What do you think?
Rate this book
The Only Son
Sarah loves her only son. She’s pretty sure he could never kill anyone.
When Sarah’s son, Andrew, calls her at work and begs her to come home immediately, she fears he’s being bullied again. But it’s so much worse than that.
Because when Andrew got back from summer camp, he found thirteen-year-old Hal English in their garage.
Dead. With no plausible explanation as to how he got there.
To make matters worse, Hal was one of the kids bullying Andrew at school and just recently they had a fistfight. And Andrew has a reputation for being impulsive and quick to anger.
As much as she loves him, as much as she wants to believe he is innocent, Sarah has to admit that Andrew looks guilty.
But she knows one thing for sure – no matter what she has to do, what risks she has to take, she will do anything to protect her only son.
The Only Son – the stunning psychological thriller perfect for fans of Freida McFadden, Daniel Hurst, Kiersten Modglin.
When Sarah’s son, Andrew, calls her at work and begs her to come home immediately, she fears he’s being bullied again. But it’s so much worse than that.
Because when Andrew got back from summer camp, he found thirteen-year-old Hal English in their garage.
Dead. With no plausible explanation as to how he got there.
To make matters worse, Hal was one of the kids bullying Andrew at school and just recently they had a fistfight. And Andrew has a reputation for being impulsive and quick to anger.
As much as she loves him, as much as she wants to believe he is innocent, Sarah has to admit that Andrew looks guilty.
But she knows one thing for sure – no matter what she has to do, what risks she has to take, she will do anything to protect her only son.
The Only Son – the stunning psychological thriller perfect for fans of Freida McFadden, Daniel Hurst, Kiersten Modglin.
422 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 29, 2023
439 people are currently reading
553 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
November 1, 2023
First, I want to thank Brian R. O’Rourke, Inkubator Books and Zooloo’s Book Tours for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review.
OMG!! The Only Son by Brian R. O’Rourke totally rocked me to the core!! How far would you go to protect your child and your own family?! This is a book that will leave you completely speechless as your jaw will be on the floor throughout the whole book. Brian’s first psychological thriller The Perfect Husband was good but DANG The Only Son brings his storytelling to a whole new level! Brian has a gift in this genre! I highly suggest you run out and get it and put it on our tbr list!
The Only Son is intensely fast paced. If you blink you will miss a wicked curveball he sends your way! Once you start reading it you can’t put it down! There is just so many different angles and directions this story goes into you will want to know the answers!!!
Brian addresses some very important life issues and topics that would make a great discussion at your next book club meeting. For me personally I wanted to hop into the book and give Andrew a hug for what he had to deal with.
From start to finish this book played out like a movie! The writing was just so detailed, intense, pulled on your emotions, etc. I can’t say enough good things about this book and wonder how he will top the next one?
OMG!! The Only Son by Brian R. O’Rourke totally rocked me to the core!! How far would you go to protect your child and your own family?! This is a book that will leave you completely speechless as your jaw will be on the floor throughout the whole book. Brian’s first psychological thriller The Perfect Husband was good but DANG The Only Son brings his storytelling to a whole new level! Brian has a gift in this genre! I highly suggest you run out and get it and put it on our tbr list!
The Only Son is intensely fast paced. If you blink you will miss a wicked curveball he sends your way! Once you start reading it you can’t put it down! There is just so many different angles and directions this story goes into you will want to know the answers!!!
Brian addresses some very important life issues and topics that would make a great discussion at your next book club meeting. For me personally I wanted to hop into the book and give Andrew a hug for what he had to deal with.
From start to finish this book played out like a movie! The writing was just so detailed, intense, pulled on your emotions, etc. I can’t say enough good things about this book and wonder how he will top the next one?
October 15, 2023
I'm not sure how I came to be in possession of this book on Netgalley. I must have clicked it accidentally as I've not come across this author before so really had no reason to choose it, since I've restricted myself to a select few authors (to get my shelf down). Anyway, it was a fairly quick read with short chapters that keep the pace moving swiftly.
Sarah is called at work by her 13 year old son, Andrew, one day asking her to come home without explaining why. She hears something in his tone that tells her something has happened and wrangles the rest of the afternoon off. When she arrives home, she finds a distraught Andrew telling her that "he's dead" and that "I didn't do it"...whilst pointing to the garage. Puzzled by his exclamation, she enters the garage to find Andrew's childhood friend Hal English dead. A sight she will never forget as long as she lives.
With a distraught Andrew locked away in his bedroom upstairs, Sarah calls her husband Dwayne and begs him to come home. Though he was busy, something in his wife's tone told him to drop everything. Which he does. When he walks in, he swiftly takes over and tells Sarah what they need to do to protect Andrew. His plan, instead of calling the police which Sarah wants to do, is to get rid of the body and all evidence pertaining to the boy's very obvious murder. But will he just make the situation worse? And how did Hal gain access to their house when both Sarah and Dwayne were at work and Andrew was a summer camp?
