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The Child Before cover art

The Child Before

By: Michael Scanlon
Narrated by: Ruairi Conaghan
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Summary

An absolutely gripping detective thriller

She began to sing, the girl. Her voice was soft, so soft it was almost of the wind. It was a lullaby. She cradled her arms, rocking them gently back and forth. As if she was holding a baby. But she was not. Her arms were empty.

On a cold morning a cyclist finds the brutally-slaughtered body of a woman in her car, on a remote lane leading to the long-abandoned Irish village of Kelly’s Forge. 

But when Detective Finnegan Beck arrives from the nearby town of Cross Beg to investigate he notices there’s a baby’s seat in the back of the car. A bottle of baby’s milk lying in the footwell. And no child. 

Little Róisín isn’t the first child to go missing from that same remote location though. There was another baby girl, taken more than 50 years before, who was never found. Has too much time passed for there to be a connection, or does something - or someone - link these two crimes? 

Beck claims he does not want to stay in Cross Beg. His heart is back in Dublin, with the woman he loves. But, knowing that a child’s life depends on him changes things. He knows he has to find the missing baby girl. Because if he doesn’t, he fears there’s a chance everyone will give up the baby for dead, just like they did before....

This dark and twisted novel will keep you up all night. Perfect for fans of LJ Ross, Patricia Gibney, and Rachel Caine.

©2019 Michael Scanlon (P)2019 Bookouture

What listeners say about The Child Before

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Authentic, thrilling, moving

Deeply moving modern thriller as it relates to events surrounding infant deaths during the past 70 years.
A hero that isn't quite an anti-hero; sufficiently flawed to believe in.
Strong story with great sub texts & performed with just the right laconic drawl at times.
Looking forward to the next book.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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the s try storyline an characters

Very engaging lots of plot interest I listened every nigh while lying in bed I'll and it was a godsemd

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Found it hard to get into

Might have found this a better read than audio, the narrators voice droned a bit and found myself drifting at times. The story was OK but jumped from one person to another , a bit confusing I might give this book another try but read it this time.

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