Member Reviews

Brilliant book; couldn't put it down and read it in 2 days, every spare minute.

Loved the characters and the twists and turns in the book kept me on edge the whole time. I felt so involved with the characters, so real. Well written, all in all an excellent read :)

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This is a terrific psychological thriller, which starts with a jolt and gradually intensifies to a gripping climax. The novel engages the reader from the opening chapter with a strong sense of character and we find ourselves changing our allegiance and sympathies as events unfold. It manages to add layers of intriguing detail and misconception as the plot develops until we become so involved with the fortunes of the family that the ending is almost unbearably tense and emotional. An absorbing and thrilling read: I loved it!

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I have read all book by this author, and have loved them all and The Escape was just brilliant, the flow of the story was perfect and the storyline was just brilliant, I couldn't put my kindle down. I so love this authors style of writing!!

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Thanks to Net Galley & Avon books for an ARC of this book.
The story takes off at a fast pace from page one. Jo can here footsteps behind her, she is feeling anxious as she is late to collect her daughter from nursery. The footsteps catch up with her and Jo's nightmare begins, she already suffers from agoraphobia and things get steadily worse as she is threatened by this woman Paula. She falls asleep on an afternoon after taking painkiller medication- sleeps through nursery pick up time, drugs are found in her house, she is arrested, social services become involved as their daughter Elise is only two Jo is separated from her husband Max as her life is spiralling out of control and this escalates further when the GP wants Elise to be examined at the hospital as she has a lot of bruises. Jo knows Max is trying to get custody of their daughter and decides to make a run for it, fleeing to Ireland where there is old family history involving Jo's parents.
Is Jo an unfit mother or has someone been setting her up for a fall?
Brilliant read.

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This is the fourth book that I've read by C L Taylor and have enjoyed each one of them.
Gripped from the first page. Straight into the action, no slow burn here! Would totally recommend this book when it comes out in April 2017.. A 5* read.
My thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for the advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

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I have loved the last 2 books bybthis author and this book is just as good. Amazing twisting story that leaves you breathless and not knowing where it will take you next .

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Gripping Gripping Gripping. I loved this book. Great author, I loved the last book too.

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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.

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I've eagerly read every book by C.L Taylor so i was thrilled to get to read The Escape. She knows how to expertly craft a story that pulls you in and sends your head spinning as you try and figure out the mystery. I so felt for Jo as she tried to make sense of what was going on. As someone who suffers from agoraphobia i related to her fears and struggles. It was so real and i was pleased that Taylor understood agoraphobia isn't just being unable to leave the house. The Escape was extremely well written and i'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good thriller/mystery.

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In this book we meet Jo a wife and mother who suffers from agoraphobia and anxiety. Even with these problems she manages to hold down a full time job at the local college. Her marriage is a bit strained but she feels that she needs her husband as support. One day when she is about to collect her little girl from nursery a woman who is a stranger asks for a lift. From that moment her life spirals out of control.

I have read two other books by this author. One of them I loved, the other I didn't enjoy. I really enjoyed this book. It kept me reading very late into the night. There were a couple of points in the book were I got a bit lost and couldn't follow what was going on but overall it was a really good story that will keep you guessing .I would highly recommend.

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Felt this book was so predictable. Did enjoy it but it wasnt the best book ive ever read. im not sure if its just the last few books ive read were similiar to this that it started to feel mundane and new exactly what was coming. Have read from this author before and know she has done better than this.

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The Escape by C L Taylor

Jo Blackmore is struggling. She is haunted by the death of her son Henry; suffering from depression and anxiety and agoraphobic. Each day is a challenge to her as she takes her two year old daughter, Elise, to nursery and rushes to work; worried about what will befall her daughter, criticism from the nursery staff and other mothers. To top it all she is worried about her marriage to Max an investigative journalist.

The story unfolds as Jo hurtles from one catastrophe to the next, at each stage her anxiety worsens. Is Jo paranoid, is she mentally ill, but most of all is she competent to mind her own child?

I loved the structure of this book which is presented in two parts. The first very definitely dealing with the problems of the present; the second part presents events of the past which impact on the present.

A clever plot well planned and well executed. Who cannot question Jo’s stability when she hurtles from one place to another, making one wrong decision after another? How could you not empathise with her? Her chaotic story serves to highlight just how some people can be misunderstood, how such tragic stories play out.

A thorough good read with plenty of tension. If you like psychological thrillers, this one is for you. If you like strong, well-formed characters, they are waiting here to tell their stories.
Thank you NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book via my Kindle in return for an honest review.

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It starts with an uncomfortable school run encounter. Jo Blackmore's morning takes an unexpected turn, when a stranger approaches her asking for a lift. This in itself isn't remarkable, but the stranger knows her name, her husband's name, and somehow has one of her daughters gloves. The stranger's veiled threats are enough to panic Jo. She's had a rough few years after a miscarriage, and suffering from agoraphobia, and the strangers assertion that Jo's husband, Max, has stolen something from her, sends Jo's already troubled mind racing off into dark places. Everyone seems against her - the police, social services, and even her own husband, but she's determined to do whatever it takes to keep her daughter safe, no matter what the cost.

Callie Taylor starts ramping up the tension right from the opening scene. A central character with mental health issues always gives the reader that interesting sense of ambiguity. Is what Jo has to go through all real and present danger, or just a perceived threat, magnified through the lens of her agoraphobia? A few plot points weren't too hard to second guess, but that was the only thing keeping me from award it the full five stars. You're well and truly immersed in Jo's visceral, tangible fears, and thats where the craft of the author really shows through, making the reader experience every twist, every reveal and every worry as if they're looking out through Jo's eyes. If this is the first book you read by Callie Taylor, it certainly won't be your last.

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I would like to thank Avon Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Escape’ by C L Taylor in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
Jo lives with her husband Max, an investigative journalist, and two-year-old daughter Elise. A blonde woman who appears to know all about Jo asks for a lift and subtly threatens Jo and her daughter. The stranger says that Max has something that belongs to her and she wants it back…
This begins the nightmare which causes Jo and Elise to leave their home and flee to Ireland for safety.
I enjoyed reading this novel, the plot was unpredictable and the characters convincing. An enthralling read that left me wanting more by C L Taylor.

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This book transported me to Ireland and it gave me a glimpse of the beauty of the Country. The story kept my interest throughout and it's a good story, with a good pace. It's a twisted little tale of trust. and deception. What would you do to keep your child........the ultimate game of being one up....
My only criticism is that found it a little disjointed at the beginning. I did like the characters in particular the Irish characters. I also had a sense of real life playing out in front of me. The scenarios are believable and sadly the husband and wife issues are probably playing out in some house as I type. The authour certainly knows how to keep you turning pages, I read this book over a two night insomnia attack and on the second night I could have gone to sleep but I was compelled to reach the end.

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I loved this book and it doesn't disappoint. Wife with mental health issues is driven to near insanity by a nefarious stranger however the real danger is closer to home. She escapes with her child to Ireland where past and present collide and she learns the truth about everything. I read this in one hit and lived every single page.

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Jo Blackmore is a sufferer from anxiety and agoraphobia but is taking medication and getting her life back under control. Her husband Max is an undercover reporter and spends lots of time away or arriving home late and she keeps a part-time job and her daughter Elise’s nursery juggled, though with difficulty. Then she meets a strange woman, Paula, who says that that Jo has something which Max stole. She threatens her, and her daughter. The balance is tipping. She thinks Paula is reporting her to the police and social services, so as to get Elise taken from her. Her option, she believes, is to run.

This book gets into the mind of a woman struggling with mental illness but managing, on the whole, to keep above water. Some of the chapters are from Jo’s point of view and you can feel it’s a battle for her. Some are third person and see Jo as possibly unstable. It becomes very exciting towards the end, especially as her mother’s ghosts are faced and laid, and the villain of Jo’s story is not obvious. I really enjoyed this and would recommend it.

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Please see review on blog

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I found the structure of this novel interesting; usually in these sort of novels the tension is slowly ramped up but not here, you are thrown in straight away. This is a really good thriller - interesting characters with believeable motives. Highly recommended.

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