Over My Shoulder

A well-written and thoroughly entertaining book which I very much enjoyed reading. Recommended 5-star reading for crime fans. Don't miss this one.

This is a dark and addictive story of how lovely Freya becomes manipulated and controlled by Kane. Freya's character is portrayed to be a normal working young woman of the 1990s. She has a very real personality, the sort of girl we could have worked with and from a family we could know of. She meets Kane whilst at work and quickly becomes quite besotted by him, even though she has a steady boyfriend. From the start, Kane is a manipulator and engineers meetings with Freya until their relationship takes off, just as he had planned it. Kane is a complex character and is a truly nasty piece of work. Kane has a beautiful and kind young woman by his side, but his cruel side surfaces when least expected, and as Freya becomes more isolated from her friends and family, her traumatic life becomes insufferable.

Much of the early and middle part of the book is set in 1990s Manchester and and shows a reflection of how times have changed in such a short time; the lack of technology, few mobile phones and attitudes of the police. Later, we move forward to the present day to conclude the story in a nail bitingly tense final few chapters. It is truly a gripping and shocking story from start to finish and just shows how easy it is to fall in with the wrong people.

Patricia Dixon writes in a very relaxed and northern style and her characters are totally believable. This book covers a lot of issues which might shock some readers, so be warned there is some violence and domestic abuse. Patricia Dixon has written sympathetically and emotionally about some very difficult issues and I think she's done a great job of giving realism to a fictional story. This is her first psychological suspense novel and I do hope she writes more in this genre.

Wows! Patricia Dixon has written what I believe, to be her best novel so far. This story is about Freya who is in her mid 20’s and has a fairly normal life with a boyfriend and a good job. One day she meets Kane at work and everything changes for her. Kane becomes very manipulating and starts keeping her away from friends and family. He then become abusive and as you are reading this novel you realize that This could honestly be a true story. Things like this happen all of the time. This was much darker than anything Patricia Dixon has done before which is why I so wanted to read it. I am so glad I did. It has been 6 hours since I finished the book and I still can feel every emotion that I encountered and want to hurt Kane in much the same way he hurt Freya. If you are familiar with this author, then you will know and love her writing style. Her verbiage is one that shows why we should all read. Reading is a great way to enhance your vocabulary. Overall, I would say that this is the best yet and really hope Dixon writes similar books. I will be first in line to purchase them.

5++ ⭐️ out of 5

Thank you to netgalley as well as the author/publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Freya is just your everyday type of girl who sadly falls under the charms of Kane. Kane is a highly unlikable character. I don't think at any point did I ever feel sorry for him. He is a vile and nasty piece of work of who I was praying something bad would happen to him so it would free Freya.

Even for people who have been fortunate to not have been part of an abusive and controlling relationship, this still makes for very uncomfortable reading. I felt like I was going through what Freya was. It's so easy for people to say, why didn't you just leave, but the author shows how easy it is to become as such a hostage in these sorts of relationships. As much as I wanted Freya to get away, I could understand why she would feel that she couldn't. 

It's hard to say I enjoyed this book as it's such a hard subject to digest. It does make for a compelling read though and it shows just how strong people can be even when life feels like it can't get any worse. I hope that it may help people see the signs early on in a relationship though and get themselves well away before things get any worse. 

Over My Shoulder is a dark domestic noir story that draws you in and holds you there until the end. I actually read it in one evening as I felt I owed it to Freya to see the journey through with her. Whilst some parts made me very uncomfortable, I had to salute Freya with her strength at times and how she just picked herself up and carried on. It gives readers the brutal reality of what it is like to be in an abusive relationship and if anything it will help raise awareness.

