The Child Finder

Five-year-old Madison wonders off while her family is looking for a Christmas tree in rural Oregon. The bulk of the novel occurs three years later when Naomi, a private investigator known as The Child Finder joins the (stale) search. For Naomi, every lost child is a personal mission. She has only snippets of memories from when she fled from...someplace...and ran to a group of strangers and eventually found herself in the care of an incredibly loving foster mother who also cares for a young boy with his own troubled tale. The reader hears from Madison throughout the novel, so we know quickly that she didn't simply suffer the fate of many a lost hiker who succumbed to the cold. We know she is with a man who keeps her in a below-ground room and, well, "loves" her in ways no adult should love a child.

There's a lot more here. In fact, as with far too many books, there's too much. There are several different plotlines and cutting a few would have. I like complex, full characters, and Denfeld has a talent for creating them. I just wish there had been a bit of extra editing here. A second missing child case would have made a better short story....or might have been fine here if other lines were trimmed. The number of plot paths made this book more challenging for me. And I truly disliked portions of Naomi's present-day personal tale. Her romantic storyline failed completely for me.

Still, there were elements here to enjoy. Madison's chapters are a bit unusual, but they rang true to me as a child's effort to survive the unsurvivable. They carried a disturbing beauty that showcases Denfeld's talent. As noted above, I didn't like where Naomi's story went, but I did like the peeks at her past (put another way, her backstory was a positive for me, but her present-day personal life was not). Another positive for me was the mixture of emotions that the ending to Madison's tale presents...it carried the shades of grey that tend to make books ring true for me. Both this ending and the chapters about Madison's survival show that this is the same author who crafted The Enchanted.

Overall, the positives were muted by the negatives. I struggled to pick the book up because so much of the novel was a slog through mud, pushing through the parts I didn't care for to get to the moments that felt like gems. Three stars

Readers should know there are a lot of disturbing elements here and be ready for that...

The Child Finder has an insane number of five star reviews. So many that it is making me rethink my three star stance and turning that into a four star rating. So, we shall see what I decide when I finish my review.

The Good: The Child Finder is incredibly engaging. I used to take engaging books for granted, but now as I'm in graduate school, I really need for a book to hook me quick and keep me there. The Child Finder did this. It was also really easy to get back into once I put it down for the upteempth time (#gradschool). The characters in The Child Finder were so incredibly rich that I found myself liking almost all of them. I'm a sucker for a good plot and The Child Finder had this in spades. The mysterious part of this book was pretty damn great. And the snow child aspect to it was kinda genius. Despite being a mystery and a pretty icky one as well (more on that below), I loved that this had a sort of magical aspect to it. Made it seem a bit less icky.

The Eh: I wasn't a huge fan of the way the characters spoke. It was a little too polished...a little to poetic. It just seemed unnatural. Maybe it was how very few contractions they used. I also wasn't a huge fan of the romance. Jerome kind of turned me off when he seemed to be giving Naomi an ultimatum. And what was it with everyone wanting and loving Naomi? She was great, but she wasn't amazing. Oh, and I have never been a huge fan of multiple POVs and The Child Finder had a lot of them; some were even unnecessary. The Child Finder was also pretty damn icky. There was way too much focus on the sexual abuse and it made me incredibly uncomfortable. I feel like it should have been less elaborated on.

In the end, though, I really liked The Child Finder. It was a short, engaging read. The plot was A+, the characters were great, and the book was a good read. So, I am upping my rating from 3 stars to 4. Definitely looking forward to reading The Enchanted.

(Husband's review). My 3-star rating accurately reflects my takeaway from reading this book. It's good, but certainly not great. I finished it, and while it kept me turning the pages, there was nothing too surprising about the events or the outcome - kind of a 'formula' plot. Young girl goes missing in the deep woods while on an outing with her parents in the winter, search parties can't find her and assume she's dead, but parents hold out hope and hire/engage a "child finder" (Naomi) who's handled 30 child finder cases, and been successful in most of them (although that includes finding dead children as well as those still alive). None of the characters are terribly interesting - it's more of a police procedural story set in a remote area. Some of the plot lines are hard to believe and don't seem realistic. Naomi has hidden issues of her own which drives her choice of a life as a child finder, which are revealed towards the end of the book. Some minor elements of romance regarding Naomi. Bottom line, the story is too much of a standard formula, the characters are not well developed, and some of the events border on not realistic or believable. But it was good enough to hold my interest to the end.

a woman with an impressive track record of finding missing children is hired to locate a child that disppaeared in an Oregon forest. Madison was four at the time she wandered away. Law enforcement presumes she succumbed to the elements but hoe springs eternal. Naomi, the investigator, herself was taken as a child. Her memories are murky, mainly culled from troubling dreams. Her obsession to her vocation has isolated her. She has few friends and keeps in sporadic touch with her foster mother and brother. But her sense of purpose fuels her relentless pursuit for missing children. But is it too late to save Madison? If so is it too late for Naomi too.

Although I wanted to know the resolution, the dream like atmosphere of this book kept me detached from the characters. Madison is the most dynamic of the characters, disassociating from the horror by relying on a fairy tale character. the writing ranges from lyrical to overdone. Combined with the almost static atmosphere it tends to romanticize a very ugly topic. While this book is unquestionably about child abuse, there is no explicit activity depicted. Naomi is a cold character and the romantic subplot was unnecessary and inauthentic. Similarly, the storyline about a missing baby from an economically stressed situation was unnecessary. the author provides a more nuanced portrayal of the offender but her contention that it is better for a child to attach to the abuser than to be neglected is disturbing. The Stockholm syndrome is a survival mechanism and no one can fault a child (or anyone else) for doing what is necessary to live. the ending is good but the book suffers from a style that keeps readers at arms length. 3.5 stars

The Child Finder by Rene Denfeld is an exciting chilling thriller. This is my first book by Denfeld and I was very impressed with her writing, and I will not hesitate to read any books by her. Naomi Cottle, our heroine, is an investigator who specializes in finding missing children. She has over time been able to find 30 missing children (either dead or alive), giving her the nickname of ‘the Child Finder’. Naomi herself was kidnapped as a child, managing to escape and had no memory of who she was, and continues to have nightmares giving her little hints, but still no memory of her past. Naomi ended up in a home of a woman who was fostering another child, Jerome, and brought them up to be upstanding young citizens. Naomi devotes herself to finding the missing children, using her uncanny ability to know where to look for clues, and asking the right questions. We meet Naomi when she takes on the cold case of 5 year old Madison Culver, who is still missing after three years. The Culver family refuses to believe their daughter is dead, and begs Naomi to investigate, even if she feels the girl is probably dead.

The second POV is indeed Madison, and we follow her when she is found unconscious in the snow by a mountain man named Mr. B. He will help bring her back to health, but at the same time keep her locked in the cellar of a cabin. Madison doesn’t remember much, and soon will call herself Snow Girl, as she uses her imagination to create the world she is in and tries to learn how to live with this mountain man who cannot talk. Mr. B also has a sad past that makes him what he is today (using two extreme personalities (angry or nice) with Madison; she will be the one who brings some little bit of happiness to his life. As much as this is a heartbreaking story, Denfeld handles this so well.

Though this is the main focus of the story, there is also a side story where Naomi also becomes involved in about a missing baby and the mother who is in jail.

What follows is an amazing story as we watch Naomi interviewing not only the parents, the police, park ranger and all the townsfolk who live in the area where Madison disappeared. Naomi in the beginning expects to find clues in the snowy mountains to the child’s death; then begins to look for those local people who may know more. As she continues to take chances in dangerous situations, Naomi will also learn a little more of her past during her dreams. The last ¼ of the book was so exciting and intense; I could not put the book down.

