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Favorite Sons: A Novel
Hutch Van Buren is fifteen years old, playing sports and searching for arrowheads in a small industrial town in Ohio with his three closest friends when an altercation between them and Petey Sanchez, a troubled seventeen-year-old, leads to Petey’s accidental death. Vowing a pact of silence, they allow a local ne’er-do-well to go to jail for the crime. As they grow older, each boy shoulders the burden of truth in his own way as each attempts to leave the past behind.
Thirty-three years later, in 2004, Van Buren is the prosecuting attorney in Summit County, Ohio, and a candidate for state attorney general when he learns that he and his boyhood friends weren’t the only ones keeping a secret about Petey’s death. A convicted sex offender in need of a favor attempts to blackmail Van Buren in return for his silence. Van Buren must decide between his political career and the duty of the office he has sworn to uphold. With the clock ticking, Van Buren has a week to seek out his boyhood friends and search his soul while he sorts out three decades of deceit he helped create. This suspenseful novel with nuanced, memorable characters was named Book of the Year for Mystery/Suspense by USA Book News, was selected for the Choose to Read Ohio program for 2013–14, and was a featured book of the 2012 Ohioana Book Festival.
Thirty-three years later, in 2004, Van Buren is the prosecuting attorney in Summit County, Ohio, and a candidate for state attorney general when he learns that he and his boyhood friends weren’t the only ones keeping a secret about Petey’s death. A convicted sex offender in need of a favor attempts to blackmail Van Buren in return for his silence. Van Buren must decide between his political career and the duty of the office he has sworn to uphold. With the clock ticking, Van Buren has a week to seek out his boyhood friends and search his soul while he sorts out three decades of deceit he helped create. This suspenseful novel with nuanced, memorable characters was named Book of the Year for Mystery/Suspense by USA Book News, was selected for the Choose to Read Ohio program for 2013–14, and was a featured book of the 2012 Ohioana Book Festival.
288 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2011
61 people are currently reading
592 people want to read
About the author
Robin Yocum
19 books314 followersRobin Yocum is the author of the award-winning, critically acclaimed novel, Favorite Sons (June 2012, Arcade Publishing). Favorite Sons was named the 2011 USA Book News Book of the Year for Mystery/Suspense, and is a Choose to Read Ohio selection for 2013-14. His latest novel, The Essay, was released in October 2012 by Arcade. He also is the author of Dead Before Deadline, a compilation of stories from his days as a crime beat reporter with the Columbus Dispatch, and Insured for Murder, which he co-authored with Dispatch colleague Catherine Candisky. Robin joined the Columbus Dispatch as a reporter in 1980 and worked at the paper for eleven years, spending four years on the crime beat, followed by a post as senior reporter on the investigative desk. He won more than 30 local, state and national awards while at the paper. Yocum has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Bowling Green State University.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
September 17, 2020
I am compelled to rate this a five star read due to it being hard to put aside and, more importantly, I greatly admired Mr. Yocum's writing style thus contining to read more of his work. This story began with intensity which continued to build until the end. I would highly recommend.
March 23, 2024
I'll start with 4 stars but reserve the right to add an extra one as I mull this one over.
Robin Yocum ensnared me right off the bat with his setting, (Ohio in 1971), his characters, (4 friends who are looking for arrowheads when they are 15 years old) and the plot involving a tragic incident on one summer morning with a mentally handicapped young man. Things go south quickly, silence builds into lies, and a lifetime of secrets and guilt follow. The author lets things unfold in a realistic way and the dialogue between the boys is as real as it comes. Throw in some over zealous parents, a child molester and the importance of sports in a small town setting and you have the makings of a really great suspense novel.
This is my first read by this author, but next time I need something like this I know who to look for.
Robin Yocum ensnared me right off the bat with his setting, (Ohio in 1971), his characters, (4 friends who are looking for arrowheads when they are 15 years old) and the plot involving a tragic incident on one summer morning with a mentally handicapped young man. Things go south quickly, silence builds into lies, and a lifetime of secrets and guilt follow. The author lets things unfold in a realistic way and the dialogue between the boys is as real as it comes. Throw in some over zealous parents, a child molester and the importance of sports in a small town setting and you have the makings of a really great suspense novel.
This is my first read by this author, but next time I need something like this I know who to look for.
March 27, 2024
“We sometimes make decisions in a span of time so infinitesimal that it cannot be comprehended by our own minds. Yet the impact of the decision is life-altering.”
Four teenage boys in a small Ohio town on a summer day in 1971 make two life-altering decisions while climbing hills and combing for arrowheads: 1) one throws a “rock;” and 2) all four swear to secrecy about the result. Thirty-three years later, the s*&t hits the fan.
It is critical with any crime/mystery novel not to post spoilers. So, I will tell you only that Robin Yocum is a superb writer. This is an outstanding debut, and his 4th novel - ‘A Brilliant Death’ - is even better, in my opinion. Secrets, politics, blackmail, abuse, murder, money, lies. Expect the unexpected. This story will take you to some dark, uncomfortable places, but you will care about most of the people you’re traveling with. And a huge shoutout to Yocum for one of the most perfectly sketched side characters ever - the inimitable secretary Margaret . . . “umm-umm-umm-umm-umm.” What a gem of a character.
