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The Good Son

'The best crime author in the southern hemisphere' Trent Dalton
By J.P. Pomare
Series: Sloane Abbott
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Brief Description
Two generations. Two deaths. A family and town divided. A smart, twisty thriller from award-winning author J. P. Pomare. The worst thing he ever did was tell the truth. When a teenage boy takes a DNA test to prove his innocence for a crime that has... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$3199
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Releases 23rd February 2027 (Approx. Date) Pre-order  "The Good Son" now to secure your copy from our first shipment

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Two generations. Two deaths. A family and town divided. A smart, twisty thriller from award-winning author J. P. Pomare.

The worst thing he ever did was tell the truth.

When a teenage boy takes a DNA test to prove his innocence for a crime that has rocked the community, the consequences are devastating. The test identifies his father as the prime suspect in a 27-year-old murder cold case. But when police arrest Joe Doak, he suffers a cardiac episode.

Joe's son Kurt is racked with guilt, and Joe's widow sues the police for excessive force. Many in the small town of Wrenfield believe he is not guilty despite the incontrovertible DNA proof.

True crime podcaster Sloane Abbott arrives in Wrenfield to investigate the case. A lucrative offer from a top US network means she needs to find her best story yet, but not everyone is happy to see her. The town closes ranks, including the local police. Ultimately, Sloane is left to explore the moral repercussions of the two crimes and whether the past and present might somehow be linked.

Praise for Book 1 in the Sloane Abbott series, 17 Years Later:

'There's no better storyteller in the thriller game than Pomare' HERALD SUN

'Shocking, twisty and impossible to put down' CHRISTIAN WHITE

'Seriously good' DERVLA McTIERNAN

'Pomare's gift for complex plots and drum-tight tension shines' BENJAMIN STEVENSON

'Flawlessly plotted . . . breathless suspense' ANNA DOWNES

'I love Pomare's sense of place and his unremittingly darkling imagination' THE AUSTRALIAN

'Pomare builds a cocktail of lies and unexpected turns of events that remain a mystery until the hectic climax' COURIER-MAIL

'A raging river of twists and turns' WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN

'A plot well worthy of a Ngaio Marsh mystery' SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

'A politically charged story that delves into social media and the failings of the justice system . . . [Pomare's] twistiest yet' SUN-HERALD

Series: Sloane Abbott

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  • The Good Son
    Pre-order
    The Good Son
    Two generations. Two deaths. A family and town divided. A smart, twisty thriller from award-winning author J. P. Pomare. The worst thing he ever did was tell the truth. When a teenage boy takes a DNA test to prove his innocence for a crime that has rocked the community, the consequences are devastating. The test identifies his father as the...
    By J.P. Pomare
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    Pre-order
    Out 23 Feb 2027

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780733653315

Publisher: Hachette Australia

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 23 February 2027

Country: Australia

Imprint: Hachette Australia

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Weight: 300g

Pages: 336

Collections

Coming Soon in Fiction Crime & Thriller Fiction General Fiction J.P. Pomare Pre-order Books Pre-Order Crime & Thriller Pre-orders Pre-orders by Release Date Series: Sloane Abbott

About the Author

J.P. POMARE is an award-winning author whose debut novel, Call Me Evie (2018), won the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best First Novel. In the Clearing (2019) was made into a Disney+ Original Series, The Clearing, while Tell Me Lies (2020) was a #1 Audible bestseller and was shortlisted for the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Novel and the Ned Kelly Award for Best Crime Fiction. The Last Guests (2021) was critically acclaimed and made into a Stan Original TV series, Watching You. His fifth book, The Wrong Woman (2022), was a top-ten bestseller and was highly acclaimed, as was Home Before Night (2023). 17 Years Later (2024) was shortlisted for both the 2025 Ned Kelly Award for Best Crime Fiction and the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Novel, and is currently being adapted for the screen. The Good Son is his ninth novel.

J.P. Pomare was born in New Zealand and lives in Melbourne with his wife and daughter.

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    WINNER OF THE NGAIO MARSH AWARD BEST FIRST NOVEL 2019 SHORTLISTED FOR THE ABIA MATT RICHELL AWARD 2020 SHORTLISTED FOR THE NGAIO MARSH AWARD BEST NOVEL 2019 LONGLISTED FOR THE NED KELLY AWARD BEST FIRST FICTION 2019 LONGLISTED FOR THE ABIA GENERAL FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2020 'Almost nothing will turn out as it initially appears in this...
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