Review for 'One Last Child ' by Anni Taylor

Read and reviewed via NetGalley

This is the first book that I have read by this author. It is the first book in the 'Tall man's Valley detective series'. It most definitely won't be my last.

I have struggled some what with the past few books that I have read so this book was very refreshing. A gripping psychological thriller from start to end this book really sucked me straight in.

The writing was excellent as were the descriptions and characters. I really felt as if I was in the storyline and feeling the emotions of the characters. Every character was very realistic and very well developed and I loved most of them. I look forward to reading more about them. The main detective was female and its always great to see a strong female lead in a crime novel.

The plot was compelling and an explosive start to a new series, one which I'm looking forward to reading. It was absolutely jam packed with crime, suspense, murder and many mysteries, each with red herrings aplenty. A true page turner that kept me on the edge of my seat!

Didn't expect the ending at all and loved the little cliffhanger!! Every case in the plot was explained with nothing missing, nothing worse than something happening in a crime novel that you never get an answer/explanation for.

THE cover of the novel suits the storyline very well and is one of the things that made me choose to read this book.

I would highly recommend to fans of any of the above as well of fans of Tess Gerritsen, C. L TAYLOR and Angela Marsons. In fact I would recommend this to anyone and everyone looking for a good book. A massive congratulations to a very talented author on a fantastic start to a new series!!

Rated 5/5 (I loved it ) on Goodreads and Amazon (UK and. Com) and over 30 Facebook pages

Free on kindle unlimited or 99p to purchase. I think this is an excellent price for this book

436 pages

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#OneLastChild #NetGalley #AnniTaylor #BookReview

What a page turner. I honestly couldn't put this one down.
A group of nursery children go on a day out to a local park for a teddy bears picnic. In the blink of an eye, five of them go missing. As someone who used to work in a nursery, this is one of my worst fears.
The story spans just over three years. Three long years not knowing where the children are. Three years of secrets, searching, lives destroyed.
I absolutely loved every thing about this one. If you haven't already, I highly recommend you read it. I look forward to reading more from this author.

January 12th 2020
2

5 children are taken from a nursery school picnic, abducted at the same time, kept hidden for three years until all but one are released back to their parents.

Kate Wakefield is a homicide detective and also the grandmother to one of the missing children, the child that isn’t returned. Forced to sit on the sidelines having been too emotionally close to the case.

This is definitely a slower paced novel which I think is the reason for a lower rating, having been a lengthy novel of 475 pages, some parts just seemed to drag out and often times I was getting bored.
I did like how we followed an older female detective to is happily married and not boarder line alcoholic like we see in so many detective novels with female leads.

I will be interested to see what comes next in this series.

First i must say a big thank you to NetGalley, author and the publisher.

This was my first by this author and it will not be my last for sure!!
The synopsis of One Last Child drew my attention immediately and i was so happy that I got a copy and I'm so glad that it was truly amazing psychological thriller.
Recommended and again recommended!!

Glad to discover a new author (new to me at least).

Well written thriller. Captivating from the start. Tense and intense. I recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book. This is my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Having previously read and enjoyed a book by this author, I was keen to read this one too.
The story was easy to get into from the start and gripping throughout. There twists and turns aplenty which kept the storyline exciting until almost the end. This is where it fell apart for me. Once the ending started to unravel my interest started to fizzle out. I found the motives obscure and far fetched, and felt disappointed that such an exciting story had a disappointing ending.

let me just say that I didn't get much else done in the 3 days it took me to finish this book. I really enjoyed it. I couldn't wait to curl in bed at night and open up my kindle. That hasn't happened with many books for me.. I am looking forward to reading more books by this author!

This story fell right in in the middle for me, it was a bit of a slow start and the characters took awhile to warm up to. It was still very readable and I did like the premise, it just was easy to put down and take breaks from.

★★★★★ 4.5 stars rounded up

I was first introduced to Anni Taylor with her debut "The Game You Played" which was scintillatingly brilliant and even more so that it was set around areas I am familiar with in Sydney and have frequented often. But more and more there are some wonderful Australian thriller writers coming out of the woodwork...and Anni Taylor is one of them.

I wasn't sure what to expect with ONE LAST CHILD but I shouldn't have been at all surprised if her debut was anything to go by. And I certainly wasn't disappointed. Despite being twice the length of many other authors in this genre, the pace of the story and the easy writing style had me devouring every last page in just over 24 hours - with a few hours for sleep in between...lol

The premise for this book was an extraordinary concept. Five 3 year old children disappear from a nursery school picnic within a few short seconds on inattention...and all without a trace. It was a day the lives of the parents and family of these children changed forever. Added to that is the fact that the grandmother of one of the missing children, Ivy, is the town's local homicide detective, DS Kate Wakefield.

