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Freida McFadden
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The Perfect Son: A gripping psychological thriller with a breathtaking twist Paperback – April 7, 2020

by Freida McFadden (Author)
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"Mrs. Cass, we were hoping your son could answer a few questions about the girl who disappeared last night..."

Erika Cass has a perfect family and a perfect life. Until the evening when two detectives show up at her front door.

A high school girl has vanished from Erika's quiet suburban neighborhood. The police suspect the worst--murder. And Erika's teenage son, Liam, was the last person to see the girl alive.

Erika has always sensed something dark and disturbed in her seemingly perfect older child. She wants to believe he's innocent, but as the evidence mounts, she can't deny the truth--Liam may have done the unthinkable.

Now she must ask herself:

How far will she go to protect her son?

Why readers are totally gripped by this new unputdownable psychological thriller, The Perfect Son, by bestselling author Freida McFadden:

"WOW! ABSOLUTELY a must read, one of her best books yet! Read this book NOW!!!!" Amazon, 5 stars

"I couldn't put this book down!!! It kept you guessing and on the edge of your seat. I loved it and can't wait to read more of her books!" Amazon, 5 stars

"This was an incredible story! I read it in one sitting because I had to know how it ended." Amazon, 5 stars

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  1. Print length
    371 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Independently published
  4. Publication date
    April 7, 2020
  5. Dimensions
    5 x 0.93 x 8 inches
  6. ISBN-13
    979-8635011362
  7. See all details
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Popular Highlights in this book
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  1. I’ve got to figure out who Olivia is. And I’ve got to keep something terrible from happening to her.
    Highlighted by 3,047 Kindle readers
  2. “He said he couldn’t wait to get married, so he could stuff his wife deep in a hole and never let her out.”
    Highlighted by 2,627 Kindle readers
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B086PMZR78
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Independently published (April 7, 2020)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 371 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8635011362
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 13.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.93 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:

About the author

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Freida McFadden

Freida McFadden

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#1 New York Times, Amazon Charts, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Sunday Times, and Publisher's Weekly bestselling author Freida McFadden is a practicing physician specializing in brain injury who has penned multiple bestselling psychological thrillers and medical humor novels. Freida’s work has been selected as one of Amazon Editors’ best books of the year, she is the winner of the International Thriller Writers Award for best paperback, and she is a Goodreads Choice Award winner. Her novels have been translated into 40 languages.

​ Freida lives with her family and black cat in a centuries-old three-story home overlooking the ocean, with staircases that creak and moan with each step, and nobody could hear you if you scream. Unless you scream really loudly, maybe.

To hear Freida talk about herself more in the third person, check out her website freidamcfadden.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
77,009 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book a super fast read with a jaw-dropping ending. They love the characters and find the writing style incredibly written and easy to figure out. Readers also appreciate the intricate plot twists and find them brilliant. They describe the plot as gripping and different turn around every few pages.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more
PlotReading experienceWriting styleBeginningCharactersReadability
796 customers mention "Plot"700 positive96 negative

Customers find the plot intricate, exciting, and gripping. They also appreciate the author's imagination and writing. Overall, readers describe the book as another great novel from McFadden.

"...'s ability to weave complex characters with intricate plot twists is nothing short of brilliant...." Read more

"...Keeps you in suspense with character development and plot twists. I noticed a few grammatical mistakes but were easy to surpass using context clues...." Read more

"This book didn't disappoint! Great story line from start to finish. Love the breakup of chapters with characters...." Read more

"Another great novel from McFadden! Half way through it I figured it out but the ending didn’t disappoint at all!" Read more

647 customers mention "Reading experience"630 positive17 negative

Customers find the book an awesome, compelling read that's hard to put down.

"...of a seemingly perfect son with dark secrets is both chilling and compelling, making it impossible to put down...." Read more

"...Overall great read." Read more

"This book didn't disappoint! Great story line from start to finish. Love the breakup of chapters with characters...." Read more

"...I have read most of her books and have enjoyed all of them immensely. The only exception was the "EX" which I liked a little less...." Read more

197 customers mention "Writing style"169 positive28 negative

Customers find the writing style well written, easy to read, and first person. They also appreciate the author's writing style.

"...McFadden's prose is sharp and engaging, making every page a pleasure to read...." Read more

"Freida McFadden is an excellent author! I have read most of her books and have enjoyed all of them immensely...." Read more

"...Liam was intelligent, polite, and practiced all of the social graces...." Read more

"...Freida is a great author, her books are easy to ready..." Read more

122 customers mention "Beginning"106 positive16 negative

Customers find the beginning of the book fast and twisty, with a slow burner that keeps them on their toes.

