Stolen Child

‘My emotions were in overdrive…absolutely gripping – one of my best reads of the year so far.’ Literary Lightbox

It’s every mother’s worst nightmare…

Carla Kelly wakes to find her two-day-old baby daughter’s cot empty.

Isobel has been taken.

Susanne Dowling has kept a terrible secret following her fifth agonising miscarriage. When at last she welcomes her new baby daughter into her life she realises they will both be safe as long as Susanne keeps her daughter close, and confesses her lie to no one. Ever.

Carla, a top model, launches a fierce national campaign to find her baby – but the trail is cold. She receives threats and recriminations from strangers – she flaunted her pregnancy in the media, she cashed in on it, she deserves everything she gets – and, pressured by well-meaning loved ones to move on, she begins to fall apart.

But one letter Carla receives stands out from the rest, offering support from a surprising quarter. It sparks a chain of events that opens wounds and exposes shocking secrets from Carla’s past that suggest what happened to her daughter was revenge a long time planned.

’Entertaining and highly thought-provoking.’ Closer Magazine

‘A psychological thriller that will draw you in and won’t let you go until the end.’ 5/5 stars A Novel Mama

‘The storyline had me hooked from the start… breathtaking. My emotions were all over the place and even now writing this my heart is beating ten to the dozen. An absolute must read and I will certainly be reading more by this author.’ By the Letter Book Reviews

‘A very thought-provoking read.’ AJ Book Review Club

‘A bittersweet tale of love and heartache.’ Evening Echo

Read what everyone is saying about Laura’s novels:

‘A page-turner… has all the ingredients of a bestseller.’ RTE

‘A gripping, multi-stranded novel… An unusual combination of fine writing, strong plotting and a huge cast of well-formed characters.’ Irish Examiner

‘An extraordinary, ambitious debut.’ Deirdre Purcell

‘This page-turner is gripping, all the more because it presents the dilemmas of betrayal with brutal honesty.’ Irish Independent

‘A well-crafted and compelling story traces the deceits which begin unnoticed but end in the destruction of friendships and lives.’ Irish Times

’A gripping tale of adultery and illusion.’ Evening Herald

‘This was such a compelling read that had me hooked from the very first page, I consumed this book every spare second of the day.’ Afternoon Bookery