Almost every graduating class had a girl who disappeared. A decades-old crime threatens to tear apart three generations of women in this unputdownable mystery that will keep you gripped until its last heart-wrenching page.
1949. It is the coldest winter Orcades Island has ever known, when a pregnant sixteen-year-old arrives at Fairmile, a home for ‘fallen women’ run by the Catholic Church. She and her baby will disappear before the snow melts.
2013. Frankie Gray has come to the island for the summer, hoping for one last shot at reconnecting with her teenage daughter, Izzy, before starting a job as a deputy sheriff. They are staying with her mother, Diana, at The Fairmile Inn, soon to be a boutique hotel, but when an elderly nun is found dead in suspicious circumstances, and then a tiny skeleton is discovered in the grounds of the house, Frankie is desperate for answers.
At once an evocative, unsettling tale of past misdeeds and a crime thriller that will have you reading with your heart in your mouth, The Only Child is compulsively addictive storytelling from the international bestselling author of The Silk House.
Read some great reviews from our Preview readers here:
I’ve been a fan of Kayte Nunn’s and although this was a departure from her usual style of historical stories, I enjoyed this crime thriller as much as her previous novels. The subject matter of the treatment of “fallen girls” in the 40s by the Catholic church was engrossing, yet heartbreaking. The characters were compelling from the girls sent to the home, the nuns to whom they were entrusted by their families to be “cared for” and the three generations of women in the later timeline. The mother, daughter and granddaughter become involved in an intriguing mystery surrounding the past history of a house they are restoring into a boutique hotel which leads to the unfolding of a gripping page turner. With thanks to Better Reading and Hatchette Australia for the preview copy. #BRPreview Regina, NSW, 5 Stars
International bestselling author Kayte Nunn’s newest offering, The Only Child, sees a shift from the classic historical fiction she’s so beautifully captured in previous novels towards a more contemporary crime/mystery genre. But this story also incorporates strong historical elements expertly woven into the dual timelines that are captivating and heartbreaking. FACT: Between 1945–1973 one-and-a-half million babies were given up for adoption in the United States. It’s a sobering fact. And women’s reproductive rights have been back in the headlines of late with recent law reforms in the US making this a very timely and important topic to explore. The dual timelines allow for an intriguing mix of historical fiction and contemporary mystery, including a past crime that threatens to tear apart the lives of four generations of women in the present. Nunn expertly weaves the characters and threads of historical fact into the now — it’s impressive how seamlessly the story moves between the two. The setting is so vivid, especially the historically coldest winter of 1949, that I could almost feel the cold seeping into my veins. And Fairmile house, set in isolation on Orcades Island, is eerie and evocative. A compulsive, thought-provoking read. Linda, QLD, 5 Stars
The Only Child by Kayte Nunn was a beautiful yet horrifying story of unwed mother’s home in the 1940’s and the effect it had on families right up to current times. When a retired nun is murdered in an aged care home, the secrets start to unwind. The main characters were well written and easy to like and the story was revealed over time through both the past and the present. I LOVED this book and found it difficult to put down. I would love to read more by this author now! Melissa, QLD, 5 Stars
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is based on real life events and as such is enthralling. You really feel immersed in the story with the writing and get a real sense of time and place. The story of the current day is also very ‘real’ and the characters crafted beautifully. Julie, VIC, 5 Stars
I have read all of Kayte Nunn’s books and enjoyed them immensely. The Only Child is probably her best to date. Full of intrigue, mystery and a hint of romance, there is something for everyone! Thanks to Better Reading and Hatchette Australia for the opportunity to read a preview of this book for an honest review. Donna, VIC, 5 Stars
The Only Child has a dual timeline (2013 and 1949/50) with the common thread being the location, Fairmile House. Located on a fictional remote island community in the remote area of the Pacific Northwest in the US. Nunn successfully captures the isolation, desolation and loneliness of what was, in 1949, a home for unwed mothers, run by the Catholic Church. The cruelty to, and vulnerability of, the young women, shamed and abandoned by their families in perhaps their time of greatest need, makes this a poignant and moving tale. The author connects this historical reality with a family drama, where Frankie and the rest of her family, in 2013, are drawn into the mystery after the discovery of a baby’s body when they are renovating the old homestead into a B&B. I particularly liked Frankie, and how Nunn characterises a perfectly believable, though flawed, mother trying to reconnect with all the generations of her family. I thoroughly enjoyed the dual timeline aspect, and how the connection between the generations is slowly revealed and comes full circle. Another well-written, well-researched fictional story that connects today’s society with the restrictions of the past. Jann, QLD, 5 Stars
