The School Trip by Miranda Smith
Published: April 13, 2023
Bookouture
Genre: Psychological Fiction
Pages: 311
KKECReads Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.
Miranda Smith writes psychological suspense. She is drawn to stories about ordinary people in extraordinary situations, complicated women, and dark impulses.
On this crisp October day, the class of six-year-old children are wrapped up warm in gloves and coats for their trip to a local farm. They giggle as they stroke the animals and search for the perfect Halloween pumpkin, and as I watch my daughter Claire race off with her friends, the pink ribbon in her hair bouncing, I breathe a sigh of relief. It’s been so hard since my husband died and my sweet little girl deserves to be happy.
But as the sun sets and the teachers gather the children, Claire is nowhere to be seen.
We call the police and frantically scour the fields and playgrounds, my heart breaking as I cry out Claire’s name. And then a detective shows me a video: my daughter, skipping away from the farm, holding hands with an adult in a bulky coat, their cap pulled down low.
My blood turns to ice. Claire would never leave with a stranger. Whoever took her must be someone I know.
But who could want to punish me this badly? Is it linked to the night I refuse to think about—the terrible night my husband died?
Did my mistakes put my baby girl in danger?
Can I save her by finally facing the past?
Or will I lose her forever when the truth comes out?
“But I guess you never really know how a person acts behind closed doors.”
Emma is a hardworking teacher who tries to do her best after the sudden death of her husband. This field trip was supposed to be fun—a day at the pumpkin patch. No one was supposed to disappear.
I loved how the story funneled into intensity while maintaining an intense pace. The subtle escalation was so well done. I found the emotions within this book genuine and well-written.
I liked Emma; she was a mom doing her best. And she wants the best for her daughter, always. I liked how family was a theme, both chosen and biological. I also found the use of forgiveness beautifully done.
This is a fast-paced thriller from the first page. I loved how characters were stacked to make you suspect everyone- I fell into that trap! I enjoyed this book and am excited to recommend it.