I really enjoyed this book, and will read more by the author in future. Book was very well written, and I kept on turning and turning the pages. Recommended
TB

When Alex’s 15 year old son Milo, begins to go of the rails, she is quick to blame her father'sabusive genes as she has tried her hardest to instil good behaviour and habits in him. When she discovers that the child , Samuel, who she gave up for adoption has been accused of murder she is even more convinced that it is nature rather than nurture, which determines how someone may turn out.

She decides to get to know Samuel, in the hope that understanding him, will help her to understand Milo and hopefully turn him around.

It doesn’t take long for her to wonder if she has made a big mistake welcoming this stranger into her life. Who can she trust, will she lose everything and everyone she loves as she uncovers the truth?

This was an easy if not slightly predictable read. It started strong but ended with more of a whimper than a bang unfortunately

No Son of Mine was a really interesting read. It was packed full of twists and turns and had characters I was invested in so actually cared what happened to them.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my ARC.

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

In No Son of Mine, CL Swatman crafts a compelling tale of family, guilt, and the haunting question: is evil born, or does it evolve over time? Set against the backdrop of the UK, this gripping psychological drama pulls readers into the life of Alex, a mother struggling to navigate the chaos in her family.

The story begins with Alex’s teenage son, Milo, teetering on the edge of suspension from school. Despite her best efforts to reach him, Alex feels her influence slipping away. Her worry intensifies when she stumbles across an online article about Samuel, a young man on trial for the murder of his adoptive father. The twist? Samuel is the son Alex gave up for adoption as a teenage mother.

What follows is a riveting exploration of Alex’s guilt and her quest for answers. Feeling like the common denominator in her family’s struggles, Alex reaches out to Samuel. Their reunion is tense but layered with a deep need for connection. Alex’s unwavering belief in Samuel’s innocence leads her to support him during the trial, and when he is acquitted, she invites him into her home.

Just as readers begin to hope for redemption and healing, Alex discovers the murder weapon in her own shed. This shocking revelation turns the narrative on its head. Could Samuel be the killer despite his acquittal? Or is someone even closer to Alex responsible for the crime? Milo’s troubling behavior adds another layer of complexity—could he be involved, or is he hiding a dark secret to protect someone else?

The book forces readers to confront uncomfortable questions about nature versus nurture, familial bonds, and the weight of generational trauma.

If you’re looking for a thriller that will keep you on edge and leave you pondering long after the last page, No Son of Mine delivers in spades.

Unfortunately after multiple attempts I have not been able to connect with this book and had to admit defeat and mark as dnf.

This is a gripping and challenging read that will captivate fans of family dynamics, psychological suspense, and the complex interplay between nature and nurture, making it a perfect fit for readers who enjoy twisty, addictive, and emotionally charged stories.

I received an E-ARC with a request for my honest review.

This gripping psychological thriller follows Alex Harding who is worried about her son, as he seems to be going off the rails and is concerned for his future.

Suddenly, she spots a newspaper article about a family murder, and she realises she recognises his face as the son she gave up for adoption when she was very young.

Alex is determined to work out if her children have ‘bad’ genes, so gets closer to her estranged son. However soon she isn’t sure this was a good idea and is unsure who she can trust.

Will Alex discover what is behind her son’s change in behaviour? Who can she trust?

This psychological thriller is gripping throughout as along with Alex you try to discover the truth.

Along with Alex it is hard to know who she can trust as you read, which adds to the suspense in the storyline.

Alex is a strong female character who wants the best for her family and will do anything to make sure they are safe.

Overall, a gripping psychological thriller where a mother tries to discover the truth.

This was an interesting storyline with secrets and lies aplenty not sure how I feel about the ending though to be honest

When her fifteen-year-old son Milo goes off the rails, Alex Harding is terrified she’s passed on her abusive father’s ‘bad’ genes. When she then makes the shocking discovery that her estranged son, Samuel, who she gave up for adoption as a baby, has been accused of murder, she becomes even more convinced nature not nurture is the cause.

The only way Alex sees to help Milo, is to get to know Samuel and understand the crime that he has been accused of. But it isn’t long before Alex starts to wonder if she has made the biggest mistake of her life by inviting this man she barely knows into her family.

As Alex becomes increasingly obsessed with Samuel, it gets harder to know who she can trust and who is lying to her. But if she can’t uncover the truth, she risks losing everything and everyone she loves…

Loved all the twists and turns that this story takes. Will recommend to others.

So incredibly fast paced that it has left me breathless. Edgy, family dynamics and a plot filled with so many twists that knocked me about.

This book is one that I would definitely recommend to anyone in a reading slump. For me it was a quick read and I managed to read it in one sitting, the storyline was engaging.

Oh wow! A book I devoured in one sitting. Alex has a son Milo, who lives with her and her husband. Milo has been acting up at school with his friend Archie who is the son of Alex’s business partner and close friend. One day Alex sees a picture of a man, Samuel, who is being tried for murder and knows it is her son she gave away many years ago. Something draws her and she has to find out more about Samuel even if only to find out if she is passing on bad genes to her offspring. Through getting to know one she hopes to help the other, but things are never as straightforward as that and could even be dangerous. Can Alex sort out her life and her sons without alienating or putting anyone in danger?

OMG. This is stunningly written and I couldn't help but devour this. It's very cleverly written with Clare’s talent for characters and now in this new genre, stunning plot twists. I liked and felt for Alex who was doing her best whilst putting herself in a tenuous position, possibly naively but well meaning. One thing leads to another which keeps the pages turning and I somehow wanted Samuel not to be the perpetrator the media had portrayed him as and him to be the good son Alex longed for without perhaps knowing. A brilliant, captivating stunning read. Wow, just wow! 5 big ones *

I found this one just ok. It wasn't anything new, nothing was really standing out about it. I get the whole Mother guilt thing but this one was a bit predictable with no great surprises.

Alex is having problems with her teenage son misbehaving and is worried that it is due to his genes. When she sees the news of a son murdering his father her blood runs cold. Is this someone she knows?

I liked the premise of this one and the nature vs nurture debate. The story kept me guessing and I wasn’t sure how it would all play out. I found it started strongly and the characters were interesting, however as the story progressed I found myself less invested and unable to connect fully, as the story felt long and a bit repetitive. Saying that, this is definitely a quick, easy read with twists, turns and an interesting storyline. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

Interested in a thrilling adventure? Check out No Son of Mine was a captivating book that will leave you wanting more!

This book was awesome
It was about a woman called Alex and her son about Milo
It was a book about something that was different and was a wonderful sense of wasted
I loved it
I had an ARC

Alex is very concerned when her fifteen year old son, Milo continuously gets into trouble at school. Her husband, Patrick, tries to convince her that the troublemaking and violence is not something passed down from her violent father.
Alex has not told Patrick that she has another son, Samuel, who she gave up for adoption. Samuel is arrested for the murder of his adoptive father, who was a bully.
Is bad blood inherited? Alex does all she can to find out.

An absorbing novel - truly unputdownable. There are secrets and many many lies in this family.
I thought I had the twist figured out, but was wrong.
Very tense in parts, and I read it in one sitting.

I recommend. 4/5 stars.

The story flowed well and the characters were well developed. I recommend this book and look forward to more from this author.


****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review****

I really enjoyed the book. I’m fairly new to Net Galley so I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect as far as ARC books go but this one was a good read. It kept my interest and was good until the end.