A Good Father

by Catherine Talbot

Des is a good husband, a good father - a good man. He encourages his wife's artistic endeavours, reads bedtime stories to his children every night, and holds down a well-paid job. But appearances can be deceptive. His wife seems to be forgetting that her art is for his eyes only. Rumours at work are threatening his reputation as a devoted family man. And his kids don't seem to need him as much as they once did. Des is afraid. Afraid of the world encroaching on his home. Afraid of past mistakes catching up with him. So afraid of losing control over his family that he is contemplating the unthinkable. A Good Father is a dark and gripping novel that takes you into the mind of a man on the edge.

Genres: Thriller, Irish Literature, Crime, Psychological, Fiction, Mystery Thriller

288 pages, Paperback

First published April 23, 2020

About the author

Catherine Talbot lives in Dublin with Dara and their two young children. Catherine is a recent graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, where she completed an MPhil in Creative Writing. She has had several short stories published, in Banshee Literary Journal and the anthology Still Worlds Turning. A Good Father is her first novel.

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disturbed
An unsettling family drama that illustrates the destructive nature of jealousy, self-regard and a crushing dominance on everything in a home and family. A Good Father, is a well-crafted novel that draws the complexity of human relationships and how damaged personalities can wreak havoc on those around them.

The story is told through Des’ eyes over two timeframes – 1995 and 2017. Firstly how he met, wooed and developed his relationship with his future wife Jenny. Amongst other challenges, he had to win Jenny away from her then-boyfriend Jerome. There is an insight into his mental reasoning as Des is continually trying to resolve his impulsive and often negative tendencies, to something approaching acceptable behaviour, but how long can that last.

The second timeframe starts with Des being a good father, coaching his boys, Joey and Mickey in their football team, and how he plays the snatch and grab and tickle game with his daughter Maeve. He’s not such a good husband though, as we hear how he hit his wife and twists it to provide a rational explanation. He loves his wife but he fears her relationships with other men in work or as friends will result in them stealing her away. Perhaps because he won Jenny in that manner, the possibility now resides as a festering dread that someone else will do that to him. As the story progresses we see the cracks widen with jealousy and obsession, and his control on the family starts exerting increasing harmful influence. From the opening line of the novel, we know there is a fatalistic ending.

“By the end of next summer, before the kids go back to school, I will kill my family.”

It's impossible to empathise with Des, although that's a plus point, however, I also found it difficult to empathise with Jenny, and maybe that's a more difficult position to accept. I believe the structure of the book should have been told either in the third person, or the first person with both Des and Jenny providing a voice, especially as Jenny is involved throughout the story and could provide the other perspective or a more accurate account of background and events. There is a moment when Des is recounting how Jenny’s father read to her as a child at Christmas, in an intonation that just wasn’t the same as her departed mother’s. How could he know? The ending of this book broke my heart and it was so well written that I need brain bleach to get rid of the images.

I think many readers will relish this story and I would recommend it, a solid 4 star read. I would like to thank Penguin Books and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC copy of the book in return for an honest review.

[Ceecee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This debut has exceeded my expectations. It’s a grab you by the throat, shake you about a bit and leave you a bit breathless kind of a book. The story of Jenny and Des is told through Des’s eyes and in two timelines. It looks at when they meet in 1995 and at the developing relationship and how it grows and blooms with the odd hiccup along the way and the comparison to 2017 where the cracks are showing which become great chasms. Jenny is an artist and Des is a very reluctant life insurance salesman, a job he hates but which pays the bills. They have three children, Joey, Mickey and Maeve. This is a novel about obsessive love, of power and control in the home which can be abusive, of jealousy and manipulation and is ultimately very shocking as Des fights to maintain authority over his family as he has little control elsewhere.

