Hush Little Baby

Firstly, hats off to the author. Hush Little Baby brings together all the taboos of parenthood that we shy away from and hide under the carpet. "Not me - not me", we protest, but actually lots of us feel the same.

Innocent baby Oliver's arm is broken.

Rightly (and they do a thankless, difficult task) social services become involved to decide if he is a child at risk.

Cards on the table: feelings of inadequacy, that you might not love your own child, you just want them to stop crying so you can sleep, anger, jealousy because HE doesn't have the stretch marks, have to breastfeed because they say you should, friends/relatives saying things that make you think you are a failure. Joanna Barnard portrays all of these feelings and more. She also hits the nail on the head at dealing with sibling rivalry, step child/step parenting, eating disorders and self harm. It isn't all just thrown into the mix; they all perfectly fit and compliment the plot.

The book is written from a triplicate point of view. Sally, the mum, Richard the dad and Martha his daughter from a previous marriage. A finger of accusation could be pointed at anyone of the three.

The writing is thoughtful and thought provoking. I devoured it. I needed to know what happened that night. My conclusion was wrong!

I really liked this book, it is in a different style. I enjoyed hearing the story from everyone's perspective.

Well written and very descriptive, you can feel Sally's heartbreak perfectly.

Story of a family caught up in the social services system and thier fight to gain thier son back. Alongside this they are dealing with infidelity and a teenage girl with mental health issues and boy trouble. All of this creates a very realistic, gripping story that I would recommend to all.

enjoyed the book. interesting characters and plot.

Wow. You know from the off that baby Oliver has sustained an injury but who by is the mystery.
Enter Richard,Sally and Martha all in the house at some point on that fateful day.
The insight in to the impact of having a baby upon a family, a step child and the dynamics of this and Richard being Richard (all I can say to prevent spoilers) opens up family issues that are so realistic and well written.
Peripheral stories that impact upon each character add to the sense of mystery and add depth and also make you more suspicious of who actually did this.
Some characters you will love to hate, some you pity, such is the way that this is written.
The emotiveness of the subject and the ensuing suspicion, reflection on what a friend is and the role of social services leaves you pondering and yet championing certain characters.
The most reflective I became was at the end. Did I see it coming? What are my thoughts on that person now? Lots of questions and to me that is the sign of a good book.
Be brace don't let the topic put you off,this is well worth the five stars I awarded it.Thanks to Netgalley,the publisher and the author for allowing me to preview this. I look forward to reading more by Joanna Barnard

This book was so good
Couldn't put it down
The storyline is a married couple with a baby plus step daughter living with them
The baby gets an injury and all hell breaks loose . The secrets start to emerge the wife finds out what her husband is really like .
Excellent read would recommend this book , highly addictive can't wait for your new release .

This is an excellent book! Baby Oliver is found in his cot with a broken arm, no-one knows what has happened to him. His mother Sally has been out for the night, his dad Richard was supposedly at home with his teenage daughter Martha from a previous relationship. However they all have secrets to hide.
The book is told from the perspective of all three characters writing separate chapters and bit by bit the reader finds out exactly what has been happening in their lives that they don't want disclosed. At times this book is really heartbreaking, when social services get involved and want to take Oliver into care, the family are powerless to prevent them. It is written in a scarily realistic way and you can imagine this happening in real life and the agony the family must be going through.
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book as an arc, I would thoroughly recommend it.

This is a great book its well written and keeps you guessing right until the end i can not wait to try more from this author.

I enjoyed this book.

It was written from the perspective of the 3 main characters, who all had their own problems and stresses.

It kept me in suspense right to the very end as to who was the person guilty of hurting little Oliver!

This book is a gripping read the whole way through. The way the story is told by different people keeps you guessing the whole way through. The storyline is believable and well put together.

A book that really makes you think. We all say fly away comments when are children are driving us to distraction. One visit it A and E and everything is raked over with a fine tooth comb. This book is about family falling apart and also coming together. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it

This book was a great read and I couldn't put it down. The characters were interesting each with their own secrets and placed in a nightmare situation which every parent would dread. I would definitely recommend this book.

