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The Escape
The new psychological thriller from the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Accident, The Lie and The Missing.
"Look after your daughter's things. And your daughter…"
"Look after your daughter's things. And your daughter…"
When a stranger asks Jo Blackmore for a lift she says yes, then swiftly wishes she hadn't.
The stranger knows Jo's name, she knows her husband Max and she's got a glove belonging to Jo's two year old daughter Elise.
What begins with a subtle threat swiftly turns into a nightmare as the police, social services and even Jo's own husband turn against her.
No one believes that Elise is in danger. But Jo knows there's only one way to keep her child safe – RUN.
434 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 23, 2017
608 people are currently reading
4149 people want to read
About the author
C.L. Taylor
26 books3,443 followersC.L. Taylor is an award winning Sunday Times bestselling author of ten gripping psychological thrillers including THE GUILTY COUPLE, a Richard and Judy Book Club pick for summer 2023 and SLEEP, a Richard and Judy Book Club pick for autumn 2019. Her books are not a series and can be read in any order:
2014 - THE ACCIDENT / Before I Wake (U.S.)
2015 - THE LIE
2016 - THE MISSING
2017 - THE ESCAPE
2018 - THE FEAR
2019 - SLEEP
2020 - STRANGERS
2021 - HER LAST HOLIDAY
2022 - THE GUILTY COUPLE
2024 - EVERY MOVE YOU MAKE
2025 - IT'S ALWAYS THE HUSBAND
She has also written two Young Adult thrillers, THE TREATMENT and THE ISLAND.
C.L. Taylor's books have sold in excess of two million copies, been number one on Amazon Kindle, Kobo, iBooks and Google Play and have been translated into over 25 languages and optioned for TV.
She lives in Bristol with her partner and son.
Sign up to join the CL Taylor Readers' Club to receive THE LODGER for free:
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2014 - THE ACCIDENT / Before I Wake (U.S.)
2015 - THE LIE
2016 - THE MISSING
2017 - THE ESCAPE
2018 - THE FEAR
2019 - SLEEP
2020 - STRANGERS
2021 - HER LAST HOLIDAY
2022 - THE GUILTY COUPLE
2024 - EVERY MOVE YOU MAKE
2025 - IT'S ALWAYS THE HUSBAND
She has also written two Young Adult thrillers, THE TREATMENT and THE ISLAND.
C.L. Taylor's books have sold in excess of two million copies, been number one on Amazon Kindle, Kobo, iBooks and Google Play and have been translated into over 25 languages and optioned for TV.
She lives in Bristol with her partner and son.
Sign up to join the CL Taylor Readers' Club to receive THE LODGER for free:
cltaylorauthor.com/newsletter
www.cltaylorauthor.com
www.twitter.com/callytaylor
www.Instagram.com/cltaylorauthor
www.facebook.com/callytaylorauthor
www.youtube.com/cltaylorauthor
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 766 reviews
April 27, 2017
First novel by C.L Taylor :).
3.5 stars
I was thoroughly engaged from the first until right about the end and then it fell a weeee bit flat for me. I'm getting used to being the outlier with my books 😜.
C.L Taylor definitely knows how to grab the readers but to me this novel was a little predictable with the storyline.
Our main character Jo Blackmore decides to give a stranger a ride in her car but quickly becomes paranoid when this "stranger" named Paula knows everything about Jo and her life (i.e., daughter, her name, her husband, and where she lives). This Paula discloses to Jo that her husband has something of hers that she wants back?.... hmmm
Quickly things start to go down a dark and sinister path between Jo and her family. Jo starts questioning everyone in her life and wondering how her life is falling apart at the seams?
With this novel, I was a tad bit disappointed because it didn't have the overall twists and turns I was hoping for. I was engaged for sure but I pretty much called the storyline before I got to the ending. I feel like I'm getting pickier and pickier with my 5 star ratings! 💁
3.5 stars
I was thoroughly engaged from the first until right about the end and then it fell a weeee bit flat for me. I'm getting used to being the outlier with my books 😜.
C.L Taylor definitely knows how to grab the readers but to me this novel was a little predictable with the storyline.
Our main character Jo Blackmore decides to give a stranger a ride in her car but quickly becomes paranoid when this "stranger" named Paula knows everything about Jo and her life (i.e., daughter, her name, her husband, and where she lives). This Paula discloses to Jo that her husband has something of hers that she wants back?.... hmmm
Quickly things start to go down a dark and sinister path between Jo and her family. Jo starts questioning everyone in her life and wondering how her life is falling apart at the seams?
With this novel, I was a tad bit disappointed because it didn't have the overall twists and turns I was hoping for. I was engaged for sure but I pretty much called the storyline before I got to the ending. I feel like I'm getting pickier and pickier with my 5 star ratings! 💁
March 14, 2017
The Escape starts off as a tense and fast paced psychological thriller. The kind that finds you holding your breath, and experiencing that uncomfortable and almost desperate feeling when you fear that no one believes you. That gets me every time!
I felt this book was in two parts, because the first part felt like a psychological thriller, and I had the suspense of not knowing where it was going, but then the later part of the book felt very different. It was much more predictable and there weren’t many surprises for me. Having said that, I still enjoyed the second half, as it focussed on some past events which were emotional. I would say the second half of the book felt more like women’s fiction, which I enjoy anyway.
I felt this book was in two parts, because the first part felt like a psychological thriller, and I had the suspense of not knowing where it was going, but then the later part of the book felt very different. It was much more predictable and there weren’t many surprises for me. Having said that, I still enjoyed the second half, as it focussed on some past events which were emotional. I would say the second half of the book felt more like women’s fiction, which I enjoy anyway.
March 25, 2017
I can honestly say that I have enjoyed every book I have read by this author and this one proved to be yet another on to add to that growing list of successes.
This is a fast paced novel that will grip you early on. Good strong characters and a plot full of suspense.
A psychological thriller that starts when a stranger asks Jo Blackmore for a lift and she says yes, then swiftly wishes she hadn't. The stranger knows Jo's name, she knows her husband Max and she's got a glove belonging to Jo's two year old daughter Elise. Threats follow and the nightmare begins, Jo feels that both her and daughters lives are in danger so she feels the only answer is to run.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Avon books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
This is a fast paced novel that will grip you early on. Good strong characters and a plot full of suspense.
