What do you think?
Rate this book
The Lost Boy
In a quiet Melbourne suburb, a young boy vanishes from his front yard without a trace.
Thrust into the limelight, his seemingly happily married parents start to unravel. The more time that elapses with no leads, the more public opinion starts to swing from sympathy to suspicion, and the image of the perfect family starts to crack under the increasing scrutiny of the media and the police.
Wolfie's mother, Olivia, knows better than anyone that even the happiest-looking families harbour secrets.
And sometimes the nightmare is closer than you think.
Thrust into the limelight, his seemingly happily married parents start to unravel. The more time that elapses with no leads, the more public opinion starts to swing from sympathy to suspicion, and the image of the perfect family starts to crack under the increasing scrutiny of the media and the police.
Wolfie's mother, Olivia, knows better than anyone that even the happiest-looking families harbour secrets.
And sometimes the nightmare is closer than you think.
266 pages, ebook
First published September 28, 2021
423 people are currently reading
314 people want to read
About the author
S.A. McEwen
7 books39 followersS.A. McEwen writes nuanced and gritty domestic and psychological thrillers exploring human relationships and how the dark gets in.
She is particularly interested in family relationships.
She is a qualified social worker and works as an educator in youth mental health, and is mum to two delightful boys and a puppy.
She is particularly interested in family relationships.
She is a qualified social worker and works as an educator in youth mental health, and is mum to two delightful boys and a puppy.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
February 19, 2022
This isn’t your typical kidnapping although you’d think it was.
A story which brings two generations of families closer together after the disappearance of a son.
It does have an HEA which I was glad for. Well written and heart breaking story.
A story which brings two generations of families closer together after the disappearance of a son.
It does have an HEA which I was glad for. Well written and heart breaking story.
August 27, 2022
First read of this author and I enjoyed it, though it ends at exactly 80% on the Kindle, followed by 8 (!!!!) chapters of another book by her ! A tad excessive.......
I did roll my eyes at Wolfie's name.....who calls their kid that ?? The only Wolfie I've ever heard of was Wolfie Smith from the 70s ! I wondered too about the Americanised spellings.....neighbors, realized, etc.....I didn't think they spelt the American way in Australia, so that's disappointing, or it's just careless if that isn't the case. The names Bing and Abby were a little offputting for me as well as I'd consider Bing is a male name and Abby a girl's name, whereas they're the opposite here.
There were mistakes, too, writing who's and not whose, not capitalising Chardonnay or Matchbox and we lost a hyphen in follow through. Not too frightful, though.
The stepson we hear about in the synopsis didn't even crop up till we were 16% in....it was a little distracting as I kept waiting for him to crop up and I also wondered about Wolfie's inheritance, which we never really got to the bottom of.
There's too many secrets from these people, too, making them none too likeable for me. The family didn't seem very dynamic in the hunt to locate Wolfie.....he sort of becomes a background story to the parents' own secrets and lies, both past and present. So if you're hoping for a sort of police procedural-type story, this isn't it.
I did like how things ended up in the story a great deal, I have to say, and will certainly read the author again.
I did roll my eyes at Wolfie's name.....who calls their kid that ?? The only Wolfie I've ever heard of was Wolfie Smith from the 70s ! I wondered too about the Americanised spellings.....neighbors, realized, etc.....I didn't think they spelt the American way in Australia, so that's disappointing, or it's just careless if that isn't the case. The names Bing and Abby were a little offputting for me as well as I'd consider Bing is a male name and Abby a girl's name, whereas they're the opposite here.
There were mistakes, too, writing who's and not whose, not capitalising Chardonnay or Matchbox and we lost a hyphen in follow through. Not too frightful, though.
The stepson we hear about in the synopsis didn't even crop up till we were 16% in....it was a little distracting as I kept waiting for him to crop up and I also wondered about Wolfie's inheritance, which we never really got to the bottom of.
There's too many secrets from these people, too, making them none too likeable for me. The family didn't seem very dynamic in the hunt to locate Wolfie.....he sort of becomes a background story to the parents' own secrets and lies, both past and present. So if you're hoping for a sort of police procedural-type story, this isn't it.
I did like how things ended up in the story a great deal, I have to say, and will certainly read the author again.
November 30, 2021
Earlier this month I read the author’s The Good Daughter as a random kindle freebie find. It was decent enough to merit further reading, so when this one came up on Netgalley, I checked it out. Sure enough, in more of the same, the author proves quite crafty at writing character driven dramatic fiction. Sure, much like her other book, it is structures like a thriller, because that’s what sells, but really, even more so in this case it’s very much a family drama with a crime in it.
The crime is kidnapping. A silly-named four-year-old boy vanishes from his yard, while his mother was supposed to be watching him. She’s devastated, his father is devastated, and while they wait, for it is all they can do, their relationship is presented in all its complexity and ugliness i.e. striking visceral realism.
Olivia, the perfect wife and mother, was actually actively contemplating a divorce. Nick, the adoring spouse and dad, has been actively cheating on Olivia, for a while and with someone too close for comfort. Nick’s teenage son form his first marriage who’d recently come to live with them may or may not have psychopathic tendencies. And then there’s Olivia’s family’s past, because her son isn’t the first boy in her family to vanish without a trace.
Taken all together, multiple strands and perspectives of this novel weave together into a cohesive fabric of a complicated relationships where redemption and love triumph in the end. Almost all too neatly and certainly it’s all very heavy on forgiveness, but overall, from the purely psychological perspective it’s pretty well done, if only because the author isn’t afraid to look into the dark corners of psyches and create characters that aren’t immediately, easily (or at all) likable for the sake of lifelike veracity…people cheat on their loved ones, people are not all readymade for parenting, love is complicated, etc.
You didn't expect a happy family, did you? You want to read about the other ones, they make for more interesting and original stories. Tolstoy was right.
Of course, then there’s the matter of the characters not being all that engaging for not being all that likable, and the thriller element isn’t especially thrilling if that’s what you’re mostly after, and there’s a certain disjointedness to proceedings here with the narrative jumping somewhat too enthusiastically all around, but overall, it was a decently entertaining read that went by very quickly and played around with some interesting psychology. Thanks Netgalley.
The crime is kidnapping. A silly-named four-year-old boy vanishes from his yard, while his mother was supposed to be watching him. She’s devastated, his father is devastated, and while they wait, for it is all they can do, their relationship is presented in all its complexity and ugliness i.e. striking visceral realism.
Olivia, the perfect wife and mother, was actually actively contemplating a divorce. Nick, the adoring spouse and dad, has been actively cheating on Olivia, for a while and with someone too close for comfort. Nick’s teenage son form his first marriage who’d recently come to live with them may or may not have psychopathic tendencies. And then there’s Olivia’s family’s past, because her son isn’t the first boy in her family to vanish without a trace.
Taken all together, multiple strands and perspectives of this novel weave together into a cohesive fabric of a complicated relationships where redemption and love triumph in the end. Almost all too neatly and certainly it’s all very heavy on forgiveness, but overall, from the purely psychological perspective it’s pretty well done, if only because the author isn’t afraid to look into the dark corners of psyches and create characters that aren’t immediately, easily (or at all) likable for the sake of lifelike veracity…people cheat on their loved ones, people are not all readymade for parenting, love is complicated, etc.
You didn't expect a happy family, did you? You want to read about the other ones, they make for more interesting and original stories. Tolstoy was right.
Of course, then there’s the matter of the characters not being all that engaging for not being all that likable, and the thriller element isn’t especially thrilling if that’s what you’re mostly after, and there’s a certain disjointedness to proceedings here with the narrative jumping somewhat too enthusiastically all around, but overall, it was a decently entertaining read that went by very quickly and played around with some interesting psychology. Thanks Netgalley.
August 28, 2022
Setting: Melbourne, Australia.
Olivia is finding life with her young son, Wolfie, hard - his behaviour patterns remind me of someone on the autistic spectrum but, for Olivia, it only makes her feel useless and angry. Her husband, Nick, is not particularly supportive and cannot see much wrong with Wolfie, telling Olivia she pays him too much attention. She is also distracted by her ambivalent feelings towards her teenage stepson, Charlie, now living with them since the death of his mother. All these elements combine to make Olivia seriously consider divorcing Nick - indeed, she has already had the papers drawn up by her solicitor and only has to decide when to serve them. Until, one day, she gets angry with Wolfie and sends him outside, where she watches him sitting on the trampoline. Olivia goes to the bathroom to calm down before speaking to Wolfie again but then thinks she needs a rest so gets into bed - and when she wakes up, Wolfie has disappeared in an apparent abduction....
The story weaves from the present day, and the couple trying to cope with the fact of their son going missing, to the past - including Olivia's upbringing with her older sister, Bing, and her autistic brother, Abby, who goes missing from his special school when she is a child. Olivia has a volatile relationship with her sister, which has also come back to haunt her. As the story progresses, we also discover what secrets Olivia and Nick are keeping from each other. This was a good read but none of the characters were particularly likeable. I also didn't get much of an Australian 'vibe' with this one, which was disappointing. Would still rate it as 4 stars, even though I had worked out who the kidnapper was before the end and the strange discovery that the kindle edition ended at 80%! - 8/10.
Olivia is finding life with her young son, Wolfie, hard - his behaviour patterns remind me of someone on the autistic spectrum but, for Olivia, it only makes her feel useless and angry. Her husband, Nick, is not particularly supportive and cannot see much wrong with Wolfie, telling Olivia she pays him too much attention. She is also distracted by her ambivalent feelings towards her teenage stepson, Charlie, now living with them since the death of his mother. All these elements combine to make Olivia seriously consider divorcing Nick - indeed, she has already had the papers drawn up by her solicitor and only has to decide when to serve them. Until, one day, she gets angry with Wolfie and sends him outside, where she watches him sitting on the trampoline. Olivia goes to the bathroom to calm down before speaking to Wolfie again but then thinks she needs a rest so gets into bed - and when she wakes up, Wolfie has disappeared in an apparent abduction....
The story weaves from the present day, and the couple trying to cope with the fact of their son going missing, to the past - including Olivia's upbringing with her older sister, Bing, and her autistic brother, Abby, who goes missing from his special school when she is a child. Olivia has a volatile relationship with her sister, which has also come back to haunt her. As the story progresses, we also discover what secrets Olivia and Nick are keeping from each other. This was a good read but none of the characters were particularly likeable. I also didn't get much of an Australian 'vibe' with this one, which was disappointing. Would still rate it as 4 stars, even though I had worked out who the kidnapper was before the end and the strange discovery that the kindle edition ended at 80%! - 8/10.
September 19, 2022
When I started this book, I had just read a book similar to this one that I regretted spending time on because of the bad writing and shoddy stylings. So when this book started to go wrong (to me), I gave up early. There’s just too many good books out there. I am not young anymore, just don’t have the time.
The first clue to me was the child’s name, “Wolfe” Now, in a serious book, such a nickname requires explanation. Even John Banville will tell me the reason for the cuteness of a nickname. This author did not.
Next came the purple shadows under the female protagonist's eyes, to "tell" me that she is suffering stress because her young child is missing, rather than showing me through her thoughts and my senses. I don't want to be told what the characters are thinking, feeling; I want the author's writing prowess to show me, and I'll draw my own conclusions. Only then will I be drawn into the story. I call it the "integrity" of the writing.
Because more of the same cropped up quickly as I went along, such as the female protagonist's husband's heart jumping into his throat at the sight of a police car's lights behind his truck, and other such telling, I gave up after 50 pages, almost 25% of the book. Again, a waste of my time.
