I enjoyed this. The topics are emotionally challenging at times, but it’s written in such a sensitive way that it doesn’t affect your enjoyment of the book and appreciation for the language. I loved the exploration of the complexities of various relationships and how the characters developed over the course of the book.

Excellent book, I enjoyed it so much. I love that the story was told from multiple perspectives as it gave us a chance to know each of the characters. Loved how the story played out.

A great page turner. This story revolves around two couples; Cath and Jim whose daughter Emma walked out one day and never came back and Nick and Lara, a young couple who rent Cath and Jim’s old family home. With Cath struggling mentally with the past Lara and Nick bring happiness and light back into her world. Whilst driving through town one day Jim is sure he has seen Emma. Emma has also seen Jim.
So many lies, secrets and trauma unfold bringing devastation to all parties.
I would highly recommend this book. The characters are all totally believable and brought to life by Rachel Hancox. I will certainly be looking out for more books by this author.

I really loved this story and I found it hard to put down. The book is basically the story of five people intrinsically linked together by fate and love, of their insecurities, of their guilt, of their passion and how communication could have changed their lives completely.
Cath, a school teacher and Jim a newspaper photographer had been deeply in love from the first time that he had spotted her on the back of a carnival float, they had married and had two beautiful daughters, Emma and Rose but Rose would not survive and when she was seventeen Emma would disappear without trace..........their lives would never be the same again.
With and inheritance left to them Cath and Jim decided to buy a cottage to rent, Lara and Nick were to be their delighted tenants. Lara and Nick both had troubled childhoods, they were deeply in love but Lara had a secret that could destroy them.
Cath and Jim were still in love but Emma's disappearance had put up a barrier between them, a barrier that Jim couldn't break down, they were growing distant. Cath sought comfort in helping their tenants but was her help too intrusive ?, Jim sought comfort elsewhere, his guilt was deep, was loosing their daughters something that they could return from ? Would Lara's secret be revealed ? Was Emma still alive and if so would she ever return or would the guilt of being the surviving twin destroy her.
These lives are all linked together beautifully by Rachel Hancox, the love, the sadness and the guilt are palpable throughout, a thoroughly enjoyable story.
I received a free copy of this book and my review is voluntary

This was a difficult topic to write about and in places was very emotional.the characters were easy to read about as they were so clearly defined and the village scenery was good.
I was not grasped by the story but more curious as to what the secret was.
I am glad that I did get to the end but it was not one of my favourite books as I found myself out of depth with the subject

I absolutely loved this book from start to finish. What an amazing plot with really believable characters. I will definitely be reading more books from this author, keep them coming!

Complex story full of emotion,secrets and lies. Characters were interesting, all with their own traumas. Figurehead at times but compelling.

I found this story a very emotional tale of family, loss and grief. Tenderly written and with wonderfully flowing chapters each headed with a different character. The character building and story flow was extremely well done I thought, and gave a very well rounded and brilliantly paced flow to the story, enabling the reader to really feel like you knew these characters. Nothing is over dramatized, so the story and the people in them are very believable.

The book begins about a year after 18 year old Emma, following a recent trauma, leaves home. No explanation, just a card to her parents, Jim and Cath, saying she is OK but not to try and find her. The lack of not really knowing why Emma left and the not knowing where she is and if she is really OK has hung over her parents like the darkest cloud ever since, and although we see them now, trying to live normal lives their sadness is evident. On top of this, another family loss has occurred some years previous and we learn more of this as the novel progresses.

We are also introduced to another younger couple, who have recently come into Cath and Jim’s lives and their own experiences of family life are also touched upon.

A very well structed book, with heaps of emotion, but also one with a slight sinister edge to it and a story line that keeps the pages turning. The writing made me form a strong emotional connection to the characters which meant I couldn’t stop myself from returning to the book whenever possible to find out what was going to happen next. I won’t go any further into the plot itself as the twists and events make for an absorbing read. I think what stood out for me, apart from the very emotional and well told story, is the very believable nature of the characters. You really felt like you could know these people.

A tender, quiet novel but one that packs an almighty punch of emotion. I definitely cried with this one. I can’t find any previous books by this author so if this is a debut………WOW!

I really enjoyed this book and loved the author's voice. The character building is excellent and I was gripped from the start. There were some sensitive issued explored in the story line and the emotional depth was brilliant and the characters struggled with loss and trauma as well as plenty of buried secrets. The plot was great and it moved really well. This is a book that you'll finish and yet still think about. This story was beautifully told and it is one I will be recommending to friends and family.

Thank you to #NetGalley for my advance copy of #TheShadowChildby #RachelHancox
This is a book of love and loss, misunderstandings and forgiveness
Emma is 18 when she walks away from her home, her parents and her life. Overwhelmed with everything that had happened in the last year she couldn’t see a way forward. Her parents Jim and Cath carry on as best they can hoping every day Emma will re enter their lives.
An emotional rollercoaster of a book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Enjoyed this book, liked how it played out but felt there was more could be done with Jims character. but over all a very enjoyable read and not how I expected the story to go

A great story full of so many twists and turns as to what has happened and where it will end up. Beautifully written and handled.

Cath and Jim are the loving parents of Emma, an eighteen year old with a promising future. However, Cath and Jim have felt the devastating impact of recent events and are tormented with unanswered questions. Emma is the only one who can truly help them understand, but where is she?

This was an enjoyable read, with the stories of the different characters unfurling and unravelling page by page. The structure (chapters named after characters) opens various routes for those of us who like to ‘foresee’ the ending and does not disappoint. Each narrative offers further insights and revelations, and there are twists. It is pleasing to get to know a character in such a way, it makes them all the more 'human'.