Kate and her husband Pete have a cottage in the Tallman's Valley, a once-small now growing community situated just a short drive from the main hub of Katoomba in the vastly expanse and dense bushland of the Blue Mountains. Kate had worked homicide in Sydney until the birth of her daughter Abby before moving to Tallman's Valley where she has worked in the local area command for the past 20 years.

Abby was 18 when she returned from an overseas holiday pregnant and then giving birth to Ivy, who was clearly the light of their world. Abby was at a university lecture where she was studying law at the time Ivy went missing and her life took a rapid downward spiral in the wake of her little girl's disappearance. She never forgave herself for not being there for her. Abby and her mother have had a rocky relationship since Abby's teens and the disappearance only served to alienate the two women more. They fell out and Abby escaped to Sydney where they heard nothing more from her until years later she returned with 4 month baby Jasper.

It's now three and a half years later and the Strike-force team original set up to investigate the disappearance of the five children are no closer now than they were when they went missing. Kate is brought in and seconded to the team - something which she wanted from the beginning but was advised against due to her personal interest. She revisited the park from which the children disappeared and set about re-interviewing witnesses to get her own feel for the case. Almost at once, Kate got a sense that something wasn't right. The team leader, however, despite being the same rank as her, refused to entertain Kate's notions and instead focused on the paedophile ring angle...despite there being no evidence alluding to one.

Then within a day or so, the children start returning to their homes one by one...all except Ivy. Why the other children and not Ivy? What did the kidnappers want with her? And then, the team discuss the possibility that Ivy was the target all along in retaliation to someone Kate had put away. Was this true? Was Kate the reason Ivy and the other children were taken? Or was there something more sinister at play here?

Whilst not divided into "parts" as such, the first half of ONE LAST CHILD focuses on the search and investigation into the missing children which then turns into a three and a half year nightmare for their families. Despite this build up, the pace is not at all slow which alludes to the author's expert hand at penning such a compelling read with meticulous attention to detail. Anni Taylor not only tells the story, she draws the reader in and uses the surrounding environment to create an atmosphere of impending doom maintaining the element of suspense throughout. She manipulates the characters with ingenuity keeping readers guessing throughout as we try to figure out who is guilty and who isn't. But what we discover is that just about every character has a secret to hide...and it is up to Kate to sift through the secrets and the lies to uncover the truth.

The second half of ONE LAST CHILD with the return of four of the children and the investigation begins to shift focus. And as it continues, it seems that there are more and more questions than there are answers. New suspects come to light and new avenues pursued. But do any of them lead them to the truth? And more importantly, to Ivy? Even the parents of the children returned begin to question why Ivy didn't return with the others and if it had something to do with Kate. Tempers flare and accusations abound...but Kate is relentless. She will not rest until Ivy is found and those responsible are captured.

Alongside the investigation into the disappearance and return of the children is another case that has plagued Kate for as long as this one. The senseless murder of a young 20 year old woman who was beaten then strangled, the jewellery she was wearing stolen and never seen again. It lead us down an interesting side path when one of the pieces of jewellery turns up...in the house Abby now lives with her boyfriend. This leads Kate to question his involvement in the murder, putting Kate and her daughter at loggerheads once again. The way both cases entwined but separately was a clever addition which made for some compelling reading.

I really liked Kate. Sixty-plus, happily married and in no way at all like the stereotypical detectives of many other crime thrillers that end up grating on my nerves. Sure she has her problems, mainly her relationship with her daughter Abby, but those are things author Anni Taylor uses to create an even more captivating story...to which she has alluded will be included in the second novel in this exciting new series. I can't wait to see where that will be taking us! I love Kate's relationship with her husband which seems to go from strength to strength and is so refreshing to see, rather than the constant broken marriages of detectives drowning their sorrows whenever off duty. Pete is her tower of strength and it is refreshing to see his understanding of how demanding Kate's job is and doesn't at all accuse her of putting him second to it. Instead he supports her and comforts her when she needs his strength. It is so refreshing and I love it. I really look forward to getting to know Kate, Pete and Abby in in the future.

I was a tad disappointed in the ending as it did seem a little random and appeared to be unrelated to the rest of the story. The reasoning behind the abductions was a little obscure as well. I felt it should have had more to do with one or two of the other characters and their pasts (and woven together a little neater), one of which was mentioned and alluded to early on but nothing came of it disappointingly. But the tension and the build up in the climax was both atmospheric and foreboding. I could really see myself alongside Kate on that dark narrow road to Jenolan Caves.

I thoroughly enjoyed ONE LAST CHILD and it kept me guessing all the way through. I didn't foresee the guilty behind it though I do admit to picking up on a clue along the way...a witness to the abduction they couldn't interview but then a picture speaks a thousand words.

Although this is just the second thriller by Anni Taylor I have read, I simply LOVE her style and I eagerly await more from her (OK, so I do have a couple of her other books on my shelf to read yet...lol). She has the ability to create a sense of foreboding with just the environmental setting and her ability to set that tone and build up suspense with tension and trepidation whilst keeping readers guessing throughout is outstanding.

And what makes it even better...is the Blue Mountains setting. It is on my doorstep and I know it well.

Highly recommended to anyone who loves a good mystery thriller.

I would like to thank #AnniTaylor, #NetGalley and #BooksGoSocial for an ARC of #OneLastChild in exchange for an honest review.

This was one of the most amazing books I have read this year and I can’t wait for more in the series to be released.

Kate is a very hard-working detective who gets some great results and the story is mostly told through her perspective. Though generally, she works on murders and rapes she is keen to work on the disappearance of five three-year-olds from their nursery school picnic. The main reason being her little granddaughter, Ivy is one of the disappeared children.

This is a harrowing story where five small children just vanish without trace aside from a single button for a cardigan. The psychological strain of all the families involved is clear to see but none so much as the strain it puts on Kate and her family, most notably her young daughter, Abby’s, struggles.

Three and a half years later, one by one, the five children are returned to their families…all aside from Ivy, who the other children say is dead.

There are some great twists and turns in this and the outcome is not what you might have expected. It kept my attention well and I couldn’t put it down as I was so desperate to find out what happened. A highly recommended read!

One Last Child by author Anni Taylor Is written with more than one mystery or case to solve by Detective Kate Wakefield. The setting is the area of the Australian Blue Mountains and as an ice cream van sits on the side street, five three-year-old toddlers go missing from a day care picnic! Nola, the new assistant stands as if in a trance and she never sees what happens to the children. Kate joins the other searchers when she is told her young granddaughter, Ivy is among the missing. Kate is not allowed to join the task force because she is too personally involved, so she must carry on with her murder investigation of a young woman named Harper. In the beginning of the book, the daily back stories of the main characters are explained. As the search for the children goes cold, Kate has other problems as she deals with her daughter, Abby, Three and a half years pass and the unexpected happens, four of the children silently appear to their families. Where is Ivy?
This book is very well written and now I am looking forward to reading the next in the series!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review and ARC of this book.

I want to start off by saying thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book, it was a very good read easy to follow along with storyline and characters. This was a new author for me but I very much enjoyed it, thank you for the opportunity and I look forward to reading more by this author again. I highly recommend this book to everybody.

Wow, just wow. I have just finished this book and twist at the end totally blindsided me. I really did not see that one coming. This is a really well written story, the kind that keeps you saying "just one more chapter" until before you know it the sun has come up without you noticing. It looks like this is going to be a new series so I can't wait for the next one.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of One Last Child.

Overall, I found this to be a good quick read. Kate Wakeland is a detective in Australia who one day reports to a crime scene where five 3-yr olds have gone missing, one of which is her granddaughter Ivy. The book goes through the first few days, months and then years after the abduction, with still no answers until all of a sudden 4 of the 5 children are returned, unharmed. The only child not returned? Ivy! Is this something against Kate, maybe someone she’s put away before in her 30+ long police career? Does it have something to do with Abby, who becomes very withdrawn, angry, and eventually moves away having no contact with her family? Or maybe it was Nola, the new preschool teacher who was supposed to be watching the kids that day? There came a point in this book where I was reading so fast to get to the big reveal as to who the kidnapper was and why did this happen... Personally, The Who was quite a surprise. The Why fell just a little flat for me and wasn’t all that exciting, but read the book and form your own opinions. Still a good book though and I’d recommend!

Ah it's so hard to find a surprising crime novel these days but damn if she didn't do it. I had no idea where this was travelling.

Here's the lowdown: Five 3-year-olds go missing from a daycare excursion. One of the children is granddaughter to our cop protagonist, Kate, so you can bet she's gonna move earth and water to find the people responsible. Three years later, four of the kids show up unexpectedly. Now Kate is really mad because guess which one wasn't returned?

