‘Brilliant … I couldn’t stop reading’Jo Spain
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, if unfulfilling, job.
But appearances can be deceptive. Lately, his wife seems to be forgetting that her art is for his eyes only. And rumours at work are threatening his reputation as a devoted family man. And he can’t help but feel that 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 on him.
So afraid of losing control over his family that he is contemplating the unthinkable.
A Good Father is a dark and gripping psychological suspense novel that will take you into the twisted mind of a man on the edge.
‘Exceptional … Deeply chilling’ Jane Casey
Dark, Twisted & Utterly Compelling!
I can honestly say that this book is like nothing I’ve ever read before.
Des is, in his own words, a good father. He also considers himself to be a good husband and an all round good man. However, life doesn’t seem to be working out as he envisioned it, and he is thinking of doing the unthinkable. No-one seems to appreciate the sacrifices he makes to have the perfect family – so why can’t they be just that?
Told in the first person, this is the story of Des’s adult life now and from the time he met his wife. It is an absolutely honest, bare bones account of everything that happens and how it affects Des’s thoughts and actions. This is a dark, sombre read and not one to be tackled if you’re on a downer, trust me, but it’s strangely compelling and I just had to find out what happened. Did I like Des? Not particularly – but his self-belief that he is always right in everything he says and does is gob-smacking. A riveting read and one which I’m not sure I can (yet) say that I loved, but rather one that I HAD to read, if that makes sense? If you begin this novel, be prepared to stick with it until the very end – I can’t imagine not following through! An utterly compelling read, and very different from others by this author and earning four stars from me.
My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is – as always – my honest, original and unbiased review.
Tags: women’s psychological fiction
- Format: ebook, paperback
- Size: 275 pages
- Publisher: Penguin
- Publication Date: 25 February 2021
- Book Details:
- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51023699
- https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Catherine_Talbot_A_Good_Father?id=R6yoDwAAQBAJ
- https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-good-father-catherine-talbot/1132936217
- https://www.foyles.co.uk/witem/fiction-poetry/a-good-father,catherine-talbot-9781844884841
- https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/a-good-father
- https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/a-good-father/catherine-talbot/paperback/9781844884841.html
- https://www.waterstones.com/book/a-good-father/catherine-talbot/9781844884841
- https://wordery.com/a-good-father-catherine-talbot-9781844884841
- https://www.amazon.co.uk/Good-Father-Catherine-Talbot-ebook/dp/B07WCQ6H9G
Author Details
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.
- Twitter: @caittalbot
Grace J Reviewerlady 