Fifty Minutes

by Carla Jenkins

"Thought-provoking and honest" - Winnie Li, author of COMPLICIT
"A page-turner" - Louise Dean, author of BECOMING STRANGERS
"I couldn't put it down" - Tasha Coryell, author of LOVE LETTERS TO A SERIAL KILLER
"A riveting study of power and control..." - Louisa Reid, author of THE POET
"Keeps the reader on their toes in the best way" - Kate Riordan, author of THE HEATWAVE

Therapy was meant to solve her problems, not make them worse...
Smart twenty-year-old Dani is desperate to overcome her eating disorder, leave her dead-end job and return to her hard-won place at university. Using her limited earnings, she decides to start seeing a psychotherapist.

Richard Goode is educated, sophisticated and worldly-everything Dani aspires to be. As he intuitively unpicks her self-loathing, Dani assumes the fantasies she's developing about him live only in her head. That is, until things take a shocking turn...

Descending into a maelstrom of twisted desire, manipulation and mistrust, the power struggle between Dani and Richard escalates until she's forced to make a decision that might finally give her the freedom she deserves.

Perfect for fans of MY DARK VANESSA, Fifty Minutes is a propulsive and bold debut that marks Carla Jenkins as a vital new voice in fiction.

Genres: Fiction

349 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 16, 2024

Reviews

[Gemma · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a long time since I read a book which I couldn't put down. I started reading it in my car while waiting for a stressful doctor's appointment and it completely distracted me. It's the kind of writing that really transports you into the sights and sounds and smells but also the interior of the characters' minds. I took it on holiday with me and it was a great read on the beach. It's going to age me - but the print is a really good size! Won't give you any spoilers, but you really root for Dani from page one to the end. Enjoy.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got to page 20 and realized this book is not for me. The MC, seeking help in therapy for her bulimia, is so psychologically troubled that I felt weighed down by her life. Life is hard enough without immersing yourself in another's craziness!

[Saffy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been so looking forward to reading Fifty Minutes and it did not disappoint, It’s an intense and powerful novel which explores what happens when a middle aged psychotherapist abuses the client /therapist relationship.. 20 year old Dani is extremely vulnerable when she starts seeing therapist Richard Goode, After dropping out of university she is lodging with her sister and working as a kitchen porter while struggling with an eating disorder and grieving the death of her father.
I am really drawn to reading novels about therapists and this is probably the best one I’ve read. It’s so raw and so beautifully written. The author takes the reader deep into Dani’s life and I felt myself wanting to protect her from her abusive therapist. I was so immersed in this novel and thought of it constantly when I wasn’t reading it. It made me so angry and yet I had hope for Dani and her future.
A stunning novel that will stay with me for a long time. Highly recommended.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

[Ali Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right from the off, I was invested in the main character of Dani. She is young, naive and vulnerable - her issues feel real and are entirely relatable.

Dani turns to a private psychotherapist in a time of crisis. Richard Goode is educated, attractive, arrogant and puts himself in a position of power over his clients. Dani is immediately impressed.

Jenkins’ novel is not for the faint hearted. It deals with the unregulated nature of the growing industry of psychotherapy, mental health issues, the British class system as well as the power of everyday friendships.

Despite covering such weighty topics, Fifty Minutes is ultimately uplifting.

An excellent read, highly recommended.

[Bree · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ for a book covering many darker themes. The therapeutic relationship between Dani and therapist Richard was compulsive reading. I liked the way the author dealt with issues sensitively but also with a no holds barred approach which gave the writing authenticity. Highlighting abuses of power in an unregulated profession, and Dani’s internal struggles, I was satisfied with the outcomes and look forward to more from this debut author in future. Highly recommend

[Kate Goddard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was totally engaged from the first page and couldn't stop reading which barely ever happens to me . Great to read if you are in a reading slump !!!

I really felt really connected to Dani and I was so heartbroken for her and extremely proud of her, pushing herself out of her comfort zone and doing something different.

I felt the book captured the therapeutic process very well before he started sleeping with her just to clarify! Terrifying that a psychotherapist who seemed so self aware and enabled Dani to understand what therapy is and isn't was capable of abusing vulnerable clients in such a vile way . Really made my blood boil .

I wanted Justice for Dani so much and I was so gutted when she didn't get it. I'm so glad she was able to reach out to another therapist and have a healthy and positive experience. It would have been so easy for her to never go back.

[Mrs Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t often read a book on a day, but Fifty Minutes is a page-turner. A totally believable portrayal of a troubled Dani, aged twenty, determined to tackle her bulimia and get back to university. The author takes the reader on a harrowing yet poignant journey as Dani slides into a trap set by the person she looks to for guidance and healing. The betrayal is visceral. I was rooting for Dani from page one. Gritty subject matter is handled with a truth that is simultaneously shocking and moving, a stroke of genius. I loved it!

[John Savage · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought provoking read – loved it!
Amazing debut novel. Had me interested and involved from the outset.
Writing that pulls no punches with entirely believable characters.
Although dealing with heavyweight topics a thoroughly enjoyable read aided by the clever pace and intriguing character interactions

Recommended

[Bashar Hammoudeh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written and galvanising story of relationships, manipulation, and class. I couldn’t stop thinking about this book. Not only was in a compelling read, I feel it taught me a lot.
Couldn’t recommend strongly enough

[RavenPUB · Rating 1 out of 5]

Fifty Minutes is the product of a 90-day writing course, which is genuinely impressive as a means of completing a long writing project. However, there's been a rush to publish for the easy-to-read summertime market because there's a distinct lack of basic research.

To write realistically about a therapy process (a series of sessions makes up the narrative's core), the writer should have a basic understanding of psychotherapeutic practice, including the therapist's orientation. Why didn't the author, for example, consult a psychotherapist to help with this?

This would have significantly helped to avoid the complete confusion represented by Mr. Goode's ludicrous character.

The opening page of Fifty Minutes telegraphs the badness of Mr Goode, a psychotherapist from whom Dani seeks professional help. Having turned up four minutes early for her first session, Dani rejects Goode's offer to sit in his waiting room. As she walks away down the path, Goode waits and implicitly watches Dani in her 'tight jeans'.

Minutes later, Dani returns to find an actively silent Mr Goode. After opening the door, he turns away and "walks down the hallway." More cliched silences dominate Mr Goode's behaviour in the first session, which, as the title suggests, is a way to inform the reader that Dani has entered psychoanalytic practice territory.

However, I don't think the author fully understands this because Goode's unwarranted and untimely silences represent a distorted view of a real analyst's behaviour. A torture made worse by a ticking clock that would not adorn any consulting room!

Mr Goode is an idiotic cardboard cut-out figure—a device for Dani to ridicule periodically. At best, Mr Goode's character represents an extremely poor analyst who also gets the 'confidentiality' rule wrong! But, then, on page 6, Goode declares that he offers 'person-centred psychotherapy', focusing on the 'here and now', which completely baffled me as a psychoanalytic psychotherapist.

The confusion deepens when the psychoanalytic notion of 'transference' keeps popping up later in the story. And Goode refers to Dani as the 'patient' is also non-person-centred or client-centred, as this model is sometimes named. The clue is in the title.

The author is unaware that she's provided Goode with completely opposing therapy models that are either crudely distorted or not evident in practice: a person-centred therapist would also not recognize Goode's interventions.

Throughout Fifty Minutes, there are numerous instances where Goode's behaviour is unrepresentative of the actual practice of a psychotherapist that cannot be explained as part of his character. Good realistic fiction must maintain a firm foothold in reality, and Fifty Minutes fails to do so in its portrayal of Bade, Mr Goode.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Make sure you have some spare time before you start reading this - I was unavailable for 24 hours. Gripping, moving, horrifying, wonderful. Can’t wait for Carla’s next book!
Un-put-downable!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 August 2024

[Tansy Boggon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wouldn’t recommend Fifty Minutes to anyone currently in therapy or recovering from an eating disorder.

The story is well-written and starts with an impactful, albeit somewhat disturbing, premise. It’s compelling at first but gradually loses momentum. The dialogue becomes repetitive, and the ending feels lacklustre.

Given how deeply troubled the protagonist is at the start, it’s hard to believe that simply filing a complaint against her therapist could magically resolve her issues. It feels overly simplistic for such a disturbed and complex character. The sex scenes are explicit, so if that’s not your thing, you probably won’t enjoy it. While I initially found the story disturbing yet compelling, it ultimately fell flat.

That said, the book does raise an important concern: how someone in a position of trust can exploit their authority, especially by making a vulnerable person believe they’re “special”.

Ultimately, though, the ending doesn’t match the disturbing intensity of the earlier chapters. The protagonist remains unlikable, and I didn’t finish the book feeling empowered—just unsettled.

[Sean Marriott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carla Jenkins gives her narrator, Dani, an impressively clear, authentic voice – cannily observing a world that feels populated with real people, rather than ‘characters’. There are flecks of wry humour and acute observations of the mundane, but the writing never draws attention to itself – which makes for an effortless, engaging narrative. Dani’s candid accounts – particularly around her knotty relationships with food, alcohol and sex – are often poignant, but never degenerate into self-pity or titillation. Even as she describes a growing infatuation with her middle-aged therapist (Richard) the writing is deft enough to suggest the queasy dynamic between her lack of confidence and his lofty self-satisfaction. In the ensuing affair Richard’s vanity and sketchy morality are particularly well-observed, but never overplayed. Even the dramatic escalation that closes the book is fundamentally all-too plausible. As well as an absorbing narrative, Fifty Minutes tackles important themes of exploitation, manipulation and betrayal of trust.

[Anthony Horsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't remember encountering a character as intriguing as Dani before. Simultaneously bold, funny, determined but vulnerable and scared, she drew me in from the first page.

As she navigates her way through the chaos and conflict, that is entwined through her life, the light in her shines through. Driven by an endless hope that there is better out there, she overcomes the manipulation of others, and her own demons, with the support of some beautifully written and totally believable characters, to find the path she so desperately wants.

The skill with which the author lays out the intricacies of these characters through story, confronting challenging subjects, with humor, compassion, and honesty, is remarkable from a debut novelist and i can't wait to read more.

[Julie Davey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found Fifty Minutes unputdownable. It hooks you in from the first pages, and the character of Dani is written with colour, depth and brutal honesty - her flaws, her flagrant self-esteem issues and yet her hidden backbone and strength that emerge as the story develops. The theme of therapy and trust is a powerful one, and the intimacy and claustrophobia of the therapy room left an indelible mark as I was reading - you find yourself holding your breath as you read some chapters, willing Dani to make the right decisions in the face of masculine manipulation. This is no frothy, superficial chick-lit. It is moving, meaningful and thought-provoking and Carla Jenkins writes with personality and power. I can't wait for her next book.

[Mel Rowson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always been captivated by stories, where I get to see the world through my main characters eyes. Where I get to see what they see, smell what they smell and believe what they believe and that's exactly what I loved so much about this book.
Dani, lovable, funny, relatable took me on a journey with her, where she has been able to self reflect enough to see that there are some areas in her life where she needs real help.
She seeks out a professional who does to some extent challenge her with some of the thinking
that is sabotaging areas in her life but sadly he takes full advantage of the power dynamic between them, leaving Dani to question even her own reality!
A beautiful story about courage, resilience and strength. Loved it!

[Bob Cregan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richard Goode, the therapist she can barely afford, is supposed to fix all of Dani’s problems. Handsome, wealthy, and educated, he represents everything she aspires to. He’ll get her back to University, fix her bulimia and get her out of her dead-end job. He has other ideas.

Carla Jenkins has gifted us a portrait of the interactions of power and trust in human relationships, particularly transactional ones, and what happens when they fail. Dani is skillfully sketched. Her intelligence, headstrong self-destructive tendencies and vulnerability all mix in a way that is both interesting and credible. The narrative is compelling, and the landscape of Dani’s world is vividly portrayed.

Fifty Minutes is an excellent novel. I’d recommend it.

[Rowan Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fifty Minutes is an impressive debut novel which tackles some difficult themes. Dani is struggling with her chaotic life which is not helped by her dubious moral standards and propensity for self-sabotage, but we root for her because she has such a strong desire to succeed. Her therapist, the person you would expect to help her do this, is motivated solely by his own shady desires. Dani experiences some truly low points which are portrayed with a grim honesty by the author. Well written and different to anything else I’ve read, which is always refreshing!

[Ros Huxley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this page-turner. Read it in a weekend, laughed, cried and screwed my face up in horror at the binge descriptions. A visceral insight into what it is like to be bulimic, with sharp observation about the importance of class, alongside a pacy will she-wont she story. Carla Jenkins has an eye for lived experience that is, for me, eye-opening. This is a book you will want to give to friends, especially if they embark on finding themselves a therapist!

[Nigel Dinnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an assured and accomplished first novel. An uncomfortable front-row seat provides an unflinching portrayal of a vulnerable young woman struggling to realise her potential. Misogyny, predation, class divisions, mental health issues, dead-end jobs, guilt, loss, resilience, ambition, and the support of friends—it's all here. Expect a thought-provoking read that stays with you long after the last page.

[Martin Holleran · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found 'Fifty Minutes,' an intriguing read. I wasn't expecting to be shocked and delighted in equal measures. Carla Jenkins has demonstrated the trust we have in certain people and slowly by degrees are trapped within a web of lies and deceit. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this page turner book. I found myself deeply engrossed in it and looked forward to knowing how the story ended. I wasn't disappointed when it did.
A truly tremendous read and to be totally recommended.

[Katy Physick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was drawn to this book due to the comparison with My Dark Vanessa. Fifty Minutes certainly sensitively covers dark themes and highlighted the risk of abuse from the inherent power difference between therapist and client. Although an immersive read, ultimately the prose fell flat when compared to My Dark Vanessa. Perhaps if I went in without expectations of how similarities to My Dark Vanessa. I would have enjoyed Fifty Minutes more in its own right.

[Shazz JE · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been fully engrossed in this novel. The characters are beautifully brought to life with very few words. Descriptions of small details, small observations tucked into the story really enabled me to fully imagine myself alongside Dani, our protagonist. The tension was brilliantly paced making compelling and compulsive reading. This book is sensational, absorbing, gripping and thoroughly enjoyable. Inspiring work & I'm looking forward to more from Carla.

[Alan Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carla Jenkins’ debut novel ‘Fifty Minutes’ is a masterpiece of descriptive observation and story telling. This book is a high standard brave effort that deals with very real and sensitive issues.
You, the reader will be unable to put this book down as you turn the pages and once you’ve finished reading will eagerly look forward to this very talented author’s next work.

[Snehal · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely riveting read. I was hooked from the start and I completed the book over a very busy weekend. Carlas writing is engaging and very real. She has dealt with sensitive topics brilliantly. Having studied psychology, the concept and premise of the book appealed to me. I would recommend this book.

[Calanthe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stunning debut!
A gripping read with a protagonist who is vulnerable, grieving, insecure and fighting inner demons but written so superbly with an inner-strength and bravery that has you instantly hooked. The cast of characters are perfectly written, the plot superbly paced and delivered and I was compelled to read in one sitting (despite being a slow(ish) reader.
Most compelling book I’ve had the pleasure of reading for an age.
Eagerly awaiting more from Carla Jenkins, an author I’m sure will be widely appreciated in the near future!

[Emma Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping, gritty and incredibly moving. If you’re going to write a debut novel, it should be *this* good. Totally illustrates what happens when those in positions of power abuse their positions; I couldn’t put it down!

[Chloë Fowler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carla writes with an unflinching voice. Moving, honest and with a wry tone that creeps up to undercut the story of Dani and her therapist Richard. Fifty Minutes is not an 'easy' read and it's not meant to be. It tackles difficult, often taboo topics. It's brave and impressive. Books are there to challenge and make you think and it does all of this.
A bold debut, and a story that stays with you long after the last page.

[Mia Conway · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

omg this is so underrated?? never heard anyone recommend this book, I won it in a giveaway and WOW. Genuinely such a fantastic and thought provoking read. I will definitely be adding Jenkins to my list of auto buy authors. If you love literary fiction please read this it was fantastic!

[Michael Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strap in tight for a roller-coaster of thoughts, emotions and insights into what you don’t expect to see on the therapist’s chair. Equally dark and engaging, this debut novel keeps you up later than you intended, unable to resist the anticipation of reading the next page. Buy it, today.