What do you think?
Rate this book
The Child Next Door
‘Oh my. A captivating unputdownable evocative emotional twisted thriller. Oh that ending... OMG that ending did NOT expect that. It blew me away…’ Read Along With Sue, 5 stars
‘Don’t take my baby.’
Kirstie Rawlings is jolted awake by a child crying. Racing upstairs to check on her new-born, she is plunged into every parents’ worst nightmare. She hears an unknown voice in the baby monitor, ‘Let’s take the child – and go.’
Is someone trying to steal her little girl?
In the bedroom, her daughter is safe asleep in her cot. Is the voice coming from a nearby house? But there aren’t any other children living on her quiet country road…
The police don't believe her. And neither does her husband.
Kirstie knows something isn’t right. She thought she could trust her neighbours, now she isn’t sure. As she unravels the secrets of the people living on her street, Kirstie’s perfect life begins to fall apart.
Because someone is hiding a terrible lie. And they will do anything to stop Kirstie uncovering the truth. But is the danger closer to home than she thinks?
From the top ten bestselling author of The Secret Mother, this completely gripping psychological thriller will make you wonder what really goes on behind closed doors. And will keep you guessing from the first page until the final shocking twist.
‘Don’t take my baby.’
Kirstie Rawlings is jolted awake by a child crying. Racing upstairs to check on her new-born, she is plunged into every parents’ worst nightmare. She hears an unknown voice in the baby monitor, ‘Let’s take the child – and go.’
Is someone trying to steal her little girl?
In the bedroom, her daughter is safe asleep in her cot. Is the voice coming from a nearby house? But there aren’t any other children living on her quiet country road…
The police don't believe her. And neither does her husband.
Kirstie knows something isn’t right. She thought she could trust her neighbours, now she isn’t sure. As she unravels the secrets of the people living on her street, Kirstie’s perfect life begins to fall apart.
Because someone is hiding a terrible lie. And they will do anything to stop Kirstie uncovering the truth. But is the danger closer to home than she thinks?
From the top ten bestselling author of The Secret Mother, this completely gripping psychological thriller will make you wonder what really goes on behind closed doors. And will keep you guessing from the first page until the final shocking twist.
284 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 29, 2018
4958 people are currently reading
4787 people want to read
About the author
Shalini Boland
48 books3,500 followersShalini Boland is the USA-Today bestselling author of twenty psychological thrillers. With three million copies sold, her titles are published by Amazon Publishing, Audible, Bookouture, and Grand Central Publishing.
Shalini lives by the sea in Dorset, England with her family and their increasingly demanding dog, Queen Jess. Before kids, she was signed to Universal Music Publishing as a singer/songwriter, but now she spends her days writing (in between re-stocking the fridge and dealing with endless baskets of laundry).
She is also the author of two bestselling SFF series.
www.shaliniboland.com
Now available:
THE BIRTHDAY PARTY
THE HONEYMOON
THE SCHOOL REUNION
THE SILENT BRIDE
THE DAUGHTER-IN-LAW
A PERFECT STRANGER
THE FAMILY HOLIDAY
THE COUPLE UPSTAIRS
MY LITTLE GIRL
THE WIFE
ONE OF US IS LYING
THE OTHER DAUGHTER
THE MARRIAGE BETRAYAL
THE PERFECT FAMILY
THE SILENT SISTER
THE CHILD NEXT DOOR
THE SECRET MOTHER
THE MILLIONAIRE'S WIFE
THE BEST FRIEND
THE GIRL FROM THE SEA
The OUTSIDE SERIES - a thrilling dystopian adventure
The VAMPIRES OF MARCHWOOD series - a romantic fantasy adventure
A SHIRTFUL OF FROGS - an evacuee timeslip adventure
Shalini lives by the sea in Dorset, England with her family and their increasingly demanding dog, Queen Jess. Before kids, she was signed to Universal Music Publishing as a singer/songwriter, but now she spends her days writing (in between re-stocking the fridge and dealing with endless baskets of laundry).
She is also the author of two bestselling SFF series.
www.shaliniboland.com
Now available:
THE BIRTHDAY PARTY
THE HONEYMOON
THE SCHOOL REUNION
THE SILENT BRIDE
THE DAUGHTER-IN-LAW
A PERFECT STRANGER
THE FAMILY HOLIDAY
THE COUPLE UPSTAIRS
MY LITTLE GIRL
THE WIFE
ONE OF US IS LYING
THE OTHER DAUGHTER
THE MARRIAGE BETRAYAL
THE PERFECT FAMILY
THE SILENT SISTER
THE CHILD NEXT DOOR
THE SECRET MOTHER
THE MILLIONAIRE'S WIFE
THE BEST FRIEND
THE GIRL FROM THE SEA
The OUTSIDE SERIES - a thrilling dystopian adventure
The VAMPIRES OF MARCHWOOD series - a romantic fantasy adventure
A SHIRTFUL OF FROGS - an evacuee timeslip adventure
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 690 reviews
March 29, 2018
5 Brilliant Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Wow what an ending! This book pulled me in from the very first paragraph.... however I have to say this book ended fantastically with a big huge bang! I generally do not start my reviews with the end of the book... however I just finish this and I am still shook... it was a twist out of nowhere.... well done Shalini Boland fabulous from first paragraph to last! that is for sure....
The book starts out with Kirstie hearing strange voices on her baby monitor....“Just take the baby!“ instant panic sets in as she runs to make sure her baby girl Daisy is OK.... Kirstie was a very relatable and likable character... I could just sense her frustration, anxiety, and stress throughout this entire book along with the love for her daughter.... there is no time in your life where you feel less sure of yourself then when you are a first time mother..... and to top it off with strange things happening, suspicious neighbors, and a husband who does not believe you.... it was no wonder Kirstie was on edge... I was on edge right along with her.....
Plenty of fantastic secondary characters to be more than suspicious of...the husband Dominic who was up to some suspicious things and was not supportive... he really bothered me quite a bit.... guilty or innocent he was not a very good husband.... The friend Mel, I’m really not sure how good a friend she was? She was one of those friends that seem to be there when it benefited her.... The creepy nosy neighbor Martin, he was an odd duck.... I don’t care if he was just trying to be neighborly, organizing the neighborhood watch, and what not, he was a bit off.... although I do have to say the project he was working on was quite cool.... I was suspicious of everybody including the teenage boy kicking the football/soccer ball around the neighborhood....
I really feel sorry for my next book... although I’ve been listening to a romance on audio and that’s what I will listen to tonight, so I think we might be OK... I really can’t say much more I don’t want to give anything away.... just know this is a very well-done psychological thriller and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Strongly recommend to all fans of psychological thrillers, with plenty of suspicious characters, twists and turns, and a fabulous MC....
*** thank you so much too Bookouture and Net Galley for a copy of this book ***
Wow what an ending! This book pulled me in from the very first paragraph.... however I have to say this book ended fantastically with a big huge bang! I generally do not start my reviews with the end of the book... however I just finish this and I am still shook... it was a twist out of nowhere.... well done Shalini Boland fabulous from first paragraph to last! that is for sure....
The book starts out with Kirstie hearing strange voices on her baby monitor....“Just take the baby!“ instant panic sets in as she runs to make sure her baby girl Daisy is OK.... Kirstie was a very relatable and likable character... I could just sense her frustration, anxiety, and stress throughout this entire book along with the love for her daughter.... there is no time in your life where you feel less sure of yourself then when you are a first time mother..... and to top it off with strange things happening, suspicious neighbors, and a husband who does not believe you.... it was no wonder Kirstie was on edge... I was on edge right along with her.....
Plenty of fantastic secondary characters to be more than suspicious of...the husband Dominic who was up to some suspicious things and was not supportive... he really bothered me quite a bit.... guilty or innocent he was not a very good husband.... The friend Mel, I’m really not sure how good a friend she was? She was one of those friends that seem to be there when it benefited her.... The creepy nosy neighbor Martin, he was an odd duck.... I don’t care if he was just trying to be neighborly, organizing the neighborhood watch, and what not, he was a bit off.... although I do have to say the project he was working on was quite cool.... I was suspicious of everybody including the teenage boy kicking the football/soccer ball around the neighborhood....