A psychological thriller that starts when a stranger asks Jo Blackmore for a lift and she says yes, then swiftly wishes she hadn't. The stranger knows Jo's name, she knows her husband Max and she's got a glove belonging to Jo's two year old daughter Elise. Threats follow and the nightmare begins, Jo feels that both her and daughters lives are in danger so she feels the only answer is to run.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Avon books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
February 14, 2021
The story hooked me from the start and its fast pace made me finish it in a day. On the other hand, the plot didn't stand out from other mysteries and the characters weren't likable nor very smart (I was on the verge of yelling at some of them!). Also, the second part was less interesting than the first and I ended up skimming through some chapters.
It's my fourth book by C.L. Taylor and I didn't give more than 3 stars to any of them... Am I ready to give up? Not yet! I still have Sleep and Strangers on my list and I'm gonna give them a try because their synopsis seems interesting. I have nothing against unmemorable but fast paced mysteries every now and then!
It's my fourth book by C.L. Taylor and I didn't give more than 3 stars to any of them... Am I ready to give up? Not yet! I still have Sleep and Strangers on my list and I'm gonna give them a try because their synopsis seems interesting. I have nothing against unmemorable but fast paced mysteries every now and then!
July 8, 2020
The Escape by CL Taylor had me invested in the prose from start to finish it was a fast paced well written & i thoroughly enjoyed this one but i always like a story about a family in so much dysfunction its hard no to like them. the first part was thrilling me to the point i was cheering Jo on her husband Max played on her mental illness agoraphobia & anxiety, she does not fear going out but is afraid of situations she cannot control,
Max & Jo relationship gets to a point that Jo runs away to Ireland with their daughter Elise to escape Max & the way he treats her, from this moment on things amp up 100% as Jo even changes her appearance. This was a thrilling read that kept me turning the pages to see how it finished, all i can say is DONT TRUST ANYONE!!
Max & Jo relationship gets to a point that Jo runs away to Ireland with their daughter Elise to escape Max & the way he treats her, from this moment on things amp up 100% as Jo even changes her appearance. This was a thrilling read that kept me turning the pages to see how it finished, all i can say is DONT TRUST ANYONE!!
June 29, 2023
This is my 3rd read book by C.L. Taylor.
Jo Blackmore meets a woman that insists that Jo's husband Max stole something from her. When Jo tells Max about it, he starts to imply that Jo is wrong and that she imagined all this because of her depression and agoraphobia, which developed after the loss of her first child. Soon a lot of strange and inexplicable things happen in Jo's life and she finds herself in a very complicated situation.
The book started enough intense at the beginning but later became very predictable and a bit annoying because of extremely unlikable main characters and very often their stupid actions.
In the The Accident the author also is using a woman on the verge of a physiological break and her husband who doesn't believe her and tries to imply that she is very sick.
Something similar happens in The Escape. I am just wondering why a woman should be always sick. Why the same pattern is used again?
Because of this, if you read The Accident don't bother to read The Escape and vice versa.
Jo Blackmore meets a woman that insists that Jo's husband Max stole something from her. When Jo tells Max about it, he starts to imply that Jo is wrong and that she imagined all this because of her depression and agoraphobia, which developed after the loss of her first child. Soon a lot of strange and inexplicable things happen in Jo's life and she finds herself in a very complicated situation.
The book started enough intense at the beginning but later became very predictable and a bit annoying because of extremely unlikable main characters and very often their stupid actions.
In the The Accident the author also is using a woman on the verge of a physiological break and her husband who doesn't believe her and tries to imply that she is very sick.
Something similar happens in The Escape. I am just wondering why a woman should be always sick. Why the same pattern is used again?
Because of this, if you read The Accident don't bother to read The Escape and vice versa.
March 11, 2017
3.5 stars. Jo Blackmore gives a stranger a lift but quickly wishes she hadn't. The stranded knows all about Jo, her name, her husband Max and they also have a glove belonging to her 2 year old daughter Elsie. What begins with a subtle threat, swiftly turns into a night mare for Jo. No one believes Elsie is in danger,
There is plenty of tension in this book. With its well thought out plot and great characters, this is a definite page turner. I found the ending to be a little disappointing and that's why I could only give this book 3.5 stars.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Avon Books and the author CL Taylor for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
There is plenty of tension in this book. With its well thought out plot and great characters, this is a definite page turner. I found the ending to be a little disappointing and that's why I could only give this book 3.5 stars.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Avon Books and the author CL Taylor for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 24, 2017
10☆ ++ review
The Escape blurb is absolutely bang on!!
It's spine tingling, chilling, thrilling, heart stopping and made my hairs stand on end.
So much so I was totally hooked!! I read all through the night just couldn't put it down.
Never have I read a book that has un nerved me so much so I was frantically reading as I needed to see what happened next.
Utterly genius writing!! Kept me guessing the whole way through giving absolutely nothing away.
I can normally guess twists but with The Escape I didn't have a clue. I was completely shocked and absorbed and didn't expect a thing!
Ok so now for the gist of the story without giving anything away.
Joanne is approached in a car park by a women who appears to know everything about her.
Paula disturbingly knows everything, including her husband's and daughters name and where she lives. She even has one of her daughters gloves. Chillingly she knows way too much.
Paula claims Joannes husband Max has something of hers and she wants it back..
She tells Max and he claims he doesn't know Paula and that he insinuates Joanne might be making it up as she suffers from agoraphobia and depression and anxiety.
Max works as a criminal reporter and Joanne is convinced Paula might well be connected to one of he's cases.
But things take a dark Disturbing turn when a series of events happen and Joanne is the target.
Paula breaks into their house & plants drugs, then calls the police. Joanne is arrested and now social services are on her back.
Joanne feels like no one is on her side. Max refuses to believe her even though Paula has approached him too.
Things just go from bad to worse. When Elise is sleeping & Paula breaks in.
Elise screams and the next morning several bruises appear on her body.
She rushes Elise to the Drs but he as good as accuses Joanne of abusing Elise.
She does know more & runs away.
Her best friend helps her to run away to Ireland.
But things are not as they seem!
There are some deep rooted family secrets that really should stay buried and uncovered in Ireland, much to Joanne's mum advice.
Max is after Joanne and he will stop at nothing to bring her back. With Paula hot on their tail. What has Max got of Paula's that she will stop at nothing to get back?
Paula is twisted, disturbing, creepy and will stop at nothing. Even if it means hurting the ones Max loves! Even little Elise.
There are some deeply dark Disturbing moments and they are brilliantly written. My hairs were literally standing on end at some points.
Things really are not as they seem with this book.
The little chapter inserts are extremely clever and give nothing away. The whole time I was clueless as to whether Paula was even real or a fiction of Joanne's imagination.
Max comes across to start with as being very supportive of Joanne but you can see the cracks starting to show. The turning point for me when I started to dislike Max was when he filed for sole custody stating Joanne was an unfit mother.
