The Perfect Father By Charlotte Duckworth

‘The Perfect Father’ is the latest book by Charlotte Duckworth.

After a difficult pregnancy, Esther is grateful that her husband Robin offers to put his career on hold so that she can return to the job she loves. But Esther finds leaving her daughter Riley behind more challenging than she’d thought. And soon the new imbalance in her relationship with Robin brings old tensions to the surface.Then one day Esther arrives home from work to find Robin and Riley are missing. As the police investigate their disappearance, it becomes clear that nothing about this modern-day family is what it seems. Is Robin the perfect father everyone thinks he is? Or was it all a perfect lie?

Although I’ve read three books by Charlotte, I’m disappointed that this is the first book that I’ve reviewed.

I spent Saturday, not moving far from my bed with this book firmly in my grip.

The story is seen through the narrative of married couple Robin and Esther and is written in past and present sequences leading up to the pivotal moment that it all hits the fan when Robin and their daughter Riley disappears.

Robin is struggling comedian hoping to make it big whilst Esther is primary earner with her high earning job as communications director for a diabetes charity. After years of being together, Esther has decided that she’s ready for a child and becomes pregnant. Both are elated about the upcoming arrival but Esther is terribly sick during the pregnancy and her heart is broken when she catches Robin kissing another woman. Although, the couple try to move on from Robin’s encounter, it’s always there in the background coming between their perfect family. But as the story flows and Esther continues to progress in her career, Robin adapts to his life as a stay at home father, the pair drift apart and begin to see a different side to each other.

I loved this book, it’s so cleverly crafted with so many twists and turns that really keeps the reader on their toes. Every time I thought I’d figure out the story, Charlotte would throw in another curveball that was completely unexpected. The characters are a fascinating bunch with Esther, a dedicated wife and mother who is convinced that her husband is not the same man that she married and is determined to keep her and her little girl safe. Whilst Robin is the perfect man but behind closed doors, he’s manipulative, controlling and very much content to spend Esther’s hard earned money. To be honest, Robin is one of the most shocking characters that I’ve read in a while and he does make for obsessive reading!

Fast paced with an introduction that pulls you in right from the start. Riddled with drama, suspense and deceit’ ‘The Perfect Father’ explores the dynamics of family relationships and is a compulsive read, with dishonest characters and so many twists your head will spin.

You can buy ‘The Perfect Father’ from Amazon and is available to buy from good bookshops.