They knew they shouldn’t be driving in the pouring rain on a road they were not familiar with.

The Chamberlain family had just arrived in New Zealand for John’s new job, but before he started the job, they were going to have a vacation in their new country.

The vacation didn’t last very long when the car went off the road, down a steep hill, and landed in a raging river.

Three children did survive, but not very well. One had a broken leg and another had head trauma which caused brain damage and no one to take care of them except Katherine.

Well…someone who was an unsavory character did find them and took them to his farm.

He was cruel to the children, and they had to work very hard every day.

THE TALLY STICK is very well written and emotional, but it is also a disturbing, depressing read because of the way the children were treated.

The treatment was on the side of abuse emotionally and physically.

Despite the dark story line, you won’t be able to put the book down because you want to find out how the children make out.

You will feel their pain as they move through each day that they dread waking up to with their captors treating them like prisoners. 4/5

This book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.