Dear Child, written by Romy Hausmann, will be released on October 6, 2020, and is published by Macmillan. Heartbreaking, intense, and brilliantly written, this psychological thriller is a novel you won’t be able to put down.

Thank you so much, MacMillan (Reading Insiders Book) and NetGalley, for the free e-copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

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Gone Girl meets Room in this page-turning thriller from one of Germany’s hottest new talents

In a windowless shack in the woods, Lena’s life and that of her two children follows the rules set by their captor, the father: Meals, bathroom visits, study time are strictly scheduled and meticulously observed. He protects his family from the dangers lurking in the outside world and makes sure that his children will always have a mother to look after them.

One day Lena manages to flee–but the nightmare continues. It seems as if her tormentor wants to get back what belongs to him. And then there is the question whether she really is the woman called “Lena,” who disappeared without a trace 14 years ago. The police and Lena’s family are all desperately trying to piece together a puzzle, which doesn’t quite seem to fit.

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AVAILABLE IN OCTOBER – ALL PURCHASE LINKS HERE

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Arc Review

Dear Child by Romy Haussman is a psychological thriller/suspense novel that I will remember for a very long time. Lena Beck was abducted thirteen years ago, and her parents never stopped hoping that she would make it back home. One night, a woman escapes from her abductor, but in her desperate attempt to flee, she is hit by a car. Thankfully, she survives and is brought to the hospital. Her name is Lena, but when Lena Beck’s parents arrive at the hospital, it turns out she is not Lena Beck.

Everything that happens to the characters is very heart-breaking, but as the story unfolds, I couldn’t check the feeling that something even worse happened. The author is a wizard with words because I could not stop reading. I read this book in less than a day. Each chapter gives another piece of the puzzle, and I truly wanted to know what really happened.

I was so upset, scared, and heartbroken for the characters throughout the book. They are dealing with so much. I very much enjoyed the multiple points of view. The personality and struggles of each character are so well captured. The character building in this book is perfection.

There are so many things I did not see coming, mind-blowing twists and turns. The ending is definitely jaw-dropping and one I did not see coming. Even until the very end, the author manages to drop some pretty big bombshells. I highly recommend reading this book. 

Trigger Warnings: Abduction, mental and physical abuse, rape, and violence. There are many of them in this book, and I hope I did not miss one.

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