I was looking forward to reading this book as there was a lot of hype about it. However I struggled with the writing style and I didn't really like many of the characters. Having said that it does highlight the domestic abuse suffered by many women and some men too which can only be a good thing.

I tried to finish this book but it was difficult.
I kept putting it down.
Thank you Netgalley for the free eArc in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis
Katie is a young lady working in a womens' refuge in a sleepy town until one day, to the shock of the community, she's found dead in a river. Everything points to suicide by jumping off of a bridge, but one of the detective's has a niggling feeling that all might not be as it seems.
As the story unfolds it looks in to the events leading up to Katie's death in the present and also what happened in her past.

Thoughts
What a story! Unbelievable that this was a debut. It was gripping, particularly in the second half of the book when it picked up on the pace + things started making a lot of sense.
I don't want to give any spoilers away but it's 100% worth a read. It is gripping, intense and the writing adds to this feeling of unease throughout the book. It describes the detail of being in an abusive relationship really well.

A couple of twists and turns, I was left guessing right up until the last page (and even now actually, I'm still not sure if i'm right about what I think happened!
Powerful writing and I can't wait to see what Jessica Moor does next!

Huge thanks to Netgelley, Jessica Moor, Viking + Penguin Random House for the proof copy - I'd had my eye on this for a while and it really didn't disappoint!

Thanks to the author Jessica Moor and the publisher, Penguin Books (UK), for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

When Katie is found dead of an apparent suicide, the women at the refuge where she stayed are quick to suggest there’s something more to her death. Katie wouldn’t kill herself - she was murdered. Murdered by someone she once loved, who promised to love her and protect her. Someone who manipulated and isolated Katie. Keeper follows Katie’s story in the run up to her untimely death, and the police investigation into whether it was murder or suicide.

Keeper is a thriller with heart. Less about the who-dunnit and more about violence against forgotten women - the ones in the shelters and refuges, holed up in large Victorian buildings with key cards to get through the doors. Underfunded and with a demand they can’t possibly meet, these refuges are run on sheer will power more than anything else.
Val, the brash self-described cliche of a feminist who runs the refuge in The Keeper is not anyone’s Mother Theresa. She talks too much, listens too little, and her judgement is often clouded. However, her driving force in life is to keep women safe, to provide a place for them and their children to heal and grow.
Keeper is dual timeline - we follow Katie, a young woman with her new boyfriend Jamie, and then we follow the police dealing with Katie’s suicide, many years later. Katie worked at the refuge with Val, and some of the women there seem to have an idea of what might’ve happened to Katie, but caught in their own trauma, none of them feel safe enough to step in.
Jessica Moor embodies the voices of her cast of characters flawlessly, creating a story that pulls you in and spits you out - a book that feels a lot like a call to arms.

This is a story based around domestic abuse Katie Works at the local women's refuge but as the story unfolds Katie’s connection to the refuge is more than just working there. The book is wrote in past and present and switches throughout the switch in timelines sometimes felt clunky and unblended but they do come together, each character introduced and their harrowing story revealed but the story lacked the heart stopping page turning excitement I enjoy in mystery/thriller.

This is my review of Keeper by Jessica Moor. It’s her debut novel which is set in Widringham.

DS Whitworth and DC Brookes had been called to a young woman’s body that had been pulled from the river at a local suicide spot. Her name was Katie Shaw. She worked at a domestic violence shelter and the women there didn’t agree that Katie was likely to commit suicide. They all said she seemed ok when they had last seen her. They were the ones that were used to knowing what it was like to be running from a man, they knew Katie was running from something and they knew she was murdered.

DS Whitworth had to conduct the case in the way he saw fit. He got his colleague, DC Brookes to check all around the refuge and Katie’s background for any further information. They asked if anyone had seen anyone hanging around watching the premises etc. He wanted to be sure there was nothing they were missing before the case was closed as something just didn’t sit right about it. She didn’t seem the suicide type. But then who would want her dead?

I enjoyed the start of this story but then got confused towards the end. It was written as a now and then book but we were told which was which, this bit I liked.

The Keeper, once it sucks you in, keeps you locked in until the last page. And that is no pun intended given the themes of the book.

It's a book that centres around domestic abuse. At the beginning of the book Katie Straw's body is found. Initially it looks like a suicidal drowning however it turns out that Katie had worked in a refuge for domestic abuse victims. DS Whitworth, an old school detective is convinced it's a straightforward case until it's discovered that Katie is not who she said she was. The book is very much character driven as we slowly meet the residents of the refuge and learn their stories. The book becomes deeply immersive as we cut between two timelines, Katie's past and present.

It's an emotional, gut wrench of a read where you know that reading about domestic violence is never going to be an easy thing. Here, though brutal in what happens to these women, it's depicted realistically and with a sense of 'I wish this doesn't happen to anyone regardless of gender'. It's insightful into an area that gets overlooked all too often and yet happens everyday with extreme results.

I enjoyed the book if it can be said of such a subject. It's very readable and an accomplished debut. I'll be looking out for more from Jessica Moor. This is a good act to follow. Recommended.

This is a fascinating book and although the content is very gritty I devoured this story very quickly.
Domestic abuse is a real and dangerous problem afflicting many men and women and so traumatic to live through even if one escapes and tries to start again. The physical and emotional scars are thick and ugly and a constant reminder of the terrors of living with someone determined to control you, but who to all intents and purposes to the outside world appears kind, caring and loving. A nightmare of a trap.
The story is based on just such a premise and involves Katie and the man she meets in a club, Jamie. The slow, steady and insidious way Katie is isolated from friends, is no longer making her own choices and who diminishes in confidence, leaves a nasty trail of horror and helplessness as events unfold.
I found the tale to be gripping, heart breaking and harrowing but it is also very readable because the characters pull you in. Val Redwood is a feminist who loves to irritate every one she comes up against and basically detests all men. She runs the refuge at Widringham where DS Whitworth and DC Brookes arrive to investigate an apparent suicide.
The novel moves between Then and Now. The Then details Katie's appalling slide into a victim of domestic abuse and the Now invites the reader into the refuge, not only to follow the police investigation but also to meet the women residents, all so different but who are all the victims of abuse and violence.
It is obvious the author has worked in a similar establishment as there is a wealth of compassion for the women and a lot of insight into the psychological impact of controlling relationships.
There is a superb twist in the tale but the book narrowly missed out on 5 stars for me because I found the ending rather ambiguous.
I would definitely recommend this book to others but warn if you have been through a real life abusive relationship this could unsettle and upset you.

A young woman is found dead in the river and the police believe it was suicide. Katie worked at the local women's refuge and the detectives have to interview a set of scared woman, each with her own tale to tell. Meanwhile the head of the centre is having to deal with online trolling which is threatening and vicious.
I found this book quite difficult to engage with but not the subject matter. I think the writer was trying to make a point about domestic violence and society's attitude to it which only went partway. The stories of the women in the refuge felt half-formed whereas Katie's story didn't feel particularly believeable. The 'twist' in the end wasn't so much of a twist, I'd guessed it very early on and just kept waiting for it to appear!

I enjoyed reading Keeper, although it made for a difficult, sad read at times. I wanted so badly for Katie to have retribution for the crimes she suffered. Did Katie kill herself or was she pushed, and what was Katie’s story to bring her to this point. Definitely worth a read.

It was with immense self-control that I didn’t actually break my kindle to pieces after I finished reading the book. Yes, that’s how angry I was! No, it’s not a bad book, on the contrary; it was so real that I felt frustrated at the plight of our main character.

The story is told in two timelines; one that tells Katie’s tale which leads up to the momentum of the story, and the present timeline where her death is being investigated upon. The two timelines actually collide at a very interesting point and reveal the story in a manner that’s quite unique on its own.

Even though Jessica Moor is a debut writer, nowhere in the book could you sense that. It is a well-crafted book that has all the signs of a mature writer.

Things I liked about the book
Globally connectable: with the mix of characters whom readers from around the world can relate to, this book is a fresh look at one of the most common problems, rather nightmare of women; domestic abuse.

Having worked with victims of domestic abuse, Moor has used her experience quite well and has implemented brilliantly in the story.

Perspectives: The book in a very good way shows the same character from different points of view. It actually shows the good, bad and ugly side of the same character. You can’t but feel pity at the state of the mental dilemma and struggle of a few characters.

The pain of women from all wakes of life is too real to overlook.

Even the stereotype feminism is portrayed with the character of Valerie Redwood, who actually is the guardian of the women refuge for abused women. She is the typical “All men are pigs.” Kind of a feminist. Even she was given a different perspective towards the end.

To Sum Up
However, I felt like the author could have given more meat to the character of “retiring soon” DS Daniel Whitworth. But ignore this one point and the book is an overall winner.

The story ends, as per my personal view; in a kind of magic realism, which is too much magic to be real; and too real to be magic. It left me with a sense of emptiness and at the same time, kept me thinking.

“Dark subject matter but beautifully written....
by Nadia Afzal

I had a sense of dread from the first page... seeing where Katie's story was heading knowing it was already written was unsettling. Her story and the stories of the women are handled in a starkly real way. I can't believe this is a debut, it's a beautifully written book done in a way that an accomplished author would be able to write, kudos to Jessica Moor.

This is a book about domestic violence and how you can never tell who you can trust and who you can't.
Told in alternating timelines it tells us about Katie when she is in an abusive relationship and in the present day when she is helping in a women's refuge.
Very readable but obviously quite harrowing at times I couldn't put the book down.

A strong storyline linked to domestic abuse giving an insight into preconceptions , behaviours and restricted funding. A disconcerting read that has been well written

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the way the book is structured, starting in the past when Katie meets the man will devastate her life then moves forward to the moment her body is found and weaves back and forth between the two time periods to tell Katie’s familiar but tragic story. I like non-linear narratives. I’ve read a lot of books about domestic violence and abuse. I’m not sure why, it’s a subject I return to in fiction again and again. Keeper is very familiar and Katie’s story and the stories of the women in the refuge are not exactly original but they are told with great empathy and sympathy. I didn’t find myself reeling exactly but I enjoyed the experience of reading the book. I found the truth about Katie very sad but exactly what I was expecting.

A twisted but compelling novel.

Katie meets the perfect gentleman. He’s very kind and gives her a solid sense of security during the terrible ordeal of dealing with her mother’s cancer. Slowly, but inevitably, she starts to realise that the relationship is choking her to death, and she flees.

DS Daniel Whitworth and his new partner DC Brookes must investigate the supposed suicide when the body, later identified as Katie, washes up near their patch in Widringham. A quiet place not known for suicide or murder.

Valerie Redwood runs a home for domestic violence refuges. Katie had fled there for safety. Whom had she fled?

This book was not a pleasant read and yet a brilliant read at the same time. I found the police officers quite awful and lacking any empathy. Would the truth ever be uncovered?

The home for domestic abuse victims is well portrayed, with stories of their abuse genuinely horrific. I think this disturbed me the most about the book, knowing that at the moment, many women or men and especially children are in lockdown with their violent partners.

I came away feeling quite depressed that there is so much of this violence that goes on. The police have to deal with incidents on every single one of their shifts. Will we ever understand what causes these incidents? What makes people violent against those that they supposed to love and cherish?

Rony

Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of the book to review.

Told in alternating perspectives, Keeper explores the thought-provoking stories of a diverse range of 'battered' women through the lens of a murder mystery. From what I've seen, this novel seems to have been primarily billed as an intense traditional crime thriller, with local police investigating whether Katie has in fact been murdered; while I think this could perhaps enhance the reading experience, it soon became clear to me that this is in fact a highly political story of domestic violence. It does start a bit slow off the ground due to the large cast of characters but is definitely worth persevering with once you get to grips with the style. It is a great feminist addition to the genre.

With all that being said, I think that the execution of this project did not fully live up to its potential, hence my relatively modest star rating. While I do think this is great as political literature in how it brings to the forefront the lack of funding and state support for domestic violence victims in the United Kingdom today, it ended up falling down a bit for me as a thriller novel. Structuring the plot through alternating chapters from the perspectives of a number of women living in and working at the women's refuge was perhaps a bit ambitious for this project. I did not feel I had made any real connection with any of the characters or the over-arching mystery of what happened to Katie because of this constantly oscillating focus. Just as I became interested in a character, their chapter would end and they would then remain in the background for the duration of the novel. Furthermore, I could see where exactly the twists in the novel would take us from quite early on so I never ended up fully engrossed in the story. Nevertheless, I am glad that I read this one and I look forward to reading Jessica Moor's next works as she is definitely an author to watch.

Stories about domestic, sexual and psychological abuse appear to be all the rave at the moment, and to be honest, I think that perhaps I’ve read too many of them lately. They are difficult stories to tell because unless they have a unique spin on them they can be very much the same, which leads to the reader feeling bored.

In this story the author allows us to get to know the main character, Katie, by showing us two different parts of her life. In the “then” chapters we learn about Katie Bradley. What at first seems like a blossoming relationship, soon becomes a scary look into the character of an abusive, manipulative and downright unappealing man. I must say though, I do sometimes wonder why woman don’t always see the red flags. I found the red flags in this story to be very apparent and if I was Katie, I would have run a million miles right from the word go. But, I do know that real life doesn’t work that way, and abusive people are very good at sucking others in, and before you know it, you’re living a life that you never would have knowingly chosen for yourself. Well, this is what happens to Katie.

Then we get to the “now” chapters where we meet Katie Straw, a woman who helps other women in leaving domestically abusive relationships. Many of these women come from different backgrounds and they have different issues, but at the end of the day they have one thing in common – they all want to be free from the abusive men that have wangled their way into their lives.

When Katie is doing so much good, why does her story begin with the discovery of her body floating in a river? This is in summary what this story is about. It’s about Katie’s life, and her death, and about everything that happens in between.

Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy this read. I couldn’t get into it, I didn’t feel anything for any of the characters and in all honesty, I was bored. I tried to rush through this one so that I could finish it quickly and move onto something else, but unfortunately I just never felt like getting back to it so it took me an age to finish. I think I’ve been reading so many books of this nature lately that they’re getting a little bit stale. I found this one very much on the slow side, and it lacked in real intensity. Even the twist at the end wasn’t enough to redeem this one for me.

A character driven book that focuses on domestic abuse. Not an easy read and not one that I could say I enjoyed reading.