The Good Son
- Downloads：6908
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2022-01-07 11:21:10
- Update Date：2025-09-07
- Status：finish
- Author：Jacquelyn Mitchard
- ISBN：1665104511
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
Reviews
Karen R。
，
I have been a fan of Jacquelyn’s writing for many years， and was so excited to see a long overdue book from her。 The Good Son was worth the wait。 Thea is a mom whose son was convicted of murdering his girlfriend。 He only serves 3 years in prison， but outside life is still imprisoning them both。 Heartbreaking， and a mystery to boot！
Julie
，
This novel is not my usual ‘go-to’ type of book as I tend to always read romances or historical fiction。 But I loved it。 I should read more of these as I enjoyed the suspense。 It made me question: At what lengths would a mother go to， to prove her sons innocence？ What lengths would ‘so called’ friends and mysterious people go to， to hide the truth？ The Good Son was mysterious and suspenseful， fantastically written in the narrative of Thea。 This novel focuses on the aftermath of a murder and the This novel is not my usual ‘go-to’ type of book as I tend to always read romances or historical fiction。 But I loved it。 I should read more of these as I enjoyed the suspense。 It made me question: At what lengths would a mother go to， to prove her sons innocence？ What lengths would ‘so called’ friends and mysterious people go to， to hide the truth？ The Good Son was mysterious and suspenseful， fantastically written in the narrative of Thea。 This novel focuses on the aftermath of a murder and the mental and emotional toll that surrounds a family。 Following the release of her son Stefan from prison， Thea is protective， supportive and hopeful for her son’s adjustment back into ‘normal’ life。 But she’s also trying to cope with her own challenges; bullying protestors， career troubles and most of all a constant feeling of uneasiness due to a mysterious figure and harassing text messages。 This novel was gripping and always kept me wanting to find out what was coming next。 I could not put it down and would highly recommend it。 。。。more
Diane
，
Author Ann Patchett said that if a book doesn't grab her from the first sentence or page， she will stop reading it。 The first sentence of Jacquelyn Mitchard's novel， The Good Son， grabs the reader hard。"I was picking up my son at the prison gates when I spotted the mother of the girl he murdered。"How can you not read on after that？Thea was at the prison to pick up Stefan， her twenty year-old son who had just served nearly three years in prison for killing his girlfriend in a drug-induced haze。 H Author Ann Patchett said that if a book doesn't grab her from the first sentence or page， she will stop reading it。 The first sentence of Jacquelyn Mitchard's novel， The Good Son， grabs the reader hard。"I was picking up my son at the prison gates when I spotted the mother of the girl he murdered。"How can you not read on after that？Thea was at the prison to pick up Stefan， her twenty year-old son who had just served nearly three years in prison for killing his girlfriend in a drug-induced haze。 He was so out of it， he didn't remember what he had done。As the story progresses， we discover that Stefan was obsessed with his high school girlfriend Belinda， and was distraught when she went away to college。 They continued to see each other， and Stefan was planning on going to the same college when she was killed。 Thea and her husband Jep saw that Stefan was obsessed， but didn't know what to do。 For the past three years， Thea has visited Stefan in prison every chance she could， but her and Jep's life settled into a routine; Jep is a well-respected college football coach， Thea a professor。 Other than the young women （organized by Belinda's devout and distraught mother） who protested about domestic violence outside of their home on a daily basis， life went on。But things changed when Stefan came home。 He had to adjust to life outside prison， and plan for a new life。 No one would hire him。 He was depressed， and Thea and Jep feared that he might harm himself。 Stefan needed to find a purpose for his life or he was doomed。There were repercussions for Stefan coming home。 His release made people in the community uncomfortable， including the people at Thea's college。 Now that people were face-to-face with Stefan and his crime， reactions to the family were different than when he was away in prison。They were used to getting phone calls about Stefan's crime while he was in prison， but now a young woman keeps calling Thea saying that they don't know the truth about what happened the night Stefan killed Belinda。 There is also a man who keeps showing up wherever Thea and Stefan are， trying to run them off the road， and even breaking into their home。I liked the premise of the book- what if your child did something so horrible， it was unforgiveable？ How do you live with that as a parent， and still love and support your son？ Do you question what you did or didn't do as a parent？ Mitchard does an wonderful job putting the reader in Thea's shoes。There is the question of redemption， can Stefan redeem himself in his own eyes and the eyes of the community？ And what does he owe the mother of the woman he killed？Without giving away the ending of the book， I will say that I found the end disappointing。 Up until the end， I liked where Mitchard had taken us with this book， but the resolution took it in a different direction。 I really liked Mitchard's The Deep End of the Ocean， she knows how to write family drama that gets you right in the heart， and The Good Son does the same。 I recommend it for that reason。Thanks to Harlequin Books for putting me on Jacquelyn Mitchard's tour。 。。。more
Karan
，
While I enjoyed this book with the mystery and pace ramping up towards the end I found it a little longer than necessary。 However it can't have been an easy book to write either as it was quite confronting to read and consider。How would you cope with your only child being convicted of and serving time for the murder of his girlfriend？This book compels deep thinking about this scenario and how humans react to challenging situations in life。It was certainly well written but a few of the scenes see While I enjoyed this book with the mystery and pace ramping up towards the end I found it a little longer than necessary。 However it can't have been an easy book to write either as it was quite confronting to read and consider。How would you cope with your only child being convicted of and serving time for the murder of his girlfriend？This book compels deep thinking about this scenario and how humans react to challenging situations in life。It was certainly well written but a few of the scenes seemed a bit far fetched to me。Thanks to Better Reading and Harper Collins for the opportunity to experience this tale。 。。。more
Shawna Wilson
，
I appreciate the ARC from Netgalley。 This was a great book。 It made me question so many things about how i would handle this situation。 Stefan is being released from prison and his mother Thea is praying for a new start。 Stefan was convicted of killing his girlfriend and best friend Belinda in a horrible drug induced stupor。 Stefan is targeted by Belinda's mom， Jill。 She truly hates Stefan and his family and hold demonstrations in front of his house。 Things begin to take a scary turn when Thea a I appreciate the ARC from Netgalley。 This was a great book。 It made me question so many things about how i would handle this situation。 Stefan is being released from prison and his mother Thea is praying for a new start。 Stefan was convicted of killing his girlfriend and best friend Belinda in a horrible drug induced stupor。 Stefan is targeted by Belinda's mom， Jill。 She truly hates Stefan and his family and hold demonstrations in front of his house。 Things begin to take a scary turn when Thea and Stefan see a hooded figure following them。 This person is causing all kinds of destruction and things are not what they seem。I really enjoyed this book。 。。。more
Lisa
，
This book opens with a mother picking her 20 year old son up from prison， where he served time for killing his girlfriend。 The first section of the book explores how the family and the community cope with Stefan returning。As a way to cope， Stefan starts a project to give back to the community and help him work toward forgiveness。 This section I found a little long。I have not read anything by this author， but will explore other titles by her。
marnie | once upon a time book reviews
，
“I was picking up my son up at the prison gates when I spotted the mother of the girl he had murdered”A drug induced haze， ended in tragedy when then 17 year old Stefan murdered his girlfriend Belinda。 After serving a three year sentence， Stefan is released， but still held prisoner within the community。 Still grieving and with no memory of committing the crime， all Stefan can do is accept that he was responsible for her death and try to move on， but when his mother Thea starts receiving anonymou “I was picking up my son up at the prison gates when I spotted the mother of the girl he had murdered”A drug induced haze， ended in tragedy when then 17 year old Stefan murdered his girlfriend Belinda。 After serving a three year sentence， Stefan is released， but still held prisoner within the community。 Still grieving and with no memory of committing the crime， all Stefan can do is accept that he was responsible for her death and try to move on， but when his mother Thea starts receiving anonymous calls from a woman stating she was there and knows what really happened that night， she sets out to prove her sons innocence。Beautifully written， The Good Son is a poignant， complex and compelling tale of family， redemption and a mother’s love。 Told through Thea’s eyes， the story is multi-layered and while there are times that is moves at a slightly slower pace， its outcome more than makes up for this。 A very thought provoking tale that is well worth reading。Thank you to Jacquelyn Mitchard， Harlequin Australia and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of The Good Son， which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily。Where you can find me 😊💻 Blog: bit。ly/3gR3io8👩🏫 Facebook: bit。ly/3gVeC2B🐤Twitter: bit。ly/3BQk2Dl📷 Instagram: bit。ly/3wSv0Gj📌 Pinterest: bit。ly/3vS2HGX📚 Goodreads: bit。ly/3wQxUM3 。。。more
Anne
，
Mitchard deftly explores the complexity of the human experience， subtly unraveling the illusion of certainty that comes from the insulation of wealth and position。 With a reflective clarity， Mitchard uses a laser focus to question the accepted narrative of middle age and in doing so challenges the reader to reexamine their own perspective。
Julie
，
The Good Son by Jacqueline Mitchard is a 2022 Mira publication。 Edgy Domestic Drama…A night of tragedy sends Stephan to prison for murdering， Belinda， the love of his life， in a drug fueled haze。 He’s released after only a few years， though， and his parents， Jep and Thea are ready for life to begin moving forward again。 But if they thought life would simply resume where it left off， they were sorely mistaken。 For starters， Thea is told to take a year-long sabbatical from her job， and Stephan fin The Good Son by Jacqueline Mitchard is a 2022 Mira publication。 Edgy Domestic Drama…A night of tragedy sends Stephan to prison for murdering， Belinda， the love of his life， in a drug fueled haze。 He’s released after only a few years， though， and his parents， Jep and Thea are ready for life to begin moving forward again。 But if they thought life would simply resume where it left off， they were sorely mistaken。 For starters， Thea is told to take a year-long sabbatical from her job， and Stephan finds that most people are not ready to accept him back in society or help him get work， making it even more difficult for him to put his life back together。 Thea’s adjustment is more jarring due to her constant communication with a young woman who claims to have information about Belinda’s death that nobody else knows。 Not only that， but she also begs Thea not to ever tell anyone， if Stephan ever starts to remember details from the night Belinda died。 This prompts Thea to consider the possibility that Stephan might not be solely responsible for Belinda’s death。 Is there some truth to these sinister messages or is Thea being conned- or worse- could she and Stephan be in danger？ I thought the premise of this book sounded compelling。 What if your only son was sent to prison for a horrible crime？ What would life be like once his sentence was served？ Naturally， Thea was horrified by what Stephan did。 She lost her best friend， a girl she loved like a daughter， and her only son， in one felled swoop。 But her loyalties lie with her son， though she must grapple with the guilt that he’s still alive， and Belinda is not- a fact Belinda’s mother， Jill， makes sure to drive home at every opportunity。 On the other hand， the stigma of his crime is one that will follow Stephan for the rest of his life， but the wounds he caused are torn open anew when he is released and instead of easing himself back into society， he finds himself a prisoner in his parent’s home， dogged by reporters and harassed by an unforgiving township。 No one will hire him， or he’s forced off the job， leaving him aimless。 But Stephan is resilient- and finds a way to productively use his time。Would you be able to sympathize with Thea or Stephan or do you think Stephan got off easy， comparatively speaking， due to the nature of his crime？ The book examines these thoughts and emotions as Stephan grapples with the court of public opinion， who have handed down a life sentence with no chance of parole， making it increasingly difficult to become a productive citizen after his release。 All these issues and the character’s response to the challenges they are facing， makes for some very heavy drama。 Yet， while the drama is unfolding， a mystery develops in the background that slowly builds to a stunning， shocking， crescendo。 This book is thought-provoking on several levels。 The mystery angle is most definitely a slow， slow burn with the drama taking up much of the book。 The various angles explored are compelling， and once I realized the direction the story was headed， a strong feeling of foreboding took over。 I had no idea how it would all play out， but it got pretty intense there for a minute。 The characterizations， unfortunately， were flat， especially Jep， in my opinion， and the dialogue is often stilted， which kept the emotional intensity from having the desired impact。 Overall， though， I did find the story absorbing and it made me consider some issues from a different perspective。 Though the pacing is quite lopsided， I think one’s patience will be rewarded with one incredibly taut conclusion。 3。5 stars 。。。more
Becky Baldridge
，
Family drama meets crime thriller in Jaquelyn Mitchard's newest novel。 The Good Son is also a compelling look at life after violence - life on both sides of that violence。 The news is so full of situations similar to the ones presented here， and as a mother， I've often wondered where I would stand while also being ever so grateful that I haven't had to find out。 The story does slow down a bit in the middle， but by that point， I was completely invested in the characters and what would happen。 We Family drama meets crime thriller in Jaquelyn Mitchard's newest novel。 The Good Son is also a compelling look at life after violence - life on both sides of that violence。 The news is so full of situations similar to the ones presented here， and as a mother， I've often wondered where I would stand while also being ever so grateful that I haven't had to find out。 The story does slow down a bit in the middle， but by that point， I was completely invested in the characters and what would happen。 We follow Thea as the mother of Stefan， and even though， thankfully， I can't really relate to her life， I can relate to that unconditional love of a mother for her child no matter the child's age。 Mitchard certainly gives the reader plenty to ponder with this well-written， gripping story， and in my attempt to avoid spoilers， I'll just finish by saying that this emotional and poignant tale is one I won't soon forget。 。。。more
Stephanie
，
The Good Son unfortunately was a miss for me。 The notion of restorative justice was an interesting one but the execution of the plot was problematic。 The story， in my view， was too long and drawn out and the beginning and middle dragged in many parts， Reading this novel was at times tedious and I never really engaged with the main character or the story。2。5 stars。Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review。
Erin
，
Thanks to Netgalley and HARLEQUIN Trade Publishing for an egalley in exchange for an honest review。As the book opens， Thea is at prison to pick up her son on the day of his release from prison。 Once a talented student， Stefan was convicted and served time for killing his girlfriend。 Thea hopes that her son can begin the rehabilitation process but there are many obstacles along the way。 Things become even more complicated when a hooded figure and mysterious phone calls both begin to haunt Thea。 Thanks to Netgalley and HARLEQUIN Trade Publishing for an egalley in exchange for an honest review。As the book opens， Thea is at prison to pick up her son on the day of his release from prison。 Once a talented student， Stefan was convicted and served time for killing his girlfriend。 Thea hopes that her son can begin the rehabilitation process but there are many obstacles along the way。 Things become even more complicated when a hooded figure and mysterious phone calls both begin to haunt Thea。 I felt my attention wavering quite often while reading this book。 Maybe it was that the characters didn’t win me over。 Or perhaps it was the ridiculous final confrontation。 It might just be a case that I am not a Jacquelyn Mitchard fan。 Expected publication Date 18/01/22Goodreads review 03/01/22 。。。more