Hands down my favourite book this year! It definitely makes my top 10 of all time. Kayte Nunn has done a wonderful job of creatively telling the story over two timelines, which is a style I particularly enjoy. She set the scene in a way that captured my attention throughout the entire book. I particularly enjoyed the coy love interest between Frankie and Joe. I will now be looking to read more of Kayte Nunn’s work. Thank you to Better Reading for the opportunity to take part in this review. Angela, QLD, 5 Stars
The Only Child by Kayte Nunn is a thriller that takes the reader into two different times. The first is the shameful time when young, pregnant girls were sent to religious homes due to the scandal of pregnancy. The second is today when Franke Grey goes to an island with her daughter. Frankie will be the island’s sheriff but due to not spending time with her daughter, is hoping this break will help mend their rift. Whilst there a nun is murdered and a skeleton is found on her mother’s property. Finding the links between these crimes and the twists in the book is what keeps the reader turning each page. As you read the stories of the girls in the homes, your heart feels for them as they are punished for their supposed sin. You can understand their anger and loss when they leave. As for Frankie and Izzy, watching their strained connection is relatable to most readers as it was so realistically written. Kayte Nunn lets the reader feel the emotions of the characters so beautifully. It is a thriller that also touches your heart. I loved it. Theresa, NSW, 5 Stars
I loved this story. One that stretches from post 2nd World War to the 2010s. It brought back memories of the so called “bad girls” in my generation who were missing from school one day and never returned. And never spoken about by the teachers. The Island in Puget Sound where this story is set has a dark past all but forgotten until the death of an elderly nun raises questions. As the story unfolds you will be drawn into the lives of a family of four generations of strong women three of whom are restoring an old house which was once the residence of an order of nuns. When a baby’s skeleton is unearthed in the grounds during the renovations the tragic past of the residence is brought to light, stirring up memories some would prefer to remain forgotten. Lynda, SA, 5 Stars
“The Only Child” Kayte Nunn This has to be one of the most powerful, horrifying and yet intriguing stories that I have read in a long time. It is almost unbelievable, but sadly, a true depiction of how ‘fallen women’ and indeed, some very young girls, were discarded by society and often by their own families. Though set in the US, it could be in one of many countries … The prologue is heartbreaking as a newborn infant is buried, just another child of a disgraced young mother… Those who survived were adopted out to ‘proper’ families.. “Fairmile”, which had once been a home for single mothers, was in the process of being restored as a boutique hotel, when not only an elderly nun’s death seemed suspicious, but a tiny skeleton was found in the grounds. Frankie, the daughter of the woman restoring the hotel and a soon to be Deputy Sheriff, comes to reconcile with her teenage daughter, Izzy and, well.. of course, she gets sidetracked by the above discoveries. This is not only a story of families, history, challenges, but a story you can’t put down… Better Reading kindly supplied me an advanced reading copy to review. Chris, QLD, 5 Stars
Great book – very well written and kept my interest and was suspenseful. Will definitely read another of Kayte’s books. Lita, NSW, 5 Stars
Frankie Gray has flown in from Sydney to Orcades Island in Puget Sound, not far from Seattle, to stay with her mother Diana and to prepare for a reunion with her teenage daughter Izzy. Diana is renovating Fairmile, once a church-run home for pregnant unwed girls but soon to become a boutique hotel. Frankie is about to start work as a deputy sheriff on the island, so when she hears news of a suspicious death nearby, her pulse quickens. Then when she discovers the victim was found in the nursing home her grandmother Ingrid lives in, Frankie is in full panic mode. Fortunately, Ingrid is unharmed, but then workers excavating near a tennis court at Fairmile unearth a tiny skeleton. Inspired by real-life accounts of girls who were inmates of homes for “fallen women”, Kayte Nunn combines the stories of the two deaths in a psychological thriller that’s also a tender family story. A former book and magazine editor, it’s her seventh novel and is both clever and haunting. Don, SA, 5 Stars
This is a great read, I was hooked from the very first page! I think this is Kayte Nunn’s best yet. The dual timeline device can be a hard one to pull off but it really works here. One strand features a plucky policewoman who has recently relocated from Sydney back to the US. She’s helping her mother to restore an old home but there are hints of something deeper that’s made her move. She has a fractious relationship with her teenage daughter and is desperate to become closer to her. Then she gets involved in the investigation of a nasty murder of a former nun at the nursing home where her grandmother lives. The other strand follows a young woman in 1949 who falls pregnant and is sent to a home for unwed mothers run by Catholic nuns. We learn early on that the home in each timeline is one and the same. The two stories then begin to come together. It’s a timely story, given the threats to women’s reproductive rights around the world. It’s also a gripping thriller with women front and centre. I found the story set in 1949 very poignant. I really enjoyed this book – highly recommended! Kecia, NSW, 5 Stars