A well written book about a difficult subject, an easy read with believeable characters.

Excellent book! Great characters and a brilliant storyline. I would highly recommend this book.

"Hush Little Baby" by Joanna Barnard is a complex, cleverly woven story involving a mixture of somewhat disturbed characters.
I felt drawn into the story and had compassion for a few of them.
As a reader you think you know how the book will end, only to be thrown a curve ball and it turns out very different.
This is the first book I have read by this author, I really enjoyed her style of writing, she sticks to the story and adds just enough characters to not confuse the reader.
I have downloaded her other book "Precocious" and I'm looking forward to reading it soon.

A brilliant read. The story about a family broke apart already without knowing it, then their little boy is found with a broken bone. Who is guilty? Social services quickly step in and take the child and investigate the parents. The parents relationship falls apart as long held grudges and secrets emerge. The step daughter is suffering too in her own way coping with teen years. Well researched or experienced. Definitely recommend.

Hush Little Baby by Joanna Barnard

Many of us are aware of the job of Social Services in protecting children who they think might be in danger of harm by their parents/family. When this happens to a baby nobody can know for certain how the injury was caused so the child is removed to a place of safety whilst investigations are carried out.

This was the case for baby Oliver who suffered a broken arm; his parents, Richard and Sally and his half-sister Martha deny any knowledge of how he sustained the injury and Oliver is placed with Richard’s parents and access is limited to supervised visits.

The plot is revealed through the voices of Richard, Sally and Martha and it would appear that each have something to hide. However, it may well be that all three are innocent and this is a mistake – something we are aware has happened to many families – and this concept runs through the book – is it a mistake?

To add to the mix in Sally we have post-natal depression, OCD, guilt over stealing another woman’s husband and breaking up a family, feelings of isolation and being marginalised, frustration, tiredness etc. With Richard we have his philandering and his calculating charm and Martha – she is a teenager who prefers to live with her father and Sally rather than her mother, coping with her own demons which include self-harm. Enter Social Services and now husband and wife who should be presenting a united front are casting questioning looks at each other.

In this book Barnard has encapsulated all the worries of a new mother, the concern and the worry and the feelings of self-doubt – as indeed she has with a teenager in the role of Martha.
Her characters are brilliant. I really felt for Sally when confronted with her mother-in-law, it was never said but I just felt that she had taken-over the role of mother to Oliver and revelled in it.
Richard? Oh Richard, I can’t speak highly of him but you will have to judge for yourself, enough to say that he is very well drawn by Barnard.

I didn’t expect the ending – had thought it might be something else – but as soon as it is revealed thought ‘Oh, of course’.

Enough said, all I can add is that this is a brilliant book, brilliantly written and I can not recommend it enough. Try it and see.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.

Baby Oliver has been hurt. His arm is broken, it's in a cast and he's been sent to live with his grandparents while social services investigate a potential case of child abuse. Everyone in the house is on edge, mum Sally was out drinking and the last thing she remembers is passing out with exhaustion, dad Richard is lying about his whereabouts, everyone thinks he was home that night but his daughter Martha knows different. It's in her interest to lie for him though because she has secrets of her own to keep.


Hush Little Baby is the first book I've read by author Joanna Barnard. I doubt it will be the last though. The novel explores a number of issues without cramming in too many to potentially confuse the reader. It is a poignant novel which explores the intrecracies of family life from the perspective of a mistress turned wife, a husband who admits he can't stop falling in love and a teenage girl who has been put in a position she feels she can't get out of. From extramarital affairs to depression, eating disorders, self-harming and drugs this novel has it all. It really does sound like it would be too much, but it's not. What is, is realistic.


Joanna Barnard writes about life in reality. She takes the perfect family and sneaks into their home to find out all their little secrets, she explores the mind of a mother who's not coping, a man who can't keep away from pretty girls and a daughter from a previous marriage who's all but shoved out, or at least feeling that way. There's also a rather good plot twist thrown in as well.