This novel was hypnotic and creepy as it deals with domestic violence and abuse. Freya meets charming, wealthy Kane and breaks up with her boyfriend as Kane worms his way into her life with lavish praise and gifts. Little does she know that she is being manipulated and will be tossed aside like others when her usefulness to him is over. The abuse begins slowly (as it always does) and of course she doesn't recognize it for what it is until it is too late. However, the book is told as a flashback so Freya brings the reader into her world as she speaks to us as she might a good friend: "You know how this is embarrassing to talk about, right?" And then she takes us on her journey of slow mental abuse that eventually leads to physical violence beyond her wildest dreams. And in whom can she confide? Really no one as she's embarrassed to tell her parents or friends as neither approve of this odd boyfriend anyway. When she finally learns some of his darkest secrets and desires, it's already gone too far and even as she tries to leave, she realizes he has ways to blackmail and humiliate her. It's heartbreaking to watch Freya deteriorate into a massive puddle of compliance as she feels trapped in her own apartment and life. This is not for the faint of heart as it's increasingly difficult and painful to read. But it's an important story that needs to be told--especially if you or someone you know has been through this experience!

Brilliant thriller - constantly enthralls !

Freya, years later, still recalls every single minute that she was involved with Kane - her "misery"

Although Freya already had a boyfriend, Freya jumped at the chance to be with handsome, wealthy and charming Kane. After a whirlwind courtship, everything (and everyone) took second place to Kane.- her family, her best friend, her work and especially her common sense. But, as you might expect, gradually Kane stopped lavishing compliments on Freya. He began, alternatively, to tell her she needed to eat less, dress sexier and belittled her - she was "boring". Instead of dumping the cad, Freya just felt that she needed to try harder to continue winning Kane's affections. After Kane attended (with Freya) her brother's 21st birthday party - the two had a row in his car and he all but strangled her after he peeled off the road. SHE apologizes to him. This dark side of Kane becomes more frequent and much more disturbing.

Freya loses her car, is late for work (if she does go to work), all but loses contact with her friends & family and her self respect is all but gone. She suffers at the constant psychological abuse and physical hands of Kane. She becomes a shell of her former self.

Even after a Christmas and New Year's Eve from hell, Freya is still at Kane's place. The only sensible thing she has done is managed to keep paying rent on her flat with her best friend, Lydia. Although this proves not to help her enough.

It takes an unlikely person to face Freya to turn herself around and slowly regain some self respect. But it doesn't end there. Nor does it end when Freya marries Jason and they a pre-teen daughter.

Continual and prolonged events occur confronting Freya and her family. She begins to wonder if there is any light at the end of a long and painful tunnel... and you won't believe THE REST!!!

Absolutely a MUST READ ! A rather dark emotional journey through a tattered life that keeps the reader in continual suspense. Recommend !

As always, Many Thanks to Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for a superb read!

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Wow. First book I have read by this author & loved it. Found it dark & creepy & a throughly enjoyable, well written read. Would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys this type of book.

