The Child Finder

A Novel

By: Rene Denfeld

Narrated by: Alyssa Bresnahan

“It’s ‘Deliverance’ encased in ice… Denfeld’s novel is indeed loaded with suspense, its resonance comes from its surprising tilt towards storytelling restraint, a rarity in this typical crackling genre. Elegiac, informative and disquieting. . . . The novel gallops to a suitably heart-racing finish.” — New York Times Book Review

A haunting, richly atmospheric, and deeply suspenseful novel from the acclaimed author of The Enchanted about an investigator who must use her unique insights to find a missing little girl.

Three years ago, Madison Culver disappeared when her family was choosing a Christmas tree in Oregon’s Skookum National Forest. She would be eight-years-old now—if she has survived. Desperate to find their beloved daughter, certain someone took her, the Culvers turn to Naomi, a private investigator with an uncanny talent for locating the lost and missing. Known to the police and a select group of parents as ""the Child Finder,"" Naomi is their last hope.

Naomi’s methodical search takes her deep into the icy, mysterious forest in the Pacific Northwest, and into her own fragmented past. She understands children like Madison because once upon a time, she was a lost girl, too.

As Naomi relentlessly pursues and slowly uncovers the truth behind Madison’s disappearance, shards of a dark dream pierce the defenses that have protected her, reminding her of a terrible loss she feels but cannot remember. If she finds Madison, will Naomi ultimately unlock the secrets of her own life?

Told in the alternating voices of Naomi and a deeply imaginative child, The Child Finder is a breathtaking, exquisitely rendered literary page-turner about redemption, the line between reality and memories and dreams, and the human capacity to survive.

Kept asking questions

While the story’s premise is interesting, there were what seemed to me to be obvious questions. A recurring one was how a 5 yr old had such advanced powers of deduction & an advanced vocabulary while being in captivity for several years.

The main character’s final words of wisdom were pedestrian to the point of silliness and the author’s lead-in to her next book was a bit too obvious.

The value of a book like this for me is heightened awareness of these missing & exploited kids. For that, Denfeld is to be commended.

Beautiful, inspiring .

This book was intense . Not your usual child abduction book . It was serious , profane . A beautiful character . Will say this , if I had young children today , would chain them to me . The monsters are real . Buy this book , you won't be able to put it down

Wish I could find more just as good !

I really enjoyed this book. I go through about 1 per week and most are longer than they need to be. This one was perfect, it got my attention and kept it through out. I highly recommend it if you like emotional ones that end well.

Couldn’t put it down!

This story grabs you from the beginning and holds you tight until the last word. You feel as though you are in the story and can see what the characters see and smell the smells that are so vividly articulated. While the story moves into a dark place that is unspeakable, you can’t put it down.

Dark But Captivating

As much as this story is hard to read at moments, it's truly a beautiful take on the secret community of the sexually and physically abused children. Rene really helped someone like myself who has been fortunate not been through a horrid situation like being captured and abused, understand how a young child mentally and physically survives. Also, instead of making out the capturers as monsters, you understand the truth behind sexual and physical abuse to, especially children, which is the fact that the abuser went through the same experience as a child. The cycle merely repeats itself. Which is so sad and so true.
Wonderfully written and I would suggest to anyone who can stomach this kind of story.