I enjoyed this book so much! I liked the style in which it is written, I liked the characters and their relationships, I liked the plot and how it evolves, and I also liked Hope's dry sense of humour especially reflected in the conversations with her friend Stephen and with her elderly neighbour.
Hope is such a decent, caring and loving character, I loved her!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book I have read by this author and the second one I have really enjoyed, so I will be searching the back catalogue for sure.

This is a family drama which starts when Hope receives a newspaper cutting from 30 years ago. The article shows a picture of a stolen baby called Jane who has the same distinguishing feature as herself, part of her ear missing in exactly the same place!

The whole story is then based around Hope trying to discover if her parents are actually her biological parents or does she have a different birth mother? She meets new people along the way, but can she believe anything anyone is telling her? So many conflicting stories based around lies. Is anyone going to tell her the truth?

The characters were all really believable. I warmed to Hope and her best friend Stephen immediately. What a lovely friendship bond they had.

Well written and kept me guessing the outcome right up until the end.

Thank you to netgalley, the publishers and the author for an arc.

Publication date 14th June 2021.

The Child in the Photo by Kerry Wilkinson is touted as a psychological thriller, but I found it more like a family drama/mystery.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Hope Taylor receives a newspaper article in the mail.  It was from 34 years ago, and told the story of a 6-month old child that had been snatched from the car while the mother was in a store.  The picture of the little girl has the same scarred ear that Hope does.  Hope is 34.

When Hope shows the article to her mother, her mother insists that Hope is her daughter, and again tells her the story of her birth.  Hope is sure her mother is lying, and when a next-day visit finds her Mother burning papers in the backyard, she is sure.

Hope starts following the clues found in the article, and tracks down the woman who seems to be her birth mother.  A young woman shows up, covered in bruises and tells Hope that she is the one who sent the article, and that she knows the identity of her abductor.

Hope doesn't know who to believe.


My Opinions:   
Basically, this book is about family, about secrets, and about lies and greed.  There were a lot of twists in this, and some rather twisted people.

I have enjoyed every book I have read by this author.  They are always fast, entertaining reads with interesting characters, and addicting plots.  This was no different.  I was hooked from the first few pages.  Some of it was a little predictable, but no less enjoyable.

I really liked Hope and her best-friend Stephen.  They both seemed like normal down-to-earth people, who have a great friendship, and whom I wouldn't mind getting to know.  I loved her rather lonely, elderly neighbour who cares about Hope, and she about him.

Hope was rather too trusting, but seemed like a normal woman who just wanted answers.  She may have acted a little recklessly, but I couldn't really blame her.  However, I think referring to Hope's accident as "the bad thing" was rather inappropriate, and if it was meant to create mystery, it didn't.  It just didn't seem like a phrase that Hope would use.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book.

Thank you to @bookouture and @kerrywk for this advanced copy of The Child in the Photo in return for an honest review. The Child in the Photo is due to be published on 14th June 2021 and you can get a copy here.

Description 🔖

Hope collects her post and finds a letter that has been pushed through her door with just her name written on the envelope. Inside she finds an article from thirty years ago about a baby called Jane that was stolen from the back of a car. The photograph of Jane is what is most striking; she has a scar on her ear that is exactly the same as hers. Hope instantly starts to question if she is in fact Jane.

This isn’t something that Hope can just dismiss and therefore starts to dig around for more details. New people come into her life but she doesn’t know if she can trust them. Worst of all, she doesn’t know if she can trust the woman that has raised her or anything that she thinks she knows about her life to date.

General Thoughts 🤔

When I started this book I thought that I knew exactly where it was going to end up but then questioned myself. Surely not?! Otherwise the whole storyline is given away in the first handful of chapters. Sure enough, there were plenty of curveballs and jaw dropping revelations to follow that I wasn’t expecting. I found this book impossible to put down as just when I thought all of the secrets simply had to be out in the open, something else would happen.

I spent a small amount of time questioning whether some of the things in the story would even be possible. My mind starting going deep into the technicalities and had me wondering how on earth someone could get away with crimes of this nature. In hindsight I don’t actually think it matters all that much. It made for a fantastic story either way.

