Ruth Mancini’s The Day I Lost You is a suspense filled psychological thriller that delivers both tension and an emotional punch. When Lauren moves to Spain with her son, Sam, her world unravels after she’s accused of abducting him. As secrets surface, she’s forced to question everything. Inspired by a true case, the novel delves into moral dilemmas, the complexities of the legal system, and the devastating consequences of split-second decisions.

Defence lawyer Sarah Kellerman, navigates justice’s grey areas, making readers question guilt, innocence, and whether justice is ever truly served. Mancini’s taut writing keeps the tension high, and while the novel explores familiar thriller themes, they’re executed with precision. Though the shifting timelines can be disorienting, they ultimately heighten the suspense.

With sharp prose and a plot that ebbs and flows, Mancini masterfully blends psychological depth with legal drama. A thought-provoking and intriguing read perfect for thriller

I really enjoyed this book! Lauren has moved to Spain with her son, Sam, hoping to escape a traumatic loss and start fresh. Hope is a counselor with a baby son who’s gone missing. She claims that Lauren has kidnapped him, but Lauren swears Sam is her son and even has his passport to prove it. But now Lauren has to go back to the UK to answer some tough questions. The plot is full of twists, and you're never really sure what's true until almost the very end.

Big thanks to NetGalley for the preview copy!

Okay, let me just say this upfront: This book completely wrecked me—in the best possible way. I went into it expecting a gripping thriller, but what I got was so much more—a story that’s as emotionally devastating as it is suspenseful, with characters so real they feel like they could step right off the page. If you love books that mess with your head *and* your heart, this one’s an absolute must-read.

The setup alone had me hooked: Lauren is living a quiet life in Spain with her toddler, Sam, when suddenly, the police show up and drop a bombshell—someone in England has accused her of kidnapping their child. Meanwhile, back in the UK, Hope and Drew are grieving parents who claim their baby, also named Sam, was taken from them months ago. But here’s the thing—why did they wait so long to report him missing? And how are these two stories connected?

What follows is a brilliantly layered, slow-burn unraveling of secrets, lies, and heartbreaking choices. The story jumps between perspectives, peeling back the past bit by bit, and just when you think you’ve figured it out, Mancini throws in another twist that makes you question everything. The tension builds so masterfully that I found myself physically holding my breath at points, desperate to know how it would all come together.

What makes this book truly special, though, is how human it all feels. Lauren isn’t just some generic thriller protagonist—she’s flawed, vulnerable, and so fiercely loving that you can’t help but root for her, even as doubts creep in. Hope’s grief over her lost pregnancies is raw and visceral, and Drew… well, let’s just say the more you learn about him, the more unsettling he becomes. Even the side characters, like Gabe, Lauren’s kind but mysterious neighbor in Spain, add so much depth to the story.

Mancini’s background as a criminal defense lawyer shines through in the authenticity of the legal and emotional stakes. This isn’t just a twisty mystery—it’s a deep dive into how far people will go for love, how grief can distort reality, and how even good people can make unthinkable choices when pushed to the edge. There were moments that genuinely brought me to tears, not just from the suspense, but from the sheer tragedy of it all.

And that ending? No spoilers, but it’s perfect—satisfying in a way that feels earned, yet still bittersweet enough to linger in your mind long after you finish. It’s rare to find a thriller that balances heart-pounding twists with such emotional weight, but Mancini pulls it off flawlessly.

If I had any tiny complaints, it’s that the timeline jumps occasionally got a little confusing, but honestly, that’s just me nitpicking—the payoff is more than worth it. And trust me, you’ll want to reread certain chapters once everything clicks into place, just to marvel at how well-crafted the whole thing is.

So, final verdict? The Day I Lost You is a masterpiece of psychological suspense—a book that’s as thought-provoking as it is unputdownable. Clear your schedule before you start, because you won’t want to stop until you’ve devoured every last page.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for the ARC!

