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The Son
You think your new husband is just wonderful. You are so proud of your polite and popular teenage son…
But how well do you know the men in your life really? What dark things are they not letting you see?
The girl has no idea she’s about to be chosen. She almost didn’t go out at all . She’d thought about staying home, but how wonderful would it be to meet someone tonight? Someone nice, someone funny, someone who could change her life forever. She just needs to put herself out there.
Standing alone, sipping her drink, she gives a little start when he comes over. “Hi,” he says. His voice is nice. Friendly. “I’m not crazy about bars, are you?” “No.” She shakes her head and smiles. “Want to get out of here?” He grabs her hand and leads her outside. His fingers feel warm and soft. She can’t help it, she giggles – excited, embarrassed. “What did you say your name was?” she asks. It’s dark out here, they’re alone now. “I know yours.” He looks across at her. “You’re ‘Brave’.”
She laughs along. Nothing bad is going to happen , she tells herself, uncertain now. … Right? We’ve all heard the familiar story – the doting wife and mother who doesn’t even realise she’s harbouring monsters in her own home.
The Son is a gripping tale, full of twists, secrets and heart-stopping suspense. Trust no one, suspect everyone – an unputdownable psychological thriller that will leave you breathless.
But how well do you know the men in your life really? What dark things are they not letting you see?
The girl has no idea she’s about to be chosen. She almost didn’t go out at all . She’d thought about staying home, but how wonderful would it be to meet someone tonight? Someone nice, someone funny, someone who could change her life forever. She just needs to put herself out there.
Standing alone, sipping her drink, she gives a little start when he comes over. “Hi,” he says. His voice is nice. Friendly. “I’m not crazy about bars, are you?” “No.” She shakes her head and smiles. “Want to get out of here?” He grabs her hand and leads her outside. His fingers feel warm and soft. She can’t help it, she giggles – excited, embarrassed. “What did you say your name was?” she asks. It’s dark out here, they’re alone now. “I know yours.” He looks across at her. “You’re ‘Brave’.”
She laughs along. Nothing bad is going to happen , she tells herself, uncertain now. … Right? We’ve all heard the familiar story – the doting wife and mother who doesn’t even realise she’s harbouring monsters in her own home.
The Son is a gripping tale, full of twists, secrets and heart-stopping suspense. Trust no one, suspect everyone – an unputdownable psychological thriller that will leave you breathless.
335 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 27, 2023
381 people are currently reading
213 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
September 23, 2023
After it being just Beth and her son Joe, now seventeen, her marriage to Drew, a police detective, felt wonderful. They were happy - weren't they? But Joe was now surly and uncommunicative with his mother, while he and Drew seemed to get on well. Beth worked at the local jail, helping prisoners who needed someone to listen. But the jail was filled with criminals who lied, bribed and coerced. Beth's good friend Robyn was the chaplain at the jail, and she always had Beth's back.
When Joe went missing, Beth was beside herself. And Drew's actions suddenly became suspicious. What was she missing? As Beth went back to jail again, hoping for Robyn's help and kindness, Beth suddenly realised she'd done the wrong thing with one of the prisoners. Could she correct her mistake? Or was it far too late for that?
The Son by Elena Wilkes is a slow burning rumble until around half way, when the pace picked up and things began to happen. Beth wasn't an easy person to like, but I think that's the way her character was meant to be. To me, Drew was sleazy, and Joe, well he seemed like a typical angst-filled teenager. I quite enjoyed the plot, which had plenty of twists and turns, some of which I definitely didn't see coming! Recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
When Joe went missing, Beth was beside herself. And Drew's actions suddenly became suspicious. What was she missing? As Beth went back to jail again, hoping for Robyn's help and kindness, Beth suddenly realised she'd done the wrong thing with one of the prisoners. Could she correct her mistake? Or was it far too late for that?
The Son by Elena Wilkes is a slow burning rumble until around half way, when the pace picked up and things began to happen. Beth wasn't an easy person to like, but I think that's the way her character was meant to be. To me, Drew was sleazy, and Joe, well he seemed like a typical angst-filled teenager. I quite enjoyed the plot, which had plenty of twists and turns, some of which I definitely didn't see coming! Recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
October 16, 2023
*Twists and Turns*
To the outside world Beth seems to have it all. Her second husband Drew a police officer and her teenage son Joe get on and seems to be doing well apart from the moody teenage act. But this is far from the truth.