One thing that really struck me with this book is that it seems a lot of care was taken to research and include realistic details. Procedures, interview tactics, childcare, cameras and technology ... all of it seemed pretty in depth. I liked that.

This one is all about the children, but Kate's got another case as well, looking for a young woman's murderer, so that leads us down an interesting side-path to keep things varied. I always assumed they'd end up entwined somehow, but working multiple cases at a time is reality. So I enjoyed its inclusion.

Kate's a grandma so, as a single lady, her family stuff didn't really do much for me. She's got her rock solid husband, drama with the daughter, an ailing mother ... all things that I can't relate to. However I think there's a lot who will be able to relate to Kate and thus will feel a stronger bond with her. She didn't do much for me but she got the job done which I did enjoy.

The tension wasn't particularly tight throughout but I certainly had a lot of questions, and towards the end it got pretty hard to put down. Things went in directions I didn't expect and it all seemed to come together in the end quite well.

Overall a decent crime novel that will keep you guessing. I'll be keeping an eye out for the next one.

Enjoyable lots of twists and turns. Shows humanity at its best and worst. How peoples perception of the world can become distorted and make them act outside the realms of 'normality'.

I like Detective Kate Wakeland. Kate reminds me of Harry Bosch in her dogged determination to unravel the truth, but without Bosch’s habit of digging a deep hole for himself. I like how Kate and her husband lean on each other; although Pete’s is an understated role in the story, it is essential.
The premise: 5 children abducted, 4 returned years later, the 5th (missing) child the granddaughter of a homicide detective. Who took the children, why were only 4 returned, and was the last child not returned because of her relationship to homicide detective Kate Wakeland?
The children’s dialogue seems a bit advanced for their age, while the adult dialogue is a little slow. The most distracting element is the overused word “gasped.” It’s a little hard to trust a seasoned homicide detective who gasps in shock as much as Det. Wakeland does. There is a lot of sighing also.
The story unfolds at a satisfying pace. It does not feel rushed, nor does it drag. My overall sense of the story is that it was written with young adults in mind. There are some adult themes, but they are neither dwelt upon nor left entirely to the imagination; a nice balance. The story takes twists and turns, maintaining some intensity.
I highly recommend this story for readers who enjoy whodunits without the melodrama of a deeply flawed or broken main character.

Thank you to NetGalley for the copy I received in exchange for an honest review.

What a great book. Would definitely recommend to it others I no. Great work will look out for this author again

The cover and synopsis of One Last Child drew my attention like a moth to a flame. I immediately knew it wasn't a matter of if I'd read it, but when. And after the publisher offered me an arc, I knew the time was now. Clueless to the fact that the story setting was in Australia, I began reading and quickly came to appreciate the author's utilization of environment to set an ominous tone in this heartfelt, gut-wrenching story. I highly advise readers skip all spoilers as the suspense building element of this story depends on the unknown.

The first half of One Last Child deals with the ongoing search and investigation of five children who go missing while on a daycare picnic. A search for the missing children turns into a three and a half year nightmare. I can see why some readers might find the pace a bit slow during this time, but I greatly enjoyed the author's meticulous attention to the smallest of details while crafting this suspenseful story chapter by chapter. Taylor sets and maintains a dismal tone of impending doom as a few slim leads turn into dead-ends. Her manipulation and development of characters throughout the story is fantastic, keeping readers off-balance as they attempt to figure out the who, where, how & why. The second half of the book picks up the pace when prayers are answered and four of the missing children are returned, and the case shifts to focus on why the grandchild of Homicide Det. Kate Wakefield isn't returned with the others. Four families celebrate while one family grieves. Why wasn't Ivy returned with the others? I'm not often left in the dark throughout most of a book, but this story kept me mystified until the end.

One Last Child is an emotional, raw, intense, heartfelt story that tugged on my heart strings time and again. I found myself reading late, burning through pages, praying for answers and a happy-ever-after for each family. The author's ability to set a despondent tone, build suspense and trepidation while keeping readers guessing is nothing short of brilliant in this stunning mystery suspense story. I know I held my breath through much of it. The author drops a small bombshell near the end that appears to be the set-up for the next book in the series, and I can't wait! I'm grateful to have discovered and read this hidden gem in the mystery/suspense/thriller genre. Highly recommended!

A gritty, intense, fast-paced, riveting, artful melding of stunning psychological thrills and nail-biting suspense. An edgy mystery full of dark secrets, shocking plot twists and pulse-pounding, palpable tension. This book brings it ALL!

#OneLastChild #NetGalley