I really enjoyed this thriller by Gilly MacMillan, set in my home town of Bristol, so an added bonus to be able to completely visualise the story as it unfolded. A great rounded selection of characters and the storyline was well put together with a superb ending.

This for me was just an ok read. I expected it to be more exciting and a bit more mystery and suspense in it. To the extent I found myself skimming through it.

I am in charge of our Senior School library and now during this time of lockdown, I am looking for a diverse array of new books to furnish their shelves with and inspire our young people to read a wider and more diverse range of books as they move through the senior school. It is hard sometimes to find books that will grab the attention of young people as their time is short and we are competing against technology and online entertainments.
This was a thought-provoking and well-written read that will appeal to readers across the board. It had a really strong voice and a compelling narrative that I think would capture their attention and draw them in. It kept me engrossed and I think that it's so important that the books that we purchase for both our young people and our staff are appealing to as broad a range of readers as possible - as well as providing them with something a little 'different' that they might not have come across in school libraries before.
This was a really enjoyable read and I will definitely be purchasing a copy for school so that our young people can enjoy it for themselves. A satisfying and well-crafted read that I keep thinking about long after closing its final page - and that definitely makes it a must-buy for me!

I would firstly like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows Abdi Mahal and Noah Sadler, best friends who have been inseparable since they met. They've stuck together, even when their peers have excluded them. But when a horrifying incident leaves one of them in a coma and fighting for his life, the other is too traumatised to say anything about what happened. DI Jim Clemo, freshly returned to work after an enforced leave of absence, is tasked to investigate. And against a backdrop of a city where racial tensions are running high, he must determine what really happened to drive two teenage boys into a situation so desperate. Everything rests on one of the boys talking. But one can't talk. And one won't.

I definitely enjoyed this one more then I thought I would. I was sceptical at first because although the plotline itself was intriguing, the story took so long to get into and to go anywhere interesting. The book definitely got a lot better the more I read!

I loved DI Jim Clemo's accounts in 'What She Knew', and this didn't change in this book. Although I think he didn't have as strong of a presence in this one, as he did the in first book, but I still enjoyed reading the story from his perspective. The characters that really dominated the book were the two boys and their families, they provided a story that was both heartbreaking and intriguing to read.

Gilly Macmillan has delivered a truly well-written book that had me constantly guessing and even made my tear up by the end. The only reason it got 4 stars was purely because it took me a little while to really get into the story but once I was, I was hooked!! Really looking forward to the next Jim Clemo read!

I like the main character in her books, DI Clemo. In finding out the truth in a boys death, this book deals with discrimination and being excluded as young men. This is more literary fiction than mystery, but an enjoyable book.

I enjoyed this book. It follows the lives of 2 totally different families brought together with the friendship of their gifted sons.
One night tragedy strikes. Was it accidental or murder?

I loved this book from the very first page. The characters were enthralling and believable. A great storyline. Highly recommended.

Detective Jim Clemo is back on duty after some time off, and is immediately put on the case of a boy who is in a coma after falling into a canal. The only witness was his best friend, who is refusing to speak to anyone. As Clemo investigates deeper, he starts thinking there’s more to the story.

I loved being back with Jim Clemo, who was the lead detective in Gilly MacMillan’s debut novel Burnt Paper Sky/What She Saw. Hi is a pretty great detective to follow as he’s realy good at his job, but he also has some things going on in his life that are interesting but don’t distract from the main mystery of the story.

I think I actually liked this one better than Burnt Paper Sky, even though I also loved that one. There was something about this that I just thought it was tied together really, really well from the relationship between Noah and Abdi, to Abdi’s parents’ background and then Noah’s illness and how it shaped his personality a bit.

I thought the way Gilly wrote an emotionally manipulative friendship was really, really well done. It slowly unravels how obsessive Noah was with Abdi being only his friend but we also don’t get much answers about exactly what happened, and none of the glimpses we do have seem to make Noah out to be anything but a victim but there’s something there that just doesn’t add up.