I really feel sorry for my next book... although I’ve been listening to a romance on audio and that’s what I will listen to tonight, so I think we might be OK... I really can’t say much more I don’t want to give anything away.... just know this is a very well-done psychological thriller and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Strongly recommend to all fans of psychological thrillers, with plenty of suspicious characters, twists and turns, and a fabulous MC....
*** thank you so much too Bookouture and Net Galley for a copy of this book ***
April 14, 2018
3.5*
Kirstie hears faint whispers coming from her baby monitor. All she’s able to make out is that someone wants to take a baby. Naturally, she’s immediately fearful that her baby is the topic of conversation. Why won’t someone, anyone listen or understand her fears. Soon, with the stress mounting, Kirstie is unable to sleep or let her baby out of her sight for even a moment. Is there someone out there trying to take her baby? Why is her not-so-busy husband always too busy to help calm her fears?
Though there was building suspense, this thriller never really took off for me until the final 20%. When Shalini Boland filled the ending with fireworks! I’ve read a lot of thrillers lately and unfortunately this one fell short of standing out to me. In fact, it was so similar to one I’d just read 2 weeks ago, that I thought I was having Deja-vu! Had a hard time keeping them apart. (Maybe it’s time for a thriller break....ha-ha! Kidding!)
This is a thriller I’ll say I enjoyed, but still wanted something more to distinguish it from the pack. I did enjoy the writing style and would still be interested in reading another by this author in the future.
As always - a wonderful Traveling Sister read with Brenda and Susanne!
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Shalini Boland for an ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
For our full Traveling sister review please visit Brenda and Norma's fabulous book blog:
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com/
Kirstie hears faint whispers coming from her baby monitor. All she’s able to make out is that someone wants to take a baby. Naturally, she’s immediately fearful that her baby is the topic of conversation. Why won’t someone, anyone listen or understand her fears. Soon, with the stress mounting, Kirstie is unable to sleep or let her baby out of her sight for even a moment. Is there someone out there trying to take her baby? Why is her not-so-busy husband always too busy to help calm her fears?
Though there was building suspense, this thriller never really took off for me until the final 20%. When Shalini Boland filled the ending with fireworks! I’ve read a lot of thrillers lately and unfortunately this one fell short of standing out to me. In fact, it was so similar to one I’d just read 2 weeks ago, that I thought I was having Deja-vu! Had a hard time keeping them apart. (Maybe it’s time for a thriller break....ha-ha! Kidding!)
This is a thriller I’ll say I enjoyed, but still wanted something more to distinguish it from the pack. I did enjoy the writing style and would still be interested in reading another by this author in the future.
As always - a wonderful Traveling Sister read with Brenda and Susanne!
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Shalini Boland for an ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
For our full Traveling sister review please visit Brenda and Norma's fabulous book blog:
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com/
March 26, 2018
Having read another book from Shalini Boland I just knew that picking up The Child Next Door I would be in for a treat. Thankfully I was not wrong at all and as soon as I started this psychological thriller I was completely hooked into the story and did not want to put it down.
The story begins introducing readers to Kirstie Rawlings who is home alone with her six month old baby nodding off in front of the television when she hears a cry from her baby monitor. Now her daughter Daisy is known to let out small cries while sleeping so Kirstie is not immediately alarmed but the next thing she hears is a man’s voice saying let’s just take the baby and go.
Frantic by now Kirstie rushes up to her daughter’s bedroom thinking that someone must be about to steal her child right out of their home. Entering Daisy’s room however Kirstie finds her sleeping peacefully and no one in sight. But Kirstie just knows that she heard the voice so did the monitor pick up someone else’s house and another baby is in danger?
The opening pages were enough to gain my interest and the ease of the author’s writing kept the flow nicely in the book keeping me engaged the whole time. I started this one rather late and of course I came down with what I call the “one more chapter-itis” not wanting to put the book down until I was done.
My first thoughts on this one I was pretty sure I would be writing up my review when finished and claiming it that I knew from the start how it would turn out, nope not a chance as I was totally off base. The author throws in plenty of twists and turns and red herrings making one think all kinds of outcomes but when finished I actually rather impressed at the logic of it all and realistic outcome. But I would warn not to blink at the end as there is one final chill tossed the readers way that even I didn’t expect by then. So yes, when done this was definitely one I loved every minute of and would recommend checking out to the psychological thriller fans out there.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
The story begins introducing readers to Kirstie Rawlings who is home alone with her six month old baby nodding off in front of the television when she hears a cry from her baby monitor. Now her daughter Daisy is known to let out small cries while sleeping so Kirstie is not immediately alarmed but the next thing she hears is a man’s voice saying let’s just take the baby and go.
Frantic by now Kirstie rushes up to her daughter’s bedroom thinking that someone must be about to steal her child right out of their home. Entering Daisy’s room however Kirstie finds her sleeping peacefully and no one in sight. But Kirstie just knows that she heard the voice so did the monitor pick up someone else’s house and another baby is in danger?
The opening pages were enough to gain my interest and the ease of the author’s writing kept the flow nicely in the book keeping me engaged the whole time. I started this one rather late and of course I came down with what I call the “one more chapter-itis” not wanting to put the book down until I was done.
My first thoughts on this one I was pretty sure I would be writing up my review when finished and claiming it that I knew from the start how it would turn out, nope not a chance as I was totally off base. The author throws in plenty of twists and turns and red herrings making one think all kinds of outcomes but when finished I actually rather impressed at the logic of it all and realistic outcome. But I would warn not to blink at the end as there is one final chill tossed the readers way that even I didn’t expect by then. So yes, when done this was definitely one I loved every minute of and would recommend checking out to the psychological thriller fans out there.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
April 12, 2018
4 Stars.
In her latest novel, “The Child Next Door” Shalini Boland makes you feel anxious and she ties your stomach in knots. This is one suspense novel that keeps you glued to the pages and should not be missed.
Kirstie Rawlings is a new mother to six month old Daisy. Her life revolves around her little girl. When she is awakened by a baby’s cry she immediately goes running, only to discover that it wasn’t her child that was crying. Then the unimaginable happens: she hears voices on her baby monitor saying “let’s just take the baby and go.” My stomach just about dropped hearing those words and I'm not even a mother.
From then on, Kirstie becomes a nervous wreck thinking someone is out to kidnap her baby. Unfortunately, no one believes her, not even after strange things start happening, thus she starts investigating on her own. Can you say dangerous? Is Kirstie making it up? Is she imagining things? What is going on? With my nerves on edge from the very first, I was on a roller coaster ride right up until the very end. “The Child Next Door” is my fourth Shalini Boland novel and in case you couldn't tell, I enjoyed it immensely and can’t wait to see what Ms. Boland comes out with next.
This was a Traveling Sister read with Brenda and Kaceey. For the all Sister Reviews, please see Brenda and Norma's incredible blog: https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com/
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Shalini Boland for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on Goodreads, Amazon and Twitter.
In her latest novel, “The Child Next Door” Shalini Boland makes you feel anxious and she ties your stomach in knots. This is one suspense novel that keeps you glued to the pages and should not be missed.
Kirstie Rawlings is a new mother to six month old Daisy. Her life revolves around her little girl. When she is awakened by a baby’s cry she immediately goes running, only to discover that it wasn’t her child that was crying. Then the unimaginable happens: she hears voices on her baby monitor saying “let’s just take the baby and go.” My stomach just about dropped hearing those words and I'm not even a mother.
From then on, Kirstie becomes a nervous wreck thinking someone is out to kidnap her baby. Unfortunately, no one believes her, not even after strange things start happening, thus she starts investigating on her own. Can you say dangerous? Is Kirstie making it up? Is she imagining things? What is going on? With my nerves on edge from the very first, I was on a roller coaster ride right up until the very end. “The Child Next Door” is my fourth Shalini Boland novel and in case you couldn't tell, I enjoyed it immensely and can’t wait to see what Ms. Boland comes out with next.