The question that is glaringly obvious is how well do we know those we live with? Her Son and her husband are hiding something very dark. Her son is so convincing at telling lies and Beth knows she has brushed too much under the carpet. She became a Samaritan after her first husband took his own life and her role is mainly involves going into prisons. Many men take their own lives and she tries to prevent this.
It all changes when a random call to Beth comes From a frantic young woman asking her not to trust him, who does she mean?….
Well for me it goes from slow paced to fast pace and far too many people are lying and manipulation is off the charts. Girls are being trafficked and worse but Beth goes charging into situations making what look like bad choices with the best intentions even worse. The desperation and tension is palpable. When she is faced with the horror of who her nearest and dearest are it made me wonder how this would play out on tv. I disliked and felt sorry for Beth in equal measure and so many of the characters were wearing a facade. There were moments when I was shouting at Beth, but twists galore made it hard to put down
To the outside world Beth seems to have it all. Her second husband Drew a police officer and her teenage son Joe get on and seems to be doing well apart from the moody teenage act. But this is far from the truth.
The question that is glaringly obvious is how well do we know those we live with? Her Son and her husband are hiding something very dark. Her son is so convincing at telling lies and Beth knows she has brushed too much under the carpet. She became a Samaritan after her first husband took his own life and her role is mainly involves going into prisons. Many men take their own lives and she tries to prevent this.
It all changes when a random call to Beth comes From a frantic young woman asking her not to trust him, who does she mean?….
Well for me it goes from slow paced to fast pace and far too many people are lying and manipulation is off the charts. Girls are being trafficked and worse but Beth goes charging into situations making what look like bad choices with the best intentions even worse. The desperation and tension is palpable. When she is faced with the horror of who her nearest and dearest are it made me wonder how this would play out on tv. I disliked and felt sorry for Beth in equal measure and so many of the characters were wearing a facade. There were moments when I was shouting at Beth, but twists galore made it hard to put down
August 13, 2023
Aww I was hooked on this one! It's well written with so many twists and turns that you never know if you're coming or going until the big reveal. Is it realistic, who cares.... its fiction and thoroughly entertaining. Its also got an original storyline that hasn't been done a dozen times before. I loved it
August 16, 2023
This thriller was slow to start but then speeded up considerably.
There were lots of unlikeable characters and it was difficult to know who was telling the truth.
I found the story unbelievable in parts but I had to keep reading to find out what was going on.
Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my e-copy in exchange for a honest review.
There were lots of unlikeable characters and it was difficult to know who was telling the truth.
I found the story unbelievable in parts but I had to keep reading to find out what was going on.
Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my e-copy in exchange for a honest review.
August 29, 2023
Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for a gifted copy of this read.
In my opinion, this particular thriller had the potential to be a really fresh and modern take on the genre, but unfortunately, it didn't quite meet my expectations. While I did appreciate the effort put into the plot, I found it to be a bit too slow for my liking. However, I will say that it did improve in the second half, which made it worth sticking with until the end.
As well as the slow pace, I did find some parts of the plot to be a bit implausible. That being said, I understand that it is a work of fiction, so I wasn't too bothered by it. When it came to the characters, I found them to be somewhat lacking. As a mother to a teenage son myself, I found it difficult to connect with the main character, Beth, and didn't feel much empathy for her.
Overall, I wouldn't say that this book was a terrible read, but it didn't quite live up to my expectations. I do think that readers who approach it with an open mind may find it enjoyable and entertaining, but for me personally, it wasn't quite the page-turner I was hoping for.
Release Date: 27/09/2023
In my opinion, this particular thriller had the potential to be a really fresh and modern take on the genre, but unfortunately, it didn't quite meet my expectations. While I did appreciate the effort put into the plot, I found it to be a bit too slow for my liking. However, I will say that it did improve in the second half, which made it worth sticking with until the end.
