Dear Child

Thank you, Netgalley and Flatiron Books for providing me with this book to review.

Lena Beck disappeared without a trace 13 years ago. Now, a woman claiming to be Lena is taken to the hospital after being injured in a hit and run accident. With her is her daughter Hannah, who is the spitting image of young Lena. But her parents have confirmed the woman in the hospital is not Lena. So who is she? And what actually happened to Lena?

Told from multiple perspectives, including that of young Hannah and Lena's father, Matthias, Dear Child is a different take on the typical abduction/thriller story. Although the writing style is a bit choppy (which may be due to the translation), the characters are extremely well-developed, giving the reader an opportunity to really get in their heads and know their thoughts and emotions. Once you figure out the writing style and become more engrossed in the story, the pace moves along really swiftly and the plot keeps you guessing all the way through.

The story explores some very dark and disturbing topics, so I would caution anyone with serious triggers to be aware of that before diving into this book. But for the brave of heart, this is a must-read.