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How to Play Dead
She's watching over them. And he's watching her...
Ria Taylor is everything to everyone. Wife and mother, the centre of her family. And the manager of a refuge for women whose partners have driven them out of their own homes.
But one night, with her husband away, Ria receives a terrifyingly sinister message. Someone is watching her. Someone who seems to know everything about her. She knows what she should do - seek help, just like she tells her clients to. But Ria is the help. As events escalate, and terror takes hold, Ria must decide whether to run or hide...
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 7, 2019
9 people are currently reading
677 people want to read
About the author
Jacqueline Ward
25 books87 followersJacqueline Ward MBE is a UK-based author and narrative psychologist. She writes emotionally driven, psychologically rich fiction about women’s lives, identity, and the stories families tell themselves. Her work spans psychological suspense and contemporary book-club fiction, always with a keen eye on power, secrets, and the quiet revolutions that happen behind closed doors.
Jacqueline holds a PhD in narrative and storytelling, where her research produced a new model of identity construction. She has worked with victims of domestic violence and the families of missing people, and received an MBE for services to vulnerable people in 2013.
Jacqueline is represented by Danielle Marshall at Jane Rotrosen Agency, New York
Jacqueline holds a PhD in narrative and storytelling, where her research produced a new model of identity construction. She has worked with victims of domestic violence and the families of missing people, and received an MBE for services to vulnerable people in 2013.
Jacqueline is represented by Danielle Marshall at Jane Rotrosen Agency, New York
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
November 8, 2019
Today (13/9/2019) the BBC news headline is ‘Domestic Violence murders surged to five-year high’ and so that makes this book all the more relevant. Inevitably, this is not an easy read because of the domestic violence theme and one character is raped but it highlights so clearly the control that perpetrators exert over their partners and their children and it is very chilling. The story is told from the perspective of Ria Taylor who runs a domestic abuse charity called SafeMe and via a diary from an abuse victim called Tanya. I think the diary is the most effective part of the book and her partner Alan is utterly evil and that is demonstrated all too clearly. Ria’s story seems to follow a more predictable path and there are sections that I think are not relevant and detract from the storyline. The most enlightening sections in Ria’s story are in the interactions with her mother when we learn a lot about her father and how Ria becomes involved with SafeMe. It is unclear for much of the book how the two stories connect and until that is revealed I felt some confusion and from then on it perhaps it becomes a bit predictable and I think the end is too neatly tied up in a bow.
The theme of the book means of course, that a lot of the characters are not just unlikeable but you hate them and their actions. The female characters shine through the story and some are able to leave the abuse behind and live a life without fear, though some like the lovely Sheila go back to their abuser. The book is clearly well researched but my struggle is with a star rating because there are parts of the book I didn’t engage with and which I feel hold up the pace. I’ve been unsure between 3 and 4 stars but I’ve settled for 4 as the book has such a relevant story to tell in the light of recent statistics with 173 people killed in domestic violence related homicides in 2018 in the UK. It’s not a comfortable read but I think it helps with our understanding of this terrible situation.
Thanks to Atlantic Books for an ARC in return for an honest review
The theme of the book means of course, that a lot of the characters are not just unlikeable but you hate them and their actions. The female characters shine through the story and some are able to leave the abuse behind and live a life without fear, though some like the lovely Sheila go back to their abuser. The book is clearly well researched but my struggle is with a star rating because there are parts of the book I didn’t engage with and which I feel hold up the pace. I’ve been unsure between 3 and 4 stars but I’ve settled for 4 as the book has such a relevant story to tell in the light of recent statistics with 173 people killed in domestic violence related homicides in 2018 in the UK. It’s not a comfortable read but I think it helps with our understanding of this terrible situation.
Thanks to Atlantic Books for an ARC in return for an honest review
October 20, 2019
Ria is the manager at SafeMe, a refuge for abused women. Her husband, Danny has went to work on an international contract. They have two children. Ria is sent a burner phone at the refuge not long after Danny had left to fulfill his months contract. Ria starts getting sinister messages on the phone telling her she's being watched. Is she being threatened because of the work she doesn't? Or is there something in her past that's finally caught up with her.
For me, this is quite a predictable read but that did not stop me from enjoying this story. Domestic abuse is quite a traumatic subject to read about. The characters are complex. It also makes you aware how little women in this situation can do. The story starts off slow. Ria is a strong, likeable character. A story of domestic abuse, sexual abuse and psychological abuse. There is also a dual plot line that eventually links up. I really enjoyed this book.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Atlantic Books and the author Jacqueline Ward for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
For me, this is quite a predictable read but that did not stop me from enjoying this story. Domestic abuse is quite a traumatic subject to read about. The characters are complex. It also makes you aware how little women in this situation can do. The story starts off slow. Ria is a strong, likeable character. A story of domestic abuse, sexual abuse and psychological abuse. There is also a dual plot line that eventually links up. I really enjoyed this book.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Atlantic Books and the author Jacqueline Ward for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 3, 2019
Ria Taylor is the manager of SafeMe a domestic abuse charity helping women and their children start new lives. Ria puts 100% into helping these women while desperately trying to find funding to keep the charity afloat.
The book counts down to the return of her husband Danny, who is in Dubai for 29 days as a shop fitter. The money he will earn will get them out of debt and hopefully provide a deposit to purchase a house.
When Ria receives a mobile phone in the post she starts getting messages saying someone is watching her, she starts to worry for her safety and that of her children’s. Is it a disgruntled husband of a wife she is helping, or is this someone from her secret past.
The book alternates chapters with the diary of Tanya, living with Al, who is controlling and abusive towards her. The 2 stories run parallel to one another joining seamlessly at the end.
This book was hard hitting, you read in the press all the time about domestic violence leading to deaths, making this book very real.
Very thought provoking and this will stay with me long after finishing it.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
The book counts down to the return of her husband Danny, who is in Dubai for 29 days as a shop fitter. The money he will earn will get them out of debt and hopefully provide a deposit to purchase a house.
When Ria receives a mobile phone in the post she starts getting messages saying someone is watching her, she starts to worry for her safety and that of her children’s. Is it a disgruntled husband of a wife she is helping, or is this someone from her secret past.
The book alternates chapters with the diary of Tanya, living with Al, who is controlling and abusive towards her. The 2 stories run parallel to one another joining seamlessly at the end.
This book was hard hitting, you read in the press all the time about domestic violence leading to deaths, making this book very real.
Very thought provoking and this will stay with me long after finishing it.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
October 20, 2019
I received this book from the author/publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Ria Taylor has dedicated her life to helping women suffering from abusive relationships and runs a special women's shelter in desperate need of council funding. When Ria begins to receive strange messages, she ignores it at first, presuming it's the ex of one of her clients seeking petty revenge. But as the messages become more threatening and the stranger begins to infiltrate Ria's family life, she begins to grow concerned for her, and her children's, safety.
This book is a really good highlight at the work service workers do for people living in abusive homes and just how important safe places/ safe houses are for families fleeing such circumstances. You can definitely tell the author has put work into really getting to understand the lives of the victims, and what real victims have to go through - the trauma they face, how long it can take to overcome the trauma and begin real life again, and then how easy it is to give up hope and go back to an abuser/or be duped by the abuser into thinking they've changed.
I loved the services aspect of this book - as for the plot around Ria, it was fine but the book itself didn't overly excite me and I was totally gripped to the story. Tanya's diary entries were quite interesting, especially as it became obvious who she was.
I felt some of Ria's reactions to the text messages and her 'stalker' a bit frustrating, particularly for someone who has so much direct knowledge of such men and what they can. Why she didn't repeatedly go back to the police irked me. And why she didn't just throw the phone away was a really odd decision.
I felt the ending was a bit underwhelming. I was expecting a bit of a showdown - particularly when Dhonelle became involved. But the fact we didn't really see much was a bit disappointing.
Ria Taylor has dedicated her life to helping women suffering from abusive relationships and runs a special women's shelter in desperate need of council funding. When Ria begins to receive strange messages, she ignores it at first, presuming it's the ex of one of her clients seeking petty revenge. But as the messages become more threatening and the stranger begins to infiltrate Ria's family life, she begins to grow concerned for her, and her children's, safety.
This book is a really good highlight at the work service workers do for people living in abusive homes and just how important safe places/ safe houses are for families fleeing such circumstances. You can definitely tell the author has put work into really getting to understand the lives of the victims, and what real victims have to go through - the trauma they face, how long it can take to overcome the trauma and begin real life again, and then how easy it is to give up hope and go back to an abuser/or be duped by the abuser into thinking they've changed.
I loved the services aspect of this book - as for the plot around Ria, it was fine but the book itself didn't overly excite me and I was totally gripped to the story. Tanya's diary entries were quite interesting, especially as it became obvious who she was.
