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About a Son

A Murder and a Father’s Search for Truth

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About a Son

By: David Whitehouse
Narrated by: Mark Jarvis
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About this listen

One night in October 2015, twenty-year-old Morgan Hehir went out with friends and never came home.

In the aftermath of his funny, talented son's murder, Morgan's father Colin began to keep an extraordinary diary. It became a record of his family's grief, the ensuing trial, and his determined quest to uncover the shocking truth that the police had kept hidden.

Inspired by this diary, About A Son is a groundbreaking work of creative non-fiction that asks vital questions about the nature of justice and pays tribute to the unbreakable bond between a father and son.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE GORDON BURN PRIZE

©2022 David Whitehouse (P)2022 Orion Publishing Group Limited Fatherhood Murder Parenting & Families Relationships True Crime Words, Language & Grammar Writing & Publishing Crime

Critic reviews

"The book that everyone will be talking about this year: a staggering work of honesty, empathy and humanity, wholly unlike anything else you will have read." (Terri White)
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This is a difficult but rewarding listen because it is a heartbreaking story of grief and a fight for justice. On that level I would recommend it.

It stands as a fitting tribute to Morgan Hehir and his family. They should be proud of this book.

However, I cannot understand the choice made when choosing the narrator. He sounds too young (this is the story of a middle aged man), the accent is laid on thick, which would make sense if it was the correct one (it is from the East not West Midlands, big difference) and it all makes him sound less thoughtful than he is in real life (you can hear the real persons voice on You Tube).

So sorry to Mark Jarvis, but you were miscast.

Almost Ruined By Accent

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As in Nuneaton resident, with two adult sons, I can relate to this tragic story. I thought that weaving the other side stories of the Co Op New Year’s crush and death of four people and the rail crash at Nuneaton station fitted in well with the narrative. The story of Morgan’s last few moments and the background to his life and family are well described and the overall scenario is quite heart wrenching.
There are a couple of points though which I find puzzling. The narrative of Morgan’s father using the pronoun ’you’ when referring to him self needs getting used to, but then maybe that was just the way he wrote his diary. I’m afraid the narrator’s accent grated with me all the way through. It seemed to imply that it was a Nuneaton accent when I suspect it was the narrator’s own Nottingham accent. It would’ve been a good idea to have the narrator speak with the local twang and it surely would’ve been possible to either imitate it or get a native speaker.

Tragic and revealing account

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This is the recounting of events that no family should ever have to live through. A harrowing story well told with a message for us all. My heart goes out to the Whitehouse family. I salute you for the courage to push through and demanding accountability and some justice.

Doing what it takes - a lesson in perseverance

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Such a special retelling of a heartbreaking tragedy. The commentary on the justice system is really well done and the depiction of grief is poignant.

The narrator seemed to randomly go northern on the odd word? Really weird to listen to. Should’ve not done an accent or got the real thing.

Important story, beautifully written, bizzare accent

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A beautiful, searing, poignant and heart-breakingly powerful listen.

Unlike anything I’ve ever heard before. Stunning use of language to describe pain, grief, frustration, time, hope, love.

Grut!

Remarkable!

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