Son of My Sorrow is a haunting coming-of-age novel set in Benoni, South Africa, where childhood freedom once meant BMX bikes, mine dumps, and endless afternoons in the veld. For Diogo and his friends, those days were filled with rumours, dares, and whispered stories about hidden places and forgotten tunnels. But when one boy disappears, then another, the stories begin to feel less like imagination and more like warnings. As strange sightings spread and fear takes root in the town, Diogo and his closest friend Jay uncover a disturbing pattern beneath the surface of everyday life — one tied to abandoned mines, underground water, and the weight of buried memories. What begins as curiosity turns into obsession, and then into something far more dangerous. Caught between superstition, faith, and the quiet failures of adults, Diogo must confront a truth no one wants to face: some places remember what we try to forget, and some wounds never truly heal. Blending psychological horror, social history, and heartfelt nostalgia, Son of My Sorrow explores how fear is created, how stories become monsters, and how growing up sometimes means learning what cannot be saved. Inspired by real places and experiences, this debut novel is both a tribute to childhood and a chilling reminder that the past is never as buried as we believe.