Rene Denfeld has done a fantastic job writing this moving and heart wrenching story, and has created such a wonderful character in Naomi, who will do anything to either save those missing children or give the families closures that they so desperately need. This is a standalone, but I can see this becoming a series. The Child Finder is a must read.

Three years ago, on a cold winter's day, five-year old Madison Culver disappeared into the woods on a trip with her family. Naomi, a woman known to be the best at finding missing children, is hired by Madison's parents to locate her. She believes it unlikely the girl is still alive. Shortly after their daughter vanished, there had been heavy snow and blizzards. Search parties had been unable to find any trace of her. But her mother insists she was taken and has survived.

Naomi begins to track down what happened to Madison, unravelling each small piece of the mystery via very few clues. She has always been able to connect with the children she looks for, as she herself was once missing. As a child she escaped from what she had called 'monsters', but otherwise has no recollection of her life prior to when she was found.

The book alternates between Naomi's investigation and the voice of the 'snow girl', aka Madison, who speaks of being held captive in a cave-type cellar by a man known only as Mr. B. Can Naomi discover where she is with enough time to save her?

Naomi is a complex and utterly fascinating character. She considers her work as an investigator to be a calling and her cases are the most important thing in her life. Extremely cautious of others, she prefers working by herself which can put her in some dangerous situations. She has a strong intuition and an unusual understanding of mysterious and natural environments. She feels safe and secure while alone in the forest, which is almost like a living being to her. I was transfixed wanting to know what compelled her.

The Child Finder is an emotional, yet suspenseful novel. Rene Denfeld's descriptions of the wilderness with it's quiet stillness and hidden depths are dreamlike and lyrical. Intensely dark and atmospheric, this is a beautifully written story of sorrow, survival and hope which kept me spellbound.

While on a trip to the national forest to pick a Christmas tree, little five year old Madison Culver disappeared without a trace. Despite exhaustive searches, law enforcement professionals could not find a sign of the little girl in almost three years. The Culvers turn to Naomi, "the child finder", in the hopes that she can accomplish what amounts to a miracle. With very little evidence and time not on her side, will Naomi be able to find Madison and bring her home?

The Child Finder is written in a dual perspective format, that of Naomi and a child. The biggest problem that I had with the story surrounded the abilities of the child, for the simple matter that he formative years of educational instruction were cut short. I found it hard to believe that she would be that intelligent and composed despite being placed in adverse conditions for three years. I did like Naomi, especially for her strength and composure, but her background had too many holes in it. The premise of the book was good, but the author, in a small way, did fail to deliver.

The Child Finder is a disturbing, yet magically beautiful tale about survival and freedom.

When children go missing, Naomi, a private investigator, makes it her life’s mission to find them. Once a lost child herself, Naomi seems to have a magical ability to find those who seem to be lost forever.

“It will be people like us that save the world, she said: those who have walked the side of sorrow and seen the dawn"

Naomi takes on the case of 5 year old Madison, missing for three years in the dark depths of the mountainous forest. No one believes Madison has survived, not even Naomi, but she will not stop until she finds something to bring this little girl home to her family--dead or alive.

Naomi is fighting her own demons, as she once lived in a horrific world filled with pain and abuse. She escaped when she was nine, and taken under the wing of her foster mother and foster brother, Jerome. Juxtaposed with Naomi's story is Madison’s plight in the enchanting, yet sinister forest.

“Are the stories we tell ourselves true or based on what we dream them to be?”

The Child Finder is an awe-inspiring read. It’s enchanting and horrific at the same time. It’s fast-paced, original, and beautifully written. I cannot wait to read more by Rene Denfeld. This is one of my top reads of 2017. Highly, highly recommend!

I AM HONESTLY CONFUSED BY THE RATING OF THIS BOOK. May this review act as a warning to all those out there looking for a good thriller to sink their teeth into: this ish ain't it. What a supremely awful read, and yet there are so many 5 star reviews. Am I insane? Is there something larger at work here? We may never know, but allow me if you will to elaborate on my reasonings for awarding this trash one star.

"...when she woke in the morning her face was as wet as if she had just bathed in the waters of heaven itself." I'm sorry, but this is just offensively bad writing. And the story is not much better, as we witness a little girl who should, by all means, be freaking the f out just kind of take to her kidnapper rather quickly. Because she can tell that he loves her?? First of all, that's ridiculous, and second, it's twisted. I'm all for pushed boundaries in fiction but I think that this aspect of the storyline is so ridiculously far-fetched that it negates any higher meaning the author may have been attempting to communicate. Just save yourself the time and money.

The Child Finder, refers to the protagonist in the book, Naomi, a 29 year old woman bedeviled with unfinished dreams that seem to point to her childhood. A time she does not remember but must have included severe deprivation and torture. Naomi only remembers her 'rebirth' as she ran into a clearing with the hope of rescue. She knew her name and nothing else. Her age was guessed by her teeth. She was naked and alone. Now, 20 years later, she has trained as a special investigator for missing children and is exceptionally good; she has located over 30 of them. Not all of them have still been alive.

She has two cases in this book, the primary case involves Madison, lost in a huge forest at age 5. Three years later her parents still believe she may be alive. The book is mesmerizing: the ways Naomi begins to track the missing children are fascinating. Once begun, this tale moves like waves lapping on a coastline, eventually the water will wear away the rock. The author keeps you guessing about which character's perseverance will ultimately prevail in this story. It is excellent. I received my copy from the publisher through edelweiss.

Sorry to contradict all the glowing reviews, but I read a third of this mess of a book and gave up. The writing is so amateurish, verging on illiterate with confusions of tense and point of view quite common. A sample sentence: “She could see how easily it would be to get turned around, lost”. Or “She would be eight years old now—if she has survived.” Naomi, the vaunted child finder is a one-dimensional character, set up as some kind of savant, but without any context or subtlety. I usually make myself finish books, but I just didn’t care about the characters. If you are a reader who requires a suspenseful narrative above character development and well-written prose, you may like it! For me, I couldn’t get past the clunky writing.

"There is something I know: no matter how far you have run, no matter how long you have been lost, it is never too late to be found."

Three years ago, five-year-old Madison and her parents were picking out a Christmas tree in Oregon’s Skookum National Forest. Somehow, she got separated from her parents and has not been seen since. She would be eight years-old today. Her parents have never given up hope and have hired Naomi who is known as "the child finder." She is their last hope. The police have investigated, the park service has searched the park for her, search parties have looked for her - no lead have ever been found. She is presumed to be dead, buried deep beneath the snow. That is not an image any parent wants to visualize. Nor do they want to imagine that she has been taken and held captive. All they want is for their daughter to be returned to them and desperately hope the child finder will find Madison.

Naomi has a gift for finding lost children as she is a little lost herself, some say she is afraid of being found. When Naomi was younger she was found by migrant workers while running across a field. With no memory of her ordeal, and only knowing her first name, she was raised in a loving home by her foster Mother. She had/has a foster brother Jerome, who is the only person she fully feels safe with.

Naomi searches the park and questions locals; her dreams haunt her. She recalls parts of her past as she desperately searches for Madison in hopes of giving her a future with her parents. While investigating Madison's disappearance, she takes on another missing child's case as well. Both cases are devastating and tug on the readers heart strings. While searching for the lost children, the reader is given glimpses into Naomi’s dreams and memories. She is a tough yet tender woman with a strong drive to find lost children.

This book is atmospheric, chilly, devastating, and captivating. From the very first page I was hooked. This book became a page tuner for me. I could not put it down! There are sections which are disturbing and may not be easy for some to read. I love how she wove the story of various characters throughout the narrative.

This book is well written and draws in the reader with sympathetic characters and not so sympathetic characters. I loved that this book is told through various characters perspectives and touches on mystery, utilizes fairy tales and uses nature as a character. This book has earned all the stars and then some!

I highly recommend this book!