This may be a perfectly good book, so I recommend others not give it short shrift based on my feelings about it. I'm personally glad this is a giveaway.
The first clue to me was the child’s name, “Wolfe” Now, in a serious book, such a nickname requires explanation. Even John Banville will tell me the reason for the cuteness of a nickname. This author did not.
Next came the purple shadows under the female protagonist's eyes, to "tell" me that she is suffering stress because her young child is missing, rather than showing me through her thoughts and my senses. I don't want to be told what the characters are thinking, feeling; I want the author's writing prowess to show me, and I'll draw my own conclusions. Only then will I be drawn into the story. I call it the "integrity" of the writing.
Because more of the same cropped up quickly as I went along, such as the female protagonist's husband's heart jumping into his throat at the sight of a police car's lights behind his truck, and other such telling, I gave up after 50 pages, almost 25% of the book. Again, a waste of my time.
This may be a perfectly good book, so I recommend others not give it short shrift based on my feelings about it. I'm personally glad this is a giveaway.
December 1, 2021
On the whole I found this book confusing rather than thrilling. I thought I knew what was happening and then a new character would be introduced in a point way past where you thought they might have appeared.
Some detailed character writing but the book failed to wow me.
Some detailed character writing but the book failed to wow me.
December 3, 2021
I read this book in one sitting and I enjoyed it although there were some negatives too. This book was fast paced and tense with a storyline that gripped me and wouldnt let me go, I had to know what happened and who had kidnapped him and why. It was so unpredictable with twists that were truly suprising and made me gaso out loud on some occasions.
However I found the writing style really hard to get into and that took away from the novel and left me wanting more from the characters in way of development and content.
Overall though I enjoyed it.
However I found the writing style really hard to get into and that took away from the novel and left me wanting more from the characters in way of development and content.
Overall though I enjoyed it.
December 17, 2021
I found this book difficult to read. The story about a missing child and how the family responds during this time is usually interesting, I look forward to the who is responsible and will they get the child back. But these characters were hard to like. Yes there were some issues that made them the people thy had become, but I just did not like any of the characters at all.
This book was fast paced and tense with angry characters acting oddly with secrets. There were twists that were unsurprising. Sorry, this book was not for me.
I received an ARC from NetGalley for an unbiased review.
This book was fast paced and tense with angry characters acting oddly with secrets. There were twists that were unsurprising. Sorry, this book was not for me.
I received an ARC from NetGalley for an unbiased review.
November 29, 2021
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The Lost Boy by S.A. McEwen is an unputdownable domestic thriller with plenty of twists and turns. The story revolves around Olivia, whose four year-old son Wolfie has disappeared. At first, everyone is sympathetic to Olivia and her husband Nick, but then they start to become suspicious. Who kidnapped Olivia's son? Is it a stranger or someone closer to home? And what secrets are Olivia and Nick hiding?
Here is a gripping excerpt from Chapter 1:
"The boy is gone.
His mother tears around the garden - the front yard, the back. Overgrown foliage scratches lightly at her skin as she bolts down the narrow passage along the side of the house, a first time, then a second.
Both gardens are empty.
She spilled onto the street, a flash of color. Her red dress floats and wafts behind her, the material smoothing out the panic in her jerky stride. She looks like she is floating, not panicking."
Overall, The Lost Boy is a domestic thriller with twists that you won't see coming! One highlight of this book is the twists. There was one that occurred a bit before the halfway mark that made my mouth drop. And the book continues with twist after twist. I did take off one star, because I didn't enjoy the 3rd person omniscient style of narration while following different people in different chapters. It made it hard for me to connect with any of the characters, even Olivia. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of domestic thillers, I highly recommend that you check out this book, which is available now!
The Lost Boy by S.A. McEwen is an unputdownable domestic thriller with plenty of twists and turns. The story revolves around Olivia, whose four year-old son Wolfie has disappeared. At first, everyone is sympathetic to Olivia and her husband Nick, but then they start to become suspicious. Who kidnapped Olivia's son? Is it a stranger or someone closer to home? And what secrets are Olivia and Nick hiding?