As well as the slow pace, I did find some parts of the plot to be a bit implausible. That being said, I understand that it is a work of fiction, so I wasn't too bothered by it. When it came to the characters, I found them to be somewhat lacking. As a mother to a teenage son myself, I found it difficult to connect with the main character, Beth, and didn't feel much empathy for her.
Overall, I wouldn't say that this book was a terrible read, but it didn't quite live up to my expectations. I do think that readers who approach it with an open mind may find it enjoyable and entertaining, but for me personally, it wasn't quite the page-turner I was hoping for.
Release Date: 27/09/2023
November 5, 2023
Predictable, and relatively boring. The main character trusted everyone, even when told not to. She can't keep a secret, and makes stupid mistakes.
September 29, 2023
I only got through this book by reading 1 sentence per page, and still got the entire plot
a suburban mom plays detective when her 17yo son is suddenly a crime lord, and when she's told "don't trust anyone" she trusts everyone
[arc review, honest opinion]
a suburban mom plays detective when her 17yo son is suddenly a crime lord, and when she's told "don't trust anyone" she trusts everyone
[arc review, honest opinion]
August 12, 2023
I appreciate NetGalley giving me a copy of this book to read, I really struggled to get into this the first 100 pages it just dragged so much and found myself so annoyed at the main character and just saying how stupid are you! The big “surprise” was okay it may be for others but this wasn’t for me. I think a note should also be made this book is about “trafficking” and could be triggering for some individuals. This isn’t a book you finishing reading you feel warm and fuzzy.
August 28, 2023
This book had me gripped from the first chapter. Fast paced, full of suspense and some killer twists and turns.
So many characters with their own different parts in the storyline, but the author manages to keep things easy to follow and interesting.
Definitely never seen most of twists coming and all in all will definitely recommend this book to others.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for this ARC!
So many characters with their own different parts in the storyline, but the author manages to keep things easy to follow and interesting.
Definitely never seen most of twists coming and all in all will definitely recommend this book to others.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for this ARC!
October 6, 2025
I'll admit, when I first started this one, I very nearly didn't continue. It was a real slow burn, too slow for me personally, BUT it did eventually gain some momentum and become an enjoyable enough read for me to get to the end.
Implausible... yes, but as long as you're willing to accept that side of it, it's fiction after all, it's an ok, all be it unbelievable plot.
Character wise, I can't say I easily connected with any of them, especially Beth. As a mother to teenagers myself, I found her a bit 'meh'. I couldn't empathise with her at all. Her decisions were just absurd and frustrating.
All in all, this just wasn’t a 'me' book. I just need a faster pace for it to grab my full attention.
Thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC.
1.5 rounded to 2⭐️
Implausible... yes, but as long as you're willing to accept that side of it, it's fiction after all, it's an ok, all be it unbelievable plot.
Character wise, I can't say I easily connected with any of them, especially Beth. As a mother to teenagers myself, I found her a bit 'meh'. I couldn't empathise with her at all. Her decisions were just absurd and frustrating.
All in all, this just wasn’t a 'me' book. I just need a faster pace for it to grab my full attention.
Thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC.
1.5 rounded to 2⭐️
September 13, 2023
Slow to start with but then gets racey, fast paced and I was unable to stop reading. The main character Beth, has a husband and son but is so insecure! Beth trusts everyone only to find out what’s really going on and breaks her. Lots of plots and twists, enjoyable reading. In the end, Beth breaks through and wins and loses. The morale of the story is not to trust anyone
September 27, 2023
A criminal underworld and a plot line so convoluted and twisty that you’re always looking over your shoulder and don’t know who to trust. You invest your trust in someone then, even as the reader, you feel let down manipulated and naive when they let you down, clever writing indeed.
There are sensitive and menacing areas tackled in this, including people trafficking for sex, child abuse and grooming and manipulation of the vulnerable including the dark and sinister hierarchy and workings of the inner prison system.
I loved the characters and felt the vulnerability and desperation of the main character and how she was trying to protect her own son, at any cost and had nobody to trust. The action and pace was excellent and it truly was gripping. I can’t wait to read more by this author, definitely recommend.