Gripping, thrilling, and a roller coaster of a ride. This is a must book you have to add to your TBR if you haven't read it already.

The Child Finder is a book that has been on my TBR for a while and I finally got the chance to read it. I have heard so much about this book recently from friends and online, that I knew it was the kind of book that I would just devour and love. 

This was my first book I have read by Rene Denfeld and trust me, it won't be my last. This book was so well written, and it draws you in from the very beginning and keeps you hooked right through to the last page. This is the kind of book that I love to read, as you are always turning the pages to find out what will happen next and cannot seem to put the book down. I read this in just one day it was that incredible of a book. I love Rene's writing style and the way she captivates the reader with her writing. There is a strong female lead in the book as well which I loved.

This book follows the story of The Child Finder, a woman named Naomi. She seeks out to find children that have gone missing from their families with a trace. Some she is able to find, some she cannot. Some have happy endings and are returned to their families, some not so much of a happy ending. 

The Culvert family contacts Naomi as their young daughter Madison had gone missing. They were out in the Skookum National Forest in Oregon looking for a Christmas tree, only to have her disappear as she seemed to vanish into thin air. One moment she was there happy with her parents, the next she was gone. The Culvert family have hopes that The Child Family can help them locate their missing daughter and return her alive and safe to her home, as it is their last hope of finding their daughter. 

The Child Finder has a knack for finding lost and missing children, as when she was younger she too was a Lost Child. As you read the story Naomi's past is revealed slowly in bits and pieces.

I loved this book as I found Rene had a way of writing a sad and terrifying story about a sensitive issues including a monster, and had a way of writing it in a beautiful way that you can't help but feel for everyone involved, including the monster. 

The characters were all well written about and I love the character development in the story as you get to know each one of them individually and what makes them who they are today. You can't help but fall in love with the characters and develop empathy for them as their story unfolds.

Will Naomi be able to find their missing daughter Naomi? And if so, will she be alive? You'll have to read this amazing book to find out! :)

The Child Finder, Rene Denfield, author; Alyssa Bresnahan, narrator
For me, this novel was really about many different kinds of loss and the many different kinds of relationships involving love or the lack of it. It is about the loss of innocence, the loss of freedom, of memory, of a body part. It is about the loss of love or the inability to understand or find it. It is about what happens when something or someone that has been lost, is found after years of searching. It is about whether or not the search and discovery are worthwhile or whether or not the results are expected. It is about how the loss is handled by those grieving and about how those lost or those suffering from the loss, eventually come to terms with their trauma and learn to survive, if they are even retrievable. Each of the characters is involved in a traumatic event involving some kind of loss. Something is missing from each of their lives.

In this novel, the author tells two parallel stories. One is about Naomi Cottle and her experiences. She is a young female detective who finds missing children. She is called the “child finder”. It is fitting that she has chosen this occupation because she had been a missing child, as well, but she has no memory of her life before her escape and rescue. When she became the foster child of Mrs. Cottle, a gentle woman who had lots of love to give, she began her recovery. Mrs. Cottle was kind and helped her to find her way back to life with her tenderness and compassion. Naomi had hoped some of her memory would return, but when the story begins, it has not. She is still searching for herself, as well as for others. Is she afraid to find her past? How will she deal with it if she remembers the horror of what happened to her?

The other story is about a child named Madison. Naomi has been hired by Madison Culver’s parents to try and locate her. She has been missing for three years, but her mother believes that she is still alive. Naomi takes the case but explains that she may not find Madison alive, and even if she does, she may not be the same child they lost. How a child survives from the capture and brutality may cause tremendous changes in the child. How would Madison survive?

Madison disappeared in the forest while hunting for a Christmas tree with her mother and father. When she wandered away from them, they did not see her leave. She fell and was injured. Lying, almost frozen in the snow, she was found by a man who could not hear or speak. He picked her up and carried her home. In his clumsy, misguided way, he saved her life, but what kind of a life did he provide? When she regained consciousness, she discovered that she was not with her parents but with this strange man with a very fragile temperament. She learned that he was easy to anger and was a deaf mute. Her five-year old child’s mind conjured up a fantasy which enabled her to survive as the time passed. She was no longer Madison. She was “the snow child”. In her young mind, she was born of the snow like the child in her favorite Russian folk tale. She was intuitive and tried to anticipate the moods of the man who kept her locked up. She hoped to prevent him from hurting her and to encourage him to allow her out of the “cave” in which she believed she was being held prisoner.

The author handles the issue of sex very delicately. She uses metaphors for subjects that are difficult for Madison’s child’s mind to understand. When she is sexually abused she thinks of the sticks in the forest, and believes the twigs are hurting her. There are other references throughout, to serpents and snakes. The author has also imbued Madison with a mind that seems far more mature than that of a child’s. Her ability to read and write, to draw pictures to explain things and her thoughtful explanations and interpretations of her situation appear to be far more adult than someone with her meager number of years.

Mr. B, the man who holds Madison captive, is like a child himself, although he is grown and quite large. He has had practically no experience with the outside world. He was kidnapped as a young child and was kept in a dark, dank cellar. He was beaten severely when he angered his captor. Today, he is simply a trapper who lives in the forest. He has never learned to read or write, and he has no understanding of normal emotions, other than extreme anger. If he is found, he would be very changed. He had once been a happy seven-year old child who wasjust beginning to learn his letters and how to lip read at the time he became separated from his family. They were distracted in a store when he wandered out, unnoticed, and was carried away by a man who lived in the forest and was known only for his meanness. Unable to make a sound, Mr. B, known as Brian at that time, simply disappeared. One minute he was there, and then, he was not. Perhaps the way he treated “the snow girl” was the only way he knew how to treat someone. He learned to hunt, kill animals and trade their skins, but he never learned to love. Madison, now “the snow child”, feared he would kill her too.

There is another character, fostered by the same wonderful woman, Mrs. Cottle, who cared for Naomi and helped her through her trauma. He is Jerome. Naomi and Jerome were raised together. He, though, seems to be the only completely emotionally whole victim in the story, although he might have been the most floundering because of his experiences of abuse and suffering. Mrs. Cottle helped him find a new purpose in his life. She helped him fill in his missing parts with her pure and genuine love and concern for him.

The book also raises and touches on many of the progressive ideas threading through the narrative of conversation today, as well as many of the social issues concerning us. The author raises the topic of sex trafficking. She touches on mental health issues when she tells the story of a woman who is autistic whose child is missing. Through her story, she also touches on racism and the additional obstacles her family had to face because of it. With Jerome, she touches on the dangerous effects of our political policies surrounding war and those who are involved in fighting the battles. With him, she also touches on Native American fables and, once again, racism. She touches on how death enters and leaves our lives and how we deal with the effects. Some face it head on and some skirt around the idea and are in denial. When the ranger’s wife sneaks off to die quietly, alone and without fanfare, he is left behind; he is bereft and frozen in place. He wants to know if she will ever be found. Although she has found her peace, his has been disturbed. Perhaps, the novel obliquely also touches on the harmful effects of ignorance, even when it is not a choice, but is a consequence of natural events, and the beneficial effects of having faith in someone or something, other than oneself. Then, also, there is the story of a missing illegal alien. When his mother reports him missing, she is arrested, shackled and deported. His body is later found, a victim of violence. Some of these stories seemed somewhat contrived in order to promote particular political points of view. Some felt unrelated to the rest of the novel and some felt perfectly at home within the pages.

The narrator read each character with a clear, definitive voice. She enhanced the novel with her interpretation of each of them.

I'm on the fence when it comes to this book. Not that the book isn't good. It definitely is read-worthy (or listen worthy). I just had moments when I felt unsure if the story was in the present or if it was a flashback. Now, I listened to the audiobook version so this could just be me being confused and this could be much easier understood while reading the book. And, it's not a BIG problem. I just felt now and then a bit lost. Other than that the story is, for the most part, good, perhaps not that surprising and I wished I had felt a more thrilling feeling reading the book. It's very sad though...

