Synopsis
One child, two mothers and a past that won't let them go. A second brilliantly twisty thriller novel by Sunday Times bestselling author of The Woman on the Ledge.
'Fresh, original, utterly intriguing and so, so clever' ANDREA MARA, bestselling author of No One Saw A Thing
'A clever, compelling rollercoaster ride of a book, never letting up until its final resolution' JENNIE GODFREY, Sunday Times bestselling author of The List of Suspicious Things
'Ruth Mancini has done it again. Smart, twisty and propulsive' HARRIET TYCE, bestselling author of Blood Orange
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All Lauren wants is a new life in Spain. She’s suffered an unimaginable loss, but at last she has found a home in the pretty seaside town of Mantilla de Mar. Everyone deserves a new start, and Lauren needs to put her past firmly behind her.
Hope has everything: an interesting career as a therapist, an attractive husband, a dream home in the countryside - and, finally, the baby she always longed for. Sam. Her beautiful boy.
But Sam has gone missing.
So when the police tell her that a woman has been found in Spain with a child matching Sam’s description, Hope thinks that her nightmare might be coming to an end.
But Lauren is insisting Sam is her baby. She even has his passport and birth certificate to prove it.
So what really happened to Baby Sam? And who still has secrets to hide?
One child. Two mothers. And a past that won’t let them go.
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More love for The Day I Lost You . . .
'A propulsive, emotional thriller about love and loss. I flew through it changing my mind every few pages about whose side I was on. A hugely satisfying read!' C.L. TAYLOR
'Thought-provoking, compelling and, at times, heart-breaking. Really kept me guessing, right up until the end.' ANNA MAZZOLA
'Ruth Mancini is fast becoming a master of the thriller genre . . . so clever and engaging' LAURA PEARSON
'If you thought Ruth Mancini couldn't top The Woman on the Ledge think again . . . utterly gripping' SABINE DURRANT
Readers are loving The Day I Lost You . . .
‘So many twists and turns’ 5-star reader review
‘Absolutely brilliant’ 5-star reader review
‘I devoured this book! So well-written’ 5-star reader review
‘A beautifully written book about how good people struggle and end up doing bad things’ 5-star reader review
‘Such a gripping read’ 5-star reader review
‘Beautiful prose. Fantastic plot. Amazing characters who I fell in love with’ 5-star reader review
Publisher information
- Publisher: Cornerstone
- ISBN: 9781804945216
- Number of pages: 352
- Dimensions: 196 x 127 x 23 mm
- Weight: 244g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
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“A first-rate thriller”
Who can you believe and what do you think? The stories of three 3main people are intertwined and keeps the reader questioning what is true and what is fals... READ MORE
Nothing and no one are quite as they seem...
The Day I Lost You is told with timelines that move around, so although it can be a bit disconcerting at times, there are plenty of surprises and twists al... READ MORE
The Day I Lost You
Lauren is living in Spain with her young son Sam. She is a single parent but enjoying her life. In the UK are Hope and Drew who claim that Lauren had kid... READ MORE
Enjoyable read.
The Day I Lost You' is the second book I've read by Ruth Mancini. Due to the timeline shifts and different POV's it does need you to concentrate or you may... READ MORE
Emotional
An emotional ride with multiple levels of mystery and intrigue apparently based on a true story. It really held my interest but I also needed to concentrat... READ MORE
Twisty thriller
An excellent new story from Ruth Mancini linked to her previous novels with some use albeit limited of the character Sarah Kellerman.
Told throughout fro... READ MORE
Slow burner
This is the first book I have read from this author and I am afraid this was just an ok read for me. A very slow burner . Unrelatable characters . I found ... READ MORE
Clever and compelling
With many thanks to Netgalley for this free arc and I am leaving this unbiased review voluntarily
I have loved all the Sarah Kellerman books so super e... READ MORE
Addictive reading.
Addictive reading. Twists and turns galore.
1 child 2 mothers, who is the child's real mother? Adulterous behaviour that with an accident 2 lives are lo... READ MORE
Excellent!
The Day I Lost You is a fast-paced, twisty and complicated thriller from the author of The Woman on the Ledge.
You really need to concentrate to keep up ... READ MORE
Stretched my imagination despite being based on a true story
Ruth Mancini, the author, is also a criminal defence lawyer and has said this book is loosely based on a case she worked on. The book rather made me wish I... READ MORE
A first class novel!
first class novel I read in two sittings! It just proves what a superb story Ruth has written- her background as a solicitor and criminal lawyer comes to t... READ MORE
A tense read
Lauren has decided to move to Mantilla de Mar in Spain, a place where she had happy times before she faced an unbearable loss and she just wants to make a ... READ MORE
Who do you trust?
Slow to begin, the story unravels with a backwards timeline. I was not sure what was happening at the beginning but the narrative picks up towards the midd... READ MORE
Interesting
lauren and Charlie are Planning a new life with baby . They are really happy. Hope and Drew are working on their marriage issues while looking forward to t... READ MORE
An intriguing thriller with true emotions……
I’m not surprised to learn that Ruth Mancini is 2024’s fastest selling breakthrough crime novelist, Sunday Times bestseller, critically acclaimed Theakston... READ MORE
A mother’s worst nightmare
The Day I Lost You by Ruth Mancini is a gripping psychological thriller that hits hard emotionally while keeping the suspense tight throughout. From the ch... READ MORE
Great Read
Wow! This is the first book I've read by Ruth Mancini, but it certainly won't be the last.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it in two sittings as I... READ MORE
Good plot
Although based on a true story, it didn't grip me. I found it very slow going and nearly gave up a quarter the way through but soldiered on to the end. T... READ MORE
Truth can really be stranger than fiction
Another fabulous read by this talented writer. A genuinely brilliant take on the writer’s career in law. I felt the phrase ‘truth is as strange as fiction’... READ MORE
Clever thriller
The Day I Lost You is a fast-paced, twisty and complicated thriller from the author of The Woman on the Ledge.
You really need to concentrate to keep up ... READ MORE
Strange and absorbing.
This was a very confusing story of high tension. What actually happened, changes dramatically during the story and all is well by the end.. A very unusual ... READ MORE
Confusing
I really enjoyed Ruth Mancini’s last twisty read – The Woman on the Ledge so I was excited to pick up her latest standalone thriller – The Day I Lost You.
... READ MORE
Fantastic book
I loved this book. It's incredibly cleverly written in the way it starts in present day and then moves back through sequences of time bit by bit until the ... READ MORE
Psychological thriller
Lauren Hopwood is living in Mantilla de Mar in Spain, she had moved there with her two year old son, Sam. Her neighbour, Gabe, who Lauren and Sam had got v... READ MORE
Slow Burner
This is the first book I have read from this author and I am afraid this was just an ok read for me. A very slow burner . Unrelatable characters . I found ... READ MORE
Gripping novel
Hope is happy good job, good husband and now a baby, but her baby goes missing. Apparently found in Spain with Lauren who insists the baby's hers she has a... READ MORE
clever plot
i enjoyed Ms Mancini's last book and this one is just as good. It's very cleverly plotted, giving glimpses of where the story is going and the back story o... READ MORE
Twist and turns
I enjoyed this book. It was very cleverly written with twists and turns throughout.
Quirky!
Not how I feel about this story. The characters were wrapped up in their own worlds and it as useful to read their thoughts. Seeing things from different p... READ MORE
Just when you know the truth
Just wow don't know how Ruth Mancini can do it again if you enjoyed her other books then this one will not disappoint
Just when you think you know the ... READ MORE
Excellent read
The Day I Lost you is an extremely well plotted story about two mothers and a missing child. Lauren is trying to make a new life for herself in Spain with ... READ MORE
Gripping
The story of Sam and his parents. A totally gripping story, from start to finish. Well written. Heart breaking in places. Highly recommended. I've not read... READ MORE
The Day I Lost You.
Lauren is living in Spain when she hears that a warrant is out for her arrest because she has been accused of abducting a baby.
This story is told by diff... READ MORE
Must read!
The Day I Lost You is a gripping and emotionally charged thriller that had me hooked from the very first page. Ruth Mancini has done an incredible job craf... READ MORE
Good read
A good read, which I really enjoyed. The reader has to be prepared for a story that jumps around time-wise, and from person to person. The details of tha... READ MORE
Tense and emotional
Having enjoyed 'Woman on the ledge', I couldn't wait to start my ARC from netgalley if this latest book A tense, emotional thriller told from 3 points of v... READ MORE
Gripping, complex and sad
A well woven, gripping story that has complex relationships at its heart. Lauren is living in Spain with her son, Sam but has a troubled past. Meanwhile we... READ MORE
The battle for a son.
Based on a true story, this cleverly structured story takes the reader through emotive and distressing relationships. The build-up is quite slow, at times ... READ MORE
A great read
What a great book - I was totally engrossed and loved all the twists and turns. It was very readable and just a bit different - I loved the structure and ... READ MORE
A tragic tale of loss and desperation
Lauren, had everything: a loving husband, expecting their first baby and about to start a new life in Spain. She moves to Spain with her baby and lives... READ MORE
Brilliant!
What a fabulous and well written book. I was on the edge of my seat and didn’t know what to believe or what had happened right until the end of the book. ... READ MORE
Based on a thought-provoking real legal case
I loved the author's previous book and was super excited to read the foreword which says the story, about a baby and two mothers both claiming the child is... READ MORE
Hidden Connections
This is a novel built around the lives of people connected my a tragic accident and the mental problems it causes. Lauren is living with her child in Spai... READ MORE
A compelling family drama
This is the story about what must be any parent’s worst nightmare, their child has gone missing. This is Sam’s story but who is/are Sam’s parents. Writte... READ MORE
A very tangled web
A beautiful, heartbreaking, life affirming story with wonderful descriptions of places the majority of readers will probably never be lucky enough to visit... READ MORE
Complex mystery turning on legal principle
Mishap, misadventure, mislay, mistake, mislead, mystery. Lauren, is hiding out in Spain with her toddler son, Sam. Or with Hope’s son, Sam. Or with Dr... READ MORE
Amazing!!!
