Review: This sequel is even better than Hope Road
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 16, 2013
Sequels are often like the second child in a family - you love them, but they just aren't as special as that first one because you already know what babies are like. Well, in Father and Son, John Barlow has broken that mold and thrown it away.I loved this book so much I just bought the Kindle version... even though I'd already read the free review copy!So what made it so special?Father and Son is special because it takes a flawed, but extremely charismatic, likable character - John Ray - and uses the murder mystery of the plot to show why he is so flawed. And it's all down to family. Love them or hate them, they shape us, and a big part of truly growing up involves shedding the illusions we had as kids.John Ray is an adult in his forties, and yet he's made a mess of his life. In Father and Son, he finally begins to 'come of age' by facing up to his past, and his family.But Father and Son is not just a psychological novel, it also happens to be a fast paced, gritty murder mystery that will keep you reading long into the night. Trust me, I did not finish reading until 4am but I don't regret the misery of the next day!And for those who care about such things, the quality of the writing was excellent. No second child syndrome here. :)