to it as we flit between Naomi and the ‘Snow Girl’s’ stories. The story itself is also compelling, and intriguing enough that I wanted to read on without it being overly dramatic or drawn out like a lot of crime thrillers I’ve read in the past. Because of the short length it was fast paced, and flowed well, with enough character development (from both the main and secondary characters) throughout to satisfy my growing questions.

Naomi is a wonderful main character. Given her past, she’s remarkably resilient, level headed and without any real shadowy demons lurking beneath the surface that’s become the cliche for protagonists of this genre. Yes, she has a past. But it’s displayed in such a way as to support and strengthen the character instead of just as a plot device. It was cleverly done, and well thought out. If anything, I found her backstory a little lacking and wasn’t fully satisfied with how it was concluded. I also wasn’t overly keen on the romantic aspect to her story, which I found lacklustre. I would have preferred more interaction with Mrs Cottle, her foster mother, who seemed like a wonderful charismatic woman.

Snow Girl I found a little harder to get to grips with because of the altered writing style that’s used for her chapters. It was more childlike and simplistic, and I found myself struggling to get any real emotional connection with her as I was confused with regards to what was going on at first. Clearly, this is just me. I did like seeing how Mr. B’s character progressed through the eyes of a child, and his growth from simple abductor to something far more complex.

I actually preferred the side story involving Danita and her lost baby. I thought it portrayed more emotions, and had more interesting characters (such as Violet, the matriarchal grandmother) than the main plot. The conclusion was utterly heartbreaking and honest, not shying away the harsh realities of real life. That said, the main conclusion itself was also incredibly tense and satisfying, hitting the right note between grief, joy and everything in between.

Easily one of the best crime thrillers I’ve read (given my limited background in the genre), told in a unique format that raises this above novels of a similar nature. I’d be interested to read more by Denfeld.

First and foremost, I would like to thank Orion Publishing Group and the amazing NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to dive into "The Child Finder". Reading this book was an unforgettable experience for me and I'd be immensely interested in reading more books by this author in the future.

This book has got to do with missing children, a woman who needs to fight with her own demons and a great amount of suspense and mystery on almost every page. As Naomi Cottle, the protagonist of the story, dives deeper and deeper into the ongoing mystery of the missing children, she realizes that nothing is what it seems and that, maybe, she needs to enter a villain's mind in order to find Madison's whaereabouts...

Rene Denfeld did a fantastic job with this book. The prose is accurate, addictive, without too many lengthy and boring descpriptions and out-of-place dialogues. The character development was deep and detailed, and the chemistry between the primary and secondary characters quite palpable. All in all, I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. I flew through it and would certainly have finished it in less than a day if I had more free time. I didn't predict any of the twists and turns that occurred toward the end of the book and the climax came out of nowhere, satisfying my need for a perfect finale. Thank you, Rene Denfeld, for this gem of a book. I highly anticipate any future book release of yours.

Really enjoyed this thriller. Great cast of characters and a gripping and entertaining plot with enough twists and surprises to keep this reader guessing. I Couldn't put it down.

While the premise of this book sounded interesting (a missing child grows up to investigate other missing child cases, hence "The Child Finder"), I was largely disengaged with the main character, which caused a huge problem for me. I didn't find the character appealing at all and didn't feel she had the charisma for all the insta-love going on in the book. The plot line involving a second missing child didn't add anything to the story and the parts about the Snow Girl made me very uncomfortable. Additionally, I found the Snow Girl wise beyond her years and her experiences, which made the character a bit unbelievable to me.

Naomi Cottle is ‘The Child Finder’. She investigates missing children, even the cases where the police have given up. She suffered a traumatised childhood herself and believes that there is always hope, even where others have failed.

She is sent to look for Madison Culver, who disappeared three years previously. Naomi’s forgotten childhood starts to come back to haunt her and the nightmares continue, as she starts to unravel what happened to the little girl.

A dark, gripping, page-turner that is told from differing narratives. Child abuse is alluded to but the content is not graphic.

The bleak, isolated snow-covered mountains of Oregon bring with it a feeling so atmospheric you can almost hear the snow falling.

The locals have adapted to the severe cold and isolation, but will Naomi be able to break down barriers and gain trust in this damaged community?

Highly recommended, if you enjoyed Room by Emma Donoghue, I think you will like this book too.

Thank you, NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The story follows Naomi - The Child Finder. Back in her home town in Oregon The Child Finder begins her search for Maddison, a 5 year old girl who went missing one winter while shopping for a Christmas tree.

I really enjoyed this read, a lot more than I thought I would. I finished it in a day in one sitting. It was such an eas read, I really flew through it.
I loved the snowy forest setting of Oregon’s Skookum National Forest. Setting the scene was something Denfeld did to perfection.
Naomi is a formidable, independent yet clearly damaged person. I liked the rough silent-strong-type vibes from her. However she did become more clichéd the more men that worshiped her. aLthough she was some delicate little flower that they all had to love and protect. But honestly, it was a great little book and with out a doubt I will be picking up other reads from Rene Denfeld.

“The Child Finder” is the story about Naomi Cottle, an investigator with a high success rat in finding missing children. She once was a missing child herself and this makes every case hon works a personal one. I enjoyed reading this book and, even if it is intense and the subject matter did make me feel uneasy at times, I foud it very well researched and well written. I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group!

I was attracted to the front cover of this book, then the blurb. I also received a free copy from Goodreads! 😀.
I liked the main character Naomi and for her the job of Child Finder was personal.
Sometimes the book made me feel very uncomfortable and I had to stop reading it. But I was drawn back to it as it draws you in.
The ending was climatic and was necessary, anything else would have been to the detriment of the story.
Thanks to NetGalley, Orion publishers and Rene Denfeld for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The Child Finder is a captivating novel from start to finish. It is beautiful, moving and disturbing. Not just your typical thriller. The writing is lyrical almost giving off an adult fairy tale vibe at times. I would love to learn more about Naomi in the future. Readers looking for a unique, special thriller about missing children will not want to miss out.