There are sensitive and menacing areas tackled in this, including people trafficking for sex, child abuse and grooming and manipulation of the vulnerable including the dark and sinister hierarchy and workings of the inner prison system.
I loved the characters and felt the vulnerability and desperation of the main character and how she was trying to protect her own son, at any cost and had nobody to trust. The action and pace was excellent and it truly was gripping. I can’t wait to read more by this author, definitely recommend.
August 17, 2023
Hell yes this was such a good read and certainly kept me on my toes throughout!
The story starts off a little bit slow but once it begins to unfold we are drawn into a web of deceit and lies as the main character Beth struggles to know who to believe her husband Drew who is a policeman and seems to be hiding something or her son who is secretive seems to getting all kinds of trouble. Turning to work colleagues for help Beth’s life then starts to spirals out of control and she plunges deeper into what is going on.
This for me was the the first book by this author and I was really impressed by the complexity of the plot line, the character structure and the excellent writing. After the first few chapters I found myself racing through the book as the twists kept coming and the gripping pace of the story grabs me till the dramatic end.
So a great read and one I would highly recommend, many thanks to Elena Wilkes.
My thanks also to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
The story starts off a little bit slow but once it begins to unfold we are drawn into a web of deceit and lies as the main character Beth struggles to know who to believe her husband Drew who is a policeman and seems to be hiding something or her son who is secretive seems to getting all kinds of trouble. Turning to work colleagues for help Beth’s life then starts to spirals out of control and she plunges deeper into what is going on.
This for me was the the first book by this author and I was really impressed by the complexity of the plot line, the character structure and the excellent writing. After the first few chapters I found myself racing through the book as the twists kept coming and the gripping pace of the story grabs me till the dramatic end.
So a great read and one I would highly recommend, many thanks to Elena Wilkes.
My thanks also to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
December 5, 2023
This was my first read/listen by Elena Wilkes. The Son seemed to have so much potential & I was very excited to read it. Unfortunately, this one wasn't for me. I was bored most of the book. The main character just got on my nerves & her choices when put in situations were just absurd & annoying. I finished it but it was a struggle. I may try this author again in the future.
*Thank you to NetGalley & Storm Publishing for the advanced copy of The Son
Merged review:
This was my first read/listen by Elena Wilkes. The Son seemed to have so much potential & I was very excited to read it. Unfortunately, this one wasn't for me. I was bored most of the book. The main character just got on my nerves & her choices when put in situations were just absurd & annoying. I finished it but it was a struggle. I may try this author again in the future.
*Thank you to NetGalley & Storm Publishing for the advanced copy of The Son
*Thank you to NetGalley & Storm Publishing for the advanced copy of The Son
Merged review:
This was my first read/listen by Elena Wilkes. The Son seemed to have so much potential & I was very excited to read it. Unfortunately, this one wasn't for me. I was bored most of the book. The main character just got on my nerves & her choices when put in situations were just absurd & annoying. I finished it but it was a struggle. I may try this author again in the future.
*Thank you to NetGalley & Storm Publishing for the advanced copy of The Son
October 7, 2023
Holy smokes!!! Started off a bit slow for me but once you get into this book it moves so fast paced it has your head reeling!!!
Excellent twist that I didn't see coming.
So many well developed characters that are easy to follow their story.
Enjoyed this one for sure.
Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.
Excellent twist that I didn't see coming.
So many well developed characters that are easy to follow their story.
Enjoyed this one for sure.
Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.
September 13, 2023
The storyline sounded like one I would usually enjoy but this one fell very flat for me I could not get a feel for the characters and did struggle to get to the end.I hope other readers enjoy but just wasn't for me.
Thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC.
Thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC.
September 8, 2023
This book was ok. Lots of confusion about what was going on. I’m still confused on whether Drew was a good guy or bad guy.
September 17, 2023
This book was incredibly slow, I put it down and went back to it later. I found Beth very annoying and frustrating. Slow burns are just not my kind of book, I prefer more fast paced.
October 23, 2023
Let me start by saying that I was hesitant to read this book. I had read the reviews and wasn't really impressed. I was actually quite surprised by how much I enjoyed the book despite the not so great reviews I had read going into it.
