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The Good Father
In 1994, nine year old Effie and her twelve year old brother Ajan, endure the horrors of life in the besieged city of Sarajevo after the loss of their parents. Desperate to help preserve their city, Ajan becomes involved with a criminal gang among the makeshift defenders. When Effie is forced to flee alone, she must survive long enough to reach those outside of the city who have come to help. But the influence of those pursuing her is such that not even the soldiers of the UN might be able to save her. Any hope of a future for Effie eventually lies with only one man, Captain Nathan Lane.
It is 2017, and an attempt is made on the life of Foreign Secretary, Caroline Hardy. As the Security Services hunt for her attacker, the reality she is only a bit part player in the affair doesn’t occur to anyone. Not until her daughter, Mia goes missing and is implicated in the disappearance of a well-connected lawyer. As the focus switches to Mia, a secret that Caroline has kept hidden for a long time threatens them both, until there becomes only one place she can turn, to the man who shares her secret.
It is 2017, and an attempt is made on the life of Foreign Secretary, Caroline Hardy. As the Security Services hunt for her attacker, the reality she is only a bit part player in the affair doesn’t occur to anyone. Not until her daughter, Mia goes missing and is implicated in the disappearance of a well-connected lawyer. As the focus switches to Mia, a secret that Caroline has kept hidden for a long time threatens them both, until there becomes only one place she can turn, to the man who shares her secret.
- GenresThriller
434 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 27, 2017
About the author
S.R. Wilsher
9 books13 followersIt didn’t occur to me to write until I was twenty-two, prompted by reading a disappointing book by an author I’d previously liked. I wrote thirty pages of a story I abandoned because it didn’t work on any level. I moved on to a thriller about lost treasure in Central America; which I finished, but never showed to anyone. Two more went the way of the first, and I forgave the author.
After that I became more interested in people-centric stories. I also decided I needed to get some help with my writing, and studied for a degree with the OU. I chose Psychology partly because it was an easier sell to my family than Creative Writing. But mainly because it suited the changing tastes of my writing. When I look back, so many of my choices have been about my writing.
I’ve been writing all my adult life, but nine years ago I had a kidney transplant which interrupted my career, to everyone’s relief. It did mean my output increased, and I developed a work plan that sees me with two projects on the go at any one time. Although that has taken a hit in recent months as I’m currently renovating a house and getting to know my very new granddaughter.
I write for no other reason than I enjoy it deeply. I like the challenge of making a story work. I get a thrill from tinkering with the structure, of creating characters that I care about, and of manipulating a plot that unravels unpredictably, yet logically. I like to write myself into a corner and then see how I can escape. To me, writing is a puzzle I like to spend my time trying to solve.
After that I became more interested in people-centric stories. I also decided I needed to get some help with my writing, and studied for a degree with the OU. I chose Psychology partly because it was an easier sell to my family than Creative Writing. But mainly because it suited the changing tastes of my writing. When I look back, so many of my choices have been about my writing.
I’ve been writing all my adult life, but nine years ago I had a kidney transplant which interrupted my career, to everyone’s relief. It did mean my output increased, and I developed a work plan that sees me with two projects on the go at any one time. Although that has taken a hit in recent months as I’m currently renovating a house and getting to know my very new granddaughter.
I write for no other reason than I enjoy it deeply. I like the challenge of making a story work. I get a thrill from tinkering with the structure, of creating characters that I care about, and of manipulating a plot that unravels unpredictably, yet logically. I like to write myself into a corner and then see how I can escape. To me, writing is a puzzle I like to spend my time trying to solve.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 23, 2018
Recent events in Syria have brought to the fore the legitimacy and efficacy of countries intervening in conflicts in another sovereign state, even if only for humanitarian reasons. This came to mind as I was reading the opening scenes of the book set in the Bosnian conflict in the 1990s, during which terrible atrocities were committed. The author convincingly portrays the devastation wrought by the bombing of Sarajevo and the effect on the population: the constant risk from snipers, homes reduced to rubble, public services including hospitals destroyed, and those inhabitants who remain struggling to find enough food and shelter to keep themselves alive.
‘Each season throws up its impossible challenges. People die from cold in the winter. While in summer they die from complacency. Food and water and shelter are issues every day irrespective of where the sun sits in the sky. The snipers and the artillery are indifferent to the time of year. Death enjoys every day.’
In particular, the story focuses on the children affected by the conflict, many of them orphans left to fend for themselves or join feral gangs, open to exploitation. If they survive it’s because they have learned to steal, trust no-one and fight for their lives if necessary. It’s a chilling picture of stolen youth brought vividly to life through the characters of Effie and her brother, Ajan.
The action moves ahead twenty-three years and, in what initially seems to be a separate storyline, an assassination attempt is made on British Foreign Secretary, Caroline Hardy. Both she and her daughter, Mia, who was in the car at the time it was forced off the road, escape with their lives although Mia is injured. When a further incident occurs, Caroline begins to wonder if she was actually the intended target or if the answer lies in secrets from the past. Some people, it seems, have long memories and, as the saying goes, revenge is a dish best served cold.
Caroline enlists the investigative assistance of Nathan Lane, a former army officer, who shares her secret. It’s not long before Nathan realises the case is more complex than it first appeared and the would-be assassin is not the only person motivated by revenge for past events. As well as following Nathan’s investigation, the reader is given an insight into Mia’s life in the weeks leading up to the assassination attempt. The book builds to an action-packed conclusion by which time I was convinced that if I’m ever in trouble, I want a Nathan Lane in my life. (And not only if I’m in trouble, I confess.)
I feel bad it’s taken me so long to get round to reading The Good Father, not only because the author has been patiently awaiting my review but because I’ve deprived myself of a really entertaining thriller. The Good Father also scores points for having the first mention of Brexit and its implications I’ve come across in a book.
‘Each season throws up its impossible challenges. People die from cold in the winter. While in summer they die from complacency. Food and water and shelter are issues every day irrespective of where the sun sits in the sky. The snipers and the artillery are indifferent to the time of year. Death enjoys every day.’
In particular, the story focuses on the children affected by the conflict, many of them orphans left to fend for themselves or join feral gangs, open to exploitation. If they survive it’s because they have learned to steal, trust no-one and fight for their lives if necessary. It’s a chilling picture of stolen youth brought vividly to life through the characters of Effie and her brother, Ajan.
The action moves ahead twenty-three years and, in what initially seems to be a separate storyline, an assassination attempt is made on British Foreign Secretary, Caroline Hardy. Both she and her daughter, Mia, who was in the car at the time it was forced off the road, escape with their lives although Mia is injured. When a further incident occurs, Caroline begins to wonder if she was actually the intended target or if the answer lies in secrets from the past. Some people, it seems, have long memories and, as the saying goes, revenge is a dish best served cold.
Caroline enlists the investigative assistance of Nathan Lane, a former army officer, who shares her secret. It’s not long before Nathan realises the case is more complex than it first appeared and the would-be assassin is not the only person motivated by revenge for past events. As well as following Nathan’s investigation, the reader is given an insight into Mia’s life in the weeks leading up to the assassination attempt. The book builds to an action-packed conclusion by which time I was convinced that if I’m ever in trouble, I want a Nathan Lane in my life. (And not only if I’m in trouble, I confess.)
I feel bad it’s taken me so long to get round to reading The Good Father, not only because the author has been patiently awaiting my review but because I’ve deprived myself of a really entertaining thriller. The Good Father also scores points for having the first mention of Brexit and its implications I’ve come across in a book.
November 25, 2017
The Good Father is a fantastic book! Straight off the bat, I’m going to just sing praises here because after long have I come across a book that is, in my opinion, a true action packed thriller. If you like spy movies, then just grab this one, you will be glad!
Mia Hardy is the daughter of Foreign Secretary, Caroline Hardy. When an accident, involving the both of them occurs, the search for the perpetrator/s begin. But when an attempt to kill Mia is made at the hospital, things take nasty turn for all of them. With Mia’s disappearance, Caroline begins to worry about her safety and she calls in Nathan Lane. Nathan and Caroline have known each other in the past and only they know Mia’s troubled and dangerous past. What happens to Mia and is she a sacrifice to get to the Foreign Secretary, is what forms the rest of the story which, I’m sure, the readers will take great pleasure in finding out.
First things first. The author, S.R. Wilsher, has done an impressive job of meticulously planning the story line, I mean, it is simply superb! Full of action and twists, the story doesn’t loses its pace anywhere in the book. The narrative is absolutely clean and to the point – love! It toggles between the present and the past and is weaved in beautifully.
The characters in the book are well described but I found Mia’s and Nathan’s characters to be the most enticing and interesting. Their relationship is so honest and touching. The story builds up the expectation and I waited for Nathan to get to her soon. When finally father and daughter meet, the emotions are so subtle yet relieving, giving the reader a complete closure. But, the story doesn’t end there! Haah!
Curious much? Go read the book! I hope I haven’t given too much away, I really wouldn’t want to step on the reader’s toes. But I really enjoyed The Good Father and I look forward to read more of the author’s works from now on. These kind of books just prove the already known fact that words are always the best choice for an action thriller. Trust a Mission Impossible and James Bond fan when she says so!
A superbly written/executed book, definitely recommended!
Mia Hardy is the daughter of Foreign Secretary, Caroline Hardy. When an accident, involving the both of them occurs, the search for the perpetrator/s begin. But when an attempt to kill Mia is made at the hospital, things take nasty turn for all of them. With Mia’s disappearance, Caroline begins to worry about her safety and she calls in Nathan Lane. Nathan and Caroline have known each other in the past and only they know Mia’s troubled and dangerous past. What happens to Mia and is she a sacrifice to get to the Foreign Secretary, is what forms the rest of the story which, I’m sure, the readers will take great pleasure in finding out.
First things first. The author, S.R. Wilsher, has done an impressive job of meticulously planning the story line, I mean, it is simply superb! Full of action and twists, the story doesn’t loses its pace anywhere in the book. The narrative is absolutely clean and to the point – love! It toggles between the present and the past and is weaved in beautifully.
The characters in the book are well described but I found Mia’s and Nathan’s characters to be the most enticing and interesting. Their relationship is so honest and touching. The story builds up the expectation and I waited for Nathan to get to her soon. When finally father and daughter meet, the emotions are so subtle yet relieving, giving the reader a complete closure. But, the story doesn’t end there! Haah!
Curious much? Go read the book! I hope I haven’t given too much away, I really wouldn’t want to step on the reader’s toes. But I really enjoyed The Good Father and I look forward to read more of the author’s works from now on. These kind of books just prove the already known fact that words are always the best choice for an action thriller. Trust a Mission Impossible and James Bond fan when she says so!
A superbly written/executed book, definitely recommended!
August 31, 2017
2017 and the Foreign Secretary Caroline Hardy and her daughter Mia are travelling back from her country house when their car is forced off the road. This is no accident, this was a deliberate attempt at death and destruction.
1993 and on the streets of Sarajevo two young siblings, Ajan and Effie are trying to survive in a city under siege, with each being the only two people they can rely.
How are these two stories linked? What is NATO fixer Nathan Lane’s involvement? How do Eastend gangsters, Venezuelan Oil Executives, Greek restaurateurs, struggling artists, slimy lawyers, the police, War Criminals, PIs and a barista all fit in to a car collision?
Well you’ll have to read it to find out.
Wilsher has crafted a very strong thriller come detective story with a brace of very strong lead characters. Suspects are raised and then dismissed only to reappear in unexpected ways with connections you weren’t looking for. Having two leads (one a hunter one prey) means that neither is guaranteed to survive, sure they have some plot armour but it’s not completely bullet proof.
But more than just a thriller this story, in a way, serves as a treatise on the nature of manliness, particularly as it pertains to fatherhood, on the importance of self reliance and on being true to your own nature. Maybe a little to the right of my thinking but I can’t say he’s wrong.
I’d happily read another story featuring Nathan Lane, as Wilsher has hinted at an interesting past for the guy.
A very enjoyable and smart thriller very much worth checking out.
1993 and on the streets of Sarajevo two young siblings, Ajan and Effie are trying to survive in a city under siege, with each being the only two people they can rely.
How are these two stories linked? What is NATO fixer Nathan Lane’s involvement? How do Eastend gangsters, Venezuelan Oil Executives, Greek restaurateurs, struggling artists, slimy lawyers, the police, War Criminals, PIs and a barista all fit in to a car collision?
Well you’ll have to read it to find out.
Wilsher has crafted a very strong thriller come detective story with a brace of very strong lead characters. Suspects are raised and then dismissed only to reappear in unexpected ways with connections you weren’t looking for. Having two leads (one a hunter one prey) means that neither is guaranteed to survive, sure they have some plot armour but it’s not completely bullet proof.
But more than just a thriller this story, in a way, serves as a treatise on the nature of manliness, particularly as it pertains to fatherhood, on the importance of self reliance and on being true to your own nature. Maybe a little to the right of my thinking but I can’t say he’s wrong.
I’d happily read another story featuring Nathan Lane, as Wilsher has hinted at an interesting past for the guy.
A very enjoyable and smart thriller very much worth checking out.
July 9, 2017
Full Disclosure, I was provided a copy of this title by the author however I have voluntarily chosen to write a review. All opinions are my own.
The past is part of you – for better or for worse
In 1994 Sarajevo, a nine-year-old girl and her brother become instant orphans. The forgotten victims of a brutal war, the pair struggles to survive by any means necessary. Tired of hiding in holes and stealing clothing from the dead, Effie and Ajan find themselves taken in by a brutal man known only as “The Colonel”. Under his rule, they and many other war orphans are cared for, but all swapped one danger for another. The compound is as dangerous as is it a haven, and unfortunately for Effie, she has garnered the animosity of one of the Colonel’s favored. After she witnesses her brother’s brutal murder at the behest of her so-called protector, Effie runs away to seek asylum in a NATO refugee camp.
Fast forward 20 years and Effie is now Mia. Having left her past behind, she has reinvented herself as an aspiring artist and the adopted daughter of the British Foreign Secretary. When an automobile accident lands Mia in hospital, it quickly becomes clear that her mother was not the target of the attack. Mia must rely on the skills learned as a young girl as she goes deep undercover to determine who is after her. The more she digs, the more it becomes apparent that the demons from her past may have returned to settle old scores.
The Good Father is one of those epic stories of cat and mouse that spans decades and continents. Mia Hardy just wants to be left in peace to forge her way as an artist and make a name for herself; but being the adopted daughter of a major political figure makes that difficult for her to do. Factor in her childhood history with a compassionate soldier willing to risk everything to smuggle her out of Sarajevo to safety and Mia is truly a political career ruining bombshell waiting to happen. Yet, when the nightmares from her past suddenly start turning up in the present, Mia knows there is only one thing to do. She needs to find and confront the past before it destroys her future.
The entire story is told in a sequence of alternating timelines, where you see what happened previously interspersed with the current action, with the first third of this book consists of alternating flashbacks to 1994 coupled with the events of present day and the time gaps becoming smaller and smaller as the story progresses. I really liked this style, even if it did result in a slow start because I feel it was necessary to fully understand Mia’s origins as well as the origins and motives of several other characters that are encountered later in the story. Also with this flashback technique used, it was a neat way to advance the storyline by revealing previous events at a designated time in the plot line. Wilsher’s description of war torn Sarajevo depicted a bleak, dangerous place that made me feel how desperate the inhabitants of the city during that time must have felt. Having this as the backdrop for the future events in the story really helped to understand Effie’s motives and methods. Once the action kicked in the story moved at a pace that was not too fast and definitely not dull. For anyone who likes a good fast paced thriller with a modern-day twist, I would definitely recommend “The Good Father”.
The past is part of you – for better or for worse
In 1994 Sarajevo, a nine-year-old girl and her brother become instant orphans. The forgotten victims of a brutal war, the pair struggles to survive by any means necessary. Tired of hiding in holes and stealing clothing from the dead, Effie and Ajan find themselves taken in by a brutal man known only as “The Colonel”. Under his rule, they and many other war orphans are cared for, but all swapped one danger for another. The compound is as dangerous as is it a haven, and unfortunately for Effie, she has garnered the animosity of one of the Colonel’s favored. After she witnesses her brother’s brutal murder at the behest of her so-called protector, Effie runs away to seek asylum in a NATO refugee camp.
Fast forward 20 years and Effie is now Mia. Having left her past behind, she has reinvented herself as an aspiring artist and the adopted daughter of the British Foreign Secretary. When an automobile accident lands Mia in hospital, it quickly becomes clear that her mother was not the target of the attack. Mia must rely on the skills learned as a young girl as she goes deep undercover to determine who is after her. The more she digs, the more it becomes apparent that the demons from her past may have returned to settle old scores.
The Good Father is one of those epic stories of cat and mouse that spans decades and continents. Mia Hardy just wants to be left in peace to forge her way as an artist and make a name for herself; but being the adopted daughter of a major political figure makes that difficult for her to do. Factor in her childhood history with a compassionate soldier willing to risk everything to smuggle her out of Sarajevo to safety and Mia is truly a political career ruining bombshell waiting to happen. Yet, when the nightmares from her past suddenly start turning up in the present, Mia knows there is only one thing to do. She needs to find and confront the past before it destroys her future.
The entire story is told in a sequence of alternating timelines, where you see what happened previously interspersed with the current action, with the first third of this book consists of alternating flashbacks to 1994 coupled with the events of present day and the time gaps becoming smaller and smaller as the story progresses. I really liked this style, even if it did result in a slow start because I feel it was necessary to fully understand Mia’s origins as well as the origins and motives of several other characters that are encountered later in the story. Also with this flashback technique used, it was a neat way to advance the storyline by revealing previous events at a designated time in the plot line. Wilsher’s description of war torn Sarajevo depicted a bleak, dangerous place that made me feel how desperate the inhabitants of the city during that time must have felt. Having this as the backdrop for the future events in the story really helped to understand Effie’s motives and methods. Once the action kicked in the story moved at a pace that was not too fast and definitely not dull. For anyone who likes a good fast paced thriller with a modern-day twist, I would definitely recommend “The Good Father”.
July 18, 2017
There are many 'international bestsellers' that aren't page turners like this truly special book. It's entertaining with complex characters, with the two main ones of Mia and Nathan both being interestingly well rounded. The author is great at writing in the head of both female and male characters, which other books so often get wrong, either having all the characters voices too similar or creating stereotypical people. Mia is strong without being an unbelievable superhero that has to make you suspend your belief.
The story takes place in the past and present, and leads you on a just-complex-enough story, without being overly written, and doesn't lay everything out to insult your intelligence.
This isn't the first book I've read by this author, the stories and places are all very different, but the themes are consistent. These books are about people, who you can understand and get to know. No book feels like you're reading the same one twice which I get with some other authors, especially in thrillers.
Definitely a page turner and worth a read. Would make a great film which I kept thinking about every time I was forced to put the book down.
The story takes place in the past and present, and leads you on a just-complex-enough story, without being overly written, and doesn't lay everything out to insult your intelligence.
This isn't the first book I've read by this author, the stories and places are all very different, but the themes are consistent. These books are about people, who you can understand and get to know. No book feels like you're reading the same one twice which I get with some other authors, especially in thrillers.
Definitely a page turner and worth a read. Would make a great film which I kept thinking about every time I was forced to put the book down.
April 28, 2026
This is a true thriller. It’s different. Not your average hood guy hunts bad guy. This one tells a story, one of desperation and survival as well as one that speaks to love and loyalty.
Character development is outstanding. You can feels the insides of them, the fear, the anger, the not knowing of it all and the hurt, desperation and commitment to love.
The timeline is exciting. It pops back abs forth after it reels you in from war torn Syria. It takes you there from a child’s perspective. Then your on The Tube chasing down a possible lead only to pop above ground to another lead that never quite ties itself off.
The book is strong. You can’t step away from it and you’re anxious to get back to it before it carries on without you.
Character development is outstanding. You can feels the insides of them, the fear, the anger, the not knowing of it all and the hurt, desperation and commitment to love.
The timeline is exciting. It pops back abs forth after it reels you in from war torn Syria. It takes you there from a child’s perspective. Then your on The Tube chasing down a possible lead only to pop above ground to another lead that never quite ties itself off.
The book is strong. You can’t step away from it and you’re anxious to get back to it before it carries on without you.
May 31, 2026
This book begins with war torn Sarajevo and the people who are struggling to survive. The focus is on a little girl and her brother. She eventually ends up in England and a good chunk of the story deals with that. The beginning is interesting. Once she arrives and is an adult the story slowed down even though a lot was happening. Even when the pace picked up I wasn’t always engaged. I think too many characters made it difficult to keep track of events especially when I had to put the book down for a while.
April 26, 2026
A complicated story with multiple characters that intercept on one young woman. The basic story of a father who loves his daughter.
May 2, 2026
I enjoyed this book and might have given it a 4* rating had it not been a bit too slow. 3+
August 26, 2026
Captivating!
The storyline had me hooked from the start and kept me avidly interested to the end. Didn’t want to put this book down. Excellent!
The storyline had me hooked from the start and kept me avidly interested to the end. Didn’t want to put this book down. Excellent!
April 28, 2026
Tense, well planned and very engaging.
The range of characters and an unfamiliar setting drew me in from the start and I found the development of the story kept me hooked right to the end, despite the action moving more rapidly the further along I read. Good, escapist, suspenseful writing.
The range of characters and an unfamiliar setting drew me in from the start and I found the development of the story kept me hooked right to the end, despite the action moving more rapidly the further along I read. Good, escapist, suspenseful writing.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews