Released: 12th September, 2023
Genre: Mystery, Crime
Score: 10/10
WARNING: This book may be a trigger to people who have suffered abuse.
Not My Child by Jane E. James is a superb, fast-paced and thrilling book to read. From the very first chapter, I was hooked and wanted to know what had happened and what was going to happen.
Not My Child centers around Tara, a mum and wife, and the extraordinary circumstances she finds herself in. It is mainly told from the points-of-view of married couple, Tara and Dino. During her childhood, Tara has suffered trauma from her mother and brothers that leads to a life-changing event. She retells the story from her past throughout the book.
Dino’s story is told in the recent past and present and involves the police and an investigation. Tara gave birth to a child when she was young and was forced to give him up for adoption. She dreams about him finding her and wanting to meet her when he turns 18, but things don’t go quite as she imagined.
This is a fast, edge-of-your-seat, compelling read set in Peterborough, England. I really felt strongly that I liked the main characters and felt their pain as events of the story unfolded. Jane E. Smith is a great writer with an ease of phrasing and writing dialogue that feels very real. I highly recommend this book and give it 10 points out of a maximum 10! Available through the always amazing www.joffebooks.com.