However, I found Naomi absolutely fascinating. Listening to this book made me wish that the book would be turned into a tv-series with Naomi finding children. She's such a fabulous multi-layered character with an intriguing past. I loved getting to know more about the cases she has worked on. It's not that she has any magical powers to find missing children. It's more like she's tenacious, and thanks to her own past is she not willing to give up.

Will Naomi find Madison, and if she does will Madison still be alive? Well, you have to read the book to find out...

I disliked this book intensely. Although totally lacking in suspense, the actual story could have been somewhat interesting. But the style in which it was written is so irritating that it put the book beyond redemption. It appeared as if the author herself never had any idea what she would say next or how she would even finish a sentence once she had started it. Any idea or fact that came to her mind she wrote down, as if just to fill space, regardless of its relevance or interest. Sometimes the story or characters didn't even make sense. I should have known that any book with a central character named Snow Girl would not be for me.

A sixth sense and a highly tuned instinct are the qualities that Naomi Cottle is blessed with that allow her to find the missing children. Madison Culver has disappeared in the snowy forests of Northern Oregon when accompanying her parents in the search for the perfect Christmas tree. Naomi is determined to find Madison and in the process will encounter some painful memories from her distant pass. The snow girl is protected by Mr B and as this relationship unfolds the intention of the guardian gives the reader real cause for concern....."The day after the girl had slept in his bed for the first time, B had come back from trapping and sat on the edge of the bed...."

There is a strange, almost dreamlike quality to the storytelling. The author in this detached form of communication with the reader creates a very uneasy and unsettling image of neglected and disturbed children..."it is better for a child to attach to an abuser than to experience the blind hole of neglect."... Naomi travels to the endearingly named Stubbed Toe Creek and with the help of Ranger Dave hopes to unravel the mystery surrounding the disappearance of the young Madison Culver. Is there a connection with the snow girl? Will recently realized childhood memories help Naomi in her painful search for the missing child?...."What were you running from, then? she had asked. Monsters, was all that Naomi could remember. And to this day, outside the hints in her dreams, it was all she could remember still." Many thanks to the good people at netgalley for sending me a gratis copy in exchange for an honest review and that is what I have written.

"This is something I know: no matter how far you have run, no matter how long you have been lost, it is never too late to be found." -The Child Finder.

It's is really hard to put in words how this dark and heart wrenching read made me feel. This is a story about survival... Madison goes missing one day without leaving any trace. It's been three years and her parents contact Naomi, the child finder, hoping to find her. The author takes you to a deep snowy forest which she describes in a superb way and as disturbing as this story is I liked the way she makes you feel by taking some of the heaviness through Madison's innocent point of view.

As I parent I can't imagine going through missing a child. There's some pretty heavy stuff as go through the pages and I have to say that these characters broke my heart and then put it back together little by little. Definitely a page turner, had me racing through to see what happens to every character. Also I didn't wanted it to end...

This is the first book I read from Denfeld and I think she did an amazing job crafting this story mixing fairy tales, mystery, drama and a lot of heart.

THANKS TO HARPER COLLINS PUBLISHERS FOR THE ARC IN EXCHANGE OF MY REVIEW.

The blurb sounded so interesting that I had to pick this book up to read. And it didn’t disappoint me totally. As any book there were good parts and some not so…

As the blurb says, Madison disappears, no clues, police assume her to be dead, frozen under snow, parents still in hope. So enter the Child Finder Naomi and the story progresses in leaps and bounds with a few falls…

Rene Denfeld is a great writer, her plot is absolutely intriguing, and her characterisation and descriptions are striking. Rene has made her main character encased in reality. There is no super hero or a super power in this Child Finder, she is not intuitive or psychic to be called so. But the one thing she has, is determination and perseverance. OK, that makes it two things..

A woman who had been lost as a child and is still lost in the pages of her forgotten past, with a fear and hesitancy to get close to anyone, with a wall around her to prevent others to know her, is as flawed as it comes. But this is what makes her interesting. I love main characters like Naomi who can rise above her past, to know and understand her future.

The book is written in dual view points, from both Naomi and a snow child. The book touches on tough topics like child abuse and kidnapping. Naomi herself was kidnapped and probably abused as a child, and while locating other children, her brain slowly heals and unlocks her own past as dreams.

There is parallel short story in this book, of Naomi locating another child which was absolutely enthralling and equally heartbreaking. I had goosebumps when I read that.

The original plot line has hiccups. The flow of the story is staccato but it is Naomi who holds the attention, so one can’t help but continue on.

Naomi finds out in her methodical search that many years ago there was a paedophile in the mountains who was accused but never charged. Why did the police not follow up on that or even know about him??

Naomi’s methods of detection are just logical and understanding the landscape and minds of parents. Yet the police with their vast resources could not do that.

Why I would continue with this series is only to get to know Naomi and to find the child in the Child Finder…

I thought this was pretty good, but I did have some reservations about it. I read it because I thought that Rene Denfeld's first book, The Enchanted, was simply brilliant; although I enjoyed The Child Finder overall, this isn't really in the same class.

Naomi Cottle finds missing children in the USA. She works freelance and alone and has talent for locating children, dead or alive, even though they may have been missing for years and the police investigations have failed. In The Child Finder, she is looking for Madison who disappeared from a family outing in a high, cold part of Oregon three years ago. We also get a lot about Naomi's own internal turmoil, her backstory and her current emotional life.

It's all decently done; Denfeld writes well and the story is quite involving, but it all had a somewhat familiar feel to me and is rather like a lot of private detective novels in structure and feel. The two cases sit rather uncomfortably together, some of the psychology seemed a bit iffy to me and I found the ending, following a good but slightly predictable climax, rather over-sentimental and a little implausible. Nonetheless, there's plenty that's good about it and I found it quite a gripping and enjoyable read.

It's not clear whether this is the start of a series, but whatever Rene Denfeld chooses to write next, I'll read it. Despite some reservations, I can recommend The Child Finder as a well written and readable book.

(I received an ARC via NetGalley.)

Such a thought provoking read...It really made me evaluate myself and what I would do if this happened to me and if my child was taken and not found for months or years on end.

Some parts of the book are hard to read, now I don't mean bad writing, I mean the content can be heavy and dark.

The thought of Madison getting lost when he parents were Christmas tree hunting. How is that possible? A lost little girl in a bright pink coat.

She was lost at age 5 and if she survived, IF, she would be 8 now...

Her parents couldn't accept that she was dead, they hired The Child Finder, Naomi, to help find their little girl. Naomi doesn't sugar coat things, she was sure to tell them, she may be dead and IF she has survived she will not be the same little girl they lost 3 year prior. Could they handle that?

While trying to find little Madison, Naomi is trying to find out more about herself and what happened to her in her trauma filled past that she has blocked out to date.

Will Naomi find Madison? Will Naomi find herself? Can she survive knowing what happened to her?

"HOLY MOLY" - 5 BIG ONES! - SUCH A GREAT READ!

"Once upon a time there was a little girl named Madison. Madison didn't know how to be brave. But snow girl thought she could."

Naomi is an experienced and determined investigator....a child finder, and her present case takes her on a dangerous search in the snowy Oregon wilderness for eight year old Madison Culver who has been missing for three years.

Multilayered, THE CHILD FINDER intertwines the search for Madison as well as a search for memories Naomi herself keeps buried deep inside....her own story of monsters too horrifying to remember....a past that holds a devastating secret.

It is also a story of parental love and hope, of a foster mom with a big heart, and a man who lost a part of himself, but continues to fight for what he wants. AND there's heartbreak here, more lost souls...always more to be found, but for Naomi....Who Is Safe To Trust?

