What do you think?
Rate this book
Show Me Where It Hurts
How do you survive the unsurvivable?
Rachel lives with her husband Tom and their two children: it's the ordinary family life she always thought she'd have. All of that changes in an instant - when Tom runs the family car off the road, seeking to end his own life, and take his wife and children with him. Rachel is left to pore over the wreckage to try and understand what happened - to find a way to go on living afterwards.
What emerges is a snapshot of what it's like to live alongside someone who is suffering, how you keep yourself afloat when the person you love is drowning, and how you survive irreparable loss.
Impossible to turn away from, Show Me Where It Hurts is a compelling, heartbreaking and ultimately life-affirming story of recovery and unexpected hope.
Rachel lives with her husband Tom and their two children: it's the ordinary family life she always thought she'd have. All of that changes in an instant - when Tom runs the family car off the road, seeking to end his own life, and take his wife and children with him. Rachel is left to pore over the wreckage to try and understand what happened - to find a way to go on living afterwards.
What emerges is a snapshot of what it's like to live alongside someone who is suffering, how you keep yourself afloat when the person you love is drowning, and how you survive irreparable loss.
Impossible to turn away from, Show Me Where It Hurts is a compelling, heartbreaking and ultimately life-affirming story of recovery and unexpected hope.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published April 10, 2025
134 people are currently reading
3738 people want to read
About the author
Claire Gleeson
1 book28 followersClaire Gleeson is from Dublin, where she lives with her young family and works as a GP. Her short stories have been short- and long-listed for numerous prizes. In 2021 she was awarded a Words Ireland literary mentorship while she worked on the first draft of Show Me Where It Hurts, which went on to be a runner-up at the Irish Writers’ Centre Novel Fair 2023.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 186 reviews
March 10, 2025
Exceptional debut but not an easy read.
We meet Rachel as she's sitting in the passenger seat of the family car. Tom, her husband, is driving. Their two young children in the back. They had been at Tom's parents that afternoon. The drive home is just routine. Or it is until her husband apologises and runs the car off the road.
From there, the timeline splits.
We see how Rachel and Tom meet, the proposal, wedding, kids. A sneak peek into family life and the weeks leading up to 'the incident '.
In the second timeline, we witness the horror of the aftermath.
This is a successful dual timeline, in my opinion, I was equally invested in both, and it made sense to format the story this way.
This wasn't an easy read, yet I could have read it in one sitting. The plot is as gripping as it is emotional. The grief and shock represented is very real, raw, and ugly to look at. It's not pretty here.
Nothing is cut and dried in these pages. Life is nuanced and complicated, and we are left with questions in the way we are when all stories end earlier than they should.
I cried a lot reading this. There's sadness everywhere in all kinds of forms, but there is hope too, sneaking in the cracks.
It's wild to call this novel beautiful, but the way it's structured, the carefully handling of tough subjects, and the love that swirls in the darkness, it's the only word that seems appropriate.
Five stars.
We meet Rachel as she's sitting in the passenger seat of the family car. Tom, her husband, is driving. Their two young children in the back. They had been at Tom's parents that afternoon. The drive home is just routine. Or it is until her husband apologises and runs the car off the road.
From there, the timeline splits.
We see how Rachel and Tom meet, the proposal, wedding, kids. A sneak peek into family life and the weeks leading up to 'the incident '.
In the second timeline, we witness the horror of the aftermath.
This is a successful dual timeline, in my opinion, I was equally invested in both, and it made sense to format the story this way.
This wasn't an easy read, yet I could have read it in one sitting. The plot is as gripping as it is emotional. The grief and shock represented is very real, raw, and ugly to look at. It's not pretty here.
Nothing is cut and dried in these pages. Life is nuanced and complicated, and we are left with questions in the way we are when all stories end earlier than they should.
I cried a lot reading this. There's sadness everywhere in all kinds of forms, but there is hope too, sneaking in the cracks.
It's wild to call this novel beautiful, but the way it's structured, the carefully handling of tough subjects, and the love that swirls in the darkness, it's the only word that seems appropriate.
Five stars.
April 15, 2025
Show Me Where It Hurts is an incredible novel but I know some people are a little nervous about reading it. So let me allay your fears a little by saying that you could call into a bookshop and read only to the end of page two before you'll know whether you can read on. And if you can, though your heart will be broken into several tiny pieces, perhaps by the end a little bit of it will have been glued back together.
Tom and Rachel are married with two children when, one day, Tom carries out an unexpected act that will destroy their lives forever. After this act occurs on page two, the book interchanges between "before" and "after". The story is told from Rachel's point of view, where we discover more about her relationship with her husband and the difficulties they faced before the incident, and how, inconceivably, she carried on each day after complete devastation.
As a paramedic, I am often asked how I cope with the things that I see but, invariably, what I think of most often is that I essentially get to walk away, whilst it is the loved ones who have to return home to a life that will never be the same. The devastation for me is brief, and I cannot comprehend how people live each day with intolerable pain.
What Claire Gleeson achieves in Show Me Where It Hurts is showing us the resilience and strength of the human spirit and that, even when the absolute worst happens, we can still find a way to carry on, somehow. This is a truly heartbreaking and devastating book, following an absolutely unthinkable act, but if you can make it through to the end, you might just see a little light and happiness shine through. You'll also be rewarded with an absolute feat of storytelling that will stay with you for such a very, very long time. Despite tears in my eyes even whilst writing this review, Show Me Where It Hurts will most likely be one of my books of the year.
Tom and Rachel are married with two children when, one day, Tom carries out an unexpected act that will destroy their lives forever. After this act occurs on page two, the book interchanges between "before" and "after". The story is told from Rachel's point of view, where we discover more about her relationship with her husband and the difficulties they faced before the incident, and how, inconceivably, she carried on each day after complete devastation.
As a paramedic, I am often asked how I cope with the things that I see but, invariably, what I think of most often is that I essentially get to walk away, whilst it is the loved ones who have to return home to a life that will never be the same. The devastation for me is brief, and I cannot comprehend how people live each day with intolerable pain.
What Claire Gleeson achieves in Show Me Where It Hurts is showing us the resilience and strength of the human spirit and that, even when the absolute worst happens, we can still find a way to carry on, somehow. This is a truly heartbreaking and devastating book, following an absolutely unthinkable act, but if you can make it through to the end, you might just see a little light and happiness shine through. You'll also be rewarded with an absolute feat of storytelling that will stay with you for such a very, very long time. Despite tears in my eyes even whilst writing this review, Show Me Where It Hurts will most likely be one of my books of the year.
April 7, 2025
This debut novel by Irish writer and medical doctor Claire Gleeson is just so unspeakably sad and yet it is brimming with love, empathy and humanity. I cried so many times while reading it - I feel I have to say that so that if you decide to read this novel, you’re prepared for what lies ahead.
Rachel and Tom are married with two children when one day, life is changed utterly for them. The novel charts Rachel’s return from the brink of despair, finding comfort in the small things, always finding a reason to put one foot in front of the other.
It is so beautifully written and so tender and compelling, but be warned: your heart will ache. I couldn’t help but think of the real life cases similar to the storyline in this book, and I hold all of those families in my thoughts.
If you think you can bear it, this is a must-read. 5/5 ⭐️
With thanks to Sceptre Books for the advance copy via @Netgalley. Show Me Where It Hurts will be published this Thursday and is already on the shelves in Irish bookshops. If you loved Nesting, I predict you will love this too.
Rachel and Tom are married with two children when one day, life is changed utterly for them. The novel charts Rachel’s return from the brink of despair, finding comfort in the small things, always finding a reason to put one foot in front of the other.
It is so beautifully written and so tender and compelling, but be warned: your heart will ache. I couldn’t help but think of the real life cases similar to the storyline in this book, and I hold all of those families in my thoughts.
If you think you can bear it, this is a must-read. 5/5 ⭐️
With thanks to Sceptre Books for the advance copy via @Netgalley. Show Me Where It Hurts will be published this Thursday and is already on the shelves in Irish bookshops. If you loved Nesting, I predict you will love this too.
April 10, 2025
#Gifted
Happy publication day to this stunning debut from Irish author Claire Gleeson.
I ravenously consumed this book over the course of just a few hours. It’s not easy to put down, in spite of its tough subject matter.
On that note, the premise of Show Me Where it Hurts is very upsetting, undoubtedly.
Whenever I review books that veer on the emotionally devastating side I inevitably get comments like “oh I could never read that, I’d be too upset.”
While I respect that fully, I would gently suggest giving books like this a go.
You’d be surprised how much love and hope you’ll find, particularly in this one.
Rachel is a nurse with two young kids. She thinks all is going well until one day her husband Tom purposefully runs their car off the road, intending to end his own life, and that of his wife and children. The rest of the book jumps back in time to before the crash, and forwards, as Rachel tries to make sense of her life now.
This is such a beautifully and sensitively written story. I felt so often that I was there with Rachel; her world felt all too real, and nuanced. Your first instinct here is to hate Tom, but Gleeson entices empathy from her readers by showing us what living with someone struggling so profoundly with their mental health is like. Nothing is black and white in real life, and the same is true for this book.