I think this is a very well written novel, there are some good descriptions and there is real clarity in the storytelling. I feel that although Des is beyond awful as a personality he does seem truthful though at times he is enigmatic and elusive. The more you read the more shocking and scary his behaviour becomes and I question why Jenny stays with him; the writing is clearly on the walls even in the 1990’s. I think it would have been interesting to hear her thoughts as we only have Des’s point of view. I like the comparison and contrast between Jenny and Des then and now and what you read is a powerful analysis of a personality and a relationship, as their relationship implodes so does Des. His dream of a perfect relationship is over, he wants to be the centre of the family’s world with all its claustrophobia and it’s very damaging. My only negative is that it slightly drags as it reaches the dramatic conclusion, hence 4 stars rather than 5.

Overall, an unputdownable read, in fact I had the kindle meets forehead experience as I tried to read on into the night! A well written and powerful psychological drama that should appeal to fans of the genre. It left me with a lot of questions about Des and what he has done in the past.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well that first sentence got my attention and just like magic the real world disappeared as I plunged head first into this book.

“By the end of next summer, before the kids go back to school, I will kill my family.”

The story is told from Des’s point of view in two timelines, we go back to 1995 where Des meets his wife to be, Jenny and the present day 2016 where they are married and have 3 children.

We see how they first met, optimistic with their new love. How Des wanted to support Jenny so she could focus on her art, by working as an insurance salesman, a job he has no passion or ambition for. How they marry and have 3 children, but real life is hard and cracks soon appear in their marriage.

Des is a good father who enjoys spending quality time with his children, from the outside they look like a very happy family but Des is unravelling as he becomes obsessed with losing Jenny and becomes controlling. At the start of their relationship you see signs that Des has a temper but that his love for Jenny is real although claustrophobic.

This story kept me engrossed all afternoon, housework was on hold as I couldn’t bare to be parted from the book. The tension slowly built to an explosive ending. Reading this was like watching a runaway train you cannot take you’re eyes off it, even though you know what will happen!!

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

[Pat · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book opened with a bang “before the end of next summer, before the kids go back to school, I will kill my family.” I was enthralled. And then it went downhill. This is the story of Des and Jenny, all told from Des’s POV in two timelines 1995/96 when they first got together and 2017 when it was all broken.

I can see what the author was trying to do and she did paint a vivid picture of a man riddled with obsession, jealousy and doubts about his own manliness I guess. But along the way we are privy to every little thought Des has and they were either banal in their ordinariness or quite disturbing and by halfway I felt I was drowning in minutiae, his obsession with cooking pasta and detail, detail, detail. He tried to hide his more disturbing thoughts from Jenny - if she had had an inkling she would have run a mile. Or would she? She seemed strangely detached. Des was just horrible and came across as a ‘little man’, always needing to puff himself up but I didn’t really like Jenny either she seemed ‘not present’ a lot. But, for me, the amount of minutiae spoiled it and I was skimming a lot of the detail just to finish. What the book did well was illustrate that a man doesn’t have to be violent, (Des had only slapped Jenny once) to snap and end up killing his family. Not a cheery thought when the news is full of such stories, some of them quite horrific. But I knew that already and didn’t need to wade through all the boring detail to get to that realisation. I did not enjoy this book.

[Louise Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Des is a good husdband, a good father - a good man. He encourages his wife's artistic endeavours.He holds down a well-paid, if unfulfilling job. He's the manager of his sons' Under-11's football team. He reads bedtime stories to his children every night. But appearances can be deceptive.

Des is afraid. He's afraid of the world encroaching on his family. Afraid of past mistakes catching up on him. Afraid of losing cntrol.

This story is narrated solely by Des and it's told over two timelines: 1995-96 when Des meets Jenny and in 2017 when things start to unravel. Des is a control freak. He likes to control his wife and children and make their lives dificult. Thers's times when this book is hard to reas due to the sensitive issues and the brutal ending. I would have liked to have heard Jenny's side of the story espically the reasons why she stayed with Des. The book has a great opening firsst line. Des is bad tempered, naasty, controlling and abusive.

I would like to thank #NetGalley, #PenguinBooksUK and the author #CatherineTalbot for my ARC in exchange for an honst review.