In "The Son" we meet Beth, her husband who is also a cop, Drew, her son Joe, and her best friend and confidant Robyn. Beth is envious of Drew and Joe's relationship and how close they have become recently. She longs for the closeness they once shared when it was just the two of them. She notices that Joe is acting strange as is Drew, so she confides in Robyn. Beth remembers that she tried to save Joe's father Simon from his awful fate with suicide and wonders if Joe is headed down the same path. Robyn convinces her it's all in her mind and to just let things be. Her solution is to throw herself into work at the prison with the Samaritans. She ends up doing some not very smart things like getting a sex offender whom is in solitary moved to the general population along with one of her Samaritans getting out on parole. Once Jamie, her Samaritan who has made parole, Beth's son goes missing and he eagerly jumps to help her find him.
The premise of this book was great, however I think that Wilkes painted Beth too gullible and easy to trust. Every person she meets in the book she quickly trusts and then bad things begin happening. This is where the book lost points for me. It just wasn't believable, Any normal person would have second guessed some of the decisions Beth made instead of jumping head first like she did.
All in all I would rate this book at 3.5 ⭐. Lastly, I want to say thank you to Net Galley, the publisher, and the author for giving me an E-ARC copy of this book in exchange for my review.
In "The Son" we meet Beth, her husband who is also a cop, Drew, her son Joe, and her best friend and confidant Robyn. Beth is envious of Drew and Joe's relationship and how close they have become recently. She longs for the closeness they once shared when it was just the two of them. She notices that Joe is acting strange as is Drew, so she confides in Robyn. Beth remembers that she tried to save Joe's father Simon from his awful fate with suicide and wonders if Joe is headed down the same path. Robyn convinces her it's all in her mind and to just let things be. Her solution is to throw herself into work at the prison with the Samaritans. She ends up doing some not very smart things like getting a sex offender whom is in solitary moved to the general population along with one of her Samaritans getting out on parole. Once Jamie, her Samaritan who has made parole, Beth's son goes missing and he eagerly jumps to help her find him.
The premise of this book was great, however I think that Wilkes painted Beth too gullible and easy to trust. Every person she meets in the book she quickly trusts and then bad things begin happening. This is where the book lost points for me. It just wasn't believable, Any normal person would have second guessed some of the decisions Beth made instead of jumping head first like she did.
All in all I would rate this book at 3.5 ⭐. Lastly, I want to say thank you to Net Galley, the publisher, and the author for giving me an E-ARC copy of this book in exchange for my review.
August 15, 2023
Beth is a Samaritan worker in a local prison, loyal mother to her teenage son and newly married to police officer Drew. However, when she starts receiving mysterious phone calls from Melanie, she worries the men in her life might not be all they appear to be.
The Son is a twisty thriller which kept me guessing throughout. It’s actually quite a difficult read, as Beth is gaslit by everyone and unsure of who to trust. That being said, I found Beth to be quite an annoying main character as she jumped to conclusions, made weird decisions and made excuses for her son throughout. She’s one of those characters you want to shake and yell at whilst reading for being too stupid. Although, a lot of the characters around her seem to be acting in weird ways and there are a lot of red herrings which did not help her state of mind!
Beth also gets herself in some really dangerous situations but always seems to get out of them unscathed. The prose starts off slowly but by the end really picks up the pace to race to the finish line. The main twist really takes the book in a completely different direction from where I was guessing we were heading and might be triggering for some. I don’t think the conclusion really wrapped as much up as I was hoping for, particularly when it came to Beth and her personal life.
Overall, The Son is a twisty read, although the naivety of the main character was irritating at times. Thank you to NetGalley & Storm Publishing for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
For more of my reviews check out www.kindig.co.uk
The Son is a twisty thriller which kept me guessing throughout. It’s actually quite a difficult read, as Beth is gaslit by everyone and unsure of who to trust. That being said, I found Beth to be quite an annoying main character as she jumped to conclusions, made weird decisions and made excuses for her son throughout. She’s one of those characters you want to shake and yell at whilst reading for being too stupid. Although, a lot of the characters around her seem to be acting in weird ways and there are a lot of red herrings which did not help her state of mind!