"...Freida is a great author, her books are easy to ready (quick paced, short chapters, can be read in a day or two, not dragged out like some authors-..." Read more

"Fast paced but could guess ending pretty quickly." Read more

"A real page turner. I enjoyed it immensely and it went so fast. And in the end you are left not knowing the real truth." Read more

"...within the first 5 chapters, however this was still a good read and fast paced" Read more

80 customers mention "Characters"69 positive11 negative

Customers like the characters in the book.

"...McFadden's ability to weave complex characters with intricate plot twists is nothing short of brilliant...." Read more

"...Keeps you in suspense with character development and plot twists. I noticed a few grammatical mistakes but were easy to surpass using context clues...." Read more

"...Great story line from start to finish. Love the breakup of chapters with characters...." Read more

"Such a good book! I couldn’t put it down. Very interesting characters and lots of twists and turns. You will not be disappointed!" Read more

46 customers mention "Readability"29 positive17 negative

Customers are mixed about the readability. Some find the book easy to read and hard to put down, while others say it's impossible to put away.

"...with dark secrets is both chilling and compelling, making it impossible to put down...." Read more

"Hard to put down" Read more

"Just like other books of hers I’ve read, awesome book. Impossible to put down! Great twists and surprises all the way to the end" Read more

"...This book was impossible to put down! I eagerly devoured it one day! Now on to another read by this author !" Read more

The Perfect Son by Freida McFadden 4/5 ⭐️
4 out of 5 stars
The Perfect Son by Freida McFadden 4/5 ⭐️
The Perfect Sonby Freida McFadden4/5 ⭐️Life is perfect for Erika Cass- a beautiful family, home, and low-stress job. Until she gets a knock on the door from two detectives. A high-school girl is missing and the last person to see this girl alive was Erika’s son, Liam.Erika loves Liam unconditionally but has known since kindergarten that he has a dark side. Now in high school, Liam seems like the perfect son- well-mannered, smart, and involved at school. Erika wants to believe he is innocent but her heart is filled with doubt. On top of Liam’s troubles, Erika’s mother confesses that she has been lying to Erika for years. The father who Erika thought was dead is actually in jail for murder. Could this be the root of Liam’s dark side? Can Erika sift through all the lies and figure out the truth before it is too late for this missing girl?The Perfect Son was another great thriller by McFadden. I enjoyed the mix of storytelling and the transcribed police interviews. Freida's writing is always amazing! She has a way of tricking me into thinking both the best and the worst about all the characters. Erica, the main character, is very relatable but her unconditional love for her children, especially her son plants seeds of doubt in your head. Unfortunately, I was able to figure out the main twist halfway through the book. Although the epilogue was surprisingly entertaining even after everything was revealed. If you are looking for an entertaining, fast-paced thriller this is the book for you.
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Top reviews from the United States

Natasha Peixoto
5.0 out of 5 stars must read!!!!
Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2024
Verified Purchase
This book kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. McFadden's ability to weave complex characters with intricate plot twists is nothing short of brilliant. The story of a seemingly perfect son with dark secrets is both chilling and compelling, making it impossible to put down. The tension builds steadily, leading to a climax that is as shocking as it is satisfying. McFadden's prose is sharp and engaging, making every page a pleasure to read. This book is a must-read for anyone who loves a good psychological thriller. Five stars!
6 people found this helpful
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Payton
4.0 out of 5 stars Good, easy read
Reviewed in the United States on June 4, 2024
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I just finished this book in 7 hours. It moved quick, like a movie I was eager to finish. Keeps you in suspense with character development and plot twists. I noticed a few grammatical mistakes but were easy to surpass using context clues. Overall great read.
3 people found this helpful
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Shawna
5.0 out of 5 stars Twisting
Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2024
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This book didn't disappoint! Great story line from start to finish. Love the breakup of chapters with characters. I thought I had it figured out, but the book kept turning, changing my theory ... Which I loved. Definitely worth the read need a second book to continue the ending.
2 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Kept you guessing throughout the whole book.
Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2024
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Freida McFadden is an excellent author! I have read most of her books and have enjoyed all of them immensely. The only exception was the "EX" which I liked a little less. Just finished the "Perfect Son" and it was excellent. Never expected the end to be as it was. Highly recommend!
3 people found this helpful
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LexFlexxx
4.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2024
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Another great novel from McFadden! Half way through it I figured it out but the ending didn’t disappoint at all!
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James A. Glynn
3.0 out of 5 stars Kinda creepy, but worth reading
Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2024
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Erika Cass is lucky. She has a wonderful husband named Jason who is a good provider and makes terrible puns, a 14-year-old daughter named Hannah who tests her patience, and a 16-year-old son named Liam who is… well, he’s perfect. She hates to admit it, but Liam is her favorite. However, she worries about Liam more than she does about either Hannah or her hard-working husband.