It's clear no one trusts whether to believe Andrew or not as he has been known to bend the truth on occasion. Is this one of them? He and Hal had grown up together and were best friends up until a couple of years ago. Now Hal was one of the boys Andrew accused of bullying him. Did Andrew snap and kill Hal in a temper? And now he is trying to cover up his crime by lying?
Sarah doesn't believe her son capable of killing anyone. But Dwayne says it doesn't matter what they believe but rather how it's perceived. Hal was killed in their house and the only person home was Andrew, even if after the fact. Or was he?
Unfolding through multiple narratives, a tangled web is woven and slowly unravels to reveal the truth. I can't say I liked Dwayne or his brother very much. Not a bad read but a bit of a mixed bag overall.
I would like to thank #BrianORourke, #Netgalley and #InkubatorBooks for an ARC of #TheOnlySon in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
Sarah is called at work by her 13 year old son, Andrew, one day asking her to come home without explaining why. She hears something in his tone that tells her something has happened and wrangles the rest of the afternoon off. When she arrives home, she finds a distraught Andrew telling her that "he's dead" and that "I didn't do it"...whilst pointing to the garage. Puzzled by his exclamation, she enters the garage to find Andrew's childhood friend Hal English dead. A sight she will never forget as long as she lives.
With a distraught Andrew locked away in his bedroom upstairs, Sarah calls her husband Dwayne and begs him to come home. Though he was busy, something in his wife's tone told him to drop everything. Which he does. When he walks in, he swiftly takes over and tells Sarah what they need to do to protect Andrew. His plan, instead of calling the police which Sarah wants to do, is to get rid of the body and all evidence pertaining to the boy's very obvious murder. But will he just make the situation worse? And how did Hal gain access to their house when both Sarah and Dwayne were at work and Andrew was a summer camp?
It's clear no one trusts whether to believe Andrew or not as he has been known to bend the truth on occasion. Is this one of them? He and Hal had grown up together and were best friends up until a couple of years ago. Now Hal was one of the boys Andrew accused of bullying him. Did Andrew snap and kill Hal in a temper? And now he is trying to cover up his crime by lying?
Sarah doesn't believe her son capable of killing anyone. But Dwayne says it doesn't matter what they believe but rather how it's perceived. Hal was killed in their house and the only person home was Andrew, even if after the fact. Or was he?
Unfolding through multiple narratives, a tangled web is woven and slowly unravels to reveal the truth. I can't say I liked Dwayne or his brother very much. Not a bad read but a bit of a mixed bag overall.
I would like to thank #BrianORourke, #Netgalley and #InkubatorBooks for an ARC of #TheOnlySon in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
November 19, 2023
This thriller centers around Andrew, a 13-year-old boy who leaves camp early one day and finds a former friend of his, Hal, dead in his garage. The story is told primarily through the voices of Andrew and his parents, Sarah and Dwayne. Through their narratives, we learn that Andrew and Hal's families used to be very close, but things became strained when the boys had a falling out. I liked the pace of the book, as the short chapters and switching narrators propelled the story forward. The ending was satisfying. Overall, I enjoyed the story and how it developed, as the main characters gave just enough information to keep the reader questioning what really happened and who killed Hal. However, I found Sarah, Dwayne and Andrew, who spoke to the reader in the first person, to be one-dimensional. I didn't feel like I got to know them. They basically explained certain facts and situations, and we never got to dig deeper into their characters. This made it difficult for me to like any of them. I definitely wanted to finish the book to find out what really happened, and I'm glad that I did finish, but I wasn't terribly invested in how Sarah, Dwayne or Andrew were impacted by this mysterious murder that took place in their house when I wish I had been.
Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for an advance copy of this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for an advance copy of this book.
May 2, 2024
Another 5-star winner from Brian O'Rourke! Sarah and Dwane are parents to 17-year old Andrew who has ADHD and finds his best friend, Hal in their garage strangled to death. Yes, that's just in the first few pages! Of course Sarah and Dwane are anxious for answers but also frantic to cover it up as they are worried for their son as he "appears" to have no idea what happened (and neither do we)! But there are so many secrets, deceptions, wild accusations, and police intervention that my head was spinning until the bitter end! Soooo good!
November 18, 2023
The Only Son by Brian R. O’Rourke A fast paced domestic thriller told with multiple POVs. Interesting premise. An entertaining read.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.
February 2, 2024
This story is about a family that appears ordinary, but they definitely have secrets that they are keeping from each other. This book quickly captivated me and I was investigated from the very beginning. As a mom of 5, I found myself pondering the lengths I would go to when it comes to protecting my kids. What would I do if one of my kids looked to be a murderer?
I sped through the pages wanting to know what happened to Hal. My prediction changed multiple times throughout the story, and all of those predictions were wrong. The twists and turns had my mouth hanging open at some points and the ending wrapped things up in a great way. A few of the characters were unlikeable, but I feel like that was done on purpose. The character development was well done, and it seemed as though I truly got to know these characters. I will definitely read Brian R. O’Rourke’s other books.
Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.
I sped through the pages wanting to know what happened to Hal. My prediction changed multiple times throughout the story, and all of those predictions were wrong. The twists and turns had my mouth hanging open at some points and the ending wrapped things up in a great way. A few of the characters were unlikeable, but I feel like that was done on purpose. The character development was well done, and it seemed as though I truly got to know these characters. I will definitely read Brian R. O’Rourke’s other books.
Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.
January 9, 2024
I had read the first of O’Rourke’s books this summer and I was mesmerised. I loved every single second.
This one topped the first. I ADORED this novel. I was hooked from the very first page & devoured every word.
The narrative follows a teenage boy, who comes home to find his ex-best friend dead in his garage. The story unravels at such a pace that you spend the entire novel questioning the honesty & transparency of every single character you meet.
The multiple pov narrative helped me to become invested with the storyline and I was itching to know what had happened & the cause behind the tragic incident. I honestly was TOTALLY HOOKED!
I did have my suspicions towards the end of the novel & even though I did guess the culprit beforehand, I was still extremely satisfied with the ending & how the narrative played out.
Another INCREDIBLE novel from Brian O’Rourke 🤪
November 14, 2023
This is my review for The Only Son by Brian O’Rourke
This book hooked my attention straight away and I really enjoyed reading it. The plot is a great one and written so you get invested and want to read the book. Some of it covers a very important illness that can be diagnosed in a child of any age but in this case is a thirteen year old child and highlights some of its features and how children with it tend to react. Also, the way parents will react to protect their children. The writing is very descriptive and makes me imagine the pictures in my head as a film as I’m reading. The parents get immersed into rewriting some of the timeline for their son but soon find it spiraling out of their control. Can they convince the police their son is innocent?
This is the author’s debut psychological thriller with this publisher and I think he has nailed it. I loved this book and will certainly be reading more by this author.
Blurb :
There are problems, serious problems – and then there’s the dead boy in the garage.
When Sarah’s son, Andrew, calls her at work and begs her to come home immediately, she fears he’s being bullied again. But it’s so much worse than that.
Because when Andrew got back from summer camp, he found thirteen-year-old Hal English in their garage.
Dead. With no plausible explanation as to how he got there.
To make matters worse, Hal was one of the kids bullying Andrew at school and just recently they had a fistfight. And Andrew has a reputation for being impulsive and quick to anger.
As much as she loves him, as much as she wants to believe he is innocent, Sarah has to admit that Andrew looks guilty.
But she knows one thing for sure – no matter what she has to do, what risks she has to take, she will do anything to protect her only son.
The Only Son – the stunning psychological thriller perfect for fans of Freida McFadden, Daniel Hurst, Kiersten Modglin.
This book hooked my attention straight away and I really enjoyed reading it. The plot is a great one and written so you get invested and want to read the book. Some of it covers a very important illness that can be diagnosed in a child of any age but in this case is a thirteen year old child and highlights some of its features and how children with it tend to react. Also, the way parents will react to protect their children. The writing is very descriptive and makes me imagine the pictures in my head as a film as I’m reading. The parents get immersed into rewriting some of the timeline for their son but soon find it spiraling out of their control. Can they convince the police their son is innocent?
This is the author’s debut psychological thriller with this publisher and I think he has nailed it. I loved this book and will certainly be reading more by this author.
Blurb :
There are problems, serious problems – and then there’s the dead boy in the garage.
When Sarah’s son, Andrew, calls her at work and begs her to come home immediately, she fears he’s being bullied again. But it’s so much worse than that.
Because when Andrew got back from summer camp, he found thirteen-year-old Hal English in their garage.
Dead. With no plausible explanation as to how he got there.
To make matters worse, Hal was one of the kids bullying Andrew at school and just recently they had a fistfight. And Andrew has a reputation for being impulsive and quick to anger.
As much as she loves him, as much as she wants to believe he is innocent, Sarah has to admit that Andrew looks guilty.
But she knows one thing for sure – no matter what she has to do, what risks she has to take, she will do anything to protect her only son.
The Only Son – the stunning psychological thriller perfect for fans of Freida McFadden, Daniel Hurst, Kiersten Modglin.
October 17, 2023
This is a difficult book to review because I disliked all the characters so it was hard to be invested in their fates. I realised quite early on in the book who killed Hal because the family had such a weird reaction to a murdered teen in their garage. At first sight Dwayne and Sarah appear to be in a happy, loving relationship. He is her knight in shining armour who rescued her from an abusive marriage but as the tension builds and everything starts to unravel, Dwayne’s armour becomes more and more tarnished. Andrew, their much loved son, the victim of bullies loses the sympathy vote when we find out that, apart from being a compulsive liar he also harbours dark secrets and Sarah, who comes across as the perfect wife and peacemaker, can anyone really be so meek and mild?
