A review by outsmartyourshelf
Little Darlings by Melanie Golding

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Lauren is struggling with being a new mother after giving birth to twins, Riley and Morgan. Overnight at the hospital she sees a strange woman who wants to swap her babies with Lauren's and Lauren rings the police for help. No-one else saw the woman, and hospital security finds no evidence that anyone unaccounted for was on the maternity ward, and the incident is written off, but DS Harper is not so sure. Lauren and the twins go home but doesn't feel safe - she is sure that the woman is out to get her babies - and Lauren's husband, Patrick, is not much help. In fact his behaviour is downright shifty. After the babies go missing at a local park, DS Harper gets involved again and as she investigates she realises that this case may have similarities to one from forty years earlier.

I thought this was well-written, and the author kept the pace up throughout, and the line between what was actually happening and what could be happening was tantalisingly blurred. Is Lauren experiencing postpartum psychosis? There are plenty of suspects and red herrings, and it keeps the reader engaged, however, I found some aspects a little hard to believe, for example, the apparent ease with which Lauren escaped a secure mental health unit with two babies in tow. Also Patrick - what a lowlife. Overall I rate this 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4).

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers, HQ, for the opportunity to read an ARC. I am voluntarily giving an honest review. 
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