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Don't Hurt Me
I had the perfect life with my devoted stay-at-home husband, great career, and beautiful daughter. Until my husband's obsession with perfection took a dark turn and I learned more about my sister-in-law's suspicious suicide.
I had only just gotten promoted to executive director at Morgan Stanley – one of the youngest ever – when I began to notice that something wasn't right in our house.
The walls change shades overnight. Coffee cups appear in strange places, always full and cold. And my husband Mark's obsession with perfection grows more disturbing by the day. An encounter with his schizophrenic father makes me question everything I thought I knew about their family. Mark’s father’s cryptic warnings about his daughter Rachel—whose supposed suicide a decade ago is shrouded in secrecy—suggest a darkness that goes beyond mental illness.
As I uncover the truth about Rachel's death, Mark’s increasingly erratic behavior begins to terrify me. Like his father, Mark seems to be losing his grip on reality—but I suspect something far more sinister than mental illness is at play when it comes to Mark. And that it’s the reason Rachel is dead.
But before I can do something about it, it’s too late…
I had only just gotten promoted to executive director at Morgan Stanley – one of the youngest ever – when I began to notice that something wasn't right in our house.
The walls change shades overnight. Coffee cups appear in strange places, always full and cold. And my husband Mark's obsession with perfection grows more disturbing by the day. An encounter with his schizophrenic father makes me question everything I thought I knew about their family. Mark’s father’s cryptic warnings about his daughter Rachel—whose supposed suicide a decade ago is shrouded in secrecy—suggest a darkness that goes beyond mental illness.
As I uncover the truth about Rachel's death, Mark’s increasingly erratic behavior begins to terrify me. Like his father, Mark seems to be losing his grip on reality—but I suspect something far more sinister than mental illness is at play when it comes to Mark. And that it’s the reason Rachel is dead.
But before I can do something about it, it’s too late…
244 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 27, 2025
About the author
Julia Derek
112 books120 followersJulia Derek is originally from Sweden and is a trainer by day and writer by night. She's the author of several mystery and thriller books.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
March 5, 2026
Wow… the mindf×ck was REAL. I genuinely felt like I was going a little psychotic while reading this because I kept rereading lines just to make sure I understood what actually happened. The twists completely messed with my head in the best possible way, and honestly, I absolutely love a story that makes me question everything.
This book kept me unsettled, hooked, and fully invested from start to finish. If you enjoy dark, twisty reads that play games with your mind, this one definitely delivers. Safe to say I’ll be continuing the rest of the series because I need to know what happens next.
This book kept me unsettled, hooked, and fully invested from start to finish. If you enjoy dark, twisty reads that play games with your mind, this one definitely delivers. Safe to say I’ll be continuing the rest of the series because I need to know what happens next.
April 23, 2025
A good read
An unsettling book with such twists and turns that it kept me enthralled. It started so quietly with an almost perfect family, but things kept happening. This story certainly contained at least one twisted mind, chillingly so. The characters were well crafted, frighteningly so in fact.
An unsettling book with such twists and turns that it kept me enthralled. It started so quietly with an almost perfect family, but things kept happening. This story certainly contained at least one twisted mind, chillingly so. The characters were well crafted, frighteningly so in fact.
January 23, 2026
Pretty fast paced and quick chapters to help propel this one along, but I kind of wanted just a smidge more with the twist(s). It's one I have not seen too often, so I think it could have been exaggerated just a little more for the drama and scandal of it all. But still a super fun read that had me scratching my head and wanting to punch some people out! Will definitely look for more from Julia Derek and will be recommending this to my friends. More like a 3.5!
March 17, 2026
Julia Derek’s Don't Hurt Me is exactly the kind of psychological thriller that makes you want to double-check the locks and second-guess your own furniture placement. It’s a "domestic noir" that actually earns the title by making the domestic space feel genuinely hostile.
What Hit the Mark
• The Gaslighting is Top-Tier: The "small" things—the walls changing shades overnight or the cold coffee cups appearing out of nowhere—are what really got me. It’s much more effective than a jump scare because it builds a slow, suffocating sense of dread.
• A Lead Who Isn’t a Doormat: I loved that the protagonist is a powerhouse. Being an executive director at Morgan Stanley isn't just a background detail; it gives her a level of competence and agency that makes her descent into paranoia even more jarring. She isn't just "some victim"—she's a sharp person being systematically dismantled.