The story is certainly thought provoking, it makes you sit back and realise not just how hard Social Services' job is, but also how easy it is to suddenly find that the baby you planned, carried for 9 months and parented for another 10 can suddenly be taken away. The potential there for you to never see them again. It's harrowing and intense although not fast paced. Joanna has a wonderful way of writing which sucks you right into the lives and minds of the family, where you find yourself rooting for everyone no matter your suspicions. It is an art form to write such genuine characters and despite the subject matter a seriously enjoyable book.

First I just want to specify that there will be no spoilers in my review, so read at will!

Thanks go to NetGalley for facilitating, and to Ebury Press for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a review. And finally, a thank you to Joanna Barnard for this very honest and frankly terrifying read.

Before I start with the actual book (characters, plot etc) I'd like to start with the author because something I read in the bio at the start of this book has kept coming back to me throughout. That is that Joanna works as a counsellor. Firstly, what a fantastic calling - it's something that I have wanted to train in for quite a long time and once my little ones are not-so-little I intend to follow that path. But what is more interesting is that as I was reading the book I was continuously throwing my hands up saying "Yes!" or "Exactly!" - Joanna has taken her skills outside of her work as a writer and ploughed them into this book. of course I didn't relate to the entire story but the feelings that were felt by the main character in places were so true that they could have been mine - the things she said... my words... verbatim. That in itself is something that I guess a lot of writers do because they research their subjects fully, but this was more than research - this was the counsellor within Joanna Barnard coming out and empathising with her character, and speaking my mind perfectly. So instantly I connected with the book and our leading lady, Sally.

I was so on the fence about reading this book. I have a 2 year old daughter and am 9 weeks away from my due date with Baby number 2... and am very hormonal. So I've found that any news articles, fictional stories, films, ANYTHING that relates to a child in distress seems to set me off. Even reading a headline without delving into any details can make me cry for days on end. So I sat staring at this book on my Netgalley dash for a few days before requesting it. And then it was a couple of days before I had the courage to read it.

The story line - as expected from the synopsis - was absolutely horrifying... Although I was so relieved that the focus was mainly on Sally, Richard, and his Daughter, Martha, and how Baby Ollie's injury affected them, Reading the short paragraphs describing his distress at wanting to be with his mummy though... those completely broke me. And Sally's emotions were so raw and so real that I could feel them radiating from the pages.

Obviously, as a woman and a mother, I related to Sally more than the other main characters. Things she said about seeing danger everywhere - in particular the stairs - EXACTLY how I felt with my newborn daughter.
Eating disorders are also highlighted within this book and again, how accurate "If you do tell them, knock off a few pounds" - scarily this is exactly how that type of illness works and I was quite stunned that Joanna Barnard had not only managed to capture my emotions as a new mother, but also in my younger years when I struggled with my eating habits, those thoughts were not some that I thought were shared by many... but perhaps this book has highlighted how normal my feelings were in the first place. Either way, it was such a relief to be reading those words. And later, touching on social anxiety "...even the postman, dropping off a parcel, can send me into spasms of worry" - once again, something that I was unaware was a shared feeling has been printed on the page as a reassurance that "you're not alone". So as much as I was nervous about reading this book, and it did cause me some tears, it was also hugely comforting to read and be able to relate so much to the characters.

There are so many plots and sub plots running through this book that you cannot fail to be entertained by it. Every chapter brought a new twist with it that kept me reading "just one more page" ... until of course I finished the book in one sitting because I couldn't stop. So if you're reading this review and thinking the book is simply about an injured child (simply indeed - HA!), then you are in for a pleasant surprise because the book is far far more complex than I can even explain. And to be honest I don't want to try to explain it, the mystery and the tangled web is what keeps you reading and I wouldn't want anyone to go into it with more information than I did in case it lessens their experience. Just... trust me - it is not something you want to miss!