Beth also gets herself in some really dangerous situations but always seems to get out of them unscathed. The prose starts off slowly but by the end really picks up the pace to race to the finish line. The main twist really takes the book in a completely different direction from where I was guessing we were heading and might be triggering for some. I don’t think the conclusion really wrapped as much up as I was hoping for, particularly when it came to Beth and her personal life.
Overall, The Son is a twisty read, although the naivety of the main character was irritating at times. Thank you to NetGalley & Storm Publishing for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
For more of my reviews check out www.kindig.co.uk
March 12, 2025
Joe, a 17-year-old, is living with his mom, Beth, and stepfather, Drew. As he begins to pull away from his family, Beth believes it's just a normal part of him growing up. Drew, a police officer in their town, reassures her that he will keep an eye on Joe. However, neither Joe nor Drew are being fully truthful with Beth, both hiding deeply troubling secrets. Everything unravels when Beth receives a phone call one night from a woman who warns her about Drew, claiming that he is a monster. Beth begins to question everything in her life…..
The Son starts off a bit slow but definitely gains momentum as the story progresses. I found myself unsure of who to trust, as it seemed like everyone's intentions were questionable. It was hard to distinguish the good guys from the bad. The second half of the book becomes incredibly suspenseful, packed with unexpected twists and turns.
Although I predicted some of the "bad guys" from the "good guys," the story remained enjoyable. It really highlights the lengths a mother would go to for her child. I wasn’t sure where the plot was headed, but the surprises made it worth the read. The numerous twists were tied together quite nicely toward the end.
Overall, it’s an easy-to-read thriller that I enjoyed, though I wish it had been executed a bit better.
The Son starts off a bit slow but definitely gains momentum as the story progresses. I found myself unsure of who to trust, as it seemed like everyone's intentions were questionable. It was hard to distinguish the good guys from the bad. The second half of the book becomes incredibly suspenseful, packed with unexpected twists and turns.
Although I predicted some of the "bad guys" from the "good guys," the story remained enjoyable. It really highlights the lengths a mother would go to for her child. I wasn’t sure where the plot was headed, but the surprises made it worth the read. The numerous twists were tied together quite nicely toward the end.
Overall, it’s an easy-to-read thriller that I enjoyed, though I wish it had been executed a bit better.
September 16, 2023
Beth is married to Drew, a policeman, and her teenage son, Joe, lives with them. Drew and Joe get on extremely well, and Beth feels a little left out, he doesn't confide in her, he confides in his stepfather.
Joe gets into trouble, and Beth steps in to help him, without Drew being aware.
Beth gets a phone call from a woman, warning her about Drew, and telling her that he is a monster. Drew denies even knowing the woman.
Beth is a Samaritan at the prison, and her friend Robyn is the Chaplain. Robyn cannot believe what Beth is telling her about Drew, and of one of the prison officers. It seems just too far fetched.
Beth is a very irritating, naive character. I just wanted to shake her and tell her to open her eyes!
The book seems to be very slow in the beginning, but has a very convoluted plot.
Beth blindly trusts everyone, and they all seem to be the wrong people to trust.
Many twists in the book, but the ending fell flat for me.
2.5/5, rounded up to 3 stars.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Joe gets into trouble, and Beth steps in to help him, without Drew being aware.
Beth gets a phone call from a woman, warning her about Drew, and telling her that he is a monster. Drew denies even knowing the woman.
Beth is a Samaritan at the prison, and her friend Robyn is the Chaplain. Robyn cannot believe what Beth is telling her about Drew, and of one of the prison officers. It seems just too far fetched.
Beth is a very irritating, naive character. I just wanted to shake her and tell her to open her eyes!
The book seems to be very slow in the beginning, but has a very convoluted plot.
Beth blindly trusts everyone, and they all seem to be the wrong people to trust.
Many twists in the book, but the ending fell flat for me.
