Review of The Prodigal Son

[Vine Michael]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Prodigal Son" by Les Haswell.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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The Prodigal Son by Les Haswell is an action thriller that follows Rob MacLaine, a hardened ex-special forces operative. He now co-owns a thriving security company called Harper MacLaine Security with Joe Harper, his friend and partner. He is summoned back to Achravie by a disturbing phone call. And now he must resolve the past he left unfinished as a young boy. The book is written in third-person narrative.
 
After a long week, Rob and Joe go to a bar to unwind. The night takes a turn and he meets beautiful Justine, who captivates him at first glance, and Joe rushes back home to attend to his pregnant wife, leaving Justine and Rob alone. After a few drinks, the duo leaves the bar together and goes over to Rob’s house overlooking the river. There they talk and share a bottle of champagne, then end up in bed. By 5 a.m., he wakes up feeling like something is wrong but not knowing what. He phone starts ringing with "Brown Eyed Girl" by Van Morrison, indicating that he programmed a particular number to call him in case of an emergency back home. He has not returned home in over twenty years after being disowned by his father for a crime he did not commit. What awaits Rob back home?
 
I applaud Haswell for how he crafted the backstories of each character, making them into real human beings. Each character had well-developed personalities of their own. My favorite characters were Lorna and Justine. They were confident, kind, and had great hearts. The emotions the characters dealt with were realistic and relatable. For instance, the anxiety, uncertainty, and sadness Rob felt on the ferry going to Achravie was something anyone would feel because, in such a situation, even the most confident person would second guess themselves. Another scene I liked was when he fought, or rather beat, those thugs harassing Lorna and subsequently reintroduced himself to Lorna, his childhood best friend. I feel Rob, or Robbie, as Lorna calls him, was incredibly lucky and blessed to be sincerely loved by so many people. I couldn’t believe the attitude of his parents, especially his father. Why did they not give him the benefit of the doubt? And also, why did Bruce lie?
 
There are so many mysteries in this book, and they are all unraveled in a way that is intriguing and enhances the readability of the book. One major thing I liked was that it was not just a thriller like most books like it; it infused romance into the plot, making the book enjoyable for romantics like myself. The book was paced in a way that captures the reader’s interest from the first page and does not let it go. It was not too fast or slow.
 
I found nothing to dislike about this book, so I’m rating it five out of five star. The book was well written and seems to have been professionally and exceptionally edited; I found no grammatical errors. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and I know other readers would too. I recommend this book to lovers of thrillers and anyone going on a long trip. It would be a great companion.

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The Prodigal Son
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[grace banda 6]

The Prodigal Son by Les Haswell
Rob is summoned back to Achravie by a disturbing phone call. And now he must resolve the past he left unfinished as a young boy. …. This scared me and at the same time I wonder what did he actually done in his young age.

After a few drinks, the duo leaves high by the bar together and goes over to Rob’s house overlooking the river. There they talk and share a bottle of champagne, then end up in bed. By 5 a.m., he wakes up feeling like something is wrong but not knowing what….
How can you sleep with a person whom you just met few minute ago. Both Rob and the duo not trusted. That’s a very bad attitude.

Joe rushes back home to attend to his pregnant wife, leaving Justine and Rob alone. … this is a good example of a caring husband knowing where you stand.
I love the fact that Joe rushes home to his pregnant wife. He knows he is a married man. Go home and live the two in the bar.

[Tokede Kolawole]

Wonderful review. You have whetted my appetite to take a look at the book. The book seem to contain everything I like in a book.

[Laney K]

A book that has lots of different genre points is always fun. This seems like a book I'd enjoy.

[Amy Luman]

What could Rob have done to make his father dislike him when he is so loved by so many? I would be very interested to find out what is happening with his new acquaintances and his old friends.

[NetMassimo]

This seems like an engaging thriller with well-developed characters. I expect revelations about the protagonists' personal stories. Thank you for your great review!