Bookclubbish
，
CategoriesFamily Life Fiction， Coming of Age Fiction， Suspense， Women's Fiction CategoriesFamily Life Fiction， Coming of Age Fiction， Suspense， Women's Fiction 。。。more
Betty
，
Stefan， only 20 years old， has just completed a three-year prison sentence for the murder his girlfriend。 To redeem himself and find meaning in his life， Stefan starts a project based on doing good works for others。 I really felt bad for Stefan。 The book shines a light on the difficulties that convicted felons encounter when they try to transition back into mainstream life and why they often end up back in prison。A powerful quote from the book: “Even if he never did anything wrong before this， a Stefan， only 20 years old， has just completed a three-year prison sentence for the murder his girlfriend。 To redeem himself and find meaning in his life， Stefan starts a project based on doing good works for others。 I really felt bad for Stefan。 The book shines a light on the difficulties that convicted felons encounter when they try to transition back into mainstream life and why they often end up back in prison。A powerful quote from the book: “Even if he never did anything wrong before this， and he never does another wrong thing after this， would Stefan’s life always be defined by his one brutal act？ Would it always be the only thing people thought about him？”This was a tedious read for me。 Well written， but too drawn out。 Even the mystery subplot that hints of something happening during the murder that Stefan is not aware of did not work for me。 In my opinion， there was quite a bit in the book that could have been left out and it would not have impacted the story， except to perhaps move the story along at a faster pace。A story of guilt， forgiveness， redemption， a mother’s love， and prisoner reformation。 Best for readers who like a slow-paced family drama with a bit of mystery on the side。I received an advance galley of this book from the publisher。 The opinions expressed here are my own。 。。。more
Trader （RedHotBlueReads）
，
The Good Son begins with a mother （Thea） picking up her son（Stefan） as he is released from prison after serving time for killing his girlfriend。 I was immediately hooked and that lasted until the final pages of this suspenseful story。From the start it is clear that there is more to this crime。 Thea and Stefan encounter some problems on their way home and there's more to come。 It's also not a simple case of being able to just move on from a tragedy as the victims mother has started a group that p The Good Son begins with a mother （Thea） picking up her son（Stefan） as he is released from prison after serving time for killing his girlfriend。 I was immediately hooked and that lasted until the final pages of this suspenseful story。From the start it is clear that there is more to this crime。 Thea and Stefan encounter some problems on their way home and there's more to come。 It's also not a simple case of being able to just move on from a tragedy as the victims mother has started a group that pickets Stefan's family relentlessly。 There's lots of crazy stuff going on。 I found the everyday challenges that both Thea and Stefan faced were very realistic。 Finding a job， keeping a job， dealing with the judgement of neighbors and friends -- these were uncovered in a way that helped to present these different situations with some sensitivity and honesty。 The story also delves into how much love is too much。 Thea loves her child， but how did she contribute to what he did？ And Stefan loved his girlfriend -- but was that too much？ This aspect made me wonder the same thing -- when does love become too much？ There are some new revelations at the end of the story as Thea's tormentor is revealed。 The ending wasn't a huge surprise for me， but there was some satisfaction in how it all turns out。 I liked this more than I thought I would going in。 It held my interest until I hit the final pages， and while there were some slow spots， it left me feeling like I just didn't read a book， but more like I experienced something that made me think about some things， and I love that when a book effects me that way。 So for that reason， I'm rating this five stars。 It wasn't perfect， but this is definitely a book I will remember。 。。。more
Vickie
，
This was a fast-paced book with non-stop revelations about the characters and the events that entangled their lives。 Thea is an English professor and a mom and her husband Jep is a coach at a local college。 Their son Stefan， an only and much beloved child， is arrested and imprisoned for killing his girlfriend Belinda when he was under the influence of drugs。 The book begins when Stefan is released from prison and the family has to deal with society’s outrage at his actions and at his release。 Th This was a fast-paced book with non-stop revelations about the characters and the events that entangled their lives。 Thea is an English professor and a mom and her husband Jep is a coach at a local college。 Their son Stefan， an only and much beloved child， is arrested and imprisoned for killing his girlfriend Belinda when he was under the influence of drugs。 The book begins when Stefan is released from prison and the family has to deal with society’s outrage at his actions and at his release。 The book focuses mostly on Thea and her coming to terms with Stefan’s felony， with snippets into Jep’s happy-go-lucky attitude as he basically continues his life unscathed by the scandal。 Stefan has to re-invent his life and come up with a new plan for his future since he is not really accepted anywhere for employment。 I thought the creativity of what he decides to do was amazing and fit right into the storyline。 