I really liked the side twist about Abdi’s parents and their tough journey from refugees in Somalia to British residents. I liked that it was made clear they speak their own language in their home, and some of the ways in which they all feel vulnerable when out and about in public just because of the way they look (for example how Abdi’s sister and mom are treated for wearing hijabs, and how Abdi hides his face because he’s black when he and Noah bypass a group of men drinking late at night). We see the differences in privilege between Abdi and Noah on a number of occasions, and how Noah has no idea how Abdi has to always think about what he does because of how he could be treated because of the colour of his skin.

The ending of this may be a bit over the top for some people, but I really liked it. At that stage, I’d been reading the book all day so was in a high state of excitement and when it all blew off, i was so there for it.

The letters at the end definitely shocked me a bit but I liked how they proved what an emotionally manipulative boy Noah was. Who WANTS their best friend to watch them take their own life. The fact he wanted to make his friend witness something so horrible, and felt like he was gifting him something, just proved to be that Noah was definitely not this sweetheart everyone else thought him to be

This is a thoughtfully written police procedural about an angst ridden Detective, Jim Clemo, who is investigating the events that occur one night when a 15 year old boy falls in a canal having sneaked out of his house with his best friend.
This is Clemo’s first case back at work after being on medical leave due to mental health issues and he needs to prove himself by solving it quickly.
However all is not as it seems: Noah the boy who is pulled from the canal is in a coma and can’t tell the police what happened. Abdi, his friend is unable to speak about the evening due to extreme trauma. Detective Clemo has to investigate carefully and comes across some very disturbing facts. The press get involved and hint at a racially motivated crime as Abdi is a Somalian Moslem and Noah is white but Clemo instinctively feels there is more to it.
This is a sensitively written and well researched novel; Abdi’s Family have escaped from a refugee camp and hold some dark secrets that are gradually revealed. The reader learns about conditions in the camp and the relief of their new life in England where both their son and daughter seem to be doing well in a safe environment.
A major theme in this book is relationships between mothers and sons- Maryam keeps her own secret to protect Abdi and Fiona is so caught up with Noah’s life and medical condition she almost suffocates him in her devotion and has little time for herself or her husband.
I realised early on that this book was part of a series; there are references to Clemo’s previous case and his time off work recovering coupled with the need to see a psychiatrist. Although I hadn’t read the other books I enjoyed this one so felt it worked well as a stand alone novel.
I found the story compelling and am now keen to read the other novels featuring Clemo as I really liked his character and the way he set about solving the mystery..
Recommended to readers who enjoy detective fiction written in a sensitive way.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely amazing. This author has a way of writing suspense in such a twisted, but fun to read way. She makes sure she develops the characters in a manner that allows the reader to get deeply entwined. I thought this book was a great read, and recommend to all. Full of intense twists, turns, thrills, chills, and much more you won't expect! Highly recommend, but make sure to your taking breaths here and there!

I loved Gilly Macmillan's first book and was delighted to read more from DI Jim Clemo.

I hadn’t read the first Detective Clemo story, which luckily didn’t matter when getting into this gloriously complex crime book. It’s different to a lot I have read – largely because it’s not about a gruesome murder! It’s not a thriller or your standard crime fare. It’s a bit slow to be fair, and I felt it was a little overwritten in places, but the themes were really well done. Just the right amount of intrigue, sentiment and facts. The story of the boys worked for me – even if Noah wasn’t particularly likeable it was hard not to have sympathy for him.

I think the story is good and I’d recommend it to someone who wanted to try something a bit different but I would also say that it does suffer slightly from being two stories in one. Noah’s story is largely unaffected by Abdi’s (though the opposite is not true) and is really only muddled by it. Whereas Abdi and his family’s story was really the more interesting and intriguing, it really only served to muddle the waters of what happened to Noah, and I’m not sure I like that particular aspect of how the story was told.

Late night. Two boys argue by the river. One is later pulled from the water in a critical condition; one is found sitting unresponsive on the bank, unable to explain what happened.

DI Jim Clemmo (last seen in Macmillan's brilliant Burnt Paper Sky) is returning to police duty after medical leave, and at first this case seems simple enough. Unfortunately for him, it turns out to be anything but.

