The Only Child by Kayte Nunn. (2022).
**4.5 out of 5 stars**
1949. It is a freezing winter when a pregnant 16-year-old arrives at Fairmile, a home for ‘fallen women’ run by the Catholic Church. She and her baby will disappear. 2013. Frankie’s mother Diana has bought Fairmile to turn into a hotel. Frankie is helping her mother while trying to reconnect with her teenage daughter Izzy before starting her new deputy sheriff job. Then an elderly nun is found dead in suspicious circumstances, and a tiny skeleton is uncovered at Fairmile…
This is the fifth novel by this author I’ve read and I have enjoyed all of them, with the current being no exception. This book features a dual timeline, one in 1949 and the other in 2013. While at first glance this one is best described as a mystery, the storyline has a deeper aspect to it as it delves into the reality for young unmarried women who were shamed and manipulated into giving up their children. I also appreciated the exploration of Frankie’s relationship with her teenage daughter as she attempts to reconnect with her while also respecting the teenager’s boundaries. This is an absolutely engrossing read that I found myself getting lost into.
Overall: highly recommend this novel for readers that enjoy mysteries.
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