The plot flowed seamlessly between the characters， showing the heartbreak of Thea as well as that of Jill， Belinda’s mom。 There are so many layers to this story that it is hard to touch on them all without spoilers， but I will say that it is one of the best family dramas that I have ever read。 The characterization is as complex as the characters and totally fleshed out。 The mystery of the character of Esme is a theme throughout the book that enticed me to continue to read late into the evening。 Esme seems to know a secret about Belinda’s death and teases Thea with it， but she won’t share what she knows with anyone。 The ending was somewhat of a surprise， although there were plenty of clues that led me to guess part of what would happen。 The twists are numerous as well and kept me engaged in the saga of a young man trying to overcome insurmountable obstacles。 Fans of the author and domestic suspense will devour this new book and cheer for the characters who become like family members that I personally knew as I read。 DisclaimerDisclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley。 I was not required to write a positive review。 The opinions expressed are my own。 I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR， Part 255， “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising。” 。。。more
Debra
，
Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publisher for the opportunity to read The Good Son by Jacquelyn Mitchard。 The story grabs the reader immediately with the release of Thea’s son， Stefan， from prison。 Stefan was convicted at 17 for the murder of his girlfriend Belinda while under the influence of drugs。 While waiting， Thea sees the mother of the murdered girl。 Why is she there？ On the way home from prison， in a blinding snowstorm， Thea is being followed and almost runs off the road。 Who is Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publisher for the opportunity to read The Good Son by Jacquelyn Mitchard。 The story grabs the reader immediately with the release of Thea’s son， Stefan， from prison。 Stefan was convicted at 17 for the murder of his girlfriend Belinda while under the influence of drugs。 While waiting， Thea sees the mother of the murdered girl。 Why is she there？ On the way home from prison， in a blinding snowstorm， Thea is being followed and almost runs off the road。 Who is the person following them？ Thea is also getting warning phone calls from a mysterious woman warning them not to talk about the night Belinda was killed。 So the mystery begins。 Stefan is trying hard to get a new life started， but many people in town do not want him to have a chance。 Everyone hates what he did！ But did he really do it？ Stefan was so out of it on drugs that he doesn’t remember anything。 He’s accused of being brutal to Belinda during their time together， but he knows this isn’t true。 So what is the truth？A great mystery but I found the book to drag on a little。 I skimmed some of the book to get to the story。 Very well written， but a little too many details for me。 However， the end was great and not at all what I expected。 If you’re a fan of Jacquelyn Mitchard you will not be disappointed。 。。。more
Kristin （Always With a Book）
，
Thank you MIRA Books / Netgalley for the gifted copy。This is the first book I’ve read by Jacqueline Mitchard and I’m not quite sure how that it possible when she has written so many books。 And if they are all as powerful and thought-provoking as this one， I definitely need to add them to my list。This book is quite the page-turner， and even if you are not a parent like me， it will still get you thinking and questioning so many different things throughout the book。 What would you do if a loved one Thank you MIRA Books / Netgalley for the gifted copy。This is the first book I’ve read by Jacqueline Mitchard and I’m not quite sure how that it possible when she has written so many books。 And if they are all as powerful and thought-provoking as this one， I definitely need to add them to my list。This book is quite the page-turner， and even if you are not a parent like me， it will still get you thinking and questioning so many different things throughout the book。 What would you do if a loved one were in a similar position？ How would you handle it？ These are just some of the many questions that ran through my mind as I was reading this book。I loved how this one was structured， only told through Thea’s point of view。 We really get a deep-dive into her consciousness as she tries to process everything that is going on。 She needs to figure out not only how she feels about her son but also needs to navigate this new normal， having a felon living at home with her。I also loved that this is a hint of mystery throughout the book that really kept me engaged。 Did what was reported to happen the night Belinda died really happen or did something else go on that has been covered up？ Why is Thea getting text messages from an unknown person and who is stalking her？ Are they out to hurt her and Stefan or protect them？This book is one that， while at times does drag a bit， did keep me on guard and constantly thinking。 There is so much to unpack here， making it a fantastic book club selection。 A thought-provoking and heartbreaking read that deserves to be read。You can see all my reviews at: https://www。alwayswithabook。com/ 。。。more
Robin | BookAdoration Marchadour
，