“Sometimes you have to fall on the sword . . . admit to your mistakes, apologize in earnest, show the proper amount of contrition, and state clearly why you will never again repeat the error.”
Truth.
Four teenage boys in a small Ohio town on a summer day in 1971 make two life-altering decisions while climbing hills and combing for arrowheads: 1) one throws a “rock;” and 2) all four swear to secrecy about the result. Thirty-three years later, the s*&t hits the fan.
It is critical with any crime/mystery novel not to post spoilers. So, I will tell you only that Robin Yocum is a superb writer. This is an outstanding debut, and his 4th novel - ‘A Brilliant Death’ - is even better, in my opinion. Secrets, politics, blackmail, abuse, murder, money, lies. Expect the unexpected. This story will take you to some dark, uncomfortable places, but you will care about most of the people you’re traveling with. And a huge shoutout to Yocum for one of the most perfectly sketched side characters ever - the inimitable secretary Margaret . . . “umm-umm-umm-umm-umm.” What a gem of a character.
“Sometimes you have to fall on the sword . . . admit to your mistakes, apologize in earnest, show the proper amount of contrition, and state clearly why you will never again repeat the error.”
Truth.
March 19, 2024
Advice, read it. Excellent.
January 21, 2012
It's been a long time since I've thrown good sense out the window and stayed up until the wee hours to finish a book, but Favorite Sons was worth every minute. How much do I love this book? Let me count the ways. 1) Author Yocum has a gift for creating a setting, and this setting is right here in Ohio. Clearly, this author knows his home state. The unique area around the Ohio River comes to life - both 30 years ago and today. 2) The plot is a winner: 4 teenage boys, good kids all, swear allegiance after a chance meeting with another teen turns deadly. Part I grounds you firmly in 1974, part II moves you to 2004 when the worst happens and the 4 men have to deal with their decision. Better still, author Yocum maintains a sustained "oh no" response in the reader as the pages turn and the plot intensifies. 3) I really liked these characters. I'm a librarian in a school full of kids like these: well-mannered, genuine, loyal, hard-working kids who are trying to live up to everyone's expectations and have deep, rich friendships they know enough to appreciate. Even as we meet these characters 30 years later, it's easy to see how their lives grew out of their childhoods and they became the men they did. Interestingly, there are very few females in this book. I'd say this is pretty much an all-male worldview. 4) The coming-of-age theme, coupled with some serious good vs. evil, offers the reader ample opportunity to speculate on how he/she might personally respond to the situation. There are some really bad people out there and yet we all face times when we must choose to do the right thing- or not. Consequences follow, regardless of our decision.
Why only 4 stars? Simply because I reserve 5 stars for very rare books. My 4 stars indicate a pretty darn good read.
Recommended without reservation to mature readers. My caution refers to a minor adult sexual reference and some graphic descriptions of violence and sexual deviance. Both, however, are completely justified given the scope of the book.
Why only 4 stars? Simply because I reserve 5 stars for very rare books. My 4 stars indicate a pretty darn good read.
Recommended without reservation to mature readers. My caution refers to a minor adult sexual reference and some graphic descriptions of violence and sexual deviance. Both, however, are completely justified given the scope of the book.
July 27, 2011
Favorite Sons is both a psychological exploration of how one split-second decision in 1971 rural Ohio transforms the adult lives of local prosecutor and soon-to-be Ohio State Attorney General Hutchinson Van Buren and three of his boyhood pals, and a present-day mystery/crime drama linked to a thirty-year-old crime.
My opinion: Robin Yocum displays an unusually fine ability to create atmosphere. The first part of this novel, set in rural Crystalton, Ohio, completely transported me back to my own childhood, although I lived far from the Midwest. And Yocum also has a gift for inhabiting an early-teen sensibility that - wherever and whenever you grew up - will feel entirely, viscerally familiar. Beautiful work here on that score, and reminding me of Stephen King's stellar novella The Body, turned modern classic movie, Stand By Me.
In addition to Yocum’s descriptive abilities and impressive first-go at credible and engaging first-person perspective, the dialogue moves along believably here, powering a taut narrative arc with solid pacing as well.
On the other hand, this feels like a book that begins two times. Just when you're entirely invested in Adrian, Deak, Pepper, and Hutch - our title quartet - and how they're going to survive the repercussions of the violent act at the center of this story, it's stop and try again. Because in part two, we leap thirty years into the future and our protagonist Hutch seems like a different, and not particularly likable, person. Granted, we're to understand that he's become the shallow workaholic he is - in part - due to the secret he's been carrying since childhood. But Hutch's devolution into a less sympathetic character than he was as a teen frustrated me, especially because we didn't go on that transformative journey with him - we simply see its results. And this last section is more plot- than character or atmosphere- driven: We follow Hutch as he's blackmailed by a recently released convict and inveterate child molester and then attempts to track down his old childhood pals so that they can unite in a response to the extortionist. Page-turning? Sure. As satisfying as Part One? Well, not for this reader, but if you're the mystery-reading type, you might find it equally fulfilling.