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Good Father is a twisted psychological thriller about a family man who is seemingly teetering on the edge of sanity. It begins with a rather ominous statement — “By the end of next summer, before the kids go back to school, I will kill my family.” Des likes people to believe that he is an unabashed family man who loves his wife, Jenny, and children unconditionally, but when you slowly peel away the carefully constructed layers making up his facade what lies beneath is an embittered, broken and abusive narcissist. Told in two timelines — 1995, the time the couple first encountered one another and 2017, when they have been together as a family for decades but with each passing month the family unit disintegrates more and more. Forty-something Des works as a life insurance salesmen but finds it deeply unfulfilling but it pay the bills and Jenny is a sculptor who is very involved in the local art scene but her art brings in little to no money, which Des finds himself beginning to resent. To the outside world Des seems like the perfect parent and dotes on his three kids — Joey, Mickey and Maeve. He volunteers at his sons' under-elevens football team and even carries out most of the household chores. But it isn't long before the cracks in the veneer begin to show and horrendous daily abuse becomes the norm.

Embarrassing and tormenting his wife and kids, as his mental health continues to take a nosedive, his ever-loving family bear the brunt of his new-found rage, paranoia, obsession, jealousy, abuse and unrelenting need to control those around him. Will Des end up killing those he's supposed to love unconditionally, and if so what exactly will make him snap? This is one of the darkest, most disturbing yet most realistic thrillers featuring domestic abuse that I've read in a long time and having suffered from a parent with manipulative, controlling and narcissistic behaviour I can honestly say this was so well researched that it brought back memories. There is no redemption in this story it's just horror upon horror and the twists come thick and fast. Neither Des nor Jenny were likeable main characters and Des is more aptly described as detestable. There were red flags present in their relationship from the very beginning that Jenny chose to ignore and this is the life she lived due to that bad decision. It's emotional and heartbreaking but you are compelled to read on despite being thoroughly uncomfortable at the increasingly unhinged behaviour. A captivating but brutal and powerful exploration of mental health, fractured family life and the legacy of abuse, A Good Father reaches an explosive, chilling and saddening conclusion.

[Adrian Dooley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The opening line in the book sets the pulse immediately racing. “By the end of next summer, before the kids go back to school, I will kill my family”.
I was drawn in already and excited to read it. It didn’t however turn out to be what I thought or indeed hoped it to be.

It’s the story of Des, Jenny and their three children. The whole book is told through the eyes and mind of Des. A nasty character(opening line is a clue), he’s abusive and controlling, jealous, self obsessed, a control freak...I could go on.

The format at first was intriguing. Every word in the book are the thoughts of Des. Even when there are (short) conversations they are just relayed by Des, so we have no inverted commas to display a conversation. It was a little jarring at first but I got used to it.
Told both in the present day and in flashback when the couple first met, it becomes clear that this is not really a thriller at all, more a character study. It’s page after page of thoughts from Des. It becomes tiring and uninteresting after a while. His mind rambles off to the most inane things and we have to read it all.

While I didn’t hate the book, I did find that the whole thing left me a little cold. It held my interest for about half of it but the incessant nature of the chosen format just wore me down and left me bored for large chunks. I think a better edit could have easily knocked 100 pages off this book and they wouldn’t have been missed.
On the plus side, there were parts where I was intrigued. There were even chapters where the format actually just had a lovely hypnotic flow. They are in the minority unfortunately but show the author has plenty of talent and potential.

It’s a debut novel and something different for sure. There is lots to admire and the author shows a lot of promise but I feel the format, along with a not very strict editor let this one run away with itself and just became a one trick pony that grated the nerves in the end, rather than tingled them.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Penguin Books and Catherine Talbot for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Vanessa Menezes · Rating 2 out of 5]

The opening line in the book,. “By the end of next summer, before the kids go back to school, I will kill my family”. This got me excited to read this book and I just couldn't wait to get started. But as the story progressed I just couldn't connect with it and excitement I had just vanished.

