Captivating . . . Will appeal to fans of Room, The Lovely Bones and The Fault in Our Stars' - Independent

Heartstopping. Heartbreaking. Heartwarming.

Compelling, compassionate and powerful, Rhiannon Navin's Only Child is the most heartfelt book you'll read this year.

We all went to school that Tuesday like normal. Not all of us came home.

When the unthinkable happens, six-year-old Zach is at school. Huddled in a cloakroom with his classmates and teacher, he is too young to understand that life will never be the same again.

Afterwards, the once close-knit community is left reeling. Zach's dad retreats. His mum sets out to seek revenge. Zach, scared, lost and confused, disappears into his super-secret hideout to try to make sense of things. Nothing feels right - until he listens to his heart . . .

But can he remind the grown-ups how to love again?

Narrated by Zach, Only Child is full of heart; a real rollercoaster of a read that will stay with you long after you've turned the final page.

Zach's story starts on the worst day of his life . . . . . . And takes him on a journey no-one could have expected

About the Author
German by birth, Rhiannon Navin now lives in New York. She is married, with three children and two cats. Only Child is her first novel.

Reviews
Captivating . . . Will appeal to fans of Room, The Lovely Bones and The Fault in Our Stars * Independent *
Authentic and moving * Irish Times *
Grab hold of the tissues for a heartbreaking read that's full of compassion and insight * Woman & Home *
An emotional, heart-wrenching read for fans of We Need To Talk About Kevin * The Pool *
Heart-wrenching and intelligent, and so very moving and insightful about a family in crisis -- Kate Eberlen, author of Miss You
Powerful . . . Will appeal to fans of Emma Donoghue's Room * Good Housekeeping *
Completely felled me . . . Brilliantly heartbreaking * Lucy Diamond *
Sinks its hooks into you from the very first sentence * Marie Claire (US) *
An amazing voice . . . Powerful and wise and healing -- Rachael Lucas, author of Wildflower Bay
Devastating. Unsentimental. Honest. Beautiful. Everyone should read -- Penny Hancock, author of Tideline
Zach, at only 6 years old, understands more about the human heart than the broken adults around him. His hope and optimism . . . will have every reader cheering him on, and believing in happy endings even in the face of tragedy -- Washington Post
An astonishing debut * Publishers Weekly *
Powerful . . . A careful examination of the way one boy and his parents, and their community, struggle to survive - and stay together - after the worst has happened * USA Today *
Told in the surprisingly mature voice of an unforgettable little boy, this tender novel about healing and family will tug at your heartstrings * Sunday Post *
Outstanding -- Harlen Coben
Heart-wrenching . . . [An] important and timely book * Booklist *
Innocence trumps violence -- Sloane Crosley, Vanity Fair
Like Emma Donoghue's Room, Navin's debut takes the risk of narrating a modern tragedy in the voice of a very young player . . . A powerful exercise in empathy and perspective * Kirkus *
Hotly anticipated * Glamour *
Heartbreaking * The Sun Chronicle *
Through Zach's eyes, we watch a mother become consumed by her anger, and a father begin to retreat . . . Zach embarks on a mission to ease his parents' sadness, though the reader knows that only time can do that . . . Sweetly rendered * NY Times *


Awards
Long-listed for Big Book Awards: Page-Turners Award 2018 (UK).



Book Information
ISBN 9781509855582
Author Rhiannon Navin
Format Hardback
Page Count 304
Imprint Mantle
Publisher Pan Macmillan
Weight(grams) 532g
Dimensions(mm) 234mm * 153mm * 25mm