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The Good Brother: A Psychological Thriller
It’s hard to prove you’re innocent. Especially if you’re not.
Maxwell Harrington has a problem. Ever since he found out about his brother, strange things have been happening. Bad things. Things he can’t explain.
There’s the writing that appears in weird places. Things keep getting broken. And when his brother, Jayden, moves in, things get even worse.
His dad is furious, the school are threatening to suspend him, and even his friends think he’s losing it. Is he going crazy? Does he really hate his new brother? If not, why would he do these terrible things? And how can he turn the situation around, before it’s too late?
The Good Brother is a gripping, fast-paced psychological thriller that will have you hooked until the last page, ideal for teens and adults alike.
"When I say I could not put it down, I did not want to sleep nor go to work. I just wanted to keep reading! Good writing that will suck you in. There are definitely some twists and turns that you not see coming. My jaw hit the floor more than once. Definitely recommend reading this one!" - Gregory Mason
Maxwell Harrington has a problem. Ever since he found out about his brother, strange things have been happening. Bad things. Things he can’t explain.
There’s the writing that appears in weird places. Things keep getting broken. And when his brother, Jayden, moves in, things get even worse.
His dad is furious, the school are threatening to suspend him, and even his friends think he’s losing it. Is he going crazy? Does he really hate his new brother? If not, why would he do these terrible things? And how can he turn the situation around, before it’s too late?
The Good Brother is a gripping, fast-paced psychological thriller that will have you hooked until the last page, ideal for teens and adults alike.
"When I say I could not put it down, I did not want to sleep nor go to work. I just wanted to keep reading! Good writing that will suck you in. There are definitely some twists and turns that you not see coming. My jaw hit the floor more than once. Definitely recommend reading this one!" - Gregory Mason
362 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 28, 2024
12 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
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December 1, 2025I am very conflicted ... therefore, I'm not giving this a rating. For many reasons, this is a 5-star 🤯 read. For many reasons, this is a 1-star (0-star🤬, if that was possible) read. I won't waste my precious time with detailed reasons and examples.
The "who" is obvious from the title. The "why" is obvious from early on. This tale is all about the "how" ... and that's 😲. Never a dull moment ... which is exactly why YA appeals to me and my short attention span so much. That's the 5-star part.
This is fiction, of course ... but a real person wrote this. I have to think that a person that is capable of writing this kinda twisted, f**ked up, sadistic stuff has to be pretty twisted, f**ked up, and sadistic himself. That concerns me. Oh, ... and these characters are children, 13 and 14 year olds. Understand that going in. Disturbing. That's the 0-star part.
The "who" is obvious from the title. The "why" is obvious from early on. This tale is all about the "how" ... and that's 😲. Never a dull moment ... which is exactly why YA appeals to me and my short attention span so much. That's the 5-star part.
This is fiction, of course ... but a real person wrote this. I have to think that a person that is capable of writing this kinda twisted, f**ked up, sadistic stuff has to be pretty twisted, f**ked up, and sadistic himself. That concerns me. Oh, ... and these characters are children, 13 and 14 year olds. Understand that going in. Disturbing. That's the 0-star part.
December 5, 2025
Told from the POV of 14yo Max. This started out with a few things that irked me. Nothing that was a big deal, the main thing was Max’s dad being referred to by his first name all the time. It made me feel a degree of separation in the father/son relationship like maybe he was going to end up not being Max’s real dad…? And I wasn’t sure if this was the intention of the author or not but it I did feel irrationally annoyed by it 😬
And the way Jayden, the younger disadvantaged and abused mystery brother came to live with them was a bit… let’s just say you had to suspend belief a little, which is fine, this is fiction after all… just not amazing but it suited the story. And I got over it pretty quick.