This was a Traveling Sister read with Brenda and Kaceey. For the all Sister Reviews, please see Brenda and Norma's incredible blog: https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com/
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Shalini Boland for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on Goodreads, Amazon and Twitter.
April 3, 2018
EXCERPT: Fear clutches at my belly. Sweat breaks out on my upper lip and prickles my scalp. The thump, thump, thump of my heart beats in my ears. I must have been mistaken. Surely it can't have been. . . but there. . . what's that? Whispering. And then, clear as day, a man's hushed voice:
'Quick, let's just take the baby now and go.'
ABOUT THIS BOOK: ‘Don’t take my baby.’
Kirstie Rawlings is jolted awake by a child crying. Racing upstairs to check on her new-born, she is plunged into every parents’ worst nightmare. She hears an unknown voice in the baby monitor, saying: ‘Let’s take the child – and go.’
Is someone trying to steal her little girl?
In the bedroom, her daughter is safe asleep in her cot. Is the voice coming from a nearby house? But there aren’t any other babies living on her quiet country road…
The police don't believe her. And neither does her husband.
Kirstie knows something isn’t right. She thought she could trust her neighbours, now she isn’t sure. As she unravels the secrets of the people living on her street, Kirstie’s perfect life begins to fall apart.
Because someone is hiding a terrible lie. And they will do anything to stop Kirstie uncovering the truth. But is the danger closer to home than she thinks?
MY THOUGHTS: Five super-sized shiny heart-pounding stars! 💗💗💗💗💗
'Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not after you.'
I read The Child Next Door by Shalini Boland in one sitting, my thoughts darting all over the place. Is this woman crazy? Is she having some type of post-natal psychotic episode? Or is someone really out to get her?
This is my first book by Boland, and WOW! what an introduction to her writing.
First time motherhood is never easy. I remember it well. The sleep-deprivation, the bone-numbing exhaustion, the fear of not coping, of being the only mother in the world who doesn't cope, the stupid thoughts that dog your waking hours and prevent you from sleeping at night, the wondering how your husband could possibly find this ghost of the vital woman he married even remotely attractive, the wondering just who he is spending his time away from home with, the resentment of the time he is not spending with you . . . Boland has captured all this fear exactly, and then taken it to the next level.
The shady neighbour, the beautiful woman down the street, your best friend. . . all looking at you, all whispering about you. . . who are these people really?
And then that ending! Breath-taking. Didn't see that coming! Still shaking my head in amazement.
I just bounded through this book, unable to put it down, unable to take my eyes from the pages. Definitely recommended. Highly recommended. Very highly recommended.
Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of The Child Next Door by Shalini Boland for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.
This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
'Quick, let's just take the baby now and go.'
ABOUT THIS BOOK: ‘Don’t take my baby.’
Kirstie Rawlings is jolted awake by a child crying. Racing upstairs to check on her new-born, she is plunged into every parents’ worst nightmare. She hears an unknown voice in the baby monitor, saying: ‘Let’s take the child – and go.’
Is someone trying to steal her little girl?
In the bedroom, her daughter is safe asleep in her cot. Is the voice coming from a nearby house? But there aren’t any other babies living on her quiet country road…
The police don't believe her. And neither does her husband.
Kirstie knows something isn’t right. She thought she could trust her neighbours, now she isn’t sure. As she unravels the secrets of the people living on her street, Kirstie’s perfect life begins to fall apart.
Because someone is hiding a terrible lie. And they will do anything to stop Kirstie uncovering the truth. But is the danger closer to home than she thinks?
MY THOUGHTS: Five super-sized shiny heart-pounding stars! 💗💗💗💗💗
'Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not after you.'
I read The Child Next Door by Shalini Boland in one sitting, my thoughts darting all over the place. Is this woman crazy? Is she having some type of post-natal psychotic episode? Or is someone really out to get her?
This is my first book by Boland, and WOW! what an introduction to her writing.
First time motherhood is never easy. I remember it well. The sleep-deprivation, the bone-numbing exhaustion, the fear of not coping, of being the only mother in the world who doesn't cope, the stupid thoughts that dog your waking hours and prevent you from sleeping at night, the wondering how your husband could possibly find this ghost of the vital woman he married even remotely attractive, the wondering just who he is spending his time away from home with, the resentment of the time he is not spending with you . . . Boland has captured all this fear exactly, and then taken it to the next level.
The shady neighbour, the beautiful woman down the street, your best friend. . . all looking at you, all whispering about you. . . who are these people really?
And then that ending! Breath-taking. Didn't see that coming! Still shaking my head in amazement.
I just bounded through this book, unable to put it down, unable to take my eyes from the pages. Definitely recommended. Highly recommended. Very highly recommended.
Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of The Child Next Door by Shalini Boland for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.
This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
March 16, 2018
Oh my. A captivating unputdownable evocative emotional twisted thriller.
Here is Kirstie a new mom on maternity leave from a school she works at.
One day she is in the lounge with baby Daisy asleep upstairs when she hears on the baby monitor "lets get the baby and go"
She runs upstairs in a totally hyperventingly state of panic, only to find that Daisy is asleep in her cot.
What would you think?
Would you check to bedroom window to see if you can see anyone out there? Make sure the window is shut?
Would you look upstairs and downstairs to see if there are any intruders are in your home?
She calls the Police, she calls her husband.
She needs to tell the neighbours right? Just in case someone in the road has a baby.
What's happening?
She doesn't think anyone does have a baby but she wants the neighbours to be aware, its not safe.
Her BBF lives across the road, named Mel, she has children but not a babe in arms.
The Police find it hard to be convinced of her story.
They said for her to get back to them if there is anything else.
Other things start to happen, her husband knows she is overtired and needs rest, he encourages her to see the doctor.
Her relationship with Mel is suffering and we find that Kirstie is harbouring all kinds of suspicions.
Shes suspicious about one of her neighbours, her husband, her friend.
The view the neighbours have of her is shes some paranoid woman.
Shes a new mom, could it be post natal depression.
Shes stuck in the home a lot, shes used to working. Like a lot of new moms she may feel isolated and stuck in a rut at home.
Her husband worries about her. He is training for a triathlon and he works, so he can't stay with her all the time.
Kirstie preforms little rituals, maybe OCD is creeping in.
Oh that ending.
Oh my that ending,
OMG that ending did NOT expect that. It blew me away.
I had been tossed all over the place trying to figure out what was going on inside Kirstie's head, but that ending had me gasping loudly. I was still thinking of it when I awoke this morning.
Many thanks to Bookouture via Net Galley for my copy
April 11, 2018
3.5 Stars
I was lost in the cloudy, dry coulee with Kaceey and Susanne reading The Child Next Door feeling a little paranoid as we read this story and were looking over our shoulders and questioning if we heard whispering in the brushes.
The Child Next Door is an entertaining yet frightening story filled with suspense that delves into the anxiety and paranoid feeling of a mother who feels her child is in danger.
Shalini Boland took us on quite an emotional ride here filled with anxiety and feeling of paranoid. She takes her time here with creating the anxiety for our main character Kristie and for us in the coulee. At times Kaceey and I wanted to jump out of the coulee leaving Susanne turning the pages as fast as she could to get some answers to her questions. Things started to pick up for us and Kaceey and I were soon pulled back down into this story and not moving till we reached that final twist.
In the end, we ended up on different sides of the coulee with how we felt about the story. Susanne feeling quite satisfied and really enjoyed the story. Kaceey on the other side left wanting a bit more from the story and me in the middle trying to catch my breath from all the excitement.
Thank you, NetGalley, Bookouture and Shalini Boland for a copy to read and review.
Review written and posted on our themed book blog Two Sisters Lost In A Coulee Reading.
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com
Coulee: a term applied rather loosely to different landforms, all of which refer to a kind of valley.
