Give Me the Child

Child psychiatrist Caitlin “Cat” Lupo, the narrator of this enticing standalone from British author McGrath (the Edie Kiglatuk series), and her husband, Tom, who owns an IT company, are living an ordinary life in London with their elementary-school age daughter, Freya, when their world is suddenly turned upside down. The police bring Ruby Winter, a girl about the same age as Freya, to their door because her mother, Lilly, has died in an apparent accident, and the authorities have determined that Tom is next of kin. Tom confesses to Cat that he didn’t know until that moment that his one-night-stand with Lilly, back when Cat was hospitalized while pregnant with Freya, resulted in a child. Though Cat diplomatically agrees to keep Ruby until another relative can be located, the girl exhibits some disturbing behavior and appears to be a negative influence on Freya. Cat becomes concerned when a neighbor’s child’s iPad goes missing, believing Freya and Ruby may have stolen it. As Cat desperately tries to keep Freya safe, Tom starts to question whether she’s experiencing the psychosis she exhibited during her pregnancy. McGrath plumbs the depths of human depravity in this pulse-pounding thriller. (Oct.)