The Disappearance of Timothy Dawson (The Granville, #1)

by Nathan Parker

[zooloo1983]

When I first started talking to Nathan (the author) on Instagram, I never expected to have the opportunity to receive a copy of his book! But i think you can guess where this is going, lucky me got a copy of his book to read!!!! I can't tell you how happy I was to actually settle down and read this book. It was touch and go, whilst sitting in the back of my car on the drive back from Edinburgh, my Kindle's battery had died halfway through the journey and I thought I was done for...but alas I was saved by my phone. I managed to get my copy on to my phone and read it, I literally read the last page of the book as we got to our front door and my phone died. This is how good this book is, you will do whatever you can to read it and finish it.

The premise for the book was an interesting concept, Tommy grows up with his mother and brother, but who spends most of their days high on whatever they can get their hands on or just drunk. Tommy's escapism is his music, Jack at the boxing gym and his best friend Kirsten. When he was a boy his dad just disappears one day (hence the title of the book of course!) and it is rarely spoken about at home, too much bitterness from his mother and his brother is just too depressed to even comprehend what is going on. A chance meeting with the Counsellor Jim Carruthers in the headmaster's office sets a catalyst of events that no one could foresee happening. Tommy gets further embroiled in to what happened to his Dad, Timothy. Why did he disappear??

I loved Tommy's character, he was flawed but in the loveable rogue type of way. His home life was quite frankly pants (putting it lightly), and he is the type of hero that you back to leave the town and make something of himself, never looking back.  It was a refreshing read, with the main character being a mere boy, unsure of his feelings for his best friend whilst at the same trying to understand what happened to his dad. Kirsten, the best friend, has always been there for Tommy, she doesn't care about his background, she loves him for him and her constant innocent love and support was truly magical Reminding what it was like at their age (minus hunting down your missing dad and dealing with drug gangs in the neighbourhood).

This book was such a gritty, emotional, compelling and dark read and I was sucked in from the opening pages. I had expectations with characters and I was not let down at all, Nathan could tell what the reader wanted and he delivered with bells on. When I read the final sentence I was screaming, I knew the book might just be too good to be true, and it definitely left me dying for the second book to be written now! I spoke to the author I have to wait until next Autumn for it, not sure what's worse waiting for the next book or Game of Thrones!



 *I received a copy of this book from the author for my honest and unbiased review*

For more reviews check out my blog www.zooloobookblog.co.uk