The Boy That Never Was

Book excerpt: 'Stunning' Simon Mayo Radio 2 Book Club 'A twist-filled page-turner' Closer Three-year-old Dillon vanished in the middle of the night. His father Harry can't forgive himself for not protecting his only child. Yet Harry isn't blamed by his wife Robin: she bares her own secret guilt. Five years later, thousands of miles away, Harry spots an eight-year-old boy in a crowd - a boy he is convinced is Dillon. Desperate to find his missing son, Harry's obsession tears apart his marriage, exposing shameful secrets and shattering the one thing he and Robin had left - trust. Why won't Robin believe Harry? What is she hiding? Can the boy really be Dillon? And how far will Harry go to find their lost son? The Boy That Never Was is a deeply atmospheric and masterfully crafted tale of love and loss that will chill you to the bone. Praise for The Boy That Never Was: 'The Boy That Never Was is that powerful thing, a beautifully written mystery driven by its exploration of the characters' innermost hearts' Tana French 'A truly remarkable novel . . . Written in a captivating, lyrical style and brilliantly structured, the story grips your heart from the first pages and simply never lets go' Jeffery Deaver 'This is a debut novel that will catch fire' Nelson DeMille 'A beautifully written, tense and twisty tale' Sunday Mirror 'Equal parts thriller, mystery and fascinating psychological study' Irish Times