I've always really enjoyed C.L. Taylor's books so was excited to get my hands of an ARC of The Fear. The topic is one we're all familiar with from the news I'm sure.

14-year-old schoolgirl Lou Wandsworth ran away to France with her karate teacher, Mike Hughes. Mike soon showed his true colours and Lou's life was left in tatters. Now 32, Lou discovers Mike is out of prison and up to his old tricks, involved with another teenager, Chloe. Lou is determined that Chloe won't go through what she did and vows to bring Mike to justice for once and for all.

I thought the subject was handled really delicately without shying away from the gritty reality and I enjoyed the various points of views, allowing the reader to really understand each character's thoughts and feelings. I would have been interested in a few chapters from Mike's POV but potentially that would have been too many characters to get to grips with intimately.

It made a change to see how a character such as Lou had been affected years after her trauma now she is a grown woman and I thought this offered a really unique take on the situation.

While I did really enjoy the book, it wasn't my favourite of C.L. Taylor's books, simply because I think it was a bit too slow for me to get excited.. That said, perhaps this was what made the story so (worryingly) believable.

My goodness this is a tough one. It turns your thinking upside down, inside out and back again. It causes a lot of conflicting emotions. It was creepy in parts but also extremely tense and unexpectedly moving. It focuses mainly on paedophilia and how Lou's life is ruined 18 years ago by human vermin in the shape of Mike when she is 14. Mike, a karate teacher grooms the vulnerable girl. As a secondary theme there is stalking and harassment which is decidedly creepy. The stalker theme is where the past catches up with the present with dire consequences. The picture painted of the pathetic paedophile is impressive although I believe he was as much of a victim as the other characters. There was goodness and darkness in him. I thought Lou was a rather shallow but disturbed teenager. There were times when I thought she was quite nasty and deranged but her character modified as the plot progressed when she is determined to save 13 year old Chloe from the same fate as hers. I didn't think some of the plot was entirely credible but who cares as it made a compelling read. What got me thinking and could be a great discussion for book clubs is if you disregard the ages of Lou & Mike and the laws of this country for a moment the start of the relationship could have been regarded as consensual, special and the meeting of loving soulmates who wanted to be together forever. That's too simplistic in this particular case. It stands out a mile that all the characters had little support; all loners, desperate in their different ways and highly vulnerable. It's my personal opinion that paedophiles particularly search for this type ostensibly to help and be a prop before they net their catch, gain trust and act out their own sinister agenda. Sadly there are a lot of people nowadays in that vulnerable group which makes it easy for a sexual predator. A thought provoking read .There is an "ouch" moment right at the end so brace yourself for that. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK.

A master class in writing a psychological thriller. The author manages to not only get into the mind of a paedophile, but one of his victims and ex partner as well. There were a couple of occasions when the story seemed too convenient ( dog cages, lack of phone signal) but as a whole it held together well and proved a gripping read.

Although apparently living a successful life, thirty-two-year-old Louise Wandsworth has been irrevocably damaged by her past, when at the age of fourteen she was groomed and then abducted by her karate teacher. Mike is a paedophile who preys on vulnerable young girls. He served his time in prison and now he has his sights set on another girl, insecure thirteen-year-old Chloe. Lou knows she has to stop him, but what lengths will she have to go to in order to do so? And who is the other woman, Wendy, lurking on the sidelines, who seems to have a possibly sinister interest in Lou?

The narrative mainly follows Lou, Chloe and Wendy, with flashbacks throughout to the frightening time Lou spent with Mike in France eighteen years earlier.

I found The Fear to be an excellent, at times nail-biting read which examines the effect of abuse not only on the victim and perpetrator but on others around them.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

This book gripped me from start to finish? I couldn’t wait to find out how the story all came together and how it ended. The ending was such a shock! I couldn’t put this book down! I can’t recommended it enough

Wow!! I think that this is the first book I have read by C L Taylor, but it won't be the last. The tension builds as the story unfolds so that it got to a stage where I couldn't put it down but had to finish the book. The author uses the tried and tested method of having different chapters presented from the viewpoints of different characters. In some cases it takes a while to discover who the characters are, but this just adds to the drama. The characters and settings are very realistic and the insight into child grooming is rather disturbing. Well worth reading.

