This book had a lot of potential with a fairly unique plot but unfortunately I don’t feel like it delivered.

Damage is a story with a strong focus on delicate content - sexual assault, rape, violence - and while the premise made sense, the writing felt quite clunky to me which is not ideal when the book centres so heavily on those themes. The story didn’t flow as fluidly as I think it could have and felt quite disjointed in places but my main issue was that a lot of the narrative was dragged out so incredibly slowly. While I appreciate that it takes time for the backstory to be provided - and the insight we were given into some of the characters was sufficiently detailed - this story could have been told in a lot less than 400 pages.

The first half was the slowest for me - the further in I got, the more things seemed to pick up and I felt a tad more invested but this happened too near the end of the book. I really liked Nick as a character and felt that we didn’t get enough input from him which I found strange considering he was at the centre of the plot. I wasn’t a huge fan of the two main narrators, Nick’s brother Tony and his wife Julia - while I get that they were both traumatised by what happened to Nick, I thought a lot of their actions were selfish and thoughtless. I also wasn’t entirely sure what Detective Rice’s purpose was, beyond the obvious - his constant presence felt almost unnecessary and his obsession with Julia’s ‘goodness’ was odd.

While there were occasional moments that I found interesting, this book was too long, the overall message felt confused and it just didn’t work for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Caitlin Wahrer is a new author to me but I will look out for more of her books in future. For a debut novel this book was absolutely amazing.
The subject matter ( violent sexual assault ) was hard to read about at times but was dealt with in a compassionate and non-judgemental way.
The story not only deals with the crime itself but the impact it has on Nick, the victim, and his very close relationship with his brother Tony and sister-in-law Julia. Tony is somewhat overprotective towards Nick due to their upbringing by the same alcoholic father but different mothers. As a result of this, Julia worries how Tony will deal with what has happened and how far he will go to get justice for Nick.
John Rice is the detective responsible for Nick’s case but years later and terminally ill he summons Julia to his home to disclose that he knows her secret.
This book was so captivating with it’s twists and turns and had me reading into the early hours but I certainly didn’t see the twist at the end coming.
Certainly look forward to more from this author.

When Nick is sexually assaulted on a night out his big brother Tony just can't get his head around it .
Tony becomes obsessed wanting to find out who did this to his brother as Nick has no memory of what happened that night Julia Tony's wife is concerned for her husband but what can she do to help.
How can one family survive such torment.
Brilliantly written.

A brilliant debut which is being published in the UK on 8th July. A cross between a psychological thriller & a police procedural, showing the impact of one life shattering event on a family & those around them.
Set in America, this book charts the lives of Tony Hall, his wife Julia & his half brother Nick. Tony is much older than Nick & has always acted as almost a father to him, as their own father was a bullying drunkard. Julia was a defence lawyer but is now working more on the policies side since their two children were born. Nick is at college & lives in student accommodation.
The plot crosses several timelines - looking back at events & present day. Nick is gay & hooks up with Josh in a bar; he is later assaulted & raped - Josh says consensual, Nick says not.
This is the basis of the whole story. How Detective Rice feels about the case; at the time & retrospectively, now his health is failing. Tony, flexing his big brother muscles & how inadequate he feels. Julia, reflecting & drawing on her legal background & what she can do to help. Finally, Nick, who physically heals but is mentally unravelling.
Ultimately, who is telling the truth?
Well written with believable characters & a surprising outcome. Highly recommended.

Nick is a college student on a night out with friends, awaiting the appearance of a hot date when he meets an older man at a bar. His date is so late he has given up so he turn his attention onto this stranger and they have a drink together. One thing leads to another and they leave the bar together. Next thing we see is Nick beaten, bloody and bruised at the hospital. The victim of a nasty physical and sexual assault. With parents who aren't all that cop, it is left to Nick's brother Tony and his wife Julia to try and pick up the pieces and support Nick as he reports the crime. It's not long before Nick's attacker is identified and arrested but this is only the start of things as to brings a case such as this takes time and a whole load of energy. Something not really present when you are still trying to get over such a harrowing ordeal...
Told in the past - in 2015 when the attack took place, and in the present - in 2019 as the Detective who ran the case is trying to gain closure. This book handles the very sensitive topic of male rape with the utmost of care and attention. Never sensationalising it. It also follows closely the way that family rallies round and what they will do to protect their own.
It's a slow burn and I did have to take a few breaks along the way as it is all quite harrowing and emotional. But, and I hasten to say this. At no time did I feel overwhelmed or unsafe. It is a very dark topic and the author does take the reader into a few darker places but it's nothing over the top. I just felt I needed to take in some air along the way.
It's hard hitting and gritty and pulls no punches but it's also sensitive and caring and delivers a few surprising twists along the way. It's also extremely well written and I was shocked when I went to check out the author's back catalogue that this is actually a DEBUT book. No way! Wow. Making it all the more impressive. I am definitely going to keep an eye out for her next book.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

