My Darling Boy

Praise

“Mothers and sons are mired in a quicksand of deception in this tale of psychological suspense. . . . The title of Cooper’s fourth novel appears to give a nod to happy families ensconced in idyllic relationships, but it quickly becomes apparent that it’s just another of the book’s intriguing misdirections. Cooper builds the scaffolding of this secret-packed novel on a harrowing event in which either ‘a push or a punch’ during a scuffle in a pub leaves a young man dead and another sent to prison. . . . Into this already compelling storyline, Cooper drops other plot-driving grenades. . . . In a vertigo-inducing denouement of Hitchcockian proportions, ‘a push or a punch’ seems to come full circle. Cooper, with her keen understanding of family dynamics, pushes her characters and her readers to wonder how far they would go to protect themselves and their children. This pitch-perfect story about families and secrets starts with a punch and ends with a bang.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Cooper offers a sinister story set in a close-knit English village, involving broken friendships and murder.” —Library Journal

“I was gripped by this beautifully, written, intricately plotted, tangle of secrets and lies. Bravo, Helen Cooper.” —Louise Jensen, author of The Sister

“Another masterfully constructed novel from the queen of psychological thrillers, Helen Cooper. My Darling Boy takes a cast of gloriously complex characters and throws them into a nightmare scenario to create a story that will keep you turning the pages until the very end.” —Sarah Bonner, author of Her Perfect Twin

“Helen Cooper is a masterful plotter. In My Darling Boy, she crafts an intricate thriller that explores grief, blame and outsidership in a small village community. Taut, twisty and utterly compulsive, it takes secrets, lies and age-old betrayals and spins a gripping mystery.” —Kia Abdullah, author of Perfectly Nice Neighbors