The Perfect Son is a psychological thriller novel written by Lauren North. The story revolves around the life of Tess Clarke, a mother who is struggling to cope with the disappearance of her son, Jamie. As she tries to come to terms with her loss, she becomes convinced that her son is still alive and sets out on a desperate search to find him.

The book begins with Tess attending a therapy session where she reveals her feelings of guilt and grief over Jamie’s disappearance. She blames herself for not being able to protect him and believes that he may have been taken by someone close to them. Despite the lack of evidence or leads, Tess refuses to give up hope and continues to investigate on her own.

As the story progresses, it becomes clear that Tess’s mental state is deteriorating. She starts experiencing hallucinations and becomes increasingly paranoid. She begins to suspect everyone around her, including her husband, Mark, and her best friend, Shelley. Tess’s obsession with finding Jamie consumes her life, causing strain in her relationships and pushing her further into isolation.

Throughout the novel, the author explores themes of loss, grief, and the lengths a mother would go to protect her child. The narrative alternates between Tess’s perspective and diary entries written by Jamie before his disappearance. These entries provide insight into Jamie’s troubled mind and hint at secrets he may have been keeping.

As Tess delves deeper into her investigation, she uncovers shocking revelations about Jamie’s life before he went missing. She discovers that he was involved in a dangerous online game called “The Perfect Son,” where players are manipulated into committing acts of violence. This revelation adds another layer of complexity to the story as Tess tries to understand what happened to her son.

As the climax approaches, Tess’s mental state reaches its breaking point. She becomes increasingly desperate and takes drastic measures to find Jamie. In a shocking twist, the truth about Jamie’s disappearance is finally revealed, leading to a heart-wrenching conclusion.

The Perfect Son is a gripping and suspenseful novel that explores the depths of a mother’s love and the lengths she would go to protect her child. It delves into themes of loss, grief, and the blurred lines between reality and perception. Lauren North’s writing keeps readers on the edge of their seats, with unexpected twists and turns that will leave them guessing until the very end.

• The Perfect Son

• By: Lauren North
• Narrated by: Katharine Lee McEwan; Jayne Entwistle; John Lee; Steve West

When Tess Clarke woke up in the hospital the day after her son Jamie’s eighth birthday, she was certain of the following: She was stabbed, her son was missing, her brother-in-law and grief counselor were involved. But no one listens to her.

After her husband, Mark, died suddenly in a terrible accident a few months earlier, the only thing keeping Tess together was Jamie. As they struggle to understand their new life without Mark, they find joy in the brief ordinary moments like walking to school and watching television together. Life is hard without Mark, but Tess has Jamie, and that’s what matters.

But there, in the hospital, confused and surrounded by people who wouldn’t listen, Tess’s world fell apart. To save her son, she must piece together what happened between Mark’s death and Jamie’s birthday, but the truth may be too much for her to bear.

I noticed other reviewers said the main character was “nasty”. It’s reality, she’s a nervous and grieving person plus her mind is a mess, I hope she is. Oh my God! It was a very good debut, through the dark and creepy even when it was “morning”, it was still dark. You just know that something is really bad and you don’t get a picture of reality but her reality instead. Encourage.

I love this book. This poor woman is going through a horrible time and you are not sure what is real and what is not. And just when I thought she should calm down and move on with life, I discovered that she could do it. Almost makes me want to re-read everything to uncover clues I missed. Very thought provoking!

The tragedy and pain Tess went through was unimaginable. Not only did you lose your significant other, but yourself in the process. Confided to the husband who was trying too hard to live for the children and overcome. Finding solace in a new friendship seems to be the truth. Discovering secrets, fearing for her life, trying to figure out who to trust; if she can even trust herself.

Reading up to a certain part of the book, I suddenly realized what was really going on. And it punched me in the gut and twisted me inside. All the parts start to make sense and it’s absolutely devastating. The writing and telling of stories captivated me and I couldn’t put it down.

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