The Good Samaritan By CJ Parsons

‘The Good Samaritan’ is the latest book by CJ Parsons.

When her five-year-old daughter disappears from the park, Carrie’s world shatters. She is tortured with worry and she blames herself. What if her inability to read facial expressions has put her child in danger? But just days later, a stranger finds Sofia and brings her home. Carrie should be relieved, but the abductor is still out there, still unknown. Still after her child. And are those who have offered their help really the good Samaritans they seem… or has Carrie missed the warning signs?

‘The Good Samaritan’ is an intriguing and gripping story that I consumed in one sitting.

The story is primarily seen through the narrative of Carrie, who one day when taking her daughter Sofia to the park, Sofia is abducted. Distraught for her daughter’s safety, Carrie calls the police and DCI Juliet is in charge of the case. But days later, a man turning up at the house with his Sofia in his arms claiming her found her. With the kidnapper still at large, Carrie has to fear for her daughter’s safety and Juliet and her team have to find the perpetrator.

If you’re a fan of twisty thrillers, then I would thoroughly recommend this book. A sharp and fast paced story with an unreliable newcomers that all make for suspicious characters with dodgy characters. Carrie, as the protagonist is a fascinating character, now a single mother after her relationship broke down, she’s a successful architect who suffers from a condition called Prosopagnosia, where she is unable to read people’s expressions and this effects her ability to make friends. Even though Sofia is only 6 years old, she’s very aware of Carrie’s condition and is able to help her when she’s unsure of how to react. As Carrie deals with the aftermath of Sofia’s abduction, she’s trying to move on but is finding it hard when the kidnapper is still at large and Sofia has nightmares of his return.

But after Sofia’s kidnapping, it brings 2 new people into Carrie’s life, a woman called Tara who becomes her friend and helps bring Carrie out of her self and Josh, the man who brought Sofia back to Carrie. They share mutual interests and have an attraction to each other so it makes sense that they get together.

But as DCI Juliet, a young detective who’s leading the case delves into both people’s backgrounds, she wonders if they are genuine as they seem.

Not only is there a great leading character in the story but the supporting characters are compelling as well. Sofia is wise beyond her years. With her mother’s condition, she notices things that Carrie fails to notice and is a sweet and kind little girl. She doesn’t come from a stereotypical family with a mother’s condition and an absent father battling mental health issues.

An original thriller that pulled me in right from the dramatic first page, this cleverly crafted and keenly written book has all the signs for a great thriller. Speedy, with clever dialogue and characters that keeps the reader on their toes, ‘The Good Samaritan’ is a first rate thriller that is a guessing game throughout.

You can buy ‘The Good Samaritan’ from Amazon and is available to buy from good bookshops.