The Stepchild

The Stepchild happens to be a girl of 12, a girl who's parents have divorced and both remarried.

Shelby is left to watch her little 3 year old Millie while her stepmother, Leslie goes to the store.

While Leslie is out, Millie is goes missing. Shelby knows what has happened but cannot bring herself to tell the truth. Now every minute the Millie is missing is a minute closer to finding out something awful has happened to her. Leslie and Randall hold a press conference in hopes someone comes forward with information as to where Millie might be....

Ruth sees the news and knows the man the camera is capturing. A man who has changed his name yet that face is unforgettable.... A man who did unspeakable things to her when she was a child. She knows what she has to do but can she do it? Can she leave her routine and the safety she has so delicately constructed for herself and do what needs to be done for that missing little girl?

I honestly didn't think this book was going to be a brilliant as it was. I was hoping for a solid 3.5 star read and found a 5 star! I was gripped from the very beginning. It was intense! I could fear Leslie's fear. I could feel the guilt she was feeling. Leslie experiences the very worst fear any parent can have and you see her internal monologue.. Wondering if she looks guilty. That she doesn't look sad enough and people can see that. She feels rage at her stepchild for lying about what happened and yet can see something is very wrong with the girl.

I think the author captured the complexity of blended families and how each persons roles can change in a snap. No one is blameless yet no one is really to blame. The twists were fantastic and kept me guessing. I was never sure what was going to happen next! I read it in one sitting. I had to.

The author took every mothers worst nightmare and painted a canvas in every color of the despair. If you love psychological thrillers, this is the book for you

5 stars!! Wish I had the option to give it more!!