4 - 5 stars rounded up Theo Novak, once a renowned surgeon, his late wife Vera, are parents to two girls, Julie and Sophia. Julie has been missing since September 2003 when she’s 16, the case becoming quite infamous and never solved. Twenty years on, podcaster Liv Keller contacts Theo, now in his 70s and battling dementia, claiming to have a new lead. Understandably Theo is desperate to know what happens to Julie before dementia robs him of answers. Deepening the mystery is the strange behaviour of Julie‘s ex, Daniel, who according to Julie‘s friends, tries to isolate her from the people she’s close to. Can Liv and her podcast partner Phil, give Theo the closure he craves? The story is told via several points of view which works well, creating a very perplexing puzzle. I think this is another very good psychological thriller from Romy Hausmann, as it starts in one place and keeps adding in layers and layers keeping me invested in the storytelling hoping to find answers. Theo’s confusion and advancing dementia is done extremely well, his lucid moments providing some insights and giving an urgency to the podcast and poignancy to the plot line. All the characters perspectives provide very good back stories which ultimately connect well. Julie‘s abduction is very strange, much does not add up and the suspicions that swirl around especially directed at Daniel, resulting in the destruction of another life, whether justly or unjustly remains to be seen. The tension becomes increasingly taut, there’s a sense of menace in some of the perspectives and some scenes are set in creepy places that makes it an atmospheric read. In addition, it’s clear that some characters are lying, there’s anger and guilt in the mix but where the truth lies becomes increasingly enigmatic. As the novel reaches its conclusion, the twists keep on coming, there are revelations that make my mouth fall open, agog at what is disclosed. What I especially like is that no point do I guess the truth, I go off in all kinds of directions but never foresee the unexpected discoveries made. What a good ending too. Overall, this author is a must read for me and if you like multilayered mystery thrillers then it’s well worth reading this. A good translation from the original German.

Theo is suffering with dementia and his memory is starting to fade quickly. He needs to find out what happened to his daughter, Julia, who vanished. On the 20th anniversary of her disappearance, Theo is contacted by podcaster Liv. With her help can Theo finally find out who took Julia. I enjoy Romy Haussmanns writing, her characterisation is very good and Darling Mine is a book that I would recommend to anyone who likes a character driven story. Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Darling Mine is an edge of your seat thriller. There are some great twists and turns that I didn't see coming. The characterisation is spot on and the ending is superb.

Darling Mine is a dark, twisty, and emotional read with plenty of unexpected turns. This was my first book by Romy Hausmann, and it definitely made an impression.The story is very character-driven, with complex and deeply flawed characters that pull you into their emotional journeys. There are moments that are quite upsetting, and the darker themes give the book a heavy but impactful tone. It wasn’t quite what I expected, but in a way that mostly worked for me.While I really enjoyed the story overall, I did feel it was slightly too long and could have wrapped up earlier without losing its impact. That said, the twists, emotional depth, and unsettling atmosphere kept me engaged.A strong, emotional thriller that I enjoyed and would recommend to readers who like dark and character-focused stories.Thanks to Netgalley and Quercus Books for the Arc.