The author expertly portrays unimaginable grief too, raw and honest but so believable; I could absolutely imagine feeling everything Rachel went through.
So yes, back to my original point. Show Me Where it Hurts is heartbreaking, and so sad (I cried more than once) but it’s also compelling, and life-affirming. I genuinely could not recommend it enough, it’s going straight onto my 2025 favourites list.
A little (it’s a perfectly sized 244 pages long) masterpiece ❤️
With many thanks @hachetteireland @elaineeganbooks for my early copy. All options are my own, as always. #ShowMeWhereItHurts is available to buy now.
Happy publication day to this stunning debut from Irish author Claire Gleeson.
I ravenously consumed this book over the course of just a few hours. It’s not easy to put down, in spite of its tough subject matter.
On that note, the premise of Show Me Where it Hurts is very upsetting, undoubtedly.
Whenever I review books that veer on the emotionally devastating side I inevitably get comments like “oh I could never read that, I’d be too upset.”
While I respect that fully, I would gently suggest giving books like this a go.
You’d be surprised how much love and hope you’ll find, particularly in this one.
Rachel is a nurse with two young kids. She thinks all is going well until one day her husband Tom purposefully runs their car off the road, intending to end his own life, and that of his wife and children. The rest of the book jumps back in time to before the crash, and forwards, as Rachel tries to make sense of her life now.
This is such a beautifully and sensitively written story. I felt so often that I was there with Rachel; her world felt all too real, and nuanced. Your first instinct here is to hate Tom, but Gleeson entices empathy from her readers by showing us what living with someone struggling so profoundly with their mental health is like. Nothing is black and white in real life, and the same is true for this book.
The author expertly portrays unimaginable grief too, raw and honest but so believable; I could absolutely imagine feeling everything Rachel went through.
So yes, back to my original point. Show Me Where it Hurts is heartbreaking, and so sad (I cried more than once) but it’s also compelling, and life-affirming. I genuinely could not recommend it enough, it’s going straight onto my 2025 favourites list.
A little (it’s a perfectly sized 244 pages long) masterpiece ❤️
With many thanks @hachetteireland @elaineeganbooks for my early copy. All options are my own, as always. #ShowMeWhereItHurts is available to buy now.
April 13, 2025
4.5
This is an astonishing subject to have for a novel but thankfully Claire Gleeson handled it beautifully.
Rachel and Tom have a normal life, with an ordinary house, ordinary jobs, two children and the usual hassles. Until one day when Tom drives the family car off the road in a bid to end his own life and that of his entire family.
Show Me Where It Hurts follows Rachel's story divided into before and after the accident.
This is an emotive subject and it took my breath away in parts but Claire Gleeson has written a beautiful novel full of love and forgiveness along with confusion and a desire to understand how one person can make such a decision that will change your life forever.
The characters of Rachel and her family along with Tom and his mother, Bernice, are all quite sympathetic, which is something I didn't think I'd say after the first shock.
I will certainly be looking out for more books written by this author.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the advance review copy. Very much appreciated.
This is an astonishing subject to have for a novel but thankfully Claire Gleeson handled it beautifully.
Rachel and Tom have a normal life, with an ordinary house, ordinary jobs, two children and the usual hassles. Until one day when Tom drives the family car off the road in a bid to end his own life and that of his entire family.
Show Me Where It Hurts follows Rachel's story divided into before and after the accident.
This is an emotive subject and it took my breath away in parts but Claire Gleeson has written a beautiful novel full of love and forgiveness along with confusion and a desire to understand how one person can make such a decision that will change your life forever.
The characters of Rachel and her family along with Tom and his mother, Bernice, are all quite sympathetic, which is something I didn't think I'd say after the first shock.
I will certainly be looking out for more books written by this author.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the advance review copy. Very much appreciated.
August 25, 2025
Interesting and very nuanced book about depression. I think the nuance is good, but I personally had some trouble understanding why Rachel didn’t feel more anger.
Thank you Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley UK for the ARC.
Thank you Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley UK for the ARC.
July 3, 2025
Ah my heart.
What a beautiful, tender, heart-wrenching book. Told with such delicacy and nuance.
It might be one of my favourite reads this year.
Tom and Rachel and their two children are driving home late one evening after visiting Tom’s parents when Tom drives them off the road in an attempt to end not only his life but also his family’s.
The trouble is, this isn’t some mass murder suicide or revenge, Tom has been struggling with his mental health his whole life and has relapsed. After months and months of deep depression he comes to the conclusion that this is the only way out.