• The Perspective Shifts: The multiple perspectives were a massive win. Usually, this can feel like filler, but here it keeps the pacing tight and ensures you never feel like you have the full, stable truth.
• The Family History: Bringing in the schizophrenic father and the "suicide" of the sister-in-law, Rachel, added a layer of hereditary horror. It makes you wonder if you're watching a mental breakdown or a calculated predator at work.
My Specific Gripes
• The Ending’s Velocity: While it kept me guessing until the very last page, the final reveal felt a bit like it slammed on the brakes. I wanted just a little more breathing room to process the "too late" moment.
• Mark’s "Perfection": At times, Mark’s obsession with perfection felt almost too caricature-ish. A few more subtle cracks in his facade before the "big" erratic behavior started would have made the transition feel even more sinister.
Final Verdict
If you’re into the "is he crazy or am I?" trope, this is a solid weekend read. It avoids the typical "clueless wife" trap by giving us a character who actually has something to lose and the brains to fight back—even if the house is literally changing around her.
What Hit the Mark
• The Gaslighting is Top-Tier: The "small" things—the walls changing shades overnight or the cold coffee cups appearing out of nowhere—are what really got me. It’s much more effective than a jump scare because it builds a slow, suffocating sense of dread.
• A Lead Who Isn’t a Doormat: I loved that the protagonist is a powerhouse. Being an executive director at Morgan Stanley isn't just a background detail; it gives her a level of competence and agency that makes her descent into paranoia even more jarring. She isn't just "some victim"—she's a sharp person being systematically dismantled.
• The Perspective Shifts: The multiple perspectives were a massive win. Usually, this can feel like filler, but here it keeps the pacing tight and ensures you never feel like you have the full, stable truth.
• The Family History: Bringing in the schizophrenic father and the "suicide" of the sister-in-law, Rachel, added a layer of hereditary horror. It makes you wonder if you're watching a mental breakdown or a calculated predator at work.
My Specific Gripes
• The Ending’s Velocity: While it kept me guessing until the very last page, the final reveal felt a bit like it slammed on the brakes. I wanted just a little more breathing room to process the "too late" moment.
• Mark’s "Perfection": At times, Mark’s obsession with perfection felt almost too caricature-ish. A few more subtle cracks in his facade before the "big" erratic behavior started would have made the transition feel even more sinister.
Final Verdict
If you’re into the "is he crazy or am I?" trope, this is a solid weekend read. It avoids the typical "clueless wife" trap by giving us a character who actually has something to lose and the brains to fight back—even if the house is literally changing around her.
March 30, 2025
Exciting, couldn't put down!
March 10, 2025
Would recommend.
May 7, 2025
Good
Enjoyed this book. Keeps you on your toes. Will definitely be reading more of this author's books. Keep putting out these books.
Enjoyed this book. Keeps you on your toes. Will definitely be reading more of this author's books. Keep putting out these books.
May 14, 2025
I don’t know what I expected from this book, but it certainly wasn’t this!
It was quite slow but it picked up about 70-80% in and from there I just wanted to read and read to see what happens, and I can honestly say the ending made it for me.
At first, the characters in the book all seem like one big happy family but strange goings on in the house make Skyler question herself. Until her Daughter, Bella, starts talking about Other Daddy and she becomes confused. As the book progresses, we learn that her father, Mark has a twin brother. We also discover what happened to Rachel and who was actually behind it.
I feel like this book just had lots of twists which I love and it constantly had you guessing but it just took so long to get to the point.
It was quite slow but it picked up about 70-80% in and from there I just wanted to read and read to see what happens, and I can honestly say the ending made it for me.
At first, the characters in the book all seem like one big happy family but strange goings on in the house make Skyler question herself. Until her Daughter, Bella, starts talking about Other Daddy and she becomes confused. As the book progresses, we learn that her father, Mark has a twin brother. We also discover what happened to Rachel and who was actually behind it.
I feel like this book just had lots of twists which I love and it constantly had you guessing but it just took so long to get to the point.
April 11, 2026
Don't Hurt Me is the first book I've ever read by Julia Derek and WOW. This book had me on a who, what, when, where, how, edge of my seat Rollercoaster. A complete mind F in the most intriguing ways. Definitely a 'what the heck did I just read' book then you're off to get the second one.
I dont even want to give you the plot. If youre a twisty, dark, thriller lover then I just want you to read it.
I will say this, there is mental health talk, psychological abuse, and at the very end, a childhood trauma perspective from Bella. Its a question everything, twisty turny, edge of your seat, who dun-it, mind f of a book that you wont be able to put down. I wanted to smack grandma up side the head and thats all I will say.
I dont even want to give you the plot. If youre a twisty, dark, thriller lover then I just want you to read it.
I will say this, there is mental health talk, psychological abuse, and at the very end, a childhood trauma perspective from Bella. Its a question everything, twisty turny, edge of your seat, who dun-it, mind f of a book that you wont be able to put down. I wanted to smack grandma up side the head and thats all I will say.
March 10, 2026
The story had a lot going for it but unfortunately I decided to use the virtual voice option and it ruined it. This has nothing to do with the author and everything to do with technology not being a substitute for the human touch. It sounded much like my kindergarten students who are becoming readers- most (but not all) words pronounced correctly but no good cadence or intonation, no personification. As if there was no comprehension of what was going on. It was actually quite disappointing and frustrating. I will read it again on my own so that I can experience it the way the author intended as a psychological thriller.
Read
July 31, 2025DNF at 24%. It has potential as a wife; Skyler starts to worry about her husband; Mark when subtle changes start to happen around their house; cold coffee cups found randomly around around the house and there is also the mystery surrounding Mark's sister; Rachel's death.
I couldn't continue as the writing style was starting to annoy me with certain phrases and words continuously repeated. Also both main characters were frustrating as neither would communicate properly with each other.
I couldn't continue as the writing style was starting to annoy me with certain phrases and words continuously repeated. Also both main characters were frustrating as neither would communicate properly with each other.
April 23, 2025
2.5-3 stars - had potential to be really good but couldn’t quite get there. Also some editorial mistakes that were slightly confusing. Good voice when she’s writing but the storyline just wasn’t quite there.
April 28, 2025
2.5 rounded up. First read by this author. The book was ok. Didn't love it, didn't hate it. The repetition was annoying but played into the Mark character. Didn't like the end at all. Overall it felt like a bad VC Andrew's book. Probably won't read more from the author.
April 29, 2025
Mental Illness
Mark punishes Skyler for her betrayal by gaslighting her with signs of mental illness on his part. She doesn't know if she is imagining things or not. I did not like the ending.
Mark punishes Skyler for her betrayal by gaslighting her with signs of mental illness on his part. She doesn't know if she is imagining things or not. I did not like the ending.
May 1, 2025
Well written and kept me interested throughout. I would have given it a better rating if it didn't leave me hanging at the end. In order to finish this story the next book must be purchased. I enjoy reading book that ends at "the end".
May 1, 2025
The book had some good twists but somewhat predictable. Good characters. I found the ending disappointing and just left you hanging.
May 7, 2025
2+. I enjoyed reading this book but it ended rather abruptly.
May 12, 2025
Extensively gripping story that keeps you on the edge of your seat as it winds around the roads, satisfying your curiosity for the time being and keeping you vigilant past the very last page!
November 21, 2025
kept me guessing right til the very end and then I wouldn't have guessed.brilliant
December 30, 2025
Riveting
I found the storyline extremely riveting and extremely hard to put down. What a twist. It was hard knowing what was going to happen next. Well recommended
I found the storyline extremely riveting and extremely hard to put down. What a twist. It was hard knowing what was going to happen next. Well recommended
January 18, 2026
Poor
I ploughed through this but it was much too drawn out and the ending was predictable. To save you wasting time Mark was the villan , ably assisted by Elenor
I ploughed through this but it was much too drawn out and the ending was predictable. To save you wasting time Mark was the villan , ably assisted by Elenor
February 21, 2026
ends with a twist
This psychological thriller builds in intensity throughout. Just when you think all is well, a chilling twist forces you to rethink everything.
This psychological thriller builds in intensity throughout. Just when you think all is well, a chilling twist forces you to rethink everything.
March 25, 2026
Loved this book! So many twists and turns you don’t expect! A book you don’t want to put down!
March 30, 2026
This is a great book
I really enjoyed reading this book. The author produced great characters and the story was great.This book has a lot of twists and turns to the last page.
I really enjoyed reading this book. The author produced great characters and the story was great.This book has a lot of twists and turns to the last page.
April 12, 2026
if your husband has always had certain problems - he should not be your husband anymore.
April 25, 2026
Sensational
I loved this book, so many twists and turns. Its very well written and the plot holds you right to the end. I have now ordered the perfect grandma to finish story
I loved this book, so many twists and turns. Its very well written and the plot holds you right to the end. I have now ordered the perfect grandma to finish story
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews