When a paragraph in an evening newspaper reveals a decades-old tragedy, most readers barely give it a glance. But for three strangers it’s impossible to ignore.
For one woman, it’s a reminder of the worst thing that ever happened to her.
For another, it reveals the dangerous possibility that her darkest secret is about to be discovered.
And for the third, a journalist, it’s the first clue in a hunt to uncover the truth.
The Child’s story will be told.
It's my pleasure to be hosting the blog tour for The Child by Fiona Barton today, many thanks to the author, publishers and Anne Cater for inviting me and for my advance copy of the novel.
Fiona Barton's second book, The Child is a standalone novel but one of the characters - journalist Kate Waters - also featured in her debut, The Widow. Told from the alternating points of view of Kate, Emma, Angela and Jude, it's the secrets of the latter three women that will eventually lead to the truth about the tragic 'building site baby'.
When a baby's skeleton is discovered on a building site, Kate hopes it may provide her with a touching human interest story. In the days of clickbait online stories, old school journalists like Kate have to prove that there is still a place in the newsroom for proper investigations where the story is gradually revealed. Fiona Barton's previous experience as a a journalist herself pays dividends here as Kate is far removed from the caricatured hacks that appear so often in books. She is driven and focused but is often moved by her discoveries and is a caring, thoughtful woman. Meanwhile, Emma is terrified her dark secret will come to light, Angela is desperate for the truth to be revealed and Jude struggles to maintain a relationship with her daughter as both are still deeply affected by events from the past.
The Child may take its title from the baby at the heart of the mystery but it's the women whose stories must be told who give the book its heart. It's always a pleasure to read a book with believable and complex women in it, so to have a novel with four such women is a real treat. These are flawed, not always likeable people but they are devastatingly authentic.
I feel The Child is better described as domestic noir than as a psychological thriller; I personally didn't find it a tense read but it is an absorbing, provocative story. As its cleverly plotted storylines are eventually woven together the conclusion is really quite touching. The Child is an enthralling and very moving read that I'm sure will please those who loved The Widow and also gain Fiona Barton many more fans.
The Child will be published in the UK by Transworld on 14th December 2017. Don't miss the rest of the stops on the blog tour, details are below.
About the Author
Fiona Barton's debut, The Widow, was a Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller and has been published in thirty-five countries and optioned for television. Her second novel, The Child, was a Sunday Times bestseller. Born in Cambridge, Fiona currently lives in south-west France.
Previously, she was a senior writer at the Daily Mail, news editor at the Daily Telegraph, and chief reporter at the Mail on Sunday, where she won Reporter of the Year at the British Press Awards.
While working as a journalist, Fiona reported on many high-profile criminal cases and she developed a fascination with watching those involved, their body language and verbal tics. Fiona interviewed people at the heart of these crimes, from the guilty to their families, as well as those on the periphery, and found it was those just outside the spotlight who interested her most . . .
Website - www.fionabartonauthor.com
Facebook - www.facebook.com/figbarton
Twitter - @figbarton
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