What if mother doesn’t know best…?
In a close-knit English village, Chrissy and Alice were once best friends. So were their sons, Leo and Robbie. Until the night Leo killed Robbie with a single, devastating punch. Now Leo has gone to prison, Chrissy has lost her pub, and Alice has been pouring her anger into a twisted project . . .
As Leo’s parole date approaches, the villagers are incensed and fearful about the prospect of his return. But when Chrissy arrives to collect Leo from prison, he isn’t there. The staff tell her he has already been released, but nobody knows where he’s gone.
As the village closes ranks, Chrissy realizes her former friends are suspects in her son’s disappearance, not the least of which is still-bitter Alice. Is Leo being punished for what happened that terrible night? Or do the answers lie further back, in a dark past none of them wants to revisit?
My Darling Boy is an emotionally heartbreaking psychological thriller with elements of crime and domestic drama. The story follows former best friends Alice and Chrissy in a tiny Derbyshire village. Chrissy’s son, Leo, murdered Alice’s son, Robbie, in a bar fight two years ago and is now being released from prison. Meanwhile, Chrissy has been receiving threatening notes saying she and her son are no longer welcome in the village and must leave. When Chrissy arrives to pick Leo up on his release date, she learns he was released hours earlier and is missing. Soon the police and all the townspeople are aware of Leo’s disappearance, and an unraveling of secrets and lies begins.
The book has a slow-burn start, and the first half of the book introduces the key characters and their backstories and gives hints of a web of complex interconnected relationships. Unfortunately, the direction of the story is quite vague until the halfway point, which may cause some frustration or impatience. Fortunately, the story does come together in the second half with a quicker pace and a number of twists, making for a much more worthwhile read.
The story is told from several different perspectives, including Chrissy, Alice, and some side characters whose relevance to the story becomes pronounced later on. The narrative also toggles back and forth between the present and past timelines, which may be difficult to follow if you’re not paying close attention. The author also includes several cliffhanger chapters followed by timeline shifts that help keep readers engaged. Because of the constant shifting of perspectives and timelines, there isn’t enough room for much character development, save for Chrissy and Alice, who readers spend most time with. Many of the flashback scenes between Chrissy and Alice depict a very different relationship from their current estrangement, reminiscent of a trusting sisterly bond. In the second half, there’s some confrontational dialogue between the women that is authentic and heartbreaking and allows readers to empathize with both women. As for their sons, Leo and Robbie, very few details of their fatal fight are provided until the very end, so readers will have to be patient to understand the real dynamics behind the women’s grief, blame, and anger.
The story has several jaw-dropping twists in the second half that help connect the dots between seemingly unrelated characters—so be patient. If readers are able to suspend their disbelief at the “convenient” timing of events and the “six degrees of separation” between the characters, the story becomes much more enjoyable. The final twist is quite predictable but also makes way for a thought-provoking conclusion that readers can analyze from both an ethical and family dynamics perspective.
Overall, this is a tension-filled thriller with elements of secrets, betrayals, and family drama. The book also explores meaningful themes of grief, loss, motherhood, tested friendships, and forgiveness, making for a multilayered and emotionally compelling story. Narrator Imogen Church delivers a spectacularly dramatic performance featuring an impressive range of emotion and distinct character voices that brings the story so vividly to life. For this reason, the audiobook is the highly recommended format for enjoying this book. If you enjoy stories with family dynamics, small-town secrets, and multiple perspectives/timelines, then you should give this book high consideration!
