It starts with a New Year’s Eve party that ends in tragedy where it seems there is more than one person in the small village of Crowley with a secret to hide A well written thriller full of secrets and lies. The plot unfolded well and it kept me entertained throughout. I would rate this book 3.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton and the author for the chance to review.

It's the stuff of parents' nightmares - what should have been a chance to enjoy a party with her best friend and their sons turns into one mother left bereft and another full of questions as to what happened, and why her son is involved. Cue an amateur investigation and an investigator who doesn't want anyone to find out secrets closer to home.

Leo and Robbie are best friends and so are their mothers until one tragic night, Leo is sent to prison and his mother is left to cope in the village where she quickly becomes an outcast.

We follow the mothers through their journey of grief and discover lots of secrets along the way

A great read

4 stars

ok it took me a while too get into this bit i actually enjoyed it. It actually makes you think of the consequences from keeping secrets, lots of things come out that make you go oh ok.... i think the ending could have maybe been a bit better but it did fit with the pace and speed of the book.

My Darling Boy was told through various lenses.
Leo, his mum, Leo’s mum’s friend and all of them tied up really well. Georgie as a character was wholly unhinged and unlikable. Huge thanks to the publisher and author for allowing me to read this before publication. I just reviewed My Darling Boy by Helen Cooper. #MyDarlingBoy #NetGalley

Dnf was enjoying the tension then took a break and lost the flow found myself irritated by the pub scenes and the characters. If you're going to read do it in one sitting the tensions there it just seems to have evaded me for now.

A big thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for the invitation to read My darling boy by Helen Cooper. This is the third book I have read by this author and I have enjoyed them all. This was no exception.

The premise was very interesting with lots of twists and turns in this psychological thriller which kept the pace up with character development and suspense along the way. A good read and a real page turner.

My first read by this author and I found it a good read and well written.
It will make a good holiday read,easy to read yet holds your attention throughout,with plenty of twists and turns.
Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the ARC

Second book I’ve read by Cooper and it didn’t disappoint. Chrissy and Alice were best friends until a new year’s Eve party blows their world apart leaving one of their sons dead.

But what really happened?. What is really true?. Who is the bad guy?

Twists and turns a plenty.

A gripping read for your sunlounger this summer.

I really enjoyed this fantastic thriller. It held my interest throughout it was fast paced thriller with well developed characters. First book I have read from this author and it certainly won’t be my last. I loved the writing style and how the story just flowed throughout. Can’t wait to recommend this excellent thriller. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy.

This was a brilliant read that had me gripped all the way through and, having now read four of her books, Helen Cooper has become one of my favourite authors.

Chrissy and Alice are best friends, as are their respective sons, Leo and Robbie. Chrissy, a few years widowed, owns the village pub and everyone’s there for the New Year’s Eve 2021 celebrations. The two women are down in the cellar having an argument when there are several huge crashes from above them, and then voices frantically calling them back upstairs. Leo and Robbie were also arguing, there was pushing and shoving, and now Robbie is lying dead on the floor.

Fast forward to two years later, when Leo is released from prison. Chrissy waits outside the prison for him for ages and then discovers that he’s already left. Villagers are very hostile towards both Chrissy and Leo, and now Leo has disappeared. Then all the secrets and lies start to come out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

Interesting book with enough material to keep one engaged. Some questions were left unanswered and some [arts were predictable but it was a good read and would recommend it as a quick summer read.

This is my first book by this author and will not be my last read.

I was totally engrossed from the first page to the last page

Thank you for the opportunity to review

A new author for me, a fast paced thriller which was well written with good characters and I did get involved in the storyline.

For me, personally, it wasn't an 'edge of seater' but a good enjoyable read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this ARC.

This was a fast paced thriller and well written.

I enjoyed the dual timelines, as well as the different POVs. I didn’t see the twist coming and I was surprised.

The whole story revolves around a mother’s love and a terrible crime that has been committed.

I would recommend this.

When a New Year's Eve party results in the death of one young man, Robbie, as the result of an unexpected argument, the fallout reverberates through the entire community.

It results in a custodial sentence for other young man, Leo, who is devastated by what has happened, signals the end of a close friendship between their two mothers, and initiates hostility from some within the locality at the prospect of the offender's release.

And if all that weren't bad enough, Leo's mother - who is already facing isolation thanks to her son's actions - finds out when she goes up to pick him up when he's released from prison that he has actually left the place and disappeared. What on earth is going on...?

This is a well written related thriller which demonstrates that everyone has secrets, sometimes ones you least expect, and in a small community that can have major consequences. Key themes include maternal love, family secrets and judgemental societal attitudes. It gets 3.5 stars.

NYE party at pub - someone dies. Someone goes to prison. Was it a punch or a push? Fast forward a few years and the culprit is released from prison. His mum goes to pick up but he’s already walked out a free man and now he’s vanished. Secrets and lies &a friendship fractured and blown apart.

Perfect read for those who enjoy fiction about:
- Village life
- Crime
- A mothers love
- A missing person
- Dual timelines

With thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for an ARC copy in return for an honest review.

This was a highly emotive and highly engaging novel about family secrets and trust. When one boy is dead his friend is put in an awful position. Lots of twists and turns. Really enjoyed it.

This book definitely puts you in a predicament of not only with who to trust but the fact it is your son that you're questioning. I got into this book really quickly as i just had to know the truth.

As a teenage boy's mother, I found ‘My Darling Boy’ to be highly realistic and relatable. The story revolves around two mothers, and I empathised with them both. I enjoyed how the author portrayed both women's anguish, making them equally likeable.

The plot was fast-paced, and I was engrossed from the first page. I couldn't put the book down and finished it within two days. The storyline flowed well, and I thought the different points of view of the women added depth to the story.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good thriller. It perfectly balanced suspense, drama, and plot twists, keeping me hooked until the end. I can’t wait to read more from this author!