The story being told by the three main protagonists, Sarah, Dwayne and Andrew really worked well for me. Getting an insight into their thought processes really helped explain why they behave the way they do. It doesn’t make them any more likeable, if anything seeing the way their minds work made me dislike them more but it certainly adds to the tension and multiple twists.
The end is a bit of a cliff hanger as we wait to find out if justice will be done and the guilty party (or guilty parties) get their comeuppance.
The story being told by the three main protagonists, Sarah, Dwayne and Andrew really worked well for me. Getting an insight into their thought processes really helped explain why they behave the way they do. It doesn’t make them any more likeable, if anything seeing the way their minds work made me dislike them more but it certainly adds to the tension and multiple twists.
The end is a bit of a cliff hanger as we wait to find out if justice will be done and the guilty party (or guilty parties) get their comeuppance.
October 20, 2023
Thank you to Brian R. O'Rourke, Inkubator Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Sarah gets a frantic phone call from her son, Andrew, that she needs to get home right away. When she arrives, she discovers that Andrew's former best friend, Hal, is dead in their garage. Andrew swears he didn't do it but all of the circumstances lead to Andrew as the most likely culprit.
Told through multiple POVs, the story provides a lot of opportunity to see inside each character's head as things progress.
None of the characters are particularly likable. I didn't like how Andrew's ADHD is used to explain certain things he does. Yes, ADHD leads to impulsivity and things but they it shouldn't be used as an excuse for behaviors and that's how it was written.
Dwayne is total trash. He is the absolute worst kind of person imaginable. O'Rourke writes him in a way that makes him dislikable and I have to assume that was done purposely - it was a good choice. You can't help but love to hate the guy.
The ending provides some closure without it feeling like it was just wrapped up in a shiny bow at the last minute.
A thoroughly enjoyable read.
Sarah gets a frantic phone call from her son, Andrew, that she needs to get home right away. When she arrives, she discovers that Andrew's former best friend, Hal, is dead in their garage. Andrew swears he didn't do it but all of the circumstances lead to Andrew as the most likely culprit.
Told through multiple POVs, the story provides a lot of opportunity to see inside each character's head as things progress.
None of the characters are particularly likable. I didn't like how Andrew's ADHD is used to explain certain things he does. Yes, ADHD leads to impulsivity and things but they it shouldn't be used as an excuse for behaviors and that's how it was written.
Dwayne is total trash. He is the absolute worst kind of person imaginable. O'Rourke writes him in a way that makes him dislikable and I have to assume that was done purposely - it was a good choice. You can't help but love to hate the guy.
The ending provides some closure without it feeling like it was just wrapped up in a shiny bow at the last minute.
A thoroughly enjoyable read.
October 29, 2023
A captivating, compelling read with characters with such depth it allowed for a much deeper and in-depth plot line.
After Andrew found his former best friend unalived in their garage and a frantic call to mom — the circumstances only really point at Andrew himself. Through multiple POVs, we get to read through the tangled web that has been made as everything unravels and inevitably comes to a wild, twisted ending that I did not expect.
Sometimes, the books I enjoy the most have the most unlikable characters. While the author did write Dwayne out to be the absolute worst of everybody in the book, not one character was particularly likable. The twists, family secrets and heavy amounts of deceit leave you satisfied by the end. A wonderful whodunnit that wrapped itself up nicely, tying up all the loose ends, was a great read and kept my attention from start to finish.
I think the only thing I didn’t appreciate nearly as much was the ADHD representation. Yes, we tend to have impulsive tendencies, but the way it was written to be used as an excuse for behaviors left an unsavory taste in my mouth.
Thank you Netgalley, Inkubator Books and the author himself Brian O’Rourke for the eArc.
After Andrew found his former best friend unalived in their garage and a frantic call to mom — the circumstances only really point at Andrew himself. Through multiple POVs, we get to read through the tangled web that has been made as everything unravels and inevitably comes to a wild, twisted ending that I did not expect.
Sometimes, the books I enjoy the most have the most unlikable characters. While the author did write Dwayne out to be the absolute worst of everybody in the book, not one character was particularly likable. The twists, family secrets and heavy amounts of deceit leave you satisfied by the end. A wonderful whodunnit that wrapped itself up nicely, tying up all the loose ends, was a great read and kept my attention from start to finish.
I think the only thing I didn’t appreciate nearly as much was the ADHD representation. Yes, we tend to have impulsive tendencies, but the way it was written to be used as an excuse for behaviors left an unsavory taste in my mouth.
Thank you Netgalley, Inkubator Books and the author himself Brian O’Rourke for the eArc.
January 11, 2024
Sarah loves her only son. She’s pretty sure he could never kill anyone.
When Sarah’s son, Andrew, calls her at work and begs her to come home immediately, she fears he’s being bullied again. But it’s so much worse than that.
Because when Andrew got back from summer camp, he found thirteen-year-old Hal English in their garage.
Dead. With no plausible explanation as to how he got there.
To make matters worse, Hal was one of the kids bullying Andrew at school and just recently they had a fistfight. And Andrew has a reputation for being impulsive and quick to anger.
As much as she loves him, as much as she wants to believe he is innocent, Sarah has to admit that Andrew looks guilty.
But she knows one thing for sure – no matter what she has to do, what risks she has to take, she will do anything to protect her only son.
The Only Son – the stunning psychological thriller perfect for fans of Freida McFadden, Daniel Hurst, Kiersten Modglin.
If you are a fan of the authors mentioned above, then this book is for you. It was a roller coaster of emotions and suspense. Will recommend to others.
When Sarah’s son, Andrew, calls her at work and begs her to come home immediately, she fears he’s being bullied again. But it’s so much worse than that.
Because when Andrew got back from summer camp, he found thirteen-year-old Hal English in their garage.
Dead. With no plausible explanation as to how he got there.
To make matters worse, Hal was one of the kids bullying Andrew at school and just recently they had a fistfight. And Andrew has a reputation for being impulsive and quick to anger.
As much as she loves him, as much as she wants to believe he is innocent, Sarah has to admit that Andrew looks guilty.
But she knows one thing for sure – no matter what she has to do, what risks she has to take, she will do anything to protect her only son.
The Only Son – the stunning psychological thriller perfect for fans of Freida McFadden, Daniel Hurst, Kiersten Modglin.
If you are a fan of the authors mentioned above, then this book is for you. It was a roller coaster of emotions and suspense. Will recommend to others.
October 9, 2023
Sarah and Dwayne have a good life together, although it is not without its complications. Their son Andrew is on the spectrum, and has a whole slew of behavioural problems.
Nevertheless, neither of his parents expect to return home to find the dead body of a young boy who has been bullying Andrew for some time lying in their garage. Their son insists that he is innocent, but his ADHD makes him prone to lying. So what is the real story here?
For now, Sarah and Dwayne decide that they have to take whatever action is needed to protect Andrew. But as they discover, the cover-up is just the beginning...
This one was a mixed bag for me. The writing style was unadorned to the point of abruptness, and there was a lot more telling going on than showing. The book's strength lies in how the writer delivered multiple twists in order to maintain the suspense. For that reason, it gets 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Nevertheless, neither of his parents expect to return home to find the dead body of a young boy who has been bullying Andrew for some time lying in their garage. Their son insists that he is innocent, but his ADHD makes him prone to lying. So what is the real story here?
For now, Sarah and Dwayne decide that they have to take whatever action is needed to protect Andrew. But as they discover, the cover-up is just the beginning...
This one was a mixed bag for me. The writing style was unadorned to the point of abruptness, and there was a lot more telling going on than showing. The book's strength lies in how the writer delivered multiple twists in order to maintain the suspense. For that reason, it gets 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
October 10, 2023
Sarah is called home from work by her son Andrew. She arrives to find that the body of Andrew's former friend is in the garage. Andrew insists that he has no idea how Hal was killed, that he hadn't hurt Hal. But Andrew has been known to bend the truth.
Dwayne, Sarah's husband comes up with a plan to get rid of the body instead of calling in law enforcement, but getting rid of the evidence doesn't mean that Andrew is cleared of any wrong doing.
Told from multiple points of view, this is quite a well planned thriller, however, it seems to go around in circles at times. Sarah is a woman who has become used to being controlled and coerced into doing exactly what her husband wants, in fact, that was the major reason he married her, but she eventually grows a spine!!
Dwayne unfortunately only thinks of himself. I cannot say I like him or his brother very much.
There are a few twists, and the novel was good, I did enjoy it.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Dwayne, Sarah's husband comes up with a plan to get rid of the body instead of calling in law enforcement, but getting rid of the evidence doesn't mean that Andrew is cleared of any wrong doing.
Told from multiple points of view, this is quite a well planned thriller, however, it seems to go around in circles at times. Sarah is a woman who has become used to being controlled and coerced into doing exactly what her husband wants, in fact, that was the major reason he married her, but she eventually grows a spine!!
Dwayne unfortunately only thinks of himself. I cannot say I like him or his brother very much.
There are a few twists, and the novel was good, I did enjoy it.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 9, 2023
Sarah gets a phone call at work that will change her life. Her son Andrew has found a dead body in their garage. Her husband, the manipulative Dwane, insists on getting rid of the body, arguing that Andrew will inevitably be blamed. Andrew has ADHD and autism, and Dwayne insists he would never be able to hold up under police questioning. So begins a somewhat improbable story - but one that's well written and engaging.
The novel takes place over a short timeframe and is told from multiple points of view. We begin to get to know the characters, their foibles and their lies. But will they get away with it - and who actually committed the murder?
The Only Son is gripping, with each new piece of information that emerges potentially leading to a different conclusion to they mystery. It suffers a little from a lack of a sense of place and several unlikable characters, but the unlikely scenario doesn't spoil the enjoyment.
The novel takes place over a short timeframe and is told from multiple points of view. We begin to get to know the characters, their foibles and their lies. But will they get away with it - and who actually committed the murder?
The Only Son is gripping, with each new piece of information that emerges potentially leading to a different conclusion to they mystery. It suffers a little from a lack of a sense of place and several unlikable characters, but the unlikely scenario doesn't spoil the enjoyment.
October 13, 2023
The Only Son is a story about the Mullen family after their teenage son finds his ex best friend’s dead body in the garage. The story is fast paced and is told from the perspectives of multiple characters. As far as the mystery aspect of the story goes it was pretty obvious what happened minus one detail that did surprise me. This book was not my favorite read. I did not like the way that the teenage son’s ADHD was described throughout the book. The way the single Black character was written was another annoyance. I also wished certain details of the characters relationships and interactions were a bit more fleshed out. The multiple perspectives didn’t add to the story for me. It made more obvious what happened. It would more interesting to me if I saw the events only through the eyes of one character instead of getting information from all sides.
November 1, 2023
3/5 ⭐️
I got this book in exchange for a review on NetGalley. Right away the book starts off with a dead body. It’s so fast paced in the beginning that I wasn’t sure how it was going to keep momentum throughout the book. And it really didn’t. I lost interest before the halfway point. It felt excruciatingly long for what it was. The book could have easily been half as long and probably would have held my attention much better. It started to pick up again around the 70% mark, when my interest was peaked again. I was highly disappointed when the killer ended up being exactly who you would expect it to be. There was no crazy twist or wow moment, just a bunch of revelations. The book wasn’t bad, but I feel like there could have been some changes to make it better. I wouldn’t read it again but I don’t hate that I did read it.
I got this book in exchange for a review on NetGalley. Right away the book starts off with a dead body. It’s so fast paced in the beginning that I wasn’t sure how it was going to keep momentum throughout the book. And it really didn’t. I lost interest before the halfway point. It felt excruciatingly long for what it was. The book could have easily been half as long and probably would have held my attention much better. It started to pick up again around the 70% mark, when my interest was peaked again. I was highly disappointed when the killer ended up being exactly who you would expect it to be. There was no crazy twist or wow moment, just a bunch of revelations. The book wasn’t bad, but I feel like there could have been some changes to make it better. I wouldn’t read it again but I don’t hate that I did read it.
January 20, 2024
This was my first book by Brain O'Rourke and I really enjoyed it! The writing style was great and kept me engaged despite it not being my typical type of thriller.
I did find Sarah's character quite annoying and unbelievable though, to the point it ruined the story for me a bit. I understand that Dwayne was portrayed to be controlling and calculated so Sarah had no choice but to agree to all of his ridiculous plans blindly, but it did bother me. Also, was it meant to be a shock or reveal that Dwayne had killed Hal? From the second he didn't park his car in the garage I knew, it was so obvious I honestly thought I must be wrong and they'd throw a curve ball at me at the end !!! But no.
Overall I did enjoy myself, and id definitely read another book by Brain O'Rourke especially if the storyline is more believable 😀
I did find Sarah's character quite annoying and unbelievable though, to the point it ruined the story for me a bit. I understand that Dwayne was portrayed to be controlling and calculated so Sarah had no choice but to agree to all of his ridiculous plans blindly, but it did bother me. Also, was it meant to be a shock or reveal that Dwayne had killed Hal? From the second he didn't park his car in the garage I knew, it was so obvious I honestly thought I must be wrong and they'd throw a curve ball at me at the end !!! But no.
Overall I did enjoy myself, and id definitely read another book by Brain O'Rourke especially if the storyline is more believable 😀
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 28, 2024
To what lengths would parents cover up a death that they think their teenage son is responsible for? The first thing that I found utterly amazing is how FAST husband and wife went into action to cover it up. Straight up auto pilot. More interesting was how the parents were close friends with the dead teenager’s parents, and watching them play along like they had no clue as to what happened. Ooowee! I knew early on there were going to be some problems saving face just based on that ALONE.
Overall the book held a nice, steady pace. I enjoyed the way the author developed each character’s personalities with enough of a back story to add additional insights into their behaviors. I also enjoyed the way the story unfolded with the multiple twists and different levels of shock. Folks had a LOT OF NERVE in this book.
First time reading this author’s work and won’t be my last.
Overall the book held a nice, steady pace. I enjoyed the way the author developed each character’s personalities with enough of a back story to add additional insights into their behaviors. I also enjoyed the way the story unfolded with the multiple twists and different levels of shock. Folks had a LOT OF NERVE in this book.
First time reading this author’s work and won’t be my last.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 13, 2023
I was hooked from the opening chapter. 13 year old Andrew comes home early from camp to find a body in his garage … he calls his mom in a panic. He swears he had nothing to do with his former friend Hal’s death, but can Sarah trust her son?
Dwayne, Sarah’s overbearing and manipulative husband has a plan … he tells her to talk to their son while he “takes care” of the problem, but will he make the situation worse?
Twists, turns, deception, family-secrets, deceit … all makes for a good story, that kept me guessing until the end. What really happened? Who’s to blame? Who can you trust? Who do you turn to when it all goes wrong? What will you do when you feel you have to “save” your only son?
Dwayne, Sarah’s overbearing and manipulative husband has a plan … he tells her to talk to their son while he “takes care” of the problem, but will he make the situation worse?
Twists, turns, deception, family-secrets, deceit … all makes for a good story, that kept me guessing until the end. What really happened? Who’s to blame? Who can you trust? Who do you turn to when it all goes wrong? What will you do when you feel you have to “save” your only son?
October 23, 2023
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"The Only Son" was a captivating read that I thoroughly enjoyed. Having read another outstanding piece by this author previously, I'm eager to explore more of their works.
The storyline was compelling, but what truly stood out were the characters. Their depth and intricacies added layers to the narrative, making it a memorable experience. I always appreciate a good twist at the end, and this book certainly didn't disappoint in that regard.
While there were moments of repetitive phrasing, they were minor and didn't detract from the overall enjoyment of the story.
A big thank you for allowing me the chance to dive into this book and share my genuine thoughts on it. I truly loved the characters! 🌟📖
"The Only Son" was a captivating read that I thoroughly enjoyed. Having read another outstanding piece by this author previously, I'm eager to explore more of their works.
The storyline was compelling, but what truly stood out were the characters. Their depth and intricacies added layers to the narrative, making it a memorable experience. I always appreciate a good twist at the end, and this book certainly didn't disappoint in that regard.
While there were moments of repetitive phrasing, they were minor and didn't detract from the overall enjoyment of the story.
A big thank you for allowing me the chance to dive into this book and share my genuine thoughts on it. I truly loved the characters! 🌟📖
October 30, 2023
Sarah and Dwayne are a married couple and have a teenage son, Andrew.
One day Sarah receives a call from her son begging her to come home immediately. When she gets homes she finds something fatal has happened, there is a body in their garage, 13 year old, Hal English....dead! She calls her husband in a panic to come home.
Hal had been bullying Andrew and she is petrified that her son has killed Hal. Sarah & Dwayne will do anything to protect their son, no matter what risks they have to take.
This book is a 5 star read from me, its fast paced and kept me in suspense the whole way through. I found myself constantly picking up this book through the day to grab a quick chapter here and there at any spare minute I had as was dying to find out more.
One day Sarah receives a call from her son begging her to come home immediately. When she gets homes she finds something fatal has happened, there is a body in their garage, 13 year old, Hal English....dead! She calls her husband in a panic to come home.
Hal had been bullying Andrew and she is petrified that her son has killed Hal. Sarah & Dwayne will do anything to protect their son, no matter what risks they have to take.
This book is a 5 star read from me, its fast paced and kept me in suspense the whole way through. I found myself constantly picking up this book through the day to grab a quick chapter here and there at any spare minute I had as was dying to find out more.
May 13, 2024
⭐ ARC Review ⭐
The Only Son by Brian O'Rourke.
This was the first book I got via NetGalley when I signed up last fall, and it took me 8 months to finish because I just could NOT get into it.
About the first 10% and last 20% of this book was pretty good, but the rest was flat writing and predictable beats. None of the characters were very likeable and there was way more telling rather than showing. That being said, there were a lot of twist and turns that despite the end result being obvious, it was quite a ride to get there.
Might be good for new readers of thriller, and I can see so much potential, but this wasn't really my cup of tea.
#bookstagram #ARCread #netgalley #theonlyson #brianorourke
The Only Son by Brian O'Rourke.
This was the first book I got via NetGalley when I signed up last fall, and it took me 8 months to finish because I just could NOT get into it.
About the first 10% and last 20% of this book was pretty good, but the rest was flat writing and predictable beats. None of the characters were very likeable and there was way more telling rather than showing. That being said, there were a lot of twist and turns that despite the end result being obvious, it was quite a ride to get there.
Might be good for new readers of thriller, and I can see so much potential, but this wasn't really my cup of tea.
#bookstagram #ARCread #netgalley #theonlyson #brianorourke
November 1, 2023
This is the second book I’ve read by this author, and I’m looking forward to more.
This story revolves around a dysfunctional family that keeps too many secrets from each other. I didn’t guess the killer but I knew that person’s behavior wasn’t logical, given the facts we had at the time.
I liked how each person got to tell the story from their perspective. It helped in understanding the way they behaved. I can’t say I really liked any of the characters. None of them were people I’d want to know in real life.
The story was well told though and had plenty of twists.
I received this book as a free ARC and am leaving this review voluntarily.
This story revolves around a dysfunctional family that keeps too many secrets from each other. I didn’t guess the killer but I knew that person’s behavior wasn’t logical, given the facts we had at the time.
I liked how each person got to tell the story from their perspective. It helped in understanding the way they behaved. I can’t say I really liked any of the characters. None of them were people I’d want to know in real life.
The story was well told though and had plenty of twists.
I received this book as a free ARC and am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 31, 2023
"I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and Zooloo's Book Tours in exchange for a read and review. All opinions are my own."
The story centers on a 13 year old Andre who comes home early from camp to meet his ex best friend lying dead in their garage.
This book was mind blowing!! I was on the edge of my seat from beginning to the end. It hurt that I was unable to piece it all together and find out who the murderer was before the end.
I love the multiple POVs of the characters. However I had trouble bonding with any of the characters. All I wanted was to get to the bottom of the story. I'll admit I felt sorry for Sarah as she was obviously being manipulated by Dwayne and also felt sorry for Andrew who was in a circumstance where his parents didn't believe him & every evidence pointed towards him being the killer.
I was so glad Sarah used her head at the end. I totally thought she was going to be silenced by Dwayne and Cal.
All in all this is a great thriller. I'd totally recommend.
The story centers on a 13 year old Andre who comes home early from camp to meet his ex best friend lying dead in their garage.
This book was mind blowing!! I was on the edge of my seat from beginning to the end. It hurt that I was unable to piece it all together and find out who the murderer was before the end.
I love the multiple POVs of the characters. However I had trouble bonding with any of the characters. All I wanted was to get to the bottom of the story. I'll admit I felt sorry for Sarah as she was obviously being manipulated by Dwayne and also felt sorry for Andrew who was in a circumstance where his parents didn't believe him & every evidence pointed towards him being the killer.
I was so glad Sarah used her head at the end. I totally thought she was going to be silenced by Dwayne and Cal.
All in all this is a great thriller. I'd totally recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2023
💙😲💀A BIG CRUSH !
In the offices, Sarah listened despite herself to the animated conversation.
She received a phone call from her son Andrew who begged her to come home immediately...
-----------------------------------
A big crush for this fascinating psychological thriller which tells the incredible and fascinating story of an ordinary couple and their son in a small town.
Who did what ?
How ?
For what ?
I loved the story and the characters.
I didn't expect this ending. I'm amazed!
I highly recommend !
In the offices, Sarah listened despite herself to the animated conversation.
She received a phone call from her son Andrew who begged her to come home immediately...
-----------------------------------
A big crush for this fascinating psychological thriller which tells the incredible and fascinating story of an ordinary couple and their son in a small town.
Who did what ?
How ?
For what ?
I loved the story and the characters.
I didn't expect this ending. I'm amazed!
I highly recommend !
April 14, 2024
A quick read that I enjoyed for the most part, in spite of the fact that none of the characters were very likeable for a variety of reasons! Loved that the book was told from a variety of viewpoints.
I did guess the killer very early on. I thought it was pretty obvious from the way everyone behaved. However, I certainly didn't guess all of the twists and turns so there was still plenty to discover.
This is another on a list of highly improbable adventures that portray people behaving in ways that could/would never happen, but it was still a good read, and I enjoyed it.
I did guess the killer very early on. I thought it was pretty obvious from the way everyone behaved. However, I certainly didn't guess all of the twists and turns so there was still plenty to discover.
This is another on a list of highly improbable adventures that portray people behaving in ways that could/would never happen, but it was still a good read, and I enjoyed it.
October 31, 2023
Brian O’Rourke has written another fantastic, engaging, riveting book. I enjoyed this book immensely!
Imagine coming home from work, and finding a dead body in your garage. Then you realize that it’s a childhood friend of your son!
How far would you go to hide the crime?
This story delves deep into the past, and present family dynamics, while unraveling hidden secrets!
Thank you Inkubator Books and Booksprout for the opportunity to read and review this book.
5 stars
Imagine coming home from work, and finding a dead body in your garage. Then you realize that it’s a childhood friend of your son!
How far would you go to hide the crime?
This story delves deep into the past, and present family dynamics, while unraveling hidden secrets!
Thank you Inkubator Books and Booksprout for the opportunity to read and review this book.
5 stars
November 10, 2023
I really enjoyed this book, it was gripping from the start and had you wondering what was going to happen. What happens when it seems like your teenage son is a murderer? This is what Dwayne and Sarah have to deal with. But it is more complicated than it first appears. I really loved the writing style of Brian in this book, although having Dwayne being as abusive (emotionally and verbally) and controlling as he was did annoy me, as a lot of books lately seem to have an 'alpha male'. But there are so many twists and turns in this book, although I did start to figure out who the killer was early on.
November 8, 2023
I wa son the fence with this one. One one hand it started with a bang and the multiple pov kept me guessing throughout aswell as giving a really clear insight into he characters and their motivations. On tbe other hand, I felt it started with such a fast pace that the rest of the story then dragged a bit and I'm not sure how rational the ADHD as an excuse for things was. It was a decent enough read though
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews