A Friend of the Family

A Friend of the Family
by Lauren Grodstein

Pete has a successful career, has long been married and has a 20 year-old son.  His family has long been good friends with a couple who has a troubled daughter.  She is 31 and something bad happened when she was a teenager.  

Pete is very disturbed to see his son with their daughter.  He thinks she will wreck his son's future.  He has bailed his son out of trouble before.  His son dropped out of college after a few semesters and he really wants him to go back.  Pete loves his son and just wants the best for him, however, he seems clingy and just won't let his son go off and just find his way.  

This was a good book.  The ending had me a bit wondering what happened.  It makes me think of an unreliable narrator, did something happen that Pete isn't telling us.  I'm still not sure as something just didn't add up at the end.   What really happened with Lauren?  Why did her gown have blood?  Where did she go?  Was she telling the truth when she was talking to Pete at the end of the book?  (Which in that case, she is an absolute monster and no wonder he didn't want her anywhere near her son.)

It was interesting the difference between Pete and Lauren's dad.  Both love their children, just different.  Lauren's dad loves her even if she did something horrible and just wants to see her.  Pete loves his son, but wants to control his son's life, and flips out over small changes.