What a rollercoaster. Full of twists and turns, unreliable characters, infuriating red herrings, and a heartbreaking case which impacts everyone close to it. Wahrer’s dedication to her story and characters make it difficult to believe this is a debut novel.

Wahrer focuses on the impact trauma can have on a family. Nick and Tony have always been close brothers, but when Nick is sexually assaulted by a man he meets in a bar, their relationship is tested by the consequences. Nick experiences severe post-traumatic symptoms, and although Tony has always been his protector, wrapping him in cotton wool doesn’t seem to be helping Nick’s recovery. The police investigation, the trial, the immediate bail of the suspect, all contribute to massive levels of stress and tension within the family, which floats irrevocably from the page to the reader.

I can’t remember ever reading a crime novel which deals with male-on-male sexual assault. It was thought-provoking and appalling to read of the stigma which comes with this, and Wahrer does an excellent and delicate job of dealing with this. Nick’s slow recovery is portrayed carefully, subtly highlighting the effects trauma can have on the human mind. Also, we explore the helplessness of family members who, despite being in a hopeless situation, are determined to do simply anything to ease the suffering of their loved ones.

We see differing perspectives and timelines here, which not only reinforce the sheer heartbreak the family is experiencing, but also weave various mysteries and puzzlements throughout the plot. It’s impossible to predict entirely the twist before it comes; you can only adopt small suspicions and try to build on these. The final chapter is a perfect and just ending to what could have been an unjustifiable ending.

I don’t think I’ve been able to explain properly here quite how masterful and engaging this novel is. Wahrer has a true skill for hooking a reader, and staying with you until the bitter end. This is a novel full of real life, of pain and hurt, but also hope and positive progression. A wonderful, wonderful debut.

A great debut. Brothers Tony and Nick have always been there for each other. When Nick suffers a sexual attack Tony wants to sort it. The emotional damage experienced by them all is compassionately covered. How far would you go to protect your family?

Damage by Caitlin Wahrer is an examination of the fallout for a family following a rape of one of the family members, and how the wish to take revenge can be almost as damaging as the crime itself.

The twist in this book is that the rape victim is male. The story takes an unflinching look at the mental and physical effect on Nick and isn't always an easy read, though it is handled with empathy. In some ways the part I found least believable was the kindness of the police officer dealing with the report and handling the investigation. The realistic part was the "he said/he said" efforts on the part of the perpetrator who denies committing rape and states that Nick wanted to have rough sex, thereby explaining his injuries. Unlike in the UK, the perpetrator is issuing statements to the press and his mother is using Facebook to tell the "truth" of the situation. This leads to Nick being identified locally as the victim which is awful for him and his family.

I think rape victims would find this book very triggering and there were times I felt uncomfortable reading it, but that for me shows just how well Wahrer handles the sensitive material. I felt it held my hand in the darkness, while not shying away from it either. If anyone who hasn't been a victim of sexual assault reads this book then hopefully it would help them be more empathetic and understanding to someone who has.

There is also a big twist ending to the book which I won't spoil here. Overall, I felt as a work of fiction this handled the topic of male rape really well. Though interestingly, I did feel I hadn't read anything similar on the subject of female rape victims. Which is kind of depressing, a lot of crime thrillers talk do have rape victims, but rarely is the viewpoint of a survivor told so compassionately.

It is hard to believe that Damage is a debut novel so impactful and powerful it is, taking a look at a male sexual assault and the way it affects not only the victim of the assault but all those around him.

Despite dealing with a very sensitive subject, the author writes about it delicately and with the utmost respect. The research she must have done to write this shows in every single page. The story focuses on the aftermath of the assault, showing the damage done, and thankfully doesn’t recreate on graphic descriptions of the assault itself (which would have been the case in some less capable hands).

The character development was absolutely brilliant. How far would you go to protect the ones you love? While trying to answer this question Wahrer builds the tension through the development of the relationships between the characters. She also points out the stigma associated with gay men and sexual assault and the way people act as judges on the media even without having all the facts, increasing the victim’s suffering.

Although it was not an easy read it was so well written that it was hard to stop turning pages, leading to an ending that will make you keep thinking about it long after you’ve finished it.

Poignant, heartbreaking, nuanced and, above all, necessary story that puts Caitlyn Wahrer as one of the names to watch on the literary world.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rather a good read with quite a few twists and turns that will almost certainly keep you guessing as to who did what to whom and did they really!

Yet another book that loses a star as it has far too many expletives (55 varieties of the "F word") and I have yet to understand why authors feel such things "improve" their narrative. Having said that, if you can manage to ignore such things (if only we did not have to), this really is a book worth reading as it has a really good plot.

Thank you to @netgalley and @michaeljbooks for my arc of this suspense family drama, I really enjoyed it!

Synopsis: When his younger brother Nick is sexually assaulted by a man in a bar, Tony wants to do anything in his power to protect him, to avenge this horrible crime. Julia, Tony's wife and defence attorney, is alarmed by her husband's behaviour and Detective Rice tries to piece together, a few years on, everything that actually happened after the case. This is a story about the damage one horrifyingly traumatic experience can cause a whole family.

Review: I really enjoyed this dark book about family and trauma. The characters were padded out enough that I believed in them, believed in their motives and actions and I wanted justice myself for that terrible crime at the beginning. It says a lot about relationships between siblings and spouses, this idea that you can feel like a father to a younger brother, that you would do anything, even commit a crime and risk affecting other people that you love, for one act of justice. I liked how it went between different points of view and the dual timeline is used very well to create suspense. I didn't see the end coming, an interesting twist! Definitely worth a read!

Damage is a good title for a book that focuses on male rape especially when the rapist insists it was consensual sex. Tony has always protected his younger brother even though they were born of different mother's. So when Nick's attacker is granted bail Tony is furious.

The story focuses on the outcome of the rape on Nick's family, including Tony's wife, Julia, who was a lawyer and is familiar with rape accusations. Set in present times the novel illustrates how social media impacts in an intrusive manner spreading gossip and innuendo like Chinese whispers.

An enjoyable and informative read. Many thanks to Netgalley and Michael Joseph for the opportunity to read and review Damage.

Thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph and NetGalley for the ARC.

Tony has looked out for his much-younger brother all Nick's life. Tony's wife Julia, a lawyer, is also close to the young man, now at college.
When Nick reports a serious sexual assault, the family are shocked and supportive. Tony becomes obsessed with the man who is identified as the assailant, but who mounts a defence of consent. His family and friends in turn mount a smear campaign against the much-younger Nick, and this has far-reaching effects on Nick's life, his studies, his friendships, his relationships with his family.
Detective John Rice is assigned to the case from the beginning and begins to know the family as well as the details of the case.
This is tense and gripping, straightforwardly and empathetically written, very strong on the aftermath of the reporting and legal processes. The denouement is deftly handled as well.
This is an assured debut and I look forward to reading more from Caitlin Wahrer.

Wow! This is an impressive debut. Tony and Nick are brothers, albeit with different mothers. Tony has always protected his younger sibling and so when he hears that Nick has been hospitalised, he rushes to his bedside. Nick has been badly beaten and it transpires that he has been the victim of a brutal sexual assault.

Julia is Tony’s wife and the couple have two young children. Once a lawyer, now focussing on legal policy issues, she knows about such cases. So she feels reassured when Detective John Rice is assigned to the case. He’s a seasoned detective and they both know that he said/he said cases are notoriously difficult to prove in the absence of corroborating evidence.

Nick’s attacker, Raymond Walker is not stupid either. He knows only too well how to play the innocent and it even looks like he’s enjoying the challenge. He’s been arrested and is out on bail, but he’s making the most of his freedom to paint himself as the injured party. Tony is apoplectic with rage.

Julia is both worried for Nick and fearful of what Tony will do. She knows only too well that he has had to work hard to control himself after living with an abusive father and his white hot anger is scaring her.

Caitlin Wahrer’s book sensitively handles the male rape and focusses mainly on the fall-out from that event on Nick’s family. She beautifully portrays the life-changing impact of this assault not just on Nick, but on all those the rape has touched, including Julia herself. Nick is very vulnerable, but he is also hiding something; something he can’t bring himself to tell anyone. Wahrer’s characters are beautifully drawn and this slow burner of a psychological drama feels authentic.

Especially relevant in our digital age is the huge weight of uninformed comment and speculation on social media that does no more than pile an unbearable amount of pressure on Nick and his family. Nick really struggles and as he does so, Tony’s rage intensifies, and that in turn increases Nick’s despondency.

The book follows a dual timeline, starting in 2019 and looking back to the events surrounding the rape in 2015. The premise is straightforward enough – the idea that you might be provoked into doing something truly terrible to defend the one you love. But Caitlin Warher’s book is more subtle and nuanced than that and it plays with this notion while offering some surprising and left-field solutions that make this a rather clever, twisty and remarkable read.

Verdict: Beautifully written, cleverly plotted and sensitively portrayed, this is a debut that has everything I look for in a seasoned psychological thriller. I will be jkeeping an eye out for Caitlin Wahrer’s next book.

Damage - Caitlin Wahrer

A great mystery read, with some really good character development. Some really great writing, although I did feel it was a little dragged out here and there, although I will definitely keep my eyes peeled for more from this author. Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for the approval for this book.

The idea behind a male sexual attack and rape was unusual. The three main characters were fairly well developed. It was a gripping start but midway it became a little slow and repetitive and some of the story line was predictable. I pushed on and was glad to have a surprise ending.

Debut writer, Caitlin Wahrer has written an accomplished and immersive novel which is a real page turner of a psychological drama. It’s about Nick Hall, a gay 20 year old College student who goes out one night with friends, meets an older man at a bar and goes back to a motel with him for a one-night stand. The next morning he wakes up covered in blood, bruised and alone in the room with no real memory of what happened the night before. Compassionate and diligent Detective John Rice is determined to bring the perpetrator to justice but finds himself tied up in the intricacies of the Hall family.

Nick is the younger brother of Tony, a family orientated and fiercely loyal man who has been a father figure to Nick protecting him from their cruel alcoholic and violent father. There are 17 years between them but they are incredibly close, with Tony’s wife Julia, a former lawyer, seeing him more like a little brother than a brother in law. Nick’s sexual assault upends their lives completely and creates fractures in their family unit. Nick is traumatised, becoming increasingly withdrawn and Tony feels immense guilt at being unable to protect his brother, whilst Julia tries to keep her family from falling apart.

When the man who assaulted Nick is found and arrested, he tells a different story to the one Nick has provided. He says that Nick consented and wanted things to be rough and that Nick is lying. As Nick doubts his memories, Tony becomes increasingly distressed at what has happened to his brother and tensions begin to mount.

This isn’t a police procedural book about bringing a criminal to justice at all, it is more a novel which examines male to male sexual assault, an issue which isn’t really talked about. It is sensitively handled and deeply emotional and as the story becomes public, the media begins to circle, questioning what happened and blaming Nick for his experiences. This trial by press and social media is anger inducing, in fact it made me furious. Wahrer’s writing of this is spot on, challenging preconceptions and bringing to the fore important social issues such as toxic masculinity.

Set over two timescales, late 2015/early 2016 and 2019, it explores the assault and the immediate aftermath, showing us Nick’s fragile mental health and the pain Tony feels, and the long term impact of the events of that night. In 2019, Julia meets with terminally ill Detective John Rice who has been impacted by the case, carrying the scars with him long after it was over. It is clear that this devastating event has caused fissures and damage to all involved.

Damage is such a powerful read; human, clever and emotive and it has a really great plot which really kept me guessing. This doesn’t feel like a debut novel at all, it is clearly well researched and whilst it deals with a difficult issue it does so with great sensitivity and is an absorbing read. Highly recommended.

A gripping, shocking debut.

This is hard hitting and the subject matter is quite emotive and shows how a family has to deal with the aftermath of a violent sexual assault.

Book is very well written - it's hard to tell that this is a debut.

What a roller-coaster. You never know what is going to happen next. A brutal rape and its repercussions not only on the male victim but on his family.
Hooked me from the start, made uncomfortable reading at times but so believable that it could happen in real time.

3.5 stars. This book started off really well and hooked me from the beginning. It then unfortunately slowed down and I struggled to continue. It definitely has potential but I felt it was too long and went into too much unnecessary information. The ending was unexpected and I enjoyed it