Rene's prose is exquisite....the way she handles difficult situations of an abuser with SPECIAL words from a child's mind is amazing!

DON'T MISS THIS ONE! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

The Child Finder is about Naomi who is known as The Child Finder because she is uncannily good at finding missing children. Naomi attributes her skill at finding missing children to the fact that she knows what it's like to be a missing child. However, Naomi actually doesn't remember her life before her escape from the place she was held captive. This book pairs Naomi's search for Madison with Naomi's dreams of her life in captivity and Madison's perspective.

Huge trigger warning for child sexual assault, though it's written in a way that almost has you questioning if that's what is happening. The writing throughout feels almost like you're reading a really really dark fairy tale. I honestly, really enjoyed the book despite being super creeped out by it.

I felt like something was missing though? I still can't put my finger on what exactly kept me from loving this book. I will note that this really isn't a thriller where the author is hiding the ball from you. You get to see each major character, including the person who kidnapped Madison, so you figure out who he is well before Naomi. It's more of a character focused book than a who done it kind of book.

Clearly I need to work on reviewing thrillers, but that would probably require me to read more of them and I'm a scaredy cat!

What is it about me that explains why I enjoy watching films and reading books about strong, smart, tough women?
“The Child Finder” fits that mold. Naomi is the main character and she was abducted as a child and managed to escape in the cold of night naked and with bloody feet. Years later she becomes known as The Child Finder. She risks her life to find abducted children and often succeeds were the police and FBI fail.

In recent months, I’ve read several books where the main character was a tough, smart woman. I enjoyed this novel and recommend it.
According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, roughly 800,000 children are reported missing each year in the United States -- that's roughly 2,000 per day. Of those, there are 115 child "stranger abduction" cases each year, which means the child, was taken by an unknown person.

Naomi knows what is like to be an abducted child and she is relentless to save as many children that she can. I think the world would be a better place if women ruled most countries and businesses instead of men. If Naomi was real and she ran for President, I’d vote for her.

I bought my hardcover copy at Costco.

This writer has a poetic use of language. "America was a was an iceberg shattered into a billion fragments and upon each stood a person, rotating like an ice floe in a storm" is only one of numerous beautifully written sentences.
She embues a deaf/mute man who has done some terrible things (& suffered horrors) with tragic tones.
A little girl has disappeared. The Child Finder, a woman who escaped something horrible as a child, is searching for her. So there is a mix of mystery and fear.
Although I utterly hate scenes where animals are killed, I was able to handle the trapping done by the deaf & mute man. The author describes life out in the wild so beautifully, the deaths of animals did not seem contrived to make us feel any sort of emotion (which is what I think many authors do.)
There is a good ending. It's all tied up at the end. I am so tired of books/movies which kind of trail off with no conclusion.

The Child Finder is centered around the disappearance of Madison Clulver a 5-year-old who disappeared in Oregon’s Skookum National Forest.

Her desperate parents are certain someone has taken her and despite being 3 years down the line hire Naomi a private investigator who has a talent for locating the lost and the missing.

During the search Naomi uncovers some painful memories from her past which gives us an insight into why she does what she does.

The story is mainly told both from Madison (know as The Snow Child) and Naomi’s point of views.

I found this book a little bit hard to read as it felt like a book of child neglect, especially as I was reading this and found out more of where Madison was.

I was still thinking of this book weeks after finishing and my review has been delayed whilst I processed my thoughts.

(I listened to the audio book version). All things considered, this was a pretty good book. Not quite what I would call a thriller, but enough twisty elements to keep my interest. There are scenes of child abuse (physical, sexual, and mental) throughout the book (it's about a missing little girl, so I more or less expected such). However, they are few, and not described graphically. Far, far less than other books I've read of the same "missing/kidnapped child" story. That is not the focus of the book.
I honestly only had a few minor complaints about the book.
1. I'm not sure if its the author's views, or just the characters she was portraying, but there are a lot of religious undertones and references. Just not really my thing.
2. I don't mind the switching around of narratives from different view points. I actually tend to enjoy stories more when I read things from more than one person's side. However, I think they could have been more easily marked. Not that its incredibly hard to figure out who's story it is after the first few words, I would have just preferred it to be a little clearer.
3. I would have liked more back story to Naomi, and more follow up with Madison. I know Naomi' s background is supposed to be mysterious and such, but it still would have been nice to know more about what was skirted around and hinted at. I'm also aware that books have an ending, and you don't typically know the rest of a character's life... but again. Maybe just a bit more closure regarding her mental state "after".
I would still reccommend this book to anyone who likes a little bit more gentle "thriller".

This story was okay but it didn't really capture me the way I had hoped. For one thing, I found some of the plotting to be confusing. Perhaps it was intentional but it didn't work for me. Other parts of the story were so very predictable but, I will say, I kept reading just to find out if I had been on the right trail. There were just no surprises there.
The characters are the most important part of any novel for me. I want to connect with them and feel as if I get to know them. The didn't happen here. I found Naomi to be distant and not very likable. I figured out fairly early on who B was in the grand scheme of things but it didn't make me connect with him at all. Some of the side characters were interesting but it wasn't enough for me.
There is potential there so I would certainly try another book by Rene Denfeld.

I liked the book very much. I couldn't put it down! I was surprised to find some grammatical errors - Denfeld is quite an accomplished writer. What I find "cringe worthy" is use of the word "woken," which she used. This is perfectly fine for readers and writers in the UK, but it's not Standard American English, and it makes me nuts! She also wrote about someone who "was done...". No. A person isn't "done." A person "had done something," but a person isn't done - roast beef is done. Thank you for letting me vent.

I read some other reviews, and I disagree about romanticizing rape. The little girl was so young; she didn't understand what was happening to her. All she knew were her fairy tales, and she was creating a fantasy based on her knowledge of what was going on to what she understood in her fairy tales.

For a book that is written about a very sensitive subject, I have to say that this was an excellent read. The story follows Naomi, who is known as "the child finder" who is looking for a young girl, Madison who has been missing for 3 years. The book switches between Naomi and Madison's viewpoints and it is quite a page-turner as the reader is trying to find out if Naomi will find Madison in time. Along the way, Naomi starts to remember certain things about her mysterious past as she herself was also a missing child, which I think was done so there could be a sequel as that part of the story ends in a bit of a cliffhanger. There are two other missing children cases that she solves as well, and you even find yourself feeling sorry for the so-called "villain" of this story which I found surprising. At any rate, it is definitely worth the read.

The Child Finder is a hauntingly, dark, exquisitely told tale that is so much more than just a missing child story or a private detective novel. It is one of loss, of horror, agony and hope.
The story is told from multiple points of view but primarily three main characters: Naomi, the Cild Finder, who once was lost herself. Madison, the child, and saddest and most heartbreaking of all is told by the abductor.
Denfeld has the ability to weave horrific situations into poetry full of hope, perhaps because she has worked with children who have seen these horrors themselves. Her writing is magical, spellbinding; you won't want to stop once you begin reading. I rarely give a book 5 stars but this one is well deserved.
No matter how far you run, no matter long you have been lost, it is never too late to be found. - The Child Finder

Engrossing, beautifully written, devastating, and redemptive, THE CHILD FINDER is the story of a private investigator, Naomi, searching the woods and fields, mountains and city scapes for missing children as deeply as she is her own past. Told from her point of view and that of a missing child, their stories and histories are meticulously woven and culminate in a breath-taking climax.

Horrifying subjects are handled deftly with an absence of graphic details that allow the reader to persist with the search. Characters are full, round, and complex--even the antagonists.

Fans of literary suspense will not be able to put down THE CHILD FINDER. It is one of the best books I've read so far this year, and I give it my highest recommendation.

