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Book Review | One Last Child

  • Writer: Wyvness
    Wyvness
  • Oct 6, 2023
  • 3 min read

A riveting tale of vanishing children, relentless determination, and unexpected twists that will keep you guessing until the last page


One Last Child by Anni Taylor


Publication Date: January 15, 2020


Publisher: Bookish Coast


Read Date: October 4, 2023


Series: Tallman's Valley Detectives #1


Genre: Mystery Fiction


Pages: 438 Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐






Synopsis

Five long-missing children are about to be RETURNED.
It was summer in the mountains when five small children vanished from their nursery school picnic. The heat was stifling that day, the tinkle of an ice-cream van in the air....
Three-and-a-half years later, in the dead of winter, the children are returned to their families...one by one.
All except for Ivy - the granddaughter of Homicide Detective Kate Wakeland. The other four children say Ivy is dead.
Speculation grows that the mysterious abductor is enacting a cruel revenge plot due to a murderer that Kate put in jail years before.
Kate isn't sure what to believe. But one thing is certain - she's about to begin the battle of her life. When the children were first stolen, she was prevented from investigating the case.
But now, Kate will be relentless in uncovering the identity of the abductor and discovering what happened to Ivy.

Review

The premise of "One Last Child" is nothing short of extraordinary – not one child abducted, but five, all at once, during a nursery school picnic. The heat of that summer day hung heavy, with the distant jingle of an ice-cream van in the air, setting the scene for an unimaginable disappearance. What makes it even more chilling is that one of these missing children is Ivy, the granddaughter of Homicide Detective Kate Wakeland.

Mystery thrillers can sometimes feel formulaic, with predictable plot twists and outcomes, but "One Last Child" is a refreshing exception. It expertly keeps readers engaged throughout the entire narrative, leaving them unable to predict the ending and uncertain of where the story will ultimately lead.


What sets this story apart is its cast of characters, who defy the usual conventions of the genre. Instead of an abundance of stereotypical police officers propelling the plot forward, we have Kate Wakeland, an everyday person thrust into an unimaginable and heart-wrenching situation. She's not the typical detective we encounter in thrillers; she's a normal, relatable individual faced with an utterly devastating challenge.


The plot is masterfully constructed, filled with red herrings and unexpected twists that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The initial half of the novel, which focuses on the hunt for the missing children, the painstaking follow-ups on leads, and interviews with witnesses, may seem slow, but it authentically captures the frustration that often plagues law enforcement in cases where children vanish without a trace. This slow build-up and apparent lack of progress make the eventual reappearance of the children even more shocking.


One of the standout elements of this book is the choice of Kate Wakeland as the central character—an older female detective who doesn't fit the typical mould. She's happily married, doesn't rely on excessive drinking, and doesn't rush headlong into dangerous situations like many of her female counterparts in the genre. Her authenticity adds depth and relatability to the narrative.


In summary, "One Last Child" is a gripping mystery thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end. If you appreciate a story with a unique premise, well-developed characters, and a plot that defies expectations, then "One Last Child" is a must-read.



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