The story unfolds through two timelines, the Before and the After. We see the beginning of Tom and Rachel’s relationship, them falling madly in love, getting married and having their daughter and son in quick succession. But despite this joy and happiness, they both face the challenges of being a parent, partner and person navigating life and when the recession hits the tendrils of Tom’s mental illness begin to resurface and take hold of him.
I don’t want to give away any spoilers because the beauty is in the prose of this book, the delicate weaving of details throughout both timelines is as captivating as it is devastating. I held all of these characters in my heart page after page and I commend the author for writing with such nuance on a topic sometimes read so black and white.
I could wax lyrical about Show Me Where It Hurts endlessly so I’ll leave it here with one final missive: prepare your heart and read this book.
What a beautiful, tender, heart-wrenching book. Told with such delicacy and nuance.
It might be one of my favourite reads this year.
Tom and Rachel and their two children are driving home late one evening after visiting Tom’s parents when Tom drives them off the road in an attempt to end not only his life but also his family’s.
The trouble is, this isn’t some mass murder suicide or revenge, Tom has been struggling with his mental health his whole life and has relapsed. After months and months of deep depression he comes to the conclusion that this is the only way out.
The story unfolds through two timelines, the Before and the After. We see the beginning of Tom and Rachel’s relationship, them falling madly in love, getting married and having their daughter and son in quick succession. But despite this joy and happiness, they both face the challenges of being a parent, partner and person navigating life and when the recession hits the tendrils of Tom’s mental illness begin to resurface and take hold of him.
I don’t want to give away any spoilers because the beauty is in the prose of this book, the delicate weaving of details throughout both timelines is as captivating as it is devastating. I held all of these characters in my heart page after page and I commend the author for writing with such nuance on a topic sometimes read so black and white.
I could wax lyrical about Show Me Where It Hurts endlessly so I’ll leave it here with one final missive: prepare your heart and read this book.
January 9, 2025
This debut novel from Irish short story writer, Claire Gleeson, opens with one of the most arresting chapters I’ve ever read which had me instantly hooked. So much so, that I finished the book in a single sitting. Rachel is married to architect husband Tom. They have two small children, Rachel works in a Dublin hospital as a nurse and on the surface, life seems good. That is until a shocking event takes place one night which left this reader reeling.
As the pivotal event happens so early on in the book, I won’t describe too much more of the story in specifics. That would spoil the experience for you. Suffice to say that what follows is a beautifully crafted story of survival in the face of tragedy and the strength of the human spirit. The author deals with a range of very difficult topics in such a humane and sensitive manner which really impressed me. At times, it took my breath away. This is a book that will stay with you long after you’ve read it and I wish the author every success with her novel. A very worthy 5 star read.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Hodder books for this arc in return for my honest review. ‘Show me where it hurts’ is published by Sceptre in April 2025.
As the pivotal event happens so early on in the book, I won’t describe too much more of the story in specifics. That would spoil the experience for you. Suffice to say that what follows is a beautifully crafted story of survival in the face of tragedy and the strength of the human spirit. The author deals with a range of very difficult topics in such a humane and sensitive manner which really impressed me. At times, it took my breath away. This is a book that will stay with you long after you’ve read it and I wish the author every success with her novel. A very worthy 5 star read.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Hodder books for this arc in return for my honest review. ‘Show me where it hurts’ is published by Sceptre in April 2025.
August 29, 2025
For a book with such an inescapably sad premise – the sadness is the point - the emotional distance throughout this one just didn't work for me. The book is called 'Show Me Where It Hurts', but it never does. The time jumps felt frustrating because more interesting questions and incidents were raised or hinted at but never explored. If an author isn't willing, brave or able enough to confront the emotional weight of a topic like this, why take it on at all? There's a middle ground between emotionally manipulative or exploitative fiction and that which ignores the complexity and depth of emotional pain. A better book would have spent some time there.
tl,dr: if you're going to write a sad book, let it be sad.
tl,dr: if you're going to write a sad book, let it be sad.
June 14, 2025
Great premise and decent writing but totally lacks depth, making you feel apathetic when the subject matter is actually quite serious.
June 7, 2025
My Rating: 4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Painfully good… this was hard to read but beautifully done!!
How do you survive something so ghastly that you should just drop dead on the spot??
Rachel lives with her husband and their two children, it’s an ordinary family life she always thought she would have. All of that changes in an instant when Tom launches the family car off the road, seeking to end his own life, and take his wife and children with him.
Rachel is left to pore over the wreckage to try and understand what happened and find a way to go on living in the aftermath of something so shocking.
What emerges is a snapshot of what its like to live alongside someone who is suffering, how you keep yourself afloat when the person you love is drowning, and how you survive irreparable loss.
OMG this one was so hard to read… it was so beautifully written and is not a thriller or anything like that. Its a slow story of despair, heartache and feeling like you will never be ok again.
This story is told immediately from the incident, no matter that you have read it in the synopsis it shocked me and my heart was in my throat. I didnt know what was going to happen and then we go backwards 10 years, then forwards to days or weeks after the event. This continues we continue to go backwards a long way in time and forwards crawling away from from the event.
You see how Rachel’s life and family unfolds from the beginning leading up to the incident and then you see how she tries to piece herself back together from the days weeks and years afterwards. Until we get to ten years post incident when everything is different but also not much so.
The writing is excellent and the way the story is told makes it hard to put down but also hard to pick up. I think it was a really sad and really well done story. What would I do in this circumstance… I have no idea.. I don't want to know its horrific and terrifying and just unspeakable.
If you don’t like sad novels then this will not be for you… there is hope but it takes time. If you like fast paced novels then again this will not be for you. This is a story that takes time and care… and I appreciated that. The ending made me smile which was nice.
How do you survive something so ghastly that you should just drop dead on the spot??
Rachel lives with her husband and their two children, it’s an ordinary family life she always thought she would have. All of that changes in an instant when Tom launches the family car off the road, seeking to end his own life, and take his wife and children with him.
Rachel is left to pore over the wreckage to try and understand what happened and find a way to go on living in the aftermath of something so shocking.
What emerges is a snapshot of what its like to live alongside someone who is suffering, how you keep yourself afloat when the person you love is drowning, and how you survive irreparable loss.
OMG this one was so hard to read… it was so beautifully written and is not a thriller or anything like that. Its a slow story of despair, heartache and feeling like you will never be ok again.
This story is told immediately from the incident, no matter that you have read it in the synopsis it shocked me and my heart was in my throat. I didnt know what was going to happen and then we go backwards 10 years, then forwards to days or weeks after the event. This continues we continue to go backwards a long way in time and forwards crawling away from from the event.
You see how Rachel’s life and family unfolds from the beginning leading up to the incident and then you see how she tries to piece herself back together from the days weeks and years afterwards. Until we get to ten years post incident when everything is different but also not much so.
The writing is excellent and the way the story is told makes it hard to put down but also hard to pick up. I think it was a really sad and really well done story. What would I do in this circumstance… I have no idea.. I don't want to know its horrific and terrifying and just unspeakable.
If you don’t like sad novels then this will not be for you… there is hope but it takes time. If you like fast paced novels then again this will not be for you. This is a story that takes time and care… and I appreciated that. The ending made me smile which was nice.
September 21, 2025
the way I sobbed
May 9, 2025
First up: trigger warnings: suicide, attempted suicide, death/murder of young children, child loss/grief, mental health issues and depression.
Show Me Where It Hurts is the debut novel by Claire Gleeson and honestly after finishing this book the answer is for me personally is “EVERYWHERE HURTS NOW”.
Having read some of the blurbs on the book I’m not sure my review can give this story the credit it deserves.
First of all, this is a very brave and courageous topic to cover. It’s every parent’s nightmare and I don’t know how to put into words how much this story affected me emotionally.
The main character Rachel suffers the most tragic event when her husband Tom deliberately runs the family car off the road with the intention of ending his life alongside Rachel and their 2 young children. Sadly both children die, but Rachel and Tom survive and Show Me Where It Hurts starts to examine how Rachel navigates her shattered life having lost her reason to live.
Told through dual timelines, the reader is taken on the sad journey from when Rachel and Tom met to the car crash.
Despite the horrific and unimaginable scenario, the book is beautifully written, the subject of grief, loss and heartbreak are sensitively covered and the reader can feel the pain, confusion and emotion pouring from Rachel throughout.
This story is sad yet hopeful, brutal but beautiful, tragic and thought provoking and I absolutely recommend it.
Show Me Where It Hurts is the debut novel by Claire Gleeson and honestly after finishing this book the answer is for me personally is “EVERYWHERE HURTS NOW”.
Having read some of the blurbs on the book I’m not sure my review can give this story the credit it deserves.
First of all, this is a very brave and courageous topic to cover. It’s every parent’s nightmare and I don’t know how to put into words how much this story affected me emotionally.
The main character Rachel suffers the most tragic event when her husband Tom deliberately runs the family car off the road with the intention of ending his life alongside Rachel and their 2 young children. Sadly both children die, but Rachel and Tom survive and Show Me Where It Hurts starts to examine how Rachel navigates her shattered life having lost her reason to live.
Told through dual timelines, the reader is taken on the sad journey from when Rachel and Tom met to the car crash.
Despite the horrific and unimaginable scenario, the book is beautifully written, the subject of grief, loss and heartbreak are sensitively covered and the reader can feel the pain, confusion and emotion pouring from Rachel throughout.
This story is sad yet hopeful, brutal but beautiful, tragic and thought provoking and I absolutely recommend it.
July 19, 2025
4.75 ⭐️
September 5, 2025
A sad beautiful read, fantastic debut novel. I have read so many great books this year by Irish authors.
November 1, 2025
This was very well written. A tender portrait of grief wrought from the most awful of circumstances. It was so well written though that it felt painful to inhabit this woman’s heartbreak and loss for so long. I felt relieved to reach the end.
August 13, 2025
4,5 ⭐️
“How do you survive the unsurvivable?”
Claire Gleeson, a medical doctor, writes with rare sensitivity about trauma, loss, and the quiet spaces where suffering settles.
The dual timeline structure works seamlessly: on one side, the building of Rachel and Tom’s life, dating, marriage, children.
On the other, the collapse. The before. The after.
And everything lost in between.
This book doesn’t soften the pain or try to offer comfort.
It portrays grief in its rawest, most uncomfortable form, unfiltered and unapologetic.
The reading experience is heavy, emotionally charged, but never manipulative.
The writing is precise and deeply human. Gleeson doesn’t dramatise, but she never looks away.
She explores difficult themes with balance: mental health, burnout, motherhood and the kind of loss that changes a person forever.
Show Me Where It Hurts isn’t a beautiful book, not in the traditional sense. But it’s necessary.
For how it gives voice to what often remains unspoken. And for how, even in darkness, it lets a sliver of light in.
Not much. But enough.
“Some mornings she woke with an inertia that was a blanket of dead air pinning her to the bed, a lumpen weight upon her chest.”
“I just. I don’t think this is the life I was supposed to have.”
“She cannot say any more that she loves him; nobody could ask that of her. But she finds that she does not hate him either. There is so little of him left to hate.”
“How do you survive the unsurvivable?”
Claire Gleeson, a medical doctor, writes with rare sensitivity about trauma, loss, and the quiet spaces where suffering settles.
The dual timeline structure works seamlessly: on one side, the building of Rachel and Tom’s life, dating, marriage, children.
On the other, the collapse. The before. The after.
And everything lost in between.
This book doesn’t soften the pain or try to offer comfort.
It portrays grief in its rawest, most uncomfortable form, unfiltered and unapologetic.
The reading experience is heavy, emotionally charged, but never manipulative.
The writing is precise and deeply human. Gleeson doesn’t dramatise, but she never looks away.
She explores difficult themes with balance: mental health, burnout, motherhood and the kind of loss that changes a person forever.
Show Me Where It Hurts isn’t a beautiful book, not in the traditional sense. But it’s necessary.
For how it gives voice to what often remains unspoken. And for how, even in darkness, it lets a sliver of light in.
Not much. But enough.
“Some mornings she woke with an inertia that was a blanket of dead air pinning her to the bed, a lumpen weight upon her chest.”
“I just. I don’t think this is the life I was supposed to have.”
“She cannot say any more that she loves him; nobody could ask that of her. But she finds that she does not hate him either. There is so little of him left to hate.”
April 18, 2025
Absolutely loved it! From beginning to end - I was consumed by this thoughtful and accomplished novel.
Rachel is a complex character that is vividly depicted that left me feeling devasted at points. These moments of utter devastation are counterbalanced with wonderful glimpses of kindness and support and ultimately: hope.
Rachel is a complex character that is vividly depicted that left me feeling devasted at points. These moments of utter devastation are counterbalanced with wonderful glimpses of kindness and support and ultimately: hope.
May 12, 2025
This is a beautifully written novel about how you deal with the aftermath of an unthinkable tragedy.
The book opens with a husband and father attempting a murder suicide of his family and from there discusses the aftermath of the incident, interspersed with flashbacks of their life prior, told from the point of view of the wife Rachel.
As well as being incredibly moving, it was so empathetically and gently written and, despite the heavy subject matter, I found myself unable to put it down
I think it reflected really well the numerous reactions and coping strategies when it comes to trauma and is a reminder that grief is never linear.
The book opens with a husband and father attempting a murder suicide of his family and from there discusses the aftermath of the incident, interspersed with flashbacks of their life prior, told from the point of view of the wife Rachel.
As well as being incredibly moving, it was so empathetically and gently written and, despite the heavy subject matter, I found myself unable to put it down
I think it reflected really well the numerous reactions and coping strategies when it comes to trauma and is a reminder that grief is never linear.
October 27, 2025
4.25- This had gorgeous writing and a fantastic structure. But it was SO dark, and SO upsetting that I had to stop myself thinking about it too much as I would’ve thrown up…
November 22, 2025
3.5★
Review to follow.
Review to follow.
September 7, 2025
4🌟 the journey through grief in this had me crying consistently throughout. The characters in this…Rachel specifically, stick with you. A hard read for me but such a good one.
June 17, 2025
I listened to this one, a very moving and delicate read, covering very sensitive topics, but very well written and I found it really interesting. Lovely to read about how a person heals over time after trauma. I would read more by this author.
November 24, 2025
This debut novel is well written but given the serious nature of the story, it lacks depth and emotion. I was unable to connect with the main character, Rachel, which made me apathetic to her horrible situation.
September 17, 2025
Probably won’t stop thinking about this book, possibly ever. Deeply tragic and can’t-look-away morbid drama that is so brilliant that by the end I was seriously compelled by every single character, against all odds. Somehow one of the most gripping starts of a story ends so hopefully speaks to the genius of the author.
July 31, 2025
I can’t fully decide on a rating for this book, probably would give it a 3.5 or 3.75. A sad and sometimes difficult to read book about a very disturbing topic. Unfortunately, the topic of this book is all too real and relevant with similar things happening to women and children in Ireland and all over the world everyday. Well written, especially the first 3/4 of the book however after that I felt the story got a bit lost. I think the book could’ve finished up quicker however it was nice to see a happy ending after being on the difficult journey with Rachel. I read a lot of this book in Albufeira, not exactly a light holiday read but it kept me company waiting in Faro airport for 3 hours while my flight home was delayed.
August 10, 2025
The book sounded so good, but unfortunately, it didn't work for me.
Rachel and Tom are traveling in a car with their two children. Out of nowhere, Tom says "I'm sorry" and deliberately causes an accident. How can Rachel move on after this terrible event?
Unfortunately, I had a lot of trouble really getting into the story. What's happening is truly tragic, but I found Rachel so distant that I couldn't connect with her at all. I didn't find the time jumps particularly exciting, and in my opinion, the book would have worked better without them.
The plot is rather anticlimactic, and what the title promises, "Show Me Where It Hurts," never actually happens.
Too bad! But I seem to be in the minority with my opinion, so you should probably give it a go!
3,5/5 stars
Rachel and Tom are traveling in a car with their two children. Out of nowhere, Tom says "I'm sorry" and deliberately causes an accident. How can Rachel move on after this terrible event?
Unfortunately, I had a lot of trouble really getting into the story. What's happening is truly tragic, but I found Rachel so distant that I couldn't connect with her at all. I didn't find the time jumps particularly exciting, and in my opinion, the book would have worked better without them.
The plot is rather anticlimactic, and what the title promises, "Show Me Where It Hurts," never actually happens.
Too bad! But I seem to be in the minority with my opinion, so you should probably give it a go!
3,5/5 stars
May 29, 2025
This is a stunning debut novel that kept me reaching for the tissues. The first line of the blurb is - How do you survive the unsurvivable? - and so many times I had to stop and consider what I would have done, how I would have survived. Set in Ireland, Rachel lives with her husband Tom and their two young children. Then one day on the way back from visiting Tom’s parents, he drives off the road in an attempt to end not only his life, but the lives of Rachel and the children. The novel follows Rachel, it is told from her POV, as she tries to survive this devastating loss. And after this beginning the timeline splits into Before and After. In the Before chapters, we move towards the crash and see how Rachel and Tom meet, we see their marriage and their early days of parenthood. In the After we follow Rachel as she moves further away from the crash - 6 months, one year, two years and so on. In the Before chapters we come to understand a little of Tom and we also see what it is like to live with someone who is suffering, someone who is drowning. It’s not an easy read and I was gripped by both timelines and found both emotional in different ways as even in Before, life was complicated and difficult. In the After we watch as how she manages to keep going, to put one foot in front of the other as the life she returns to is one that will never be the same again, it will be filled with so much pain. But, the author shows us the strength that is within us, how we manage to find a way to keep living. Each character is well written and I did feel sympathy for all of them - even Tom which surprised me. A heart-breaking novel that is full of love and forgiveness. Rounded up to 5*
April 6, 2025
Show Me Where it Hurts
By Claire Gleeson
A captivating debut about surviving unspeakable loss and grief. The opening chapter, "Something Wild and Terrible," describes the pivotal moment in Rachel's life, when, like a flip of a switch, everything she loves and everything she is, is obliterated. The brevity of the chapter is shocking compared to the devastation that ensues. What is left?
How can a person pick themselves up and carry on? Why would they want to?
I'm very impressed with the stylistic choices Gleeson makes in her first novel. The structure is clean and highly effective. The alternating of linear Before and linear After produce an even pace and offer the reader the comfort to process these harrowing circumstances without hyperbole. The marking of time in both timelines feels precise, one told through tension, the other through emotion.
Rachel appears so real, it feels wrong to think of her as a character, she's too personal for that. She is embued with grace, even throughout the movements she makes through the various stages of mourning and grief. There are so many ways that the author conveys a sense of dignity, quiet little things like preserving the anonymity of the children, like the pared back dialogue, the universality of gesture.
A quiet examination of how the human spirit survives. Beautifully written and bound to evoke your deepest compassion and empathy.
Publication Date: 10th April 2025
Thanks to #Netgalley and ##HodderStoughton for providing an ARC for review purposes.
By Claire Gleeson
A captivating debut about surviving unspeakable loss and grief. The opening chapter, "Something Wild and Terrible," describes the pivotal moment in Rachel's life, when, like a flip of a switch, everything she loves and everything she is, is obliterated. The brevity of the chapter is shocking compared to the devastation that ensues. What is left?
How can a person pick themselves up and carry on? Why would they want to?
I'm very impressed with the stylistic choices Gleeson makes in her first novel. The structure is clean and highly effective. The alternating of linear Before and linear After produce an even pace and offer the reader the comfort to process these harrowing circumstances without hyperbole. The marking of time in both timelines feels precise, one told through tension, the other through emotion.
Rachel appears so real, it feels wrong to think of her as a character, she's too personal for that. She is embued with grace, even throughout the movements she makes through the various stages of mourning and grief. There are so many ways that the author conveys a sense of dignity, quiet little things like preserving the anonymity of the children, like the pared back dialogue, the universality of gesture.
A quiet examination of how the human spirit survives. Beautifully written and bound to evoke your deepest compassion and empathy.
Publication Date: 10th April 2025
Thanks to #Netgalley and ##HodderStoughton for providing an ARC for review purposes.
April 12, 2025
I wasn't able put this book down and stayed up into the small hours, eyes burning, heart in tatters, because there was no way I was leaving it unfinished. I loved it even though it broke me a little (or maybe because it did). It’s devastating, yes, but also full of quiet, life-affirming strength, raw beauty, and the kind of love that lodges deep in your bones and won’t let go.
The story follows Rachel, a mother of two, whose world is shattered in one unspeakable moment when her husband, Tom, drives the family car off the road in an attempt to end his own life—and theirs. Rachel and Tom survive, but what follows is the kind of trauma you don’t just bounce back from.
What Gleeson does so powerfully is bring us into that aftermath, Rachel’s grief, shock, rage, and stubborn, flickering hope. There’s confusion, tenderness, fury, love—and above all, the deep resolve to keep going. Not perfectly. Not cleanly. But honestly.
There’s no gloss here, no easy redemption, which is why it lands so hard—I cried more than once. It’s not just a story of survival, but of the slow, lonely, impossible-feeling work of living after. Of loving someone who’s suffering. Of clinging to fragments of yourself in the dark.
There’s such grace in Gleeson’s writing, a depth that hums in the pauses, in the things left unsaid, in the way ordinary moments turn quietly profound. The past and present weave through each other like breath and heartbeat, and it leaves you wrecked and grateful all at once.
If you’re after something raw, real, and unforgettable—this is the one. I’ll be thinking about this book for a long time yet.
Many thanks to the publisher for the ARC via NetGalley. As always, this is my honest review.
The story follows Rachel, a mother of two, whose world is shattered in one unspeakable moment when her husband, Tom, drives the family car off the road in an attempt to end his own life—and theirs. Rachel and Tom survive, but what follows is the kind of trauma you don’t just bounce back from.
What Gleeson does so powerfully is bring us into that aftermath, Rachel’s grief, shock, rage, and stubborn, flickering hope. There’s confusion, tenderness, fury, love—and above all, the deep resolve to keep going. Not perfectly. Not cleanly. But honestly.
There’s no gloss here, no easy redemption, which is why it lands so hard—I cried more than once. It’s not just a story of survival, but of the slow, lonely, impossible-feeling work of living after. Of loving someone who’s suffering. Of clinging to fragments of yourself in the dark.
There’s such grace in Gleeson’s writing, a depth that hums in the pauses, in the things left unsaid, in the way ordinary moments turn quietly profound. The past and present weave through each other like breath and heartbeat, and it leaves you wrecked and grateful all at once.
If you’re after something raw, real, and unforgettable—this is the one. I’ll be thinking about this book for a long time yet.
Many thanks to the publisher for the ARC via NetGalley. As always, this is my honest review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 186 reviews