THE FATHER by John Nicholl

 

MY THOUGHTS

What if the person you are suppose to trust hurts you. Hurts you in a way that people may not believe. What if this person is a doctor? A psychiatrist? What would you do? Who can you trust? This story is set in England. Wales. A family just like any other family. Until it isn't.

This book is a very touchy subject matter. It's about child abuse. Abuse rings run by a doctor and many other people. They hurt children. Both girls and boys. This book is about one boy. A little boy who was only seven years old when he was taken to this doctor because he needed help after his parents split up. He needed his father but that father was never there. He was acting out and his mother needed help. This is told from the man's point of view from start to finish. It's not explicit in any way but you know what happened. You know that this psychiatrist is horrible. He's despicable in every way. He's got away with this for years. He grooms these children. He groomed his wife. He needed her to make him look good. He has no conscience. No soul. No morals. No heart. He's evil to the very core. 

My heart broke for this man. The last chapter was maybe the worse of all. Knowing that after all he had been through this was his life. I think he should have been given a medal myself. But that's not how the world works is it? The bad get away with things and the innocent all to often have to pay the price. How sad is that? 

This book is very interesting in that it's based on actual events. It's written by an ex police officer and child protection social worker. Based on things he's seen. It's horrible to believe these things happen yet they do. Every day they do. People get away with these horrible things too. Lives are ruined because of these things. Children are forced to grow up way too fast. It's truly beyond sad. 

This may be the hardest review I have ever written. It's definitely one of the hardest books I've read. Even though it does not go into any big detail, you know. You just know. The horrors that happened to these children. To this man. To his mother. To the doctors wife. Everyone that man touched was messed up once he let go. Not that he actually let go. He would do anything to get what he wanted. I do mean anything too. Evil to the very depths of his soul. But it's still written in a way that you are reading a book that is being written by a victim. The main character is trying to find closure so he's writing a book about his life. He interviews everyone involved with this case. But does he actually find that closure? That peace of mind? Does he make it. Can he save his marriage and his own little girl? 

Thank you #NetGalley, #JohnNicholl, #BoldwoodBooks for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

5 stars. It's a very dark book but you should read it if you can. Hear this man's story.

SYNOPSIS

What you don’t know can hurt you.

Thirty years ago Anthony Mailer was a seven-year-old boy trapped in Dr Galbraith’s basement. Now he’s a journalist, a husband and a father. But no matter how far he’s come, at times he’s still that scared little boy.

In order to save his marriage, he has to stop hiding from what happened and deal with it once and for all.

But digging into the past holds dangers Anthony never imagined . . .

A note from the author: While fictional, this book was inspired by true events. It draws on the author’s experiences as a police officer and child protection social worker. The story contains content that some readers may find upsetting. It is dedicated to survivors everywhere.