Father's Day

by Richard Madeley

When Nick Wychwood loses his wife Elise in a shocking accident, he is left to bring up their daughter Lucy on his own. A move from Cornwall to the Cotswolds should give them the fresh start that they need, a tranquil setting where they can put tragedy behind them and forge new friendships.    But Lucy, as a teenager, is fragile, vulnerable, easily led… She is shy and hesitant. When someone offers her their shoulder, the warmth and understanding, even love, that she thinks she needs, she is accepts, unquestioningly.   But this ‘someone’ is an online monster; dangerous, deceptive, manipulative – and patiently laying a devastating trap…

Genres: Thriller, Audiobook, Mystery

381 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 23, 2024

Reviews

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a difficult one to review. I read a lot of crime novels/police procedurals etc. and one of the main joys of reading these types of books is the chance to try and work out the who, the why and often the how.

This is different. Those questions are answered straight away, pretty much in the synopsis so there is little mystery here and very little to work out. So is there any point in reading this?

Yes! Whilst those elements are missing (and I appreciate that might be a deal breaker for some who enjoy this genre) the fact that there is little to work out really allows the reader to get lost in the story and not waste any energy in figuring things out.

This would be a really interesting book club-type read, it deals with a lot of issues which I think will definitely split readers down the middle.

I, for one, was not disappointed by the ending. I wonder if you will be......

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Beryl Weller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic book which I thoroughly enjoyed. One of Richard’s best books yet. I didn’t want to put it down. I was taken with it from the very first listen and the narrator’s were excellent - loved the male voice. Well done book was brilliantly written.

[Karen Chong · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 / 5.0

A book that Has a good satisfying ending for those that hates open ended ones. I was alittle apprehensive going into this book due to how little the reviews were and how little there was to go off on. But overall, it’s a book that questions your morals and ethics, as well as the judicial system we have- who makes the decisions, what is right and wrong and how do we make it fair.

I have to say the first 150 pages are hard to stomach pages. FYI this book does touch of child predatory behaviour and suicide so coming into this book is pretty grim and dark. Soon you start to go on a journey of revenge and retribution, someone taking things by their own hands and making a difference. Its an emotional read, but also a heavy one. I recommend the book, it’s easy to follow, simple plot nothing complex. Good characters and good balance between all the grim and happy stuff. Not a bad read

[Tracy Fenton · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmmmm... there is a reason I don't read "celebrity books" and Father's Day is a prime example.

I found it really hard to read this without hearing Richard Madeley's voice in my head and the text messages between Rosie and Lucy somehow morphed into his awful impression of Ali G so I struggled from the outset.

I'm not sure what I expected from this book, but a detailed history lesson on the Roman Empire and crucifixions certainly wasn't on my list.

It's pretty grim and dark and the topic is certain to upset some readers due to the subject matter of grooming, suicide, self harm. None of the characters were particularly likeable and I found Arthur, the catfisher, a tad stereotypical.. 40 year old man, living with his parents in a box room with a history of killing cats, no friends and a very nasty temper.

Sorry, but this one just confirmed that I should avoid celebrity books.

[Lynne Aubrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this quite quickly, It was average nothing to rave about, I'm unsure if I liked the back to front layout of the story.

[Freyja · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s (as far as I have read) rare to have a crime book where you know exactly what has happened, why, and who did it from the start, but that is exactly what we have here.

This means that, although it is technically still a crime novel, the majority of the book is the police and the killer playing mental chess to try and catch each other out.

Not that interesting or satisfying, but I still got through it!

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the Preview copy.

[Mr David Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I had no idea that Richard Madeley wrote books, and such good ones! This gripping thriller is executed beautifully from start to finish.

[Keith Weller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not being Richard Madeley fan was a 100% not a good start for me but my wife kept telling me it’s my type of book I give in glad I did the book is well written a great story went in different directions and the outcome was not what I expected my conclusion of this book is come off TV and stop annoying everybody and concentrate on writing brilliant books like this

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an outstanding read this was. From start to finish, the story was uniquely written and excelled at building tension from the outset. While the subject matter was quite heavy, I felt it was handled with sensitivity and never became too uncomfortable.

The main character's journey of revenge, fueled by unimaginable grief, was compelling, and I found myself really rooting for him, which felt appropriate within the fictional context. What also stood out were the surrounding characters, particularly the detectives. Their portrayal as competent professionals was a refreshing change from typical thriller novels, and I appreciated how they, too, grappled with the blurred lines between right and wrong.

Overall, it was a highly entertaining read, and I sincerely hope it gains the recognition it deserves.

[Kara Ayres · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by Richard Madeley, but it won’t be the last. Not a “who done it “in the true sense of the word, because that’s obvious throughout the pages. The characters are Easy to identify with, story flows well, and there are some divisive issues in the book that will get you thinking. Sometimes, ordinary people do extraordinary things! Happy reading

[Stephen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not my cup of tea, pretty boring. Didn’t finish it seemed like a complete waste of my time.

[Marie Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed I liked this book very much.....I'm glad it ended how it ended & I'll leave it at that 🙌no spoilers here

[Jami McMillan · Rating 3 out of 5]

No 14 year old child messages like that

[Oliver Shrouder · Rating 2 out of 5]

I mean its not high literature but it's a decent pacey read

[Simon Blackman · Rating 1 out of 5]

Had to give up on this. Every character sounded like Richard Madeley. Even the teenage daughter.

[Vanessa Krushner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey! Check out “Father's Day“ I just gave it 5 stars 🌟✨
https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/B0CK2LMQ...

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alright but the teenage girl came off more as a Dad doing an impression of a teenage girl

[Simone Frost · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t know Richard Madeley wrote fiction books and really wasn’t sure what this would be like. The cover caught my eye and I thought I would give it a try as I’m a fan of crime fiction.

Nick and Elise are happily married and navigating their life with a typical moody teenage daughter, Lucy. When Elise dies in a tragic accident Nick and Lucy move to the Cotswolds for a fresh start. At first, Nick thinks Lucy is coping much better, but little does he know she’s being manipulated, with tragic consequences.
Meanwhile, the police are investigating a gruesome murder at the amphitheater near Cirencester.

From quite early on, it’s obvious who the murderer is and their motives become clear as the story progresses. It’s more of a why/how dunnit than a whodunnit.

I found the book easy to read with short chapters, and I wanted to see what would happen. I liked most of the characters and the author does a good job of making you root for Nick. It makes you think of the moral grey areas and what you would do in a similar situation.
Some bits are quite gruesome and could be uncomfortable to read but I’m glad the author didn’t shy away from this. Teenagers are practically glued to their devices these days and do they really know who they’re talking to?

There were a couple of typos I noticed which was a bit disappointing, these should definitely have been picked up during editing and well before publication.

Overall, I was surprised I enjoyed this as much as I did and I would recommend it if you enjoy crime fiction.

3.5 stars rounded to 4.

[Farah G · Rating 3 out of 5]

In an era when it is every parent's nightmare to have their child encounter an online predator, widower Nick Wychwood discovers all too painfully just how dangerous the internet can be.

His daughter Lucy is still reeling from the loss of her mother and is dangerously vulnerable. That vulnerability is taken advantage of in the most terrible way, and Nick is hellbent on obtaining his own form of justice for what has been done to Lucy.

This story is timely, horrifying, and deeply moving in its demonstration of just how far parental love can drive us. A powerful read. It gets 3.5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️
Father’s Day is the first book I have read by Richard Madeley, and I was pleasantly surprised. The book opens with two PCs stumbling upon the aftermath of a Roman-style execution, mixed with Nick and Lucy’s personal tragedy after the death of nick’s wife / Lucy’s mum Elise. The conclusions / suspects were revealed very early on in the book, it was just a case of waiting and watching to see how everything else came together. I was however, very confused by the timeline and chronological order of events as they appeared to jump about, but this did settle down once the plot became more established.
Trigger warnings: self-harm, suicidal ideation, death, parent loss.

[Paul Dymock · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read, though as a massive Roman history buff, I found the ending quite predictable. Additionally, as someone who works in IT, I noticed some inaccuracies in the technical descriptions, which pulled me out of the story at times. That said, these issues may not be noticeable to readers who aren’t as tech-savvy. Despite these points, the book delivers a satisfying narrative and, as a father myself, I appreciated how it explored the compelling question: "How far would a father go for his kids?"

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a murder but it’s unusual because we know who did it early on in the book, and we follow the planning and act of murder.
Nicks wife dies in an accident and he is left with his teenage daughter Lucy. Lucy commits suicide and Nick discovered that Arthur had been chatting to her online persuading her to take her own life. So, Nick tracks him down and crucifies him.
The story of the police investigation runs alongside.
It was a gripping book which I read in a few days.

[Paul Adler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 1st book I have read, written by Richard Madeley, although I have seen him many times on TV as a presenter. This was a crime thriller who done it with a different twist. We knew who both the victim and killer were very early in the book. The exciting part was whether and how the police would find out who did it. The ending of this book too was very unexpected something I have not witnessed in a book before. This is a great page turner novel.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

[Sharon Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

As with all of Richards books this was well-researched! Now thats out the way I must say this is probably one of my favourites. Dark and intense, but a real page turner. Tragedy hits at the beginning of the story. The one part that spoiled it for me was that little time was spent on any real details here, although I do understand thats not what the novel is about. I don't want to spoil it but suffice to say, its well thought out. You don't know until the very end which way it will go, and a good job is done in keeping you guessing. Its a sensitive subject so maybe not for everyone. Personally, it was a bit different and I loved it! Highly recommended reading!

[Lauren Nicol Deaton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not giving this 5 stars because I think the content of the book is quite creepy and disturbing in concept that I don't find it appropriate. However, what I will say is Richard has really shocked me with how well this is written. Would be interesting to find out why he's chosen this storyline in particular from so many other genres?

I found the storyline quite predictable in the first few chapters which has put me off slightly but it's still a good book none the less.

[Lisa Docking · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book was an easy read. The only thing that spoilt it were some spelling mistakes. I had spotted 3 by page 88, which is disappointing as you assume the proof readers would have picked these up.

[Caz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought this book was a bit slow until the incident with the car then wow goes at a million miles an hour. I really was enjoying it but then thought the ending was a bit of a let down. Just seemed to fade out after such a good read.

[Chris-Cuddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A twisted and disturbing revenge thriller. When a father unearths the dark truth behind his daughter's suicide we see the power of paternal love and morality of extrajudicial punishment. Fiendishly clever and hugely entertaining.

[Christine Oattes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story. This book is so different from the usual murder book. There is no mystery no working anything it. It was thought provoking and very modern take. Personally think the ending was good and justified however some may not.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well after a few chapters I thought I'd worked it all out so early BUT I then realised that was the point of the book.
I was negative at first at a presenter writing a book but I take it back it was a good read.