Trigger Warnings: abuse, violence, rape, drugs
This is a very disturbing book, it will scare you, shake you and it will stay with you for a while after you finish reading it. It is an emotionally exhausting book. This is not a pleasure read, that much I assure you of.
The book starts off with a prologue that is almost like a Ted Talk! It’s relevant for almost every reader who picks the book. It addresses you and speaks to you.
The book is a page turner. Not only do you want to find out what is going on but you are literally on the edge waiting to finish the page and turn to the next one. The tag line is apt ‘a psychological drama about power and control’ is the briefest and most accurate description of this book.
The way the book goes will make you feel like you are talking to Freya, like she is confiding in you. You are her only shoulder to cry on and all you can do is listen. You almost want to interrupt and give her advice but you stop, not because you realize it’s a book but because you realize that it’s all done and over with and anything you say now will not help her. You become invested in her.
The book draws you in and entangles you as if you are a fly and the book is a spider’s web. It doesn’t let you go, it puts you smack in the middle and makes you want to keep reading because honestly it’s difficult to figure out what Freya’s exit strategy should be and when, if ever, will the nightmare end for her.
Coming to the finer details of the story, the characters are all believable. Freya and Kane’s love story is pretty standard but boy does the man have a dark side! His nastiness builds up slowly getting more and more depraved, little by little until there is so much of it that there is no escape. He is a debased individual who will do whatever it takes to be in control and get what he wants. Kane evolves from a domestic abuser to a full blow sociopath. Freya on the other hand is a nice friendly girl living a carefree life. She has a very ‘girl next door’ vibe. She falls for Kane hard even though she has a boyfriend. She’s not meek and mousy at all. The story touches on many topics around domestic abuse and even violence and is not easy but the author has done a good job with communicating the pain and yet not making you want to stop reading. I love that every time you as a reader recognize the red flag, so does Freya and the author has made sure to explain why Freya chooses to let it pass or not think of it as a flag. I was happy to see that Freya is portrayed as a strong sensible person. Often suck books show the victims of abuse as weak, as needing strength to leave. But this book shows that its not only weak people who get abused. It shows that being strong also makes you susceptible to abuse because most strong people believe that ‘I can handle it, I’m not a quitter, I need to be smart, I need to bide my time’ and worse of all ‘maybe I can help him’. That’s the pitfall of being strong. That is what makes the story and the characters so believable. Other books around domestic abuse leave these thing a as questions in your mind and you need to suspend disbelief in order to read the book. In this book each situation is picked apart and the pros and cons are explained. Patricia Dixon has written a book where you do not need to suspend anything in order to understand and follow the plot. She has actually written a book that is based on a story to accurately convey to the world the facts that surround abuse. The conversations that Freya has with the reader are very explanatory and insightful. At times I felt that a good chunk of the content in this book could serve as a dissertation on understanding domestic abuse, and I’m not complaining one bit because it is a brilliant idea to use fiction and impart real knowledge to the readers. At around 55% mark it almost feels like Ms. Dixon is sharing her research with you instead of Freya narrating her story and while some readers may not like this, I think it was a great way to bring forth many great insights on this subject. As an author she has tackled the subject very well and the effort she took in her research shows. The last 20% of the book has things in there that will make you shudder and will make your stomach churn. It takes a very dark turn. You can feel Freya’s fear and this part of the book can bring on a serious panic attack for anyone who has been in an or around an abusive relationship.
This book is no doubt written to help abuse victims see their options and understand that leaving an abuser is a process and not an event as Freya rightly says. It shows that leaving may not be enough and a victim needs a very strong support system to help them see things through. It also helps friends and family of a victim understand the whole situation better.
The book is probably one of the top 5 books I’ve read this year. I highly recommend this book despite the trigger warnings because reading it will ensure that you’ll be better prepared to either deal with abuse (God forbid you find yourself in that situation) or to identify, understand and help someone in your circle who maybe dealing with it.
Take a bow Patricia Dixon, this book is a masterpiece!

**Thank you to Netgalley and Bloodhound books for providing me with a advance reader copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review.**

Over My Shoulder is a dark gripping thriller that had me hooked from page one,but be warned it is a book based on the very disturbing subject of domestic/sexual abuse and just how far a person will go to remain in control of their relationship.Freya is in a steady relationship with her boyfriend but meets Kane and he sweeps her off her feet with his wealth and charming ways.She falls head over heels in love with him and for a while all is rosy with Freya's life,but soon the cracks begin to show and she realises that Kane is not the man she thought he was and with his controlling ways Freya soon finds herself virtually cut off from her friends and family and that it is when Kane starts to turn the screw to totally break Freya and use and abuse her.This is an excellent dark thriller which had me gripped with a terrific twist at the end !! 5 STARS.

Freya is enchanted with the young handsome man delivering her boss's car. Kane is also quite taken with the lovely Freya. So much so that years and years later. He has her kidnapped and taken to an old dilapidated house. She is imprisoned with only a limited supply of bread and water. What led her here? For love of a man. For forgiving the slaps and kicks. For letting go the mean and demeaning remarks. When she's had enough and she leaves him. Then comes the stalking, the harrassment, her cat being killed and her ex-boyfriend severely injured.
This books is a psychological thriller. It brings to mind abuse, stalking and other perverted examples of what women in volatile relationships endure.
Exceptionally well written. Strongly recommend.

Freya falls for Kane. She thinks he's pretty great, but as they get more involved, she realizes just how manipulative he is. Eventually his manipulation gets dangerous, very dangerous. Freya decides to escape from her life with him, but she fears he will come back for revenge one day.

The story is told from Freya's viewpoint. She is recalling her past with Kane to explain her current situation. Freya has a difficult story to tell, as it involves a lot of mental and physical abuse. Freya is a little naive and entranced by the lifestyle she thinks Kane can offer her. Kane is never really likable, but he gets more sinister as the story progresses.