REVIEW - 3。75/5This novel offered an interesting perspective on reintegration into society and restorative justice。 Stephan who has just completed a sentence for murdering his girlfriend is being released from jail and moving back home with his parents。 The transition is far from easy。 Thea， his mother， begins receiving strange phone calls and text messages from a unknown girl。 She is being followed by a mysterious hooded man。 She has this odd foreboding that perhaps Stephan didn’t commit the cr REVIEW - 3。75/5This novel offered an interesting perspective on reintegration into society and restorative justice。 Stephan who has just completed a sentence for murdering his girlfriend is being released from jail and moving back home with his parents。 The transition is far from easy。 Thea， his mother， begins receiving strange phone calls and text messages from a unknown girl。 She is being followed by a mysterious hooded man。 She has this odd foreboding that perhaps Stephan didn’t commit the crime so she embarks on a dangerous mission to get some answers。 Is this just a mother’s natural protective instinct or or is she on to something？ Thank you @netgalley and @harpercollinsca for this ARC in exchange for an honest review。 #bookstagram #canadianbookstagram #booksofhcc #thegoodson #bookadoration #mirapublishing #mirabooks #harlequinbooks #netgalley #jacquelynmitchard 。。。more
Laura
，
I had such high hopes for this book。 Which， if you can't tell， is code for "it was kind of disappointing。" Stefan's reentry into society after being in prison for manslaughter of his girlfriend was a rich topic for a book， but that's only a part of what we have here。 At MPOW we've been discussing restorative justice and his proposed Healing Project certainly fits in with that conversation。 The problem （for me） was the his behavior and personality continued to evolve to something akin to near-sai I had such high hopes for this book。 Which， if you can't tell， is code for "it was kind of disappointing。" Stefan's reentry into society after being in prison for manslaughter of his girlfriend was a rich topic for a book， but that's only a part of what we have here。 At MPOW we've been discussing restorative justice and his proposed Healing Project certainly fits in with that conversation。 The problem （for me） was the his behavior and personality continued to evolve to something akin to near-saintly， rather than the obsession/addiction prone man-boy he is。 More could have been made of his struggle to make a place for himself as a felon or his struggle to not become obsessed with things （like his girlfriend or gardening or this project）。 More also could have been made of his parents learning to rebuild their bond with him in this "new normal" of him as a felon and recovering addict。And then there was the secondary plot， with the Big Secret of What Really Happened and mysterious phone calls occasionally interrupting the story。 It's unclear if this is supposed to be adding a frisson of thriller to the book， but it's incredibly predictable and frustrating to have it pop up every so often。 For example， the drive home through the blizzard， where a car tries to run Stefan and Thea off the road feels very thrillerish， as do the phone calls that start as Thea readjusts to having him home。 And then？ Nothing for quite some time。 Why？ The author needed to make this either fiction or the thriller， because the blend doesn't work。eARC provided by publisher via Netgalley。 。。。more
Kari
，
Imagine being married with a teenager and thinking you have it all。 Everything in life is going well， you’ve raised your son to be the best human that you could ever want…and then you get a call that your son， Stefan， has been arrested for the murder of his girlfriend and is sent to prison。 I imagine you question everything you’ve done while raising him， what mistakes you could have made or signs you may have missed that something had gone awry。 But thinking of everything you find out about that Imagine being married with a teenager and thinking you have it all。 Everything in life is going well， you’ve raised your son to be the best human that you could ever want…and then you get a call that your son， Stefan， has been arrested for the murder of his girlfriend and is sent to prison。 I imagine you question everything you’ve done while raising him， what mistakes you could have made or signs you may have missed that something had gone awry。 But thinking of everything you find out about that night， it seems unfathomable that your son was heavily into things that led him to the moment that tragically ended a life and altered the course of their family and his future forever。But it may be that Stefan， may be protecting someone else or have other secrets that he has kept throughout his whole jail term。 His parents， Thea and Jep have lived with threats， protesters and people vandalizing their house。 It only gets worse when Stefan is released and they are followed and run off the road。 Then the threatening phone calls begin to Thea， but she fears to out this piece of info; thinking it may bring about more danger。 As Stefan’s murdered gf Belinda’s mom provokes and harasses the family， there seem to be secrets that no one knew about Belinda。 It seems Belinda’s death was only the beginning。In this twisted corrupt and outright scary psychological thriller， you are so tense and watch perfect families with hidden secrets， go so wrong。 The Author is so talented at the many depths of both characters and plots and they draw you in like a vampire to blood。 It is unputdownable and a read that will have you asking yourself what would you have done in a similar situation。 Get ready to sweat and have your pulse racing because this book catapults you into the fear zone。 。。。more
Pattie
，
Great story！
M。 K。 French
，
