Son of a Bitch

A story of motherhood and manhood, forgiveness and redemption, and a mother’s hope that her little boy, now a man, will close his eyes to the past and open his heart to the future.

“…A Joy…Hilarious…”

—Kirkus Reviews

“…a raucous, knee-slapping, hilarious and, at times, heartrending ride through the explosive dynamic between two strong-minded, strong-willed, strong-spoken, head-butting firebrands…an eye-popping page-turner…”
—Hollis Gillespie: award-winning humor writer, best-selling author, travel columnist, NPR commentator.

Immaturity, simmering anger, and years of therapy – budding defense attorney, Benjamin Scales owes it all to his mother.

She dragged him through hell while clawing her way to the top of the sexist, male-dominated legal profession, sacrificing everything to build a life for herself and her son – a bizarre and broken life, but a life. Under her ferocious veneer, Carter Scales is a shattered and lonely woman.

They haven’t spoken in years, but when she is caught in flagrante delicto with her star client, the leader of the notorious Salucci Crime Family, Carter turns to the one person she thinks should always have her back.

But why should he help her?

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This book is really the culmination of a promise to myself 31 years ago when I was 12-years-old growing up with my “say-anything, do-anything” mother, who is also one kick-ass criminal attorney, after experiencing yet another ridiculous, jaw-dropping moment with her. (The life of a criminal defense attorney is no joke, and back then in the late 70s and early 80s it was even wilder, especially for women.) I remember staring at myself in the mirror, thinking, One day I’m going to write a book about this shit. Well, that day has come.

First of all, it is a novel, which means it’s fiction, but it is absolutely inspired by true events.

Son of a Bitch explores the peril of a parent / child relationship amidst the crazy world of criminal defense. At times it’s gut-busting funny, other times it’s biting and a tad raunchy. It’s also shocking and sad. Most importantly, though, it’s about second chances. It’s a tale of motherhood and manhood, forgiveness and redemption, and a mother’s hope that her little boy, now a man, will close his eyes to the past and open his heart to the future.

Reviews

Jason’s Sheffield’s debut novel Son of a Bitch is a raucous, knee-slapping, hilarious and, at times, heartrending ride through the explosive dynamic between two strong-minded, strong-willed, strong-spoken, head-butting firebrands who are not only legal colleagues, but also mother and son. When the former gets herself into a very public and humiliating bind that threatens to end her law career, the latter comes to her rescue (to their mutual chagrin), and the result is an eye-popping page-turner from the very first paragraph.

Kirkus Reviews

Instead of trading in empty suspense and surprise witnesses, [Son of a Bitch] focuses on the dynamics between mother and son, the demands the former makes for her sacrifices and how the latter internalizes them, both blaming himself for what was missed and spiting her for putting her work over his happiness. As a narrator, Ben is a joy, intolerably immature but well-balanced by his self-awareness and sense of humor … . The interactions between Ben and Carter, particularly their fights, are the novel’s strongest moments, so plausibly navigating between the hilarious and heartbreaking in their arguments that their detente feels truly hard won.

Amazon Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars
GREAT BOOK!
Just finished reading this book and had a rollercoaster of emotions while reading it. The relationship between a mother and son is so powerful in this book along with life’s journey. Recommending it to everyone I know who loves a good read!!

5.0 out of 5 stars
Really enjoyed this well-written book – finished it over a few …
Really enjoyed this well-written book – finished it over a few days on vacation. I very much appreciated the storyline and the relationships among the characters. Good mix of humor, emotion and detail, and I liked the shifting of the timelines from current day to flashbacks. Some fantastic stories throughout the book. Highly recommended.

5.0 out of 5 stars
A great read.
Thought it was going to be a legal thriller but turned out to be an extremely fascinating story of a mother and son who went through some very tough times. Fortunately there is always humor even in the most difficult relationships. As lawyers they both were following the same highway but from different reference points. Very well written and a very interesting read. Sort of a legal “Hillbilly Elegy”. I recommend it.

5.0 out of 5 stars
Tone
Just finished the book. I absolutely loved the book. There were many times I simply laughed out loud and there were times I found myself getting tears.
I’m sorry there is not another one to read right now. Loved the tone of the book.
Thank you Jason. I want more!

5.0 out of 5 stars
Highly Recommended!!!
Just finished. Funny, emotional and much more enjoyable and real than other legal novels I’ve read. This one has a lot of depth and is truly thought provoking. It forces you to think about your own relationships and the path that has brought you to where you are today. I highly recommend this book!!

5.0 out of 5 stars
What a fun book to read
What a fun book to read. I didn’t want to put it down! As a first time author, Jason Sheffield did an incredible job with character development. I truly felt like I personally knew the characters in the story.

5.0 out of 5 stars
Great new author
I finished reading ” SON OF A BITCH”. I couldn’t put it down. Great new author. Compelling read. Characters you will love.
I would like to read more Jason Sheffield’s books.

5.0 out of 5 stars
Must read!
Each one of us at some point in our lives have had extreme feelings of love and hate of our parents. “Son of a Bitch” grabs the reader from the first page to see which will win in the end. It brings out every emotion and is truly a page turner. I found the book to be a real winner and can’t wait for the next one.

5.0 out of 5 stars
Loved the book
Compelling from the first pages. Loved the book.

5.0 out of 5 stars
Preordered, downloaded yesterday, finished today!
As an attorney (in Atlanta, married to a criminal defense attorney who went to Georgia State Law School), the authenticity of this book both in tone and content was refreshing. Although, you don’t have to be any of those things to enjoy this well-written, entertaining and heartfelt story. The book is a great balance between action and exposition, flashback and progression, emotions and logic. Looking forward to more to come from this talented author!

5.0 out of 5 stars
NOT TO BE MISSED!
5 stars . . . if I could rate it higher I would. This emerging author is sure to be on the NYT best seller list in no time! Son of a Bitch is beautifully written and takes you on a real roller coaster ride of emotions. I was hooked from page 1 . . . fits of laughter, moments of outrage, and shocking surprises that left me in utter disbelief. Unlike anything I’ve ever read before. Highly recommend! Fingers crossed this one shows up on the big screen one day!!!

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