I felt some of Ria's reactions to the text messages and her 'stalker' a bit frustrating, particularly for someone who has so much direct knowledge of such men and what they can. Why she didn't repeatedly go back to the police irked me. And why she didn't just throw the phone away was a really odd decision.
I felt the ending was a bit underwhelming. I was expecting a bit of a showdown - particularly when Dhonelle became involved. But the fact we didn't really see much was a bit disappointing.
October 25, 2019
This book is about domestic abuse, the victims, the abusers and the crimes, there is also a short section where a sexual assault/rape is described, pertinent to the ongoing story, this is a hard hitting story that actually felt like an autobiography, not light hearted or an easy read for a lot of the book
Ria runs SAFE ME, a home for survivors of domestic abuse and their families and this book deals with the centre, with Ria’s life, some of the women and children who live there, funding issues, successes and failures and all with a running story around Ria’s past and her ex best friends life now, the book is written in 2 forms of chapters, 1 is Ria’s story telling, including her ongoing stalker and 2 . In diary form of her ex best friend who is enduring abuse currently ( and has in the past ), I am probably making it sound more complicated than it is as it works well and both stories meet up to make the ending!
I found Ria’s narrative almost like when a child takes a breath and goes full on, no full stops until what needs to have been said is said, a different style of writing but worked surprisingly well as it kept the book rapid and ever changing
The diary chapters were horrifying and emotive but very well written, a cold calculating abuser’s victims words that chilled me
The characters are earthy and real and no pretence given, what you see is what you get
Very hard to say enjoyed the book, its based on real life experiences ( as told in the authors acknowledgments ) and its certainly not a feel good book, but then its not meant to be and on that point for doing what it is meant to do it achieves its goal
Thought provoking, not perfect but one I wont forget, for that it has to be
10/10
5 Stars
Ria runs SAFE ME, a home for survivors of domestic abuse and their families and this book deals with the centre, with Ria’s life, some of the women and children who live there, funding issues, successes and failures and all with a running story around Ria’s past and her ex best friends life now, the book is written in 2 forms of chapters, 1 is Ria’s story telling, including her ongoing stalker and 2 . In diary form of her ex best friend who is enduring abuse currently ( and has in the past ), I am probably making it sound more complicated than it is as it works well and both stories meet up to make the ending!
I found Ria’s narrative almost like when a child takes a breath and goes full on, no full stops until what needs to have been said is said, a different style of writing but worked surprisingly well as it kept the book rapid and ever changing
The diary chapters were horrifying and emotive but very well written, a cold calculating abuser’s victims words that chilled me
The characters are earthy and real and no pretence given, what you see is what you get
Very hard to say enjoyed the book, its based on real life experiences ( as told in the authors acknowledgments ) and its certainly not a feel good book, but then its not meant to be and on that point for doing what it is meant to do it achieves its goal
Thought provoking, not perfect but one I wont forget, for that it has to be
10/10
5 Stars
June 1, 2020
DNF-26%
This one really wasn't for me at all, I thought this was going to be an edge of your seat psychological thriller and it was more a drama centring around a refuge with some suspense thrown in.
The terror and mystery for me was the secondary concern here with the everyday mundanity of Ri's life at home and work taking centre-stage.
It was at heart a story focusing more on its relationships and connections and less on the mystery and suspense.
The story spotlights Ri a mother and wife who works for a charity assisting abused spouses.
She receives a mysterious phone and through this medium, someone claims to be watching her leaving her messages and sending her videos and pictures.
I gave this till 26% which was a quarter way through so quite a chunk and I still couldn't connect or be at all invested within the narrative.
As I said earlier this wasn't what I was expecting from this and I found the pace to be very slow and plodding indeed and ultimately I was bored and then found myself skimming before losing interest completely.
The writing itself here was fine this just wasn't to my taste and I thought the blurb itself was a tad misleading as well.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of How to Play Dead.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
This one really wasn't for me at all, I thought this was going to be an edge of your seat psychological thriller and it was more a drama centring around a refuge with some suspense thrown in.
The terror and mystery for me was the secondary concern here with the everyday mundanity of Ri's life at home and work taking centre-stage.
It was at heart a story focusing more on its relationships and connections and less on the mystery and suspense.
The story spotlights Ri a mother and wife who works for a charity assisting abused spouses.
She receives a mysterious phone and through this medium, someone claims to be watching her leaving her messages and sending her videos and pictures.
I gave this till 26% which was a quarter way through so quite a chunk and I still couldn't connect or be at all invested within the narrative.
As I said earlier this wasn't what I was expecting from this and I found the pace to be very slow and plodding indeed and ultimately I was bored and then found myself skimming before losing interest completely.
The writing itself here was fine this just wasn't to my taste and I thought the blurb itself was a tad misleading as well.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of How to Play Dead.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
December 2, 2019
★★★★ 3.5 to 4 stars
This was a difficult book for me to read in some ways, having been a survivor of domestic abuse, and I found myself overwhelmed with a range of emotions from tear-filled sadness to complete rage. Although my own experience was not like Sheila's or even Tanya's, it was just as horrendous and frightening at the time. So in reading this book, it brought up all the old memories and there were times I questioned whether I could finish it or not.
TRIGGER WARNING
So it goes without saying that this book comes with a trigger warning of domestic violence, psychological abuse, stalking and sexual assault. If you don't think you can cope with it, then I advise to give this one a miss. Having been through domestic abuse myself, I did find it tough going at times.
HOW TO PLAY DEAD is a hard hitting story of abuse in its many forms. It is not an easy read but it is compelling. It's the story of Ria, but more than that, it is also the story of Tanya who we meet in the alternate diary chapters. Both women have their own stories to tell but neither of them could foresee how their parallel tales will meet in the end.
Ria Taylor is married with two children but she also runs SafeMe, a shelter for domestic abuse survivors and their families. She has dedicated her life to helping these women through SafeMe which is in desperate need of council funding to continue its specialist care. I love how the shelter is more than just a shelter - it helps rehome the women and their children to safer communities and provides one on one care with them. This type of service wasn't available to me at the time...just a shelter where I felt completely alone.
SafeMe also provides counselling to the aggressors, which was called perpetrator counselling although I was uncomfortable with the use of the term "perpetrator" in such a service. It is meant to be a non-judgmental service offering help to the men who abuse their wives, partners and children. Calling them perpetrators vilifies this and while they are indeed "perps" I think it could have been named something a little more helpful and appropriate. Even "Offenders Counselling" or "Taking Responsibility Counselling" would have been far more appropriate. The stigma created by labelling them really doesn't provide the proper service, even if it was just for funding purposes.
While there are men who truly believe they are above the law and that it is their right to keep their wives in line with their fists or manipulation, there are also those who simply have no proper outlet for their anger than to lash out at their partners - which is no excuse, I know. But to offer them a service that will enable them to channel that anger in other ways or learn how to take responsibility for their actions is far more helpful than simply discarding them as just "perps". And I have been on the receiving end of those fists, of those threats of harm and death - I know all too well what it is like as a victim/survivor. But I also believe that everyone deserves a second chance.
Ria and her best friend Janice work tirelessly to keep the women and children in the shelter and its adjoining flats safe. But not everyone wants SafeMe to remain open. Council funding is approaching and one person is intent on seeing it fail...just so he could rescue them and pull the strings, and give him access to his own wife. But Ria will not let that happen.
Whilst juggling the responsibilities of SafeMe, her worries for the women who are most at risk as well as the upcoming renewal of funding application, Ria must also contend with her husband Danny working on an international contract for a month. He is what keeps her grounded and waking every day without him there is a painful reminder that he is thousands of miles away. But soon after Danny's departure, Ria begins to receive sinister messages...videos of her, even one of her hair being clipped on the bus. Working in the environment that she does, Ria also knows there is nothing the police can do unless her stalker resorts to violence. She doesn't even know who it is...her only suspicions are one of the husbands of the women housed at SafeMe. But soon, not a day goes by where Ria doesn't feel she is constantly being watched, always on the lookout for someone or something out of place. Paranoia begins to take over that even her loved ones notice a change.
In the alternating chapters, we meet Tanya (of indeterminate age) who lives with her husband Alan in a big spacious house that he inherited from his parents. In the beginning, we see her excuse his behaviour and moods as a reaction to something she has done. But as the days count down over the month, we see her resolve change. She loves him and yet she hates him. He restricts her every movement, her every choice so that everything she does is completely for his benefit...and yet he still criticises it all. She is never given anything sharp unless he is in attendance and she has no access to television. She is permitted to work, but her wages are paid into his bank account (as she doesn't have one, he excuses) so she has no access to any money. When he leaves the house, she is locked in with the shutters made of reinforced steel closed over the windows to prevent her escaping. She is completely dependent on him for everything and knows nothing else but the information he feeds her...and that he had fed her over the years.