Thea's son Stefan was imprisoned for three years after killing his girlfriend Belinda。 Belinda's mother and formerly Thea's friend galvanizes the neighborhood to protest him in her daughter's memory。 Stefan is wracked with guilt and the trauma of prison， making him hard for Thea to understand。 His attempts to make amends are met with increasing resistance。 Was there more to the night Belinda died？From the start， Thea was getting calls and texts from someone claiming to know what really happened Thea's son Stefan was imprisoned for three years after killing his girlfriend Belinda。 Belinda's mother and formerly Thea's friend galvanizes the neighborhood to protest him in her daughter's memory。 Stefan is wracked with guilt and the trauma of prison， making him hard for Thea to understand。 His attempts to make amends are met with increasing resistance。 Was there more to the night Belinda died？From the start， Thea was getting calls and texts from someone claiming to know what really happened the night Belinda died， and that Stefan should stay silent。 People are only too willing to beat him and nearly kill him from the moment he was released; his parents and extended family are also in the crossfire and try to keep his spirits up when he talks about how thoughts of suicide are always present。 Building a future takes time and effort， but slowly Stefan finds a way to earn forgiveness in his own mind。I'm not sure how I feel about Thea， to be honest。 In the beginning， I couldn't connect with her， though that could be the sensitivity of the subject and the complex emotions of the situation。 It isn't because she's an unlikable person or because she makes choices I wouldn't; I don't think I would react differently from the way she did。 She's an ordinary person in an extraordinary position， stalked and menaced， with little to no support once her son was released from prison。 Once she takes a more proactive position， she comes across as much stronger。 The ending was a surprise yet not at the same time; it made perfect sense in a twisted kind of way and explained the bursts of tension and erratic behavior sprinkled throughout the novel。 The emotions here are deep and nuanced so that this book no doubt will be the subject of many book clubs。 。。。more
Susan Ballard
，
A deep， moving look into shattered lives trying to pick up the pieces， but what if some of the pieces are missing？ On a cold wintry day in Wisconsin， Thea picks up her son Stefan as he is released from prison。 Stefan was accused of killing his girlfriend， Belinda， at just seventeen。 Stefan， at the time， was in a drug-infused stupor and did not recall anything， but he said he must have done it。 So he spent three years in prison。 Protestors and the media have been descending upon their home， and T A deep， moving look into shattered lives trying to pick up the pieces， but what if some of the pieces are missing？ On a cold wintry day in Wisconsin， Thea picks up her son Stefan as he is released from prison。 Stefan was accused of killing his girlfriend， Belinda， at just seventeen。 Stefan， at the time， was in a drug-infused stupor and did not recall anything， but he said he must have done it。 So he spent three years in prison。 Protestors and the media have been descending upon their home， and Thea has been receiving threats， but one recurring phone call has her especially on edge。 A female caller keeps asking if Stefan remembers anything yet， and if he does， he shouldn’t say anything。 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐒𝐨𝐧 is not just a poignant look into how people try to restore their broken lives; it also makes you ponder some tough moral questions。Although Stefan’s reintegration into society is tough， should we have sympathy with a convicted murderer？ Belinda’s mother， Jill， has started a campaign against violence。 But， her group sends protesters to the family home， even resorting to vandalism， all towards Stefan’s family; is this the way to stop violence with harassment and anger？There is still a mystery to be solved here， and yes， it is drawn out as Stefan and his family look for redemption and healing， but the ending is so worth it。 It shines a glaring spotlight on the many horrible one-time acts of violence that occur due to rage， jealousy， or drugs。 It is very thought-provoking and heartbreaking。Thank you to @MIRA_books for a spot on tour and a gifted digital copy。 。。。more
Sheri
，
When I first saw the cover it did not capture my attention as it is not my normal type of book。 Once I read the back over I wanted to give it a try。 The book is told by Thea and it focuses on after Stefan is released from prison。 I imagine it would be difficult as a convicted felon to return to life。 Stefan wants to make a positive impact and Thea is determined to help him。 I enjoyed the book and how it dig into different issues。 This book taught me once again to not judge a book by its cover。
Robin Loves Reading
，
Stefan's future completely fell off track when he was sent to prison for the murder of his girlfriend， Belinda。 Stefan was high on more than one drug and cannot even remember her devastating death。 He has now been released， and at the age of 20， must decide on how to start over again。 As if he doesn't have enough on his plate， especially since his heart breaks everyday for Belinda， he is never allowed to forget his crime。His mother is his truest champion， his father a close second。 But， things a Stefan's future completely fell off track when he was sent to prison for the murder of his girlfriend， Belinda。 Stefan was high on more than one drug and cannot even remember her devastating death。 He has now been released， and at the age of 20， must decide on how to start over again。 As if he doesn't have enough on his plate， especially since his heart breaks everyday for Belinda， he is never allowed to forget his crime。His mother is his truest champion， his father a close second。 But， things are definitely strained between the three of them。 Then， everyone in town won't let him forget， not even for a moment。 Will Thea， Stefan's mother， be able to wash away the past by the love she has for him？ Will it be enough？Meanwhile， Thea begins to receive strange calls and notes。 Someone has something meant to be kept secret。 Will this secret further impact Stefan。 In fact， what happened on the night Belinda died？ From the very beginning， it was impossible not to feel for both Thea and Stefan。 As a mother， just trying to place myself in her shoes was heartbreaking。 For Stefan， it was clear to see that he was a remarkable young man who got caught up in a haze of drugs at the time when Belinda died。 His actions after his release prove his character， even if no one seems to be able to forget what happened。With a lot of drama， a lot of emotion， Stefan and Thea's journey was played out in this book。 It was more than clear that Stefan wanted to do right even if his challenges seemed insurmountable。 Then for Thea， she was forced to learn that a mother's love was not as powerful as she would have imagined it to be。 Considering also the intrigue with the happenings involving secrets increased the drama and tension in this riveting story。 Lastly， as things came to a close shocking twists were truly stunning。Many thanks to MIRA and to NetGalley for this ARC for review。 This is my honest opinion。 。。。more