Here is a gripping excerpt from Chapter 1:
"The boy is gone.
His mother tears around the garden - the front yard, the back. Overgrown foliage scratches lightly at her skin as she bolts down the narrow passage along the side of the house, a first time, then a second.
Both gardens are empty.
She spilled onto the street, a flash of color. Her red dress floats and wafts behind her, the material smoothing out the panic in her jerky stride. She looks like she is floating, not panicking."
Overall, The Lost Boy is a domestic thriller with twists that you won't see coming! One highlight of this book is the twists. There was one that occurred a bit before the halfway mark that made my mouth drop. And the book continues with twist after twist. I did take off one star, because I didn't enjoy the 3rd person omniscient style of narration while following different people in different chapters. It made it hard for me to connect with any of the characters, even Olivia. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of domestic thillers, I highly recommend that you check out this book, which is available now!
September 25, 2021
👦A mother's worst nightmare! Is Olivia's family cursed?
I love to read fiction set in Australia and this suspenseful novel takes place largely in the suburbs of Melbourne pre-pandemic. It's got plenty of shocks and secrets and a little boy mysteriously gone missing from a troubled home.
But The Lost Boy is really Olivia's sad tale. She's experienced horrible loss as a child and then her four-year-old son disappears from the yard one day. Through scenes moving from his disappearance in the present, to significant moments in the six months preceding Wolfie's disappearance, to scenes from Olivia's agitated childhood home, the author weaves a pretty tense path to a conclusion that surprised me. Olivia, who at first seems so strong and put-together, proves to be an unreliable narrator with secrets and a bag of issues from her past that heighten her insecurities and warp her perception. Some of the alternating point of view also proves confusing at first until more is revealed about Olivia's household and extended family.
Some of the twists and surprises in the book could have been explained better, but overall I enjoyed this tense psychological thriller with no graphic violence, just a pile of flawed people feeling their way through life and too often heading in a direction that brings doubt and heartache.
This is the second of McEwen's works that I've read and I count on reading more. In this instance, I read a complimentary advance copy of the book provided by the author. This is my voluntary and honest opinion of the novel.
I love to read fiction set in Australia and this suspenseful novel takes place largely in the suburbs of Melbourne pre-pandemic. It's got plenty of shocks and secrets and a little boy mysteriously gone missing from a troubled home.
But The Lost Boy is really Olivia's sad tale. She's experienced horrible loss as a child and then her four-year-old son disappears from the yard one day. Through scenes moving from his disappearance in the present, to significant moments in the six months preceding Wolfie's disappearance, to scenes from Olivia's agitated childhood home, the author weaves a pretty tense path to a conclusion that surprised me. Olivia, who at first seems so strong and put-together, proves to be an unreliable narrator with secrets and a bag of issues from her past that heighten her insecurities and warp her perception. Some of the alternating point of view also proves confusing at first until more is revealed about Olivia's household and extended family.
Some of the twists and surprises in the book could have been explained better, but overall I enjoyed this tense psychological thriller with no graphic violence, just a pile of flawed people feeling their way through life and too often heading in a direction that brings doubt and heartache.
This is the second of McEwen's works that I've read and I count on reading more. In this instance, I read a complimentary advance copy of the book provided by the author. This is my voluntary and honest opinion of the novel.
July 23, 2022
Yes, I do want to know more about Charlie…
Being an SEN teacher the autism stories woven throughout were very interesting (but easy to spot for me). Sadly many people still don’t recognise or allow for people with autism. The fact that it presents differently in the characters is important as only the other day I heard three teachers had got together and decided a pupil was overly dramatic and couldn’t be autistic because he didn’t flap his hands. Hmmm a lot of awareness raising needs to go on.
About this story though, I’m not sure I like the main character but she is definitely very interesting and keeps you wondering how her mind is working and why she is doing what she’s doing.
There are a few twists and turns, some predictable, others not.