Overall, I'd say that if you're already a fan of this genre, you should give it a try: It's certainly better than many recent offerings in mystery/crime fiction.
And, again, I'm hoping that with this fledgling effort under his belt, Yocum will continue to write in this genre, producing increasingly impressive novels. I know I'll be picking up his next one.
For quotes and additional review, visit http://whatsheread.blogspot.com/2011/...
My opinion: Robin Yocum displays an unusually fine ability to create atmosphere. The first part of this novel, set in rural Crystalton, Ohio, completely transported me back to my own childhood, although I lived far from the Midwest. And Yocum also has a gift for inhabiting an early-teen sensibility that - wherever and whenever you grew up - will feel entirely, viscerally familiar. Beautiful work here on that score, and reminding me of Stephen King's stellar novella The Body, turned modern classic movie, Stand By Me.
In addition to Yocum’s descriptive abilities and impressive first-go at credible and engaging first-person perspective, the dialogue moves along believably here, powering a taut narrative arc with solid pacing as well.
On the other hand, this feels like a book that begins two times. Just when you're entirely invested in Adrian, Deak, Pepper, and Hutch - our title quartet - and how they're going to survive the repercussions of the violent act at the center of this story, it's stop and try again. Because in part two, we leap thirty years into the future and our protagonist Hutch seems like a different, and not particularly likable, person. Granted, we're to understand that he's become the shallow workaholic he is - in part - due to the secret he's been carrying since childhood. But Hutch's devolution into a less sympathetic character than he was as a teen frustrated me, especially because we didn't go on that transformative journey with him - we simply see its results. And this last section is more plot- than character or atmosphere- driven: We follow Hutch as he's blackmailed by a recently released convict and inveterate child molester and then attempts to track down his old childhood pals so that they can unite in a response to the extortionist. Page-turning? Sure. As satisfying as Part One? Well, not for this reader, but if you're the mystery-reading type, you might find it equally fulfilling.
Overall, I'd say that if you're already a fan of this genre, you should give it a try: It's certainly better than many recent offerings in mystery/crime fiction.
And, again, I'm hoping that with this fledgling effort under his belt, Yocum will continue to write in this genre, producing increasingly impressive novels. I know I'll be picking up his next one.
For quotes and additional review, visit http://whatsheread.blogspot.com/2011/...
October 2, 2022
I want to acknowledge at the start that this is a very, very good book! Great plot, great character development (warning about some significant paedophile activity) and mixed with some good humour. I have been looking for another ‘John Grisham’ And I thought I had found him when I read The Sacrifice of Lester Yates. So following the reading of that book I decided to backtrack and read the prequel – Favourite Sons. As I say, a really good book but unlike Grisham, Yokum goes all out in the swearing stakes – it is just over the top with some of the most foul language you would ever read. And riddled with blasphemy as well. Very disrespectful. Just not needed and tarnishes the book. Since this is one of his earliest books I will give another one of his a try and take it from there.
March 5, 2018
As of late it's been rare for me to find an author that makes me wish to run out and get another of their books as soon as possible. It's even rarer to find one who maintains that level of enthusiasm within me, but Robin Yocum has achieved this. After reading The Essay I wanted to read more by Yocum, and Favorite Sons is just as skillfully written and gripping in its own way. While the former is a more uplifting story, the latter takes on a darker tone.
The story is in two parts: the first is about four young boys who are in involved in the death of a mentally challenged boy whose something of the town menace. In their youth they fear the consequences of what might happen if their involvement is discovered, and so they attempt to cover up the crime and then avoid revealing what truly happened. As this story unfolds, however, there is a darker secret involving Petey Sanchez (the victim in question), one that might offer the boys what seems a way out.
The second part takes place thirty years later, where our narrator is a county DA and finds that old secrets don't remained buried forever. What's worse is that he discovers unforeseen consequences for himself and more as he discovers more details of the incident in question and the details of all involved in the cover-up. It's a great tale of the folly of youth and the damaging effect such a terrible secret can have. The boys start to believe they escaped a terrible situation only to find that it haunts them for much of their lives in ways they couldn't predict.
Yocum has a way with worlds that brings the small world of the boys to life. The characters are vibrant and their pain and struggles are real, as well as their falterings and frustrations. OverallI find Yocum's work compelling and moving. Once more I find myself wanting more from him, and I hope he continues to write so well.
The story is in two parts: the first is about four young boys who are in involved in the death of a mentally challenged boy whose something of the town menace. In their youth they fear the consequences of what might happen if their involvement is discovered, and so they attempt to cover up the crime and then avoid revealing what truly happened. As this story unfolds, however, there is a darker secret involving Petey Sanchez (the victim in question), one that might offer the boys what seems a way out.