The story is that of Des and his love for his wife Jenny and their kids, Maeve, Mikey and Joey. Narrated across two timelines, it follows how Des and Jenny met and how their relationship is at the present.

The plot has all the makings of a great thriller by covering the topics of obsession and jealousy, but where it falls flat is at the narration. It is one dimensional with only Des's perspective. It would have been more interesting for me if Jenny's perspective would have also been included.

Thank You to NetGalley and Penguin Books (UK) for this ARC!

[Karen ⊰✿ · Rating 3 out of 5]

“By the end of next summer, before the kids go back to school, I will kill my family.”

It's hard not to be drawn in with that kind of opening line.

This book is told purely from the point of view of Des. He is a father of 3 who does the soccer runs and cooks for the family and is seen as a good father. But he is controlling in a very passive aggressive way, constantly jealous, envious and fearful.

This is a pretty tough read, and a great attempt from the author to answer the questions that we all ask when we hear terrible stories on the news of a parent killing their whole family.

Although I appreciate the writing style and accept there is a terrible subject matter, I'm not sure reading this was overall a positive experience. Perhaps best for those who love a look inside the mind of a psychopath and aren't concerned with how it all ends.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

[pagesofchapters | demi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so unnerving and uncomfortable but in the best way possible as strange as that sounds. It was dark, twisted, and completely unbelievable. We are following the perspective of an abusive and possessive father, and reading from this kind of antagonists perspective was so incredibly thrilling. We are seeing this character justify why he acts and does the things that he does, and we see him being an abuser to both his wife and kids so I definitely suggest looking at the trigger warnings if you do wish to read this book. I was totally hooked in by the author from the very first line (if you’ve read it you know why) and although at times I found certain aspects to be repetitive, I still absolutely enjoyed this book. It definitely won’t be for everyone but I do recommend to any of my thriller lovers!! (I think if you enjoy ‘you’ then you might enjoy this!).

[Emily Carter-Dunn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley, Penguin and Catherine Talbot for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Des is a 40-something year old man with a wife, Jenny, and three kids. He volunteers at his sons’ under-eleven football team, he holds down a steady job and he seems to do the majority of the parenting and domestic chores whilst his wife brings in little money through her sculpting. A Good Father sees Des’ descent into jealously, rage and murder.

The book starts off strong with Des stating that before the end of the summer, he will have killed his family. This, of course, hooked me immediately and I wanted to know why, where, how this was all going to happen. I really thought it wouldn’t happen. I mean, it never does! I thought it was all going to be a fantasy, or his wife would kill him, but no. He actually killed them. Talbot does an excellent job of painting the character of Des. He is a horrible, jealous, manipulative man and I detested him so much. He made my skin crawl in the worst possible way. I also found the last chapter (not the epilogue), extremely emotional and thought it was well executed.

However, like other reviewers before me have said, the book lacked the pace expected from the very first line and, as a result, I was regularly checking my progress as I just wanted it to end. It was a little monotonous and boring in places and I probably would have DNFed if this was not an ARC. I understand what Talbot was trying to do, but I think perhaps if the book was shorter it would have had a little bit more impact. I think there was quite a bit of unnecessary parts of the book that just slowed it down.

So for me, a thriller without the thrill.

[Julie Lacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
With the book beginning with: “By the end of next summer, before the kids go back to school, I will kill my family” I was keen to find out if it actually happened.
Des is a nasty and controlling man. The book has chapters from the present day and also chapters from back in the 90s to show how his relationship with his wife, Jenny, began.
Because Des is so controlling I’d have liked some chapters from Jenny’s point of view to see how Des and his moods affected her.
As a character Des is really unpleasant, and whilst the book is pretty dark at times, I had to keep reading to see how it ended.
This is a slow burner but overall a good read.
Thanks to Penguin Books (UK) and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

[Jess The Bookworm · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really battled with this one unfortunately. I don't know why, but the writing style / portrayal of the main character just didn't work for me. It was a good concept but I was just really bored and did quite a bit of skimming.