Odd Child Out is less of a traditional crime thriller and more of a musing on contemporary social issues such as the refugee crisis, post-traumatic stress disorder, tensions around immigration, and childhood illness, told through the lens of a police investigation. So while it lacks the gripping, page-turning feel of Burnt Paper Sky, it's still full of the excellent characterisation I've come to expect from Macmillan.

I enjoyed all the characters and the storyline gave me plenty to think about. Will definitely continue to follow this author.

Odd Child Out is a really good, contemporary read and I highly recommend it. Gilly Macmillan is one of my favourite authors so I was very excited about reading this book, having enjoyed Burnt Paper Sky and The Perfect Girl. I got straight into the lives of Abdi and Noah and their families. The boys were very successful characters as they both have flaws but are likeable and I felt for the predicaments that they found themselves in. There is a lot at stake for DI Clemo as well, returning to work after being on compulsory leave after a difficult case, and this is effective in adding to the tension. The author writes very well about Bristol, which almost becomes another character in the novel. It’s a gritty and unsettling read, sad at times, but full of unforgettable characters and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

When 15 year old Noah falls into a canal in Bristol the case seems simple to the media, it's a hate crime perpetrated by a young Somali boy. For DI Jim Clemo it's not that simple. Noah and Abdi were best friends, Noah was dying of cancer and their eyewitness is not as reliable as first thought. However when Noah dies after never regaining consciousness, the case takes an unusual and unexpected twist.

There is much to like about this police procedural including the different narrators with different perspectives. However I found it really difficult to get engaged with the book in the first half. There is a really strong story about prejudice, people trafficking etc in here but these themes were not really developed enough.

Late at night two teenage boys scuffle at the water’s edge. One ends up in the canal. It looks straightforward, but there’s more to this than meets the eye.

The boy in the water, Noah, is terminally ill. The other boy, Abdi - his best friend - isn’t talking.

As Noah lies in hospital in an induced coma, DI Jim Clemo is called upon to investigate the incident. In the wake of a recent anti-immigration new-Nazi march in Bristol, there are racial sensitivities surrounding the case, because Noah is white and from a privileged background, and Abdi is from a Somali refugee family.

And Abdi still isn’t talking.

I loved Gilly Macmillan’s previous novel featuring Jim Clemo, What She Knew (previously published as Burnt Paper Sky - a title I prefer, to be honest). So I was excited to read this, and it didn’t disappoint.

The story is told partly by DI Clemo, partly by Noah himself and partly in the third person following other characters such as Abdi’s sister Sofia, his parents Maryam and Nur, and Noah’s parents Fiona and Ed Sadler - the latter an acclaimed photographer who has made his name through his often painful depictions of the experience of refugees. (An interesting element of the story considers some of the ethical issues around such photographs via Sofia’s response to them.)

As Clemo tries to unravel what has occurred the story which takes in both modern day Bristol and the frightening world of the huge Hartisheik refugee camp in the late 1990s.

As in her previous novel, Gilly Macmillan also examines the media response to the case, and this takes on a personal dimension for DI Clemo as his ex-girlfriend Emma Zhang, now a journalist seeking to make her name, is in the thick of it. Clearly there are those keen to use the incident in order to attack the city’s Somali community, the police, or both.

This could be issue-heavy subject matter but Gilly Macmillan tells the story with a delicate touch which puts the complex, often flawed characters at the centre and never relies on easy stereotype.

There’s also a twist in the tale which I certainly wasn’t expecting, though in hindsight it almost seems obvious (those twists are always the best kind).

I loved this story - it’s compelling, insightful, humane and ultimately very moving, and deserves a very wide readership. Highly recommended.

Review also posted on my blog http://atickettoeverywhere.blogspot.co.uk.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group Uk for a review copy of Odd Child Out, the second novel to feature Bristol based DI Jim Clemo.

Jim returns to CID after some time out of the frontline for stress. His first case is seen as an easy return with him being asked to investigate an incident at the canal where one boy fell in and is now in a coma and the other is unable to talk but it turns out to be anything but.

