Dear Child is a hard book to review and I’m not sure what to say at the moment. It’s a hard read, the subject matter is very dark but it is also packed with twists and turns and I really could not guess what would happen next. It is the story, in short, of a woman who gets kidnapped, her children and what happens when she escapes. It is also told from multiple points of view and really does delve deep in to the psychology of everyone involved. The ending was a bit cliche - the typical villain has their monologue etc, and considering the author reveals important information in unique ways throughout the book I felt it was a bit rushed and that she just wanted to tie up loose ends. However it still is a good book and will definitely be compared and recommended for people who enjoyed Room.

Thank you for Netgalley for this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is Romy Hausmann' debut thriller and oh my word. What a read! If you like books like Room by Emma Donahue you will love this.
The writing perceptive changes between 2 of the main characters but it's fairly easy to follow.
I dont want to spoil the plot but it's full of tension and twists that will keep you reading to the early hours.
I hope this author writes more of a similar style.
Wish I could give it more thab 5 stars

Firstly I want to say a big thank you to Netgalley and Quercus Books for allowing me to read an eARC of Dear Child.

Wow. What a chilling and wild ride this book was; I picked it up on the day I got approved planning to just read a couple of chapters... I read the whole book. I literally couldn't put it down it was just so thrilling and engaging. The storyline utterly chilled me; the way that Hannah calmly recalls what has happened to her and Jasmin's horrific retelling of what she experienced just chilled me to the bone.

This book is told from numerous perspectives; Hannah's, "Lena's", and Matthais's. All of whom are suffering through this tragedy but all in different and unknown ways. I have to be honest, I was half convinced throughout this book that Matthais was responsible in some way because his behaviour was so creepy and inappropriate at times. I found him to be a very unlikable character; although I completely understood his grief and trauma, his behaviour was just so wild and aggressive. He had little thought for anyone outside of himself and his quite creepy focus on Hannah made me convinced it was him. There are so many twists and turns in this story and it really keeps you guessing up until the last pages.I was really pulled into this story and my heart went out to Jasmin, and Hannah, and poor little Jonathon!

The pacing is fantastic in this book because it literally never lets up. Jasmin is clearly going through some utter trauma and I feel the representation of this is done so well and the little flashbacks she had to the kids were haunting. I wasn't surprised that there had been more "mothers" as it only felt natural, I was surprised that Jasmin was only held captive for 4 months though I thought it was going to be longer.

I would definitely recommend this to all psychological thriller fans; it really sinks under you skin and it is definitely one that will stay with me.

The premise was interesting - A woman named Lena and her two small children are kept imprisoned in a shack in the woods by their father. She eventually escapes some 14 years later with one of the children - imagine just having to take one of them!- and ends up in hospital. ' Is she who she says she is?

The story read very similar to the episode of The Missing and I was half expecting Baptiste to appear at some point. I didn't really get into the characters or the case to be honest and I'm not sure if it was a translation issue or the story itself. I suspect both.

Interesting but i you've read Room then it's very similar

A woman named Lena and her two small children are kept imprisoned in a shack by their father. She escapes with one of the children and is taken to hospital. 'Lena' went missing 14 years ago but there is some doubt as to whether she is who she says she is. I feel as though this book might have suffered a little with the translation as I found the text quite jarring and not very easy to get into. I felt as though the similarities to Room were too great but Dear Child became a little boring. It's not a bad plot but not for me I'm afraid.

The blurb for this book immediately caught my attention.

The book immediately grabbed my attention. It was fast paced and then lost a bit of momentum in the middle and then has a good ending with some twists thrown in. It was a good read and I was very eager to find out what would happen next. I enjoyed it.

If you're looking for a good psychological thriller then I would recommend this one.

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.

I really enjoyed this book.
While the subject matter was harrowing and sad, it was told in such a good way, passing from the viewpoint of the children and the mother. I don't want to use specifics here as don't want to give away the plot!
There were a few twists and turns that were genuinely unexpected. With some thrillers the same tropes can be used, but that definitely wasn't the case with this book.
It was gripping, and interesting, and kept my attention throughout - even with the 'little details' like fraulein tinky.
I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes thrillers, and who likes books like Emma Donoghue's Room.

Did not finish at about 40%. I got so bored with this as I felt like I had read it all before. After having read Room and Outside and so many others along the same lines, there just wasn't enough originality to make it worth the while.

The plot of this story was similar to a couple of other books that I have read in the past, but this book is very cleverly written. I was kept guessing the whole way through and literally had no idea when it came to the plot twist at the end. I was along the right lines but still got it wrong! I really felt for Jasmine and wanted her to be able to get better after her ordeal. I willed for both of the children to recover as well and find some peace in their lives.
I really didn't like Lena's father - I found him overbearing and couldn't understand many of his actions throughout the book. It did become obvious towards the end that he was a grieving father and wasn't coping as well as he probably thought he was - this did make me very suspicious of him throughout the book.

I really enjoyed the read and if I could have read it in one sitting then I would of. Definite 4 star read!

Lena disappeared without a trace 14 years ago presumed dead by her family and the police. But one day having fled from her captor her life over the last 14 years begins to be unraveled. However, somehow the pieces don’t seem to fit and more questions seem to need to be asked than are answered...