The second part takes place thirty years later, where our narrator is a county DA and finds that old secrets don't remained buried forever. What's worse is that he discovers unforeseen consequences for himself and more as he discovers more details of the incident in question and the details of all involved in the cover-up. It's a great tale of the folly of youth and the damaging effect such a terrible secret can have. The boys start to believe they escaped a terrible situation only to find that it haunts them for much of their lives in ways they couldn't predict.
Yocum has a way with worlds that brings the small world of the boys to life. The characters are vibrant and their pain and struggles are real, as well as their falterings and frustrations. OverallI find Yocum's work compelling and moving. Once more I find myself wanting more from him, and I hope he continues to write so well.
August 10, 2016
4.5 stars. You witness one of your best friends accidentally kill someone in self-defense. Telling the authorities could damage his and your future. A paroled child-molester gets accused of the murder and sent to prison for 30+ years. How long could you keep the secret? Could you just put it behind you and move on with your life? What if the secret wasn't as "close to the vest" as you originally thought? What if someone else threatened to expose the secret and destroy the lives of everyone involved?
This is a book of friendship, loyalty, secrets, intrigue and mystery. Absolute page-turner. Couldn't put it down!
I didn't give this book five stars because there were one or two disturbing scenes that I had a difficult time getting out of my head and I found it hard to sleep. I guess that's no fault of the author, I just wish they were a little less descriptive. What can I say, I have young children and some things I just don't want to read about.
This is a book of friendship, loyalty, secrets, intrigue and mystery. Absolute page-turner. Couldn't put it down!
I didn't give this book five stars because there were one or two disturbing scenes that I had a difficult time getting out of my head and I found it hard to sleep. I guess that's no fault of the author, I just wish they were a little less descriptive. What can I say, I have young children and some things I just don't want to read about.
April 13, 2024
Robin Yocum is an amazing writer! This is my second Yocum novel, and I am in love with his writing, his style, and his overall execution.
From his vivid descriptions to his downright fascinating plot, Yocum has created quite a work of art.
This story focuses on four teenage boys growing up in a small Ohio town. They soon find themselves entangled in a mess that includes covering up an accidental murder. Thirty-three years go by, and all seems to be forgotten until one day, someone shows up with information no one was expecting.
This novel is beautifully written, and it has all the right ingredients for an incredible mystery that is absolutely impossible to put down.
From his vivid descriptions to his downright fascinating plot, Yocum has created quite a work of art.
This story focuses on four teenage boys growing up in a small Ohio town. They soon find themselves entangled in a mess that includes covering up an accidental murder. Thirty-three years go by, and all seems to be forgotten until one day, someone shows up with information no one was expecting.
This novel is beautifully written, and it has all the right ingredients for an incredible mystery that is absolutely impossible to put down.
February 19, 2023
I would’ve given this 4.5 stars if it were possible. Yocum writes in such a great way to draw you in and give the feel of reality, with great character development. I was sympathetic towards the characters reflecting on the how the outcome of one event, especially a traumatic one, can linger throughout someone’s entire life.
November 16, 2019
Another good one by Mr. Yocum. He never disappoints.
August 18, 2011
This was a fascinating read, and forced me to ask myself what I would do in the same situation as Hutch and his friends. Petey Sanchez was mean and vicious, setting fire to his own house when he was mad at his family. When he attacks the boys, it was self defense that ended in his death, but the boys were still too scared to go to the police for fear of being sent to juvenile hall. They didn’t have a very good understanding of the law and were afraid they would be in trouble. I watch the crime and murder investigation shows on tv, and I always wonder why people are so stupid. Why don’t they just go to the police in the first place? But this book is so believable. When Petey dies, Yocum does a great job at capturing the fear and confusion that the boys feel and you understand their need to keep it a secret. I’d like to think that I would have gone to the police, even if it meant turning my friends on me, but I honestly don’t know and I hope I never have to find out.
I particularly enjoyed the time jump, switching to Hutch as an adult. It’s fascinating to see who he has become as a character, since it is written in first person, and to see what happens to the rest of the boys. There is a bit of a mystery that develops as Hutch gets in contact with his old friends after so many years and I have to say, I didn’t see the end coming. There were times where I thought I knew where it was going, but then something else would come to light and I’d realize I had been wrong. I love books that keep me on my toes.
I have a love hate relationship with this ending. I wanted to know more out of pure fascination, but I felt satisfied with the final decisions that were made. I think this is a great book about how important it is to always do what you feel is right and not second guess yourself. The littlest things we do now can have a huge impact on our futures. I will definitely be reading anything else that Yocum puts out. This was a great read.
I particularly enjoyed the time jump, switching to Hutch as an adult. It’s fascinating to see who he has become as a character, since it is written in first person, and to see what happens to the rest of the boys. There is a bit of a mystery that develops as Hutch gets in contact with his old friends after so many years and I have to say, I didn’t see the end coming. There were times where I thought I knew where it was going, but then something else would come to light and I’d realize I had been wrong. I love books that keep me on my toes.
I have a love hate relationship with this ending. I wanted to know more out of pure fascination, but I felt satisfied with the final decisions that were made. I think this is a great book about how important it is to always do what you feel is right and not second guess yourself. The littlest things we do now can have a huge impact on our futures. I will definitely be reading anything else that Yocum puts out. This was a great read.