You can see early on that there is no more love in their relationship and they are only together for Elise benefit. But are they just doing more harm than good!
C. L. Taylor is a very creative and captivating author.
I was completely enthralled with all the characters and the clever story line.
If you love thrillers, adrenaline rushes, page turners, twists and turns galore with unexpected outcomes then you really really must read this!
100% recommend!!
I received this book from the Publisher in exchange for a honest and fair review via Netgalley.
The Escape blurb is absolutely bang on!!
It's spine tingling, chilling, thrilling, heart stopping and made my hairs stand on end.
So much so I was totally hooked!! I read all through the night just couldn't put it down.
Never have I read a book that has un nerved me so much so I was frantically reading as I needed to see what happened next.
Utterly genius writing!! Kept me guessing the whole way through giving absolutely nothing away.
I can normally guess twists but with The Escape I didn't have a clue. I was completely shocked and absorbed and didn't expect a thing!
Ok so now for the gist of the story without giving anything away.
Joanne is approached in a car park by a women who appears to know everything about her.
Paula disturbingly knows everything, including her husband's and daughters name and where she lives. She even has one of her daughters gloves. Chillingly she knows way too much.
Paula claims Joannes husband Max has something of hers and she wants it back..
She tells Max and he claims he doesn't know Paula and that he insinuates Joanne might be making it up as she suffers from agoraphobia and depression and anxiety.
Max works as a criminal reporter and Joanne is convinced Paula might well be connected to one of he's cases.
But things take a dark Disturbing turn when a series of events happen and Joanne is the target.
Paula breaks into their house & plants drugs, then calls the police. Joanne is arrested and now social services are on her back.
Joanne feels like no one is on her side. Max refuses to believe her even though Paula has approached him too.
Things just go from bad to worse. When Elise is sleeping & Paula breaks in.
Elise screams and the next morning several bruises appear on her body.
She rushes Elise to the Drs but he as good as accuses Joanne of abusing Elise.
She does know more & runs away.
Her best friend helps her to run away to Ireland.
But things are not as they seem!
There are some deep rooted family secrets that really should stay buried and uncovered in Ireland, much to Joanne's mum advice.
Max is after Joanne and he will stop at nothing to bring her back. With Paula hot on their tail. What has Max got of Paula's that she will stop at nothing to get back?
Paula is twisted, disturbing, creepy and will stop at nothing. Even if it means hurting the ones Max loves! Even little Elise.
There are some deeply dark Disturbing moments and they are brilliantly written. My hairs were literally standing on end at some points.
Things really are not as they seem with this book.
The little chapter inserts are extremely clever and give nothing away. The whole time I was clueless as to whether Paula was even real or a fiction of Joanne's imagination.
Max comes across to start with as being very supportive of Joanne but you can see the cracks starting to show. The turning point for me when I started to dislike Max was when he filed for sole custody stating Joanne was an unfit mother.
You can see early on that there is no more love in their relationship and they are only together for Elise benefit. But are they just doing more harm than good!
C. L. Taylor is a very creative and captivating author.
I was completely enthralled with all the characters and the clever story line.
If you love thrillers, adrenaline rushes, page turners, twists and turns galore with unexpected outcomes then you really really must read this!
100% recommend!!
I received this book from the Publisher in exchange for a honest and fair review via Netgalley.
May 18, 2024
I dived into this book expecting a whirlwind of suspense, and while it was engaging, the twist didn’t quite leave me breathless—I guessed it pretty early on.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a solid story that hooks you from the start. The plot is intriguing and keeps you turning the pages. However, it felt a tad too long, and I found myself growing a bit weary of the main character’s constant paranoia.
Despite that, the narrative is compelling enough to keep you invested. If you’re looking for a decent thriller to pass the time, this one’s worth a read, even if the twist doesn’t completely knock your socks off. Enjoy the ride, but maybe keep your expectations for mind-blowing surprises in check!
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a solid story that hooks you from the start. The plot is intriguing and keeps you turning the pages. However, it felt a tad too long, and I found myself growing a bit weary of the main character’s constant paranoia.
Despite that, the narrative is compelling enough to keep you invested. If you’re looking for a decent thriller to pass the time, this one’s worth a read, even if the twist doesn’t completely knock your socks off. Enjoy the ride, but maybe keep your expectations for mind-blowing surprises in check!
February 17, 2017
I banged through this one. I started it then I growled at it some because it wouldn't let me go then I finished it just like that. Definitively addictive.
SO the main character, Jo, annoyed the mother loving heck out of me. Yes yes she's unwell, horrible experiences but it didn't stop me wanting to slap her. I say this with 100% positivity - I COULD NOT stop reading this until I found out what was what, whether she was fragile or fruit loop and what the blinking heck had her husband been up to anyway?
See? Twisty. Twisty goodness. I'm a fan of irritating characters (and that obviously is subjective) that irritate you in a way that just keeps you turning those pages especially when they can turn around on you. Something that Cally Taylor does INDOMITABLY well is write the divisive, occasionally unsympathetic, layered characters that you engage with, whether by wanting to slap them (seriously can I slap her?) or by loving them or hating them or somewhere in between. Tis a thin line but the main thing is it's a bloody good story and love or loathe those you find within you will be entertained and find yourself lost in their world.
I hovered between emotions while reading it - there are some stand out thrill moments and some contemplative insights, this is what the psychological thriller is supposed to do, make you crazy, whilst thoroughly embracing that crazy. Top notch really.
I like them when they are like this
Excellent stuff here from Ms Taylor.
Recommended.
SO the main character, Jo, annoyed the mother loving heck out of me. Yes yes she's unwell, horrible experiences but it didn't stop me wanting to slap her. I say this with 100% positivity - I COULD NOT stop reading this until I found out what was what, whether she was fragile or fruit loop and what the blinking heck had her husband been up to anyway?
See? Twisty. Twisty goodness. I'm a fan of irritating characters (and that obviously is subjective) that irritate you in a way that just keeps you turning those pages especially when they can turn around on you. Something that Cally Taylor does INDOMITABLY well is write the divisive, occasionally unsympathetic, layered characters that you engage with, whether by wanting to slap them (seriously can I slap her?) or by loving them or hating them or somewhere in between. Tis a thin line but the main thing is it's a bloody good story and love or loathe those you find within you will be entertained and find yourself lost in their world.
I hovered between emotions while reading it - there are some stand out thrill moments and some contemplative insights, this is what the psychological thriller is supposed to do, make you crazy, whilst thoroughly embracing that crazy. Top notch really.
I like them when they are like this
Excellent stuff here from Ms Taylor.