Wow! This is an incredibly accomplished debut novel. I have read some great psychological thrillers recently but this has raised the bar! My heart was genuinely racing whilst reading this book as I became so immersed in the intensity of Lena’s and those around her stories. This a book that really gets in your head and keeps you invested until the end with some brilliant unpredictable twists and turns.
A definite 5 star read.

I just could not put this book down! It was an addictive and surprising read, which I very much appreciate. There have been quite a few books that deal with kidnapping and holding women hostage over long periods of time. I assume that a lot of this has been inspired by the Fritzl case in Austria, as well as with the horrifying cases emerging every couple of years. But either way, I've read quite a few books that follow this plot line and until "Dear Child" have struggled to encounter something truly original. This book truly took me by surprise. I found myself empathising with the protagonist and enjoyed the POV of the child in the beginning. I think that the author has dealt with children's voices extraordinarily well. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for an unputdownable thriller.

There have been many novels written about kidnapping but this one takes an interesting approach, and I found the point of view of the bereaved parents particularly interesting. More of a character study than a whodunnit, but very well written.

What a book! I’ve started reading it in the evening. I didn’t sleep. I only stopped for a bathroom break. I’ve read it in a night. That’s how good this book is.
Emotional, full of suspense. I found myself holding my breath a few times. Subtle twists that will keep you turning the pages culminating in this unexpected ending and hitting you with yet another couple of plot twists! All along being credible, believable!
The characters are relatable, the tension palpable and there is a pleasant discomfort in not knowing what will happen next that will keep you reading it until the end. I personally disliked one of the characters but all their behaviours were acceptable and understandable when facing what they were facing.
This book is so great I struggle to find words to describe it. I loved Hannah’s points of view and without wanting to give anything way, I was so impressed with the small details that made it so fantastic!
It might feel slow paced but believe me, your mind will be running several miles per hour until you finish the book. It’s narrated by different characters and you don’t want to finish reading their perspective but also can’t wait to continue reading about the others too!
Even the cover is such a nice touch! I’m thankful to #netgalley and #quercusbook for giving me the opportunity to read #dearchild ahead of its publishing date (14.05.2020) - and in exchange for an honest review - as an ebook but I cannot wait to be able to get my hands on a hard copy and add it to my favourite collection!
I’m astonished this was a debut thriller! I’m upset I have nothing else to read by #RomyHausmann and still struggling to find words to praise this fantastic book! Can you give 6 out 5 stars? Keep your eyes open because #RomyHausmann is coming to stir the world of thriller books and possibly take the throne!

Fantastically grippy page turner that keeps you hooked throughout. Lots of little twists that keep you guessing until the end. This is going to be a huge hit in 2020 and rightfully so
Brilliant

Told from 3 different points of view, ‘Dear Child’ is full of twists and turns, just when I thought I could predict the way the story was going, another twist came along and proved me to be wrong!

I can certainly see why this book is said to rival ‘Room’ (maybe even surpass it.) as it definitely has a similar feel to it.

All in all, a fantastic book!

Dear Child had me hooked after just a few pages.

23-year-old Lena disappears one night on the way home from a party. While the news and media portray her as a ‘loose part girl’ by way of explaining her disappearance, her father, Matthias, spent 13 years hounding the police and the press, trying to get somebody to find her. Dead, or alive.

Matthias receives a phone call informing him that Lena is potentially still alive, and he rushes to the hospital to identify her. Was Lena alive all this time? Also, who is the intelligent little girl who looks just like his daughter? A girl who was raised in a cabin with no natural light, windows bordered up, and where there were dedicated times to use the toilet? From here, the plot sure thickened and the twists and turns made for a gripping read.

This book keeps you guessing. Narrated from three different perspectives, we are never fully aware of the full truth behind the characters’ motives. My final book of 2019 didn't disappoint!

Thank you, Quercus Books and NetGalley for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! If you get the chance to read this book, do it!!

I loved this book. It was easy to read but thoroughly gripping. The writing is amazing and really got the thoughts and feelings of the characters. It also showed the bonds between them all, even if initially forced upon them.

An incredible novel!! It will be compared to ‘Room’ and come out neck and neck, possibly even a little ahead.
I love working out the truth in books like this and every time I felt I’d got a handle on what was going on a twist occurred that knocked my theory out of the water.
As in Room, the difficult job of giving a realistic voice to a child character has been done beautifully with Hannah being a fantastically likeable little heroine.
All the characters were beautifully rounded and considering this is a translation from the authors native German I don’t feel that any of the nuances have been lost. Lena’s father constantly blundering into the investigation and driving both the press, police and his poor wife up the wall is still relatable and loveable. His relationship with Hannah is a beautiful thing.
Jasmin’s processing of what had happened to her is at times terrifying and always extremely emotive. The evening the air recirculating system failed was so poignant and tender. Moments like that which stay with you long after the book is finished are how we know that Haussmann is a master of her craft.

Brilliantly written, edge of your seat plot, grief and despair written in the pages, terror and shock. Just when you think everyone is safe a twist that gets you asking questions all over again. As always a happy ending with spilt tears.
Five out of five stars for a brilliant plot that draws you in

Contains spoilers!!

Dear Child is in parts quite convoluted and jumping from character to character so many times does make it annoying at times BUT it’s worth it if you stick with it!!
I think it took too long to get to the “good” reveals such as SPOILER

the kidnapper is alive and people not being quite who they seem but it’s worth it if you stick with it!