Apprehension developed when I read the first few pages where I didn’t think I would continue, but curiosity regarding the characters began and I wanted to find out what happened not only in the past but for the character’s possible futures. The book was a great read and was hard to put down. I didn’t think I would like ‘The Only Child’, but I found the characters and their lives intriguing. This book was not only about one child, but for all those who were stolen from their mothers and may have never been able to find a real place in the world. May anyone, whoever you are, find peace wherever you can. Joan, VIC, 5 Stars
This is an addictive story based on what used to happen to pregnant teens back in the 40’s and 50’s, so the family could keep their standing in the community without embarrassment. The damage it did to these girls would last a lifetime……. 1949: Fairmile Home was on Orcades Island and was run by Nuns of the Catholic Church. Single teenage girls were sent to the home with the plan to give birth and then return home, whilst the babies were adopted out. In the case of one particular sixteen-year-old she managed to disappear with her baby before it was adopted out. 2013: Frankie Gray has come to the island, is living with Diana, her mother, and is hoping to bond with her teenage daughter Izzy, before starting her new job as Deputy Sheriff. Diana purchased Fairmile Inn and is turning it into a boutique hotel. Suddenly an elderly nun is found dead in her aged care facility under strange circumstances, and a tiny skeleton is found in the grounds of Fairmile Inn. An investigation is undertaken to find answers and Frankie is keen to solve this enthralling mystery, which has more to do with her family than she realises. A must read book! Thank you to Goodreads and Hachette Australia for the copy. Vicki, VIC, 5 Stars
If you like a book that is easy to read and hard to put down, then “The Only Child” by Kate Nunn is for you. It combines mystery, murder and explores the many facets of family relationships. I loved it. Ronlynn, NSW, 5 Stars
This is a five star read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ My first by Kayte Nunn and what a page turner! Switching between past and present I found myself there in the moment. Feeling how it must have been, relating to the characters. Especially the girls sent to Fairmile. My heart ached for them. The twist that brings them to present time was clever and not predictable. I highly recommend this book and will be seeking out other books written by this author. Tracey, VIC, 5 Stars
Kayte Nunn is an author who never disappoints and The Only Child is another of her wonderful reads. From the opening line in the Prologue, the story of Fairmile and its inhabitants – both in the past and recent times – kept me hooked. As the story weaved in and out of the present and past, I was taken on a journey of heartbreak, happiness and a quest for truth. Kayte brings her characters to life and as I read each page, could picture her characters and their lives on Oracdes Island, feeling the emotions running through the storyline. I loved the flashbacks, historical notes and the real crime aspect – it is an un-put-downable book! Nicole, QLD, 5 Stars
This story is told in 2 timelines and this year I’m reading those differently, ie I read one time period and then go back and read the second (or more if there are more). It was promoted as a mystery but it is more a historical fiction and family drama. The present day (2013) part was a good yarn about a mother coming home to family – to reconnect with her teen daughter and help her mother renovate an old home into a bed and breakfast. The period set in the late40-50s was done well in exploring the lives of young girls ‘who got themselves into trouble’ as they were hidden from the world in a home for unwed mothers run by nuns on a remote island in Puget Sound. This was the first novel I have read by Kayte Nunn’s and I will look for more Thanks to BetterReading and Hachette for an early review copy. Indigo, NSW, 4 Stars
I am a huge fan of Kayte Nunn’s books so I was thrilled to receive a copy of “The Only Child” from Better Reading to Preview. “The Only Child” is set on Orcades Island (a fictional island) off the north western coast of Washington State. The story is told through two time periods (which I love!) -1949 when the island was home to “Fairmile” a place for pregnant, unwed teenagers run by the Catholic Church and 2013 when the suspicious death of an elderly nun and discoveries made during the renovation of “Fairmile” send our main character, Frankie Gray on a search for answers. From the first page the writing is so beautiful, and reading it so effortless, that it is like sinking into comfy chair and I was hooked. That is not to say there are not some tense moments as the mystery unfolds. The story deals with some heartbreaking subject matter that is well researched and sensitively told. It might not be my favourite Kayte Nunn novel, however, I found it very enjoyable and I thoroughly recommend reading it snuggled in front of the fire with a cup of tea or a sneaky glass of red. Kylie, WA, 4 Stars