I was lost in the cloudy, dry coulee with Kaceey and Susanne reading The Child Next Door feeling a little paranoid as we read this story and were looking over our shoulders and questioning if we heard whispering in the brushes.
The Child Next Door is an entertaining yet frightening story filled with suspense that delves into the anxiety and paranoid feeling of a mother who feels her child is in danger.
Shalini Boland took us on quite an emotional ride here filled with anxiety and feeling of paranoid. She takes her time here with creating the anxiety for our main character Kristie and for us in the coulee. At times Kaceey and I wanted to jump out of the coulee leaving Susanne turning the pages as fast as she could to get some answers to her questions. Things started to pick up for us and Kaceey and I were soon pulled back down into this story and not moving till we reached that final twist.
In the end, we ended up on different sides of the coulee with how we felt about the story. Susanne feeling quite satisfied and really enjoyed the story. Kaceey on the other side left wanting a bit more from the story and me in the middle trying to catch my breath from all the excitement.
Thank you, NetGalley, Bookouture and Shalini Boland for a copy to read and review.
Review written and posted on our themed book blog Two Sisters Lost In A Coulee Reading.
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com
Coulee: a term applied rather loosely to different landforms, all of which refer to a kind of valley.
June 11, 2021
This was an absolute gem of a book. Another that I read cover to cover, eager to know the final exciting outcome.
Kirstie Rawlings is struck with utter terror when she hears what she thinks are voices in her baby's bedroom, talking of taking the baby. She races to her baby to be stunned to find nobody is there - is she going crazy? Did she just hear voices? Was any of it real? Does her husband even believe her?
This is the start of a psychologically intense journey with Kirstie determined (obsessed) to find the truth. But the truth may not be what she was expecting. This book throws up some fantastic characters including those you will love to hate like the creepy man who lives on the street that seems to know everybody's business...and what IS in his basement? Who has a basement in a modern house anyway?
The book is paced well, keeping the reader hooked in and it's really well written also. Shalini has created a brilliant mystery encased in psychological drama that really appeals and keeps you wanting more. The final reveals and outcome were totally unexpected and well worth waiting for. A highly recommended read! Five stars from me for sheer reading pleasure!
I reviewed a copy of this book that I purchased from Amazon. All review opinions are my own and totally unbiased.
Kirstie Rawlings is struck with utter terror when she hears what she thinks are voices in her baby's bedroom, talking of taking the baby. She races to her baby to be stunned to find nobody is there - is she going crazy? Did she just hear voices? Was any of it real? Does her husband even believe her?
This is the start of a psychologically intense journey with Kirstie determined (obsessed) to find the truth. But the truth may not be what she was expecting. This book throws up some fantastic characters including those you will love to hate like the creepy man who lives on the street that seems to know everybody's business...and what IS in his basement? Who has a basement in a modern house anyway?
The book is paced well, keeping the reader hooked in and it's really well written also. Shalini has created a brilliant mystery encased in psychological drama that really appeals and keeps you wanting more. The final reveals and outcome were totally unexpected and well worth waiting for. A highly recommended read! Five stars from me for sheer reading pleasure!
I reviewed a copy of this book that I purchased from Amazon. All review opinions are my own and totally unbiased.
March 28, 2018
Kirstie Rawlings is jolted awake by a child crying. Racing upstairs to check on her new born, she is plunged into every parents worst nightmare. She hears an unknown voice saying "Let's just take the baby and go." But her baby is asleep, safe in her cot.
Kirstie has a six month old daughter called Daisy.. She is on maternity leave and her husband works long hours. She thinks someone is trying to take her baby from her, and her husband thinks she has gone mad. There is a creepy neighbour, and Kirstie suspects that it is him who is trying to steal Daisy away from her. There are a few red herrings in this story before we find the answers to the voices were that Kirstie heard through the baby monitor. Then there is one more creepy twist right at the end of the book. Shalini Boland has just took a step further up on my favourite author list.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Shalini Boland for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Kirstie has a six month old daughter called Daisy.. She is on maternity leave and her husband works long hours. She thinks someone is trying to take her baby from her, and her husband thinks she has gone mad. There is a creepy neighbour, and Kirstie suspects that it is him who is trying to steal Daisy away from her. There are a few red herrings in this story before we find the answers to the voices were that Kirstie heard through the baby monitor. Then there is one more creepy twist right at the end of the book. Shalini Boland has just took a step further up on my favourite author list.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Shalini Boland for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 11, 2018
This is a very good Suspense novel by author Shalini Boland, the first book I have read by her but now someone that I will read more of.
A new mother named Kirstie is awaken when she hears a man on her baby monitor saying "let's take the baby and go". Kirstie quickly goes to her baby Daisy relieved to find her safely asleep. She calls the Police and checks are made but Daisy is the only baby in the street. Kirstie is still not happy and this begins weeks of anxiety, nobody believes her and even her husband thinks she needs medical help.
This is fast paced making it so difficult to put down.
I would like to thank both Net Galley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
A new mother named Kirstie is awaken when she hears a man on her baby monitor saying "let's take the baby and go". Kirstie quickly goes to her baby Daisy relieved to find her safely asleep. She calls the Police and checks are made but Daisy is the only baby in the street. Kirstie is still not happy and this begins weeks of anxiety, nobody believes her and even her husband thinks she needs medical help.
This is fast paced making it so difficult to put down.
I would like to thank both Net Galley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
April 8, 2018
★ 2 stars!! ★
Infelizmente The Child Next Door não funcionou pra mim e não foi nada do que eu esperava...
No início eu consegui sentir empatia pela angústia que a Kirstie estava enfrentando, sou mãe e acho que no lugar dela, estaria no mesmo estado emocional. Entretanto, com o decorrer da trama e o fato de passar tanto tempo dentro da sua mente, constantemente tendo conhecimento de seus pensamentos, aflições, medos e a achando ingênua em algumas situações, me causou muita irritação. E esse último sentimento me acompanhou durante toda a história.
Não gostei do Dom e de nenhum personagem secundário. Faltou carisma, impossibilitando o desenvolvimento de qualquer sentimento em direção a eles. Não vi uma conexão forte o bastante que deixasse convincente.
O desenrolar da trama foi lento demais, resultando em uma leitura arrastada, cansativa e em certas partes repetitivas. Repetições essas ao ponto de inúmeras vezes ter a impressão de que estava lendo a mesma página, a mesma coisa. A quantidade de mal entendidos que surgiram foi outra questão que me incomodou, pois detesto isso.
E quando finalmente chegamos ao momento da grande revelação, fui me dando conta que não havia nada de tão extraordinário ou surpreendente. Pra ser bem sincera, achei uma completa bagunça, me deixando extremamente frustrada e decepcionada.
O enredo é interessante sim, porém não me agradou a forma como foi desenvolvido, não foi nada do que eu ansiava de um bom thriller psicológico. Não causou aquele frisson, não me deixou loucamente vidrada ou curiosa e definitivamente não impressionou.
Infelizmente The Child Next Door não funcionou pra mim e não foi nada do que eu esperava...
No início eu consegui sentir empatia pela angústia que a Kirstie estava enfrentando, sou mãe e acho que no lugar dela, estaria no mesmo estado emocional. Entretanto, com o decorrer da trama e o fato de passar tanto tempo dentro da sua mente, constantemente tendo conhecimento de seus pensamentos, aflições, medos e a achando ingênua em algumas situações, me causou muita irritação. E esse último sentimento me acompanhou durante toda a história.
Não gostei do Dom e de nenhum personagem secundário. Faltou carisma, impossibilitando o desenvolvimento de qualquer sentimento em direção a eles. Não vi uma conexão forte o bastante que deixasse convincente.
O desenrolar da trama foi lento demais, resultando em uma leitura arrastada, cansativa e em certas partes repetitivas. Repetições essas ao ponto de inúmeras vezes ter a impressão de que estava lendo a mesma página, a mesma coisa. A quantidade de mal entendidos que surgiram foi outra questão que me incomodou, pois detesto isso.
