[Review] Her Secret Son - Hannah Mary McKinnon

Summary: As everyone at her Brooklyn high school announces their summer adventures, Olivia harbors a dirty secret: Her plan is to binge-watch horror movies and chat with her online friend, Elm. Olivia and Elm have never shared personal details, apart from their ages and the fact that Elm’s aunt is a low-budget horror filmmaker. Then Elm pushes Olivia to share her identity and sends her a selfie of his own. Olivia is shocked by how cute he is! In a moment of panic, assuming she and Elm will never meet in real life, she sends a photo of her gorgeous friend Katie. But things are about to get even more complicated when Olivia’s parents send her to the Catskills, and she runs into the one person she never thought she would see. (Pub Date: May 28, 2019)

McKinnon does it again and in her third book she presents us with a third very different story, but one that will definitely please those who liked The Neighbors. Like me.

Josh has very suddenly lost his beloved wife Grace and needs to assure he has the guardianship of her son—whom he treats like his own. In the middle of gathering documents for that purpose, he notices how little he really knew Grace and embarks on a journey to figure it all out and, above all, accept it.

This could still be called a psychological thriller like The Neighbors was, but it feeds on a different fear. I think The Neighbors was more hectic, as stuff kept happening in your face. For Her Secret Son, it is up to Josh to go find it all out, he's the one who has to take the steps and I was there with him, telling him to give up because I really didn't want to know what was behind each of the numerous door Grace kept locked.

And right because of that, there's also a bit of an investigative thriller feeling from a point, which was welcome excitement. Josh has no detective experience, so it was just as if I were there, going after every lead.

I think the most important aspect was the family drama. It's not everyday you find out your soulmate hid a dark secret (and you don't even know what that secret actually is, you just see the consequences of it), but it's still something anyone could end up facing one day. That's what was the most scary thing about this read, how even husband and wife are ultimately two strangers. And this book goes on about still loving your family for what they are despite what they may be hiding. Josh is confused about Grace but he never stops loving their son.

I feel that fans of Belinda Bauer will enjoy this thriller for its dramatic appeal. I can't wait for the surprise Hannah Mary McKinnon will bring us for her next novel!



Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to this lovely author and to the publisher for this opportunity.

Rating: 4 out of 5.