Dark, gripping, and utterly addictive 🎭🌅. The House of the Rising Son is a masterful, atmospheric thriller blending family secrets, suspense, and slow-burning tension. Jonathan Gershfield’s writing is sharp and immersive, pulling readers into a world where every character hides something and the truth is buried beneath layers of mystery. I adored the complex relationships, twists, and haunting setting. Perfect for fans of intelligent, character-driven thrillers with heart and edge.

A gripping tale of one family's relationship comprising of a teenage son who is keen to assert his way in the world, the Father who's son is his world, a Mother with her own separate ideals.
Throw in an errant Brother/Brother in law/Uncle into the mix and you have an explosive, series of unlucky and sometimes, disastrous events, all making up a bittersweet, compelling read.

This was not the crime thriller I had expected. It is certainly amusing, the characters are lively and the plot is fast paced. This story of a father dealing with a difficult teenage son has some dark comedy moments and a positive ending. A quick holiday read.

House of the Rising son centres around Alex, a middle-aged dad, and his teenage son Fred.

Alex is struggling with a flagging career and health problems and his relationship with his wife is strained. We meet him at a turning point, when he feels that he can't go on any longer, but a phone call suggesting his son has been kidnapped at Glastonbury festival makes him think again...

The book is humurous but it is also quite dark in places. It covers lots of topics that will resonate with parents and adults approaching middle age. The tone of the narrator was not really for me so I didnt enjoy it as much as I'd hoped but still a good read.

i wasnt sure what i thought at first. was it a dark but great coverage of a masculinity and family? or was it covered from that gaze" and therefore seemed a little indulgent on the side of sexist. but even in thinking this it dead lead me to ponder hard on its themes. and as i went through it, it certainly captured me into it. its that great balance of dark comedic moments that manage to keep you involved but never over burdened by some of the deeper themes.
Jonathan has managed to make such a intriguing read right from the blurb. i was both tense and needing to know more right from the very first pages. i was invested and wanted to know how this story would play out. there is more at play here than a kidnapping plot, so much more. and i enjoyed coming from it not having any idea where it was going as i wasnt quite grasping what my opinions were on the characters. which actually at points where it kept me hooked. i didnt have any bias or wasnt too emotive (i can be in my books, lol ) . so i simply appreciated being told this story and could watch it play out then think on it later. and think on it i did.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

This book started off really well but I feel the story then got a bit slow and I struggled to complete. Great characters and great premise, I just found it too slow paced

This is a really interesting story - the main character finds himself ready to end his life only to be dragged back into it when his daughter is kidnapped. There is a quirky, dark humour in how things unfold and the protagonist is very appealing as a result - you can’t help but cheer for him as he bumbles along. I really enjoyed the core questions the book raised, too, about what is worth living for and how much we are prepared to live for the sake of other people’s needs. This may not have been an intended outcome but I found it very thought provoking.

The premise of this book intrigued me right away. It had shades of Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister and the opening chapter pulled me in with that same kind of tension and curiosity. Unfortunately, after that strong start, the pacing lost momentum for me, only drawing me back in toward the final chapters.

The story has a dark comic tone, and there were moments where the humor worked well. I didn’t feel a strong connection to the characters, though that may be more to do with the fact that this just wasn’t the right kind of story for me.

Thematically, the book does attempt to explore masculinity, crisis, and family dynamics, and while it references the #MeToo movement in the blurb, that didn’t come through as clearly in the text. Some commentary had slightly sexist
tones, which may sit differently with each reader.

In terms of plot, I struggled with the payoff. The central event, the kidnapping, lacked a compelling enough motive for me, and as a result, the tension built up through the change in timeline didn’t quite deliver the resolution I was hoping for.

This might resonate more with readers who enjoy thrillers centered around male protagonists or dark, introspective humor. While it didn’t land for me personally, I can see what the author was trying to achieve.

Thank you to NetGalley and Cameron Publishing & Marketing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The House Of The Rising Son by Jonathan Gershfield is an entertaining read.
The characters were well developed. The book had a good balance of dark comedy and emotional moments.
The writing is easy to follow, and the story flows nicely. What resonates is the emotional reflection on the hardships of life, making it a relatable and impactful read.
Overall, it's a solid book that I would recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and Cameron Publicity & Marketing LTD for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I just finished a great book. The House of the Rising Son by Jonathan Gershfield is available soon. Pick it up! You won’t regret it.