E quando finalmente chegamos ao momento da grande revelação, fui me dando conta que não havia nada de tão extraordinário ou surpreendente. Pra ser bem sincera, achei uma completa bagunça, me deixando extremamente frustrada e decepcionada.
O enredo é interessante sim, porém não me agradou a forma como foi desenvolvido, não foi nada do que eu ansiava de um bom thriller psicológico. Não causou aquele frisson, não me deixou loucamente vidrada ou curiosa e definitivamente não impressionou.
March 15, 2018
The Child Next Door by Shalini Boland is a psychological thriller that keeps you guessing. Kirsty has put her baby down for a sleep in the nursery. Later she hears voices from the baby monitor talking about taking the baby. Kirsty runs upstairs to confront them to find that the baby is safe and sound. She phones the police to report that a baby is being taken but nobody believes her. This incident leaves Kirsty shaken and she does not want to let her baby out of her sight. Who can she trust when even her husband does not believe her. This story has twists and turns that keeps you reading. I would like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for my e-copy in exchange for my honest review.
April 3, 2018
I've been a fan of Shalini Boland for awhile after reading a few of her self-published books, so I was thrilled when I saw last year that she had signed with one of my favorite publishers, Bookouture! I knew it would lead to more engrossing reads from this author, and I was right! I flew through this one in only a few sittings. It's certainly an engrossing, quick read in which you can feel the tension throughout. I suspected absolutely everyone while I devoured this book - but I had no idea how it would end. If you haven't checked out any of Shalini's work yet, get on it! I've yet to be disappointed by any of her books.
"Quick, let's just take the baby now and go."
That's a scary sentence for a mother to hear, coming from a stranger... and it just came from the baby monitor. Having fallen asleep in front of the television, Kirstie Rawlings bolts up the stairs back to her baby, prepared to do anything. She will do whatever it takes to keep her baby safe, a mama bear out for blood. No one is taking her baby. She can't be too late. Except six month old Daisy is still asleep in her bed... and there's no one else in the room. Did they change their minds, hear her coming? Could someone escape that quickly? Understandably panicking, Kirstie phones the police.
They come and take her info, and her husband tries to comfort her when he returns home. Everyone but Kirstie is convinced she heard something from the television, or maybe her imagination has gotten away from her. Maybe she had a nightmare and got confused. But Kirstie knows she isn't mistaken, and that someone is after her child.
With her husband around less and less and after getting in a bit of a rough patch with her best friend, Kirstie doesn't have many people to talk to. Alone with Daisy day after day, she becomes more and more paranoid as other strange things begin to happen around the neighborhood. Now suspicious of nearly anyone, she won't stop until she finds out who the man on the monitor was, and ensures the safety of her child.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Net Galley and Bookouture, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.
"Quick, let's just take the baby now and go."
That's a scary sentence for a mother to hear, coming from a stranger... and it just came from the baby monitor. Having fallen asleep in front of the television, Kirstie Rawlings bolts up the stairs back to her baby, prepared to do anything. She will do whatever it takes to keep her baby safe, a mama bear out for blood. No one is taking her baby. She can't be too late. Except six month old Daisy is still asleep in her bed... and there's no one else in the room. Did they change their minds, hear her coming? Could someone escape that quickly? Understandably panicking, Kirstie phones the police.
They come and take her info, and her husband tries to comfort her when he returns home. Everyone but Kirstie is convinced she heard something from the television, or maybe her imagination has gotten away from her. Maybe she had a nightmare and got confused. But Kirstie knows she isn't mistaken, and that someone is after her child.
With her husband around less and less and after getting in a bit of a rough patch with her best friend, Kirstie doesn't have many people to talk to. Alone with Daisy day after day, she becomes more and more paranoid as other strange things begin to happen around the neighborhood. Now suspicious of nearly anyone, she won't stop until she finds out who the man on the monitor was, and ensures the safety of her child.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Net Galley and Bookouture, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.
May 8, 2018
THE CHILD NEXT DOOR by Shalini Boland is a psychological thriller that the reader will find difficult to put down and will keep you guessing throughout. A mother’s worst nightmare, having to deal with the thought of someone trying to take her newborn little girl.
‘Don’t take my baby.’
Kirstie Rawlings is jolted awake by a child crying. Racing upstairs to check on her new-born, she is plunged into every parents’ worst nightmare. She hears an unknown voice in the baby monitor, saying: ‘Let’s take the child – and go.’
Kirsty runs upstairs to make sure her baby is safe and sound. Because there aren’t any other babies on the street, she phones the police to report that a baby is being taken.
But nobody believes her, not even her husband, or the police. This episode leaves Kirsty traumatized and she won’t let her baby out of her sight.
Why doesn’t anyone believe her? Who can she trust.
Now she can’t even trust her neighbours. As she unravels the secrets of the people living on her street, Kirstie’s perfect life begins to fall apart.
Because someone is hiding a terrible lie. And they will do anything to stop Kirstie uncovering the truth.
I raced through this book, to see what was going to happen. And then the ending blew me away. Brilliant writing. Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Bookouture via Netgalley for my copy.
‘Don’t take my baby.’
Kirstie Rawlings is jolted awake by a child crying. Racing upstairs to check on her new-born, she is plunged into every parents’ worst nightmare. She hears an unknown voice in the baby monitor, saying: ‘Let’s take the child – and go.’
Kirsty runs upstairs to make sure her baby is safe and sound. Because there aren’t any other babies on the street, she phones the police to report that a baby is being taken.
But nobody believes her, not even her husband, or the police. This episode leaves Kirsty traumatized and she won’t let her baby out of her sight.
Why doesn’t anyone believe her? Who can she trust.
Now she can’t even trust her neighbours. As she unravels the secrets of the people living on her street, Kirstie’s perfect life begins to fall apart.
Because someone is hiding a terrible lie. And they will do anything to stop Kirstie uncovering the truth.
I raced through this book, to see what was going to happen. And then the ending blew me away. Brilliant writing. Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Bookouture via Netgalley for my copy.
July 24, 2018
WOW!! my head feels like I have been in a washing machine what a ride this was Shalini Boland has another fan after reading The Girl From The Sea I decided to read this author again & boy did she pull it off with a superb Psychological thriller that you won't be able to put down I was hooked from start to finish. There were so many twists & turns in it but what I enjoyed most is that there was a major twist the author threw a curve ball right out of the park, I was absolutely gobsmacked.
Kirstie is hearing whispers on her baby monitor all she can assume is that someone wants to take her baby, she fears that her baby Daisy is a talking point, she tells her husband Dominic but he reassures her everything is okay as Daisy is sleeping peacefully in her bed.
We find out that Kristie has suffered 3 miscarriages so really any new mother would be overprotective of her child its not until her flower beds are ruined , threatening phone calls & paint on her step that her paranoia really takes over.
Dominic decides to give her a break from Daisy so she goes out with her best friend Mel who lives next door , although she seems to be having a good time all she does is worry panic sets in & she leaves, Mel asks her to pay the bill & she will pay her back tomorrow but knows she will never see the money again as she lives the high life, yet cant afford her kids nursery fees etc.
The premise really takes shape when her neighbour Martin comes into the plot, lets just say things spice up from here on in, I wont go into more detail as I may give away spoilers & won't ruin it for those who have not read this.
BEWARE this is addictive compulsive compelling reading so don't plan on going anywhere you will be spellbound 5 + *****
Kirstie is hearing whispers on her baby monitor all she can assume is that someone wants to take her baby, she fears that her baby Daisy is a talking point, she tells her husband Dominic but he reassures her everything is okay as Daisy is sleeping peacefully in her bed.
We find out that Kristie has suffered 3 miscarriages so really any new mother would be overprotective of her child its not until her flower beds are ruined , threatening phone calls & paint on her step that her paranoia really takes over.
Dominic decides to give her a break from Daisy so she goes out with her best friend Mel who lives next door , although she seems to be having a good time all she does is worry panic sets in & she leaves, Mel asks her to pay the bill & she will pay her back tomorrow but knows she will never see the money again as she lives the high life, yet cant afford her kids nursery fees etc.
The premise really takes shape when her neighbour Martin comes into the plot, lets just say things spice up from here on in, I wont go into more detail as I may give away spoilers & won't ruin it for those who have not read this.
BEWARE this is addictive compulsive compelling reading so don't plan on going anywhere you will be spellbound 5 + *****
March 7, 2018
Shalini Boland has done it again.. absolutely loved this, easily ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️from me for this book that shocked me right up to the last page!
Kirstie is a new mum to baby Daisy. One day whilst at home on maternity leave she hears a man on the baby monitor saying "let's take the baby and go". Running up to Daisy's room she finds her fast asleep and safe, nobody else is in the house. The police are called and check with all the neighbours but Daisy is the only baby in the street. This begins weeks of anxiety of the new mum and nobody believes her, even her husband thinks she has gone mad. What is happening and who can she trust?
A great, fast read that you will not want to put down. Real characters that have you pulling for them. Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book to read and enjoy in exchange for my honest opinions
Kirstie is a new mum to baby Daisy. One day whilst at home on maternity leave she hears a man on the baby monitor saying "let's take the baby and go". Running up to Daisy's room she finds her fast asleep and safe, nobody else is in the house. The police are called and check with all the neighbours but Daisy is the only baby in the street. This begins weeks of anxiety of the new mum and nobody believes her, even her husband thinks she has gone mad. What is happening and who can she trust?
A great, fast read that you will not want to put down. Real characters that have you pulling for them. Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book to read and enjoy in exchange for my honest opinions
April 6, 2018
Kirstie Rawlings wakes up to hear her infant daughter crying through the baby monitor. Waiting to see if she'd go back to sleep, she then hears something that absolutely terrifies her. She hears an unknown voice .. a man ... saying "Let's take the child and go."
Once she can breathe again, she rushes upstairs .. but there is no one in her child's room. Her infant is sleeping peacefully .. then she hears the crying again through the monitor.
No one else on her street has a baby ...so where is the crying coming from? Is someone trying to steal another baby?
The police don't believe her. Her husband doesn't believe her. Her closest friends don't believe her.
Kirstie knows something in not quite right in her neighborhood. A friend, who is always asking to borrow money. The young girl who is a sometime babysitter for Kirstie. The man next door, a widow, with a picture of his wife holding a doll. The new neighbors that seem secretive. She's even wondering about her own husband.
Someone is lying... or worse. And they do not want their secrets exposed to the light of day. They will do anything to keep their secrets ... and if Kirstie has to be silenced forever, then so be it.
Ms. Boland has written another psychological thriller that will captivate and intrigue even her most critical readers. The suspense starts on the first page and increases throughout until the last surprising end. Twists and turns abound at the most unexpected times. The author is definitely one that I will keep following.
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the digital copy of this Psychological nail-biter. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
April 26, 2018
This was a really enjoyable, gripping thriller in which the crime only became evident towards the end, so it was the investigation essentially worked backwards, which I thought was clever. I would definitely read more by this author!
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
March 29, 2018
Oh em geeeeee! Shalini Boland has outdone herself! I've eagerly been looking forward to her next book and the wait was absolutely worth it.
Baby Daisy is asleep upstairs when, Kirstie, Daisy's mother, hears a strange male voice saying " let's get the baby and go" over the baby monitor. In a panic, she bolts upstairs to the nursery, only to find no one else there besides Daisy, who is still peacefully sleeping.
Of course, she calls the police, her husband and warns the neighbours. As no other babies live on their street, there is no reasonable explanation of the monitor picking up on another monitor's frequency. People find it hard to believe her, after all, she is a new mom that's isolated at home, is over tired and needs rest. Perhaps a doctor's visit would be helpful.
With her relationships feeling the strain of it all and with Kirstie not letting it go, becoming increasingly suspicious of everyone, she is coming across as paranoid.
The author does a brilliant job of hooking you in, flinging you around and around with twists and plenty of red herrings, keeping me highly entertained trying to figure out the truth behind it all, but my efforts in that department were futile because...THAT ENDING! It completely surprised me! Brilliantly done.
I strongly urge you to pick up this one if you don't want to miss out on a vividly captivating, twisted thriller, with a good dose of suspicious characters and a delicious cherry on top ending.
Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture and Shalini Boland for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion of it.
Baby Daisy is asleep upstairs when, Kirstie, Daisy's mother, hears a strange male voice saying " let's get the baby and go" over the baby monitor. In a panic, she bolts upstairs to the nursery, only to find no one else there besides Daisy, who is still peacefully sleeping.
Of course, she calls the police, her husband and warns the neighbours. As no other babies live on their street, there is no reasonable explanation of the monitor picking up on another monitor's frequency. People find it hard to believe her, after all, she is a new mom that's isolated at home, is over tired and needs rest. Perhaps a doctor's visit would be helpful.
With her relationships feeling the strain of it all and with Kirstie not letting it go, becoming increasingly suspicious of everyone, she is coming across as paranoid.
The author does a brilliant job of hooking you in, flinging you around and around with twists and plenty of red herrings, keeping me highly entertained trying to figure out the truth behind it all, but my efforts in that department were futile because...THAT ENDING! It completely surprised me! Brilliantly done.
I strongly urge you to pick up this one if you don't want to miss out on a vividly captivating, twisted thriller, with a good dose of suspicious characters and a delicious cherry on top ending.
Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture and Shalini Boland for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion of it.
April 25, 2018
My rating: 3.5 / 5
The child next door is a psychological thriller. And yes – you can be assured that there are twists, especially some good ones towards the end of the book.
Kirstie Rawlings hears some sounds on her baby monitor of two people talking of taking a baby and going away. She has a daughter who is near 6 months old, and she is terrified. She has had a daughter after a couple of miscarriages, and is extremely emotional at the thought of any danger to her. She rushes to check and finds that her child is safe however – so what is going on? While it seems like the voices she heard are from some other place, she does not know of any other baby in the vicinity. She remains tense for days after that, worried that either her daughter or some other baby is in danger.
In the absence of clear evidence, her husband Dom has his doubts if there is any real danger to their daughter. Kirstie’s friends and many others start feeling that she is losing control of herself.
The story and the writing is very good. The pace though is a letdown in parts. Though it starts very briskly, there is a section of the book in the middle where nothing much seems to be happening, and the book drags along with small incidents. While it serves the purpose of providing a deeper insight into the personalities of the principal characters, you would expect a thriller novel to move faster. It does pick up again towards the later part of the book, and the ending is interesting as well.
I hope to read more of her books shortly.
The child next door is a psychological thriller. And yes – you can be assured that there are twists, especially some good ones towards the end of the book.
Kirstie Rawlings hears some sounds on her baby monitor of two people talking of taking a baby and going away. She has a daughter who is near 6 months old, and she is terrified. She has had a daughter after a couple of miscarriages, and is extremely emotional at the thought of any danger to her. She rushes to check and finds that her child is safe however – so what is going on? While it seems like the voices she heard are from some other place, she does not know of any other baby in the vicinity. She remains tense for days after that, worried that either her daughter or some other baby is in danger.
In the absence of clear evidence, her husband Dom has his doubts if there is any real danger to their daughter. Kirstie’s friends and many others start feeling that she is losing control of herself.
The story and the writing is very good. The pace though is a letdown in parts. Though it starts very briskly, there is a section of the book in the middle where nothing much seems to be happening, and the book drags along with small incidents. While it serves the purpose of providing a deeper insight into the personalities of the principal characters, you would expect a thriller novel to move faster. It does pick up again towards the later part of the book, and the ending is interesting as well.
I hope to read more of her books shortly.
October 6, 2019
Out on a limb on my own again. When will I learn, do not order books about missing children or the threat thereof. Poor old Kirstie, she certainly gave a stunning performance of a woman on the edge - deranged, overwrought, jumping at shadows blah blah. I skimmed along many of the pages where her mind went in ever-decreasing circles of sanity - same plot line, different book. Writers please do not torture us with needless paragraphs about pointless introspection, generally by women. No wonder people used the term 'hysterical' if that's supposed to be how women really behave. Arghh! Kirstie came across as a total flake, bat-shit crazy. I'm surprised Dom was so patient with her, most husbands would have snapped. And I wouldn't blame them!!! The only reason I didn't give it one star was because where its normally 'the husband did it' (tries to drive his wife crazy for one implausible reason or another) this ending was different. Oh man I need a break from these books. Unfortunately my attempts for something different have also fallen flat recently. Keep trying Pat, keep trying.
March 29, 2018
Strongly
Omg I am left speechless after reading The Child Next Door, I read this book within a day as the storyline draws you instantly, the brilliant book cover had me so intruged I couldn't wait to start reading it, this is a book that I would definitely recommend.
Omg I am left speechless after reading The Child Next Door, I read this book within a day as the storyline draws you instantly, the brilliant book cover had me so intruged I couldn't wait to start reading it, this is a book that I would definitely recommend.
March 11, 2018
I read Shalini Boland’s The Secret Mother last year and rated it 2 stars. However I could see the potential there and I don’t just give up on an author if I don’t enjoy the only book I have ever read by them (unless I really hated it then I probably wouldn’t choose to read another). Well, I loved The Child Next Door. It had everything that I want from a psychological thriller and I have spent my Sunday reading it at every available opportunity. It was brilliant.
Our main character is Kirstie who lives in a cul-de-sac with her husband Dom and baby Daisy. One night she overhears someone on her baby monitor talking about taking away a baby. She rushes upstairs to see her baby fast asleep and nobody else in the house. Ringing the police sets in motion a chain of events that see Kirstie’s mentality start to be questioned, and her life soon starts to fall apart. Did she hear voices on the baby monitor? Who were they? Who can she trust? They were the questions I had running through my mind throughout this story and I just loved all of the developments that occurred as I read. Kirstie is a likeable character and her fear was palpable throughout the story. At the same time even I questioned just what was real and just what was in her head. Shalini writes incredibly well, tension, intrigue and mystery is infused throughout each and every page and as Kirstie’s life begins to implode its hard not to feel sympathy for her, and frustration also as even her husband starts to question her sanity.
I loved the setting for this book of this quiet cul-de-sac that was anything but. It was almost like a posh Brookside in my mind, each house containing characters full of mystery and each having hidden secrets they don’t want to come out. Some small. Some major. And I loved finding out about them all. Sometimes living in a street is so much better than somewhere like this where everybody knows your business. There were characters I didn’t particularly like, such as Kirstie’s neighbour and supposed best friend Mel who takes advantage of her numerous times, usually involving money. But, Kirstie was a believable character and was one of those who does want to see the best in people, and she was a very likeable character even with all that was going on. I liked her husband Dom, despite some of the mistakes he makes in the story but I felt that it added to the realism of the story and showed a couple who, despite clearly being in love, still made mistakes just like everybody else. Characterisation here is brilliant, especially in the case of the weird neighbour Martin who, strangely, I liked.
I always like my psychological thrillers to be believable rather than those over the top stories with absurd endings and the ending that Shalini delivers here was brilliant and totally believable. There’s a real emotion filled story here towards the end and it makes you look at certain characters in a different way, and understand them more. I wanted closure for Kirstie and for her life to return to some semblance of normality. It was a satisfying ending and made everything that I had read up until that point make perfect sense. The Child Next Door was a thrilling read that kept me gripped and I have no hesitation in recommending it. I can’t wait to read what Shalini writes next and hope I enjoy it as much as I did this book.
Our main character is Kirstie who lives in a cul-de-sac with her husband Dom and baby Daisy. One night she overhears someone on her baby monitor talking about taking away a baby. She rushes upstairs to see her baby fast asleep and nobody else in the house. Ringing the police sets in motion a chain of events that see Kirstie’s mentality start to be questioned, and her life soon starts to fall apart. Did she hear voices on the baby monitor? Who were they? Who can she trust? They were the questions I had running through my mind throughout this story and I just loved all of the developments that occurred as I read. Kirstie is a likeable character and her fear was palpable throughout the story. At the same time even I questioned just what was real and just what was in her head. Shalini writes incredibly well, tension, intrigue and mystery is infused throughout each and every page and as Kirstie’s life begins to implode its hard not to feel sympathy for her, and frustration also as even her husband starts to question her sanity.
I loved the setting for this book of this quiet cul-de-sac that was anything but. It was almost like a posh Brookside in my mind, each house containing characters full of mystery and each having hidden secrets they don’t want to come out. Some small. Some major. And I loved finding out about them all. Sometimes living in a street is so much better than somewhere like this where everybody knows your business. There were characters I didn’t particularly like, such as Kirstie’s neighbour and supposed best friend Mel who takes advantage of her numerous times, usually involving money. But, Kirstie was a believable character and was one of those who does want to see the best in people, and she was a very likeable character even with all that was going on. I liked her husband Dom, despite some of the mistakes he makes in the story but I felt that it added to the realism of the story and showed a couple who, despite clearly being in love, still made mistakes just like everybody else. Characterisation here is brilliant, especially in the case of the weird neighbour Martin who, strangely, I liked.
I always like my psychological thrillers to be believable rather than those over the top stories with absurd endings and the ending that Shalini delivers here was brilliant and totally believable. There’s a real emotion filled story here towards the end and it makes you look at certain characters in a different way, and understand them more. I wanted closure for Kirstie and for her life to return to some semblance of normality. It was a satisfying ending and made everything that I had read up until that point make perfect sense. The Child Next Door was a thrilling read that kept me gripped and I have no hesitation in recommending it. I can’t wait to read what Shalini writes next and hope I enjoy it as much as I did this book.
March 8, 2018
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.
Kirstie hears a conversation through her baby monitor, which leads her to believe that her daughter Daisy is being taken, but Daisy is safe in her cot. Kirstie therefore calls the police, who canvas the other homes in the cul-de-sac, but there are no other babies in the street. Kirstie then spends the next few chapters locking and re-locking and checking she has locked all the doors and windows in her house and we hear about this in minute detail.
Then other unpleasant things start to occur and Kirstie decides her husband is having an affair, although the woman she believes him to be involved with changes from day to day. At about the two-thirds mark things pick up a bit plot-wise and Kirstie undergoes a personality change and becomes decisive, assertive, brave and a protector of the vulnerable.
While this was a fairly easy read, I didn’t enjoy it much. We spent the entire novel (apart from the epilogue) in Kirstie’s head and she was so unlikeable: whiney, distrustful of her husband and best friend, self-pitying, passive aggressive, just plain passive (when she wasn’t taking what she perceived as terrible risks) and not terribly believable. Her life didn’t really ring true: if you feel unsafe in your own home, wouldn’t you want to spend as much time as possible out of it? Kirstie never even went to the supermarket. Surely a teacher on maternity leave would be taking her baby to the library or a baby group or to see her grandparents or to the park.
The ending was the best part and I found the conclusion satisfactory, although the epilogue was at once a bit much and not enough. On a minor note, who buys steroids from a neighbour and parks in their drive, before moving his car the few metres home? No one, that’s who.
Kirstie hears a conversation through her baby monitor, which leads her to believe that her daughter Daisy is being taken, but Daisy is safe in her cot. Kirstie therefore calls the police, who canvas the other homes in the cul-de-sac, but there are no other babies in the street. Kirstie then spends the next few chapters locking and re-locking and checking she has locked all the doors and windows in her house and we hear about this in minute detail.
Then other unpleasant things start to occur and Kirstie decides her husband is having an affair, although the woman she believes him to be involved with changes from day to day. At about the two-thirds mark things pick up a bit plot-wise and Kirstie undergoes a personality change and becomes decisive, assertive, brave and a protector of the vulnerable.