Then mid book it got reasonably good! The momentum picked up and for a hot minute I thought it was going to be a twisty-turny thriller type. But it was like the wheels fell off… Let’s just say it ended the way I thought it would in terms of who the bad guys were, but the way it came to light with still 1/3 of the book to go… It just fell flat. The gaslighting, the bullying, and the abrupt violence that seemed to come from nowhere…. Idk, ultimately I just didn’t enjoy the last 1/3 of the book at all. So much that I actually struggled to finish this one 🫣 Oh well 😬
And the way Jayden, the younger disadvantaged and abused mystery brother came to live with them was a bit… let’s just say you had to suspend belief a little, which is fine, this is fiction after all… just not amazing but it suited the story. And I got over it pretty quick.
Then mid book it got reasonably good! The momentum picked up and for a hot minute I thought it was going to be a twisty-turny thriller type. But it was like the wheels fell off… Let’s just say it ended the way I thought it would in terms of who the bad guys were, but the way it came to light with still 1/3 of the book to go… It just fell flat. The gaslighting, the bullying, and the abrupt violence that seemed to come from nowhere…. Idk, ultimately I just didn’t enjoy the last 1/3 of the book at all. So much that I actually struggled to finish this one 🫣 Oh well 😬
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2024
This book was so good all the twists and turns had my jaw on the FLOOR Orton knows how to get your head spinning now that I finished it I was like what did I just read and where did all that trauma I went through came from because this book was so incredible that it would make a good TV show because it’s all about jealousy, envy and sibling rivalry between two boys that are supposed to be known as brothers but Jayden was never the good brother Max was that’s why it being titled the good brother makes so much sense at times I wanted to give Maxwell a big hug at times he suffered a LOT
January 2, 2026
A fair read with an unexpected plot twist.
3.75 stars.***Mild spoilers!**"
The first few chapters of this book was loaded with editing errors, including missing words. This made it difficult to follow the flow.
The concept was very sound, if not totally original. Max and his father, Raphael (a completely horrible father, always putting work before parenting) live in a grand house and have plenty of money.
One day, a social services worker arrives and informs Raphael that he has another son via an affair he had after his wife died in a car accident years ago. Max now has a brother, though an illegitimate one.
Eventually, Jayden comes to live with Max and his dad. And that's when strange and unfortunate occurances begin.
To explain these misfortunes would totally ruin the plot for future readers. But I figured out the main plot right after Jayden arrived, although I could not determine a motive.
The world building is good, as most of the story takes place in Max's house. The dialogue is on par with the plot, but ends up making Max look like a wuss next to his younger and shorter brother.
Max loves horror movies, but he never expected to be in one!
The plot twist at the end I didn't see coming, although I should have.
This book is a psychological thriller, emphasis on psychological.
3.75 stars.***Mild spoilers!**"
The first few chapters of this book was loaded with editing errors, including missing words. This made it difficult to follow the flow.
The concept was very sound, if not totally original. Max and his father, Raphael (a completely horrible father, always putting work before parenting) live in a grand house and have plenty of money.
One day, a social services worker arrives and informs Raphael that he has another son via an affair he had after his wife died in a car accident years ago. Max now has a brother, though an illegitimate one.
Eventually, Jayden comes to live with Max and his dad. And that's when strange and unfortunate occurances begin.
To explain these misfortunes would totally ruin the plot for future readers. But I figured out the main plot right after Jayden arrived, although I could not determine a motive.
The world building is good, as most of the story takes place in Max's house. The dialogue is on par with the plot, but ends up making Max look like a wuss next to his younger and shorter brother.
Max loves horror movies, but he never expected to be in one!
The plot twist at the end I didn't see coming, although I should have.
This book is a psychological thriller, emphasis on psychological.
December 25, 2024
This book is unputdownable once you start reading! The characters are very written, and the plot has many twists and turns that keep you guessing until the end. I highly recommend this book for lovers of thrillers.
February 3, 2025
*** NOTE: I received an advance eBook copy from the author and this is my honest review ***
I went into this book with the preconceived notion that it was a Middle-Grade Mystery. That's on me. While it can certainly be enjoyed by ages 11-up, I think its target audience would be older Teens to adults. It definitely has substance and elements that will appeal to older readers.
