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I received a free copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you!

It had been some time since I last read a mystery like this book. It starts with three different story lines, and it took me a while to connect the dots (in my defence, the author has withheld some important information till the end of the book), but I was curious and thinking how the stories were connected.

The stories are all twisted in their own way. A mother and a child, pursued by their now one-eyed but enraged husband/father. A father, desperate to keep his 'happy' family together. A man, who sees his daddy in everyone he meets. It's definitely not 'feel good'.

However, it's a very decent suspense novel. It kept me interested throughout the story. It was nice to read. Some characters felt a bit flat, but it didn't really bother me. I'll definitely keep James Cooper's name in mind when searching for a book to read. ( )

What could be greater praise for a book than to say that this is probably one of the finest novels ever available on the kindle and it's thanks to darkfuse that Dark Father was published earlier this year....and what a cracking story it is.

There are three threads running; we have Jimmy Hopewell part time gangster and professional wife beater, one day Kate has had enough and escapes the the torture with her son Billy. Then there is Frank and the wife he loves Cindy with their adorable son Jake. In a medical facility/asylum lives Mack a deeply disturbed patient under the auspices of attending Physicians Doctor Kincaid and Doctor Faber. To delve deeper into the storyline would spoil the surprises that await the reader, all three stories have a thread that will become surprisingly clear as the novel concludes.

The novel in some ways is a mixture of crime and horror, Jimmy Hopewell's lost (removed!) eye and his increasing ability to visualize the future adds a touch of humour to a somewhat monstrous character. "Jimmy stood there, his hair hanging across his brow, his face all but destroyed. His left eye was a black hole, rimmed with attenuated tissue and dried pulp. There was a large bruise down the left side of his face. His stubble was dark with blood." However it is through Frank that we understand the real meaning of loss and what one sad demented individual will do to recapture the past. There is a wonderful sad and descriptive passage that illustrates the beautiful writing style of Mr Cooper and the deteriorating mind of Frank.....

"He swiped the brush across Cindy's lips, creating the perfect smile, and then stood back to admire his work. He frowned; the effect hadn't been adequately captured. He primed the brush with a fresh slug of paint, and then slapped it across her mouth again, even as Cindy was moaning, trying desperately to compress her lips. Frank took another step back and smiled, satisfied with his work, He repeated the whole procedure on the boy, taking more care this time, almost dabbing on the paint for fear of unnerving his darling Jakey, which would be inexcusable. He applied the emulsion with a kind of detached wonder, granting them both cosmetic smiles that stretched halfway around their face; not a disfiguring scar, but an extension of their elation. Unequivocal proof of their love.....He dipped the brush into the tin and drew an irregular line of red paint across his own mouth. "God, I love you" he said. His family sat across from him, unmoving, wearing smiles as wet and wide as a slashed throat.!

When I was 94% complete I still could not see how the author was going to complete this wonderful story and show the connection of the various threads to the reader...but I need not have worried in the hands of an expert the conclusion is crafted to perfection. If you enjoy dark fiction of the highest quality, with a touch of crime, a dash of humour and a great dollop of emotional heartbreak then I implore you to read this amazing story....I can't recommend highly enough....so what are you waiting for:)) ( )

Review copy

By far, the best book I've read so far in 2014. Writer, James Cooper, has crafted an intricate story dealing with the long-term consequences of growing up with a father with a dark side.

In Dark Father, there are three distinct story lines masterfully woven into one of the most disturbing tales I've read in quite a while.

Little Billy loves his father, but Dark Daddy can frighten him at times. When his mommy takes him and leaves daddy, he actually worries about his father.

In another story line, Frank and his wife, Cindy, along with five-year old Jake, have a wonderful live together, but when the unimaginable happens the stress is overwhelming and it's effects on Frank are devastating, leading him to do some terrible things.

Finally, there's Mack, an institutionalized man with a neurological condition which causes him to see his father's face in everyone around him.

Part of the charm of Dark Father is seeing how Cooper brings all of these stories together in the end. Brilliant in execution, Dark Father will stay with you long after you've finished reading.

Coming in June from Darkfuse, Dark Father will be available as a Limited Edition hardcover, paperback and e-book. Plus, if you subscribe to Amazon Prime, you can read it for FREE through the Kindle Owner's Lending Library.

Highly recommended. I'd even go so far as to say, "Don't miss it." ( )