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Judas Child

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"Judas Child" by Carol O'Connell is a standalone mystery thriller that follows the story of a child trying to escape from her abductor. The plot is riveting, with a shocking twist at the end that keeps readers hooked into the night. The story unfolds in a small town where two children are abducted, leading to a complex investigation that delves into the past crimes of the community.

The writing style of Carol O'Connell is described as sharp, emotionally cutting, and engrossing. The characters are well-developed, evoking strong emotions in readers. The novel presents multiple points of view, adding depth to the plot and resulting in an ending that surprises and shocks readers.

Characters:

The characters are richly developed, especially the young girls whose dynamics and strengths stand out, though some adult figures are criticized for being less believable.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is sharp and emotionally compelling, characterized by dark themes and complex characters that enhance the suspense.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot features a gripping kidnapping mystery intertwined with a detective's haunting past, effectively creating tension and emotional stakes.

Setting:

The story is set in a small New York village during the days leading up to Christmas, enhancing the tension and emotional stakes of the narrative.

Pacing:

While the pacing starts slow, it accelerates into an engaging and suspenseful rhythm, capturing the reader's attention as the story progresses.
The boy’s front wheel wobbled at the exact moment he braked to a dead stop. And then the child resigned himself to the short flight over the handlebars, all but shrugging in midair. The hard landing o...

Notes:

The story revolves around two missing 10-year-old girls in a small New York village just before Christmas.
Detective Rouge Kendall is haunted by the memory of his twin sister's murder, which happened 15 years prior to the girls' disappearance.
The missing girls are Sadie Green, a mischievous leader, and Gwen Hubble, who balances Sadie's wild ideas with her own sense of caution.
The author, Carol O'Connell, is known for creating strong and complex characters who sometimes feel unrealistic.
The book is a standalone novel, not part of the Mallory series, despite some marketing suggesting otherwise.
Readers note that the characterization of the girls and a dog who plays a crucial role are particularly well done.
The narrative involves multiple points of view, providing depth to the characters and plot.
The plot includes significant psychological elements and psychological horror moments, especially regarding the girls' plight.
Some readers found the pacing slow initially but were ultimately hooked by the tension-filled plot progression.
The book is filled with unexpected twists, leading to a shocking conclusion that surprised many readers.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of child abduction, murder, and psychological horror.

From The Publisher:

It is three days before Christmas, and two young girls have disappeared from the local academy. This hasn't happened for fifteen years, since Rouge Kendall's twin sister was murdered. The killer was found, but now Rouge, twenty-five and a policeman, is forced to wonder: Was he really the one? Also wondering is a former classmate named Ali Cray, a forensic psychologist with scars of her own. The pattern is the same, she says: a child called out to meet a friend. The friend is the bait, the Judas child, and is quickly killed. But the primary victim lives longer...until Christmas Day.

Rouge doesn't want to hear this. He's spent the last fifteen years trying to avoid the

memories: drinking alone, lying low, washing out of school and a promising first career. Now he might abandon law enforcement too-but something won't let him, not yet. A little girl has haunted his dreams all these years-and he has three days finally to put her to rest.

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