The pacing of the book is pretty spot-on, with the first quarter moving leisurely, allowing us to meet and become familiar with the characters and some of their background stories. During the second quarter we start to get into the Mystery aspect of the tale. The third quarter leaves us in a quandry as to the 'real' motives and aspirations of some of the characters, and then the final segment goes all-out with the Psychological Drama, leading up to the shocking ending.
The writing is very good; I was immediately drawn into the story, identifying with and forming real sympathy for the two young protagonist brothers. The author fleshed out these two (ages 14 and 13) well, giving us just enough initial information on each to keep our engagement, but leaving room for future discovery of each one's personalities.
The main cast is kept to a minimum; Max (14), his father, Raphael, the family's housekeeper, Rosa, and Max's half-brother, Jayden (13). In the background Max has a pair of comrades, schoolmates Alice and Freddie, that provide support and advice at some tumultuous moments. Out on the periphery there are a couple of child psychologists and one evil stepfather (lol).
If any character could be said to be weakly represented, it would be Raphael, the father; I struggled to form much of an attachment for him. This partly stemmed from his austere, gruff (some might even say 'Authoritarian' or borderline 'Abusive') demeanor, especially towards his son, Max, but, of course out of necessity to the story, his character was in 'the background' for the majority of the book.
The tension and psychological aspects of the story are real and very well done; without giving away any of the plot, let's just say that most readers will not be disappointed by the amount --nor the shock-factor of-- the tension in this book. And the eventual ending will knock your socks off.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can certainly see myself revisiting it again at a future date, an honor I don't bestow upon many stories I've read.
Thank You, Mr. Orton :)
I went into this book with the preconceived notion that it was a Middle-Grade Mystery. That's on me. While it can certainly be enjoyed by ages 11-up, I think its target audience would be older Teens to adults. It definitely has substance and elements that will appeal to older readers.
The pacing of the book is pretty spot-on, with the first quarter moving leisurely, allowing us to meet and become familiar with the characters and some of their background stories. During the second quarter we start to get into the Mystery aspect of the tale. The third quarter leaves us in a quandry as to the 'real' motives and aspirations of some of the characters, and then the final segment goes all-out with the Psychological Drama, leading up to the shocking ending.
The writing is very good; I was immediately drawn into the story, identifying with and forming real sympathy for the two young protagonist brothers. The author fleshed out these two (ages 14 and 13) well, giving us just enough initial information on each to keep our engagement, but leaving room for future discovery of each one's personalities.
The main cast is kept to a minimum; Max (14), his father, Raphael, the family's housekeeper, Rosa, and Max's half-brother, Jayden (13). In the background Max has a pair of comrades, schoolmates Alice and Freddie, that provide support and advice at some tumultuous moments. Out on the periphery there are a couple of child psychologists and one evil stepfather (lol).
If any character could be said to be weakly represented, it would be Raphael, the father; I struggled to form much of an attachment for him. This partly stemmed from his austere, gruff (some might even say 'Authoritarian' or borderline 'Abusive') demeanor, especially towards his son, Max, but, of course out of necessity to the story, his character was in 'the background' for the majority of the book.
The tension and psychological aspects of the story are real and very well done; without giving away any of the plot, let's just say that most readers will not be disappointed by the amount --nor the shock-factor of-- the tension in this book. And the eventual ending will knock your socks off.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can certainly see myself revisiting it again at a future date, an honor I don't bestow upon many stories I've read.
Thank You, Mr. Orton :)
December 18, 2024
Very well written. Kept me interested from beginning to end. Truly never expected anything like this from this story. Made me feel sad and mad. Had me thinking "what would I do in this situation." So many twists. A must read for people who like psychological thrillers.
January 23, 2025
this book was sooooo good i knew the whole time but to see how it was done was awesome recommended this book to a friend
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews