Hey, it’s Diego.

This week, I read Next of Kin by Kia Abdullah.

And it was a hard read because of the subject matter.

Apparently, even if I say I don’t like reading about child endangerment, I’ve read some harrowing reads about the topic. I thought I’d share my top Child Victim Thrillers.

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Top Child Victim Thrillers

Keep It In The Family by John Marrs

Keep It in the Family by John Marrs introduces us to Mia and Finn, a couple who buy a fixer-upper to create their dream home. But their plans take a sinister turn when they find something in the attic that unravels a horrifying legacy connected to the house. We follow four characters in a single timeline, as well as an ominous, unnamed narrator in flashbacks. Each character has their own motivations and reacts differently to the gruesome discovery.

To avoid spoiling it, let me just list the trigger warnings for this book to give you a picture of what you’d be getting into: child kidnapping, child murder, child abuse, graphic violence, medical trauma, infidelity, suicide, PTSD, and explicit language.

Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica

Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica takes us to a peaceful suburb near Chicago, where the disappearance of a woman sends shockwaves through the tight-knit community. Not long after, another local woman and her young daughter vanish without a trace. The town is thrown into chaos, and neighbors start to wonder if these cases are connected.

I’ve said it before, but as a parent, the first chapter of this book broke me.

Found by Erin Kinsley

Found by Erin Kinsley: When 11-year-old Evan vanishes without a trace, his parents are plunged into their worst nightmare. Especially as the police, under massive pressure, have no answers. But months later, Evan is unexpectedly found, frightened and refusing to speak. His loving family realizes life will never be the same again. DI Naylor knows that unless those who took Evan are caught, other children are in danger. And with Evan silent, she must race against time to find those responsible...

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth tells the story of three foster sisters—Jessica, Norah, and Alicia—who have to confront their traumatic past with the authorities when human remains are discovered beneath their former foster home.

And the newest addition to the list:

Next of Kin by Kia Abdullah (A Review)

Leila receives a call from her panicked brother-in-law. His son’s nursery has called to ask where little Max is. Leila was supposed to drop Max off that morning. But she forgot. Racing to the carpark, she grasps the horror of what she has done.

Next of Kin by Kia Abdullah is a domestic thriller set in the homes of two sisters.

Abdullah’s writing is some of the best I’ve read. Dialogue flows naturally, and descriptions are vivid. We follow the Syed sisters, Leila, the aunt, and Jasmine, the mum, through a single timeline as they struggle to deal with the aftermath of Max’s death.

The story had a quick start, the event that sets everything in motion is introduced early on, and then we experience what happens after with the characters. I have mixed feelings about the beginning, because on one hand, I wasn’t fully buying some of the reactions of some of the characters, but on the other hand, I don’t think I would have been able to continue reading if it had been a serious dramatized version of such a horrifying event.

The story doesn’t offer much in terms of twists or thrills; this is a family drama centered around the relationship between the two sisters. That said, the characters had depth, were proactive in their own way, and I connected with them.

There is no romance, no swearing, and no scenes of graphic violence.

So, what about the ending? (No spoilers, obviously)

The ending didn’t work for me, but I can see how some people may like it. There is no denouement as the ending is left open-ended.

Next of Kin is a very well-written book that reads like a drama. It’s all about the relationship between two sisters and how their past informs their new, uncertain future. I had a hard time getting through the first chapters due to the subject matter, but I was hooked after that.

This Week’s Update

• Watching You, an Australian psychological thriller series, premiered on Stan on 3rd October. The series is adapted from J.P Pomare's novel The Last Guests. It follows Lina, who discovers that her passionate one-night stand has been captured by hidden cameras.

• The Woman in Cabin 10, an upcoming psychological thriller film based on the 2016 novel by Ruth Ware, is scheduled to be released by Netflix on 10th October.

That’s all for this week. See you next time.

— Diego Dunne

P.S. Let me know how I did today by replying to this email.

P.P.S. I would love to hear your recommendations for thrillers you loved. Reply to this email and I’ll add them to my TBR list. Thanks!