The Other Son was an interesting suspenseful read.

To begin with, read the first book. I read this book being totally confused and having no idea what was going on in the past. It is definitely not a book you can read without reading the rest of the series.

Now for the dirt:

This book is very exciting, if you know what is going on with the story. The chapters filter through the different characters and their different dramatic situations. Eventually all the stories connect and everything that happens within the novel makes sense.

I do feel like this book was a little to long. It felt like it dragged on and on and I got bored several times. I had to put this book down for weeks before I could pick it back up, but that is simply because the author writes in a way that doesn't connect to me personally. The story wasn't super fast (which is what I like in a book) so it was hard for me to read. It is still a great book though!

There is enough action and mystery to keep readers who like those types of novel happy. It is definitely a book I'd suggest to readers who like thrillers.

Overall - I found the book was to long, some of the parts could have been removed and the story would have worked just as well. I also felt like the author could have made the book work as a stand alone in case people picked it up, but instead I was mega confused.

Three out of five stars.

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. ( )

Sophie Brinkmann has taken on a role in a crime family that she never wanted. After the head of the family was murdered and his son--her connection to the family--is left in a coma, people look to her more than she expected. And not only does she not feel entirely cut out for this type of work, but she still has some moral issues with the operation. Rival families are closing in, however, and they've made it clear they will take what they want if they have to. And when they start to make good on that threat, Sophie knows she's going to have to act on her own if she wants to make it out alive--and her son along with her.

There's a lot of plotting and action in this book. So many groups and parties are moving against each other, sometimes with knowledge of the others and sometimes with people being caught completely unaware. But with so much going on and so many characters, it was confusing at times for me to really keep track of what was going on, how each person fit into the story, and where things were headed. It was an intriguing story, but difficult to follow at times, to be sure.

This is the second book in a trilogy (the third book is yet to be released), but I had no problems following the story. The reliance on the events of the first book is light, and what readers need to know is referenced with enough detail for it all to make sense.

[Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from BloggingForBooks in exchange for an honest review.] ( )

Another example of great thriller! I wish I could find the third in this series... ( )

The 2nd installment of the Brinkmann series is similar to the first in that a number of the characters continue, the pace of the plot is breakneck, the writing competent and in rhythm with the plot, and the story is on the edge of the believability continuum. Those are all good. On the downside, there's not quite as much character development in this one, so you almost need to have read the first book in the series to understand the action. The number of characters with significant roles is quite large and somewhat difficult to track- I found myself on several occasions jumping back to earlier chapters to confirm a character was who I thought he/she was. Those aren't big issues and shouldn't dissuade anyone from diving into this thriller.

I normally avoid playing 'spoiler' and therefore don't talk about the plot, but in this case it's so complex I really couldn't do it if I tried. Suffice to say it's an international thriller, most of the characters are 'bad guys', there are double-crosses and triple-crosses, you're never really sure of where allegiances lie, and lots of violence. If you like a nice story with a happy ending, The Other Son isn't for you, but if you're into frenetic action, it's right up your alley. ( )

This in an interesting and quirky book. It's a tale that involves corrupt police, mercenaries, drug gangs and for the first time that I can recall, a central character addicted to strip joints. I wish I could tell you what it was really about but to be honest I'm not really sure. It's a book that creates a question for every one it answers. I think I would have to recommend it. ( )