October 15, 2021
Favorite Sons flat out was the best book I have read so far all year.
The book has all the necessary ingredients that makes great crime fiction. Captivating. Twisted plot with unforgettable characters facing high stakes.
This reminded me of the 1986 movie Stand By Me but it hit different.
The story takes place in the small fictional town of Crystalton Ohio. In 1971, a group of young teen boys are part of an event that will alter their lives forever.
Years later, the event threatens to change the course of their lives as adults.
This was the first novel from former crime reporter Robin Yocum and in my opinion showcases him as a brilliant talent in the crime fiction genere.
The book was first published in 2011.
Favorite Sons was named the 2011 USA Book News Book of the Year for Mystery/Suspense, and is a Choose to Read Ohio selection for 2013-14.
The only thing that bothered me about the book was Yocum using the irritating trope laden with racial stereotypes for one of his characters.
Margaret, a black woman and office secretary, was described as a large woman, no nonsense and given "sassy", "honey chile" dialog in the scenes she was portrayed. She was hired over white candidates who were better qualified only because she was qualified. While this pissed me off, I let it slide because it wasn't an integral part of the story.
The best part is that this was an include as part of my audible membership.
The narration was impeccable and really helped keep my interest.
Great read!
The book has all the necessary ingredients that makes great crime fiction. Captivating. Twisted plot with unforgettable characters facing high stakes.
This reminded me of the 1986 movie Stand By Me but it hit different.
The story takes place in the small fictional town of Crystalton Ohio. In 1971, a group of young teen boys are part of an event that will alter their lives forever.
Years later, the event threatens to change the course of their lives as adults.
This was the first novel from former crime reporter Robin Yocum and in my opinion showcases him as a brilliant talent in the crime fiction genere.
The book was first published in 2011.
Favorite Sons was named the 2011 USA Book News Book of the Year for Mystery/Suspense, and is a Choose to Read Ohio selection for 2013-14.
The only thing that bothered me about the book was Yocum using the irritating trope laden with racial stereotypes for one of his characters.
Margaret, a black woman and office secretary, was described as a large woman, no nonsense and given "sassy", "honey chile" dialog in the scenes she was portrayed. She was hired over white candidates who were better qualified only because she was qualified. While this pissed me off, I let it slide because it wasn't an integral part of the story.
The best part is that this was an include as part of my audible membership.
The narration was impeccable and really helped keep my interest.
Great read!
June 27, 2017
This is the third book that I have read by Ohio author Robin Yocum and I have enjoyed each one. He seems to have created his own genre of literature-southern Appalachian Ohio coming of age fiction. This is his first novel. He tells the stories of four high school friends who cover up the murder of a mentally challenged town bully. Each make a pact to keep the secret, allowing a nasty pedophile to go to prison for the crime. 30 years later, the crime still has a grip on the four. This one has the feel of a classic noir film with its nail-biting intrigue, and its share of seedy characters and corrupt politicians. Ultimately, Yocum delivers strong lesson on the consequences of lies.
February 14, 2012
I was torn between four and five stars, but I think that the Ohio setting and author pushed it to five for me. :)
This is the story of four teenage boys who set off to collect arrowheads one summer day. On their way back, they encounter a developmentally delayed older boy who is the town menace. The older boy ends up dead and the four boys make a pact to keep their role in his death a secret. This decision affects each of the boys differently until everything, eventually, comes to a head.
This was a page turner and I really enjoyed Yocum's writing style.
This is the story of four teenage boys who set off to collect arrowheads one summer day. On their way back, they encounter a developmentally delayed older boy who is the town menace. The older boy ends up dead and the four boys make a pact to keep their role in his death a secret. This decision affects each of the boys differently until everything, eventually, comes to a head.
This was a page turner and I really enjoyed Yocum's writing style.
September 23, 2016
This was a serious page turner! I could not put the book down. Yocum is a professional writer for the Columbus Dispatch and it shows. Characters are well-developed, scenes are very accurately detailed and the dialogue and dialect are rich.
Hutch Van Buren is such an interesting character that I would love it if another book were written about Hutch on another investigation. Yocum's experience as a crime reporter makes the investigation plot and details come to life.
Hutch Van Buren is such an interesting character that I would love it if another book were written about Hutch on another investigation. Yocum's experience as a crime reporter makes the investigation plot and details come to life.
August 4, 2023
Well all I can say is Mr Yocum can sure write a story!
December 30, 2022
Robin Yocum does a wonderful job of putting his readers smack dab into the setting of his stories, bringing to life small town Ohio in the 1970s. Although the small town I grew up in was elsewhere, and a victim of industrial decline, the author returned me to hometown roots. I felt like I knew his characters (they behaved just like my own neighbors), could picture the stores and schools and surrounding areas, recognized the values and interests and gossip that pervaded Hutch Van Buren's home town. I was hooked right away by the time and place in which the first part of the novel occurs. Even the pacing of the action mirrors life in a small town, and the prose here is poetic at times -- every word counts.