This book is a good pacy read. I would recommend it, though I found the plot had turned completely farcical by the end, I kept going as I wanted to know what happened!

I loved this book. A brilliant storyline with loads of twist and turns to keep the reader hooked. I read it in one sitting, I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommended. Five stars

Many thanks to Netgalley and C.L Taylor for the copy of this book. I agreed to give my unbiased opinion voluntarily.

I'm a big C.L Taylor fan so have been eagerly awaiting her latest book.
I'm a fan of books that flit between a few people, I like to see how everybody got to where they are so all signs were pointing to a good book.
Throughout the book I thought, "this is a good solid 4*" and then Mavis happened.
OMG!! Eek! Love, love, love moments like this. Gained the extra star.
Great book, definitely recommend.

This was a totally compulsive read. I could not put it down. It is a dark and gripping novel about the hidden menace that is the grooming of teenage girls.

Louise was fourteen when she was groomed by an older man and abducted to France. Eighteen years later she discovers that her abductor is now trying to groom a thirteen year old girl called Chloe. What would you do? What Louise does is pretty extreme.

The novel is told from the view of a number of characters and that gives it a really well rounded feel. I really wasn't sure what was going to happen next! It has some really heart stopping moments and a very satisfying ending.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley and publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.

C L Taylor’s ‘The Fear’ is an interesting exploration of what becomes of those who are affected by child abuse: not only the victims but also others linked to the perpetrator. Lou was abused by Mike as a fourteen-year-old. He goes so far as to abduct her and take her to France. Now in her twenties, despite outward appearances, she is still traumatised by her past. On moving back to Malvern now that her alcoholic father has died, Lou discovers that Mike is up to his old tricks – he is busy grooming troubled thirteen-year-old Chloe, despite a forty year age gap. Desperate to stop him but not keen to reveal her identity to the police, Lou kidnaps him and puts herself in a morally very difficult position by doing so. To make matters even more complicated, unbeknown to her she is being stalked by Wendy, Mike’s ex wife who blames Lou for all her unhappiness, believing that the latter tempted Mike away from the marital bed.
Over the course of the novel, we see how the three female protagonists react to a variety of dangerous situations, some more plausible than others. C L Taylor gives us a taste of Lou’s past through flashbacks as well, so that we have a very good idea of her motivation for decisions and actions in the present day. The author’s characterisation is strong; the truly appalling Mike is depicted as being just far away enough away from a stereotypical monster to be credible whilst also being an abhorrent manipulator and predator. Victim Chloe is completely believable as an emotionally neglected child with very low self-esteem, poor body image and few friends. We are even able to appreciate why unstable Wendy behaves as she does. C L Taylor reminds us that, metaphorically speaking, when the pebble is thrown into the lake the ripples are far reaching.
I enjoyed seeing how the female characters responded to all of the difficulties they encountered throughout the novel, how they grew in their understanding of each other’s position and how they worked to overcome the label of ‘victim’ over the course of the narrative. The fast pace of the narrative, the twists and turns in the plot and the topical themes means that anyone reading this novel is likely to do so quickly! My only gripe is not the final outcome but the way in which it is orchestrated. Sadly, whilst the depiction of child abuse is incredibly convincing, the way in which Mike’s nefarious behaviour is stopped is not.
My thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for a free copy of this novel.

Review



I have loved Cally for a long time and have read every book as they have come out so when i saw this was on netgalley for early review i knew i was going to get in on it.



This is a hard one to review because ever since finishing this, i literally dont know how to feel. This book has sat with me for days now and even now, im still not sure. It was creepy, it was odd & i just i dont know. However what i know is that its one of those that sits with you and its not very often that that happens so when it does, i know its something major.



Lou Wandsworth is returning to her home time to clear out her dads house after he passed away - its the first time she has been back since she was a teenager and fled after she ran away to france with her karate teacher. She planned on just getting on with her life, but when she comes across new information about Chloe Meadows what was going to be answers turns into so much more. There is more to Mike than what we are the reader are led to beileve.



This is told from a few different perspectives, i kind of guessed how some were connected quite quickly,but that didnt deter from what was going to happen. I was left shocked and kept guessing even up until the end, literally the last page still managed to throw a curveball in there.



The fear is that, it literally gave me fear, its not scary in your typical way but it still chills you with the possibilites, i flew through this to the point i finished it in 2 days - and the only reason that it wasnt quicker was because i had to sleep. Nothing is as it seems and everything you assume is thrown up into the air.



Totally worth a read - it sticks with you.

The Fear C L Taylor

19 years ago, Lou Wandsworth is in a relationship with Mike. The only problem being is that Lou is 15, and Mike is her much older, married karate teacher.

A grown-up Lou must return to her childhood home to clear out her father’s effects, and put the house on the market. Almost immediately she discovers Mike in an embrace with a young girl, Chloe. A teenager. Lou must fight to stop Mike grooming Chloe, the way he groomed her.

I was delighted to be approved for C L Taylor book, as I love her novels. She really gets in the head of normal people behaving awfully. And she goes the whole way here. There were times when I really didn’t know who the bad guys were.

I came away completely unnerved.

A definite 5 star read and thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance proof copy.

The Fear is a well crafted thriller with many a twist and turn. From recollection it bore some semblance to a real life French escapade between a teacher and student in 2012. However, that was real life and The Fear is a work of fiction. Many a twist and turn develops as Lou tries to save Chloe from the manipulating Mike. Never again will I hear Elgar’s Nimrod and dream of the Malvern Hills without bringing to mind the fate which befell Mike in Priory Park there. I thought the novel may have been flawed by the later discovery of Mike’s van but with a macabre twist the loose ends are tied, albeit very grimly. Whether you consider the cover-up Wendy creates to protect Chloe is right is up to you but one cannot fail to admire the inventive steps C L Taylor took to create The Fear.

An amazing book dealing with some current themes. Nice that it is set in a different location with a more rural feel to it. The story follows Lou who has returned home from London. It follows the story of a sexual predator she encountered when young and finds him doing the same thing again...the story then is how she protects the girl and brings closure to her own past. To say too much will spoil the book but needless to say this is a real page turner and finishes with a shock that will leave you thinking for a long time after. Read and enjoy.

As ever CL Taylor doesn't disappoint. Definitely worth a read.

There are a handful of authors books I would happily pick up without reading the book description and C L Taylor is one of them, she has the ability to turn a well used subject in fiction and turn it into the most twisted and extraordinary tale, and The Fear is no different. The Fear is shocking, yet compelling, fraught with tension and guaranteed to keep you turning the pages as if your life depended on it

Full review will be on my blog soon

Lou Wandsworth is haunted by her past. When she was 14 she ran away with her sport's coach Mike Hughes, however she soon realised that things were not as they seemed. Now 16 years later she finds out that Mike is grooming another young girl, and Lou decides to block his plans, using whatever means possible.

A dark, disturbing psychological thriller which deals with a very disturbing subject, possibly inspired by a news story from a decade or so ago.

WOW. This Fear is another brilliant novel from C.L Taylor. Her best one yet. There is a lot in the news recently about children being groomed so, I was interested to see how the author portrayed this.
Lou Wandsworth was a victim of grooming by paedophile Mike Hughes when she was 14 years’ old. He was never put on the sex offenders list as it happened a year before it started. Now 32, she comes home to deal with her father’s effects when he dies. When she sees Mike Hughes grooming another girl Chloe Meadows. She tries to warn the girl what she had gone through, but, at first Chloe doesn’t believe her and so Lou decides to take things into her own hands. After all she went through, and the years after, she doesn’t want anyone else to go through it.
C.L Taylor has done it again. What a book. This gripped me from the very first page. There was so many twists and turns in this story, that I couldn’t keep up. As this subject is a touchy and uncomfortable read, I thought Ms Taylor portrayed it brilliantly. I liked each character in this story. It showed all angles of the story which we don’t always get to find out. Well done. This is going to be a hit.
Thank you Netgalley and Avon Books for a copy of this book.

The Fear is a fast paced psychological thriller about a male who grooms young girls. Very well written on a scarily frequent subject. 18 years ago Lou was groomed by Mike, she spent the last 18 letting in control her life untill she could take no more. Heading back to her home town from London, Lou learn Mike is still grooming young girls and sets out to try and stop him, however it won’t be easy not with someone else looking for Lou while she looks for Mike.
While I didn’t love this book I didn’t dislike it either, I thought that subject was brilliant for a psychological thriller however I did at times think it was unrealistic and a little far fetched at times.