Dark and intense. Good for fans of psychological and domestic thrillers.

I received a free eARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, this was powerful! If you have ever thought to yourself “Why would a woman put up with that?” or “I would just walk, or run, away” you need to read this! Things are never that simple. There will be some people that will stand strong and say that they would do the sensible thing (flee, seek help) in this situation but you can’t help but read this and realize that it’s not always that easy (even if you have friends or family)... plus there’s love, even in all that hate, at least for a while...

This was clever, the way it was written, like a life lesson. The characters, plot, and relationships were so realistic and interesting. It was a horror story in the respect that this can and does happen. It was a heartbreaking tale for sure.

The writing was fantastic. The way the story was rolled out was spot on. This will give me chills for a while.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Bloodhound Books for a copy in exchange for a honest review.

Wow! This is one of the most disturbing novels I’ve ever read, which I sort of thing was the whole point,it’s a warning of how easily young impressionable girls can be taken in. That handsome and charming man pays a compliment , wines and dines her and she loves it , and has no inkling of his true dark character. This was a page turner and a half! Patricia Dixon has absolutely excelled with this book, yes ,it’s dark,menacing and downright scary in places but it is definitely a ‘must read’ . If I could give it ten stars I would!

Think your net galley for my copy of this book. This psychological thriller is an absolutely must read! I was up way past bed time with tired heavy eyes because I simply could not put this down.

My review is written with thanks to Sarah Hardy at Bloodhound Books for inviting me on the tour and for providing my copy of the book via Netgalley.
In the mid-90s, Freya is a twenty-something young woman who has a bright future ahead of her. One day, she meets Kane and is taken in by his charm and luxurious lifestyle. But Kane is not everything he seems to be. Freya must find a way to escape, but she knows that Kane will not give her up without a fight. Will she ever break free?
Over My Shoulder begins in the 1990s and is narrated by Freya, who is looking back over her relationship with Kane. This technique is inventive, as it allows Freya to admit to her mistakes and sympathise with her, something I may not have done had she maintained her naivety. At times, Freya addressed the reader, and this helped me to invest in her story, as it felt as though she was talking to me.
I met Patricia Dixon at Harrogate Crime Writers' Festival, and she is a lovely lady. It is therefore testament to her amazing writing skills that she can create a character as vile as Kane. He made my skin crawl, he gave me nightmares and he made me angrier with each swipe of my Kindle. Dixon's research is flawless and I felt completely tangled in the plot as if I were part of the relationship myself. I even found myself looking over my own shoulder at my own partner (even though I know he's a good egg!)
As Kane builds his pursual of Freya and the novel reaches its conclusion, the tension is almost unbearable. I was desperate to find out if Freya would be safe, holding my breath at the merest hint of danger.

This review is going to be the hardest Ive had to write in a while as I seriously don’t know how to put in words how I feel about this book.

This is Freya’s story. It’s not an easy read but if she needs to be truthful about her life then it can’t be easy.

Freya is a young normal girl who falls for the charm of Kane. It’s going to be the biggest mistake of her life. He’s not a nice man at all. In fact he’s rotten to the core. He manipulates her and controls her life. Freya doesn’t find that out for a while and by then she’s in deep.

On a personal level I could see that the author thought long and hard and did her research as parts of this story resonated home to me. Well done to the author on a well written story and writing a story that needs to be told.

'Over My Shoulder' is Patricia Dixon's second psychological thriller after signing a two-book deal with thriller publishers, Bloodhound Books. In theory, this shouldn't have worked for me, but I am pleased to report that it did. Even I was surprised by that! I would classify this as romance/domestic noir/romantic suspense rather than a full-blown thriller. Either way, it worked for me.

Freya meets Kane and falls head over heels for his charm and personality. Little does she know that he is rotten to the core. She begins to fall under his spell, and once she is under the thumb she finds it impossible to escape. This is difficult to read in parts due to some of the abuse Freya is subjected to. Every move she makes is controlled by Kane, and she feels her life is no longer hers any longer. The story reads a lot like a memoir as it is told in first-person narrative and tells the harrowing tale of Freya's ordeal at the hands of a psychotic boyfriend. Compelling, emotionally resonant and very disturbing - I felt I struggled at times with how bad it got for Freya.

Well written, pacy and deeply dark, this is a book I am not likely to forget in a hurry. The characters are realistic and believable and are developed really well. I do feel that you need to be able to suspend your disbelief if you are to enjoy reading it, and if you particularly appreciate crime fiction that is as close to reality as possible, you may want to avoid this. However, I did enjoy it but felt there was a lot of emphasis on the way Kane treated Freya and not enough on helping her to be strong enough to escape from his clutches. I like the idea of books showing confident women who are no-nonsense and don't stand for being treated badly, this then serves to empower real women who may be REALLY going through this situation.

Many thanks to Bloodhound Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Oh boy, this is a ‘hold the front page’ story that just makes you so darn grateful that it isn’t your daughter, sister or best friend and pray that is never is! Kane was every girl’s dream man. He was attentive in every way, a man to catch your eye, wealthy and generous but if something seems too good to be true well it probably is. Freya had been the girlfriend of good old reliable Ryan for quite a while so when Kane arrived on the scene and spoilt her rotten she wanted more.
I thought that I could see where this story was going within the first couple of chapters, but bloody hell was I wrong, it was like a Duracell battery that kept its power way beyond where other books would have stopped. I was sooooo bricking it because there I am a reader that at times can become very verbal with the characters, giving them useless advice, now totally speechless. I just couldn’t think. Every page that I turned seemed like Freya was just spiralling into an end that I couldn’t see a good conclusion for.
I loved that Patricia Dixon could make me so emotionally while I read her book so there was no way that I could put this story to one side and finish later. The more I read the darker the story became with more than a couple of tissue moments that really got to me. You just don’t realise how powerful the title of this story is until you have read the book. Absolutely Wowed! Perfect end. Loved it. Loved it. Totally emotionally spent!

A fantastic read. Over My Shoulder is one of my top reads. This is not just another domestic noir read, it is a compelling domestic noir read. Freya's relationship with Kane seems idyllic at the outset, but how things develop from bad to worse makes for fraught reading. It is impossible to judge Freya as she asks throughout the book the many questions based on her situation. I am unable to answer what I would do in her situation. A very emotional and disturbing read. An outstanding read in this "Domestic Noir" genre. I cannot stop thinking about this book and I know it will stay with me for a long, long time. A 5***** recommendation .

Freya is like any normal twenty-five year old working class woman. She is carefree, smiles a lot, has friends, and loves every aspect of her life. Like all working class women, bills become a struggle and she finds her pay doesn’t quite afford her all of the things she needs. So, when she meets Kane, a debonair businessman, she can’t help but think he could be the answer to her struggles. Even though Freya has a boyfriend, she goes out with Kane and quickly falls in love with him. She eventually breaks up with the man she has been dating because Kane was a top of the line boyfriend and with him she was on her way to leaving the working class lifestyle behind her for good. When Kane starts showing his true colors, Freya makes excuses for him, convincing herself his terrible upbringing is the cause of all of his anger issues, but when the abuse becomes to much to handle, will it be too late for Freya to get away from her controlling, manipulative and abusive boyfriend?

I really wish that I can say that I sympathized with Freya throughout this entire story, but I didn’t. Before you can say “OMG, but she was abused how can you not sympathize with what she was going through!?” Let me explain and start from the beginning. At first I was upset knowing that there would be horrors Freya would speak of as she reels you into her story. She is locked in a room, by who? We don’t know yet. She begins by telling a really sad story about her life, but Freya is flawed and in parts comes off as a god digger especially when she first meets Kane and feels as if he is the answers to all of her money problems. Yes, she is falling in love with him, but she also likes the stability he can give her in return. This is probably the only part of the story where I did not like Freya. Other than that one small part, I could feel the terror through her words, the feeling of hopelessness being in a domestic abusive relationship. The first time Kane becomes violent towards her she makes excuses. Kane apologizes saying it will never happen again and Freya believes in him. The abuse though takes a toll on Freya and she quickly finds herself alienated from her co-workers, her friends, and her family. It was utterly heartbreaking to read through Freya’s narrative detailing the humiliation, the degradation, and constant abuse she suffered through. I really hoped for a positive outcome, but little by little, I wasn’t sure how it would even be possible.

Kane is the worst of the worst abuser I have ever read in any book and I read a lot of dark books. He is controlling, deceitful and sadistic. He puts Freya through so much in such a short period of time. I don’t think I have ever hated a character so much. He shows all of the classic signs of an abuser from the punches to the I’m sorry’s. He is a master manipulator and shows time and time again how easy it is to wiggle his way back into Freya’s good graces even after every evil thing he has put Freya through.

I really have to give credit to Patricia Dixon for showing the other side of domestic abuse and how a smart woman can forgive someone as evil as Kane all because she loves him. How women make excuses for their abusers, saying maybe it is their fault their boyfriend/husband beats them. How maybe they should not have antagonized them or made them angry. Even though this is a fictitious story, in many ways it is also true to real life. We can always ask ourselves “how can a woman stay with a man who abuses them?” Patricia Dixon said it all in just a few sentences. You don’t know what your answer would be until you are in that situation. That just completely gutted me. I am a pretty strong minded woman and I dated a guy briefly, but his jealousy and controlling nature really made me stop and think “what am I doing in this relationship?” Not that I ever let him control me although he tried to. It all came down to one night where he punched me in front of friends of my mother’s. Right in that instant I snapped and attacked him. My mother’s friends had to pull me off of him. From that day on, I knew that if a man ever laid a hand on me again, he would be dead. I am as sweet as can be, but if you punch me, choke me, or use any other abusive tactic to harm me, you better run because I’m coming for you.

Please if you are in a situation like this, get help now. No woman or man deserves to be physically or mentally abused. Your life matters. Call the police, or your family, or your friends. Don’t stay because you think you have no other option. You are worth more than that. Your life is worth more than that.

Over My Shoulder is compelling and frightening story of one woman’s fight for survival. This is one story that has left me shaking and filled with so many emotions and at times, I was blinded by my tears by the gripping and harrowing narrative. Patricia Dixon has created a story that mirrors real life in the darkest and dirtiest secret that many women are too ashamed to admit to. There are not enough stars I can give this story to show you how much I loved this book. Another book to add to my favorite list for the year!

I found this book to be quite chilling! The attention to detail that was given made me feel like I was a shadow cast right beside the poor female lead character. Her boyfriend was truly awful! Would make a great weekend read and I would recommend to other fans of domestic thrillers!

I loved Over My Shoulder it hooked me from the first few pages and even now after finishing it it has still touched me.
Focusing on domestic abuse and violence it can be a quite emotive subject but this book covers it and portrays an important message. A well deserved 5 stars from me.

Excellent book, dark, disturbing, and brutal. I had to find out exactly what was going to happen to Freya, so had a hard time swapping to my other books. Characters well developed, tense, and edge of your seat. Towards the middle it sort of dragged or I would've given 5 stars. One I definitely will use in daily challenge and recommend in Chapter Chatter Pub.

4☆ A Gripping Compulsive Page Turner!

Over My Shoulder is a hard hitting story about Domestic Abuse, Survival and Hope and a strong main character.

Freya met Cane. He was everything she wanted. He was likeable, Charismatic, Charming, Popular, lavish lifestyle and she fell in love.
Things were good but then things started to go terribly wrong.
Freya was trapped in Cane's world and he wasn't about to let her go. As the relationship progresses, the abuse escalates.

Patricia draws the reader into Freya's world and you literally experience everything she does.

Freya's Strength was the thing that kept me reading, I wanted her to come out the other side a survivor.
Cane is in no way likeable character. But he isn't meant to be nice you are meant to despise him and boy did I hate him!
Patricia has done a fantastic job at her character development they are The perfect characters!

The pace and suspense ramps up as the story unfolds to a point you feel like you are holding your breath.
This was in no way an easy read, but it isn't meant to be easy. It's dark undertones really make for a Gripping Compulsive page turner. A dark Pyschological Thriller that will get under your skin!

Thank you to Bloodhound books for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.