Characters 👭👫👬

Everyone needs a friend like Stephen in their life. I fell in love with him right from the start. He was always there for Hope (even when he didn’t want to be) but he wasn’t only a strong pillar there to hold Hope up; quite literally at times. He had his own vulnerabilities and troubles to contend with.

The character I empathised with the most was Hope’s mother. I can’t imagine the sinking feeling in her stomach that she must have felt when Hope asked her about baby Jane and showed her the article. I suspect that she often thought that the day may come, but after so many years of raising a happy family, it must have been devastating to her all the same. People will do a lot of things when they’re desperate, but is it still wrong if they believed that their intentions were good at the time? I pondered over this a lot.

Writing Style ✍️

The whole book is written in first person from Hope’s point of view which I enjoyed. I do like when books are told from multiple POVs as I think it allows the reader to gain extra insight into the plot and the characters, however I don’t think it was necessary for this story. Everything that happened centred around Hope so I thought it was appropriate that it was written in her voice.

The chapters were short and snappy and nearly every chapter shamelessly ended with a cliff hanger or a bomb shell moment which was probably why I couldn’t put this book down. There never seemed like an opportune moment for me to pause and when that happens, I think the author has got you hook, line and sinker.

Conclusion & Scoring 🎖️

This wasn’t an over-complicated and complex thriller but it was gripping, fast paced and a story that was brilliantly told. I thoroughly enjoyed the plot and enjoyed being swept away with it. I’ll definitely be recommending this book to others once it is published.

Hope finds a newspaper clipping that was posted through her door. Intrigued, she looks at it and notices that the baby in the photo has the same exact scar as her. Hope has never seen another scar likes hers -ever. The article states that the baby was kidnapped from the backseat of a car thirty years ago. Naturally, Hope begins to wonder, could the baby in the photo be her?

When questioned, her mother tells her the day she was born was the happiest day of her life. That she is her child. She explains how Hope got the scar and tries to put Hope's worries to rest. But then she begins to act strangely, leading Hope to wonder if her mother is lying.

If that is not enough, Hope comes home to find a young woman sitting on her doorstep. The young woman tells her that she knows who Hope is and that she was in fact abducted. But can this woman be trusted?

Determined to learn the truth, Hope enlists her best friend Stephen to help her uncover the truth.

This book was a fast no-nonsense read which had me guessing and doing detective work alongside Hope to uncover the "truth" of her life. Readers only know what Hope knows and we learn things as she does. I appreciated that Wilkinson does not use a lot of filler in his books. He gets to the point without being overly descriptive or long winded. What a relief!

This book is not overly shocking. There are some clues and red herrings along the way. There were times when I wanted to yell at Hope "Did you not hear what she just asked you?" I saw some things coming but did not mind them in the least. This is enjoyable escapism reading.

Is there a mystery here? Yes! Will you figure things out? You may! Will you be shocked? I do not think so. But this book is not about "thrills" or "suspense." For me, this book was about the journey. It is about the truth. It is about secrets. It is about decisions. It is about family. It is about loss. It is about one photo that changed everything.

Even though this book is a bit predictable, it is also very enjoyable. I enjoyed the pace of this book. One could sit down and read this in one day. Again, HUGE props for not being overly descriptive or long winded. Wilkinson has also created a character in Hope that readers will root for. I enjoyed her relationship with Stephen and the support they show each other.

Enjoyable. Escapism. Engaging

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this addictive book

Why would someone hand deliver a letter with a 30 year old newspaper article about a missing toddler

The article is about a missing toddler with a piece of her ear missing, the very same ear hope is missing

Could hope be the missing child from the article ?

But what did that mean for her parents?

An interesting storyline that keeps you guessing right to the end of the book

I’d like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Child In The Photo’ written by Kerry Wilkinson in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Hope Taylor arrives home and finds amongst her post an envelope containing a cutting from a newspaper reporting about a six-month-old child, Jane Craven, who was stolen from her mother’s car thirty years ago and was never found. As Hope studies the photo she realises the baby has a misshapen ear identical to her own. Could she possibly be the stolen child?