2.5/5, rounded up to 3 stars.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 28, 2023
The Son by Elena Wilkes
Expecting a twisted, dark, and grim tale…I found just that. I believe this is a book that will appeal to many readers though it did not really connect with me. I found Beth hard to like, difficult to understand, very gullible, and her decision-making skills questionable. The people in her life, not just the men, were less than the best. The only ones I truly cared about were the poor trafficked young people and what they endured. I came away scratching my head and wondering what really happened and what would happen to the various remaining characters at the end of the story. Manipulative, mad, murderous, malicious, and mega-happy to read the last page and move on. I am on the fence about reading another book by Ms Wilkes but might give her next one a try as I did find the first two better than this one.
Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.
2-3 Stars
Expecting a twisted, dark, and grim tale…I found just that. I believe this is a book that will appeal to many readers though it did not really connect with me. I found Beth hard to like, difficult to understand, very gullible, and her decision-making skills questionable. The people in her life, not just the men, were less than the best. The only ones I truly cared about were the poor trafficked young people and what they endured. I came away scratching my head and wondering what really happened and what would happen to the various remaining characters at the end of the story. Manipulative, mad, murderous, malicious, and mega-happy to read the last page and move on. I am on the fence about reading another book by Ms Wilkes but might give her next one a try as I did find the first two better than this one.
Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.
2-3 Stars
July 5, 2024
This wasn’t a bad book at all. It was a Netgalley find sitting on my TBR for a while and, when the time came to start reading it, I wondered why I picked it at all (the first-person narrated blurbs just don’t do it for me anymore). But, once I got stuck in, I got stuck in.
The Son started off a bit slow but soon picked up its pace. It had the usual twists and turns you would expect from a good psychological thriller. What made it even better was the characters. Drew and Joe were just unlikeable, but in a way that makes the book better. There were some awful side characters as well and that just added to the fact that you just don’t know who to trust.
Beth, the character you were probably supposed to actually like, was just about tolerable. I can’t put my finger on why exactly I didn’t take to her but there was just something that didn’t sit right with me.
Finally, I didn’t guess the ending and that’s always a winning point for me.
The Son started off a bit slow but soon picked up its pace. It had the usual twists and turns you would expect from a good psychological thriller. What made it even better was the characters. Drew and Joe were just unlikeable, but in a way that makes the book better. There were some awful side characters as well and that just added to the fact that you just don’t know who to trust.
Beth, the character you were probably supposed to actually like, was just about tolerable. I can’t put my finger on why exactly I didn’t take to her but there was just something that didn’t sit right with me.
Finally, I didn’t guess the ending and that’s always a winning point for me.
August 23, 2023
Many thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Beth is recently married to Drew, a cop, and has a 17 year old son. Beth volunteers at a prison helping prisoners' with suicide issues. Beth is having trouble with her son and is hesitant to let her new husband deal with her son. After Beth gets a call from a woman claiming that Drew is a bad man, things start to go off the rails for Beth. Can she trust Drew? Or is he gaslighting her? Or is Beth losing it?
This is a slow burn, suspenseful, psychological thriller! Its fast paced with multiple unreliable narrators. While I found parts of the story hard to believe, I still wanted to keep reading to figure it out and get to the ending. The story is definitely original.
An engrossing read!
Beth is recently married to Drew, a cop, and has a 17 year old son. Beth volunteers at a prison helping prisoners' with suicide issues. Beth is having trouble with her son and is hesitant to let her new husband deal with her son. After Beth gets a call from a woman claiming that Drew is a bad man, things start to go off the rails for Beth. Can she trust Drew? Or is he gaslighting her? Or is Beth losing it?
This is a slow burn, suspenseful, psychological thriller! Its fast paced with multiple unreliable narrators. While I found parts of the story hard to believe, I still wanted to keep reading to figure it out and get to the ending. The story is definitely original.
An engrossing read!
September 15, 2023
Beth is struggling to manage her unruly teenage son Joe as he continues to withdraw from her. She is married to Drew who tries to help out with Joe as best as he can. Soon she gets a phone call from a mysterious women and begins to question her family.
This thriller starts out slightly slow and takes a while to build up momentum, but it does get there eventually! There were a few twists and turns and I spent a lot of the book trying to work out who was good and who was bad. The story goes down an interesting path but some parts were slightly unbelievable. The book is filled with unlikeable characters who I struggled to connect with. Overall this isn’t one of my favourite books but it’s definitely not a bad one! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.