Alan is a completely despicable character. He made my skin crawl. And to think he has kept Tanya prisoner in his home through rape, violence, manipulation and invisible walls just made my blood boil. Then when he left Tanya locked in the house for nearly a week with barely enough food to survive, it was obvious he was just waiting for her to die of starvation. In the end, that's what Tanya believed too as she wrote her last entry to be found with her...
Counting down from Day 29 to the return of her husband Danny from Dubai, Ria's life is thrown into turmoil when it becomes apparent that her stalker will not give up. From roses to messages to the feeling of someone watching her...Ria worries for her safety and that of her children's. She has Danny's sister Donelle pick them up from school every day...until Donelle meets a new man. But Ria was too wrapped up in her own worries and the pending funding application to hear the alarm bells going off around Donelle's new man. Added to all this, are Ria's estranged parents and the mystery back home resurfaces of when Ria's best friend Alice disappeared when they were 15.
I do have to question Ria's actions, reactions and often stupidity when it came to the text messages she received. I found it to be completely frustrating particularly for someone with so much direct knowledge of these types of men and what they are capable of...and yet she still didn't continue to lodge it with the police. Even one point she was about to go in, but read the latest message and turned around and left. I was left shaking my head. Why, woman, why? And why did she not just throw the phone away, I wondered. And the knowledge of telling as many people as you can so they know the situation in case something happens...why was she just so vague in it all, dismissing the texts as nothing? For someone who works with these women, she knows what to do as she tells the women often enough. So the hell didn't she take her own advice?
I found Ria to be completely frustrating and not entirely likable at times. Her story didn't excite me, but rather frustrated me more than anything. The story around the women was far more gripping, as was Ria's past. The writing style around Ria was at times somewhat confusing. I found her and her mother to often be talking in riddles. What the hell were they talking about? Did I miss something? It was incredibly frustrating and I felt like slapping Ria on more than one occasion.
I think Tanya's diary was the most effective part of the story...even if the most painful. Through her every entry throughout, the reader wonders if Tanya can escape before it's too late. After all, no one knows she is locked inside a house that appears empty with its shutters in place. And Ria...can she keep herself and her family safe from the person who is stalking her? And can she save Donelle from a potentially abusive situation?
As Ria starts to unlock the truth and Tanya's world comes crashing down, HOW TO PLAY DEAD will shock you and chill you as their stories collide leading up to a somewhat confusing ending...which I felt could have panned out a little better. It felt somewhat rushed with the absence of the main perpetrators in each case. With no big reveal it just sort of flowed into revelation long before the end.
HOW TO PLAY DEAD is an uncomfortable read in parts, with a no holds barred approach. It highlights the growing problem of domestic abuse and how even in the most unsuspecting circumstances it can be rampant. Domestic abuse does not discriminate. It can affect anyone at any time and any place. Sadly no one is immune. Even the strongest of people can fall victim to a charming yet controlling and manipulative partner which by then is too late. It's easy for an outside to ask "why doesn't she just leave?" but until you have been in that situation, until you have been conditioned to know no other way...no one can understand why she doesn't "just leave". For it truly is never as easy as that.
A book that really makes you think, HOW TO PLAY DEAD is a different perspective on the whole domestic abuse theme. It is cleverly plotted and well crafted, though it doesn't always hit the mark at times, it is certainly worth a read.
I would like to thank #JacquelineWard, #NetGalley and #AtlanticBooks for an ARC of #HowToPlayDead in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
This was a difficult book for me to read in some ways, having been a survivor of domestic abuse, and I found myself overwhelmed with a range of emotions from tear-filled sadness to complete rage. Although my own experience was not like Sheila's or even Tanya's, it was just as horrendous and frightening at the time. So in reading this book, it brought up all the old memories and there were times I questioned whether I could finish it or not.
TRIGGER WARNING
So it goes without saying that this book comes with a trigger warning of domestic violence, psychological abuse, stalking and sexual assault. If you don't think you can cope with it, then I advise to give this one a miss. Having been through domestic abuse myself, I did find it tough going at times.
HOW TO PLAY DEAD is a hard hitting story of abuse in its many forms. It is not an easy read but it is compelling. It's the story of Ria, but more than that, it is also the story of Tanya who we meet in the alternate diary chapters. Both women have their own stories to tell but neither of them could foresee how their parallel tales will meet in the end.
Ria Taylor is married with two children but she also runs SafeMe, a shelter for domestic abuse survivors and their families. She has dedicated her life to helping these women through SafeMe which is in desperate need of council funding to continue its specialist care. I love how the shelter is more than just a shelter - it helps rehome the women and their children to safer communities and provides one on one care with them. This type of service wasn't available to me at the time...just a shelter where I felt completely alone.
SafeMe also provides counselling to the aggressors, which was called perpetrator counselling although I was uncomfortable with the use of the term "perpetrator" in such a service. It is meant to be a non-judgmental service offering help to the men who abuse their wives, partners and children. Calling them perpetrators vilifies this and while they are indeed "perps" I think it could have been named something a little more helpful and appropriate. Even "Offenders Counselling" or "Taking Responsibility Counselling" would have been far more appropriate. The stigma created by labelling them really doesn't provide the proper service, even if it was just for funding purposes.
While there are men who truly believe they are above the law and that it is their right to keep their wives in line with their fists or manipulation, there are also those who simply have no proper outlet for their anger than to lash out at their partners - which is no excuse, I know. But to offer them a service that will enable them to channel that anger in other ways or learn how to take responsibility for their actions is far more helpful than simply discarding them as just "perps". And I have been on the receiving end of those fists, of those threats of harm and death - I know all too well what it is like as a victim/survivor. But I also believe that everyone deserves a second chance.
Ria and her best friend Janice work tirelessly to keep the women and children in the shelter and its adjoining flats safe. But not everyone wants SafeMe to remain open. Council funding is approaching and one person is intent on seeing it fail...just so he could rescue them and pull the strings, and give him access to his own wife. But Ria will not let that happen.
Whilst juggling the responsibilities of SafeMe, her worries for the women who are most at risk as well as the upcoming renewal of funding application, Ria must also contend with her husband Danny working on an international contract for a month. He is what keeps her grounded and waking every day without him there is a painful reminder that he is thousands of miles away. But soon after Danny's departure, Ria begins to receive sinister messages...videos of her, even one of her hair being clipped on the bus. Working in the environment that she does, Ria also knows there is nothing the police can do unless her stalker resorts to violence. She doesn't even know who it is...her only suspicions are one of the husbands of the women housed at SafeMe. But soon, not a day goes by where Ria doesn't feel she is constantly being watched, always on the lookout for someone or something out of place. Paranoia begins to take over that even her loved ones notice a change.
In the alternating chapters, we meet Tanya (of indeterminate age) who lives with her husband Alan in a big spacious house that he inherited from his parents. In the beginning, we see her excuse his behaviour and moods as a reaction to something she has done. But as the days count down over the month, we see her resolve change. She loves him and yet she hates him. He restricts her every movement, her every choice so that everything she does is completely for his benefit...and yet he still criticises it all. She is never given anything sharp unless he is in attendance and she has no access to television. She is permitted to work, but her wages are paid into his bank account (as she doesn't have one, he excuses) so she has no access to any money. When he leaves the house, she is locked in with the shutters made of reinforced steel closed over the windows to prevent her escaping. She is completely dependent on him for everything and knows nothing else but the information he feeds her...and that he had fed her over the years.
Alan is a completely despicable character. He made my skin crawl. And to think he has kept Tanya prisoner in his home through rape, violence, manipulation and invisible walls just made my blood boil. Then when he left Tanya locked in the house for nearly a week with barely enough food to survive, it was obvious he was just waiting for her to die of starvation. In the end, that's what Tanya believed too as she wrote her last entry to be found with her...
Counting down from Day 29 to the return of her husband Danny from Dubai, Ria's life is thrown into turmoil when it becomes apparent that her stalker will not give up. From roses to messages to the feeling of someone watching her...Ria worries for her safety and that of her children's. She has Danny's sister Donelle pick them up from school every day...until Donelle meets a new man. But Ria was too wrapped up in her own worries and the pending funding application to hear the alarm bells going off around Donelle's new man. Added to all this, are Ria's estranged parents and the mystery back home resurfaces of when Ria's best friend Alice disappeared when they were 15.