While this was a fairly easy read, I didn’t enjoy it much. We spent the entire novel (apart from the epilogue) in Kirstie’s head and she was so unlikeable: whiney, distrustful of her husband and best friend, self-pitying, passive aggressive, just plain passive (when she wasn’t taking what she perceived as terrible risks) and not terribly believable. Her life didn’t really ring true: if you feel unsafe in your own home, wouldn’t you want to spend as much time as possible out of it? Kirstie never even went to the supermarket. Surely a teacher on maternity leave would be taking her baby to the library or a baby group or to see her grandparents or to the park.
The ending was the best part and I found the conclusion satisfactory, although the epilogue was at once a bit much and not enough. On a minor note, who buys steroids from a neighbour and parks in their drive, before moving his car the few metres home? No one, that’s who.
March 30, 2018
4.5* --> 5*
Holy guacamole! What a rollercoaster of a story this is! It left me reeling and in desperate need of a stiff drink.
Kirstie is a new mom to a baby girl called Daisy. One night, she’s awoken by voices coming from the baby monitor. Convinced someone is trying to harm her baby, Kirstie races upstairs but there’s nobody there and her baby is sound asleep. This event really rattles her though and soon her entire life starts to fall apart as she becomes increasingly afraid for her baby’s safety.
As someone who frequently suffers from periods of insomnia, I have no problems whatsoever imagining how sheer exhaustion can play tricks on you and make you feel like you’re losing your mind. Kirstie is losing a lot of sleep as well, staying awake all hours because she doesn’t feel safe in her own home. But is her fatigue to blame or is something else going on? It’s incredibly easy to sympathise with her, to relate to her distress. Even though she sometimes makes some dubious decisions, I could understand her quest in keeping her daughter safe from harm.
This psychological thriller kept me guessing until the end and as the tension built up, I found myself inching closer and closer to the edge of my sofa. Just like Kirstie herself, I started suspecting everyone, wondering about their intentions, trying to figure out if they were hiding something and if so, what secrets were lurking behind the closed doors of this seemingly quiet and peaceful cul-de-sac. But I never would have guessed the outcome, even if it had come up to me and hit me in the face. What a shocker!
This is another brilliantly gripping, totally addictive and engrossing page-turner by Shalini Boland. It grabbed me by the throat from the very first page and wouldn’t let go. I’d go as far as to say I think this is the author’s best one yet and I absolutely can’t wait for her next offering!
Holy guacamole! What a rollercoaster of a story this is! It left me reeling and in desperate need of a stiff drink.
Kirstie is a new mom to a baby girl called Daisy. One night, she’s awoken by voices coming from the baby monitor. Convinced someone is trying to harm her baby, Kirstie races upstairs but there’s nobody there and her baby is sound asleep. This event really rattles her though and soon her entire life starts to fall apart as she becomes increasingly afraid for her baby’s safety.
As someone who frequently suffers from periods of insomnia, I have no problems whatsoever imagining how sheer exhaustion can play tricks on you and make you feel like you’re losing your mind. Kirstie is losing a lot of sleep as well, staying awake all hours because she doesn’t feel safe in her own home. But is her fatigue to blame or is something else going on? It’s incredibly easy to sympathise with her, to relate to her distress. Even though she sometimes makes some dubious decisions, I could understand her quest in keeping her daughter safe from harm.
This psychological thriller kept me guessing until the end and as the tension built up, I found myself inching closer and closer to the edge of my sofa. Just like Kirstie herself, I started suspecting everyone, wondering about their intentions, trying to figure out if they were hiding something and if so, what secrets were lurking behind the closed doors of this seemingly quiet and peaceful cul-de-sac. But I never would have guessed the outcome, even if it had come up to me and hit me in the face. What a shocker!
This is another brilliantly gripping, totally addictive and engrossing page-turner by Shalini Boland. It grabbed me by the throat from the very first page and wouldn’t let go. I’d go as far as to say I think this is the author’s best one yet and I absolutely can’t wait for her next offering!
April 1, 2018
Holy shit this was terrible.
No words
No words
April 24, 2018
4.5 stars!
May 29, 2024
It was good! Very surprised with the twists and turns! I had no clue what was happening!
April 3, 2018
Kristie is a new mom who hears a baby crying and someone say “Let’s just take the baby and go “ on her baby monitor . Suspecting somebody is trying to kidnap her baby Daisy , she rushes upstairs but finds her fast asleep and all alone. Convinced that there is kidnaping in progress in her neighborhood Kristie calls the cops but nobody seems to believe her and even her husband feels she needs to visit the doctor. Kristie then becomes scared and paranoid that somebody is trying to hurt her baby and decides to investigate her neighbors but some secrets might be better left undiscovered.
The Child next door is s fast paced , captivating psychological suspense that kept me up reading till late in the night. The ending was brilliant with a completely unexpected twist and I would highly recommend it for all.
I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
The Child next door is s fast paced , captivating psychological suspense that kept me up reading till late in the night. The ending was brilliant with a completely unexpected twist and I would highly recommend it for all.
I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
March 13, 2018
Having read other books by this author, this book falls short of my expectations. The story goes thus, Kirstie, a new mother with a 6 month old daughter, hears voices on the baby monitor — Let’s take the child and go.
Thinking it to be someone kidnapping her child, she rushes in and finds her daughter safe. But she is unable to let go of this matter. Cops are called, neighbors are suspected, husband thinks wife has gone mad, Kirstie becomes paranoid, develops OCD, locking the doors and windows all through the book, there is doubt cast on everyone. This happens for nearly 3/4th of the book.
The story picks its pace in the last 1/3rd. There are twists and explanations. Secrets are revealed and the story ends. And then there is the epilogue, which is both too much and too less, and I found it incongruous. It just added to the shock factor without adding anything to the story.
I read the book in a few hours, but was way disappointed. The story lacked pizzazz, all I read was Kirstie feeling scared, anxious, paranoid, sure that her daughter was going to be kidnapped. That went on for quite some chapters. I kept on waiting for things to happen in this book, but nothing really did. I didn’t like any of the characters in the book, and I was shocked that I couldn’t connect with the main character Kirstie.
The author Shalini Boland does have the talent to make us readers feel the emotions. I did feel all what the main character felt, the anxiety, the helplessness, and the paranoia. The haunting and the suspicious aura of the neighbours and the cul-de-sac added to the plot and Kirstie’s doubts. So the settings add flavor to the story.
This is an easy and fast read, the story starts well, falls short in the middle, and the ending is okay. The story is entertaining but definitely not a psychological thriller.
3.5 stars rounded to 4
Thinking it to be someone kidnapping her child, she rushes in and finds her daughter safe. But she is unable to let go of this matter. Cops are called, neighbors are suspected, husband thinks wife has gone mad, Kirstie becomes paranoid, develops OCD, locking the doors and windows all through the book, there is doubt cast on everyone. This happens for nearly 3/4th of the book.
The story picks its pace in the last 1/3rd. There are twists and explanations. Secrets are revealed and the story ends. And then there is the epilogue, which is both too much and too less, and I found it incongruous. It just added to the shock factor without adding anything to the story.
I read the book in a few hours, but was way disappointed. The story lacked pizzazz, all I read was Kirstie feeling scared, anxious, paranoid, sure that her daughter was going to be kidnapped. That went on for quite some chapters. I kept on waiting for things to happen in this book, but nothing really did. I didn’t like any of the characters in the book, and I was shocked that I couldn’t connect with the main character Kirstie.
The author Shalini Boland does have the talent to make us readers feel the emotions. I did feel all what the main character felt, the anxiety, the helplessness, and the paranoia. The haunting and the suspicious aura of the neighbours and the cul-de-sac added to the plot and Kirstie’s doubts. So the settings add flavor to the story.
This is an easy and fast read, the story starts well, falls short in the middle, and the ending is okay. The story is entertaining but definitely not a psychological thriller.
3.5 stars rounded to 4
Displaying 1 - 30 of 690 reviews