Ruth Mancini has become one of those authors who could write a shopping list and I'd be excited to read it. I've loved her previous books so very grateful for this advanced copy from NatGalley, thank you.

In this book we're in Spain with Lauren and her young son Sam, we know somethings not quite right, she's running from something or someone...One day the police arrive stating that a lady in England is claiming Sam is her son and Lauren has kidnapped him. Lauren has a birth certificate and a passport for Sam which she provides to the police, all good right??? Well she decides she needs to move far-away again as this visit has spooked her.

The lady in England is Hope, a therapist who lives with her husband. We then get flashbacks from different points of view building up to Sam being reported missing.

Who is Sam's mum? Both women believe its them and we get closer with each chapter.

This book is a definite page turner and I read it quite quickly but some plotlines didn't quite make sense to me and I feel I still have lots of questions. This story would make a really good book group discussion.

I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to review a preview of this book.

The Day I Lost You by Ruth Mancini is a mystery and thriller novel in which the story revolves around a child named Sam, who goes missing. Hope, his mother, is told that a woman in Spain claims Sam as her own, with documents to support her claim. This sparks a gripping mystery as two mothers clash over the truth behind Sam’s identity, exploring themes of loss, secrets, and identity.

The main characters in the book are Lauren, Hope and Sam. Lauren is a woman seeking a fresh start in Spain after enduring a devastating loss. She settles in the seaside town of Mantilla de Mar, hoping to leave her past behind. Lauren claims that Sam is her child and has documents to support her claim. Hope is a therapist with a seemingly perfect life—an attractive husband, a dream countryside home, and her beloved baby, Sam. When Sam goes missing, Hope's world is turned upside down. She is informed that a woman in Spain has a child matching Sam's description, leading to a tense confrontation. Sam is the child at the centre of the mystery. His disappearance and the conflicting claims about his identity drive the story's suspense.

The novel explores themes of loss, secrets, and identity as these characters navigate their intertwined lives. a perfect intriguing book which i highly recommend.

It wasn’t quite as good as Woman on the Ledge but still thoroughly enjoyed it I had to keep reading to find out how the story would go as couldn’t find out who Sam’s mother was, you have to concentrate as the story is from different characters which made it more enjoyable it kept you in suspense you think you’ve got it sorted but alas no not the case.

Thank you to Netgalley and Cornerstone for an ARC

I absolutely loved Ruth’s debut, and have been looking forward to her next book ever since - thankfully it didn’t disappoint!

Whilst I must admit I’m not a big fan of the covers, the stories themselves are brilliant - super addictive, with short sharp chapters that keep you hooked. I liked the moral dilemna that this novel posed, as there were no clear good and bad guys in the story. I also couldn’t work out exactly what the connection was going to be, so it definitely kept the surprise element! Ruth is quickly becoming a favourite thriller writer for me.

Wow this is one of those reads that will stay with you long after reading. I didn’t know what was going on or if the stolen baby was even stolen as every party had a different story and no one came out of this in a great light. I was totally knocked by the ending as I had gone down a totally different chain of thought around what has happened so I loved being surprised. A great read with a great ending.

I really enjoyed the story however it was difficult to keep track on the double point of view sometimes.
It got a bit blurry between Hopes story and Lauren's at times.

This book was very different from the books I’ve been reading recently. In a good way.

It was sad at times, but there was always hope and curiosity as to how the story would unfold.

It was sensitively written and completely captivated me.

I enjoyed reading every single page and I like the ending, which was better than I could have expected considering the storyline.

I will read more by this author.

OMG!!! My mind is still trying to wrap my head around this story! SOO GOOD!!!
I was literally yelling at my kindle! This book was suspenseful and thrilling with many intensely wicked twists that will blow your mind!

I could not put this book down and I devoured it in one sitting. It was an absolutely unputdownable, addictive page-turner and a heart-racing, action packed, page-turning must-read!

Ruth Mancini is a master of the psychological thriller! It had me reeling. I really didn’t see that final twist coming!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars!

Lauren has started a new life in the quiet town of Mantilla de Mar, in Spain after she suffered an unimaginable loss. Hope is a therapist and lives in a quiet village with her husband and long waited for child Sam. When Sam goes missing a woman matching Laurens description is believed to have taken him. Lauren insists that Sam is her son. She has a passport and birth cert to prove this but what is she hiding. A great fast paced read that will keep you hooked from the very first page.

I was really keen to read this book, after the author's previous book 'The Woman On The Ledge' was one of my top reads of 2024. This was both a blessing and a curse, as I knew I really liked the author's writing style, but the previous book was a really hard act to follow.

I loved the descriptive and immersive writing style, and thought that the characters were really well fleshed out and believable. I also enjoyed the structure of the book - going back and forth in time to reveal more layers of the plot was a really exciting way to tell the story and definitely held my interest.

My only issues were that, whilst this story was enjoyable, it didn't grab me in the same way as The Woman On The Ledge, and I found the characters' actions and decisions confusing and unrealistic in the last few chapters.

Overall I would recommend this book as it kept me entertained and it was twisty, but the ending was a bit of a let down for me.

I absolutely loved 'The Woman on the Ledge' so I was thrilled when I was given the opportunity to read Ruth Mancini's next book.

Although it didn't grab me in the same way as The Woman on the Ledge, the story line left you desperate to work out who was who and what would happen to baby Sam.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced digital copy in return for an honest review.

I was gripped by this story within the first few pages and all other activities were put on hold until I raced to the end - still wishing for more. The characters of Lauren, Hope and Drew were so vividly described they felt like neighbours. The story evolved gradually with so many twists and turns, so just when I thought I was understanding what had happened to baby Sam another element was thrown into the mix. Well written and very readable.

A brilliant story with so many twists and turns in it, you spend a fair amount of time trying to work out what on earth has led to this situation and who is lying...

I experienced this novel as a slow burn - it is twisty timelines and smoke and mirrors.

The story is told largely from the perspectives of 2 mothers. Lauren is a mother trying to live under the radar in Spain with baby Sam until detectives come knocking questioning the legality of her claim to Sam. Meanwhile the other mother, Hope, is living with philandering husband, Drew, but without baby Sam. The novel jumps around a bit as it reveals what has lead to this state of affairs, and how it resolves.

This book is clever in how much (or little!) it reveals to lead you on a bit of a wild goose chase to determine what is really going on! Love it or not however, it certainly gets the reader thinking!

Thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.

My first time reading anything by this author.
Enjoyed this one. Had me intrigued from the start, keen to know how it would pan out and found myself making time to read. It was inspired by a case the author dealt with as a lawyer in court, which makes it all the more heart wrenching.
The characters were likeable and I enjoyed reading from their perspectives which gave so much more insight.
You think the story is going one way, then the author sends you down another path - well written. Even up to the last few pages, kept me guessing as to the ending which was not how I thought it would go.
I would be keen to read more from this author.
4 stars from me.
Many thanks to NetGalley UK and Random House UK, Cornerstone for the ARC.
Review will also be posted on Goodreads and Amazon when possible.
Pub Date: 31 Jul 2025

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an unbiased review.
Having previously read a Ruth Mancini publication I had a fair idea of what to expect from this one.
Whilst I found it an enjoyable read, it didn't quite grab me the way The Woman On The Ledge had done.
Although cleverly written it took my a while to fully understand the relationship between the main characters of which there are actually very few. At the end of the day, it all becomes clearer and the author knits together events and bring it to a conclusion, and in fairness it wasn't what I expected. All told, a fairly solid four stars.

One child with two mothers! A recipe for intrigue for certain. This book is absolutely brilliant and I couldn't put it down. I've reccomended to all my friends!