Recommended.
March 17, 2017
After loving The Lie by C.L. Taylor a few years ago, I was looking forward to another twisty and addictive read. I wasn't disappointed. The Escape is just as menacing and creepy; with its tense writing and slightly eerie atmosphere, particularly towards the end of the book.
The characters are well developed, although at times i wanted to scream at the lead character. Initially the plot seems pretty straightforward, however the more you read the more the intrigue grows and you realise it's not as simple as it appears.
C.L. Taylor has become an author I know I can rely on, if I want to read a moody and page turning psychological thriller, that whizzes along at a groundbreaking pace.
Thanks to NetGalley, Avon Books UK, and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book, in return for an honest and unbiased review.
The characters are well developed, although at times i wanted to scream at the lead character. Initially the plot seems pretty straightforward, however the more you read the more the intrigue grows and you realise it's not as simple as it appears.
C.L. Taylor has become an author I know I can rely on, if I want to read a moody and page turning psychological thriller, that whizzes along at a groundbreaking pace.
Thanks to NetGalley, Avon Books UK, and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book, in return for an honest and unbiased review.
December 19, 2017
The Escape is the first book I've read by C.L. Taylor and to be honest was I a bit unsure when I started the book if it would work out for me. Once again we have a woman with psychological problems, in this case, agoraphobia and I've lately felt a bit tiredness towards psychological thrillers with a woman who is mentally unstable as the main characters. So. why do I keep reading them? Well, because I have a lot of them to read.
The Escape for me was a book that I was for a long time unsure if I should continue listening to or not. I often pick the audio version of books since then I could do other things while I listened to the book, like working. And, I want an audiobook that keeps me entertained. This was on the borderline, neither bad enough to DNF nor really suspenseful to truly captivate me. However, it was interesting enough that I wanted to know the end. And, thankfully short enough with a straightforward story that at least never got really boring.
Yeah, I know I sound very negative towards the book. But, it's not that bad, it's the middle road kind of book. Not gripping enough to really make me take to the story and its characters, but still a good book that takes not a long time to listen to or read if you do that instead.
The Escape is a so-so book, but I bet if you like the author's previous book will you probably like this one too!
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
The Escape for me was a book that I was for a long time unsure if I should continue listening to or not. I often pick the audio version of books since then I could do other things while I listened to the book, like working. And, I want an audiobook that keeps me entertained. This was on the borderline, neither bad enough to DNF nor really suspenseful to truly captivate me. However, it was interesting enough that I wanted to know the end. And, thankfully short enough with a straightforward story that at least never got really boring.
Yeah, I know I sound very negative towards the book. But, it's not that bad, it's the middle road kind of book. Not gripping enough to really make me take to the story and its characters, but still a good book that takes not a long time to listen to or read if you do that instead.
The Escape is a so-so book, but I bet if you like the author's previous book will you probably like this one too!
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
March 23, 2017
Full of suspense, intrigue, fast pace, pageturner, won't let you go until you've read it, no sleep, late night, headache and grumpy in the morning due to being up late. But, you know what.....it was worth it.
Jo, the main character in the plot is a wife and mother. But she's had mental health problems since loosing her little baby son.
Does this make Jo a bad mother to her daughter? Can she fulfill her role and duty as a mum and still bring up her child in an atmospheric home with all the grounded needs that rearing children need for stability?
Pauline? Who is she? What does she want from Jo that Max took.
Max her husband.
Does he know this woman?
He says not.
Jo sometimes needed a shake, I wanted to sit down with her and give her some courage.
Was she being followed or was it her mental state?
I just had to find out!
Helen her friend, the neighbor next door who started emailing her.
What in the hell was going on!
Jo did things that questioned her sanity although I could see the logic.
Her mother, what was she hiding?
Who was Mary?
Oh gee whizz, this is one hell of a classy thriller that you will find yourself holding your breath.
I've loved all of CL Taylor's books, but this one surpasses the best.
I have this in eBook I'd love to own a signed copy.
Maybe a dream come true.
My thanks to Avon books UK via Net Galley for my copy
Jo, the main character in the plot is a wife and mother. But she's had mental health problems since loosing her little baby son.
Does this make Jo a bad mother to her daughter? Can she fulfill her role and duty as a mum and still bring up her child in an atmospheric home with all the grounded needs that rearing children need for stability?
Pauline? Who is she? What does she want from Jo that Max took.
Max her husband.
Does he know this woman?
He says not.
Jo sometimes needed a shake, I wanted to sit down with her and give her some courage.
Was she being followed or was it her mental state?
I just had to find out!
Helen her friend, the neighbor next door who started emailing her.
What in the hell was going on!
Jo did things that questioned her sanity although I could see the logic.
Her mother, what was she hiding?
Who was Mary?
Oh gee whizz, this is one hell of a classy thriller that you will find yourself holding your breath.
I've loved all of CL Taylor's books, but this one surpasses the best.
I have this in eBook I'd love to own a signed copy.
Maybe a dream come true.
My thanks to Avon books UK via Net Galley for my copy
November 13, 2017
Back to the top
Ms Taylor is back on form in my opinion. When they work and they usually do, her books are masterpieces of physiological thrillers. There have been a couple of hers that didn't quite work for me. But this one did right from the start. I lost track about half way through, but that could have been me not the book. I look forward to reading more or her books.
Ms Taylor is back on form in my opinion. When they work and they usually do, her books are masterpieces of physiological thrillers. There have been a couple of hers that didn't quite work for me. But this one did right from the start. I lost track about half way through, but that could have been me not the book. I look forward to reading more or her books.
April 14, 2017
All my reviews can be found at http://thebookreviewcafe I also have an author interview with C.L. Taylor where we discuss The Escape **No spoilers**
It’s not very often it happens but The Escape by C L Taylor left me with a serious book hangover, I picked up this book thinking I would just read the first couple of chapters, BIG MISTAKE as three hours later I reached the final page in this addictive psychological thriller. There are a huge number of books in this genre so for me the difference between a good psychological thriller and an outstanding one is the authors ability to mess with my head, a plot that contains suspense and “edge of your seat moments” and C L Taylor manages this and so much more with this addictive novel.
The author presents the reader with an unreliable narrator in the shape of Jo Blackmore, a young mother whose behaviour becomes increasingly erratic, she’s neurotic, has panic attacks and she’s paranoid. Unreliable narrators are one of my favourite types of characters and so I was immediately drawn to her tale, unpredictable she also appears to be losing her grip on reality so you are never quite sure what to believe. When she is threatened by a young woman Jo’s life begins to unravel in the most spectacular fashion. You cannot help questioning is what Jo going through real?, is she really in danger? Or is she misinterpreting events? I found I became totally immersed in Jo’s tale, her sense of fear is palatable from the first chapter and this grows as the plot progresses. It’s a disturbing yet believable study of family, lies, and deception and the overwhelming need to “Escape” from the harsh realities of life.
The chapters told in the voice of an unknown narrator add a sense of malice and danger to the tale, and it was these chapters that completely threw me. In fact when I finished reading The Escape I went back and re-read them, a very clever and deceiving ploy by the author I have to say. Wickedly told and fast paced this is definitely one of the best psychological thrillers I’ve read this year. C L Taylor delivers the most deliciously devious plot that will throw the reader at every twisted turn, even the most hardened psychological thrillers readers will struggle to put this one down. In my opinion C L Taylor’s writing goes from strength to strength, each of her books is worthy of high praise but The Escape is definitely my favourite so far and I’m already excited to see if her next book can beat this truly gripping read.
It’s not very often it happens but The Escape by C L Taylor left me with a serious book hangover, I picked up this book thinking I would just read the first couple of chapters, BIG MISTAKE as three hours later I reached the final page in this addictive psychological thriller. There are a huge number of books in this genre so for me the difference between a good psychological thriller and an outstanding one is the authors ability to mess with my head, a plot that contains suspense and “edge of your seat moments” and C L Taylor manages this and so much more with this addictive novel.
The author presents the reader with an unreliable narrator in the shape of Jo Blackmore, a young mother whose behaviour becomes increasingly erratic, she’s neurotic, has panic attacks and she’s paranoid. Unreliable narrators are one of my favourite types of characters and so I was immediately drawn to her tale, unpredictable she also appears to be losing her grip on reality so you are never quite sure what to believe. When she is threatened by a young woman Jo’s life begins to unravel in the most spectacular fashion. You cannot help questioning is what Jo going through real?, is she really in danger? Or is she misinterpreting events? I found I became totally immersed in Jo’s tale, her sense of fear is palatable from the first chapter and this grows as the plot progresses. It’s a disturbing yet believable study of family, lies, and deception and the overwhelming need to “Escape” from the harsh realities of life.
The chapters told in the voice of an unknown narrator add a sense of malice and danger to the tale, and it was these chapters that completely threw me. In fact when I finished reading The Escape I went back and re-read them, a very clever and deceiving ploy by the author I have to say. Wickedly told and fast paced this is definitely one of the best psychological thrillers I’ve read this year. C L Taylor delivers the most deliciously devious plot that will throw the reader at every twisted turn, even the most hardened psychological thrillers readers will struggle to put this one down. In my opinion C L Taylor’s writing goes from strength to strength, each of her books is worthy of high praise but The Escape is definitely my favourite so far and I’m already excited to see if her next book can beat this truly gripping read.
July 22, 2024
I wasn't expecting a perfect read with this one - and I was right. Although thoroughly enjoyable I did find this book a little slow and didn't quite have the right pacing. It was intriguing enough that I wanted to know what the outcome was going to be.
I wouldn't say this was a thriller that I couldn't put down but it was a really easy read which was helped along with its short chapters. All the characters in the book were average, nothing special. I will pick up another book by C L Taylor because of how easy to read and digest this book was.
This is a good book to pair/read alongside with something more complex.
I saw the twist in this book coming a mile away which was disappointing but it didn't stop me from wanting to know how it would play out and end. I found the ending to be a little quick and without complete resolution.
Overall a pretty average but easy read - enjoyable enough.
I wouldn't say this was a thriller that I couldn't put down but it was a really easy read which was helped along with its short chapters. All the characters in the book were average, nothing special. I will pick up another book by C L Taylor because of how easy to read and digest this book was.
This is a good book to pair/read alongside with something more complex.
I saw the twist in this book coming a mile away which was disappointing but it didn't stop me from wanting to know how it would play out and end. I found the ending to be a little quick and without complete resolution.
Overall a pretty average but easy read - enjoyable enough.
May 6, 2017
There are some authors who’s books you are on countdown for from the minute you finish their previous book and Cally Taylor is on that list for me! I feel as though I have been waiting for ages for The Escape as I started anticipating it as soon as I finished her brilliant book The Missing. In fact, I have absolutely loved all three of her previous books but could she make it four in a row? Would The Escape live up to them? I’m thrilled to tell you that it most certainly did!
Stepping into The Escape was like setting foot inside a real life nightmare! Jo was running for her life away from an unknown monster but unfortunately she didn’t have the option of being able to wake up. I really felt for Jo right from the start, the loss of her first baby had taken a terrible effect on her mental health. Due to what had happened to her I found it to be perfectly understandable that she was over anxious about her daughter Elise’s safety. But that was an everyday anxiety that she was trying her best to live with so when a stranger approaches her, seeming to know Jo and her family and making threats, Jo is understandably terrified. And then, when things go from bad to very bad indeed, she has no choice but to take Elise and run. Interspersed with Jo’s narrative there is an unidentified narrator who scared the hell out of me! Who would want to scare Jo like that and why? Is it a case of mistaken identity? I had an enormous feeling of helplessness whilst reading this and it terrified me that no-one believed Jo! And I have to say that I was driven half mad myself by the intricate and very clever plotting of this chilling book.
Once I sat down to read The Escape, nothing and nobody was going to tear me away from it. It grabbed me right from the start as I couldn’t wait to find out WHY?? I ravenously devoured it, loving the change of pace in the second half of the book when things started to become a little bit clearer but never quite trusting exactly how things would end. And just when you think it’s over, you get those last few pages….absolutely brilliant.
Cally Taylor never fails to deliver but with The Escape she has upped her game. She has perfected the twisty turny page turner and presented her readers with her best book so far. Highly recommended by me.
Stepping into The Escape was like setting foot inside a real life nightmare! Jo was running for her life away from an unknown monster but unfortunately she didn’t have the option of being able to wake up. I really felt for Jo right from the start, the loss of her first baby had taken a terrible effect on her mental health. Due to what had happened to her I found it to be perfectly understandable that she was over anxious about her daughter Elise’s safety. But that was an everyday anxiety that she was trying her best to live with so when a stranger approaches her, seeming to know Jo and her family and making threats, Jo is understandably terrified. And then, when things go from bad to very bad indeed, she has no choice but to take Elise and run. Interspersed with Jo’s narrative there is an unidentified narrator who scared the hell out of me! Who would want to scare Jo like that and why? Is it a case of mistaken identity? I had an enormous feeling of helplessness whilst reading this and it terrified me that no-one believed Jo! And I have to say that I was driven half mad myself by the intricate and very clever plotting of this chilling book.
Once I sat down to read The Escape, nothing and nobody was going to tear me away from it. It grabbed me right from the start as I couldn’t wait to find out WHY?? I ravenously devoured it, loving the change of pace in the second half of the book when things started to become a little bit clearer but never quite trusting exactly how things would end. And just when you think it’s over, you get those last few pages….absolutely brilliant.
Cally Taylor never fails to deliver but with The Escape she has upped her game. She has perfected the twisty turny page turner and presented her readers with her best book so far. Highly recommended by me.
May 6, 2017
The last two days I've been reading 'The Escape' by C. l. Taylor. This is a psychological thriller about a woman on the run with her two year old child. I always enjoy this author's books, this story started and finished well and was worth the read.
August 27, 2018
Despite the interesting premise and the suspenseful first half, I found the intensity dropped towards the end, for me, and I found particular twists to be somewhat easily guessed at. Still a solidly intriguing and well-penned thriller but, perhaps, not one I will find myself returning to.
April 5, 2017
Very good indeed. Full review to follow ☺
April 4, 2017
The Escape is the fourth psychological thriller from the pen of the highly popular C.L. Taylor and the second that I have read. My first encounter with her work came with The Missing, which explored the breakdown of a family following the disappearance of a fifteen-year-old and the simmering resentments and acrimony that it gives rise as unanswered questions weigh heavy on the atmosphere. I wasn't impressed by the novel, largely due to a lack of suspense and superficial characters making a readable but unmemorable effort. This latest tale is admittedly a superior story and certainly creates more tension, largely as the descent of Joanne Blackmore's life progresses at a rate of knots that it is hard not to keep reading as yet another catastrophic debacle compounds an already agoraphobic mother's anxiety.
Already flustered, early forties mother of one is delayed collecting her two-year-old daughter, Elise, from nursery so when she senses an invasion of her personal space with her footsteps matching her stride for stride it grates on her nerves and the prickles of sweat start developing. When that same set of footsteps turns into a simple request for directions followed by a disclosure that the woman's son lives in the same street as Jo and she has grandchildren of own, it seems genuine. In a typical British show of good manners and avoiding awkwardness, Jo reluctantly agrees to give the pushy woman, Paula, a lift. However when Paula swiftly starts rummaging through the glove compartment, knows Jo's name, that of her husband Max and then hands back one of Elise's gloves, tension rapidly escalates and gives way to panic. Jo senses the subtle threat of "looking after your daughter" and the implication that husband, Max, will know all about what Paula wants. Flustered and quickly grabbing Elise from nursery leaves the staff feeling unsettled by Jo's erratic behaviour and her routine lateness. When Jo finally reaches her home and locks the front door she anxiously awaits the return of Max from his job at the Bristol News as an investigative reporter. His recent transition to investigative journalism has seen him vow to continue placing his wife and daughter first, and he has promised the jittery Jo that their safety will not be endangered through his work. Max's calm reaction and sober response to the threat Jo has been issued with seems a typically patronising response and even more so when he makes it clear he has no idea who Paula is, and he has no intention of reporting this incident to the police. As he downplays Jo's anxiety she feels more and more alone with a lingering feeling of someone watching her, only for a further encounter with Paula, planted drugs and a ransacked home to follow. All of the events are easily misconstrued and taken from a different angle they all seem like the overactive imagination of a neurotic woman. Or are they something more sinister?
Husband Max, however, clearly does have some idea of what Paula wants and after an encounter with her and being physically assaulted he realises that he has underestimated the threat she poses. His solution in not to confide in wife Jo, but to seek custody of his daughter and cite Jo's mental health and neglect towards Elise as his reasons, all with the underlying motive that he is best placed to keep Elise safe. As he tells himself that his decisions are in the interests of his wife and daughter he skirts round addressing the issue explicitly and you start to wonder if Max has been having his cake and eating it... Running out of options Jo flees the country with Elise to return to her birthplace and home town of her mother, Brigid, in Clogherhead on the east coast of Ireland. Brigid herself turned her back on life in Ireland over thirty-years earlier, taking Jo with her and running from her own nightmare scenario. As Jo comes dangerously close to resurrecting Brigid's original trauma, has she literally jumped out of the frying pan and headfirst straight into the fire? After all, if Jo can't trust her husband, how can she trust the total stranger and brusque landlady Mary who runs the B&B? Quickly it becomes obvious that Jo isn't the only one keeping secrets inside Seamount B&B.
What makes The Escape work is firstly the superficial portrayal of Jo's nightmare, with little detail about each episode before the next problem is already unfolding. Time also races past as Jo and Elise flits from Bristol, to her parents home on the outskirts of Chester, and onwards to her best friend, Helen in Cardiff. Days merge into each other as Jo bounces back and forth and the lack of a specific timescale means questions about the domestic harmony in between pivotal events. Largely because C.L. Taylor never enlightens readers on the general state of marital relations between husband and wife of eleven-years prior to the latest occurred it goes unquestioned. Deliberate evasiveness and continuous action therefore mean that reader does not place the irrational behaviour of Jo or the shifty Max under microscopic scrutiny.
I particularly liked how C.L. Taylor clarified the exact nature of Jo's agoraphobia, rather than perpetuating the myth of a person being housebound. Explicitly stating that agoraphobia is not a "one size fits all" condition is and articulating that Jo is afraid of situations that she can't escape from or get help, not from simply leaving her house. When Max explains this to his boss there is hope that he will handle the matter sensitively, but alas, that strategy goes out the window. It makes sense that raising anxiety and a series of awkward social situations would equate to a gradual loss of self-belief, second guessing and examining ones behaviour.
The Escape brings nothing new or left field to the psychological thriller arena and the rather lacklustre characters fail to convince. The twists and compounding nightmare incidents are all pretty predictable and won't shock too many readers. A fast and untaxing slice of domestic noir, but a paucity of compelling characters leaves The Escape feeling like a mediocre effort and one for the domestic malice completist, not for those who prefer to dip in and out of the genre. The ending, however, had me grinning from ear to ear!
Already flustered, early forties mother of one is delayed collecting her two-year-old daughter, Elise, from nursery so when she senses an invasion of her personal space with her footsteps matching her stride for stride it grates on her nerves and the prickles of sweat start developing. When that same set of footsteps turns into a simple request for directions followed by a disclosure that the woman's son lives in the same street as Jo and she has grandchildren of own, it seems genuine. In a typical British show of good manners and avoiding awkwardness, Jo reluctantly agrees to give the pushy woman, Paula, a lift. However when Paula swiftly starts rummaging through the glove compartment, knows Jo's name, that of her husband Max and then hands back one of Elise's gloves, tension rapidly escalates and gives way to panic. Jo senses the subtle threat of "looking after your daughter" and the implication that husband, Max, will know all about what Paula wants. Flustered and quickly grabbing Elise from nursery leaves the staff feeling unsettled by Jo's erratic behaviour and her routine lateness. When Jo finally reaches her home and locks the front door she anxiously awaits the return of Max from his job at the Bristol News as an investigative reporter. His recent transition to investigative journalism has seen him vow to continue placing his wife and daughter first, and he has promised the jittery Jo that their safety will not be endangered through his work. Max's calm reaction and sober response to the threat Jo has been issued with seems a typically patronising response and even more so when he makes it clear he has no idea who Paula is, and he has no intention of reporting this incident to the police. As he downplays Jo's anxiety she feels more and more alone with a lingering feeling of someone watching her, only for a further encounter with Paula, planted drugs and a ransacked home to follow. All of the events are easily misconstrued and taken from a different angle they all seem like the overactive imagination of a neurotic woman. Or are they something more sinister?
Husband Max, however, clearly does have some idea of what Paula wants and after an encounter with her and being physically assaulted he realises that he has underestimated the threat she poses. His solution in not to confide in wife Jo, but to seek custody of his daughter and cite Jo's mental health and neglect towards Elise as his reasons, all with the underlying motive that he is best placed to keep Elise safe. As he tells himself that his decisions are in the interests of his wife and daughter he skirts round addressing the issue explicitly and you start to wonder if Max has been having his cake and eating it... Running out of options Jo flees the country with Elise to return to her birthplace and home town of her mother, Brigid, in Clogherhead on the east coast of Ireland. Brigid herself turned her back on life in Ireland over thirty-years earlier, taking Jo with her and running from her own nightmare scenario. As Jo comes dangerously close to resurrecting Brigid's original trauma, has she literally jumped out of the frying pan and headfirst straight into the fire? After all, if Jo can't trust her husband, how can she trust the total stranger and brusque landlady Mary who runs the B&B? Quickly it becomes obvious that Jo isn't the only one keeping secrets inside Seamount B&B.
What makes The Escape work is firstly the superficial portrayal of Jo's nightmare, with little detail about each episode before the next problem is already unfolding. Time also races past as Jo and Elise flits from Bristol, to her parents home on the outskirts of Chester, and onwards to her best friend, Helen in Cardiff. Days merge into each other as Jo bounces back and forth and the lack of a specific timescale means questions about the domestic harmony in between pivotal events. Largely because C.L. Taylor never enlightens readers on the general state of marital relations between husband and wife of eleven-years prior to the latest occurred it goes unquestioned. Deliberate evasiveness and continuous action therefore mean that reader does not place the irrational behaviour of Jo or the shifty Max under microscopic scrutiny.
I particularly liked how C.L. Taylor clarified the exact nature of Jo's agoraphobia, rather than perpetuating the myth of a person being housebound. Explicitly stating that agoraphobia is not a "one size fits all" condition is and articulating that Jo is afraid of situations that she can't escape from or get help, not from simply leaving her house. When Max explains this to his boss there is hope that he will handle the matter sensitively, but alas, that strategy goes out the window. It makes sense that raising anxiety and a series of awkward social situations would equate to a gradual loss of self-belief, second guessing and examining ones behaviour.
The Escape brings nothing new or left field to the psychological thriller arena and the rather lacklustre characters fail to convince. The twists and compounding nightmare incidents are all pretty predictable and won't shock too many readers. A fast and untaxing slice of domestic noir, but a paucity of compelling characters leaves The Escape feeling like a mediocre effort and one for the domestic malice completist, not for those who prefer to dip in and out of the genre. The ending, however, had me grinning from ear to ear!
December 17, 2020
3.5⭐
Thriller psicológico bom, que conta a história de Jo, que começa a ser ameaçada e perseguida por Paula, uma mulher que diz querer de volta o que o seu marido Max lhe roubou, caso contrário, quem sofrerá será a sua filha Elise.
Jo foge com a sua filha para a Irlanda, a sua terra natal, onde muitos segredos do passado são desvendados. Uma história que demonstra até onde pode levar o amor de uma mãe por um filho.
Não é um thriller brilhante e super surpreendente, mas gostei.
Thriller psicológico bom, que conta a história de Jo, que começa a ser ameaçada e perseguida por Paula, uma mulher que diz querer de volta o que o seu marido Max lhe roubou, caso contrário, quem sofrerá será a sua filha Elise.
Jo foge com a sua filha para a Irlanda, a sua terra natal, onde muitos segredos do passado são desvendados. Uma história que demonstra até onde pode levar o amor de uma mãe por um filho.
Não é um thriller brilhante e super surpreendente, mas gostei.
March 27, 2017
I absoloutly ate this book up. Started it yesterday evening and finished it this morning. It would not let go of me.
The book centres around Jo (slightly annoying but I really liked her as her charachter grew) her husband Max and their little girl Elise.
Jo who suffers from a plethora of issues ends up letting a stranger into her car. A stranger who knows too much about her and her family. After delivering a chilling warning to Jo she demands that Max give back what is hers. When Jo tells Max what happened he acts like she is over reacting (at this point my opinion of him being a complete ass was formed.....)
So what has Max been up to? Why did Jo's mother flee Ireland when Jo was just a child? Where did Jo's father go?
This book was a spectacular read. You are constantly trying to figure out who Paula is and is Jo actually a basket case?
The characters are wonderfully written. I found Jo annoying at the start but she grew and got stronger and I loved her by the end.
The style of writing was so easy to breeze through and very vivid.
I loved this book and happily I can say this was the first of C.L. Taylors books that I have read so I have the delight of reading the books that came before this one.
The book centres around Jo (slightly annoying but I really liked her as her charachter grew) her husband Max and their little girl Elise.
Jo who suffers from a plethora of issues ends up letting a stranger into her car. A stranger who knows too much about her and her family. After delivering a chilling warning to Jo she demands that Max give back what is hers. When Jo tells Max what happened he acts like she is over reacting (at this point my opinion of him being a complete ass was formed.....)
So what has Max been up to? Why did Jo's mother flee Ireland when Jo was just a child? Where did Jo's father go?
This book was a spectacular read. You are constantly trying to figure out who Paula is and is Jo actually a basket case?
The characters are wonderfully written. I found Jo annoying at the start but she grew and got stronger and I loved her by the end.
The style of writing was so easy to breeze through and very vivid.
I loved this book and happily I can say this was the first of C.L. Taylors books that I have read so I have the delight of reading the books that came before this one.
March 7, 2017
Thank you to Netgalley, Avon books uk and C.L.Taylor for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance reader copy of this book.
You can find my review on both Goodreads and Amazon. On goodreads.com/karenwhittard and on Amazon under k.e.whittard from publication date.
I felt that this book was missing suspense for me. I felt disconnected from the book and felt like it only scraped the side of how truely wonderful this author is. It was extremely predictable and sadly not for me.
Let me know what you thought in the comments. Happy reading everyone
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance reader copy of this book.
You can find my review on both Goodreads and Amazon. On goodreads.com/karenwhittard and on Amazon under k.e.whittard from publication date.
I felt that this book was missing suspense for me. I felt disconnected from the book and felt like it only scraped the side of how truely wonderful this author is. It was extremely predictable and sadly not for me.
Let me know what you thought in the comments. Happy reading everyone
April 9, 2017
Bloody hell, what a corker!
This latest offering by C.L. Taylor grabs you by the collar from the very first page and does not let go.
Without any preamble, you're immediately thrown head first into the action and the pace is absolutely relentless! I'm pretty sure there were times when I forgot to breathe. It was just that engrossing.
Jo is approached by a stranger who turns out didn't just choose Jo randomly. The stranger knows her husband, an investigative reporter, and her daughter Elise. Jo's daughter's safety is threatened. Soon things spin completely out of control and Jo sees no other option but to run. But who is she running from? Is she imagining things? Who's telling the truth?
This story has a brilliantly constructed plot with twists and turns, as you would expect from this genre. It's incredibly gripping and tense. It just has everything!
If I want to be nitpicky, then maybe the ending was a wee bit predictable but you know what? I don't care. Because the rest of the book was mindblowingly great!
Grab yourself a nice cup/glass of your favourite drink, clear out your diary and settle down with this one. You'll want to read it in one sitting and you won't be disappointed.
This latest offering by C.L. Taylor grabs you by the collar from the very first page and does not let go.
Without any preamble, you're immediately thrown head first into the action and the pace is absolutely relentless! I'm pretty sure there were times when I forgot to breathe. It was just that engrossing.
Jo is approached by a stranger who turns out didn't just choose Jo randomly. The stranger knows her husband, an investigative reporter, and her daughter Elise. Jo's daughter's safety is threatened. Soon things spin completely out of control and Jo sees no other option but to run. But who is she running from? Is she imagining things? Who's telling the truth?
This story has a brilliantly constructed plot with twists and turns, as you would expect from this genre. It's incredibly gripping and tense. It just has everything!
If I want to be nitpicky, then maybe the ending was a wee bit predictable but you know what? I don't care. Because the rest of the book was mindblowingly great!
Grab yourself a nice cup/glass of your favourite drink, clear out your diary and settle down with this one. You'll want to read it in one sitting and you won't be disappointed.
May 14, 2017
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Setting: Bristol, England
POVs:
A husband and wife are at each other's throats after a mysterious stranger inserts herself into their daily lives. In part one of this story, it appears as though Joanne Blackmore is quickly losing her grip on reality. Her husband, Max, further inflames their turbulent relationship by petitioning for custody of their only child. In the middle of it all, a stranger is all too happy to terrorize Jo at every turn. Or has Jo descended into madness?
Part two began and ended in Clogherhead, Ireland. In this second half of the story, more characters were introduced and the pace of the story increased.
Issues?
The constant bickering between Jo and Max bored me greatly and made the pace of this story feel very slow for the first half of this book. The writing style was okay, but I didn't really connect with any of the characters. The final conclusion between Brigid and Mary was the highlight of this story for me.
Setting: Bristol, England
POVs:
A husband and wife are at each other's throats after a mysterious stranger inserts herself into their daily lives. In part one of this story, it appears as though Joanne Blackmore is quickly losing her grip on reality. Her husband, Max, further inflames their turbulent relationship by petitioning for custody of their only child. In the middle of it all, a stranger is all too happy to terrorize Jo at every turn. Or has Jo descended into madness?
Part two began and ended in Clogherhead, Ireland. In this second half of the story, more characters were introduced and the pace of the story increased.
Issues?
The constant bickering between Jo and Max bored me greatly and made the pace of this story feel very slow for the first half of this book. The writing style was okay, but I didn't really connect with any of the characters. The final conclusion between Brigid and Mary was the highlight of this story for me.
July 23, 2017
Mystery is probably not my favorite genre but only because I guess way too early what happened/who did it. It was unfortunately the case with The Escape . It´s still a great book, the writing is good, story is intriguing, its probably my fault for reading too much mystery novels.
Still I would recommend it. A fast read and good story line.
Still I would recommend it. A fast read and good story line.
March 23, 2020
Another classic C.L Taylor book! Honestly I don't see myself ever giving a C.L Taylor adult thriller less than four stars.
This is a domestic thriller in which you follow Jo, who one day a stranger approaches and asks her for a lift. This stranger knows everything about Jo. The stranger turns Jo's husband against her and very quickly Jo she realises she is in a lot of danger and needs to run
This was a really well paced, action packed thriller.
As always I love C.L Taylor's writing. It's so easy to read, keeps you hooked till the very end.
I liked how this book handled mental health, I think it was done quite well. It does include the trope of people not being believed because of their mental illness which is slightly annoying but you can see why it needed to be done.
I really enjoyed this book, just like I do all C.L Taylor books. I will continue to read all of C.L Taylor's books. I really recommend everything she writes
TW: child abuse, violence and miscarriage
This is a domestic thriller in which you follow Jo, who one day a stranger approaches and asks her for a lift. This stranger knows everything about Jo. The stranger turns Jo's husband against her and very quickly Jo she realises she is in a lot of danger and needs to run
This was a really well paced, action packed thriller.
As always I love C.L Taylor's writing. It's so easy to read, keeps you hooked till the very end.
I liked how this book handled mental health, I think it was done quite well. It does include the trope of people not being believed because of their mental illness which is slightly annoying but you can see why it needed to be done.
I really enjoyed this book, just like I do all C.L Taylor books. I will continue to read all of C.L Taylor's books. I really recommend everything she writes
TW: child abuse, violence and miscarriage
October 8, 2017
Este livro desperta ansiedade no leitor desde o início até o fim. Sem dúvida um thriller psicológico intenso e inteligente. A guerra de uma mulher para ultrapassar a ansiedade e o proveito que os restantes tiram da sua situação, incluindo quem ela não esperava. Uma luta pessoal constante.
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