To call Rene Denfeld's "The Child Finder" a masterpiece would not be an exaggeration. The author brings us into the psychological world of a predator and his captive, a story at once familiar, yet told in a way never before seen. We make this journey with the child finder, Naomi, as our guide. Naomi is both a seeker, and a woman at a loss to find missing chapters of her life. The author never debases the victim's story, nor does she play into titillating the reader by dwelling on details of sexual abuse. We keep turning the pages because of the brilliant writing, our desire to know the characters, and to learn what becomes of them. This is a book about the stories we tell ourselves to stay alive, and our universal human need to be seen, and ultimately found. I loved this book, and will read it again, and again.

This is my first time reading Rene Denfeld. The subject matter is about Naomi, a child finder. This could have been a brutal book to read due to the subject matter, but the way Ms. Denfeld writes you are very aware of what is happening but are not bludgeoned with graphic details. This book is really about least three children who are/were missing and how their experiences intertwine and parallel each other. . The reader has to be careful when reading as to which character is telling their story. There is joy, despair, hope and death intermingled throughout the book and you will be engaged with the story and feeling the emotions of the characters because of the way Ms. Denfeld writes. I certainly will be reading this author again if this novel (which seems so possibly real) is an example of her books.

The kind of strength that cannot be broken and never dies. It possesses you on every page of Rene Denfeld’s new classic The Child Finder. It is epic. It is simple. The kind of truth that hurts, that buries you. Until you are free. If you are free.

It happens in the Skookum Forest of Oregon. Skookum, the ancient word for Danger—a word I learned in college and wrote about. But not like this. Not like glacial cycles so massive, so ponderous, so deadly and so perfect for spawning hell and concealing endless torture. Not like unavoidable secrets that are bottomless ravines, traps that line the mountain peaks where so much that you fear is hidden. Amorphous unknown answers loom. Like, why is Naomi so afraid of “Big”?

There is Naomi, the child finder and her training. Maybe it was unconventional. But she learned to win in conventional ways, like dogged determination and being tougher than the avalanche. The avalanche was her life. It both buried and pushed her on. It became the source of all strength, mother’s love. Even though she wasn’t one, she knew. The backstory of how she knew jars you. Repeatedly. She had a lot of help to learn it, and that is a large part of what makes this book vital and required.

Naomi also learned a great deal on her own. The world and its dark side made her the heir to dreams big enough to knock a bus over. She became a boxer. I watched her tattoo the old instructor and bag up all his tricks. Win! Do it without remorse. Win. That which sounds like the world’s worst case of unsportsmanlike conduct is at once a whisper and a rabbit punch. When your opponents are monsters, there’s no shaking hands. This book tells the right story. This book tells it like it needs to be told. No holds barred.

This story is told to us by Skookum writer—Rene Denfeld, who knows. She knows and she cares and she shows it in open and public ways. Rene is out there on Facebook, beautifully. And she leads strongly softly and lovingly in her home and all around the Portland writing community—and around the world. Follow her.

More than the excellent plot, beyond the living characters and beyond the focused voice that speaks so well, it is the theme. It is the subject, the topic of this story that draws us into dark places that hide light like steel-jawed traps, like buried seeds, erupting unexpectedly. This subject matter is all-important. Read it, feel it, brawl with it, resolve the conflict within it. Yes. Do this, and we can plant true peace. But first, we need to talk about it. It can happen. Rene and her Naomi learn and share. We are bound to be protectors.

Agree wholeheartedly with the review posted by JoSon January 24, 2018. A 5-8 year-old child is incapable of the many ideas ascribed to her. Naomi is a blank slate and barely developed character. The half-hearted attempts of romance with Jerome and Ranger Dave seemed like filler. This could have been a semi-interesting short story/novella, but not worth one's time to read the novel. I am astonished that 5-star reviewer Betty Duplichan enthuses "What a wonderful surprise! I’ve found another delightful, talented, favorite author to follow!!!" Really? I couldn't even begin to describe this experience as delightful. But à chacun son goût.

There are two concurrent stories in this book. One about the child that is missing and the other about the person trying to find the child. Both engrossing heart wrenching plots are intertwined and enthralling. This extremely well written book is suspenseful and captivating, with each character well rounded and absorbing. Dark, yet hopeful, there is an urgency and tension to the plot, with the mystery itself just tantalizingly out of reach, making the reader hesitant to pull their eyes away from the pages.

This is for the kindle edition. This is a brilliant 5 star story and would make a great film. I was hooked from the first to the last page. "The Child Finder" is Naomi who is 29 years old. When she was about 9 she was found wandering in Oregon, with no memory until that day. She was fostered by a Mrs Cottle and has a foster brother called Jerome, whom she thinks she may love. Naomi spends her life looking for other children and sometimes finds them alive or dead. In this story she is trying to find 8 year old Madison who disappeared 3 years ago in the snowy mountainside of Oregon. Madison was last seen by her parents when they stopped to cut down a Christmas tree. Read on!

This is a beautifully written novel. The author's description of the remote reaches of northern Oregon is wonderfully descriptive and made the story all the more tense. The Skookum National Forest is where Naomi, the investigator goes to seek Madison, a five-year-old girl who went missing over three years ago. There is a lot packed into this novel. You are also dealing with Naomi's past in which she cannot remember anything in her life before running in terror through a dark strawberry field as a child. This book is a powerful novel about a search for a missing girl that’s also a search for identity. A wonderful read.

Easily the best thing ive read this year. Beautiful writing and a prose that just flows off the pages. Loved this character, the mystique that follows her helps make it a book i could not put down. Do not want to spoil this book for anyone, but it has it all, nice mystery, some romance and just enough element of suspense to make it a great book. Rene Denfeld is definitely an author for me to follow from here on out.

I read this in one long gulp. Lovely writing—free, poetic. Good story. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Seems like a first book in a series and I would read more to find out what happens. There is a fantastical quality to the writing and somehow it flows without glitches from real forest, frigid snow you can feel in your bone marrow, and the horror of being trapped to "fantasy" good boyfriend and mother characters. Normally I would criticize the all-good people as one dimensional, but the poetics of the writing make this work.

The storytelling in this novel is breathtaking, almost unbearably taut and suspenseful. It is one of the most satisfying unravelings of a mystery I've ever read, while also being a tender exploration of a character's insistence on hope and love even after terrible childhood trauma. No spoilers, but the ending was terrifically satisfying. To read a novel by this author is to board a narrative freight train that is pretty much impossible to ever step off of until it's complete. Highly recommend.

The plot line is good, it's a compelling story and uses beautiful language. However the characters are flat, and it reads more like a fictionalized poem. Big, complex emotions, not a lot of substance or backdrop. Probably would be better if it was longer, and fleshed out the characters more. As it stands, I finished it in an evening and I wouldn't waste money on it - recommend borrowing a copy from your local library.

Fantastic book! So well written and sympathetic, I couldn't put it down. Such a difficult subject. I totally and wholeheartedly recommend reading this, and I hope this becomes a series, following Naomi's search for her past, and her future relationship with Jerome. My only criticism would be that I found Madison's thinking and reasoning abilities far too mature for her age at abduction; but I guess this contributed to her ability to immerse herself so completely in the Snow Girl persona, and survive. I will definitely look at more booksby this gifted author!

I loved this author's first book, "The Enchanted" so my expectations were pretty high for this one. "The Child Finder" is about child abduction, and while it isn't graphic, it's still tough to read. Dispute a few slow spots, it's a page turner, and the final chapter is truely "edge-of-your-seat" reading. A powerful and emotional book. The ending was perfect; how many books just fall flat or fizzle out at the end ? This ends with a sense of hope and optimism, very much needed after the horror of the story. Very powerful book.

“The Child Finder” is the story about Naomi Cottle, an investigator with a high success rat in finding missing children. She once was a missing child herself and this makes every case hon works a personal one. I enjoyed reading this book and, even if it is intense and the subject matter did make me feel uneasy at times, I foud it very well researched and well written. I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group!

