Derek's Revenge by Mac Black

This is book 3 in the Derek series by Mac Black. I think to understand the process of 'becoming Derek' it may be better for readers to read Please...Call Me Derek and Derek's in Trouble first. Not that the books in the series can't be read as stand-alone novels, it  does give a wee bit more insight into character oddities and exploits from previous books.



In this book Derek has hit his thirties and the tone of the book takes a more personal turn. He starts to look for his roots and answers to questions about the past.

In a way that is exactly how he finally stumbles on the idea for his book. His own past is connected to a local band that enjoyed fame and popularity quite a few decades ago.

The relationship between Derek and Sally appears to be going through a few bumps. Sally seems a little fed up with Derek's constant searching to find answers. Towards the end of the book the penny drops and Sally understands that Derek has to come full circle, get closure and answers, to be able to rest easily again.

Black hits upon an interesting topic in this book, and I know it is one that tends to divide opinions. Far from being the unhappy abandoned child, Derek has had a good childhood and has been brought up in a loving secure family environment.

So why the need to search for the mother who left him right after his birth? I don't think people who know who they are and who they stem from can understand what it is like to have zero knowledge about those important facts. Adopted and abandoned children have a huge need to get closure, to get answers and to understand the past in a way that explains the choices that were made in relation to them.

Your parents are the people who raised you, regardless of blood relation. Knowing who your birth parents are just helps to fill in the empty blanks of those children/adults who need to know where they get their height, hair colour and to understand why they were given up in the first place.

I don't think Derek receives all of those answers, but he does seem at peace with the discoveries he makes. I wonder what discoveries he will make in Derek's Good Relations.
I received a copy of this book courtesy of the author.