Name: erin alise 's review of The Perfect Son by Freida McFadden
Item: The Perfect Son
Rating: 2.5
Author: erin alise

Freida McFadden

"Mrs. Cass, we were hoping your son could answer a few questions about the girl who disappeared last night..." Erika Cass has a perfect family and a perfect life. Until the evening when two detectives show up at her front door. A high school girl has vanished from Erika's quiet suburban neighborhood. The police suspect the worst--murder. And Erika's teenage son, Liam, was the last person to see the girl alive. Erika has always sensed something dark and disturbed in her seemingly perfect older child. She wants to believe he's innocent, but as the evidence mounts, she can't deny the truth--Liam may have done the unthinkable. Now she must ask herself: How far will she go to protect her son? Why readers are totally gripped by this new unputdownable psychological thriller, The Perfect Son, by bestselling author Freida McFadden: "WOW! ABSOLUTELY a must read, one of her best books yet! Read this book NOW!!!!" Amazon, 5 stars "I couldn't put this book down!!! It kept you guessing and on the edge of your seat. I loved it and can't wait to read more of her books!" Amazon, 5 stars "This was an incredible story! I read it in one sitting because I had to know how it ended." Amazon, 5 stars

A Gripping Psychological Thriller with a Breathtaking Twist

The Perfect Son

Edna Aviles

He doesn’t feel empathy like you do. He doesn’t feel love.  He's just faking it. As a mother, it is one of the worst things anybody has ever said to me. Your son doesn't love you. He's not capable of it. At the time, I refused to believe it. But as the years passed, I realized how true everything Dr. Hebert told me was. 

“I just wanted to see how you’re doing.”

“Fine.” I’m not even remotely fine, but she’s the last person I want to unburden myself to. “Thank you for asking.”

But I can’t. I did my best, and I failed.

When I first saw those two blue lines on the pregnancy test seventeen years ago, I never would have believed the baby growing inside me would end up behind bars.

“Because he’s crazy! Crazy people don’t need a reason to do something crazy, right?”

The hardest thing about Liam is that when he says “I love you,” I can’t tell whether that’s a lie too.

“Thank you so much. You’ll come to the PTA meeting this week to help organize then?”

Like, how could you prioritize a boy over your education? I mean, boys my age are all pretty idiotic and not even that attractive—they mostly have greasy faces and scraggly little beards.

I want to get into a good college—that’s my priority. How could you jeopardize your entire future for a cute guy? That’s so lame.

She could tell you something horrible right to your face with a smile on her lips. I’ve seen her do it before.

kate

Not my favorite of hers but interesting enough that I wanted to finish it. 

erin alise 

Why frida ?? You can write much better, 😄 

Shidehdeishidi

So boring

Why frida ?? You can write much better, 😄 

It’s was a good book, I figured it out right away though so kind made it boring after that. Didn’t give the suspense I wanted. 

Unlike "One by One", I can't say I even liked the monologues/dialogues, here. "One by One" had darkly funny relationship bickering, but "The Perfect Son" is as much a personality void as the titular boy wonder. While "One by One" had a lousy middle, at least the beginning (and to a lesser extent, the end) was charming enough to get me through it. I don't think "The Perfect Son" has anything going for it, really, and to make matters worse: I completely called the twist <10% into the book. I'm not bragging, I don't think it's very hard to guess. Note to Freida: "snuck" is a word. 

I just don't think Freida McFadden has it in her to make thrillers. Never did I feel anything remotely near the "creepy" spectrum. I also felt she played it really safe in the end; while a book like "The Outsider" takes a major downturn after its early climax, at least Stephen King had the balls to go for that and dealt with the consequences.

This was a pretty bad one. I gave "One by One" 2 stars because I was intrigued by some of the beginning, but this? I don't think I was ever really interested. Thankfully it was a quick read, but it has convinced me to be done with McFadden's work (aside from 

 checking out "The Housemaid", but no time soon). Based on what I've read of her, I think she may be decent -- but still nothing special -- for really bored housewives.

I do not recommend "The Perfect Son" and at this rate, I don't recommend Freida McFadden's work.

Evan

Another dud from McFadden.

  

Unlike "One by One", I can't say I even liked the monologues/dialogues, here. "One by One" had darkly funny relationship bickering, but "The Perfect Son" is as much a personality void as the titular boy wonder. While "One by One" had a lousy middle, at least the beginning (and to a lesser extent, the end) was charming enough to get me through it. I don't think "The Perfect Son" has anything going for it, really, and to make matters worse: I completely called the twist <10% into the book. I'm not bragging, I don't think it's very hard to guess. Note to Freida: "snuck" is a word. 

  

I just don't think Freida McFadden has it in her to make thrillers. Never did I feel anything remotely near the "creepy" spectrum. I also felt she played it really safe in the end; while a book like "The Outsider" takes a major downturn after its early climax, at least Stephen King had the balls to go for that and dealt with the consequences.

  

This was a pretty bad one. I gave "One by One" 2 stars because I was intrigued by some of the beginning, but this? I don't think I was ever really interested. Thankfully it was a quick read, but it has convinced me to be done with McFadden's work (aside from maybe checking out "The Housemaid", but no time soon). Based on what I've read of her, I think she may be decent -- but still nothing special -- for really bored housewives.

  

I do not recommend "The Perfect Son" and at this rate, I don't recommend Freida McFadden's work.

Lauren Piper

Another fun one by Freida! This one honestly felt like an episode of Law and Order for me and I had a lot of fun with it set up like that. I could see the signs of the twist that did happen and figured it would from it being so ominous during specific parts. I think it showed all the signs that are known for situations like this and I know some people don’t like a certain aspects to it but it is a known symptom. It wasn’t my favorite by Freida but had a good time reading this one. 

Priscilla Stanfield

not my fav. fast paced as always, didn't feel for any of the character really but the twist at the end was predictable but also unpredictable? idk what to feel. 2.5 stars i guess

sab ☻

OH MY GOD literally so so good!!! had me on the edge of my seat, the ending was so good

Jessica Roberts

3.5 🌟

The story was a little predictable. I didn't really feel much for any of the characters 😕 I think the characters' reactions and emotions were a little weird and unrealistic. It was not my favourite book of Freida Mcfadden, but it was still intriguing and a nice book to listen to while doing household chores 🥰🫠

I really enjoyed this book even though I feel like that plot twist was very predictable. Freida books are so fun to read!!!

Jillian Roberts

I was fully immersed in this book from the beginning. I felt like I was Erika going through the whole process. I felt her unconditional love for her first born, I worried too as she was discovering the dark linings of her son’s personality. I shared the same fears she had when things began to unfold and take a turn for the worst. The only thing I didn’t feel was how Erika had favored her son over her daughter. 

I enjoyed reading the police transcripts very much. It was interesting to read what other people thought of Liam while filling out his character’s development. Pure genius! 

The twist ending left me reeling! I can promise you I will be thinking about this book for a long time. I don’t know how some people were able to predict that ending but I certainly did not see it coming. 

Christa Bell

I was fully immersed in this book from the beginning. I felt like I was Erika going through the whole process. I felt her unconditional love for her first born, I worried too as she was discovering the dark linings of her son’s personality. I shared the same fears she had when things began to unfold and take a turn for the worst. The only thing I didn’t feel was how Erika had favored her son over her daughter. 

I enjoyed reading the police transcripts very much. It was interesting to read what other people thought of Liam while filling out his character’s development. Pure genius! 

The twist ending left me reeling! I can promise you I will be thinking about this book for a long time. I don’t know how some people were able to predict that ending but I certainly did not see it coming. 

Freida is my new favorite author. 



Petaco

Well I thought I had it figured out. I was wrong.

This blew my mind! Total plot twist I didn’t see coming. Very engaging and descriptive. 

Lacee Foutch 

Read this on the kindle app. It was very fast paced. Lots of plot twist and the end had me guessing on who actually did it. 

Jasmin 

Charlsy Sekyere

⭐️2.5

This is an okay book that is fairly fast-paced and somewhat engaging. The 'twist' at the end had no real effect on me since I was suspicious of the true villain from the beginning. Additionally, the reveal of the villain felt underwhelming and rushed. It is indeed possible to argue that the plot is quite predictable and generic, and the characters are quite stereotypical and, in the end, not worth rooting for, as they are one-dimensional and underdeveloped. 

Despite a decent plot, decent characters, decent twists, and a decent ending, it lacks the wow factor that sets it apart from most psychological thrillers. As an introduction to Freida McFadden's work, this book is just fine, nothing more, nothing less.

Jemma

Didn’t enjoy this as much as the housemaid but was still good - it was a good story but it felt a tad unrealistic and a bit far fetched . Was also quite predictable

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The Perfect Son by Freida McFadden

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