The Stolen Child by Emily Shiner
Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense
Read: 18th September 2022
Published: 11th September 2022
★★★★ 4 stars
DESCRIPTION:
She has hundreds of adoring fans. Only one wants to be her best friend.
Eliza has the perfect life. A beautiful home, a hugely successful blog, a loving husband and two adorable children.
Bethany barely scrapes by in a dead-end job. Her only happiness comes from reading Eliza’s blog. Obsessed with her, she believes they’re destined to be best friends.
But Eliza doesn’t want another friend . . . especially one as pushy as Bethany. Because Eliza is hiding a family secret. One that would shatter her entire world if it was ever revealed.
Rejected and furious, Bethany starts stalking Eliza. And, as she watches her every move, Bethany discovers Eliza’s secret and threatens to expose it.
But Eliza will do whatever it takes to protect her perfect life. Even if it means getting rid of Bethany . . . forever.
MY THOUGHTS:
This is my first read by Emily Shiner and I wasn't disappointed. The concept is intriguing with an edgy twist with a prologue that begins the spiral that soon becomes out of control. The reader does have to suspend belief at some of the actions and decisions made by both main characters which really have to be seen to be believed. But who wants reality when reading? It's entertainment and an ability to engage readers that I'm looking for and the author does this well.
Social media has taken the world by storm with Instagram and TikTok among the favourites. Influencers who are sponsored by big name brands to advertise their product rake in profit just for snapping a few well-curated photos in just the right way and the likes (and the money) come rolling in. But take a moment and stop and think just how much information we share on our social media platforms about ourselves. Even our photos can tell someone a lot about us. Once you realise this, the entire concept feels a whole lot scarier.
The story centres mainly on Eliza, an Instagram influencer and blogger with a following that defies logic. But what is even bigger than her social media presence? A secret that she and her husband James have kept for the past 18 months that neither of them want made public. And that makes Eliza vulnerable.
Then along comes Bethany, a cocktail waitress in a dead-end job and a one bedroom apartment with no friends, no money and no prospects. She has followed Eliza avidly for ages, watched her daughter Penelope grow from a baby to a young girl. To Bethany, Eliza has it all. A perfect life, a beautiful home, a loving husband and a gorgeous daughter. It's everything Bethany wants and more. And she decides that she wants it. Obsessed with her, Bethany believes they are destined to be best friends. And she decides that she is going to befriend Eliza. Whether she likes it or not.
But after a couple of fluffed attempts at befriending Eliza, Bethany cannot understand why she doesn't want to be her friend. I mean, that's all she really wants. And no one can have too many friends, can they? But what Bethany doesn't realise is that Eliza doesn't really have any friends. And for good reason.
And then one day...something in one of Eliza's latest instagram post catches Bethany's eye. And suddenly, she knows Eliza's secret. And that is her way in to Eliza's life. And she has no intention of leaving...ever!
Where do I begin? Well, the two main characters Eliza and Bethany are both completely self-obsessed. Both of them are totally flawed to the max and don't see a problem with their behaviour at all! And don't get me started on their decision making! To be honest, they are both to blame for the mess they found themselves in. Usually, the reader sides with one character but quite honestly they were both infuriating. However, I did find myself leaning a little more favourably towards Eliza, though goodness knows why! The woman couldn't see beyond herself, she was that self absorbed!
But the tension...oh the tension! This book had that in spades! I couldn't put it down and read it in a day. Despite the self-obsession and the crazy psycho, THE STOLEN CHILD is one hell of a read that was a thrill ride from start to finish. While the pace was steady to begin with, as soon as Eliza's secret is out...there's so stopping this rollercoaster ride.
The story unfolds through Eliza and Bethany's alternating narratives as we see into both women's worlds and the secrets they are hiding. Some of it is cringe-worthy, not with how it is written but the internal dialogue of both women and the justifying of their actions. Bethany especially is somewhat disturbing...but excellent fun to read though.
While there is no real mystery in this tale, no villain you have to guess the identity of because they are in plain sight, there are still plenty of twists to be had. The ending was a bit of a surprise, as I didn't quite expect it to go in that direction and I'm still not quite sure how I feel about it. But it still works.
THE STOLEN CHILD is a dark thriller that is twisted and psychological that will have you turning the pages long into the night.
I would like to thank #EmilyShiner, #Netgalley, #InkubatorBooks and #ZoolooTours for an ARC of #TheStolenChild in exchange for an honest review.
MEET THE AUTHOR:
She lives in the Appalachian Mountains and loves hiking with her husband, daughter, and their two dogs. And loves books that keep you up long after you should be in bed.
Social Media links:
Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads
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