4.5 star.
Wow what a book! This was a great read and an amazing plot. Told over 3 timelines. A family drama with twists, an easy read! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in return an honest review. this is due to be released 27th Feb, not one to miss out on. Page turner for sure! Brilliant read…characters were fantastic in thus book! And I didn’t want this to end, thank you so much for the arc.

Thank you for allowing me to review this book. I found it to be very good. It is written in 3 timelines. The book begins Iin 1983 when Kimberly and Jason take a cruise with their 2 young children, Robert & Lily. Robert, is stolen from the cabin whilst they all slept. Then, we are taken back to 1963 to meet Elsie and Sally in an orphanage. Who are these girls? Why are they linked to the story? Are the questionsthat were in my head. The story then moves on 2023, when Zach visits Lily a psychotherapist. As the story unfolds secrets are discovered, slowly all the links fall into place.
I found the characters interesting and believable. We are taken through history with the changes in society and expectations. We experience poverty, violence, riches, abuse, and friendship. Overall a good read, although at times the pace is slow. The twist at the end was unexpected. I can recommend this book, not a thriller in a heavy sense, nor really a crime fiction. It could be a real life drama.

Anyone who has children cannot but identify with the horrendous nightmare of losing a child … and can put themselves into the shoes of this mother, and the distraught father who searches for forty years, and everyone affected by this tragedy. Carmel Harrington employs a few sly clues, parallel stories that might be connected – or not. Friendships, damaged souls, smothered grief, guilt and desperation, are teased out as the intrigue and truth play out unpredictably about a terrible wrong committed for the right reasons.

My thanks to Headline and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Stolen Child’ written by Carmel Harrington in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

In July 1983 Kimberley and Jason are having a late honeymoon cruising on The Carousel with their children Robert and Lily, when two-year-old Robert disappears sometime during the night. Forty years later Lily is a psychotherapist and meets a new client, Zach, who believes he has a theory of what happened that night.

‘The Stolen Child’ is more a domestic drama than a thriller with the story told across three timelines. The first is in 1983 when Robert disappears, the second is in 1963 when five-year-old Sally is taken from her mother to live in an orphanage called Sunshine House, and the third is the present time when Lily, now forty, is wife to Michael and mother to Ben. The novel is well-written and interesting, the character descriptions believable, but although it’s kept me involved I’ve found it to be slow at times and not as enjoyable as a previous novel I’ve read by this author. This is purely my own opinion and despite it not being a novel I’d want to read again, I recommend it to readers so that they can make their own decisions.

his is the type of book my Nana would have classified as " a good old yarn".
In 1984 a toddler goes missing on a cruise ship. In 2024 the family are still devastated and the fall out from the loss of their son and brother has fractured and impacted this family every day since. After forty years, the truth is finally going to surface.

I thought this book started strongly but unfortunately my interest waned as the book carried on. I think it is more of a domestic drama than a thriller/suspense and I will admit these type of books wouldn't be the genre I am drawn too so possibly a case of wrong reader for this book. I too think fans of this author/ genre will enjoy this book but for me, it was a little too drawn out with unnecessary detail and I found the pacing uneven. Had it been shorter I think I would have enjoyed it more.

2.5 stars

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

This book had me hooked from the beginning.

When Kimberly and Jason are on board a ship, Kimberly wakes up to see that her son isn’t with them. They both decide that they will do whatever it takes to find Robert, and bring him home. But, after they’ve done all they can, he’s not found.

Now, after a long time from that happening, Lily, their daughter who is a therapist has a new client living in her home, Zack, he has a theory which isn’t what she ever thought, and it concerns her brother Robert and what happened to him.

If what Zach has told her is true, then there’s someone who knows what happened, and they won’t let the truth be known.

The story was well-written and had you turning the pages to find out what happens next.

I highly recommend this book.

I enjoyed this family drama/thriller book so much.

I expected a search for a stolen child, a few red herrings, and finally, they turn up.

THIS IS NOTHING LIKE THAT...

Told over 3 timelines, the day the child is stolen, a long time before, and a long time after. I enjoyed each timeline equally, and they all flowed seamlessly.

The past goes back to the 60's/70's and I loved looking at life in that era.

I listened via audiobook and loved the narrator's soft accent. She really brought the characters and story to life.

I have never read anything from this author before but I really enjoyed the change of town compared to the style of books I’m Used to (Frieda, Hurst). The book is in four parts each with an EastEnders style duff duff or reveal. In my opinion the ending went on a little long but everything was wrapped up and all my questions were answered. I would definitely look out for books by this author in the future.

During a cruise, two-year-old Robert disappears overnight from the family cabin. When the discovery is made, his parents don’t know how long he his been missing; his dad arrived back at the cabin during the night after consuming lots of alcohol and his mum took a sleeping pill before she went to bed.

There is no trace of Robert and despite his family disembarking the ship in Spain and waiting for any news, none comes and the parents and their daughter Lily have to eventually return home to Ireland. The family never give up hope that Robert will return to them and many years later, when Lily has a family of her own, a stranger arrives, announcing that he believes he is Robert. As the plot unfolds, many family secrets are revealed, but can they dare hope that the missing piece of their family has returned?