This thriller starts out slightly slow and takes a while to build up momentum, but it does get there eventually! There were a few twists and turns and I spent a lot of the book trying to work out who was good and who was bad. The story goes down an interesting path but some parts were slightly unbelievable. The book is filled with unlikeable characters who I struggled to connect with. Overall this isn’t one of my favourite books but it’s definitely not a bad one! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.
September 22, 2023
A slow to start thriller that had me gripped and addicted at the end.
The Son is full of twists (some realistic, some not) that center around the protagonist, Beth. Beth seems to finally have what she’s always wanted, a good husband and even better teenage son. But these two men in her life are harboring secrets that threaten to destroy their family and Beth’s false sense of security.
The characters are very interesting and they all seem to have their agenda. When you think you have the plot figured out, a new twist appears that upends all of that. For me, I was guessing all the way to the very end; an end that had me at the edge of my seat.
Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishign for my arc in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
The Son is full of twists (some realistic, some not) that center around the protagonist, Beth. Beth seems to finally have what she’s always wanted, a good husband and even better teenage son. But these two men in her life are harboring secrets that threaten to destroy their family and Beth’s false sense of security.
The characters are very interesting and they all seem to have their agenda. When you think you have the plot figured out, a new twist appears that upends all of that. For me, I was guessing all the way to the very end; an end that had me at the edge of my seat.
Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishign for my arc in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
September 28, 2023
It is sometimes difficult to be a mother. You want to believe that you have done your best to raise a responsible, kind individual only to learn they are nothing like you believed. Beth thought just those thoughts about her son. She thought she had not done such a great job but he was a teenager and maybe with her love he could become a well rounded adult. What she did not know was enough to send her into chaos. I think she had the best intentions for her son but due to her own unresolved issues, she missed out on some clues that would have set her on a different path. Beth was very vulnerable and those people who prey on that kind of person were only too happy to exploit her goodness. Once her eyes were opened, she resolved to be a different person. Was it too late?
March 27, 2024
Honestly I really struggled to get into this book. I couldn't bring myself to like any of the characters, and not getting a read on Joe just frustrated the hell out of me. I wasn't intrigued, I wasn't curious, I was just annoyed with how much I disliked these characters. None of their behaviour make any sense, and the more the book went on, the more annoyed I got. Beth got told not to trust anyone, and she continued to trust everyone?! And Joe's actions were all over the place...
And Drew?!? The book ended, and I still wasn't sure whose side he was on.....
The ending was unsatisfying, nothing was explained really.
I just wish I had added this one to my DNF list. 🙈
Thank you Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
And Drew?!? The book ended, and I still wasn't sure whose side he was on.....
The ending was unsatisfying, nothing was explained really.
I just wish I had added this one to my DNF list. 🙈
Thank you Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 8, 2024
THE SON
Well, what can I say ??
Was I blown away ??
No.
Did I hate it ??
Also, no.
I loved the plot, but unfortunately the pace was a bit too slow for me and it just wasn’t memorable.
I finished the book about two days before writing my review and I had to skim parts of it to re jog my memory of what I’d listened to.
The pace of The Son picks up dramatically towards the end of the novel. With the introduction of a few palpable twists, which added an air of much needed tension.
Unfortunately I’m only about to give this novel a rating of two and an half out of the five stars.
#audiobook #Audible #TheSon #author #ElenaWilkes #narrator #EmmaStansfield #psychological #thriller #familydomestic #crimefiction #palpabletwist
Well, what can I say ??
Was I blown away ??
No.
Did I hate it ??
Also, no.
I loved the plot, but unfortunately the pace was a bit too slow for me and it just wasn’t memorable.
I finished the book about two days before writing my review and I had to skim parts of it to re jog my memory of what I’d listened to.
The pace of The Son picks up dramatically towards the end of the novel. With the introduction of a few palpable twists, which added an air of much needed tension.
Unfortunately I’m only about to give this novel a rating of two and an half out of the five stars.
#audiobook #Audible #TheSon #author #ElenaWilkes #narrator #EmmaStansfield #psychological #thriller #familydomestic #crimefiction #palpabletwist
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