Another BoTM selection checked off, another I can’t believe took me this long to pick up!  The Child by Fiona Barton begins when an infant skeleton is discovered at a construction site.  It appears to be decades old and no one knows who it is.  Angela, a woman whose baby was taken from the maternity ward and never recovered 30 years ago, has a hunch that it is her missing baby. In another part of town, Emma is worried that the discovery of the infant will have police turning up at her door. Who would bury an infant?  Who is the child?

I really enjoyed this book right from the start.  The writing has an ease that moves along quickly and is very engaging.  While I did feel like the book slowed down in the middle, I really liked the ending.  All the pieces in the puzzle wove together seamlessly in the end which is one of my favorite things to find in a good thriller. I would definitely say The Child is a slow burn but it is purposeful and character driven.  I liked the “good reporter” Kate, who was more interested in finding answers than selling out for a good story. I would recommend this thriller to people who like a good mystery without the graphic violence and for people who like character driven novels. I give it a solid 4 out of 5 stars.