I enjoyed this book.
Being an SEN teacher the autism stories woven throughout were very interesting (but easy to spot for me). Sadly many people still don’t recognise or allow for people with autism. The fact that it presents differently in the characters is important as only the other day I heard three teachers had got together and decided a pupil was overly dramatic and couldn’t be autistic because he didn’t flap his hands. Hmmm a lot of awareness raising needs to go on.
About this story though, I’m not sure I like the main character but she is definitely very interesting and keeps you wondering how her mind is working and why she is doing what she’s doing.
There are a few twists and turns, some predictable, others not.
I enjoyed this book.
November 3, 2022
The Lost Boy by S.A. McEwen is a thriller with twists, turns, and suspense built in. Wolfe, a four year old has disappeared from his yard. There have been no sightings or leads. Who is to blame? As you continue through the story, you will find that everything is not as it seems. The family is not a happy little family as presented, and there are secrets in Olivia’s past that come to light. I was happy to not be able to guess the ending and enjoyed reading it. It was difficult to put down. I will most certainly seek out other novels by this author. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.
September 12, 2021
As a mother, my heart was in my throat the whole time I was reading. As a parent, your mind is always running. Am I a good parent, am I patient enough, why do I let the little things get to me? You bargain with God every time something goes wrong. Family dynamics are so complex and filled with silence and secrecy.
This story was intense and sorrowful. I connected with Olivia and Nick, and even after finishing the story, my soul is heavy, and my mind swirls. This author is thought-provoking, and her writing is deep and powerful.
I read and reviewed a copy of this book.
This story was intense and sorrowful. I connected with Olivia and Nick, and even after finishing the story, my soul is heavy, and my mind swirls. This author is thought-provoking, and her writing is deep and powerful.
I read and reviewed a copy of this book.
February 11, 2023
This book was a jumbled mess. It could have been a lot more interesting if it was written better, for instance the POV would change from one person to someone else with no context. There was also so many characters in this book and one of them had her name and a nickname she was called but it switched from calling her the nickname to her actual name halfway through with little explanation. The ending was so abrupt and I would have liked to see the reunion with Wolfie, but instead it jumped forward a few days after he was found. I felt like there were more questions than answers at the end.
September 26, 2021
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
July 25, 2022
Difficult and disappointing
I thought about stopping reading this book over and over again, but it would pique my curiosity just enough to linger on, but I never really felt engaged with any of the characters, mostly unsympathetic and self- centered. The twist didn't surprise me, but then the way it ended so abruptly did. Too many loose ends and unanswered questions. I cannot recommend this book.
I thought about stopping reading this book over and over again, but it would pique my curiosity just enough to linger on, but I never really felt engaged with any of the characters, mostly unsympathetic and self- centered. The twist didn't surprise me, but then the way it ended so abruptly did. Too many loose ends and unanswered questions. I cannot recommend this book.
December 20, 2021
Beautifully written, tightly plotted page-turner.
I loved the fact that The Lost Boy kept me guessing throughout the novel. The real-to-life characters ensure that you empathise with the pain, grief and agony that they are experiencing about the present situation and also the demons from their pasts.
Looking forward to Good Girl Bad - the next book from S.A. McEwen.
I loved the fact that The Lost Boy kept me guessing throughout the novel. The real-to-life characters ensure that you empathise with the pain, grief and agony that they are experiencing about the present situation and also the demons from their pasts.
Looking forward to Good Girl Bad - the next book from S.A. McEwen.
February 18, 2022
I could really relate to this book, having had a toddler who was a master disappearing artist. Sometimes as parents we do take our eyes off our children for a moment and 99% of the time they are perfectly okay. People do get really judgmental about others because we like to think it couldn't possibly happen to us. Nicely insightful on how people feel and react to extremely stressful situations.
July 15, 2022
Confusing
The story was rather confusing as it bounced back-and-forth between now two months earlier Monday 1998. It was an interesting storyline and I kind of had it figured out at the end who took the boy but it was still confusing. I wouldn’t have called it gripping but it was ok.