The story is told over three different time periods, the 1960’s, 1970’s and 1984, with very dissimilar strands. It is impossible to see how the plots come together, but eventually they do in a remarkable and very clever way. Although containing some triggers, this book is compelling and bursting with a myriad of emotions.

A totally engrossing and highly-recommended read.

This was an interesting listen, it wasn't what I thought but worked well as it made me concentrate and work on the meaning behind the book. The twist worked well.

This was my first book by this author and it won't be my last.

Baby Robert goes missing from a cruise while the family sleeps. 20 Years later his sister Lily is working as a psychotherapist and is visited by a new client claiming to be Robert. Can it be true?

Honestly this book amazed me, it hooked me right in from the beginning. I was slightly confused about the other POV and just adored how the two stories came together. No stone was left unturned. It took my breath away.

This is the first of Carmel's books I've had the pleasure of reading and, based on this outing, it won't be the last.
This is a complex take of two families and the decisions they make which have extensive repercussions, echoing down the years.

When Kimberley and Jason go on a cruise with their toddler son Robert and baby daughter Lily in tow, they're looking forward to enjoying a week deserved, relaxing family holiday together.

What starts out as an idyllic trip quickly turns into a nightmare. Waking up in Barcelona and preparing to disembark, they realise that Robert is missing. This is the beginning of every family's nightmare, as a search of the ship and resulting police investigation reveals no leads.

Life has changed for everyone, and despite hopes being raised, all leads come to nothing.

Then, one day someone comes forward believing they are Robert and everything is turned upside down.

Excellent book with loads of twists and turns

The Stolen Child is a deeply emotional and gripping novel that explores themes of love, loss, and the enduring power of family. The story follows a mother’s heartbreaking journey when her child goes missing, unraveling secrets and testing the strength of relationships.

Harrington’s writing is beautifully evocative, drawing readers into the emotional turmoil of her characters while maintaining an engaging and suspenseful narrative. The novel balances mystery and heartfelt storytelling, making it a compelling read for those who enjoy emotionally charged dramas.

The Stolen Child is a powerful and moving read that lingers long after the final page. Fans of contemporary fiction with a strong emotional core will find this book particularly rewarding.

TRIGGER WARNINGS MOTHERS WORST NIGHTMARE!!

It's every parent's worst nightmare. But there's no waking up from this . . .

On board a cruise ship in the Mediterranean, Kimberly wakes to discover that her two-year-old son Robert has vanished from the cabin overnight. She and her husband Jason vow to do whatever it takes to bring Robert home.

But he is never found.

Forty years later, their therapist daughter Lily welcomes a new client into her home. Zach has a shocking theory about what happened to her brother Robert years before.

If Zach is to be believed, someone out there knows what happened on that ship. And they would do anything to stop the truth getting out.

I loved this book - the three different time lines all came together brilliantly with a totally unexpected ending. Very enjoyable read - recommended.

What a fantastic story! Plotted out so well! I loved how it all came together in the end and I didn’t guess the ending at all. Loved the pacing, it was done really well and I was enthralled throughout. Absolutely loved the side characters like Nicola and Sister Jones. A fantastic read and one I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend!

Fabulous read, I absolutely loved it. Addictive and 'unputdownable'

In the Summer of 1983 Robert, a two year old boy, disappears in the middle of the night from his cabin on a cruise ship whilst his parents are asleep by him. There is no trace of Robert, and his family have to return home to Ireland without him. To say anymore would spoil the wonderful storytelling,

The book moves between three time periods; the 1960s and 1970s, 1984 and the present day as the truth gradually unfolds. I was engrossed from the first page to the last, very easily falling into the 'just another chapter' trap. The plot is so cleverly crafted, with well thought out character development.

Highly recommended.

With so many thanks to NetGalley and Headline Books for my advanced reader copy in return for my honest and unbiased review.

A young boy abducted in 1983 aboard a Cruise Ship. 30yrs later his sister, through her work, meets a stranger claiming to be him. This story is told across three timelines - the events of 1983, the events of today and finally a back story about two women who meet in an orphanage as children in 1960's London. Brilliantly written and interwoven with excellent plotting, I read this in one sitting! Definitely recommended.

A page turner with a great twist.
Kimberly and Jason`s son disappears whilst they are on a cruise and docked in Spain.
They later divorce but never stop looking for him even when divorced Jason has yearly up to date photos printed and sent to the media, whilst Lily their daughter is being ignored and brought up by her grandfather, forty years later Lily is now a counsellor and one of her patients comes into her office and says he`s her brother as he recognised his picture on the TV.
The plot thickens and family secrets come out, great characters and I couldn't put it down.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC and I give my honest review.

So cleverly plotted that I fell for every red herring and was still taken surprise by the ending!
I really liked the chunks of Kimberleys past that put her childhood and experiences into context alongside the desperation to find her child and the range of characters is excellent and leaves vyou suspicious of everyone- perfect for the genre!