The Girl in the Red Coat
The Girl in the Red Coat, by Kate Hamer, is a page-turning thriller. The story centers around every mother’s nightmare – the abduction of a child. This book explores the powerful bond between mother and daughter.
At a storytelling festival in England, eight-year-old Carmel is abducted. Her mother Beth, is devastated. Minutes, hours, days and then years go by and Beth still has no idea what happened to her daughter. A man claiming to be her grandfather has taken Carmel. When he tells her that her mother has been in an accident and later dies she believes him. Carmel moves to America. In addition, her grandfather renames her Mercy.
The story is told from two points of view. One is a confused child and the other a panicked mother. Because of this, we see how each of them tries to accept something that is beyond our comprehension and is so very painful. Above all, it shows us what is important in life – love, family, friendship, and health.
The character development is great, they are believable and strong. As a result, we feel their terror, confusion, and distress. The book is worth reading even though it is very emotional. I can not even imagine this happening to myseld, or to anyone I know. However, be sure you have plenty of time to read it. Once you start it you will not want to put it down. In conclusion, I recommend this book to everyone.
My rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Published Book Reviews:
- https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/kate-hamer/the-girl-in-the-red-coat/
- https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/09/books/review-the-girl-in-the-red-coat-an-abduction-story-told-in-two-voices.html
Book Discussion Questions:
- https://www.litlovers.com/reading-guides/13-fiction/10525-girl-in-red-coat-hamer?start=3
- https://www.bookmovement.com/bookDetailView/46057/The-Girl-In-The-Red-Coat-Kate-Hamer
About the Author:
Another book you may like is Before We Were Yours, by Lisa Wingate.
You can find all of my book reviews at https://eatreadcruise.com/.