What an amazing read. Ms MacMillan covers so much from such a simple premise and it had me gripped from start to finish. The main narrative thread is DI Jim Clemo's first person account of his investigation, interspersed with Noah's thoughts as he lies in his coma and the actions and reactions of various members of both families. This could have resulted in a choppy read but such is the tension and mystery created that any information the reader can glean is welcome and it flows really well.

It is difficult to decide which child is the odd one out. White, middle class, relatively wealthy Noah is dying with the cancer he has suffered since childhood so it is hard for him to make friends as he misses so much school. Somalian refugee Abdi is a black scholarship child in a white environment. Abdi is the much more appealing character but Noah's plight is moving. This ambiguity pervades the novel from Noah's mum Fiona's motives and actions to Abdi's parents' secrets, even Noah's dad Ed's photographs of refugee camps are questioned - are they exploitative or telling a story that needs telling? It is a very thought provoking read.

I really liked the procedural elements to the novel as well. Jim Clemo is another oddball but he (mostly) plays by the rules and shows a sensitivity not often present in fictional crime novels. He seems very natural and realistic as does the police force and its workings. It is interesting to see them work within the confines of a modern police force and a voracious press with which Ms MacMillan has a field day - if it wasn't so close to the mark it would be funny.

Odd Child Out is one of the best novels I have read this year and have no hesitation in recommending it as an excellent read.

This is my first read of author Gilly Macmillan and I was really impressed at this novel that speaks to us of the social and political issues that are permeating and dividing our world. It is a multilayered emotive, atmospheric and character driven mystery featuring the recent return of Detective Jim Clemo after undergoing counselling with Dr Manelli on his mandatory leave. Set in Bristol, Fifteen year old friends, Noah Sandler and Abdi Mahdi are the odd couple, Noah is white and from a privileged background and Abdi is black, from a Somalian refugee family. They are drawn together as both are outsiders at their elite school. Oh and yes, Noah has terminal cancer which he wishes no-one to know about. One night, Noah is found floating unconscious in a Bristol canal and placed into an induced coma. His traumatised friend, Abdi, is not talking, leaving room for suspicions to grow. Jim and his colleague, DS Justin Woodley are assigned the task of getting to the bottom of the mystery, only to find there is much more to it than they expect.

Bristol is a volatile city, riven with fear and tension. Neo Nazis have marched on an anti-immigration platform. Racism, prejudice, hate, and violence proliferate and the Mahdi family have personal experience of this. DCI Fraser is well aware that their case is likely to worsen matters in the community, and Jim wonders if they can trust a witness's account of what occurs. In the midst of this is the media, where the truth is of little account, as they stoke the ever febrile atmosphere in a combustible Bristol. Jim's bitter and ambitious ex-girlfriend, Emma, is now a journalist willing to do whatever it takes to become known. Noah's parents, Fiona and Ed, are a picture of grief, aware of how little time they have with him. This fuels the path they take and their need to protect Noah. Noah has a bucket list, and it is this that has him getting together with Abdi on the fateful night. Abdi's father, Nur, is a taxi driver and a hopeful man with aspirations for his family.
Maryam, his mother is depressed and fearful, having never really bonded with Abdi. It is Sofia, his sister, that has filled the vacuum left by his mother. When Abdi goes missing, they want to do their best to protect him. Their experience of the horrors and exploitation rampant in a refugee camp has never left the family as once again it returns to haunt their present.

Gilly Macmillan is a talented writer who gets inside the heads of her complex and authentic characters amidst the turbulent background of a Bristol torn apart by the issues of race and immigration. This is a gritty tale of secrets, lies, family dynamics, friendship, grief and loss. Both families want to look after and protect their children. Noah is not a saintly character with debilitating cancer, he is flawed and so very human. I love the depiction of Jim, a character concerned for Abdi and what he faces, his ability to empathise is central to who he is as he delves into the mystery. Macmillan weaves a story with a gritty social and political commentary relevant to our contemporary realities. A brilliant read which I recommend highly. Many thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC.

I really enjoyed this book. Great storyline, wonderful main characters and a very good read. I would recommend this book.