I enjoyed the parallels between some of the characters and how they developed into the finale, almost bouncing off one another to find their solutions.

You or I could be one of the characters. Cath and Jim feel like our own neighbours. We all know them, even though we may not like them or their actions. We follow their lives through their ups and downs, highs and lows of life. It’s a pleasure to read something that offers realistic characters and a window into different lives, rather than the imagined and often highly unoriginal ‘soap opera’ lives that are in some novels. I actually cared about them.

Recommend this book? I’ll say a resounding yes! A page-turner. Authentic. Enjoyable.

Absolutely loved this book. Its a compelling story of love, loss, families and tangled relationships. The central characters Cath, Jim and Emma are so well written and I almost felt I knew them by the end of the book. Don't hesitate to grab yourself a copy of this book. You'll love it

Family secrets can destroy relationships. This is a heart breaking story about Cath and Jim. They have twin girls, Rose and Emma, but from the onset, Rose is the weaker baby, beset with complex needs and disabilities, and she dies. Emma grows up with survivors guilt. I really thought the image of a stronger baby, taking all her weaker siblings blood was heartless, and probably helped to create the feeling of guilt in this story, I shall be discussing this theme with my students.
Aged 17, Emma experiences a great trauma, affecting both herself and best friend, and she withdraws from her parents and friends, until a year later, Emma disappears. Two post cards are sent, I’m fine, don’t try to find me. Stricken with grief and self blame, Cath and Jim grow apart, each trying and failing to maintain a healthy marriage and relationship.
Secrets and lies are explored, betrayals and forgiveness, all these intense emotions turn full circle, for a satisfactory, if slightly contrived conclusion.
I shall use this novel in our disability discussions , especially regarding the issue of survivor guilt. Some aspects could have been handled better, but with young children, words and explanations are difficult. I found it to be an emotional read, but true to life .
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Random House UK/ Cornerstone, for my digital copy in exchange for my honest and unsolicited review. I have rated this as a four star read. I will leave reviews to Goodreads and Amazon when the page is open.

Heartbreaking story of an ordinary couple losing their first daughter who died in childhood and then the other twin walking out and disappearing and them trying to find a way to live on.. Sorrowful becoming intriguing as we find more out about this couple and their lives. Although well written, the narrative slows down as we progress through the book which was a shame because a lot more is revealed about this couple and their relationship than initially thought.
Thanks to Netgalley for the arc

Meet Cath, Jim, Emma and Lara - the main characters in this interesting tale.

Cath and Jim are parents to Emma and Rose, twin girls born 18 years ago. Sadly, Rose dies as a child due to complications during pregnancy. Emma misses her twin sister but as she grows up she develops a close friendship with an older girl who gets murdered by her twisted boyfriend. Struggling to cope with this double whammy of heartbreak, Emma leaves her home and family behind - sending only a note that she is fine and not to look for her. Cath and Jim are set adrift, having now seemingly lost both of their daughters and Cath struggles to find meaning in the world again. As a photographer, Jim is out and about more and crosses paths with the beguiling Dido - but what exactly does she want?

Meanwhile, Cath and Jim have let a house they own to tenants Nick and Lara. Young, recently married and career minded Lara has secrets of her own though, secrets that she confides in Cath but is too afraid to tell Nick in case it tears them apart.....that is until she discovers she is pregnant.

This is a well written, absorbing story that kept me coming back for more. Told though chapters that switch between the characters so you get a real sense of who they are and what they are thinking you soon get tangled up in their lives. From the moment that Emma bumps back into her father at about the half way mark the ending seems inevitable but it is still a nice journey there anyway.

Great for a Spring read!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cath and Jim are a happily married couple whose lives were completely upended when their daughter. Emma, walks out and never contacts them again. They have no idea where she is, nor why she left, nor even whether she is safe. The authorities are sympathetic but Emma is turning eighteen, so there are limits to the help they offer. Cath and Jim are shipwrecked, and yet they have to somehow continue living. As they attempt to rebuild themselves, and their relationship with each other, they use an inheritance to buy small rental property - an almost perfect little house so unlike anything they ever had when young.

Cath and Jim are parents of twins, one was born healthy. the other had serious disabilities. Emma, the healthy twin grew up with survivors guilt and one day she just ups and leaves home. The story covers some sensitive issues making this a heartbreaking read in places. The characters were well developed and believable. The pace went from steady, to slow, to steady throughout.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #RandomHouseUK #Cornerstone and the author #RachelHancox for my ARC of #TheShadowChild in exchange for an honest review.

This is a beautifully crafted story of Cath and Jim, their daughter Emma and the people they all meet in the 12 months or so from an event that changes their lives.

As Cath and Jim try to come to terms with their lives without Emma, Cath finds herself drawing closer to tenant Lara, and Jim also finds a new relationship to help him heal.

Full of well drawn characters with flaws and stories of their own, these characters all come together to build a tale of love and loss, challenging relationships, fear of loving the wrong people and the difficulties of feeling alone. It isn’t, however, very cheery! Although ultimately the tale of great love and hope, I was left feeling like there could have been some humour to balance the sadness. It felt very bleak in parts and even when things were good, I still didn’t feel uplifted.
Some truly awful things happen in this story and it is beautifully written, with such care for the characters but ultimately it left me wanting some smiles and fun!

Very complex and with some difficult subject matter, The Shadow Child is beautifully and sensitively written and the relationships between Emma and her parents as well as her friends and her "guru" are particularly well described.
I liked the uncertainty that runs through the book about the reasons why Emma disappeared and how she finds solace elsewhere and the depth of the characters gives real insight into the complexities of the family set up, whatever that set up looks like.