“Dear Child” by Romy Hausmann is a spine-tingling thriller that delves deep into the dark recesses of captivity and psychological torment. Set in a grim, windowless shack deep in the woods, the novel explores the harrowing life of Lena and her two children, who live under the tyrannical surveillance of their captor, referred to ominously as ‘the father’. This captor enforces a rigid and meticulous routine designed to shield them from the supposed dangers of the outside world while maintaining a disturbing facade of familial normalcy.

The narrative gains its momentum when Lena manages a daring escape, a pivotal moment that not only shifts the narrative drive but also deepens the mystery: is she indeed the Lena who vanished without a trace 14 years earlier? The plot thickens as her erstwhile tormentor appears to haunt her liberation, desperate to reclaim what he believes is his. The involvement of the police and Lena’s family adds layers of complexity as they scramble to solve a puzzle that never seems to fit together quite right.

Hausmann’s mastery is evident in her pacing—rapid and relentless—each chapter peels back layers of the story, drawing the reader deeper into its unsettling world. The characters are exquisitely crafted, each one rich with emotional depth, flaws, and secrets that are gradually revealed as the narrative progresses. From the very first chapter, the book ensnares the reader, making it nearly impossible to put down despite the unsettling, often stomach-churning details of abuse and violence endured by the characters.

What’s particularly compelling about “Dear Child” is its balance of intense, nightmarish scenarios with a narrative that is as much about psychological depth and character resilience as it is about suspense and shock. The twists are mind-blowing, contributing to a devilishly smart, stunning conclusion that leaves readers reeling and deeply satisfied.

Adding to the experience, Hausmann’s depiction of the eerie cabin and the chilling atmosphere is not overly graphic, yet it evokes a vivid picture of the torment the characters suffer. This careful balance of detail supports a story that is not just about the horror of the physical situation but also the mental and psychological endurance of its victims.

Overall, “Dear Child” is a brilliant, dark, and gripping thriller. It is a story that captivates with its high tension, shocking twists, and jaw-dropping moments. The book’s disturbing themes and intense narrative make it a standout, more so than its Netflix adaptation, affirming that Hausmann’s written word offers a deeper, more intense exploration of her harrowing tale. It’s a must-read for those who find themselves drawn to psychological thrillers that push the boundaries of the genre.

Father, Daughter, Child. Each is one of the damaged narrators of this gripping tale, of power and control, of trauma and its consequence.

A steady burn, that feels occasionally feels jarring, which I put down to the translation rather than the story itself. It unravels carefully and keeps you hooked as you uncover the truth of what happened to Lena.

Settle yourself down somewhere comfy for this one.

A 5 star read. So much mystery throughout. Great characterisation and you really learned to empathise with (most of) the characters throughout.

Haunting and intense, what a stunning thriller release. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, fearfully anticipating what was coming, Absolutely recommend!!

I read this book in one hit. Such a great book. A real thriller that will have you hooked throughout. Plenty of twists and turns. It is a dark read.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for gifting me the book.

I felt emotionally drained after finishing this book. There are so many twists! Just when you think you know what’s happened and what’s going to happen, the rules change and something else happens! I couldn’t stop listening - even if I’d wanted to!

Lena disappeared 14 years ago - without a trace. But her parents haven’t given up on her. So when they hear about a woman who has been involved in a traffic accident, they rush to the hospital, hoping that it’s their daughter. She matches the description.

Lena has lived in a windowless shack for 14 years, following every order her husband demands. When to eat, when to sleep, when to use the toilet. Their two children have never left their home, kept safe, hidden away from the rest of the world.

Lena hopes that her nightmare will have ended now that she has escaped, but it seems there is no end in sight.

Dear Child is a tense, dark read. The violence isn’t gratuitous, I felt, and what violence there was moved the story on. What particularly stayed with me was a feeling of uncertainty. Even when Lena’s identity is determined, I was never quite sure if she was who she said she was, and I don’t think she knew either.

If you like a slower paced thriller with more than a hint of menace, this will be the book for you.

A great, thrilling read, which will keep you entertained throughout. A good one sitting read, get the nibbles ready, close the door, and read!

Dear Child is a gripping thriller about a woman held in captivity in the woods who finally manages to escape. It really reminded me of Room when I was reading. I was gripped from the start and couldn't put it down, I don't want to reveal too much of the plot as the twists and turns kept me hooked the whole way through but you'll certainly be satisfied at the end.

I've recommended this book to so many people. Thank you NetGalley.

Gone Girl meets Room in this page-turning thriller from one of Germany's hottest new talents

In a windowless shack in the woods, Lena's life and that of her two children follows the rules set by their captor, the father: Meals, bathroom visits, study time are strictly scheduled and meticulously observed. He protects his family from the dangers lurking in the outside world and makes sure that his children will always have a mother to look after them.