Although I’d class ‘The Child In The Photo’ as more of a family drama than a thriller and it has an interesting storyline with twists and turns, I couldn’t find anything particularly exciting to it. Much is made of Hope’s prosthetic leg, as is her money, but it isn’t until much further into the story that an explanation is given for both which left me wondering about them for a lot of the time. I thought the description of Hope’s relationship with her schoolteacher friend Stephen was well-written as they work together helping disadvantaged youngsters. I’ve probably read all of this author’s novels and found some better than others especially those with Detective Jessica Daniel that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed, but despite this novel being an easy read I found it a bit underwhelming. I’m sorry, Kerry, I’m sure I’ll be in the minority but I’ll still be looking forward to your next one.

Another great read from Kerry Wilkinson.
This is a fast paced book that will definitely have you glued to your seat.
Hope’s life changes when she receives a newspaper cutting through the door about a baby that was snatched from a car thirty four years ago. Hope can’t work out why she’s been sent it until she looks at the photo of the child and realises it’s her.
Once the shock has subsided a bit she asks her Mum but she says it’s not true, so Hope knows she’ll have to investigate this herself.
The truth eventually comes out and Hope is left in a vulnerable position at home, not knowing who she can trust.
I loved Hope as a character and really wanted things to work out for her. I also liked the friendship between her and Stephen and could tell they would always be there for each other.
This is a brilliant story that well and truly had me hooked.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

The Child in the Photo is a smoothly written domestic suspenser with loads of red herrings and twists. Thoroughly enjoyable read where you couldn't tell what was going to happen next.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ wow. That was an unexpected tale of family secrets! Hope Taylor is a strong woman, living on her own at 34 years old having lost her leg in a road traffic accident. Her neighbour is a lovely elderly gent who likes to keep an eye on her and her property. Her best friend is Stephen. She received an old article through her door which intrigues her......... Can she solve the puzzle?

While reminiscent of “the face on the milk carton” it wove its own story. “The child in the photo” has its own tale to tell. A fan of this genre and author I truly enjoyed this one.

I stare at the newspaper article about a baby being snatched from the back of a car thirty years ago, and wonder why someone would post it through my door. Looking closer, my blood freezes. The little girl in the photo has an unusual scar - just like mine. I've never met anyone with one like it. Is this stolen child me?

Hope comes home to discover a newspaper clipping from thirty years ago posted through her letterbox. It tells of a missing child who was stolen from a car when her mother as inside a shop. The baby has the same deformity as Hope.

Hope tries to figure out if her parents are who they say they are. The plotline is multi-layered with secrets and lies being slowly revealed. I loved the relationship Hope had with her best friend Stephen. There's also her elderly neighbour Mr Bonner who watches out for Hope and lets her know id he sees anyone hanging about. Eventually we get to the bottom of Hope's story and the truth is out. I like there were references to places we've visited before in previous books,

I would like to thank #NetGalley #Bookouture and the author #KerryWilkinson for my ARC pf #TheChildInThePhoto in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this book, but didn't love it. It was more of a drama than a mystery, and didn't really match (at least in my opinion) the synopsis. The story centers on Hope, who is mailed an article of a kidnapped child who she thinks could be her, despite the fact that she had previously no reason to believe that she wasn't the biological child of her parents. The rest of the book has Hope trying to figure out the truth, amongst a cast of potentially shady characters.

I wasn't really surprised at much of what happened in the book, though I am not sure the author expected me to be. Even without a ton of suspense, there were a few surprises and the pacing of the book was fast. I felt that the ending tied up loose ends nicely. My favorite thing about the book was the relationship between Hope and her bff, Stephen- it felt very authentic.

Overall, this was a very fast read and was interesting, but didn't pack too many surprises. I liked it (as I do all of Wilkinson's books) but it wasn't my favorite. I'd give it 3.5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Child in the Photo is more of a drama than a triller. It reminded me of "The Face on the Milk Carton" but...modern.

A woman is sent an old article about a stolen child - who has the exact same ear deformity that she does. Is this her? Was she stolen all those years ago? And who is that woman in the red coat?

This isn't the story that you expect - and that's a good thing. How far will you go to get what you want? That's a question that we all have to think about. And this book really takes that question and turns it upsidedown.