Oh my god!!! This was so effing good, by head was spinning with the events, I was constantly changing my opinions of the characters.
I loved how this wa... READ MORE
I Never Knew Who I Could Trust
"I need to report a crime. My baby has been stolen."
All Lauren wants is a new life in Spain. She's suffered an unimaginable loss, but at last she has f... READ MORE
Complex
Oh my goodness what a tangled web this book was. This novel packs a punch throughout. I found myself tied up in knots not knowing who to believe and where ... READ MORE
Dramatic and thrilling read
An intriguing and thought-provoking story about a missing child. It requires concentration to keep track with all the jumps in timelines and different pers... READ MORE
Really Enjoyed This Book! I Couldn’t Put It Down!
I really enjoyed this book, I just couldn’t put it down and I read this book in one sitting, I just had to know what happened and what was the truth and wh... READ MORE
A good tale well told
Having read and thoroughly enjoyed The Woman on the Ledge I was excited to read The Day I Lost You. Told from different viewpoints the story unfolds with t... READ MORE
Good story but too much mundane details and padding
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.
There is a good story here but I felt it was diminished by the back and forward ... READ MORE
A good read
The foreword by the author who is a solicitor and criminal defence lawyer, is well worth reading as it sets the scene for her latest novel. Her background... READ MORE
Couldn't put it down
I spent the first part of this book trying to put the characters together and in order. They just didn't fit. They still intrigued me and eventually it all... READ MORE
Brilliantly written emotional tale
The second book of Ruth Mancini I have read and enjoyed. An emotional tale brilliantly written.
Brilliantly written emotional tale
The second book of Ruth Mancini I have read and enjoyed. An emotional tale brilliantly written.
Thrilling, intriguing and emotional read
This was certainly an intriguing read. I had no idea who or what to believe. There was far more to this book than finding out who were the real parents of ... READ MORE
A deviously crafted page-turner of a read
Continuing in the form she showed with The Woman on the Ledge, Ruth Mancini here treats us to another riveting, twisty, page-turner of a read; one so devio... READ MORE
A storytelling dilemma
Having read Ruth Mancini's previous novel The Woman on the Ledge, I was very much looking forward to this one. It started really well and was engaging but ... READ MORE
So many secrets and lies, who do you believe?
So many secrets and lies, who do you believe? I did find this a little confusing at times but once I got towards the last 10% (ish) really enjoyed it.
M... READ MORE
Another absolutely wonderful and gripping thriller by Ruth
Lauren has made a life for herself in Spain with her two year old son, Sam. But one day there is a knock on the door and the police say she’s been accused ... READ MORE
Twisty Thriller
So, just on the description alone, the reader is led to believe that this story is about a kidnapping but it is so much more than that. Upon first meeting ... READ MORE
Thought provoking
This had me gripped from the start when the Spanish police question Lauren as they believe her son Sam is not hers but the mussing child of Hope and Drew. ... READ MORE
A heartbreaking situation
The introduction by the author had me curious, discussing the real life case that inspired the story.
This is a cleverly plotted book, switching between ... READ MORE
Decent enough
Lauren lives in Spain, a loving mother to her son, Sam, and starting out in a relationship, until the day the police arrive and say that there is a warrant... READ MORE
A novel about grief and loss.
I loved the Woman on the Ledge and so had high expectations of this new novel. This is the story of one child and two mothers. Hope finally has the baby sh... READ MORE
Great Mystery Read
Lauren is settled in the quiet Spanish town of Mantilla de Mar with her son Sam, however the police turn up on her doorstep with the allegation that Sam is... READ MORE
Well plotted and well written
I thoroughly enjoyed this book which unravelled at just the right pace. The characters and their motivations were completely believable and I had difficul... READ MORE
What is going on?
The Day I Lost You by Ruth Mancini
Narrated by Rebecca Mancini, George Blagdon, Olivia Poulet, Louise Brealey, Roy McMillan
I see this story as a psych... READ MORE
The Day I Lost You
⭐️ 4 ⭐️
The Day I Lost You is an interesting read with an intriguing storyline that kept me hooked and immersed throughout.
Ruth Mancini has created well... READ MORE
Not for me
I’m not entirely sure what I feel about this book. It started really strong and I was waiting for the build up to an explosive climax which unfortunately d... READ MORE
A Brilliant Read
The Day I lost You is a gripping psychological thriller centred around two women Lauren living quietly in a seaside town in Spain with her young son Sam an... READ MORE
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