Although Liam is a top student at his high school, star of the debate team, and member of the track team, he’s had some problems. But they weren’t really bad problems. When he was a little kid, he liked to torture insects. Then when he was a bit older, he enjoyed watching his hamster starve to death. He was expelled from kindergarten, and the family had to move. Well, things like that happen.

After the incident in the second grade, Erika took Liam to a psychologist who explained the difference between a psychopath and a sociopath to Erika. So, she didn’t worry too much about the fact that Liam probably didn’t love her as a child should love its mother. But the sessions ended abruptly when the therapist became afraid of Liam. Yet everyone else loved him.

Liam was intelligent, polite, and practiced all of the social graces. Well, maybe one of his high school teachers didn’t like him very much, but — as already noted — those things happen. Besides, now all is well for Liam. He has a girlfriend, finally. For several years, Erika has been paying a private detective to discourage any girls in whom Liam seems to be interested.

But Ovilia Mercer is head over heels about Liam. She sits behind him in math class, and she’s probably flunking math because all she can think about is the handsome Liam. So, when he asks if she’d like to meet him after school for a milkshake, her heart beats triple time and her knees turn to jelly. The “date” goes well, but Liam’s sister Hannah lets it slip at home that her brother Liam’s got a girlfriend named Olivia.

Erika gets the yearbook and starts going through the photos. She finds Olivia Madison and sics her private investigator on her. She believes that she’s solved the potential problem, but she’s got the wrong Olivia. That little detail becomes known when Olivia Mercer goes missing.

Everyone at school is sure that Liam has kidnapped and killed her. Erika knows that, when he was younger, Liam talked about someday having a wife whom he could throw in a hole and watch while she starved to death. Pretty soon, the whole town believes that Liam has killed Olivia. And, so does Erika!

Freida McFadden’s “The Perfect Son” (2019, 327 pages in paperback format) holds together right up until the “twist” ending. I expected something unusual because it had to be “off the wall” in order to make this a true mystery. But I don’t think that the author built enough foundation to substantiate the climax and denouement.

...Jim Glynn
9 people found this helpful
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Purple Passion
5.0 out of 5 stars Very creepy
Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2024
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Erika Cass would do anything to protect her children even though she senses there has always been a dark side to her son Liam. When a local girl goes missing, the police come to question Liam because he was the last one to see her. Is her seemingly perfect son innocent or is he a very clever sociopath? As I quickly turned the pages of this book, I was astonished by the lengths Erika went through to protect her son while constantly questioning his true motives. The portrayal of a manipulative, highly intelligent anti-social person was frighteningly accurate and very unnerving. Despite the very eerie undercurrent, I enjoyed this psychological glimpse behind the hedges of a picture-perfect family.
One person found this helpful
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Pam R
5.0 out of 5 stars Freida is always a good read!!!
Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2024
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Loved this book, read it in two days. Freida is a great author, her books are easy to ready (quick paced, short chapters, can be read in a day or two, not dragged out like some authors-she gets to the point quickly) I have read many of her books and will continue buying them.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Alexandra Jansen
5.0 out of 5 stars Exelente
Reviewed in Brazil on June 22, 2024
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Nao consegui parar de ler, todos os livros da Freida McFadden que eu li até agora foram ótimos. Estou completamente viciada nos livros dela.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars An other amazing story!
Reviewed in Canada on May 18, 2024
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She does it again, i could not put it down! Mystery, love and a lot of twists. I recommend as your next read 100%
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Dina Sequeira
5.0 out of 5 stars No words!
Reviewed in France on May 30, 2024
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One more amazing book!
I didn’t aspected the end, everything was a mess to Erica she thought that her son was a sociopath but was he? We will never know,the truth sometimes is hiding in dark places.
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Anita
5.0 out of 5 stars Definitely worth to read!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 27, 2024
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Pretty good! Full of twists and unexpected turns, the book basically read itself...;) Freida's books always help me to switch off with a great story.
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Shashank Samarth
5.0 out of 5 stars As usual Freida's touch of suspense n very intriguing.
Reviewed in India on May 5, 2024
Verified Purchase
Must read. I have read all her fictions n all equally good. Couldn't wait for the next novel from her.
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