A hidden crime drew me in from the prologue. I found that the story showed that some experiences when growing up can be carried hidden during your whole life. The flow between the two timelines worked well and helped me be easily drawn into the story. I love how even when secrets from the past are brought into the present, the strength and love of a family is not broken. Very sad to know that the situation many of the girls found themselves was not uncommon for the time and while reading the book you feel their loss, loneliness, and strength. I really enjoyed reading this book and finished over two days. Meighan, NSW, 4 Stars
This story is split into two timelines both based around Fairmile on Orcades Island. 1949 Fairmile on Orcades Island was a home for unmarried mothers in the 1940s to the 1970s, run by nuns where young mothers came to hide their shame and have their children to be taken from them by the nuns. This is where a young sixteen year old finds herself in 1949 after an affair with an older man. 2013 Finds Frankie Gray joining her mother Dianna on Orcades Island after living in Sydney. Her daughter Izzy joins her for the summer before Frankie starts a job as a deputy in September. Fairmile is rundown and Frankie is helping Dianna renovate it to open as a bed and breakfast. This book is a wonderful read and it hooks you in especially when the ties between 1949 and 2013 are revealed. At times harrowing and heartbreaking and also relevant to current times. Ness, NSW, 4 Stars
The Only Child is a well-written mystery that spans two eras and intertwining four generations of women connected by birth and motherhood. Highly recommend if you like to be kept guessing until the end. Penny, QLD, 4 Stars
The Only Child is an encapsulating story based on historical events. The story is riveting, it pulls you in very quickly, building the main characters early and is easy to read. The Only Child has a fantastic storyline and events within the book keep the reader very engaged, however some elements within the plot were obvious where there could have been more mystery, or were sudden in their appearance. Despite this, the characters and plot were spellbinding and kept me wanting to continue and find out who committed the crime. A fantastic first foray into Crime and I can’t wait to read more from Katye Nunn! Aleacia, NSW, 4 Stars
Having recently finished reading The Last Reunion I was very keen to read the next book written by Kayte Nunn and it didn’t disappoint! It is a well written story with wonderful, engaging characters and an interesting plot and an interesting take on history. The story’s format moves back and forth from the late 1940’s to more recent times. Anyone looking for a novel thoughtfully written with depth of story and character will not be disappointed. Astrid, VIC, 4 Stars
Very interesting to read about life in the late 1940s for women who were unmarried and pregnant. This story was about pregnant Ingrid who had to change her name to Brigid. Her granddaughter Frankie investigates the murder at her nursing home with twists and turns along the way. Great family themes including reflections on leaving her daughter behind for her career. I liked the detail about the cigarette case with the swan but I had to read it 2-3 times to completely understand it. Tara, WA, 4 Stars
The Only Child by Katye Nunn is filled with mystery and suspense. I was grabbed by the catchy sentence… ‘Almost every graduating class had a girl who disappeared’ and thought I was in for a crime story with a serial killer but not so. There is a crime, decades-old, which impacts three generations of women. It’s an unputdownable mystery that kept me gripped until its last heart-wrenching page. It owes me a night’s sleep! Highly recommended. Liesl, NSW, 4 Stars
This one was a bit of a mash-up of genres. There’s a tale of what a poor girl had to go through being an unwed single mother in the late 1940s and there’s a murder mystery in the mid-2010s. There’s also a strong theme of family and generational trauma from both ends. I found the characters believable and interesting and really enjoyed the sparsity of male characters. Was very refreshing to see things largely from a feminine perspective without the usual interference men provide in a female-centred narrative. The message about reproductive rights and the impact that the lack of these rights can have on young women is immensely timely and I’m very glad these are being discussed now. I think the murder mystery and ensuing thriller component was less effective than the other aspects, but all were compelling and worth a read. Overall, a fast read but very worthwhile. Richard, VIC, 4 Stars
Two timelines. One 1950’s, the other modern times. Motherhood was the overarching theme. Other books have addressed unwed mothers’ homes, but this story looks at the effects on young mothers, not the adopted babies. The modern story is still motherhood but includes prioritising your child/work. The modern juggle. Just to keep the reader intrigued there is also a murder mystery and a kidnapping. Lots happening but it all ties together well in the end. I will continue to read other books by this author. Excellent. Lisa, QLD, 4 Stars
I thought I had it all figured out…. But not quite!! Smashed through it in a few nights – easy to pick up and dip into, as life allows. I didn’t feel particularly engaged by any of the characters, or their relationships, but the story didn’t suffer for it. With its fluid movement between past and present and pacey storyline, this was definitely an enjoyable read. Emma, QLD, 4 Stars
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