Every Son's Fear

Every Parent's Fear #3

by Joanna Warrington

A secret is not a secret if somebody else knows...

15-year-old Toby, bright, ambitious and in love, is about to find out that his whole life has been based upon a lie. And the man he trusts and turns to for advice and guidance, isn’t who he says he is.


It’s the sweltering summer of 1976. Gangs clash at the Notting Hill Carnival. The rock band, Queen, hold a free concert in Hyde Park. And Toby is offered an amazing opportunity that promises to turn his life around. But amid the revelry and fanfare, danger lurks when a closely guarded family secret falls into the hands of a madman, with dramatic and scary consequences.

This is book 3 in the series 'Every Parent's Fear', a story inspired by the notorious thalidomide scandal of the 1960s.
Debi Alper, Jericho Writers: "Explores some very profound themes of passion and compassion."

317 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 8, 2021

About the author

Joanna Warrington is a divorced mother to three children. Two have flown the nest. She has written seven books and writing is now firmly in her blood. She began writing as a cathartic exercise when her first child died and it snowballed from there.

She lives in West Sussex England and is a frequent visitor to various local cafes where she enjoys reading and eating cake.

Reviews

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read the previous books in this series and found them very interesting and captivating. I found this one a little slow and at times a little far fetched. Things didn't really start to pick up until around 70% through the book and then the ending was very abrupt.

I don't really understand why Sandy was so angry at Jasper for not telling her when she found out anyway so why did it matter. The kidnapping was very far fetched in my opinion. I don't really understand why Bill wanted to keep the secret from her because it seemed unlikely that she would go to the police, just knowing that her child was alive would be wonderful enough and you'd think it would counteract the anger she displayed towards Jasper and Bill (and Rona).

[Wendy Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bk 3 of Joanna Warrington’s series revolving around the drug Thalidomide and the horrible side effects when given to pregnant women. This book digs deeper into the life of Toby, the son bone with no arms; his hands attached to his shoulders. Reaching the age of 15, hitting puberty, falling in love and finds out in a horrible way who his biological parents are, his biological mother finding out at the same time. Too many secrets based on what everyone thought was the best way to deal with it but relationships based on trust are broken, laws have been broken and a young man doesn’t know who, what he is and what does life have in store for him now…….

[Helen Christmas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Continuing the story of thalidomide survivor, Toby, I've really immersed myself in this series and like the characters. In my opinion this is the best so far with a storyline that had me gripped. I enjoyed the references to the 70s, the music, fashion and TV. Sensitively written it really depicts the emotional side of the thalidomide scandal and how it affects the family, as well as highlighting people's perceptions and general prejudice towards disability. I am looking forward to reading Book 4.

[Lucinda Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the latest in the tale of a family not only coping with thalidomide but also, hiding dark secrets. I have read every book in this series and loved them all. Not only an entertaining read, but every book makes you think about life and the consequences of human behaviour. One woman’s compassion nearly destroys the lives of two families. The author has cleverly woven strands through all three books bring the story to its final conclusion. Highly recommended.

[Julia Povall · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sequel continuing the story of Toby, Bill, Jasper and Sandy who at this point does not know that Sandy is his birth mother.
Toby had been left to die as a new born baby on the evening of his birth because of thalidomide, when Rona a midwife secretly took him home instead of leaving him to die and who brought him up as her own. After Rona's unexpected death from cancer, things go from bad to worse and the whole sage begins to unravel.

[Joy Law · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow so unexpected but a fantastic read that kept me gripped all through the series.

[Linda Hoyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series!

Just finished reading book number 3, Every sons fear, and it kept me reading continuously! Easy to read and very interesting! Now on to book 4!