[Teresa · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was just plain uninteresting to me. I didn’t like the characters and didn’t find them real or authentic

[Adi Rocks Socks · Rating 3 out of 5]

By the end of next summer, before the kids go back to school, I will kill my family.

It is with these chilling words that The Good Father starts. Naturally, I’m hooked the moment the meaning registers in my brain. What’s going to happen that’ll push our narrator to this extreme?

Our MC is Des, and he narrates his tale, switching between the present day (2017/2018) and the 90’s. It’s clear from how his life centres around his three kids that he’s indeed, as the the title proclaims him, A Good Father. And yet, right off the bat, I do not like him.

While his present day narration is filled with typical parental concerns (coaching his sons’ football team, encouraging his daughter’s hobbies) and his constant whinging about how his artist wife Jenny is pulling away from him, his 90’s narration is filled with his obsessive love for his future wife, and how he aims to be erudite for the sake of being classy.

The adoration and his enthusiasm to make Jenny love him in the 90s is a stark contrast to how his obsession turns into vitriolic and malicious love in the present day narration — he can’t stand the fact that she doesn’t love him as he does her.

What stays constant though, is how in both the timelines, he is a narcissist of the first order. He is truly obsessed with himself, and he’s obsessed with ensuring Jenny loves him too. He’s obsessed with being a good father not particularly because he cares for his children, but because he can call himself a caring father. He’s obsessed with being respected and “involved in the art world”. His artsy-ness is pretentious, and it’s clear that he secretly resents his wife for her artistic talent, while also being proud of her. He vacillates between these two opinions almost constantly.

Des loves talking about himself and seems to not understand why Jenny doesn’t love him — while Jenny isn’t a great mom, it’s clear that Des is manipulative, controlling and egoistic (and egotistical), and maybe that’s why Jenny grows to resent him and grow apathetic towards him. He’s deeply insecure, and doesn’t trust her one bit.

The only redeeming quality that Des has is that he takes care of his three kids, and treats them well. The same can’t be said of his behaviour towards his wife — at one point, he ruins her painting just before a gallery showcase out of spite. (As I’ll learn later on, he does this more than once.)

He also believes sex is his marital right, and doesn’t really care about marital rape. He also enjoys abusing his wife both physically and mentally, and takes pride in “avoiding her cheekbones” when he hits her.

By the time I reach the 60% mark, I’m tired of reading the same disturbing but narcissistic narration. The book is slow, and Des’ inability to get on with a tale and his tendency to repeatedly stress on the same things that bother him are getting on my nerves at this point. It’s been a struggle for me to get here.

But my Kindle says I have only 2hrs 6 mins left in the story, so I persevere.

The book picks up its pace soon after — Jenny stands up for herself. While Jenny isn’t exactly the mother of the year (she’s very negligent), she isn’t as despicable as Des is. Des feels threatened by Jenny standing up against his violence; he doesn’t want to lose his kids. This makes for an interesting change in the narration. And at this point, I’m glad that I’ve stuck on with the story.

To this day I find it hard to reconcile the two disparate parts of my father, the solid strong man who could hurt my mother and the gentler more passive man who could only marvel at the love exhibited between any two animals, no matter how insignificant they were.

I still do not understand how a man that could possess such empathy for all creatures no matter how small could simultaneously reveal himself as being a coward capable of hurting his wife, my mother.

When I read the aforementioned quote, I am astounded by the hypocrisy. And yet, he justifies his abuse of Jenny as disciplining, when it’s his insecurity and paranoia bringing out his true colours.

As I progress towards the end, the disgust I feel towards Des keeps increasing. By the time I’m at 82%, my disgust is overwhelming. It’s a pit of churning acid. What I feel for his character is an equal mix of nafrat (Hindi) and bībhatsa (Sanskrit).

These feelings I have crescendo as the book reaches its climax. Des does the despicable, all out of pettiness, jealousy, and revenge.

I just feel horrified.

...

