1949. It is the coldest winter Orcades Island has ever known, when a pregnant sixteen-year-old arrives at Fairmile, a home for 'fallen women' run by the Catholic Church. She and her baby will disappear before the snow melts. 2013 Frankie Gray has come to the island for the summer, hoping for one last shot at reconnecting with her teenage daughter, Izzy, before starting a job as a deputy sheriff. They are staying with her mother, Diana, at The Fairmile Inn, soon to be a boutique hotel, but when an elderly nun is found dead in suspicious circumstances, and then a tiny skeleton is discovered in the grounds of the house, Frankie is desperate for answers.
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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
“The Only Child” is a story that evoked some heart wrenching emotions. It follows a dual timeline of 1949 and 2013. In 1949, a sixteen-year-old pregnant girl is sent off to live in a “fallen women” home, Fairmile. Here, she is expected to birth her child, give the child up for adoption, then will return home. However, the horrors of the time are revealed, causing a turn of events.
In 2013, a police deputy, Frankie, has moved into Fairmile as her mom remodels it to turn it into a hotel. Her daughter, Izzy, is visiting for the summer, and the mother is grappling with motherhood after spending years apart from her child.
The death of a nun who was formally employed at Fairmile stirs up the community, and Frankie goes on a whirlwind of events to figure out who killed her.
This book was such a great thriller while also exposing the horrors young mothers faced in the past and are still facing today. It was heartbreaking at times reading the events that happened at Fairmile and I felt connected to the characters. I also appreciated the comments the author included regarding misogyny both in the past and today. It's unfortunate what women have to face while men are awarded a “get out of jail free card” of sorts.
I especially loved that the dual timelines are interconnected, as it really made the book come to a satisfying close. I felt that the author tied up all the loose ends. I also greatly enjoyed the atmosphere and setting which heightened the somber tone of the book.
Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone. Although the outcome was what I suspected, I enjoyed the way the book turned out and was not let down at all. I can't wait to pick up more books by Kayte Nunn in the future!
