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A review by ashleysumm
The Boyfriend by Kerry Wilkinson
3.0
Was it all her fault that her boyfriend disappeared?
Jodie is devastated by the loss of her father. He leaves everything to her, which hurts her brother and enrages her brother's wife. She hopes to clear out her childhood home as quickly as possible, so she can sell it and move on. Between her sister-in-law's threats of a lawsuit and her moody teenage son, she has enough on her plate as it is. While cleaning out the attic, an icy finger of dread runs up Jodie's spine as she uncovers a horrible secret. Packed away in a box is the shirt that her high school boyfriend was wearing on the night he disappeared, two decades ago. Why would her father have Ben's shirt? Her father was the gentlest and most caring man she had ever known, but could that have been an act? As Jodie begins to uncover more secrets about the people closest to her, and strange events begin to follow her, who can she turn to? Could Jodie and her son be in danger?
This novel started out strong, and I was excited to keep reading and find out more. Many of the side characters were interesting and I would read more about them if given the chance. As the story progressed, I found it was going around in circles. This story was very repetitive at times and I guessed the twist long before the end of the novel. The end of the story felt rushed and seemed completely out of place with the rest of the book. I enjoyed parts of this novel but I would consider it more dramatic fiction than a psychological thriller. I look forward to giving Kerry Wilkinson's writing another try as I have enjoyed his work in the past.
Jodie is devastated by the loss of her father. He leaves everything to her, which hurts her brother and enrages her brother's wife. She hopes to clear out her childhood home as quickly as possible, so she can sell it and move on. Between her sister-in-law's threats of a lawsuit and her moody teenage son, she has enough on her plate as it is. While cleaning out the attic, an icy finger of dread runs up Jodie's spine as she uncovers a horrible secret. Packed away in a box is the shirt that her high school boyfriend was wearing on the night he disappeared, two decades ago. Why would her father have Ben's shirt? Her father was the gentlest and most caring man she had ever known, but could that have been an act? As Jodie begins to uncover more secrets about the people closest to her, and strange events begin to follow her, who can she turn to? Could Jodie and her son be in danger?
This novel started out strong, and I was excited to keep reading and find out more. Many of the side characters were interesting and I would read more about them if given the chance. As the story progressed, I found it was going around in circles. This story was very repetitive at times and I guessed the twist long before the end of the novel. The end of the story felt rushed and seemed completely out of place with the rest of the book. I enjoyed parts of this novel but I would consider it more dramatic fiction than a psychological thriller. I look forward to giving Kerry Wilkinson's writing another try as I have enjoyed his work in the past.