The Good Son: a novel

The Good Son is the fourteenth stand-alone novel by best-selling American author, Jacquelyn Mitchard. On a charge of Involuntary Manslaughter, Stefan Christiansen has served almost three years for beating to death his girlfriend, Belinda McCormack, an act of which he, under the influence of a cocktail of drugs, has no memory. If his mother, Thea Demetriou is under the impression that the worst is now over, she is seriously mistaken.

Belinda's heartbroken mother, Jill, once a friend of Thea's, now heads SAY, Stop Abuse Young, a campaign that targets dating violence amongst teens. Members come from all walks of life, but especially young women of high school and college age; they maintain a picket in front of Thea's home, and their harassment of the Stefan's family has been, and continues to be, relentless.

All along, Stefan has denied any violence to Belinda, but accepts he must have killed her, is filled with remorse and sorely misses her. But even as Stefan, still suffering his own grief, tries to ease himself back into life outside, they are subject to vandalism and theft, Stefan is assaulted at work, a hooded figure in aviator sunglasses occasionally stalks them, Thea's phone sporadically receives text messages that threaten and warn, and tearful calls expressing guilt and fear.

Intelligent, but obsessed with Belinda at seventeen, Stefan's time in prison has made him insightful and surprisingly mature: the project he starts up to show his contrition is born of the observation that victims are given the opportunity to forgive, but offenders have no established avenue to express their remorse in a meaningful way.

Mitchard deftly demonstrates the far-reaching effects of a single violent act, even after justice is said to have been served. Offenders and their families may endure harassment, anger, and vigilantism. The stigma of their situation results in a reluctance to seek justice for trespass.

The repercussions on family members' careers, the loss of all but the most genuine friends (whose loyal advocacy is essential for acceptance), the careful consideration of the effect of public and media appearances, and the dilemma of dating (do I really want to date someone who wants to date a person with my reputation?) are all aspects that are unlikely to have been hitherto thought about.

Mitchard gives her characters wise words and insightful observations: Stefan's father, Jep tells Thea "You know, whatever doubts we have, we're the counterweight. Against what anyone else says. We have to be the one thing he can count on" and Thea tells a TV journalist "A person has to be seen as more than the worst thing he has ever done."

From the first intriguing sentence to the very last line, this is a novel that keeps readers totally captivated considering the aftermath of violent crime from a perspective not previously contemplated. Part human drama, part crime thriller, Jacquelyn Mitchard's latest is a powerful and thought-provoking read.

This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley, Better Reading Preview and Harlequin Australia.