One day Lena manages to flee--but the nightmare continues. It seems as if her tormentor wants to get back what belongs to him. And then there is the question whether she really is the woman called "Lena," who disappeared without a trace 14 years ago. The police and Lena's family are all desperately trying to piece together a puzzle which doesn't quite seem to fit.

This is SO good!

Recently there have been a number of books written from the perspective of kidnapping victims and/or their children. to the point that they all start to share similarities. "Dear Child" manages to bring something fresh to the genre with layer upon layer of secrets and red herrings.

And the ending - wow! So many twists and turns, you can barely catch your breath!

Highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation.

Dark, chilling and utterly unputdownable. This was a rollercoaster with lots of turns. it lagged a little in the middle but I can forgive that.
Thank you Netgalley and Quercus Books for the opportunity to give my unbiased opinion.

I was completely gripped by this story and was impressed with the writing quality. I was entertained throughout the story and would not hesitate to recommend this book.

This is how you write an intelligent, unpredictable psychological thriller, it’s gripping from beginning to end! It’s very well written with a good pace, there are some excellent twists and turns with the whole package giving you prickles of fear right from the start.

When Lena finally manages to escape her captors cabin in the wood, she thinks she - and her two children by the man - are finally free. But all is not as safe as it seems when it feels like she’s constantly being watches.

Dear Child is a novel that asks questions right from the very first page - who? Where? When? Why? And those questions linger throughout in different forms which kept me hooked while reading it.

Short chapters from three characters points of view kept the plot moving, and flashbacks helped fill in the gaps of these characters history.

This was a really interesting novel to read, although I feel the synopsis gave away a few too many clues so some of it came as no surprise, although many bits of it did.

A really good book and I’m really interested in reading Romy Hausmann’s next novel, Sleepless.

⭐ Has short, snapping sentences that pull you in.
⭐ The first half was good.
☆ I shouldn't have fallen for the hype.
☆ I didn't feel empathy for any of the characters.
☆ The ending was very rushed.

Dear Child by Romy Hausmann is a thriller, translated from German, and so set in modern day Germany.

Lena is trapped in a shack in the forest, with two children whom she is told she has to look after.  Their days are strictly regulated, until one day Lena manages to escape, and this is where our story starts!  We meet Lena in the hospital, where she slowly tells her story to the police.

This is a tense thriller, where the truth changes often.  It's a haunting tale, well told, and makes you want to keep turning the page!

 Dear Child  was published on 14th May 2020, and is available from  Amazon ,  Waterstones  and  Bookshop.org .

You can follow Romy Hausmann on  Facebook  and  Instagram .

I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to  Quercus Books .

This is a thriller told from many perspectives. It is filled with lots of twisty moments.
The characters were so flawed and unbelievable but I enjoyed this aspect.
My only criticism is that I felt the middle third lost some of the pace but the ending made up for that

Lena was a 23 year old student when she went missing 13 years ago. She’s never been found.
Her parents have always hoped to be reunited with her, and are shocked when they get a call to say that a woman has been in an accident and she matches Lena’s description.

As more is revealed, it becomes apparent that all is not as it seems. Is the girl in hospital really Lena? Are the young children really hers?

This is a well written story which is very readable and gripping. It definitely has you wondering what exactly is going on for most of the book!

The book doesn’t seem to have chapters, and alternates between the points of view of several different characters.

This allows the story to slowly unfold as you try to piece together who the abductor is and what happened.

3.5 stars rounded to 4.

I liked the ending and didn’t suspect the right character at all!

This was a good read and I’ll look out for more books from this author.

A psychological thriller about a women held captive in the woods with her two children until she escapes.
A twisty turny rollercoaster ride through a nightmarish tunnel that I may not ever recover from. A powerhouse of a book..

Oh, My Word. I feel like I have been put through a mangle and brought out the other side. My emotions are just all over the place. All over a book.

This is what the novel Dear Child did to me. I am only sorry that I left this on my TBR for so long. How could such a good thriller not come up on my social media threads before?

This novel is clever. Graphic. Disturbing. Full of awful characters. Twists and turns. I feel like I am coming up for air just finishing it.

The story revolves round student Lena who has been missing for 13 years. When she runs in front of a car she is taken to hospital with her daughter. Out comes stories of a cabin and another child, left behind.

But the woman in hospital is not Lena. But her daughter is definitely Lena’s daughter, Hannah.

Thank goodness they are free, and able to start their proper life outside the cabin. Whoever the woman claiming to be Lena is.

For the woman traumatised by her captivity. For Hannah who measures things in steps and seems to have an odd understanding of family and life. And her brother Jonathan, traumatised and seemingly beyond help.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC version which I wish I had read sooner.