She began to sing, the girl. Her voice was soft, so soft it was almost of the wind. It was a lullaby. She cradled her arms, rocking them gently back and forth. As if she was holding a baby. But she was not. Her arms were empty.

On a cold morning a cyclist finds the brutally slaughtered body of a woman in her car, on a remote lane leading to the long-abandoned Irish village of Kelly’s Forge.

But when Detective Finnegan Beck arrives from the nearby town of Cross Beg to investigate he notices there’s a baby’s seat in the back of the car. A bottle of baby’s milk lying in the footwell. And no child.

Little Róisín isn’t the first child to go missing from that same remote location though. There was another baby girl, taken more than fifty years before, who was never found. Has too much time passed for there to be a connection, or does something – or someone – link these two crimes?

Beck claims he does not want to stay in Cross Beg. His heart is back in Dublin, with the woman he loves. But, knowing that a child’s life depends on him changes things. He knows he has to find the missing baby girl. Because if he doesn’t, he fears there’s a chance everyone will give up the baby for dead, just like they did before…

This dark, twisted page turner will keep you up all night. Perfect for fans of LJ Ross, Patricia Gibney, and Rachel Caine.

Readers are loving The Child Before:

‘So many twists and turns throughout the whole book. You never knew what surprise was going to happen next. This book had me holding my breath up til the end. I would have never guessed who the killer was. I just love books like this.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘An amazing book… Lots of twists and turns… Full of surprises. I thought I knew who the killer was halfway through but I was totally wrong.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘A fast paced thriller with heart wrenching turns!… I went from heartbroken to angry to scared!! What a perfect combination for a thriller!… I would absolutely recommend this book!’ Goodreads reviewer

‘Wow. This was a great book. Held my attention from the first page. Tons of twists and turns. Can’t wait for more’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Gripping to the end. Love the plot twists and turns… Michael Scanlon is one writer to watch for the future.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Inspector Beck is an unforgettable character… A highly entertaining read.’ Goodreads reviewer

‘Full of twists and dark turns, the author keeps the reader guessing up until the very last page.’ Goodreads reviewer

‘This is my kind of book… Kept me guessing and reading until late into the night.’ Goodreads reviewer

‘Bloody good… I didn’t for a minute spot the culprit.’ Goodreads reviewer

‘Brilliant. I love the slow unwinding of the different strands in the plot… Great writing… full of atmosphere and suspense. Well deserved five stars.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

Praise for Michael Scanlon:

‘Gripping… Keeps you guessing till the end… Unrelenting pace… excellent writing… The needle of suspicion keeps moving from one suspect to another… If you loved the detective series of Harry Bosch or Cormoran Strike, you will enjoy this one.’ Goodreads reviewer

‘A page-turning, don’t-put-it-down, yes-you-will-be-up-all-night kind of read… amazing!’ SPW Writes, 5 stars

‘I have never, ever read a whole book in one day… until now.’ Booked Up Girl, 5 stars