The author is also gifted at recreating the voices, concerns, and actions of teenaged boys. He did that superbly in two of his earlier books, "The Essay" and "A Brilliant Death." Hutch Van Buren, his friends Adrian, Deak, and Pepper are so authentic, they could be living among us right now. The fact that four 15-year-old boys could find themselves innocently hunting arrowheads just outside of town and only a hour or two later making a pact to hide the truth of a homicide one of them committed is absolutely believable, as is the rest of what happens before their high school period comes to a close.
Where the novel falls short of a 4- or 5-star rating for me is in the second part. Hutch is now 30 years older, a county prosecuting attorney running for state Attorney General. The prose becomes less poetic, Hutch's voice less unique. He could have been any prosecuting attorney, any political candidate, and the prose could have come from any police procedural or investigative mystery. Perhaps this is what the author wanted -- to make Hutch Van Buren an "everyman." But I had less empathy for this older Hutch, even when a witness turns up to blackmail him, promising to go public with what he knows about the 30-year-old coverup which, if known, will certainly derail Hutch's career as well as ruin any chance of realizing his political aspirations. And I grew a little weary of a device the author uses for filling us in on backstory we had not been told in part one: a return several times over to "When I was [insert age here]" or "Back in [insert year or place or both here]". It's a fine device, this kind of flashback, but it comes too often and therefore calls attention to itself. The author is a more subtle craftsman in part one than in part two, and the book suffers for that loss of subtlety.
Despite the flaws I saw in part 2, I enjoyed the book and am happy to say that although the adult Hutch isn't as sympathetic a character as his younger self, he does still have some redeeming qualities throughout, those being a sincere interest in justice (particularly for the less of our brethren) and compassion and empathy for the three other boys, now men, whose lives will be impacted by whatever choices he makes about the blackmail threat. Mr. Yocum's past as a crime reporter serves him well here, as he knows "how things work" in the world of crime and investigation. I just wish the second part of the novel were as compelling and beautifully written as the first. Had it been, this could have been a 5-star read for me.
The author is also gifted at recreating the voices, concerns, and actions of teenaged boys. He did that superbly in two of his earlier books, "The Essay" and "A Brilliant Death." Hutch Van Buren, his friends Adrian, Deak, and Pepper are so authentic, they could be living among us right now. The fact that four 15-year-old boys could find themselves innocently hunting arrowheads just outside of town and only a hour or two later making a pact to hide the truth of a homicide one of them committed is absolutely believable, as is the rest of what happens before their high school period comes to a close.
Where the novel falls short of a 4- or 5-star rating for me is in the second part. Hutch is now 30 years older, a county prosecuting attorney running for state Attorney General. The prose becomes less poetic, Hutch's voice less unique. He could have been any prosecuting attorney, any political candidate, and the prose could have come from any police procedural or investigative mystery. Perhaps this is what the author wanted -- to make Hutch Van Buren an "everyman." But I had less empathy for this older Hutch, even when a witness turns up to blackmail him, promising to go public with what he knows about the 30-year-old coverup which, if known, will certainly derail Hutch's career as well as ruin any chance of realizing his political aspirations. And I grew a little weary of a device the author uses for filling us in on backstory we had not been told in part one: a return several times over to "When I was [insert age here]" or "Back in [insert year or place or both here]". It's a fine device, this kind of flashback, but it comes too often and therefore calls attention to itself. The author is a more subtle craftsman in part one than in part two, and the book suffers for that loss of subtlety.
Despite the flaws I saw in part 2, I enjoyed the book and am happy to say that although the adult Hutch isn't as sympathetic a character as his younger self, he does still have some redeeming qualities throughout, those being a sincere interest in justice (particularly for the less of our brethren) and compassion and empathy for the three other boys, now men, whose lives will be impacted by whatever choices he makes about the blackmail threat. Mr. Yocum's past as a crime reporter serves him well here, as he knows "how things work" in the world of crime and investigation. I just wish the second part of the novel were as compelling and beautifully written as the first. Had it been, this could have been a 5-star read for me.
June 22, 2022
A terrific book. Characters that are distinct and vivid. Constant conflict that keeps you guessing and wondering how everything will resolve until the final pages. A main villain who is the worst possible person you could imagine.
My only qualm with this book, however, is the main villain. I understand suspending disbelief, but the circumstances for this villain are hard to fathom. He gets in trouble in another state for having sexual relations with a minor, gets out of that to come move back to his home town, where he is not only allowed to work at a school but allowed to live in the basement? Even if he did pass a background check (given this book is set in the 1970s, I’m not sure the extent of what background checks were then given it’s decades before I was born), you would think his family who knows his history and what he just got done dealing with would persuade him to not work at a school. I grew up in a small town so I understand how things operate in a small town, but letting someone live in a school? It takes a lot of suspension of disbelief to buy the set up for this villain, and it’s hard for me to do so. If I didn’t have to suspend my disbelief this much for the villain, this would be my favorite book of all time. Regardless, it is still a fantastic book that’s in my top 10.
My only qualm with this book, however, is the main villain. I understand suspending disbelief, but the circumstances for this villain are hard to fathom. He gets in trouble in another state for having sexual relations with a minor, gets out of that to come move back to his home town, where he is not only allowed to work at a school but allowed to live in the basement? Even if he did pass a background check (given this book is set in the 1970s, I’m not sure the extent of what background checks were then given it’s decades before I was born), you would think his family who knows his history and what he just got done dealing with would persuade him to not work at a school. I grew up in a small town so I understand how things operate in a small town, but letting someone live in a school? It takes a lot of suspension of disbelief to buy the set up for this villain, and it’s hard for me to do so. If I didn’t have to suspend my disbelief this much for the villain, this would be my favorite book of all time. Regardless, it is still a fantastic book that’s in my top 10.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 18, 2024
In 1971 four teenage boys, two of them brothers, were on Chestnut Ridge in a has-been small town in Ohio. Petey Sanchez, was an out of control bully who terrorized everyone who crossed his path. One of his favorite actions was to taunt teenage boys with homophobic slurs before issuing more punishing acts. If anybody deserved to die, it was Petey. And one of the four boys killed him as the others witnessed. They could have gone to the police and claimed self defense but even if found innocent telling the truth would have ruined the chances that Adrian, high school football star in a town where football is everything, would carry the team to a championship team and personally launch him into a successful future. So they vowed to keep it a secret. When Petey’s body is found the blame falls on “One Eye" Jack Locovich, the town pedophile. He had done many horrible things so what did it matter if he was sent to prison? At least he was spared the death penalty. After 30 years in prison Jack is released. It’s time for payback.
February 18, 2025
This book started out a little hard to follow. We started with an older woman in the prologue who witnessed her father murdering a man nearly half a century prior and had waited until his death to report it. Then the protagonist admits he'd held a secret nearly as long. In the next chapter we jump back 3 decades to the protagonist's childhood.
The first 15 chapters detail the secret the protagonist has kept. In Chapter 16 we begin seeing new characters that seem to have nothing to do with the storyline, before we learn that the protagonist has grown up to be a prosecutor.
In Chapter 17, his secret comes to a head and that's when things really start to get interesting. By the end we're on the edge of our seats waiting to find out what's going to happen to our main character and then... nothing. It ends with our protagonist telling us he doesn't know what's going to happen.
WHAT??!! I despise stories that do not have an ending. I feel like I wasted all that time searching for answers that I will never find.
The first 15 chapters detail the secret the protagonist has kept. In Chapter 16 we begin seeing new characters that seem to have nothing to do with the storyline, before we learn that the protagonist has grown up to be a prosecutor.
In Chapter 17, his secret comes to a head and that's when things really start to get interesting. By the end we're on the edge of our seats waiting to find out what's going to happen to our main character and then... nothing. It ends with our protagonist telling us he doesn't know what's going to happen.
WHAT??!! I despise stories that do not have an ending. I feel like I wasted all that time searching for answers that I will never find.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 2, 2021
"You can't look at the decisions we made when we were fifteen years old through adult eyes.”
Yet that is what Hutch Van Buren does. At fifteen Hutch and three friends have an encounter with a troubled mentally disabled boy resulting in his death. Thirty years later, as he is running for Ohio Attorney General, Hutch is forced to evaluate the decisions the boys made on that fateful day. The boys thought they were the only ones who saw what happened, but they weren’t. Who else knew and what did they do about it? How much has one afternoon of their childhood affected their friendship and their adult lives? What are they willing to do now? The story becomes much bigger than what Hutch saw at fifteen. The author captures life in a small Ohio town. The characters (especially Hutch) are authentic and rendered in detail. The plot is brisk and propelling. Morally ambiguous decisions and the somewhat unfinished ending are good topics for discussion.
Yet that is what Hutch Van Buren does. At fifteen Hutch and three friends have an encounter with a troubled mentally disabled boy resulting in his death. Thirty years later, as he is running for Ohio Attorney General, Hutch is forced to evaluate the decisions the boys made on that fateful day. The boys thought they were the only ones who saw what happened, but they weren’t. Who else knew and what did they do about it? How much has one afternoon of their childhood affected their friendship and their adult lives? What are they willing to do now? The story becomes much bigger than what Hutch saw at fifteen. The author captures life in a small Ohio town. The characters (especially Hutch) are authentic and rendered in detail. The plot is brisk and propelling. Morally ambiguous decisions and the somewhat unfinished ending are good topics for discussion.
January 11, 2021
“We sometimes make decisions in a span of time so infinitesimal that it cannot be comprehended by our own minds. Yet the impact of the decision is life-altering. There may be times when people lash out purely on instinct, reacting to fear or pain without regard for the consequences, but I think those instances are few. A decision might be made as the result of fear and rage, bit it is still a decision.” So says narrator, Hutch Van Buren, regarding the accidental death of a local boy, the secrets pledged and the impact on four boyhood friends. I first read Robin Yocum’s A Brilliant Life in 2017 and put this on my “to read” list. I regret it took me this long to get to it. This is masterful writing about life in small towns, friendship, politics, and protecting reputations at all costs. This fast-paced story is, by turns, suspenseful, un-nerving, and heartbreaking.