This book is a 288 page character sketch of the deplorable human being that Des is. If this is what the author, Talbot, set out to do, she has indeed done a marvellous job. It’s been a while since I found a narrator this odious.

Despite provoking such a strong reaction from me, this book is a 3 star read for me for three simple reasons: the slow pacing, the unnecessary prose (though I suppose the prosaic descriptions were a facet of Des’ pretentiousness), and the anticlimactic ending.

Nevertheless, I’m pretty sure I’ll be ruminating about the book for a while, wondering why Jenny stayed on with such an abusive and manipulative person; whether Des never realised what a terrible hypocrite he is; and whether Des ends up in jail or a mental institution.

TW: Domestic abuse, physical abuse, mental abuse, marital rape, bulimia, self-harm, murder, filicide, fat-shaming


*I was invited to read the book by the publisher, via NetGalley.*

[The Geeky Bibliophile · Rating 2 out of 5]

“By the end of next summer, before the kids go back to school, I will kill my family.”

Based on the strength of the first sentence, I felt confident I would enjoy reading this book. Despite the wow factor of the opening line, I would quickly come to realize it was a mistake to assume the rest of the book would be equally captivating.

I have certain expectations for domestic thrillers; the main expectation being that it evokes the usual emotions one has when reading thriller novels. This book, for me, was akin to a lengthy character study that either left me feeling bewildered or bored—and I'll do my best to explain why without spoiling anything important in the overall story.

The story is narrated entirely by Desmond (Des), whose focus (with few exceptions) is on his wife, Jenny, and their three children. The story is told in two timelines: one shows how they became a couple, while the other focuses on their family life and deteriorating relationship.

I typically enjoy reading stories told from a single point of view. In this case, however, it rapidly became tedious. Des isn't simply narrating the story, he's telling us every random thought that comes to mind, whether it has anything to do with current situations or not. The disjointed thought process may well be used to indicate Desmond's disturbed frame of mind, but it's mind-numbingly dull to see his thoughts wander aimlessly about through so much of the book.



Another thing I didn't care for is the lack of traditional dialogue one expects to see in a novel. Instead, Des tells readers what happened. 'I told Jenny this, and she said that, so then I said another thing, then Jenny said something else.' No tone attached to it, no emotion (other than Desmond's). Nothing but a recitation of what was said.

As it became clear where things were headed near the end, Desmond's aforementioned disjointed thoughts became even worse. While that is absolutely a believable consequence of his actions at that time, I felt it dragged the story down. Rather than the strong emotions I should have been feeling, I felt impatient and looked forward to finishing the book.

In my opinion, the story would have benefited greatly by being narrated by both Desmond and Jenny—and, indeed, would have made it feel more like a novel than a peek into a disturbed man's mind. I truly would have liked the opportunity to see her point of view regarding the things Desmond said and did. Not having her side of the story made their entire relationship feel one-dimensional to me. If I could have seen things through her eyes, perhaps that wouldn't have been the case.

Maybe this simply wasn't the right book for me. The majority of early reviewers on Goodreads have only positive things to say about The Good Father. I seem to be the only one feeling dissatisfied with it, so this review is definitely full of unpopular opinions.

I received an advance reading copy of this book courtesy of Penguin UK via Netgalley.

[Nila (digitalcreativepages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Omg. Quite a chilling dark tale was this. Des And wife Jenny and their kids.

Told in two timelines, it encompasses how Des and Jenny met and their relationship today.

My first book by this author, I found shivers moving down my back at Des's voice. There was something disturbing about it.

The story overall was of obsession and jealousy and the actions taken along with its repercussions.

A dark read, at least for me.

[Lavender · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a difficult book to review and give stars to. It starts with an intriguing first sentence: “By the end of next summer, before the kids go back to school, I will kill my family.” The story is that of Des and his love to his wife Jenny. He really loves Jenny but he loves an idealized Jenny even more.

Over this said summer Des mental health goes south. The book is told in two timelines. One in the present during this summer and one in the past when Des and Jenny met. We see how their relationship grew. We only see the story through Des’ eyes and it would have been be incredible interesting to hear Jenny’s side of the story as well. She stays an enigma. Des is mean, egocentric and controlling. His behavior is sometimes erratic but he has some of his worse impulses still under control. The reaction of his family to his behavior is not always matching his actions. He tells us that he yells at his children but they don’t seem to mind it. So it would have been very interesting to see Des through the eyes of someone else.

The story is told in a kind of monologue from Des. He tells us everything what pops into his mind. That makes following his string of thoughts very dragging. He is a very troubled man and very insecure. For me I would have enjoyed this book more if there would have been a second narrator. The story is sad and tragic up to its heartbreaking ending. But Des and Jenny stayed a mystery to me. A second narrator would have brought some more understanding to the mental state of Des and to the story.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Emma Hardy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has one of the most powerful 1st sentences Ive ever read, and wow did it get me hooked. Momentum did drop slightly (I guess there's always a risk of peaking too early.) Overall though I found it thrilling and unnerving. Des makes for very uncomfortable reading and has a crazy dark mind. However, you can't help but hang on his every word to try and work him out.
Chilling.

[Jannelies · Rating 4 out of 5]

As many other readers, I fell for the opening line of this book, without really knowing what to expect. The story quickly grabbed me and I read the book in almost one sitting. I liked the fact that the story is told in two timelines. Because we only hear Des' site of the story, it would have been rather boring to read the story from beginning to end in one sequence.
Sometimes I rather felt sorry for Des. He's frightened, nervous, jealous and overall someone who could do with a good therapist. Sadly he doesn't realize that, he thinks he is the greatest husband and father in the world. He doesn't realize that his wife Jenny has long ago left him, not in the flesh but in her mind and when he does realize there's something not quite right, he overreacts.
A story with many layers, and there's more going on than meets the eye. Interesting!

[Nicola Stevenson · Rating 1 out of 5]

This had a great opening sentence, but the rest of the book was a let down. This is the story of Des & Jenny, and covers the present & how their relationship started. It's told from Des' perspective. I found this to be dry and Des was unlikable - a jealous, possessive & abusive man. There's lots of great reviews for this book, but I did not enjoy it at all.

Thanks to Penguin Books (UK), Penguin Books Ireland & NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Des and Jenny and their children live a relatively happy life but Des is far from what he seems. Told from two timelines of then and now we focus on why they fell in love and the state they are in now.
Oh I wanted to enjoy it, like many others the opening line grabs you and either sucks you in or drops you flat and unfortunately for me it was the latter. Des, overall, is a horrible character and I didn’t like his ‘voice’ by the end.
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a debut by Catherine Talbot. A story about Des and Jenny's relatiobnhip. From how they first met in 1995 and where they are now in 2017. It's an uncomfortable read at times as it focuses on domestic abuse. Tbe narrative is told by Des and how he sees things.

Des is an insurance man and Jenny is an artist which at first Des finds exciting but as the years go on he begins to resent. We see Jenny being worn down by Des and losing confidence in most things that she does including being a mother to their three children.

It's a story about love, obsessive behaviour and control. For me alarm bells were ringing back in 1995 and I question why Jenny even went there. I would really have liked some narrative from Jenny so we can find some insight into how she saw things. I think that would have benefited greatly here. Many times I wanted to shout at her to see Des for what he is. It's a scary, compelling book that kept me reading.

It's an accomplished debut and though 'enjoyable' may not be exactly the right word it's certainly uncomfortably readable.

Recommended. Many thanks for my advanced copy.