I wasn't sure about this one when I started it, but I liked Denfeld's writing. The book is a mix of sadness and that search for a happy ending. I won't give anything away, but the journey is worth taking. The main character, Naomi, is relentless and doesn't let anyone walk over her. While there were a couple of connections that felt oddly pieced together, this was still a really good book. Audiobook review at JacksonBaer.com

I couldn’t put this book down; I hope the author will write another Naomi book! The book’s topic of. Child abduction and abuse is horrific, yet the author wrote about it in such a compelling way. The character of B. was very complex. There were a lot of gray areas with his life and motivations. Of course, Naomi is also very complex, always running away or towards something or someone. I would love to accompany here on the journey to get her whole life story and perhaps to find her real family.

Great book--kept me engaged throughout. Beautifully and magically writtten story of Madison, a five year old who disappeared in the snowy wilds of Oregon and Naomi, a grown up yet traumatized "child finder". I thought of "The Snow Child" By Eown Ivey (also wonderful) several times throughout the more magical/fairy tale parts. Loved this--sad for it to end and hope Naomi's story continues...

Rene Denfield's THE CHILD FINDER takes us into lives that we hope never touch us. I was reluctant to read a novel about the subject, but this novel does not sensationalize or become gruesome. In fact, it did just the opposite. Denfield's empathy and focus on the characters vs. plot gives us a rich story of people, people who have endured tragedy and yet survived. I was mesmerized while emotionally drawn to the characters and their search for freedom of a different kind. Brava, Rene!

There is nothing gratuitous about the pain of captive children described here. The author, a private investigator as well as a journalist and foster mom, gets us inside the experience of being a captive and what it takes to actually go free if that's ever possible. Written with masterly control, the story avoids sentimentality, but grabs your heart.

This story was raw and important and powerful. However, I had a hard time with the writing in general and didn’t really care for the love story included.

This is NOT a book for the faint of heart, and was difficult to read from a content perspective. This book is descriptive, disturbing, raw, and upsetting, but it depicts things that happen in real life. It shares an upsetting truth while providing commentary, and I appreciate that so much.

I don’t know how I am supposed to feel other than unsettled, but I think that’s the whole point. This book covers an ugly truth that we live with today, so I think it should leave you with a feeling of needing to do something.

When a child goes missing, they call the child finder..Naomi....who so happens to be a woman who as a child got taken. Madison Culver is gone, in the woods....and Naomi is called to lend her expertise. The deeper she gets, the more her own abduction comes into play. I really loved this book, it goes just scary enough, just touches madness.

This was a wonderful book. Written so lyrically, yet taking the reader on a rollercoaster of emotions throughout. While I was sometimes extremely viscerally bothered by what was happening in the book, I was ultimately very appreciative of the experience of reading it. Overall, this is an incredibly moving book and I recommend it.

Most stories about missing children are so harrowing that the reader is filled with dread and only keeps reading in the hope of a happy ending. Not so with this one. I really liked all (well most) of the characters. There are a number of mysteries here, but the characters and storyline were so fascinating that I wasn't in a hurry to see the book come to a conclusion. Having read a bit about the author, I have even greater respect for this story. Rene Denfeld is someone I wish I knew personally and can only hope she will create a series based on the character of Naomi.

You won't regret reading this book. It is very well written about a woman who specializes in finding lost children. Why...because she is also lost. You will find yourself cheering our Child Finder on as she takes us on her her latest journeys. It's a sad but happy book so be prepared for your emotions to go on a rollercoaster. Enjoy the read. I did!

This book sucked me in right from the start and kept me hooked to the end. Sad, but great story. It got a little too sappy here and there, but aside from that, I liked it and read it in 1 sitting.

I hope there will be a sequel, so we'll have closure for the search she was involved in at the end and the rest of her story.

This is not the type of book I usually read, but for some reason, I was drawn to it. I am so glad that I was. When I finished reading it last night, all I could articulate was "Wow!" Denfeld has dealt with a difficult subject with grace and sensitivity, instead of graphic depictions. This book is beautifully written and I highly recommend it!.

This book was a beautiful surprise. The prose is simple yet evocative and the story itself is well paced with wonderful characters. Denfeld took a difficult subject and focused on the strength of a survivor instead of the pain of a victim. That being said, she still handled it with sensitivity. Highly recommend this book.

It took 15 chapters for this book to reach it's interesting peak, the whole book was sort of mellow, and not going anywhere until the ending. Not too happy with the end, there could have been more. I thought it would be a great one based on the reviews, but I wasn't intrigued, interested, or thought this was a page turner.

There is no more horrific subject than the kind of monstrous child abduction, abuse, and captivity depicted in this novel. How could I stand reading such a book? Only because of the author's deep understanding of, and compassion for, child victims and survivors. What I will remember most about this book is not the horrors but the hope.

This was a phenomenal book - great story and beautiful writing about a difficult subject. I thought the subject matter might make this story too heavy to enjoy, but it is just absolutely riveting, in the best possible way. I cannot recommend this strongly enough. This author has an amazing gift, and I am definitely going to read her other books.

Wow, this was such a great book. I am so glad I chose this one and borrowed it from my online library. It does have some very sad parts, but they are short. It was really neat to read how she worked out her cases. I will definitely be checking out more books from this author.

Naomi, the nameless one, is the child finder who tracks down cold case missing children. The novel seems to purposely lack clarity regarding Naomi’s own background in the guise of being enchanting and mysterious. Narration about the current investigation slides back into previous cases, and has a parallel track with another, unrelated except for the pervading theme, which is obvious and repeated. While initially interesting, the writing dragged on and became predictable.

The voice of the narrator Naomi often becomes indistinguishable from the voice of the current abducted child, Madison, and from the other characters, all of them sounding, well, childish. The novel could have been condensed to about 100 pages without giving anything up. Attempts at insight often come across as platitudes worthy of Hallmark sympathy cards.

Jeffrey Penn May, author of Roobala Take Me Home, Where the River Splits, Cynthia and the Blue Cat’s Last Meow, No Teacher Left Standing, Eight Billion Steps: My Impossible Quest for Cancer Comedy, Finding Your Fiction, and more.

I really enjoyed this, although it was disturbing at times. The girl was such an exceptional child in how she managed to survive
her ordeal. A little too much detail about Naomi's background, but an intriguing read with an excellent ending.

A well written story about a horrific subject. Haunting, complex and thought provoking. A compelling read as we follow the Child Finder as she searches for missing children. A story of self revelation, sadness and most of all hope.

I had read Rene Denfeld's first fiction piece entitled Enchanted and I wondered how in the heck is she going to top this beautiful piece of fiction and then I read The Child Finder and received the answer. Once again she has written a story that haunts you with such driving intensity through character, dialogue and place. She is truly a skilled and effective writer of fiction and I look forward to where next she will be taking us.

Heard very good things about this book so put it on my audiobook list. It ended up being a little slow for me with the second half being better than the first. It crept to a four star read by the end but about middle of the road for me.

4.5 stars. Some parts draggy and some high speed. What a job this character has. She finds kids when no one else can because she was once a lost child. Its hard to find love when you travel to the pits of hell to find abducted kids....your life or theirs. Great read

This short mystery is well crafted. The abuse is horrific, made more so because it is addressed obliquely. Naomi is a smart investigator. Snow girl is a smart heroine. Easy and compelling one -chair read.. Recommended Holiday Or Bookclub read.

Captivating, mesmerizing, great till the very end!! I could not put this book down. There are a few disturbing parts, but you kind of have to go through those parts to appreciate the story. There isn’t anything bad to say about this one!

