The Good Father

by Marion Husband

When Peter Wright's father dies he leaves his entire fortune to Peter's best friend Jack. Over a few weeks in the summer of 1959 the consequences of the old man's legacy seriously affect three men's lives: Jack, who has brought up his three children alone since his wife was killed, Wright's solicitor Harry, who is trying to rebuild his relationship with his estranged son Guy, and Peter himself, whose friendship with Jack is threatened by his father's death and the terrible secrets he has kept since his return from the Japanese POW camps. The Good Father explores the nature of fatherhood and the bonds between fathers and their children in a gripping story of love, betrayal and adultery.

Genres: Historical, Book Club

300 pages, Paperback

First published April 15, 2007

Reviews

[D. Colwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books where you sit back after finishing it and take a deep breath. Then you wipe the tears away and say: WOW!.

I read Ms. Husband's previous books: "The Boy I Love" and "Paper Moon" in the past couple weeks and was so impressed that I had to order her other two. And this one is wonderful.

And it is suspensful as well. She feeds the reader hints and bits of information leading up to the final chapter. You start out being confused as to why various events are happening, but the picture gradually begins to clear as you make your way to the end.

This is not a book that you can put aside and come back to, because it is not always easy to keep track of the characters. At one point I had to go back and start over because I lost track of who was who. However, that is not a problem if you stick with it.

Although I was expecting gay characters, there are none in this book.

This is a wonderful read. I think I probably liked 'The Boy I Loved' better, but I highly recommend this one.

I am now going to get started on Ms. Husband's fourth book: "Say You Love Me".

[Brenda Kittelty · Rating 4 out of 5]

She doesn't disappoint, this Marion Husband. Another strong, affecting melodrama set in mid 20th century England. Once again full of very believable, flawed but essentially good people (for the most part) that the reader can't help but feel invested in.

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter Wright is a children's illustrator, a survivor of a WWII Japanese POW camp, and best friend to widower Jack Jackson and his three children. With the death of Peter's father their lives become entwined with those of solicitor Harry Dunn and his son Guy, and Harry's ex-lover Val. As the relationships change within this group, there are hints at deeper, darker secrets in their pasts, along with demons that many of them are facing. Tensions build towards the end of the novel, with added shocks to this brilliantly written novel.

I particularly liked the way that the character's became involved with each other, reminding me of E.M. Forster's novels. Forster was sometimes criticised for coincidences in his plots, to which he responded in 'Howard's End' with his phrase 'Only connect'. It is all about the connections that are made between people. In 'The Good Father', if we look at the last few chapters, it all becomes clear how everything had to happen this way, how the characters had to be connected in order for these final events to occur.

Marion Husband is a wonderful, gifted writer, and I cannot recommend her books more highly.

[Linde · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I was really not impressed, but once I was into it it was really hard to put down. Very gripping story and the end absolutely shocked me. A definite recommend.

[Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't remember when a book last made me cry at the end.......

[Juanita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant! Marion Husband has done it again!

[Jill's Book Cafe · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Storyline is way too predictable. Not exactly a page turner.

[Jayme Prisbell-Hultman · Rating 3 out of 5]

The storyline was good...but there were many Parts that dragged on.