I don't know where in my review to place this next part, it doesn't really fit in anywhere and isn't relevant to a general book review at all... but I have to say it because it was a part of the book that seriously choked me up. Probably the most genuinely loving moment I've read about in a long time (because we all know that actual love is not flowers or romantic getaways, or candles leading you up the stairs - actual love is something else entirely). SO without giving away the moment (I did say spoiler-free), but to anyone who has read this book, and to Joanna Barnard herself... that moment between Richard and Sally in the garden - where she is trying to tidy it up - the way he deals with that situation is the epitome of love and it gave me such a rush of emotion to read it. Beautiful beautiful moment, perfectly written with such simplicity, and my favourite paragraph in the whole book. I couldn't leave my review without saying that because it deserves to be highlighted.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publishers. What a thought provoking book and it makes you think how different people see different things and the book had a great twist

I loved this book it was very well written, it grabbed me and kept my interest. It is a great read.

Baby Oliver is found with a broken arm in his cot but nobody will say what actually happened and what caused it. Told from the point of view of the mother, father & the teenage half-sister. Naturally, social services get involved. Each family member has something to hide, which is revealed bit by bit, layer by layer during the book. Disturbing subject matter, making for a difficult read. One however to recommend. My thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

A tense story that takes right to the very end for the truth to come out. Excellent !

An easy read with different perspectives that really makes you think. When baby Oliver breaks his arm, who if anyone is to blame? I enjoyed the different sides to the story, and it really does make you aware that any comments can be taken in so many different ways.

An absolute gem of a read. The emotional complexities of a new mother are dealt with so beautifully. A very good read indeed!

I would like to thank Penguin Random House UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Hush Little Baby’ by Joanna Barnard in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
Sally leaves baby Oliver at home with husband Richard and step-daughter Martha while she meets work colleagues for an evening out. On her return home Sally finds Oliver screaming in pain and when they rush him to hospital the doctor says his arm has been broken. Social workers and the police become involved and Oliver is removed from their care.
Is Sally responsible for harming Oliver, could it be Richard, or even Martha?
This story is about a mother’s fear that something or someone has caused harm to her child and is written with empathy and sensitivity. The true account of that evening becomes apparent but not until the last page of the book.

Hush Little Baby is well paced and flows well. I enjoyed the different perspectives in the novel, there was not a single character I didn't want to hear from. I didn't particularly "like" the husband/dad but I did appreciate that he was a very "real" character, flawed and with opinions I didn't agree with but a very interesting story.

All the characters experience immense personal growth and growth in their personal relationships which I absolutely loved.

Excellent relevant story. I found it interesting and scary at the same time.

Told from the viewpoint of Sally, Richard her husband and Martha her step daughter. Sally comes home from a rare night out to discover her baby Oliver is unwell. When they take him to hospital he is put on child protection register due to his broken arm. Right at the end we discover the truth, which was unexpected. A really good read.

A well written, pacy book with an excellent twist in the tail. Presented from three different viewpoints, this is an emotionally charged novel exploring very real issues amidst the harsh realities of modern day parenting,

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Sally and Richard live with their small baby son and tichard's daughter. One night baby Oliver is injured but all 3 claim they never hurt him. The story unfolds over their three points of view and follows their ups and downs, pain, hurt and distress. It started slowly for me and before I knew it I was finished. If you love Jodi Picoult then you will enjoy this

Hush Little Baby was such a brilliant read, I found it hard to put my kindle down! really enjoyed it.

Hush Little Baby is a chilling tale of how you can so quickly lose control of a situation and how everything you try to do seems to make it worse. Who hasn't made a throwaway comment or posted online about how they'd kill for a bit of sleep... and who out there hasn't said that kind of thing without even thinking of how it could be interpreted if something bad happens? Not many of us, I bet.

Sally and Richard's nightmare begins when baby Oliver is found to have a badly broken arm and the spotlight turns onto them while the police and social services try to determine how the injury occurred, and whether or not he is safe to return to them. Sally has been on her first night out since having Oliver, and Richard has snuck out somewhere and left his teenage daughter from his first marriage 'minding' the baby. However Richard chooses to lie to both Sally and the police about his whereabouts, thus making us wonder where he was, and what he was up to?

Richard's daughter Martha has a difficult relationship with Sally, the woman her Dad left her Mum for, and suddenly discovers that she has her own escalating situation to deal with, all the time covering up for her Dad – was she involved in Oliver's injury? Sally's case is not helped by the fact that she's hungover, stinks of booze and has had only a few hours sleep when they are interviewed by the hospital and police personnel.

This is a fast paced read, and it's scary how fast things happen and at the same time, frustrating how the red-tape means that absolutely nothing happens for ages. Baby Oliver is removed to a 'place of safety' and yet then weeks pass before any further action is taken. Sally and Richard are going out of their minds, and also are facing the cracks in their own relationship; has Richard been unfaithful to Sally as he was with her? Is he planning on leaving? What happened in those drunken moments that Sally can't remember? Was Martha involved? What was she doing in the house that night? There are so many questions to be answered, and this book really keeps you on the edge of your seat – right until the very last chapter.

I am so glad I read this book. The plot was unique, mesmerising and completely original with a flowing and engaging prose and a knack for writing that keeps the reader immersed in the book all along the story. I was left wanting more of the deep,mysterious characters, masterfully built and well developed plot and a well delivered mystery. A BIG THANK YOU TO THE PUBLISHER FOR APPROVAL OF THE BOOK FOR ME.

Well I can certainly say that this book was thought provoking .Joanna Bernard has cleverly written this novel in three perspectives which I felt were all real and heartfelt and gave us ,as readers a sense of what each character is feeling at various points in there life and in present time and made them seem like real people who we could know personally ..true everyday people . Anyone anywhere could face this trauma and the acts that follow and I loved how the author has wrote this novel in this way, a beautiful ending to a truly horrific time in a family's life.
I highly recommend this book to all.
Thankyou

I was really looking forward to reading Hush Little Baby as that blurb sounded so intriguing to me but I was concerned it was going to be a challenging topic to read about and approached it with caution. Would the theme of child abuse (if that was indeed the case!) prove too much for me, even in a work of fiction? But I needn’t have worried – Joanna Barnard handled the subject with just the right amount of sensitivity and empathy for her characters to convey the life changing experience they are facing, and I devoured the whole book in a matter of hours.

Told via three viewpoints, those of Sally the mother , Richard the father and Martha the half -sister, each of them have secrets they are hiding from the rest of their family. How did baby Oliver break his arm? Which of them knows more than they are letting on? As the story unfolds we are given a glimpse into their emotions as well as their whereabouts on the day of Oliver’s injury and have to decide who to believe and maybe who to forgive? But there is never ANY excuse for what happened to baby Oliver so for the author to actually evoke sympathetic feelings for this fragmented family shows how well crafted her storyline is.

But it was tough reading at times. The involvement of Social Services had me totally on edge right from the start. How many times as a parent do you make silly little remarks or share FB memes about your kids? I bet you will think again after this! Once social services start asking questions of Sally and Richards friends and family, little things they thought were insignificant throw away funny remarks are intricately examined under the microscope of authority. There are some other very topical issues tackled here too, and again they can make for uncomfortable reading at times, but the author handles them with an intelligent understanding of how these events can affect an ordinary family and how one little catalyst can cause that family to implode.

My emotions were played perfectly by this well developed and observed domestic suspense and after the ending I found it difficult to turn them off. The circumstances surrounding what happened and the outcome kept going around in my head and I was left wondering what became of the family and had so many alternative endings playing in my mind!

This is a thought provoking read where you may not particularly like many of the characters but you will be able to relate to some of the situations they find themselves in and care enough to want a happy resolution for them all.

Highly recommended by me.

A disturbing but gripping read. A baby crying and found to have a broken arm. The rest of the family are all under suspicion but no-one seems to know how this happened. Each family member provides their version. However as the plot develops each seems to have a secret. The story covers some tough subjects and is very sobering when you realize how easily you could lose a child to the system and be unable to stop the horror of this despite it being in the best interest of the baby. A very good ending!

Absolutely loved this book, a real page turner and I didn't want to come to the end.

I loved this book from start to finish. It is a very disturbing subject to write about and could be quite upsetting but I thought the author dealt with and handled this very well. It is very well written and I enjoyed the ending. Would definitely recommend this book.

Hugely enjoyable. This novel kept me riveted to my seat. I particularly enjoyed Martha's story. More please.

Wow, this book kept me reading late into the night. Baby Oliver breaks his arm at 10 months old. A definite non-accidental injury. Sally had been out for the night and comes home to Richard holding Oliver who is so distressed they take him to hospital where social services start to investigate. They are not allowed to take him home and he must live with Richard's mum. So who broke his little arm? Was it Mum, Dad or older half-sister Martha? What is so good about this story it's not about violence as such it's about all the stresses and strains of family life. Especially a family who don't exactly like each other or trust each other. Especially if it's a melded family.

Description:
When baby Oliver breaks his arm, no-one can (or will) say how it happened.

His mother is exhausted.
His father is angry.
His older sister is resentful.
And they all have something to hide.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it quickly. Baby Oliver's arm is broken in unknown circumstances and he is taken into care while the accident is investigated. I liked that the story was told from the alternating points of view of the mother, the father and the big sister. I found it very engaging and easy to read, my attention was held for the duration of the book and I was desperate to know who had hurt him - I kept changing my mind on this as I progressed through the book. I liked the style of writing and would be keen to read more from this author. Thanks for the opportunity to read an advance copy and give my honest opinions.

Thanks to Net Galley & Penguin Random House for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review. Another fast paced read.
What happened baby Oliver? How did his tiny little arm sustain a fracture.
Mum Sally is out for the evening with work colleagues, already feeling guilty at having escaped for the evening. Has several missed calls on her phone from their home phone. Arrives home slightly drunk only to be wakened by her husband Richard, the crisis then begins to unfold as they take Oliver to the hospital in the middle of the night. Social Services become involved the next day and to Sally's horror her precious son is placed in the care of his grandmother until an investigation can be carried out.
Richard assures Sally he was home all evening and has no idea what happened to Oliver. Sally feels he is hiding something.
The other person at home that evening is Richard's daughter Martha from his previous marriage. Martha is also very vague about the events of the evening and is very economical with the truth.
The story unravels at a quick pace, it would seem all three of them are hiding something.
Super read well deserving of 4.5 stars

A claustrophobic domestic drama. Sally and Richard have a baby son, Oli and are also looking after Richard's daughter from his first marriage, Martha. They are a functionally dysfunctional family in the way that most families are - there are tensions, secrets and hidden feelings bubbling just below the surface, but for the most part they muddle along together. Then Sally goes out for the evening, leaving Oli in the care of her husband and step-daughter. She is woken early, nursing a piercing hangover to find Richard distraught and Oli screaming and hurt. The hospital confirm a non-accidental break in his arm and before they know it, Oli is removed from their care, handed to Richard's parents and the best Sally and Richard can hope for are supervised visits. Martha, semi neglected, is in her own downward spiral and as secrets and tensions come bubbling to the surface, the family all turn on each other. But what is the truth... is Oli's abuser living in the family home or was it truly just an unlikely accident? A tense, dark novel full of suspense and highly recommended.

Such a gripping read! Kept me on the edge of my seat. Real page turner. Highly recommended

This was a very in-depth story about the effects on a family, following a momentary loss of control. Very well written book about what could have been a real story. Good, well described characters, who made the story come alive. Great read.

Woah!
This was such a well written book that I actually felt as though I were holding my breath the entire time. I read it in one sitting because I seriously could not put this book down!
The characters are very strong and believable and the description of the medics, social services etc seemed completely true to life so I'm pretty sure that Joanna Barnard thoroughly researched this before putting pen to paper. I can honestly say that, even wracking my brain throughout, I just couldn't pin down what had actually happened to Oliver........then the plot twist blew me away.

This definitely gave me similar feelings to those I experienced with another domestic suspense book, B A Paris' Behind Closed Doors and I'm sure that anyone who enjoys this genres will count this one up there with the best

A good thriller, and the first I had read by Joanna Barnard it will not be the last. I questioned all the characters trying to work out who was the main protaganist, to no avail! Just the way I like a book to be!

This book defines a parent's worst nightmare. Your child has been harmed, but nobody knows how.. Your child is then taken away from you, and you are accused of the crime.

The novel is a brilliant exploration of some of the darkest times in the life of this family, told from the perspective of each member. It is a thoroughly captivating and engagting story, told with a perfect balance of realism and respect for this event which causes such diffuculty in so many families' lives. I would highly recommend this novel.

Fab end! I really enjoyed this one! Will definitely recommend.

Hush Little Baby

I really sped through this book. It's not an easy subject matter to read about but it's so well written by Joanna Barnard that it quite simply gripped me and I couldn't put it down!

Oliver is 10 months old and has a broken arm, but how did it happen? Who is keeping secrets? Who knows what happened to Oliver? This is a truly thought provoking read that will really get you thinking. I'm sure there are some parts that most parents can relate to and it'll make you think twice about throw away comments you may make in the future!

Scarily realistic in places, heart wrenching and heart breaking, this is an engaging read that you won't want to put down. Highly recommended, five shiny stars from purplebookstand!

Entertaining book with intetesting characters. Really gets you thinking about what individuals may do when they are pushed too far...

I was given an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and independent review.
When baby Oliver sustains a fracture all suspicions are aimed at the parents. The baby is removed from the home and given to his grandparents to look after, with the parents allowed supervised visits.
The story concentrates on the individual characters, their relationships, their secrets and lies. Told through the eyes of the various characters it is interesting and well paced, and kept me intrigued.
I really enjoyed the way this was written and the strength of the book is in the characters who are brilliantly depicted.

Wow. I couldn't stop reading this. Told from viewpoints of Martha, Richard and Sally. The author keeps the story going well, doesn't muddy the timeline keeping it with the 3 viewpoints which I felt was brilliant.
The story deals with sensitive issues such as self-harm and child neglect well. Although am not sure if the social services reaction and actions were correct. It was a good story though, kept me reading and made me gasp at the end!

A well written domestic thriller. Kept me hooked all the way through and a fantastic ending
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

A well written book that keeps you turning pages. The characters are believable, and well written, even those with minor roles have been thoroughly thought through. Whilst the plot begins slowly, it does gather pace and sweeps you along at increasing speed.
The theme, of child injury, is not something I would ordinarily read but it's handled well and sub plots exists so it's not all about child protection. This is a good read it covers a range of family issues with absolute ease. Definitely worth a read.

An amazing drama centred round a family . Brilliant characters and fantastic storyline

All too often in the press you hear about another battered baby, that Social Services have not gotten to in time. In the subsequent media reports, you hear that Social Services were aware of the danger, but due to work overload, and/or negligence, nothing was done, and the child was left with its abusive parents. There is justifiable moral outrage that such a thing should happen, government enquiries, a court case, promises of change, blame apportioned to Social Services and department heads rolling. And then the next baby dies …
This book is not like that. Two very concerned, caring parents, turn up in A &E with their 4 month old son, Oliver, who is screaming, and has apparently hurt his arm. The examining doctor ascertains that the arm is broken, in a way that is suggestive of abuse. Neither parent can explain how this has happened. Both are visibly upset. The doctor immediately alerts Social Services. There is no history of physical abuse in the family. X-rays show that this is the only bone damage in Oliver’s short life, and there are no other visible signs of maltreatment. But Social Services believe that it is better safe than sorry – and remove Oliver from his parents, to be cared for by his paternal grandparents. He can only be seen by his parents on supervised visits.
We, the public, should be applauding Social Services for such timely intervention. But, through the book, you get to know the parents, Richard and Sally, and the older (step-) daughter, Martha. They all have their flaws, and are not telling everything that they know, but that does not imply guilt. You desperately want them all to be innocent of ever hurting Oliver, and from all you can see, they are. You also see how Oliver’s removal is tearing the family apart. That precious first year of a baby’s life is being denied to those who love him the most. There is a constant fear, that they will never get Oliver back.
Few parents ever believe that they have got parenting right all the time. There are always doubts and niggles. Probably even Dr Spock had moments of uncertainty. Supervised visits by Social Services are almost designed to introduce worries and Sally begins to distrust all her mothering instincts.
Sally, Richard and Martha each narrate chapters in turn, so you see the situation from three different points of view. Each of them becomes a fully realised and believable character. While I had so much sympathy for Sally and Martha (not because of their gender), I found Richard to be rather contemptable. However, I could not see even him hurting Oliver.
You slowly discover what everyone is trying to hide – but not until right at the end do you find out what really happened on that fateful night.
An excellent domestic drama, dealing with the repercussions of suspected – and actual – child abuse and exploitation, of teenage angst and self-harm, with an added dose of suspense that turns it into a slow boiling thriller.

I was really looking forward to reading Hush Little Baby.

Baby Oliver has broken his arm and no one can't say why or how it happened. His mother is exhausted and his father is plain angry while his older (half) sister is resentful of the attention Oliver is getting. Yet it seems they all have a secret to hide.

This is the first book I've read by Joanna Barnard and I really enjoyed it. Although I did predict the ending, the book still kept me enthralled until the very end. It's a delicate subject that was handled in a sensitive way.

I would happily give this book 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Random House UK Ebury Publishing and the author for the chance to review.

This is the story of Oliver, his parents Richard & Sally and Richard's teenage daughter Martha. When 10 month old Oliver is found to have a fractured arm, nobody can say how it happened, Sally was out for the evening leaving Richard at home with Oliver and Martha, but things aren't actually as they appear to be.

The story is told from three perspectives, Richard's, Sally's and Martha's and each of them have something to hide but what is it and will their secrets be revealed, will what really happened to Oliver come out or will he be another child lost to the system. Sally and Richard are determined not to let that happen.

Child abuse, if that's what this was, is a very tough subject to read and I imagine write about but the author covered this topic beautifully and very delicately and the characters were all very endearing in their own way. This is the first book I've read by this author but I found it very hard to put down right from the first page and read it in less than a day, I will certainly be reading more of her work.

I would like to thank Penguin Random House UK Ebury for approving me to read this book and will post my review on Goodreads now and on Amazon on publication day.

Little baby Oliver breaks his arm. No one will say what happened. His mother had been drunk on a night out. His father is angry and his sister is resentful. They all have something to hide....

The story is told by three people. The mother (Sally), the father (Richard) and the older half sister (Martha). It tells of the dysfunctional family and covers issues such as infidelity, post natal depression and eating disorders. The social services have to decide if baby Oliver is at risk and place him in the care of Richards parents. The pace is set quite steady. The characters and the plot line are believable. You might find yourself thinking about this book long after you' e finished it.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Random House UK, Ebury Publishing and the author Joanna Bernard for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hush Little Baby isn't a thriller but more of a mystery: a story of how things can be misinterpreted easily and a family's life turned upside down as a result.

Baby Oliver is discovered to have broken his arm one night after his mother has gone out alone for the first time since his birth. When she gets home Oliver cannot stop crying and is taken to hospital where social services become involved, an occurrence that happens when a child has an unexplained injury. They remove him from his parents for his protection and the family is left devastated.

Told from three different points of view: mother Sally, father Richard and sister Molly, each of whom has a secret they do not wish exposed from the night that Oliver is injured. Although difficult, the issues of family dysfunction child abuse are handled well in Hush Little Baby. Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin/Random House for the opportunity to read and review this book.