Reviews

I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this debut thriller by Darren Young from Real Readers. Child Taken tells the story of a young journalist who uncovers the unsolved story of two year old Jessica Prestons abduction. When the story hits headlines again, the case...

I have just finished reading Child Taken and had to email to say congratulations on such an amazing novel! I read the book in two days straight (the loss of sleep and cancelling social plans was totally worth it!) and I'm at a loss as to what to do now I've finished!...

One summer’s day, two year old Jessica Preston disappears from a beach. She’s believed to have drowned but her mother, Sandra, is convinced her daughter was taken. Twenty years later, another child goes missing and Laura, a journalist, stumbles upon the case of...

Wow… despite reviewing many great books this year, I think Child Taken might just be my personal favourite of 2017! There are two reasons for this revelation. Firstly, the story is just amazing, with a reveal that you really have no inkling of until...

Ok, I am going to say it: this is the best thriller I have read. Full stop. Darren Young has such a flawless way with words, The suspense, the devastation, the betrayals, and lies, are all on point in this extraordinary debut (Yes, it is a DEBUT!!) and it gave me chills from beginning to end. You have to read CHILD TAKEN by Darren Young – you just have to read it!!!!

If you read one book this summer, make sure it’s Darren Young’s debut novel Child Taken. I picked this book up on a Saturday afternoon fully intending only to read the opening chapters and found myself putting the book down at 02:35 the following morning having read it cover to cover; that’s just how good it is! A truly fantastic start to a literary career!

Other reviewers have given you quite a lot of detail regarding the plot and key characters, I'm a big picture person so my review is much more succinct. This is simply the most stunning, gripping, awesome book I've ever read. Right from page 1 you are plunged into the...

‘I purchased a copy and turned to the first page. 2 days later I’d finished the book. With every chance I could get I found myself picking up the book to read more. For a debut novel I wasn’t sure what to expect but having read the reviews, and now the novel myself, I can tell you that it’s worth every. single. penny’

“Stands out from the crowd, giving me a more thought provoking storyline than the usual psychological suspense. This is an accomplished debut novel from Darren Young. He is a natural storyteller and has such an engaging writing style that I could lose myself in his words all day long. Definitely a name to look out for in the future.

As debuts go, this is pretty spectacular; it must be one of the best debuts I have EVER read. It drew me in from the very start and I found it impossible to put down, finding myself reading far later into the night than I usually would.