This book starts well and it has to be acknowledged that it deals with difficult issues of abuse which need to be aired. The tension which might have been present is spoiled by the beginning bring the funeral of the abusive male. That takes away the suspense! Then the only question is how did he meet his deserved end. The story gets a bit unlikely as his three abused women try to act against him and that doesn't really ring true. It does however raise some important issues.

It is only March but I would like to nominate Sticks and Stones for 'best book of the year'. Especially because it is a debut novel as you hardly come by. The story is not only a good story, it is a story that makes you think about yourself in your relationships. How easy it is to get a little cross with each other, and then, how easy it is to talk about it and make good. Not so with the Philip's of this world! I have read the book in two sittings and couldn't stop telling my husband what an interesting and very, very well written book it was. It made me laught and cry at the same time.
I sincerely hope that this book will be made into a movie and I also hope to read more from Jo Jakeman in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley for this book.

Tricky to read and for anyone who has been a victim in any way of domestic abuse - well you might not want to read this. The woman turns against her male abuser though but it gets all kind of crazy from this moment on. Shocking and compulsive, it's hard to stop reading but I often felt uncomfortable doing so. Not an easy novel to read or review but I can't deny the power of the psychological punch this author demonstrates. Not for me, but it is something that can and does happen ( the policeman being the abuser) so it turns the abuser and victim thing on its head.

Sticks and Stones, the debut novel by Jo Jakeman, follows Imogen in the aftermath of her estranged husband’s death. Through vignettes leading up to his funeral, we learn what kind of man Philip was and how he met his end.

The novel is pacy, suspenseful and well-written and is sure to appeal to fans of the domestic thriller genre.

This is the debut novel by author Jo Jakeman. The book starts with the funeral of Phillip Rochester, a police officer before going back in time to tell the events leading up to his death. Phillip is not a nice man and has abused his two wives and his lover throughout his adult life. The three women are now joined together in a common goal of seeking revenge.
This is a fast paced story with some very interesting characters, Jo Jakeman is a new author to watch out for.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Random House UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Enjoyable reading. This is the story about three women, who have all been involved with Phillip, Pip or Phil. Ruby, his first wife who was divorced so that he could marry Imogen, who he is still married to even though he is currently living with Naomi.

Phillip Rochester works as a police officer but he is an abuser who seems to have got away with it all of his life from an early age. Imogen appears to have the most to lose as he wants a quick divorce and is insisting she leaves the family home immediately. He is threatening to take their son away from her. The abuse is cleverly portrayed and as the story develops the different levels of abuse are highlighted.

During a moment of madness or fright Imogen locks Phil in the cellar, which he had converted as a ‘cinema room’ for him to escape to. All three women become involved in the situation and he still has the ability to manipulate and scare them all to varying degrees. At times this was terrifying although there were occasional scenes where I had to suspend belief.

Recommended. Thanks to NetGalley, Random House UK, Vintage Publishing and Jo Jakeman for this ARC in return for my honest review.

I loved this book. The storyline was exciting with plenty of shocks sad twists. The way domestic violence was described was very realistic. Highly recommended

Many thanks to Netgalley and Jo Jakeman for the copy of this book. I agreed to give my unbiased opinion voluntarily.

Three women gather at a funeral together with others who have come to pay their respects. They keep well apart and with good reason. The trio are all united by their former relationships with the deceased. They are not there because they are mourning his passing, far from it. Nobody could possibly guess at the reason for their secret allegiance and perhaps they will never know about it. This amazing debut novel tells us what has happened though, and oh what a rollercoaster this story is. It starts at his very end and ingeniously moves backwards in time from that point. You’ll soon see what I mean when you read this novel.
Imogen Rochester is still married to policeman Phillip and they have a son. Phillip and Imogen are estranged after he left her for his girlfriend Naomi whom he wants to marry. He gives Imogen notice that she must move out of their house and agree to his terms for their divorce within a fortnight and that if she doesn’t he will seek sole custody of their son. Imogen is backed into a tight corner. Phillip is abusive, a huge bully and totally determined to get his way come what may. He is controlling and totally out of his mind. She once reported his physical abuse but his mates at the station covered it up. After all he is a decorated and committed policeman and is very well respected. She doesn’t know where to turn. He has a powerful hold over her because she loves her son dearly and she is afraid that Phillip’s threats may come true. She literally cannot bear the thought of Phillip and what he might do.
Naomi, Phillip’s beautiful young girlfriend was once crazy for him, but recently she has been shocked by his behaviour. He has become erratic and unpredictable. He has roughed her up and now Imogen knows her secret shame. She confides in Imogen and together they feel braver for each other’s support. Then Phillip pays Imogen a visit and when she fights back she accidentally knocks him down the cellar stairs. Now she has imprisoned him in the cellar, the soundproofed room he used as a den when they lived together. It’s Imogen’s turn to be in charge now and she wants to make the most of it. When Ruby, Phillip’s ex wife turns up for a dinner date with Phillip and Naomi, she does not believe their stories about where Phillip is and gradually the truth is laid bare. They have no choice but to include her in their plans. What happens next is the meat of this terrifying, action-packed story and will keep you on the edge of your seat and turning the pages fearfully. But all the angst is worth it.
With storytelling that is fast paced and alluring, Jo Jakeman’s voice is confident and highly original. She has woven each character into the story guarding secrets of their own, enhancing their motives for what they do. Her characters are strong, compelling and sometimes hideously flawed as in Phillip’s case. He is unhinged and is crazy with rage. I really enjoyed reading ‘Sticks and Stones’ and would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher Vintage Digital. I received my copy in return for an honest review. It’s a 4.5* review from me. This author is one to watch, she has loads of talent for this genre and bold and exciting ways of storytelling. This is a novel not to be missed.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. It made me jump at times! Read it until the early hours as I needed to find out what happened. Full of suspense, and I recommend this book

Great story of women wronged and how they take care of their problem. Loved the back tale.

I really enjoyed this book. It starts with the funeral of Phillip Rochester, and the rest of the book tells the story of what led up to that event. Phillip is a police officer, and we quickly find out that he is a cruel and violent man, especially to the women in his life. When his 2 wives and current girlfriend find themselves thrown together, Phillip had better watch out! These women want revenge! This is a real page turner with some great characters. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

Lovely tale that kept the interest all the way through.

The book opens with the funeral of a policeman, Phillip Rochester, to be exact. It is attended by his first wife, Ruby; his current, estranged wife, Imogen and his current girlfriend, Naomi. Each of the women keeps their distance from the others, as one would expect. As the plot unfolds we are kept abreast of the action with section headings; e.g. Ten Days Before the funeral, etc. From the outset we are presented with an interesting premise and we discover not only does Phillip want a divorce but he wants Imogen and his son evicted from the house by the end of the month. Phillip’s character is revealed; he is controlling, selfish, ego-centric and a bully. Imogen had learned to her cost that reporting his violence to the police brought no help or action – after all, he is one of the good guys. So where can she turn to, what help can she get?

As I write this an anthem resounds in my head ‘Sisters are doing it for themselves’ – so to speak.

What follows is unbelievable – incredible, but exciting. What starts off as Imogen’s problem slowly involves all three women; each has a story to tell. All leading to a funeral.

At times, I found myself horrified by Imogen’s action. “What is she doing, how can she fix this?” I loved her character, but then again I loved feisty Naomi and I came to love Ruby (cautiously). Three women, against a clever, manipulative man who is supported by the very people meant to help.

No other word for it – brilliant! I cannot recommend it enough. Enough said…

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.

This was a very enjoyable revenge thriller with a twist. Phillip is such a nasty piece of work and he hardly deserves those nice two ex-wives and an endearing ex-girlfriend. When he threatens two kick wife #2 out of her home and get custody of their son just for spite, the exes inadvertently gang up on him in a highly readable way. This is a book you'll pick up and not put down til you've finished. Bravo!
Thank you, Netgalley, for the e-review edition!

I thought I would enjoy this book after reading the description, however never really got into it and found the storyline slow. I didn’t engage with the characters in the book.
Overall, I’d give it 3.5 stars.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 but nearly 4 stars.

I enjoyed this book overall however it was a slow starter.

The characters are well written so you get a real sense of them all including a particularly nasty Philip.

The book picks up most however with the flashback sections that are introduced as they keep you guessing.

A strong debut and I will definitely read the author’s next book.

Can you ever forgive years of mental and physical abuse?

Imogen’s husband, Phillip, is a cop and a nasty abuser. His first wife, new girlfriend and Imogen have all suffered at his hands, but all have different perspectives on this man. Imogen knows he will never change and that he is bad to the core. His first wife, Ruby, feels he is misunderstood and just needs loving and a good woman. Naomi, his latest girlfriend, knows what he is like but will not accept it and thinks Imogen is just bitter.

After an attack by Phillip, Imogen locks him in the cellar and from there the three ladies join to stop this evil man from ruining their lives, their minds and their hearts.

What follows is a rollercoaster of events that will see more physical and mental abuse and the rising of three bruised but not beaten women that will change their lives and relationships forever.

This book was amazing! It was brutal, sad, harrowing, witty and thought-provoking. The three ladies start off as foes but soon see what a bastard they are up against.

I read this book long into the night as I could not put it down and finished it in two sittings. I laughed and cried through it. The author had a way of inputting a sneaky funny story or aside to lighten the tone occasionally.

Beautifully and empathically written, this book is a brilliant and thoughtful insight into domestic abuse and the very real plight of women with nowhere to run and nowhere to hide.

Shesat

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

#sticksandstones is a great read! My husband asked me what I was reading the other night and when I explained that I was reading a book about three ex partners of an abusive husband who had locked him up 10 days before his funeral, he did look a tad confused... Worth every moment of reading this book and Jo Jakeman has absolutely excelled with this!

Thanks to Dophie & NetGalley for the privilege of reading this prior to release. Great first book from this author. I was really hooked on this one right from the start. I enjoyed the way it was written, leading up to the end but at the same time giving us background on each of the characters. And boy are they some doozies. A cop who thinks he’s above the law, an adoring ex-wife, a soon to be ex-wife and her son and a girlfriend. An unlikely alliance of three women that comes out of fear of and the need for revenge against one man. I will definitely be looking for more from Jo Jakeman.

Phillip Rochester is not the sort of person to get on the wrong side of. Just ask Imogen his wife and Naomi his girlfriend. When he tells Imogen that he not only wants a divorce but wants both her and their son out of the house by the end of the month she knows something is going on.
Although she's scared of his controlling and bullying ways, she's determined not to give in or let him take her son away from her.
When things start getting ugly, it brings together not just Imogen and Naomi, but his ex wife Ruby too. As they put their lives in danger to bring him down, it's a race against time as to who will win.
I loved the way the three woman pulled together in this thriller. It certainly makes you wonder who you could trust.
It gets five stars from me and it's one I would recommend. I received a copy of this book via NetGalley. This is my honest and unbiased review