Marianne
，
The Good Son is the fourteenth stand-alone novel by best-selling American author， Jacquelyn Mitchard。 On a charge of Involuntary Manslaughter， Stefan Christiansen has served almost three years for beating to death his girlfriend， Belinda McCormack， an act of which he， under the influence of a cocktail of drugs， has no memory。 If his mother， Thea Demetriou is under the impression that the worst is now over， she is seriously mistaken。Belinda’s heartbroken mother， Jill， once a friend of Thea’s， now The Good Son is the fourteenth stand-alone novel by best-selling American author， Jacquelyn Mitchard。 On a charge of Involuntary Manslaughter， Stefan Christiansen has served almost three years for beating to death his girlfriend， Belinda McCormack， an act of which he， under the influence of a cocktail of drugs， has no memory。 If his mother， Thea Demetriou is under the impression that the worst is now over， she is seriously mistaken。Belinda’s heartbroken mother， Jill， once a friend of Thea’s， now heads SAY， Stop Abuse Young， a campaign that targets dating violence amongst teens。 Members come from all walks of life， but especially young women of high school and college age; they maintain a picket in front of Thea’s home， and their harassment of the Stefan’s family has been， and continues to be， relentless。 All along， Stefan has denied any violence to Belinda， but accepts he must have killed her， is filled with remorse and sorely misses her。 But even as Stefan， still suffering his own grief， tries to ease himself back into life outside， they are subject to vandalism and theft， Stefan is assaulted at work， a hooded figure in aviator sunglasses occasionally stalks them， Thea’s phone sporadically receives text messages that threaten and warn， and tearful calls expressing guilt and fear。 Intelligent， but obsessed with Belinda at seventeen， Stefan’s time in prison has made him insightful and surprisingly mature: the project he starts up to show his contrition is born of the observation that victims are given the opportunity to forgive， but offenders have no established avenue to express their remorse in a meaningful way。 Mitchard deftly demonstrates the far-reaching effects of a single violent act， even after justice is said to have been served。 Offenders and their families may endure harassment， anger， and vigilantism。 The stigma of their situation results in a reluctance to seek justice for trespass。 The repercussions on family members’ careers， the loss of all but the most genuine friends （whose loyal advocacy is essential for acceptance）， the careful consideration of the effect of public and media appearances， and the dilemma of dating （do I really want to date someone who wants to date a person with my reputation？） are all aspects that are unlikely to have been hitherto thought about。Mitchard gives her characters wise words and insightful observations: Stefan’s father， Jep tells Thea “You know， whatever doubts we have， we’re the counterweight。 Against what anyone else says。 We have to be the one thing he can count on” and Thea tells a TV journalist “A person has to be seen as more than the worst thing he has ever done。”From the first intriguing sentence to the very last line， this is a novel that keeps readers totally captivated considering the aftermath of violent crime from a perspective not previously contemplated。 Part human drama， part crime thriller， Jacquelyn Mitchard’s latest is a powerful and thought-provoking read。This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley， Better Reading Preview and Harlequin Australia。 。。。more
Kerrie
，
This book was easy to read and captures your attention from the very start。 It is an emotional journey that as a parent is confronting in parts。 This book questions your feelings and beliefs as to how you would handle circumstances not only involving your child but of those loved ones around us。 The momentum of the story does stall in the middle section to diverge， which seems frustrating at first。 However open mindedness allows you to think about the secondary people affected by the event。 The This book was easy to read and captures your attention from the very start。 It is an emotional journey that as a parent is confronting in parts。 This book questions your feelings and beliefs as to how you would handle circumstances not only involving your child but of those loved ones around us。 The momentum of the story does stall in the middle section to diverge， which seems frustrating at first。 However open mindedness allows you to think about the secondary people affected by the event。 The ending does not follow traditional story lines but again challenges one’s beliefs。 A great book to teach compassion and forgiveness。 。。。more
Annette
，
For the most part I enjoyed this book。 There were parts that I thought were too drawn out and overly boring。 I’m surprised that Stefan’s father seemed so disinterested in what was going on around him。 I was a little surprised by the ending but in hind site I shouldn’t have been。Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy
kayley
，