Dear Child

THE NO.1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER 'Chilling, original and mesmerising. Hausmann is a force to be reckoned with' David Baldacci 'A peerless exercise in suspense' Financial Times 'Claustrophobic, terrifying and fiercely compelling' Daily Mail 'Disturbingly good' Lesley Kara 'Gripping, suspenseful and beautifully written' Jo Spain YOU ESCAPED. BUT HE WILL NEVER LET YOU GO. A windowless shack in the woods. Lena's life and that of her two children follows the rules set by their captor, the father: meals, bathroom visits, study time are strictly scheduled and meticulously observed. He protects his family from the dangers lurking in the outside world and makes sure that his children will always have a mother to look after them. One day Lena manages to flee - but the nightmare continues. It seems as if her tormentor wants to get back what belongs to him. And then there is the question whether she really is the woman called 'Lena', who disappeared without a trace over thirteen years ago. The police and Lena's family are all desperately trying to piece together a puzzle that doesn't quite seem to fit. 'Will haunt you long after the last page' Alice Feeney 'Keeps you guessing' Sunday Express 'Intelligent and original' Sunday Independent 'Outstanding' Publishers Weekly

Review quote

Dear Child is an accomplished thriller, beautifully written, intriguing and very compelling - Peter James German bestseller Dear Child by Romy Hausmann is tipped to be one of the UK's must-reads of the summer - S Magazine I read Dear Child in one sitting, holding my breath. Such a gripping, suspenseful and beautifully written debut. I loved it! - Jo Spain, author of The Confession One of the best thrillers I've read this year. Flawlessly plotted with a pace that refuses to let the reader come up for air - not that you'd want to - Stephanie Wrobel, author of The Recovery of Rose Gold Wow! Such a disturbingly good read. Romy's knack of getting under a character's skin is impressive. I loved it - Lesley Kara, author of The Rumour If you read only one thriller this year, choose this one. Room meets Gone Girl in this gripping novel, which will haunt you long after the last page - Alice Feeney, author of Sometimes I Lie A peerless exercise in suspense . . . Whether treated as a study in trauma and identity or a dark, well-crafted crime narrative from multiple perspectives, it is a nail-biting fare - Barry Forshaw, Financial Times Claustrophobic, terrifying and fiercely compelling, this is heartbreaking - Daily Mail

Biographical note

Romy Hausmann was born in East Germany in 1981. At the age of twenty-four she became chief editor at a film production company in Munich. Since the birth of her son, Romy has been working as a freelancer in television. Her thriller debut, Dear Child, became a number one bestseller in Germany and is being published in twenty countries. Sleepless is her second thriller. Romy lives with her family in a remote house in the woods near Stuttgart.