[Mary Lou · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really struggled with A Good Father. Des is a damaged man who destroys the lives of his wife and family. His wife Jenny succumbs to this treatment and there is no light to temper this dark dark book.
With thanks to Netgalley and Penguin UK

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

This started with a great first sentence which had me excited for the rest of the book and then it just failed big time. I really struggled with this book and considered DNF but powered through thinking maybe in the second half it would pick up. It didn't.
Whilst I did like the fact it was told from the mans perspective I really think it would have improved the story if you got to see another view point. It also didn't help that there is not one likeable character in the whole thing.
I can see what the author was trying to achieve but it just didn't connect.
Flat, repetitive and boring.
Unfortunately not one for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Books UK for the ARC I received in exchange for an honest review

[Lisa Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disturbing and compelling, gripped from the first word to the last. Unique take and view on the thought process of a controlling and abusive character and how the darkest thoughts may be hidden from those closest to them.

[janine · Rating 3 out of 5]

"By the end of next summer, before the kids go back to school, I will kill my family"...... What a sentence to start a story and grab your attention!

A deeply unsettling, distressing, disturbing and twisted tale this was.

Written from the POV of Des, over two timelines.. when he first met his wife and the present.

A story of jealousy and control and just how destructive it can be.

I must admit at times I struggled and my mind wandered off but once it clicked back into place it just flowed seamlessly albeit at a slow pace.

A truly unique view at the goings on behind the doors of an abusive, controlling relationship.

I personally would have liked to have read more about Des's past and also the other characters perspectives on things, I think it would have sat better in my mind ... I hate not having the answers to unasked questions.

Overall a great read.

3.5*

Thanks to netgalley and Penguin Books UK for the ARC.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok I was not a huge fan of this book if I’m honest although the ending was brutal and shocking and did make me give it a slightly higher rating. The story is very honest about love, obsession and marriage and is quite a sad look at the day to day life of a marriage that is slowly dying. This isn’t a bad book by any measure just isn’t really one for me.

[Bridget · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so pleased that I was given the opportunity to read A Good Father, a début psychological thriller that exceeded my expectations!

With its bewitching and captivating opening sentence, the story slowly gathered pace and I loved the tension in the plotline. It tells the story of Des, his wife Jenny, and their children. Des is an unfulfilled life insurance salesman, but it is a steady job; he is a good husband and father and helps out at his sons' under-elevens football team. Jenny is an artist in her forties who works with wood and also sketches but earns very little. A Good Father tracks Des’s increasingly controlling behaviour and descent into meanness, jealousy, rage and murder.

Full of disturbing moments and totally addictive, it held my attention from the very first chapter. Set in Killiney, a coastal suburb of Dublin, Des is the narrator and the chapters set in the present (2017) alternate with chapters set in the 1990s when Des met and married Jenny. As far as Jenny is concerned, Des is a loving and attentive man who adores and supports her.

As a narrator, Des is extremely unreliable and Catherine Talbot's clever writing meant I didn't want to put this book down. The story evolves slowly, the suspense gradually building, bringing with it palpable tension and immense feelings of apprehension and dread, as well as a looming threat of violence.

This cracking story was very well executed by the author, with an explosive conclusion. I shall be looking out for Catherine Talbot's next offering as she clearly has talent. Filled with drama, I recommend A Good Father as a hugely worthwhile and excellent read.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Penguin Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

[S Carolina Rio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firstly I would like to thank @netgalley and @penguinrandomhouse for the opportunity to read this book prior to its publishing date on 23.04.2020.
This book is mainly about Des and his attempt to be a great father, supporter and husband whilst also struggling with control and obsession.
The books starts with a bang but is mostly quite slow paced and follows Des account of what happened before and after he got married and had kids with his wife.
It is hard to like Des as a character or even believe his account of the facts. I would have like to have read some parts of other characters perspectives into the events.
Although I could not like the main character I found it very interesting to see how the author described his personality and how it changes as the story develops. It’s also interesting to follow his thought process and how everything culminated in the end.
It is also interesting to see how love can have different perspectives (and sometimes not the best!) and how the character interprets the love for his family.
I would have liked to know a little bit more about Des past and as previously mentioned, maybe the perspective of other characters would make the book even more interesting,
It is overall a good psychological/domestic thriller, really well written and developed although slow paced until the dramatic ending but I would still recommend it to friends who enjoy more slow paced and family drama. I look forward to further books by Catherine Talbot.