Stephen King's #1 in Entertainment Weekly's "The Best Books of 2012" List!
New York Times bestselling author Michael Gruber, a member of "the elite ranks of those who can both chill the blood and challenge the mind" (The Denver Post), delivers a taut, multilayered, riveting novel of suspense.
Somewhere in Pakistan, Sonia Laghari and eight fellow members of a symposium on peace are being held captive by armed terrorists. Sonia, a deeply religious woman as well as a Jungian psychologist, has become the de facto leader of the kidnapped group. While her son Theo, an ex-Delta soldier, uses his military connections to find and free the victims, Sonia tries to keep them all alive by working her way into the kidnappers' psyches and interpreting their dreams. With her knowledge of their language, her familiarity with their religion, and her Jungian training, Sonia confounds her captors with her insights and beliefs. Meanwhile, when the kidnappers decide to kill their captives, one by one, in retaliation for perceived crimes against their country, Theo races against the clock to try and save their lives.
Praise for The Good Son:
"Sonia Bailey, a remarkably astute woman with a colorful backstory, leads a peace delegation into Pakistan, where her party is kidnapped by jihadists. Her son Theo sets an elaborate rescue plot in motion...but Sonia has a few tricks up her own sleeve. Let's just say she out-mullahs the mullahs. The suspense is terrific, but in this book it's a bonus. I learned more about the jihadist mindset in these pages--and in an entertaining way--than in all the cable-TV punditry I've seen since 9-11. Cerebral, emotional, heartfelt, this one's the complete package. President Obama, if you happen to come across this column, read this book."—Stephen King, Entertainment Weekly
“… The brilliant character development and the labyrinthine plot line, not to mention the absorbing history of modern jihadism and the U.S. war on terrorism, make this a provocative thriller that readers won’t soon forget.”—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
“Is there anything Gruber can’t write about? In this richly layered tale,… there are twists and tension aplenty—ideas, too. If only governments were half as interested in the psychology of violence, maybe war itself might become a work of fiction.”—Booklist (Starred Review)
“Gruber… weaves threads together masterfully while successfully exploring themes of family, duty, loyalty, cultural identity and more, without ever slowing the momentum. Smart, tense and vastly entertaining.”—Kirkus
