#Spotlight Feature #Extract ~ Dear Child by Romy Hausmann #Psychological #Thriller @Flatironbooks

I’m delighted to be joining the blog tour for Dear Child, courtesy of Claire McLaughlin of Flatiron Books, with a spotlight post.

About the Book

In 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 14 years ago. The police and Lena’s family are all desperately trying to piece together a puzzle which doesn’t quite seem to fit.

The kindle, hardback and audiobook editions were published by Quercus in May 2020.

New York Times bestseller Alice Feeney calls DEAR CHILD, “Room meets Gone Girl…Deliciously dark, original, and beautifully written,” and in an early STARRED review, Publishers Weekly calls it, “[An] outstanding debut…This darkly disturbing thriller definitely marks Hausmann as a writer to watch.” 

Book links ~ Amazon UK | Amazon US | Waterstones | Hive Books   

Extract

It’s hard to tell whether it is actually evening, or whether he’s decided that’s what it is. Insulation panels are screwed over the windows. He creates day and night. Like God. I try to persuade myself I’m already over the worst, but I can’t stop anticipating that we’ll be going to bed together soon. The children already have their pyjamas on. The boy’s are too small, whereas the girl’s sleeves go way over her wrists. The children kneel on the floor a couple of metres from the sofa and hold their hands up to feel the residual warmth of the wood-burning stove. The fire has burned down to a black heap, with only the odd ember still glowing red. The high-pitched voices with their jolly chitter-chatter blend into the sheer abnormality of this situation. I can’t understand exactly what they’re saying. It’s as if I’m hearing them talk through cotton wool, while I contemplate how I’m going to kill their father.

About the Author

Romy Hausmann was born in the former GDR 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 TV. DEAR CHILD is her thriller debut. Romy lives with her family in a remote house in the woods near Stuttgart.