Does anyone recognise this book?

[3beesinmybonnet]

I only have very scant information I'm afraid. Set in either Spain or South America. A boy disappears and a girl finds him imprisoned in a hole in the ground. Possibly his own family arranged the kidnapping. Also something about older brothers wounding their younger brother's ankle to stop him running away.
Think I read it in the 1980s. Female author with 3 part name ie like Joyce Carol Oates only not.
I'm not even sure I enjoyed it that much but it's driving me mad!

Bumping this for you OP - we're intrigued

Is it this? Italian but sounds plausible.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27m_Not_Scared_(novel)

@Zonder I'm tempted to order that tbh

Looks interesting doesn't it? I guess it doesn't fit the OPs description totally though.

I was going to suggest I'm Not Scared - great book!

Wow the Power of Mumsnet! !! I'm amazed at this but I honestly think this could be the book as lots of the plot details given in the link sound very familiar. Suspect I was wrong about when I read it also.
I shall hunt down this book and read it anyway since pps say it's good.

Thank you so much everyone

Ooh might order that!

@Zonder and @emmaw1405
I was in a rush earlier but I just wanted to say how honestly amazed I am that anybody got this from the information I gave, most of which was wrong!
I've just bought it on Kindle so once again thank you very much!

Do let us know if it is the right one.

I actually found it just by googling Spanish child hole kidnap novel!

I loved ‘Io non ho paura’ by Niccolò Ammaniti. And the film is brilliant. I used to teach it to Year 8 - it was always a winner.

@Zonder

Yes it is the right book. I just hope I enjoy it now! Thanks again.

I loved it so hope you do too!

Great!

I worked for the publishing house (Canongate) when this was published and had to go pitch it to Waterstones
and other similar book retailers.

That was some 17 years ago now.....you've sparked a lot of memories for me!! I didn't really have a clue what I was doing and didn't last long in that job!!