This started out well, but was ultimately disappointing. Marissa and Peter, the parents of the missing Milo, were not very well characterized, although I thought the author did a good job with Jenny and the appalling Irene. Various clues were picked up and resolved at the end, but the solution was dependent on one character turning out to be a completely different person from how s/he had previously been portrayed, as well as on the unlikely (to me) fact that Milo failed to recognize them. There was also a confusingly high body count: by the end there weren't many people left to suspect. ( )

In All Her Fault by Irish author Andrea Mara, Marissa Irvine arrives at 14 Tudor Grove to collect her four year old son, Milo, from a play date, only to discover the occupant is a stranger who knows nothing about her son.

It’s a scenario that becomes ever more nightmarish when it’s clear there has been no simple mistake. Jenny, with whom Marissa organised the playdate over text, claims to know nothing about the plan, and when no ransom demand is forthcoming, the police have few leads to follow.

The longer Milo remains missing, the higher the tension rises. Mara develops plenty of plausible red herrings as suspicion falls on strangers and those closest to the Irvine’s alike. Cleverly, though the identity of the abductor is eventually revealed, their motivation remains obscured, until a final shocking reveal that I really didn’t see coming. A couple of the twists are a bit of a stretch but in general I thought All Her Fault was well plotted, pacey and suspenseful.

Mara’s portrayal of Marissa’s journey from confusion through to panic and despair is well portrayed. I empathised with her devastation, and her determination to find her son. Gossip and speculation run rampant as the news of Milo’s kidnapping spreads, there are some particularly passive-aggressive characters - school gate mums (and a Dad)- who are eager to suggest Marissa is somehow to blame for the tragedy. Jenny is the only one who reaches out to Marissa and offers her genuine support, despite her unwitting role in the abduction.

With a compelling premise, well drawn characters and a rather spectacularly satisfying ending, I thought All Her Fault was a gripping read. ( )

When Marissa arrives to pick up her son, Milo, from a play date, she discovers that she has been given a bogus address and that Milo has been kidnapped by the other child’s nanny.

This is quite a suspenseful psychological thriller with plenty of twists and turns and the odd red herring. It’s cleverly plotted with several interesting but dubious characters. I found it quite the page turner and was eager to turn the pages to find out what happened next. However, I did find it a little far fetched towards the conclusion - it seemed a tad convoluted. I really liked the ending, though, it’s a great twist! All in all, a gripping read. ( )