The story was rather confusing as it bounced back-and-forth between now two months earlier Monday 1998. It was an interesting storyline and I kind of had it figured out at the end who took the boy but it was still confusing. I wouldn’t have called it gripping but it was ok.
September 17, 2022
I've kind of 'had it up to here' with novels purporting to be psychological thrillers that end up being rather smarmy treatises on family relations.
The ending was particularly annoying and felt like quite a let down because the beginning of the novel seemed to promise a true psychological thriller type of ending.
But for me it earned three stars becaus it was well written.
The ending was particularly annoying and felt like quite a let down because the beginning of the novel seemed to promise a true psychological thriller type of ending.
But for me it earned three stars becaus it was well written.
October 5, 2022
This wasn't quite what I expected - a bit too heavy and over the top on how everyone was thinking; American spellings in Australia irked me somewhat too. One person who is known by two very different names also wasn't helpful. A bit hard to follow at times and wasn't sure where it was going either
October 31, 2022
gripping
I really enjoyed this novel - after reading the ‘Good daughter’ I was intrigued to read this one too. It kept me hooked and constantly wondering who could have taken the boy. The pieces of the puzzle slotted together in the end, totally Surprising me ! Well recommended .
I really enjoyed this novel - after reading the ‘Good daughter’ I was intrigued to read this one too. It kept me hooked and constantly wondering who could have taken the boy. The pieces of the puzzle slotted together in the end, totally Surprising me ! Well recommended .
August 30, 2023
The Lost Boy
Editing could be improved. There were also some very abrupt changes to telling a different part of the story that caused me to believe I had missed major parts of the story somehow. I spent quite a bit of time going back to see if I missed a chapter or several pages or something.
Editing could be improved. There were also some very abrupt changes to telling a different part of the story that caused me to believe I had missed major parts of the story somehow. I spent quite a bit of time going back to see if I missed a chapter or several pages or something.
September 11, 2021
A well-written page-turner that kept me guessing until the end. I had a hard time putting it down! The characters are intriguing and well-drawn, and the story has many twists and turns that I didn't see coming. Very well done!
July 13, 2022
Boring
Slow paced. Poorly written. Too much telling not enough showing. The narrative jumps back and forth in time and between characters in a confusing muddle. What is going on with Charlie is never explained. The book doesn't live up to expectations of the blurb.
Slow paced. Poorly written. Too much telling not enough showing. The narrative jumps back and forth in time and between characters in a confusing muddle. What is going on with Charlie is never explained. The book doesn't live up to expectations of the blurb.
August 4, 2022
out September 28, 2021. on KU if you have service. i got it for free. motherhood. sibling relationships. psychological literary fiction. i really really really enjoyed it. love that book cover. totally pulled me in. and i will read more from S.A. soon. gotta read. laters.
October 13, 2022
Lost Boy
Very strange read, the sisters name was Hannah but also known as Bing. But you had to work that out for yourself. The storyline went back and forth and I found it quite confusing. I did manage to finish the story though mainly to find out the ending
Very strange read, the sisters name was Hannah but also known as Bing. But you had to work that out for yourself. The storyline went back and forth and I found it quite confusing. I did manage to finish the story though mainly to find out the ending
February 2, 2023
This was a great read and showed an interesting perspective on true crime. The only disappointing thing was how rushed the ending was. A majority of the book focuses on two weeks and leaves little room for interpretation, but the last chapter wrapped it all up with too many loose ends.
January 15, 2024
Good story hampered by the many different points of view being told. I found it hard to follow with the time jumps along with the character jumps. I did stick with it and had a satisfactory conclusion.
October 1, 2021
The Lost Boy
I thought the story was interesting and kept me reading. The back and forth on the time frame was a bit hard to keep up with at first.
I thought the story was interesting and kept me reading. The back and forth on the time frame was a bit hard to keep up with at first.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews