A Good and Happy Child
"the book holds the reader in suspense until the final page"
Synopsis:
George Davies, a new father, has a problem. He can't bring himself to hold his newborn son. In a desperate attempt to save both his marriage and relationship with his child he visits a psychiatrist in New York. During therapy it emerges that George previously underwent counselling when he was eleven, following the death of his father. Encouraged by his psychiatrist to record these events of his childhood, George's diary reveals his frightening encounters with his childhood imaginary 'friend'. But others at the time were convinced that George's problems were not the result of psychotic episodes but of demonic possession. Is George suffering from a reoccurring mental illness or did his inner demon never leave him?
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Review:
This is very unusual book from a new author. Part crime, part thriller and part horror story it combines all of the elements from these genres to produce a very readable novel. The narrative flits between George's modern day counselling and the events that took place when he was eleven. More of the narrative is given over to the childhood events, which on balance makes sense. I personally would have liked more of George's modern day traumas and his family remained to me only background figures. However, the book holds the reader in suspense until the final page when the 'truth' of George's hauntings are revealed.