When I was a teenager, my favorite book was “The Face on the Milk Carton” so I was excited to read the synopsis of this book. I really enjoyed it even though it was a much more intense, darker story. I was hooked on this from the moment Hope opened the envelope. I thought it was a quick read, I completed it in a few hours, and it held my attention throughout. I highly recommend this one!

When Hope Taylor finds an envelope on her doormat containing only an old newspaper clipping, she doesn't know yet that her life is about to change. The article, around 34 years old, is about the kidnapping of a baby called Jane. Hope wonders why anyone would bother to send her an old newspaper article, until she notices the baby's ear in the picture. It's deformed, exactly like her own ear. Could this baby be her? Is Hope really Jane?

Kerry Wilkinson has written a gripping novel that reads like a thriller. I flew through the pages, wanting to know what was going to happen next. I was constantly amazed by all the events happening one after the other in Hope's life. In just a couple of days, Hope's life is turned inside out. Not only is she figuring out if her parents stole her, but her best friend Stephen gets attacked because of his homosexuality. And if that's not all, Hope also has a physical disability, after losing one of her legs in a car accident.
All together The Child in the Photo contains many themes. Usually I find that unrealistic and a bit overdramatic, but in this book it's perfectly done, and gives the plot real momentum. There's no way you're going to put down this thriller before reaching its end!

Kerry Wilkinson is a British author who has written over 30 novels ranging from thrillers to young adult novels. In 2018, Wilkinson's Ten Birthdays won the Young Adult Romance Novel of the Year award. One of his crime books has also picked up an accolade: Close To You won the Best Ebook Original Novel in 2020.

I make no secret of the fact that I am a huge fan of this author - both series and stand alones. There is something about his no nonsense style of writing that really gels with me. Along with his tight plotting, ability to pull the wool over my eyes all the time, are some of the best characters I have met. What starts out being quite a simple premise swiftly descends into more secrets, lies and duplicitous behaviour as we struggle to figure out the truth. Little does Hope know that her world as she knows it is about to blow up before her eyes when she is sent a cutting from a newspaper. There's a picture of a child who was snatched. A child that, well, shares a certain deformity with Hope. A child who, judging by the dates, could well be her. But this is a child who was snatched. Who, on investigation, was never found. Hope has two loving parents and an extended family. None of it makes sense...? And so begins the voyage of discover that Hope never envisaged she would ever embark on. A voyage that will test her and, well, lets just say throw up more questions than answers along the way...
Wowsers. You think you have it all worked out. As I've already said, it seems a simple premise. But oh my days! This book delivers and delivers. And then some more! All delivered in the author's no nonsense style, fully of cracking life and character observations (10 out of 10 once again for people watching) and with absolutely no superfluous waffle or padding. Plotting is tight and well executed and had me on my toes throughout. It sucked me in from the very first page and help me captive throughout my time spent with it. Which was pretty much one sitting, breaking only for the necessary life stuff. And the ending when it came - whew! I skirted around a few things, I shouted at certain characters to "be careful" but I really didn't see that coming!
All in all, a cracking addition to an already well impressive back catalogue. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

This is a new author for me and I shall look out for more.

I thought it was a well written book which kept me hooked from the beginning. The story had many twists and turns and the only downside was I felt the ending was a little rushed.

Overall a great psychological thriller.

For me, The Child in the Photo was a good, not great, but good one. Some of the writing seemed a bit sluggishly-paced, but still an entertaining read.

Like some work set in the UK, I found a lot of terms that I wasn’t familiar, which made it a bit awkward for me. Jumping back and forth to look them up interrupted the flow of the story. That’s simply a personal pet peeve, nothing more.

If you had any doubt about the old adage “money is the root of all evil” this book goes a long way to shattering that skepticism.

A woman comes home one day to find a newspaper clipping in her mail. It’s an article about a missing child cold case. The child in the photo has the same ear deformation as she does. She sets out on a mission to find out who she is.

I can’t imagine going through something like this. Hope handles the questions beautifully, not trying to upset anyone. As she learns about her past and meets new people she is a bit too trusting in my opinion but it is an innocence. If you like family books and finding out who your family really is, you will love this book.