The Widow by Fiona Barton

The Widow by Fiona Barton

This book has been likened to Gone Girl and Girl on the Train, both of which I have read and, apart from the interesting way the authors play around with the timeline to tell the story, I struggled to find a common thread between the three books.  That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy the book.  I did – a LOT!  It’s a well-written page-turner that I couldn’t put down and was reading into the small hours of the morning.  It wasn’t until I had finished reading the book that I felt frustrated.  There were certain story threads that I was waiting to have resolved…I was expecting little twists to surprise me that never actually came so that, by the end of the book, I had more questions than answers.

Bella Elliot is a little two-year old girl who gets kidnapped right out of the front garden of her house.  We get lured into the investigation by Detective Inspector Sparkes, we get glimpses into the life of the suspected kidnapper and his timid wife, we’re given a brief introduction into the world of the Dark Web and its inhabitants.  Having the story unfold through the voices of the different characters offers the reader a unique opportunity to see the story from different angles all the while hoping for the safe return of a missing little girl.

I felt there could have been more suspense in some of the scenes and I was very disappointed with the ending.  Not because it wasn’t a good ending but, as a personal preference, when it comes to children, I would prefer to see solid closure.

I am giving this book THREE and a HALF COFFEE CUPS ☕☕☕ and would recommend that you give this author a try…this is a fantastic debut book and I look forward to reading more of her work!