I do have to question Ria's actions, reactions and often stupidity when it came to the text messages she received. I found it to be completely frustrating particularly for someone with so much direct knowledge of these types of men and what they are capable of...and yet she still didn't continue to lodge it with the police. Even one point she was about to go in, but read the latest message and turned around and left. I was left shaking my head. Why, woman, why? And why did she not just throw the phone away, I wondered. And the knowledge of telling as many people as you can so they know the situation in case something happens...why was she just so vague in it all, dismissing the texts as nothing? For someone who works with these women, she knows what to do as she tells the women often enough. So the hell didn't she take her own advice?
I found Ria to be completely frustrating and not entirely likable at times. Her story didn't excite me, but rather frustrated me more than anything. The story around the women was far more gripping, as was Ria's past. The writing style around Ria was at times somewhat confusing. I found her and her mother to often be talking in riddles. What the hell were they talking about? Did I miss something? It was incredibly frustrating and I felt like slapping Ria on more than one occasion.
I think Tanya's diary was the most effective part of the story...even if the most painful. Through her every entry throughout, the reader wonders if Tanya can escape before it's too late. After all, no one knows she is locked inside a house that appears empty with its shutters in place. And Ria...can she keep herself and her family safe from the person who is stalking her? And can she save Donelle from a potentially abusive situation?
As Ria starts to unlock the truth and Tanya's world comes crashing down, HOW TO PLAY DEAD will shock you and chill you as their stories collide leading up to a somewhat confusing ending...which I felt could have panned out a little better. It felt somewhat rushed with the absence of the main perpetrators in each case. With no big reveal it just sort of flowed into revelation long before the end.
HOW TO PLAY DEAD is an uncomfortable read in parts, with a no holds barred approach. It highlights the growing problem of domestic abuse and how even in the most unsuspecting circumstances it can be rampant. Domestic abuse does not discriminate. It can affect anyone at any time and any place. Sadly no one is immune. Even the strongest of people can fall victim to a charming yet controlling and manipulative partner which by then is too late. It's easy for an outside to ask "why doesn't she just leave?" but until you have been in that situation, until you have been conditioned to know no other way...no one can understand why she doesn't "just leave". For it truly is never as easy as that.
A book that really makes you think, HOW TO PLAY DEAD is a different perspective on the whole domestic abuse theme. It is cleverly plotted and well crafted, though it doesn't always hit the mark at times, it is certainly worth a read.
I would like to thank #JacquelineWard, #NetGalley and #AtlanticBooks for an ARC of #HowToPlayDead in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
November 4, 2019
This is a story of abusive relationships, the shelter they can seek safety in and the effect that it has on the whole family. It is graphic, hard-hitting bottom line reading with no holds barred so some readers may find it too upsetting. The story is told by two characters, Ria is the manager of 'Be Safe', a refuge for families that have escaped an abusive home and Tanya who is living in an extremely abusive relationship.
Ria's husband is working away from home when she is sent a cheap mobile and the first of many disturbing messages and images. This sets her on the hunt for whoever is doing this. Is it the revenge of someone's partner, a stalker or another reason? But the centre is always brimming with new women and families while their estranged partners sit intimidatingly across the road watching from the pub. There is a constant battle for funding and court hearings so Ria really has her work cut out, her days full and her mind in turmoil.
There are so many families and abused women here but it follows the life of Sheila who is quite a character and her abusive wealthy, money buys anything and anyone, husband.
When the story switches to Tanya I must admit that it was really hard-hitting reading and I thought how can this happen, but it does because it isn't done overnight, it is done over time and that is how these women are conditioned by their partner.
I loved the story that the author wound around the main characters, which explained a lot of particular behaviours and choice of partners. A gripping, frightening and unfortunately, believable story. Compelling reading.
I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.
Ria's husband is working away from home when she is sent a cheap mobile and the first of many disturbing messages and images. This sets her on the hunt for whoever is doing this. Is it the revenge of someone's partner, a stalker or another reason? But the centre is always brimming with new women and families while their estranged partners sit intimidatingly across the road watching from the pub. There is a constant battle for funding and court hearings so Ria really has her work cut out, her days full and her mind in turmoil.
There are so many families and abused women here but it follows the life of Sheila who is quite a character and her abusive wealthy, money buys anything and anyone, husband.
When the story switches to Tanya I must admit that it was really hard-hitting reading and I thought how can this happen, but it does because it isn't done overnight, it is done over time and that is how these women are conditioned by their partner.
I loved the story that the author wound around the main characters, which explained a lot of particular behaviours and choice of partners. A gripping, frightening and unfortunately, believable story. Compelling reading.
I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.
October 29, 2019
How to Play Dead – A book that makes you think
It is not often that I have to stop and think about a book I am reading. It has taken me five days after finishing the novel to decide how I can best express what I felt and thought about this book. How to Play Dead is an excellent story, something that will leave a deep impression on you.
For a man to read a book that deals with domestic violence, both physical and psychological it has deeply affected me. I have had to think of my own behaviour and attitudes towards females, and there are times when I have fallen short. I have never resorted to violence, but I am sure there are many of us need to check our behaviour.
Ria Taylor, a mother, a wife and manager of a women’s refuge in Manchester, is the central character. Very likable, hardworking, giving everything to her family and work life. When her husband has to go overseas for a month, she starts getting sinister messages. She starts to feel she is being watched and stalked.
Tanya, she hates him, but she is to afraid to leave, she knows he would rape her and beat her black and blue. Even at work she is still in fear of him, he takes her wages and gives her nothing at all. She is never given anything sharp, or anything she would like. She has to sleep alone and has no access to the television. When he goes out Tanya is locked in the house, and the shutters are over the windows she cannot escape. Even when she has not seen him in nearly a week and with no food left to survive.
Ria has to manage what is happening at the refuge, and spending bids from the council need preparing. But one of the clients’ husbands is trying to put pressure on the spending review, as to influence not only Ria but give him access to his own wife.
As Ria starts discovering the truth, the world comes crashing down for someone, and can Tanya escape or will she be discovered. Not that anyone will know she is locked in nobody knows she is there. As the stories collide there is a devastating end for a client, and maybe just a happy ending, for someone.
This is a book that will make you stop and think.
It is not often that I have to stop and think about a book I am reading. It has taken me five days after finishing the novel to decide how I can best express what I felt and thought about this book. How to Play Dead is an excellent story, something that will leave a deep impression on you.
For a man to read a book that deals with domestic violence, both physical and psychological it has deeply affected me. I have had to think of my own behaviour and attitudes towards females, and there are times when I have fallen short. I have never resorted to violence, but I am sure there are many of us need to check our behaviour.
Ria Taylor, a mother, a wife and manager of a women’s refuge in Manchester, is the central character. Very likable, hardworking, giving everything to her family and work life. When her husband has to go overseas for a month, she starts getting sinister messages. She starts to feel she is being watched and stalked.
Tanya, she hates him, but she is to afraid to leave, she knows he would rape her and beat her black and blue. Even at work she is still in fear of him, he takes her wages and gives her nothing at all. She is never given anything sharp, or anything she would like. She has to sleep alone and has no access to the television. When he goes out Tanya is locked in the house, and the shutters are over the windows she cannot escape. Even when she has not seen him in nearly a week and with no food left to survive.
Ria has to manage what is happening at the refuge, and spending bids from the council need preparing. But one of the clients’ husbands is trying to put pressure on the spending review, as to influence not only Ria but give him access to his own wife.
As Ria starts discovering the truth, the world comes crashing down for someone, and can Tanya escape or will she be discovered. Not that anyone will know she is locked in nobody knows she is there. As the stories collide there is a devastating end for a client, and maybe just a happy ending, for someone.
This is a book that will make you stop and think.
December 1, 2019
How to Play Dead by Jacqueline Ward is a wonderful psychological thriller.
First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Corvus, and the author for providing me with a complimentary digital copy of this novel. This review was written voluntarily.
Ria Taylor has it all - a loving husband, a job she is passionate about at a women's refuge, known as Safeme, and two beautiful children, but having a little more financial freedom would make her life a whole lot easier. So when her husband, Danny, is offered a month long contract abroad with excellent pay, it makes perfect sense for him to take the job so that they can finally buy themselves a home of their own.
But one night, struggling a bit with Danny away, Ria starts to receive alarming and terrifyingly sinister messages on a burner phone that was delivered to the refuge, telling her that she is being watched. Someone seems to know everything about her. She knows what she should do - seek help, just like she tells her clients to. Meanwhile, Tanya is trapped in her own home under her partner's abusive and oppressive will. The reader follows the journeys of these two women - Ria and Tanya - as their present situations escalate and their pasts are exposed and laid bare.
The story was told from the Ria's perspective and via a diary from Tanya, across differing timelines. How to Play Dead was a highly readable and a cracking work of fiction. That isn't to say the topic wasn't distressing, but some very strong messages for the reality of domestic abuse were conveyed within this story that takes the reader into the fictional lives of Ria and Janice, her close colleague. At it's core is the danger that Ria faces from a man in her past. The plot is intricate and tells the stories of many different women, some of whom survive. I thought the diary was a very effective part of the book, and the most enlightening sections from Ria’s story were the interactions with her mother. The theme of the book means of course, that a lot of the characters are not merely unpleasant, but you hate them and their actions with a vengeance. The subject of domestic violence has clearly been well-researched by Jacqueline Ward, which was obvious from the many ways in which she used her characters to so credibly convey the complexity of their situations.
Tender, uplifting, inspiring and heartbreaking, the threads of Ria and Tanya's stories begin to become entwined and the dramatic denouement to their story is breath-taking. I was certainly invested enough to be interested in each of their outcomes.
I am excitedly anticipating whatever comes next from Jacqueline Ward!
First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Corvus, and the author for providing me with a complimentary digital copy of this novel. This review was written voluntarily.
Ria Taylor has it all - a loving husband, a job she is passionate about at a women's refuge, known as Safeme, and two beautiful children, but having a little more financial freedom would make her life a whole lot easier. So when her husband, Danny, is offered a month long contract abroad with excellent pay, it makes perfect sense for him to take the job so that they can finally buy themselves a home of their own.
But one night, struggling a bit with Danny away, Ria starts to receive alarming and terrifyingly sinister messages on a burner phone that was delivered to the refuge, telling her that she is being watched. Someone seems to know everything about her. She knows what she should do - seek help, just like she tells her clients to. Meanwhile, Tanya is trapped in her own home under her partner's abusive and oppressive will. The reader follows the journeys of these two women - Ria and Tanya - as their present situations escalate and their pasts are exposed and laid bare.
The story was told from the Ria's perspective and via a diary from Tanya, across differing timelines. How to Play Dead was a highly readable and a cracking work of fiction. That isn't to say the topic wasn't distressing, but some very strong messages for the reality of domestic abuse were conveyed within this story that takes the reader into the fictional lives of Ria and Janice, her close colleague. At it's core is the danger that Ria faces from a man in her past. The plot is intricate and tells the stories of many different women, some of whom survive. I thought the diary was a very effective part of the book, and the most enlightening sections from Ria’s story were the interactions with her mother. The theme of the book means of course, that a lot of the characters are not merely unpleasant, but you hate them and their actions with a vengeance. The subject of domestic violence has clearly been well-researched by Jacqueline Ward, which was obvious from the many ways in which she used her characters to so credibly convey the complexity of their situations.
Tender, uplifting, inspiring and heartbreaking, the threads of Ria and Tanya's stories begin to become entwined and the dramatic denouement to their story is breath-taking. I was certainly invested enough to be interested in each of their outcomes.
I am excitedly anticipating whatever comes next from Jacqueline Ward!
October 30, 2019
A clear 5 star read for me. The book is about the complexities of domestic abuse and the way in which women can be controlled and manipulated to such an extent that they are trapped, live in fear and suffer violence and psychological damage. There might not be a key locking these women behind a door but still they are unable to escape and be free. The book is not autobiographical or a self-help manual. It is a highly readable and enjoyable work of fiction. That isn't to say the topic isn't distressing but some very strong messages for the reality of domestic abuse are conveyed within a story that allows us into the fictional lives of Ria and Janice who head up SafeMe, a refuge and support centre for women and children, providing accommodation and all sorts of support services for victims as well as the perpetrators. I am well aware that domestic abuse can affect men but in this book it is the women who are trying to survive abusive relationships with their menfolk.
The book is also a thriller as at the heart of the story is the danger that Superwoman Ria faces from a man from the past. The plot is intricate and tells the stories of many different women, some who survive and one in particular who doesn't. There are links to a past event in Ria's teenage life, the very difficult relationship she has with her parents and frequent 'flashbacks' to friend Alice which leaves you wondering what did happen to Ria's best friend
There are sections of the book where the writing is faint.to signify the disintegration of a woman's strength and ability to fight back. Such a clever tool for illuminating the very real plight of how women in abusive relationships cease to exist, for themselves and also to the outside world, which often cries 'Just leave!'
Tender, uplifting, inspiring and heartbreaking this fictional story is a more palatable way of providing real insight into real women's lives and the real plights they suffer. And as this is a real problem in the real world, there is a section at the back of the book dedicated to supplying any reader who is experiencing domestic abuse with real helplines and support networks to contact.
The book is also a thriller as at the heart of the story is the danger that Superwoman Ria faces from a man from the past. The plot is intricate and tells the stories of many different women, some who survive and one in particular who doesn't. There are links to a past event in Ria's teenage life, the very difficult relationship she has with her parents and frequent 'flashbacks' to friend Alice which leaves you wondering what did happen to Ria's best friend
There are sections of the book where the writing is faint.to signify the disintegration of a woman's strength and ability to fight back. Such a clever tool for illuminating the very real plight of how women in abusive relationships cease to exist, for themselves and also to the outside world, which often cries 'Just leave!'
Tender, uplifting, inspiring and heartbreaking this fictional story is a more palatable way of providing real insight into real women's lives and the real plights they suffer. And as this is a real problem in the real world, there is a section at the back of the book dedicated to supplying any reader who is experiencing domestic abuse with real helplines and support networks to contact.
February 8, 2020
This is the story that centres around Ria who manages a refuge for women known as SafeMe. She is often confronted by angry husbands and boyfriends and is great at giving out advice, but this is advice she does not follow when she herself is the target of malicious calls and texts.
There is also a second story-line with this book, it comes in the form of a diary entries from Tanya. She is keeping a diary of abuse and control from her partner, while the abusive relationship provides a link to the main theme of the story, there is also something more. This is revealed later in Tanya’s story.
This is a tough book to read at times as the author takes the reader into a world of abusive relationships, manipulation, control and isolation. There is mention at the end of the book about the author using womens actual experiences and also talking to those involved in refuges and this adds a believable factor to the story.
The author has incorporated many angles into the story and not just the obvious ones of control, violence and manipulation. There are mentions of watching women be strong for their children, victims not speaking due to lack of trust, guilt and mortality rates. While these may on first glance look to be very tough subjects, the author has done a great job of highlighting and incorporating them into her story.
There are changes that slowly happen to the two main characters, and it was a very subtle and slow change that gradually gained momentum. As the story started to develop further I had a couple of ideas about how this story was going to pan out. Well, I was way off the mark and the author took a route I had not expected.
This is a gritty and a story that does have an impact. It has a thriller feel to it as well as a psychological aspect. A powerful and well written book that I would definitely recommend.
There is also a second story-line with this book, it comes in the form of a diary entries from Tanya. She is keeping a diary of abuse and control from her partner, while the abusive relationship provides a link to the main theme of the story, there is also something more. This is revealed later in Tanya’s story.
This is a tough book to read at times as the author takes the reader into a world of abusive relationships, manipulation, control and isolation. There is mention at the end of the book about the author using womens actual experiences and also talking to those involved in refuges and this adds a believable factor to the story.
The author has incorporated many angles into the story and not just the obvious ones of control, violence and manipulation. There are mentions of watching women be strong for their children, victims not speaking due to lack of trust, guilt and mortality rates. While these may on first glance look to be very tough subjects, the author has done a great job of highlighting and incorporating them into her story.
There are changes that slowly happen to the two main characters, and it was a very subtle and slow change that gradually gained momentum. As the story started to develop further I had a couple of ideas about how this story was going to pan out. Well, I was way off the mark and the author took a route I had not expected.
This is a gritty and a story that does have an impact. It has a thriller feel to it as well as a psychological aspect. A powerful and well written book that I would definitely recommend.
September 24, 2019
Firstly thank you to Net galley and Atlantic Books for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
Working within a charity which deals with domestic violence I was interested to see if the portrayal of a women's shelter would be accurate, and the author did not disappoint. I have not read many novels which are set within this type of environment, and I found it to be enjoyable and informative without being overly descriptive (which could be a trigger for readers who have experienced domestic violence).
The first third of the book I was unsure where the plot was heading, and as a result found it hard to get into however once the dual plots of Ria and Tanya began to intertwine the novel picked up its pace. I found myself reading well into the night to find out how the two stories were linked and would ultimately conclude.
This was a satisfying read, which I would recommend for fans of thrillers, and stories which have a few layers to discover.
Working within a charity which deals with domestic violence I was interested to see if the portrayal of a women's shelter would be accurate, and the author did not disappoint. I have not read many novels which are set within this type of environment, and I found it to be enjoyable and informative without being overly descriptive (which could be a trigger for readers who have experienced domestic violence).
The first third of the book I was unsure where the plot was heading, and as a result found it hard to get into however once the dual plots of Ria and Tanya began to intertwine the novel picked up its pace. I found myself reading well into the night to find out how the two stories were linked and would ultimately conclude.
This was a satisfying read, which I would recommend for fans of thrillers, and stories which have a few layers to discover.
November 18, 2019
Ria Taylor runs SafeMe, a refuge and support centre for women (and their children) who have suffered domestic abuse at the hands of their partners. She is married to Danny, with whom she has two children, and she cherishes the loving relationships within her nuclear family and will do all she can to protect them. She is equally passionate about offering a safe and caring environment for the women she cares deeply about, always prepared to work hard on their behalf, including devoting time to the never-ending fund-raising which is necessary to provide a continuity of service. Competition is fierce for grants from the local authority, with many councillors unconvinced of the need to support these women. However, Ria, with the support of her co-workers, is determined to fight on their behalf – earning herself the nickname of “Superwoman”.
When the story starts Danny has just gone abroad for a month, to work on a job which will give him a large bonus. Neither of them is happy about this but, as it will give them a much-needed boost to their income, enabling them to clear their debts and then buy their own house, they are prepared to tolerate it, keeping in touch several times a day via loving text messages and phone calls. However, soon after Danny leaves, Ria is sent a cheap mobile phone, complete with a sinister message. She has no idea who sent it but, from the content of the continuing stream of messages, whoever did appears to know everything about her, and to know in minute detail, where she is and what she is doing. She feels increasingly threatened and terrified, especially when she feels her children could be at risk, and yet she feels paralysed with indecision about what she can do about it.
The story is told from the perspectives of two characters, Ria and Tanya, with the latter’s story emerging through her entries from her diary. The typeface for these diaries is both smaller and fainter and, as the story progresses it becomes clear that this reflects the mindset of a woman who feels insignificant and almost invisible. It soon becomes apparent that her husband, Alan, is not only very controlling, but is also physically and sexually abusive. Although Tanya does go to work, she is taken and picked up by him, her wages are paid directly into his bank account and she can never go out socially with colleagues. At home his behaviour is equally controlling; she is allowed no access, other than when he is there, to anything sharp (which she might be tempted to use against him!), no free access to the telephone, books or the television, and he has had shutters fitted to all windows and doors, which are rolled down and locked whenever he goes out, making her a prisoner in her own home … except, of course, nothing belongs to her. I found the tension and despair in this part of the story almost unbearable at times and, in spite of guessing quite early on how Tanya’s situation intersected with Ria’s, this in no way detracted from the power of this strand of the storytelling.
In fact, I very quickly found myself caught up in the lives of all the characters in this deeply disturbing and upsetting exploration of domestic abuse. I have some professional knowledge of the work done in this field and it very quickly became clear to me, from the many ways in which she used her characters to so credibly convey the complexity of the subject, that the author had done considerable research into all aspects of it. I think that she captured particularly well the power which perpetrators of domestic violence exert over their partners. So often you will hear people say, “but why did she put up with that, why didn’t she just leave him?” However, this is to underestimate the myriad ways in which someone’s self-confidence can be gradually undermined by a manipulative, violent partner, particularly one who, in the early stages of the relationship, will be profusely apologetic after being violent, swearing it will never happen again. This enables a cycle of violence to escalate, the woman begins to feel she must have “done something to deserve it” and, if there are children, she is likely to want to ensure that the violence isn’t directed at them, so she stays, frozen in her fear, unable to see any way out or any hope for a different future. This despair is likely to be compounded by two external influences. Firstly, in all too many instances the police are unlikely (or unable) to act unless the man does something so abusive that they have grounds to charge him … but then he’s likely to be released on bail, free to abuse her again! Then, if she does eventually summon up the courage to leave, will there be a safe refuge for her to escape to? I think the author’s depiction of Ria’s feelings of psychological powerlessness when faced with her stalker, demonstrated very effectively how even someone as apparently strong as Ria can, in certain circumstances, feel powerless and unable to react in a self-protective, “sensible and rational” way. The storyline also demonstrated just how powerless the police are in certain circumstances: I think when we read reports of stalking ending either in serious injury, or even death, we’ve probably all asked the question “why didn’t the police do anything?” … all too often the answer is that they couldn’t.
The author also used her characters to offer insights into the many reasons why abused women, even those who have “escaped” to a place of safety, will often return home, either because they can’t cope with their new-found “freedom” and feel a need to go back to a situation which feels familiar, or because they believe their abuser’s claim to have changed. I think that she did an excellent job in helping readers to understand the psychology of why this happens, rather than just feel critical of women who appear to be acting in a self-destructive way. However, the story did demonstrate that, given the right levels of support, and a huge amount of courage, eventually some women are able to create new lives for themselves and their children.
As the story progresses the reader learns more about Ria’s own background, her teenage years, her estrangement from her father, her ambivalent and troubled relationship with her mother and certain secrets about her past she has kept from Danny. As these revelations emerge, not only does her behaviour in terms of how she does (and doesn’t!) deal with the threats from her stalker begin to make sense, but so too does the reader begin to understand her motivations for devoting her working life to victims of abuse. I think that the author very effectively conveyed how people who work in the caring professions are often, albeit unconsciously, motivated by unresolved problems of their own!
With its themes of sexual grooming, domestic violence, rape, coercion, stalking, the limited powers of the police to act until domestic violence has escalated and is provable and the shortage of places of safety when women do summon up the courage to leave an abusive partner, this was, at times, a very difficult story to read. However, with the latest figures for domestic violence, including murder, rising it is a timely reminder that there are all too many women whose lives are defined by the suffering they endure at the hands of men who are violent, but who all too often blame the women for this behaviour … “look what you made me do”. At one point in the story, Ria asks about one character’s behaviour “why is he doing this?” … the answer all too often comes down to the simple fact that “they can”, that no one has found a way of stopping them.
It seems so obvious that, rather than closing down existing provision, society needs to be providing more refuges, half-way houses and permanent accommodation so that when women feel ready to extricate themselves from abusive partners, there is somewhere safe for them to escape to, and enough social workers to support them as they make the necessary psychological adjustments in order to be able to move on. Although the story demonstrates that the outcome for some women is often tragic, there is also a message of optimism that, with the right support, at the right time, life can get better.
With such topical themes this book would make an excellent choice for group discussion.
With thanks to Corvus and Readers First for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 23, 2019
I love a good psychological thriller, it's probably my favourite genre, but I really struggled to get into this book.
Heavily based around domestic violence it is certainly creepy in parts but it was also relentlessly depressing, to the point where I found myself putting down after only reading a chapter.
The central character, Ria, is currently on her own with the kids as husband, Danny, is working away for 30 days. She runs the local women's refuge where she is faced with angry men on a continual basis, they all know their wives/partners are there as they are invited in for "group therapy" sessions - though this seems to me to be completely against the standard rules of the average woman's refuge. Anyhow, when someone starts stalking Ria there are clearly a lot of potential suspects. Not only the disgruntled men but there is also a dark secret in her past which may also have a bearing. Added to this Ria is estranged from her parents because, yep her Dad is also controlling/abusive.
Within all this we have a separate narrative from Tanya, who is also being abused but it isn't clear how she fits into the tale.
I think this was my problem with the book - clearly it was going to revolve around abusive men but, Danny aside, every single male character is an abuser, rapist, murderer or just corrupt. It's all just a bit too much, a bit too man bashing and downright (whispers quietly) dull.
An important subject but a slightly lighter touch would have been a welcome relief to this reader...….
Heavily based around domestic violence it is certainly creepy in parts but it was also relentlessly depressing, to the point where I found myself putting down after only reading a chapter.
The central character, Ria, is currently on her own with the kids as husband, Danny, is working away for 30 days. She runs the local women's refuge where she is faced with angry men on a continual basis, they all know their wives/partners are there as they are invited in for "group therapy" sessions - though this seems to me to be completely against the standard rules of the average woman's refuge. Anyhow, when someone starts stalking Ria there are clearly a lot of potential suspects. Not only the disgruntled men but there is also a dark secret in her past which may also have a bearing. Added to this Ria is estranged from her parents because, yep her Dad is also controlling/abusive.
Within all this we have a separate narrative from Tanya, who is also being abused but it isn't clear how she fits into the tale.
I think this was my problem with the book - clearly it was going to revolve around abusive men but, Danny aside, every single male character is an abuser, rapist, murderer or just corrupt. It's all just a bit too much, a bit too man bashing and downright (whispers quietly) dull.
An important subject but a slightly lighter touch would have been a welcome relief to this reader...….
November 6, 2019
My thanks to Atlantic Books Corvus for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘How to Play Dead’ by Jacqueline Ward in exchange for an honest review.
This domestic noir dealt with a number of difficult and sensitive subjects including sexual assault, gaslighting, domestic violence, and stalking.
Ria Taylor is the co-manager of SafeMe, a domestic violence refuge. When her husband, Danny, takes a lucrative one month overseas contract that will get their family out of debt, Ria is left missing him. Then she receives a cheap mobile phone in the post with a video taken without her knowledge and the message: ‘I am watching you’. Eek!
Things continue to escalate. There are also chapters told in the form of a diary written by Tanya, an abused wife. Eventually the two storylines converge.
I found it hard to relate to Ria; finding both her inability to handle her finances and her passivity with respect to her stalker frustrating. Also, she didn’t seem very understanding of her husband undertaking work away from home and was more focused on her need for him to be with her. This was apparent even before the stalking began.
However, even if this novel wasn’t quite my cup of tea, I did feel that it covered important topics and could potentially prove very educational and even a lifeline for someone in an abusive relationship. I was also glad that Jacqueline Ward included a list of organisations and helplines at the end of the book.
This domestic noir dealt with a number of difficult and sensitive subjects including sexual assault, gaslighting, domestic violence, and stalking.
Ria Taylor is the co-manager of SafeMe, a domestic violence refuge. When her husband, Danny, takes a lucrative one month overseas contract that will get their family out of debt, Ria is left missing him. Then she receives a cheap mobile phone in the post with a video taken without her knowledge and the message: ‘I am watching you’. Eek!
Things continue to escalate. There are also chapters told in the form of a diary written by Tanya, an abused wife. Eventually the two storylines converge.
I found it hard to relate to Ria; finding both her inability to handle her finances and her passivity with respect to her stalker frustrating. Also, she didn’t seem very understanding of her husband undertaking work away from home and was more focused on her need for him to be with her. This was apparent even before the stalking began.
However, even if this novel wasn’t quite my cup of tea, I did feel that it covered important topics and could potentially prove very educational and even a lifeline for someone in an abusive relationship. I was also glad that Jacqueline Ward included a list of organisations and helplines at the end of the book.
September 13, 2019
This was a very hard hitting book on the subject of domestic violence . The story is quite predictable but even so it will strike a chord with the reader due to the subject matter .
September 6, 2019
How to Play Dead by Jacqueline Ward was an outstanding book.
A difficult topic to cover and some parts were quite traumatic to read but if it makes people more aware about Domestic Abuse then its worth it!
The main character Ria was very likeable and you really felt for her thoughout the story.
Definately a 5 star review as I didnt want to put the book down.
Thanks to Netgalley, Atlantic Books and Corvus for the ARC.
A difficult topic to cover and some parts were quite traumatic to read but if it makes people more aware about Domestic Abuse then its worth it!
The main character Ria was very likeable and you really felt for her thoughout the story.
Definately a 5 star review as I didnt want to put the book down.
Thanks to Netgalley, Atlantic Books and Corvus for the ARC.
August 11, 2019
I've struggled to rate this one!
The storyline was totally predictable and very sluggish in places, long winded and in all honesty quite boring, the actual story centering around domestic violence will stay with me for a very long time.
It felt like the detail that was needed was brushed over and the ending was rushed.
The characters are likeable and easy to sympathise with and you feel yourself getting angry about lack of justice and protection when its needed the most.
BUT the fact that Jaqueline Ward has hit hard on such an unspoken subject and tackled it in a way that makes it really stick in your mind has made me give 3.5* .
Thanks to netgalley and Atlantic Books for the ARC
The storyline was totally predictable and very sluggish in places, long winded and in all honesty quite boring, the actual story centering around domestic violence will stay with me for a very long time.
It felt like the detail that was needed was brushed over and the ending was rushed.
The characters are likeable and easy to sympathise with and you feel yourself getting angry about lack of justice and protection when its needed the most.
BUT the fact that Jaqueline Ward has hit hard on such an unspoken subject and tackled it in a way that makes it really stick in your mind has made me give 3.5* .
Thanks to netgalley and Atlantic Books for the ARC
December 27, 2019
Ria is a driven character, yet she does the very things she warns the women she works with not to do. This is a little frustrating, and her background story also showed she was as much a victim as the women she works with which also made me feel the story-lines/ideas merged just a little too conveniently at times.
As one of the workers at SafeMe, a refuge for women fleeing domestic abuse, Ria is used to hearing some awful stories. She is used to waiting for someone to feel safe enough to tell the truth of their experience. Some of these stories are worse than others, but they all have something in common...a man determined to control those around him, by whatever means necessary.
Alongside Ria’s story - which focuses on the day-to-day running of the refuge, the realities of life with two kids and what could best be described as a campaign of harassment - we have journal entries from a character known as Tanya. Until we see how the stories link, this voice was hard to follow - Tanya sounded like a story from the past and this made it even more difficult to understand how she’d found herself in this scenario.
Few of the characters in this were remotely likeable, perhaps to be expected. The story itself felt like a number of elements pulled together in a way that didn’t quite work. It’s a topic that many won’t - thankfully - have to think about, and it made me angry to see how these situations are dealt with.
Much as we might wring our hands, everyone who sees it and does nothing is part of the problem. I’m pleased I read it, and grateful to NetGalley for the opportunity to do so, but it wasn’t enjoyable.
As one of the workers at SafeMe, a refuge for women fleeing domestic abuse, Ria is used to hearing some awful stories. She is used to waiting for someone to feel safe enough to tell the truth of their experience. Some of these stories are worse than others, but they all have something in common...a man determined to control those around him, by whatever means necessary.
Alongside Ria’s story - which focuses on the day-to-day running of the refuge, the realities of life with two kids and what could best be described as a campaign of harassment - we have journal entries from a character known as Tanya. Until we see how the stories link, this voice was hard to follow - Tanya sounded like a story from the past and this made it even more difficult to understand how she’d found herself in this scenario.
Few of the characters in this were remotely likeable, perhaps to be expected. The story itself felt like a number of elements pulled together in a way that didn’t quite work. It’s a topic that many won’t - thankfully - have to think about, and it made me angry to see how these situations are dealt with.
Much as we might wring our hands, everyone who sees it and does nothing is part of the problem. I’m pleased I read it, and grateful to NetGalley for the opportunity to do so, but it wasn’t enjoyable.
September 9, 2019
And the NetGalley reviewathon continues! Thank you to @netgalley and the author/publisher for sending me an ARC of this thriller. Before I start my review I'm going to warn potential readers that this can be a triggering book and I certainly found it a difficult read. Strong themes run through this novel of domestic violence, psychological and sexual abuse and victimization. However on the flip side it also highlights the wonder of love, family, strength, charity and survival. I loved the main characters and their backstories, I enjoyed the smaller characters interlaced throughout and watching them find their feet against adversity. I grieved when they grieved and laughed when they laughed. I also felt the horror of their experiences deeply and I think the personality and patterns of abusers was well researched and portrayed. I feel like the ending had the ability to be a lot more explosive, action packed and danger filled but to be honest that's exactly why I loved it. I felt it was a more realistic outcome of what it is to live in today's society and stayed true to the underlying strength of the character involved. However difficult this book was for me to read I actually found it extremely deep with many important messages and a great way to expose what people still suffer in their lives. ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/5.
My Synopsis: Ria is known as Superwoman... a dedicated mother of two that runs a domestic violence shelter and rehabilitation centre for victims, children and their spouses. Her husband travels to Dubai for 30 days to earn money for them to buy a house and she struggles while he is gone. She is dedicating her time and her life to her children and the women she helps save, until one day a pay as you go phone is delivered to her and she finds she is being stalked by someone that clearly knows her. Concurrently we find ourselves following the journey of Tanya, who is trapped in her own home under her partner's abusive and oppressive will. We journey alongside these two women while they divulge their pasts and their presents escalate until they become intertwined.
My Synopsis: Ria is known as Superwoman... a dedicated mother of two that runs a domestic violence shelter and rehabilitation centre for victims, children and their spouses. Her husband travels to Dubai for 30 days to earn money for them to buy a house and she struggles while he is gone. She is dedicating her time and her life to her children and the women she helps save, until one day a pay as you go phone is delivered to her and she finds she is being stalked by someone that clearly knows her. Concurrently we find ourselves following the journey of Tanya, who is trapped in her own home under her partner's abusive and oppressive will. We journey alongside these two women while they divulge their pasts and their presents escalate until they become intertwined.
November 14, 2019
How to play dead is an honest & open journey through the world of domestic violence told through the stories of both its principal & minor characters who all come from very different places in terms of class, past & current life situations. It is a very frank account of a deeply faceted & often misunderstood subject. Difficult to read at times due to the subject matter which in all honesty we would rather not meet head on in the course of our 'normal lives'. There were times I had to put it down to digest the story. But do not think for one minute that this is a dark tale or a litany of anti male propaganda, it is not that, it is both enlightening & fair in its representation of both subject & male characters and the different characters give a chance to explore the subject from many angles; victims, survivors, children, perpetrator, staff, police & local government responsibility. I think every psychology course should have it as mandatory reading. A well written & thought provoking journey through the interwoven lives of its sympathetic & not so sympathetic characters which blend together and merge seamlessly to its climatic ending. Definitely recommend this book.
November 25, 2019
What an amazing book. It's about ria Taylor who works in a local refuge for women and children and her husband Danny who is working away at the moment trying to earn dome extra cash to secure them a deposit on a family house for them and there 2 children. It starts at 30 days as that's how long he is away for and does a count down. The other chapters are named tanya and tell the story of a woman trapped in her house by her husband /boyfriend as it turns out and how her life is lived being trapped in her small world. The chapters flick back and forth between them and you wander how the stories will link up but ria starts getting messages from a mobile phone that gets delivered to her and telling her they are watching her etc.
As the story unfolds and you see how there is a link it does grip you until the end. And you find out about women that live at the refuge and you feel for them especially a lady called Sheila who has a very big impact on ria.
Would highly recommend this book.
As the story unfolds and you see how there is a link it does grip you until the end. And you find out about women that live at the refuge and you feel for them especially a lady called Sheila who has a very big impact on ria.
Would highly recommend this book.
September 24, 2019
How to Play Dead is about domestic violence so it is a difficult read but a compelling story .It is told through Ria who runs a domestic abuse refuse called Safe Me and Tanya who is writing a diary and is clearly being abused .This is a very thought provoking book with a good story line ,I wonder if in real life there are many SafeMe type shelters for the abused ? Ria is a very likeable character trying to be Superwoman and giving one hundred percent to these poor women and children to try and make them safe,whilst trying to fight for more funding against the odds ..If she was a real person she deserves to be made a Dame !!!! though she would probably refuse it!
Many thanks to the Publisher ,the Author and NetGalley for my review copy in return for an honest review .
Many thanks to the Publisher ,the Author and NetGalley for my review copy in return for an honest review .
September 29, 2019
A book focusing on domestic violence will never be an easy read, but this is a relevant and hard hitting story. Set in a women’s shelter and following the lady who runs it, this thriller takes you through the many ways in which our current system is doing abused women a disservice. It really made me realise how little women can do, when the law makes sure that the man has to have done something ‘really bad’ in order for them to be stopped. The women in this story shine, their strength is inspiring and although they don’t always get out of their situations, you understand their actions throughout.
Although the storyline is a little predictable, and starts off slow, I did stay up into the night to finish it, just to see how all of the storylines came together.
If this book helps highlight to even one woman that her partner’s behaviour is not ok, then it’s done it’s job.
Thanks so much to the author, netgalley and the publishers for giving me an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Although the storyline is a little predictable, and starts off slow, I did stay up into the night to finish it, just to see how all of the storylines came together.
If this book helps highlight to even one woman that her partner’s behaviour is not ok, then it’s done it’s job.
Thanks so much to the author, netgalley and the publishers for giving me an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 21, 2019
So I have just finished this book
This book is centred around domestic abuse and rape and in some instances, child abuse.
This book will not be for everyone
But, due to me working in this type of role and environment, I find that these types of books don’t bother me as much as some!
Ria has something to hide in her past and once the author revealed what had actually happened to her, I was so shocked and I really wanted her to be able to retain the funding for the women's centre, as you could tell it was so close to her heart and helping her get through what had happened.
I did not guess who Tanya was - but I was nearly right !
I really enjoyed this book and thought that the author tackled the topic so well and It gave me a real awareness of things that actually go on
This book is centred around domestic abuse and rape and in some instances, child abuse.
This book will not be for everyone
But, due to me working in this type of role and environment, I find that these types of books don’t bother me as much as some!
Ria has something to hide in her past and once the author revealed what had actually happened to her, I was so shocked and I really wanted her to be able to retain the funding for the women's centre, as you could tell it was so close to her heart and helping her get through what had happened.
I did not guess who Tanya was - but I was nearly right !
I really enjoyed this book and thought that the author tackled the topic so well and It gave me a real awareness of things that actually go on
October 4, 2019
This was a compelling story and I think it tackled the subject of domestic violence well.
The main character of Ria is strong and so determined to help the women in the safe centre she runs, but she also has her family to look after and it's interesting to see how she juggles that. Especially when she becomes a target herself.
The book covers abuse suffered from several different women as they deal with violent and controlling partners and look for a way to escape that life. This may be difficult to read for some people as parts are quite harrowing. It isn't a subject I've read about before but I thought this was well written and a good read.
The main character of Ria is strong and so determined to help the women in the safe centre she runs, but she also has her family to look after and it's interesting to see how she juggles that. Especially when she becomes a target herself.
The book covers abuse suffered from several different women as they deal with violent and controlling partners and look for a way to escape that life. This may be difficult to read for some people as parts are quite harrowing. It isn't a subject I've read about before but I thought this was well written and a good read.
September 1, 2021
Ria Taylor is a courageous lady, she is a wife, mother, feisty worker and support to the women at a domestic abuse shelter.
Then suddenly she starts getting messages and videos from a stalker.
With her husband Danny working away and with two young, dependent children the stalker has made the usually tell em how it is, don't back down Ria into a nervous wreck and shadow of her former self, she now identifies greatly with the other victims of the refuge.
How does someone who is considered the help and saviour of abused women in her area get help when SHE is who others go to?
Assuming that the "perp" is a disgruntled ex partner from one of the shelter ladies Ria has to try and take each day as it comes while her stalker gets closer and more insidious in his activities.
But Ria's past is also catching up with her and the truth is much darker than she realises.
A clever and complex story that hits at the heart of how stalking and domestic abuse can totally reshape a person and how they survive and deal with the fall out in the aftermath as they try to rebuild their lives.
The only issue I had with this was the dog sub plot, it added little to the overall story and to my mind for whom animal cruelty is a trigger, was totally unnecessary.
Then suddenly she starts getting messages and videos from a stalker.
With her husband Danny working away and with two young, dependent children the stalker has made the usually tell em how it is, don't back down Ria into a nervous wreck and shadow of her former self, she now identifies greatly with the other victims of the refuge.
How does someone who is considered the help and saviour of abused women in her area get help when SHE is who others go to?
Assuming that the "perp" is a disgruntled ex partner from one of the shelter ladies Ria has to try and take each day as it comes while her stalker gets closer and more insidious in his activities.
But Ria's past is also catching up with her and the truth is much darker than she realises.
A clever and complex story that hits at the heart of how stalking and domestic abuse can totally reshape a person and how they survive and deal with the fall out in the aftermath as they try to rebuild their lives.
The only issue I had with this was the dog sub plot, it added little to the overall story and to my mind for whom animal cruelty is a trigger, was totally unnecessary.
November 22, 2019
I really enjoyed this book even though it's not something I'd normally choose. The stalking is only really secondary to the story of the women's refuge. I thought the characters were great and.I loved the way Ria and Janice stood up to the abusers especially the loathsome Frank James. I'd recommend this highly to anyone wanting a good read.
December 3, 2019
This story focussed on Ria. She is the manager of a woman’s refuge and is used to being the person to save others. Now she is the one receiving texts from an unknown source and appears to have attracted the attentions of a stalker. Who is doing this and why? She may now be the one who needs saving...
I feel this is a good topic to shine a light on and it was handled sensitively by the author. Some parts were disturbing, and although emotionally hard to read, were all relevant to the story that was being told.
However, it was very much a slow burner for me. I wasn’t particularly thrilled or excited by it. It plodded along a bit and I didn’t find it particularly suspenseful. There was no real twist and I had guessed the ending by halfway through. I felt it ended quite suddenly. The underwhelming climax filling just the last 30 pages, as if it were rushed to contain itself to a word count.
Not one for me, but others may enjoy. As I said, the subject was certainly well handled and researched, so for that I do applaud the author.
I feel this is a good topic to shine a light on and it was handled sensitively by the author. Some parts were disturbing, and although emotionally hard to read, were all relevant to the story that was being told.
However, it was very much a slow burner for me. I wasn’t particularly thrilled or excited by it. It plodded along a bit and I didn’t find it particularly suspenseful. There was no real twist and I had guessed the ending by halfway through. I felt it ended quite suddenly. The underwhelming climax filling just the last 30 pages, as if it were rushed to contain itself to a word count.
Not one for me, but others may enjoy. As I said, the subject was certainly well handled and researched, so for that I do applaud the author.
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