This is the story of a woman with a forgotten past who is driven to look for missing children. Unfortunately there are plenty of cases for her to follow although this book concentrates mostly on one situation, a cold case, as well as her memory returning and dealing with that.

I didn't love it, I didn't hate it. I finished it with a bit of skimming. It's a perfectly fine book just not anything that blew my mind. After reading so many 5 star reviews I think perhaps I psyched myself up for this one too much.

I enjoyed reading this book. I hope there's a second Child Finder book to wrap up the loose ends about locating her sister and what exactly happened to them when they were abducted. I wasn't too interested in the romance aspect of The Child Finder.

Many readers liked this book but I thought it was just okay. It deals with an important topic (which may incline readers to give it extra points) but I found the characters unrealistic and the plotting contrived.

This is a well written suspense thriller. The characters are extremely detailed and believable. I loved the concept of a "child finder" who searches for lost or abducted children. Hopefully, there will be a sequel.

With THE CHILD FINDER, Rene Denfeld has cemented her reputation as a master storyteller of suspense and human emotion. One of the most thoroughly entertaining books I've read in a while, Denfeld's gift is that her stories are always so much more than they appear to be on the surface. Part nail-biting thriller, part literary story of redemption, love, and humanity, this novel is impossible to put down.

The world can be a dark one, but thank goodness for Denfeld, for though her world is as raw and real as any, it's also populated by individuals who demonstrate that compassion can triumph. By the end of the book, I was on the edge of my seat; as I finished the final page, I realized that not only was I no longer on my seat, but sitting out on the lawn, holding my breath—it was that spectacular. A must-read!

I really enjoyed this, although it was disturbing at times. The girl was such an exceptional child in how she managed to survive
her ordeal. A little too much detail about Naomi's background, but an intriguing read with an excellent ending.

A well written story about a horrific subject. Haunting, complex and thought provoking. A compelling read as we follow the Child Finder as she searches for missing children. A story of self revelation, sadness and most of all hope.

I had read Rene Denfeld's first fiction piece entitled Enchanted and I wondered how in the heck is she going to top this beautiful piece of fiction and then I read The Child Finder and received the answer. Once again she has written a story that haunts you with such driving intensity through character, dialogue and place. She is truly a skilled and effective writer of fiction and I look forward to where next she will be taking us.

With interesting perspectives from all sides of the issue, the perpetrators, the families, the victims,and past victims. The story keeps the reader spellbound and has some very good quotable words regarding living life hidden within.

Heard very good things about this book so put it on my audiobook list. It ended up being a little slow for me with the second half being better than the first. It crept to a four star read by the end but about middle of the road for me.

I don't typically read books with dark themes, but after it was recommended to me by a friend, I picked it up. I was so glad I did. Denfeld created an unforgettable story using beautiful language. I could not read this book fast enough. Looking forward to her next book already.

4.5 stars. Some parts draggy and some high speed. What a job this character has. She finds kids when no one else can because she was once a lost child. Its hard to find love when you travel to the pits of hell to find abducted kids....your life or theirs. Great read

This short mystery is well crafted. The abuse is horrific, made more so because it is addressed obliquely. Naomi is a smart investigator. Snow girl is a smart heroine. Easy and compelling one -chair read.. Recommended Holiday Or Bookclub read.

Captivating, mesmerizing, great till the very end!! I could not put this book down. There are a few disturbing parts, but you kind of have to go through those parts to appreciate the story. There isn’t anything bad to say about this one!

This is the story of a woman with a forgotten past who is driven to look for missing children. Unfortunately there are plenty of cases for her to follow although this book concentrates mostly on one situation, a cold case, as well as her memory returning and dealing with that.

I didn't love it, I didn't hate it. I finished it with a bit of skimming. It's a perfectly fine book just not anything that blew my mind. After reading so many 5 star reviews I think perhaps I psyched myself up for this one too much.

I enjoyed reading this book. I hope there's a second Child Finder book to wrap up the loose ends about locating her sister and what exactly happened to them when they were abducted. I wasn't too interested in the romance aspect of The Child Finder.

The kind of book that makes you think to yourself, "I could have written that". Interesting story, but unfortunately the way in which it's written is predictable. Not necessarily a waste of time, just a very easy read.

There are so many things wrong with this book. There were many meaningless chapters that didnt advance the story . It was a slow read, boring at times. I read at least a book a week and rely on the ratings system for a good read. There’s something wrong with the rating system if this book got 4.5 stars.

Many readers liked this book but I thought it was just okay. It deals with an important topic (which may incline readers to give it extra points) but I found the characters unrealistic and the plotting contrived.

This is a well written suspense thriller. The characters are extremely detailed and believable. I loved the concept of a "child finder" who searches for lost or abducted children. Hopefully, there will be a sequel.

With THE CHILD FINDER, Rene Denfeld has cemented her reputation as a master storyteller of suspense and human emotion. One of the most thoroughly entertaining books I've read in a while, Denfeld's gift is that her stories are always so much more than they appear to be on the surface. Part nail-biting thriller, part literary story of redemption, love, and humanity, this novel is impossible to put down.

The world can be a dark one, but thank goodness for Denfeld, for though her world is as raw and real as any, it's also populated by individuals who demonstrate that compassion can triumph. By the end of the book, I was on the edge of my seat; as I finished the final page, I realized that not only was I no longer on my seat, but sitting out on the lawn, holding my breath—it was that spectacular. A must-read!

Books rarely make me cry. Most media doesnt notgonna lie. But the book had me sosad and happy at the end that I cried.as a csa survivor myself whos dealing with cptsd this book helped heal me in ways I didnt know I needed to be healed. Beautiful and bittersweet. We Will take over the world.

This novel gripped me from start to finish. While the subject matter is somewhat disturbing, the characterization of the protagonist and "Snow Girl" immediately immerse you, and make you desperately want them to "be okay" in the end.

Sparse, haunting, real, and beautiful. It takes a heavy subject and stays true to its horrors, barreling headfirst into it. Denfeld shows that even in the unimaginable struggle there is hope, bravery, and love to be found.

Thank you for suggesting The Child Finder. I got it from the library and finished it in two days. It would have easily been a couple hrs but I have been very busy.
I enjoyed the story immensely and her style of writing took a minute for me to adjust but then it seemed to flow so nicely. I was sad it ended so fast. I look forward to the second one though.
I wish someone looked that hard for me.

I loved this novel!! I will be watching for future stories from Rene Denfeld. Her writing is clear and almost poetic. Her characters so believable. She wastes no time on unnecessary violence, over stated atrocities. Only inviting sadness and empathy for even the darkest of characters. Best novel I have read in a long time and I am a diligent reader! Cudos Rene Denfeld!

My sister in law and I meet Rene on a Bus in Seattle in September. We were on our way to get on a cruise ship and she was in Seattle for a book signing of her new Novel...... So impressed by her and her sweet soul, I bought the book on the store ASAP. Beautifully written novel..

A very touching, emotional read about a woman who seems to have a special knack at finding missing children. Told from the perspective of the child finder; and then the perspective of a child, who appears to be lost. This story is fast paced and suspense filled!

This is my first Rene Denfeld book and it is awesome The child Finder is a book that is hard to put down until it is finished and then it remains with you. It is fast paced, characters are unique and offer a well blended balance of domestic life hardships, wonderful fairy tales. Even the cover of this book is beautiful. A wonderful book that many readers will agree it is heart wrenching, where you laugh some and cry a lot. Perfect plots, twits at every turn of the pages.

This is my first Rene Denfeld book and it is awesome The child Finder is a book that is hard to put down until it is finished and then it remains with you. It is fast paced, characters are unique and offer a well blended balance of domestic life hardships, wonderful fairy tales. Even the cover of this book is beautiful. A wonderful book that many readers will agree it is heart wrenching, where you laugh some and cry a lot. Perfect plots, twits at every turn of the pages.