The Nowhere Child

by Christian White

Overview

“A nervy, soulful, genuinely surprising it-could-happen-to-you thriller — a book to make you peer over your shoulder for days afterwards.”—A.J. Finn, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window

Winner of the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award, The Nowhere Child is screenwriter Christian White’s internationally bestselling debut thriller of psychological suspense about a woman uncovering devastating secrets about her family—and her very identity…

Kimberly Leamy is a photography teacher in Melbourne, Australia. Twenty-six years earlier, Sammy Went, a two-year old girl vanished from her home in Manson, Kentucky. An American accountant who contacts Kim is convinced she was that child, kidnapped just after her birthday. She cannot believe the woman who raised her, a loving social worker who died of cancer four years ago, crossed international lines to steal a toddler.

On April 3rd, 1990, Jack and Molly Went’s daughter Sammy disappeared from the inside their Kentucky home. Already estranged since the girl’s birth, the couple drifted further apart as time passed. Jack did his best to raise and protect his other daughter and son while Molly found solace in her faith. The Church of the Light Within, a Pentecostal fundamentalist group who handle poisonous snakes as part of their worship, provided that faith. Without Sammy, the Wents eventually fell apart.

Now, with proof that she and Sammy are in fact the same person, Kim travels to America to reunite with a family she never knew she had. And to solve the mystery of her abduction—a mystery that will take her deep into the dark heart of religious fanaticism where she must fight for her life against those determined to save her soul…

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250252937
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	01/21/2020
Pages:	400
Sales rank:	529,352
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Christian White is an internationally bestselling and award-winning Australian author and screenwriter whose debut novel, The Nowhere Child, won the 2017 Victorian Premier’s Literary Award. His films have been showcased around the world. He lives in Melbourne with his wife and their greyhound.

Editorial Reviews

“A nervy, soulful, genuinely surprising it-could-happen-to-you thriller — a book to make you peer over your shoulder for days afterwards.”—A.J. Finn, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window

"A stunning debut...White skillfully creates a credible story filled with surprises and realistic characters worth caring about."—Associated Press

"The Nowhere Child is the personification of a high-concept thriller, brilliantly executed. White raises the bar on psychological suspense, telling Kim Leamy’s tale in a stylish voice and with a heart-pounding pace. Read page one, and you won’t stop. Guaranteed."—Jeffery Deaver, New York Times bestselling author

"The Nowhere Child is compelling and intense. The alternating chapters between past and present are perfectly paced and masterfully written to maximize suspense and lead us down a path of love, hate, redemption, and—ultimately—hope. I literally could not put this book down until I turned the last page. The best debut novel I've read in years."—Allison Brennan, New York Times bestselling author of the Lucy Kincaid and Max Revere series

"The Nowhere Child is pure dynamite. The high concept premise grabbed me from the first page and refused to let me go until I finished. You may try to read it slowly, so you can savor every single word, but the story is so all-encompassing—the need to know what happens next so urgent—you’ll forget all about savoring and find yourself tearing through the pages as fast as your fingers can manage. You do not want to miss this book!"—Linda Castillo, New York Times bestselling author of the Kate Burkholder series

"The Nowhere Child is a well-written thriller that avoids the clichés of the genre. The characters are interesting and believable and the book kept me reading up to the satisfying conclusion." —Phillip Margolin, New York Times bestselling author of The Third Victim

“An impressive debut novel, deftly plotted, constantly shifting and full of vivid characters.”— Garry Disher, author of the Inspector Challis mysteries

“White skillfully builds an uncertain, noxious world of dysfunctional families and small-town secrets. The Nowhere Child is a gripping debut from an exceptional new talent.”— Mark Brandi, Crime Writers' Association Debut Dagger Award Winning author of Wimmera

“Such a clever idea, which grips from the very first chapter.”—Ragnar Jonasson, author of Snowblind

“Beautifully written, perfectly suspenseful and wonderfully dark. I could not put this book down.”— Susi Holliday, author of The Deaths of December

“Packed with tension, twists and tremendous pace, it’s hard to believe that this is the work of a debut author. The Nowhere Child is stunning and flawless. I can’t recommend it enough.”— Thomas Enger, author of Burned

“The Nowhere Child is a fabulous read, populated by such well-drawn and identifiable characters that I felt I knew them. I was desperate to know how the story unfolded. Brilliant!”— Louise Voss, author of From the Cradle

"[An] outstanding debut. By juxtaposing past and present, the author keeps the tension high. The impatient may be tempted to skip ahead, but they shouldn’t. Thriller fans will want to savor every crumb of evidence and catch every clue. White is definitely a writer to watch."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"In this stunning first novel, White weaves stories within stories while keeping the thrilling mystery alive. [A] tightly woven debut thriller."—Library Journal (starred review)

"White has written a “returning-to-your-southern-roots” tale with a difference; Kim is exploring roots she never knew she had, and the journey is as bumpy and fraught with bewildered feelings as readers might imagine. This worthwhile story of a woman’s quest for the truth will work with women’s-fiction readers as well as mystery fans."—Booklist

"Readers are led through each shocking revelation until reaching a tense climax they will not see coming.This excellent thriller marks a noteworthy new voice on the rise."—Mystery Scene

"A very auspicious debut...A tightly written book with a dynamite plot."—Toronto Globe and Mail

"A propulsive debut novel...gripping. White is a sparse but talented writer, his sharp lines cutting the page like knives. With few details he paints vivid scenes. Deftly plotted, with believable characters, The Nowhere Child is a satisfying mystery by a talented new voice in the genre."—Shelfawareness

"A novel that builds to a terrifying climax, The Nowhere Child introduces an author whose talents include strong plotting, vivid characterization and a profound sense of place. And it offers powerful explorations of dysfunctional families, the damage that lies can spawn and the dangers of cults based on personality. "—The Free Lance-Star

From the Publisher

Narrator Katherine Littrell lends her talent to the heart-pounding story of a young woman caught in a strange tale of religious cults, stolen children, and snake handling. Kim Leamy lives a fairly quiet life, avoiding her neighbors and teaching photography at a school in Melbourne, Australia. When she encounters a man from Kentucky with DNA evidence that he may be her brother, Kim discovers that she could be Sammy Went, a child stolen from her home at the age of two. Littrell’s narration seamlessly moves between Australian and Kentucky accents, allowing individual characters to shine. Littrell guides listeners through a strange story, keeping tension high. V.B. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine

OCTOBER 2019 - AudioFile