The Final Child

Erin thinks she was The Final Child to be abducted by the Father, a serial killer who abducted pairs of siblings. She is the only one who ever got away, with her brother Alex never seen again and only some of the previous children’s bodies being found. She can’t remember any of what happened to her eighteen years ago, but then she meets Harriet, whose cousins were the first victims, and who is writing a book about all the children. Erin and Harriet begin to work through the abductions and Erin’s memory begins to come back. As Erin begins to feel like she is being followed and gifts are being left for her, she wonders if the Father is really dead as she had always believed. Will her nightmare ever stop or will she finally get answers to all her questions?

Having two small boys who share a room, I definitely was somewhat freaked out while reading this story. The author’s ability to create suspense and make you question everything you know was spot on. I don’t know if it was on purpose, but I felt like this book dealt with the topic of nature vs. nurture. How different would things have been if a child was raised in a different environment? The author also wrote in such a way that you could understand why the Father was doing what they were, as twisted as it was. Overall, a thriller that you should read after carefully checking the locks.