by Anni Tayler
Kate is a sixty-something detective in Australia with a strong track record of catching killers and who probably isn't going to retire until they force her to. But things hit close to home when her granddaughter is kidnapped from daycare, along with four other 3-year-olds. The book spends a large amount of time at the beginning describing all the leads Kate and the other detectives follow to try to bring the kids back, until suddenly, over three years later, four of the kids are simply safely returned, with only Kate's granddaughter still missing. Now its on to find Ivy, no matter what.
This was slower paced at first but only because it was so realistic. Detective work is all about chasing leads that don't actually pan out but each one makes you feel hopeful for the characters, especially with kids involved. The plot was a little different, with five kids taken instead of just one and the twist when they are returned unharmed. It was an excellent thriller, well written and keeping you guessing.