March 24, 2019
"You can't look at the decisions we made when we were fifteen years old through adult eyes."
Yet that's exactly what Hutch Van Buren and his friends are forced to confront in "Favorite Sons."
Over thirty years earlier, Hutch and his three best friends find themselves the unwilling participants of a tragic accident. The decision they make on a hot summer day as teenagers tests their friendship and haunts them the rest of their lives.
Robin Yocum's coming of age novel, shows how the unintended consequences of actions initially designed to protect the boys and their friendship play out through their lives.
Part coming of age novel, part mystery, Yocum does a fantastic job with "Favorite Sons." Highly recommended. I'm looking forward to exploring his other books.
Yet that's exactly what Hutch Van Buren and his friends are forced to confront in "Favorite Sons."
Over thirty years earlier, Hutch and his three best friends find themselves the unwilling participants of a tragic accident. The decision they make on a hot summer day as teenagers tests their friendship and haunts them the rest of their lives.
Robin Yocum's coming of age novel, shows how the unintended consequences of actions initially designed to protect the boys and their friendship play out through their lives.
Part coming of age novel, part mystery, Yocum does a fantastic job with "Favorite Sons." Highly recommended. I'm looking forward to exploring his other books.
December 31, 2025
This is an excellent story of four high school friends in a small Ohio town in 1971 whose lives change drastically on one day when they are 15 years old. Provoked into a scuffle by a mentally-challenged and disturbed boy, an accidental death occurs that changes the trajectory of the lives of the four friends, who vow to not tell what happened on that day. Thirty some years later, that decision comes back to cause them all big trouble and consequences. The character development, pacing, and plot are all first-rate in this novel by Robin Yocum, who is an Ohio native who grew up in the rural area he writes about in his novels. Favorite Sons is his first novel, but there are others. Readers who enjoy family dramas and murder-mysteries will want to add this wonderful author to their list.
February 10, 2018
It was so delightful to read this story from an author who has a command of the English language. The sentence structure is a pure pleasure to read. The dialog is sharp and helps the story along. After having read all but one book, none have disappointed.
Such a pleasure to see stories set in small towns in Ohio. The characters come alive and I feel as if I'm back in Ohio in those small towns again. Thank you, Mr Yocum, for hours of happy reading. Please thank your English teachers who taught you how to craft a sentence and use punctuation.
Such a pleasure to see stories set in small towns in Ohio. The characters come alive and I feel as if I'm back in Ohio in those small towns again. Thank you, Mr Yocum, for hours of happy reading. Please thank your English teachers who taught you how to craft a sentence and use punctuation.
June 15, 2020
Robin Yocum is consistently excellent in every book he writes. He is first-rate in scene-setting, dialogue, characterization and storytelling. Since this story, and previous books, have been set in area I am familiar with, I have that "you-are-there" mindset as I am reading. I have a genuine interest in each character, and am invested in what is happening in their lives. This book is about trust, lost hopes and dreams, the meaning of friendship, and the consequences of a person's action, or inaction.
A top-notch book from an author who deserves a wider readership.
A top-notch book from an author who deserves a wider readership.
August 3, 2021
I absolutely enjoyed this book. For me, Robin Yocum is one of my favorite authors. His style
of writing draws one into the story as if you were actually part of the story itself. There are many twists and turns as you travel the path of these boys but Robin Yocum has a way of keeping
all his characters easy to separate so that you are not turning back to find out whose who. He makes sure that each person has a believable personality so that one can get to know what each of them feel and how they handle the situation they find themselves in. It is a story that strips away each young mans feelings and how they find out how they honestly will handle a terrible situation when thrown into an uncontrollable dilemma which scrambles there mind to a point where they are frightened and perhaps make very wrong decisions. This is a book that you cannot put down. The writer is simply amazing. Take a chance on this book. You won't be sorry.
of writing draws one into the story as if you were actually part of the story itself. There are many twists and turns as you travel the path of these boys but Robin Yocum has a way of keeping
all his characters easy to separate so that you are not turning back to find out whose who. He makes sure that each person has a believable personality so that one can get to know what each of them feel and how they handle the situation they find themselves in. It is a story that strips away each young mans feelings and how they find out how they honestly will handle a terrible situation when thrown into an uncontrollable dilemma which scrambles there mind to a point where they are frightened and perhaps make very wrong decisions. This is a book that you cannot put down. The writer is simply amazing. Take a chance on this book. You won't be sorry.
October 11, 2022
This is another in a string of my new favorite authors! Having loved his book, The Essay, I’m going back to read all his books and I really enjoyed this one as well. I didn’t think it was quite as fabulous as The Essay so I took off half a star and rounded down, but it’s still really really good. Yocum does his best when he’s writing coming-of-age perspective, which is the first half of the book. The minus half a star is for the last half which is 30 years later. I thought his adult protagonist was slightly less sympathetic but the suspense and tension were ratcheted up enough to compensate for that and I sped through the last chapters. An excellent read!
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