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Keeper
An addictive literary thriller about a crime as shocking as it is commonplace
When Katie Straw's body is pulled from the waters of the local suicide spot, the police are ready to write it off as a standard-issue female suicide. But the residents of the domestic violence shelter where Katie worked disagree. These women have spent weeks or even years waiting for the men they're running from to catch up with them. They know immediately: This was murder.
Still, Detective Dan Whitworth and his team expect an open-and-shut case--until they discover evidence that suggests Katie wasn't who she appeared. Weaving together the investigation with Katie's final months as it barrels toward the truth, The Keeper is a riveting mystery and a searing examination of violence against women and the structures that allow it to continue, marking the debut of an incredible new voice in crime fiction.
When Katie Straw's body is pulled from the waters of the local suicide spot, the police are ready to write it off as a standard-issue female suicide. But the residents of the domestic violence shelter where Katie worked disagree. These women have spent weeks or even years waiting for the men they're running from to catch up with them. They know immediately: This was murder.
Still, Detective Dan Whitworth and his team expect an open-and-shut case--until they discover evidence that suggests Katie wasn't who she appeared. Weaving together the investigation with Katie's final months as it barrels toward the truth, The Keeper is a riveting mystery and a searing examination of violence against women and the structures that allow it to continue, marking the debut of an incredible new voice in crime fiction.
324 pages, Hardcover
First published March 24, 2020
211 people are currently reading
7611 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Moor
4 books132 followersJessica Moor studied English at Cambridge before completing a Creative Writing MA at Manchester University. Prior to this she spent a year working in the violence against women and girls sector and this experience inspired her first novel, Keeper.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 641 reviews
December 11, 2019
This is a powerful and assured character driven debut from Jessica Moor, looking at the tragic, secretive and harrowing complex world of domestic violence, so common place in our contemporary society, yet a world from which so many would prefer to avert their eyes away from. When Katie Straw's body is recovered from the river, close to a well known suicide spot, it is deemed by the police to be a straightforward case of suicide. The only reason the police, the old school DS Whitworth and DC Brook, look at it more closely is that the women at Women's Aid, a refuge centre, strongly contest this conclusion. They are certain that Katie has been murdered, and in a story that goes back and forth in time, Katie's life is laid bare. It tells of her meeting a personable and charming young man, of Jamie's controlling, volatile and manipulative behaviour that reduces her to a terrified wreck of a woman, stripped of all support systems.
As we are given insights of police procedures, we learn the stories of the other women at the refuge, providing a wide ranging picture of the different types and levels of abuse, brutality and terror that each woman has had the misfortune to experience. The author gives us a bleak social, political and cultural commentary surrounding this issue, about the dire state of funding with budget cuts in women's refuges, leaving many women with nowhere to turn, despite the desperate circumstances they find themselves in. Domestic violence leaves traumatised women and children terrorised on a daily basis, psychologically and emotionally damaged, living in constant fear and threats, with their lives in never ending danger.
I always find stories about domestic violence upsetting as I have personal experience of growing up with it, at a time when domestic violence was never taken seriously. It's such a crying shame that today funding is being withdrawn from this much needed area. This is a dark, insightful and well written novel that shines a light on an issue that deserves as much coverage as possible. Many thanks to Penguin UK for an ARC.
As we are given insights of police procedures, we learn the stories of the other women at the refuge, providing a wide ranging picture of the different types and levels of abuse, brutality and terror that each woman has had the misfortune to experience. The author gives us a bleak social, political and cultural commentary surrounding this issue, about the dire state of funding with budget cuts in women's refuges, leaving many women with nowhere to turn, despite the desperate circumstances they find themselves in. Domestic violence leaves traumatised women and children terrorised on a daily basis, psychologically and emotionally damaged, living in constant fear and threats, with their lives in never ending danger.
I always find stories about domestic violence upsetting as I have personal experience of growing up with it, at a time when domestic violence was never taken seriously. It's such a crying shame that today funding is being withdrawn from this much needed area. This is a dark, insightful and well written novel that shines a light on an issue that deserves as much coverage as possible. Many thanks to Penguin UK for an ARC.
May 12, 2020
Assailable
Poignant, probing and beautifully written, The Keeper reminds us how we have a duty to protect and support the vulnerable and abused in our society. A police investigation thriller that reveals a range of colourful characters, their unique stories and the multiple perspectives people have on domestic abuse.
In two time frames, before and after the dead body of Katie Straw is recovered from a river. The story provides the events and life of Katie up to that point, and the police investigation following it. The obvious conclusion is that it was suicide and the police hope to close the case quickly, however, the women at the refuge centre, where Katie works, think otherwise and claim that she was murdered.
Katie was an abused woman in a relationship with Jamie. A relationship that started with romance and gradually morphed into a life of terror, leaving Katie devoid of psychological strength and frightened how Jamie would next manifest his dominance. The slide from romance to abuse is unfortunately common and Jessica Moor vividly builds this up with great care and attention to detail.
The police investigation into Katie’s death exposes many real issues facing abused women, the refuge centre staff and the resourcing pressures to continue providing these essential services. The narrative to the plight and range of domestic abuse is powerful and wonderfully observant. Jessica Moor was very clever in her characters and establishing DS Whitworth as someone who doesn’t really want to deal with this issue and who can sweep it away as quickly as possible, gives us the laissez-faire attitude that impairs real action being taken to address this devastating social disease. DS Whitworth along with DC Brook seem out of place as two disconnected men responsible for investigating the death of Katie and being sympathetic towards the horrors faced by many of their female witnesses.
While this is a genuinely tough story, with a crucial moral and social message, Jessica Moor has encapsulated the theme in a drama with wonderful dialogue between fascinating characters and a plot that offers surprises. Described as a literary thriller - yes absolutely!
I would highly recommend this book and I’d like to thank Viking, Penguin Book UK and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC copy of the book in return for an honest review.
Poignant, probing and beautifully written, The Keeper reminds us how we have a duty to protect and support the vulnerable and abused in our society. A police investigation thriller that reveals a range of colourful characters, their unique stories and the multiple perspectives people have on domestic abuse.
In two time frames, before and after the dead body of Katie Straw is recovered from a river. The story provides the events and life of Katie up to that point, and the police investigation following it. The obvious conclusion is that it was suicide and the police hope to close the case quickly, however, the women at the refuge centre, where Katie works, think otherwise and claim that she was murdered.
Katie was an abused woman in a relationship with Jamie. A relationship that started with romance and gradually morphed into a life of terror, leaving Katie devoid of psychological strength and frightened how Jamie would next manifest his dominance. The slide from romance to abuse is unfortunately common and Jessica Moor vividly builds this up with great care and attention to detail.
“She learns to name the demon. To understand that, just as cities can fall without a shot being fired, a woman can relinquish herself, piece by piece.”The characterisations are excellent and our emotions are pulled towards and driven away from Katie and Jamie as we would want them to be.
The police investigation into Katie’s death exposes many real issues facing abused women, the refuge centre staff and the resourcing pressures to continue providing these essential services. The narrative to the plight and range of domestic abuse is powerful and wonderfully observant. Jessica Moor was very clever in her characters and establishing DS Whitworth as someone who doesn’t really want to deal with this issue and who can sweep it away as quickly as possible, gives us the laissez-faire attitude that impairs real action being taken to address this devastating social disease. DS Whitworth along with DC Brook seem out of place as two disconnected men responsible for investigating the death of Katie and being sympathetic towards the horrors faced by many of their female witnesses.
While this is a genuinely tough story, with a crucial moral and social message, Jessica Moor has encapsulated the theme in a drama with wonderful dialogue between fascinating characters and a plot that offers surprises. Described as a literary thriller - yes absolutely!
I would highly recommend this book and I’d like to thank Viking, Penguin Book UK and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC copy of the book in return for an honest review.
November 25, 2019
4-5 stars.
This is a gritty, disturbing, vivid and tense suspense novel about domestic violence. . The central character is Katie and her relationship with Jamie who inserts himself into her life, takes it over so profoundly that she can’t think, breathe, eat or sleep. He stifles her, stunts her freedom, controls her so she becomes a bundle of anxiety, grinding her down to nothing. The story has multiple perspectives which works well as it allows you to see the different kinds of abusive relationship. Katie’s story is told ‘Then’ which charts the control of her life by Jamie and ‘Now’ which looks into her apparent suicide. The other perspectives are women in the Widringham Womens Aid, a refuge centre run by Val Redwood who seems very fierce but is hanging on to the centre by her fingernails.
Katie’s suicide is investigated by DS Whitworth, approaching 60, a bit old school and judgemental and annoying in some ways as he doesn’t pay enough attention to the women in the shelter who may have something useful to say. His sidekick is DC Brookes who has more apparent charm and is good at placating. They seem a good team as they work to each other’s strengths. The tension in the story build really well and there are sections where you almost daren't breathe! It’s well constructed, well written and there is originality in the writing which deserves particular praise. It gives you an uncomfortable insight into domestic violence and it feels authentic. You do not see the end coming and it jolts you to the core and it is unresolved which matches the tone of the book. Domestic violence is ugly, destroys lives and it can’t be parcelled up neatly and tied with a bow nor is the ending. Another book? Possibly - I do hope so because I would really like to see where this leads and follow some of the characters through.
Overall, an excellent debut and we have here a writer with great potential and damn, she’s had some outstanding mentors (Jeanette Winterson, Val MacDermid for example) !!! It’s dark, full of suspense, there’s the occasional injection of black humour, it’ll make you feel uncomfortable, possibly angry and when you see the statistics of the number of women and children turned away from refuges daily through lack of sufficient places you realise just how relevant and hot this topic is.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin UK for the ARC.
This is a gritty, disturbing, vivid and tense suspense novel about domestic violence. . The central character is Katie and her relationship with Jamie who inserts himself into her life, takes it over so profoundly that she can’t think, breathe, eat or sleep. He stifles her, stunts her freedom, controls her so she becomes a bundle of anxiety, grinding her down to nothing. The story has multiple perspectives which works well as it allows you to see the different kinds of abusive relationship. Katie’s story is told ‘Then’ which charts the control of her life by Jamie and ‘Now’ which looks into her apparent suicide. The other perspectives are women in the Widringham Womens Aid, a refuge centre run by Val Redwood who seems very fierce but is hanging on to the centre by her fingernails.
Katie’s suicide is investigated by DS Whitworth, approaching 60, a bit old school and judgemental and annoying in some ways as he doesn’t pay enough attention to the women in the shelter who may have something useful to say. His sidekick is DC Brookes who has more apparent charm and is good at placating. They seem a good team as they work to each other’s strengths. The tension in the story build really well and there are sections where you almost daren't breathe! It’s well constructed, well written and there is originality in the writing which deserves particular praise. It gives you an uncomfortable insight into domestic violence and it feels authentic. You do not see the end coming and it jolts you to the core and it is unresolved which matches the tone of the book. Domestic violence is ugly, destroys lives and it can’t be parcelled up neatly and tied with a bow nor is the ending. Another book? Possibly - I do hope so because I would really like to see where this leads and follow some of the characters through.
Overall, an excellent debut and we have here a writer with great potential and damn, she’s had some outstanding mentors (Jeanette Winterson, Val MacDermid for example) !!! It’s dark, full of suspense, there’s the occasional injection of black humour, it’ll make you feel uncomfortable, possibly angry and when you see the statistics of the number of women and children turned away from refuges daily through lack of sufficient places you realise just how relevant and hot this topic is.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin UK for the ARC.
June 12, 2020
4.5*
The premise of this book quickly drew my attention!
The body of a young woman found floating below a bridge notorious for suicide leaps. Is this woman just another sad statistic? Or, could there be a more sinister reason for her death.
The Keeper isn’t a novel that received a lot of attention, though it deserves it! A powerful look inside domestic violence.
You may think you know how this will end? You may think you have it all figured out! Not so fast all you clever bookies and junior detectives! You’re in for one of the biggest shocking literary moments of your reading career! Pretty bold statement, right?
A buddy read with Susanne that we both picked up on a whim but couldn’t put down once we started! Highly recommend!
Thank you to Edelweiss and Penguin Publishing Group for an ARC to read and review
The premise of this book quickly drew my attention!
The body of a young woman found floating below a bridge notorious for suicide leaps. Is this woman just another sad statistic? Or, could there be a more sinister reason for her death.
The Keeper isn’t a novel that received a lot of attention, though it deserves it! A powerful look inside domestic violence.
You may think you know how this will end? You may think you have it all figured out! Not so fast all you clever bookies and junior detectives! You’re in for one of the biggest shocking literary moments of your reading career! Pretty bold statement, right?
A buddy read with Susanne that we both picked up on a whim but couldn’t put down once we started! Highly recommend!
Thank you to Edelweiss and Penguin Publishing Group for an ARC to read and review
May 16, 2020
My reviews can also be seen at: https://deesradreadsandreviews.wordpr...
3.5 Stars
Timely and thought-provoking.
When a young woman’s body is found near a local suicide spot, many believe she took her own life, but those who knew her disagree.
Detective Dan Whitworth and his team are tasked with investigating Katie Straw’s death. Katie worked at a shelter for battered women. Could her job have something to do with her death? Police start by interviewing her friends, the women from the shelter, and her boyfriend.
They soon learn that Katie may not have been who she claimed to be.
Did Katie take her own life or was someone else responsible for her death?
This was quite an emotional story. The story was told from multiple points of view. Hearing from each woman and learning their individual stories was heartbreakingly realistic. Abuse takes many forms and the author did a good job of showing that.
I thought this was a good audiobook but I did feel the ending was lacking something. I know stories aren’t always tied up in a neat bow but I wish there had been a little more information at the end. Regardless, this was still a very interesting read.
Overall, a great debut novel that deals with extremely important issues like abuse, power, control, and more.
May 11, 2020
When Katie Shaw's body is pulled from the water, the police or sent to investigate. Is this a suicide or murder? Sgt. Whitwort, an old school detective, close to retirement and his trained Sgt. Brookes go to the abuse shelter where Katie worked. At first information is scarce, the head of the shelter is reluctant to let these two men talk to these emotionally fragile women. Plus, no online footprint of a Katie Shaw can be found.
At the abuse shelter the reader comes to know the stories of the women and the abuse they suffered. We receive a clear picture of the different abuses as well as their hopes and dreams, their fears. We also see Katie through the eyes of those with whom she worked. Promising beginnings, dashed hopes.
In alternate chapters we learn Katie's story. What had brought her here and exactly how it happened. How a bright and intelligent woman can become ensnared in an abusive realtionship. How an abuser works, step by step. Slowly eroding a person's self confidence, makes himself indispensable. So incredibly evil and tragic.
Although this is slotted as a mystery, it is also I believe and important book on an important subject. Their ate the required red herrings, but it also read for me as nonfiction. It had such a chilling tone, and seemed so real.
ARC from Edelweiss.
I
At the abuse shelter the reader comes to know the stories of the women and the abuse they suffered. We receive a clear picture of the different abuses as well as their hopes and dreams, their fears. We also see Katie through the eyes of those with whom she worked. Promising beginnings, dashed hopes.
In alternate chapters we learn Katie's story. What had brought her here and exactly how it happened. How a bright and intelligent woman can become ensnared in an abusive realtionship. How an abuser works, step by step. Slowly eroding a person's self confidence, makes himself indispensable. So incredibly evil and tragic.
Although this is slotted as a mystery, it is also I believe and important book on an important subject. Their ate the required red herrings, but it also read for me as nonfiction. It had such a chilling tone, and seemed so real.
ARC from Edelweiss.
I
March 31, 2020
I am shocked that this is a debut novel. Jessica Moor has a very bright future ahead of her.
"Death?
Seen him. Loads of times.
Average height. Brownish hair. Couldn't tell you what color his eyes are but I can tell you he's nothing special to look at.
Death's just a bloke.
He doesn't look angry or sad or evil. Just a bit bored.
At the end of the day, he's a guy with a job to do. So what happens is he comes up to you he opens your mouth and he just pulls the life out of you.
It's like a dentist pulling out a tooth.
Imagine that."
Katie Straws body was pulled from a river in a spot in which many suicides have occurred. It looks to the police as if she is just another jumper taking her own life but not everyone is happy with that answer. Katie worked at a refuge for battered woman and the women of this refuge have every reason to believe that something untoward happened to Katie and since no suicide note is found the police are forced to investigate.
The chapters go back and forth between Then - explaining Katie's history, and Now - we meet the police investigators and the other women in the shelter.
Katie's chapters were simply heartbreaking and to bare witness to her decline felt almost voyeuristic. You as a reader can see what is happening and you want so badly to shake her and make her see it too.
All of the women's stories are incredibly sad so please be prepared for some really tough reading.
That ending? I. AM. STUNNED. *shivers* 4 stars!
I won a copy of this book in a giveaway - Thank you to Goodreads and Penguin Books for my copy!
"Death?
Seen him. Loads of times.
Average height. Brownish hair. Couldn't tell you what color his eyes are but I can tell you he's nothing special to look at.
Death's just a bloke.
He doesn't look angry or sad or evil. Just a bit bored.
At the end of the day, he's a guy with a job to do. So what happens is he comes up to you he opens your mouth and he just pulls the life out of you.
It's like a dentist pulling out a tooth.
Imagine that."
Katie Straws body was pulled from a river in a spot in which many suicides have occurred. It looks to the police as if she is just another jumper taking her own life but not everyone is happy with that answer. Katie worked at a refuge for battered woman and the women of this refuge have every reason to believe that something untoward happened to Katie and since no suicide note is found the police are forced to investigate.
The chapters go back and forth between Then - explaining Katie's history, and Now - we meet the police investigators and the other women in the shelter.
Katie's chapters were simply heartbreaking and to bare witness to her decline felt almost voyeuristic. You as a reader can see what is happening and you want so badly to shake her and make her see it too.
All of the women's stories are incredibly sad so please be prepared for some really tough reading.
That ending? I. AM. STUNNED. *shivers* 4 stars!
I won a copy of this book in a giveaway - Thank you to Goodreads and Penguin Books for my copy!
June 7, 2020
4 Stars
When Katie Straw’s body is pulled from the water, Detectives assume she died by suicide.
Investigating is the last thing they want to do however, considering that Katie worked at a battered women’s shelter, they must do exactly that.
The women at the shelter are suspicious of Katie’s death. Given their pasts, they have every reason to be.
This is however Katie’s story and it will blow you away. As for the ending?! Wowza.
“The Keeper is a well written novel about domestic violence. It is a difficult, yet an important novel to read. I am truly impressed that this is Jessica Moor’s debut novel and am looking forward to seeing what she comes out with next.
This was another incredible buddy read with Kaceey.
Thank you to Edelweiss, Penguin Publishing Group and Jessica Moor for the arc.
Published on Goodreads on 6.7.20.
When Katie Straw’s body is pulled from the water, Detectives assume she died by suicide.
Investigating is the last thing they want to do however, considering that Katie worked at a battered women’s shelter, they must do exactly that.
The women at the shelter are suspicious of Katie’s death. Given their pasts, they have every reason to be.
This is however Katie’s story and it will blow you away. As for the ending?! Wowza.
“The Keeper is a well written novel about domestic violence. It is a difficult, yet an important novel to read. I am truly impressed that this is Jessica Moor’s debut novel and am looking forward to seeing what she comes out with next.
This was another incredible buddy read with Kaceey.
Thank you to Edelweiss, Penguin Publishing Group and Jessica Moor for the arc.
Published on Goodreads on 6.7.20.
October 14, 2020
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I dare you to figure this out.
It’s not the best topic, but it’s real folks, it happens. This is a deep story that will make you think, will make you see how domestic violence impacts not just on the person being violated but any children too. The consequences of this and horrific expenditure of a person’s wellbeing.
It’s ugly.
But we can’t hide like it’s not happening. It is!
And although this is fiction it could be your neighbor.
So a body is discovered and looks like a straightforward case of suicide.
Then it delves deeper.
I listened to this on audio and it treble impacted this book on me.
What a read!
March 27, 2020
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
4.5 Stars
^^^^That’s me upon finishing this book (complete with the petite frame and good looks). But on a more serious note – WHERE THE HELL DID THIS COME FROM? Y’all should be pretty aware by now since I make note of it ALL. OF. THE. TIME. that I am not a fan of “face covers” and NONE of my Goodreads friends have read this. How the heck did I hear about it? I am perplexed. Anyway, who knows how I came to snag this from the library, but snag it I did and read just enough of the blurb to see that it was going to be about the discovery of a woman’s body near a bridge known for being a place where people commit suicide. Presumed to be the case here as well, however, as no suicide was found protocol must be followed by the local police in order to sign off and release the body.
I wouldn’t call this a literary thriller . . . . .
There is nothing particularly “literary” about the writing style. The story, though. Holy mackerel . . . .
Talk about taking a super-sensitive topic like domestic violence and just punching you in the face with it. From sheer brutality, to emotional abuse, to gaslighting, to stereotyping and bias, and all wrapped up in a mystery that at the end of the day doesn’t really even matter if it ends as a murder or suicide because everything else covered is so much more important, The Keeper is a difficult book to read, but one that does not shy away from its subject matter.
Highly recommended if you don’t mind dark themes in your thrillers.
4.5 Stars
^^^^That’s me upon finishing this book (complete with the petite frame and good looks). But on a more serious note – WHERE THE HELL DID THIS COME FROM? Y’all should be pretty aware by now since I make note of it ALL. OF. THE. TIME. that I am not a fan of “face covers” and NONE of my Goodreads friends have read this. How the heck did I hear about it? I am perplexed. Anyway, who knows how I came to snag this from the library, but snag it I did and read just enough of the blurb to see that it was going to be about the discovery of a woman’s body near a bridge known for being a place where people commit suicide. Presumed to be the case here as well, however, as no suicide was found protocol must be followed by the local police in order to sign off and release the body.
I wouldn’t call this a literary thriller . . . . .
There is nothing particularly “literary” about the writing style. The story, though. Holy mackerel . . . .
Talk about taking a super-sensitive topic like domestic violence and just punching you in the face with it. From sheer brutality, to emotional abuse, to gaslighting, to stereotyping and bias, and all wrapped up in a mystery that at the end of the day doesn’t really even matter if it ends as a murder or suicide because everything else covered is so much more important, The Keeper is a difficult book to read, but one that does not shy away from its subject matter.
Highly recommended if you don’t mind dark themes in your thrillers.
July 7, 2020
Another important read in 2020, this one focusing on domestic violence and emotional abuse.
Katie works at a shelter for abused women. When her dead body is found in the water by a bridge made popular by suicide, the police assume it’s an open and shut case. However, the residents of the shelter where she worked don’t think it was suicide. If it wasn’t, then what happened to her?
Told in the present as the police investigate what happened, we get a glimpse of how Katie came off to the residents of the shelter. We also hear some of their stories. The alternating chapters are told from Katie’s POV, leading up to the night she dies. These chapters are where the story is the strongest. I felt a mix of emotions as the heartbreaking and anger-inducing story played out. First and foremost, It’s a character-driven drama, but there is mystery as you try to figure out what exactly happened to Katie.
I’ve read a lot about the shocking twist at the end, which really excited me. Unfortunately, I suspected it about halfway through. Whether or not you figure it out beforehand or end up shocked, you will still hopefully find it a worthwhile read like I did.
Thank you to my GR friends, Kaceey and Susanne, whose FANTASTIC reviews put this on my radar!
Katie works at a shelter for abused women. When her dead body is found in the water by a bridge made popular by suicide, the police assume it’s an open and shut case. However, the residents of the shelter where she worked don’t think it was suicide. If it wasn’t, then what happened to her?
Told in the present as the police investigate what happened, we get a glimpse of how Katie came off to the residents of the shelter. We also hear some of their stories. The alternating chapters are told from Katie’s POV, leading up to the night she dies. These chapters are where the story is the strongest. I felt a mix of emotions as the heartbreaking and anger-inducing story played out. First and foremost, It’s a character-driven drama, but there is mystery as you try to figure out what exactly happened to Katie.
I’ve read a lot about the shocking twist at the end, which really excited me. Unfortunately, I suspected it about halfway through. Whether or not you figure it out beforehand or end up shocked, you will still hopefully find it a worthwhile read like I did.
Thank you to my GR friends, Kaceey and Susanne, whose FANTASTIC reviews put this on my radar!
March 1, 2020
Even though this book was just over 300 pages it took me days to get through, it was a complete chore.
Unfortunately I really didn't enjoy this book.
Its marketed as a thriller and I really don't think it is one. It wasn't very thrilling nor were there many twists or turns.
I really struggled with the writing style in this book. I found it very difficult to read. It wasn't engaging at all.
I also didn't like any of the characters. Some of the things said did not sit right with me. Ultimately I didn't care about any of them
The only good thing about this book was that it highlights the issue of domestic violence, violence against women and the struggles of women refuges which is of course a very important subject.
However, I just don't think this book really worked. It wasn't interesting, it didn't keep my attention and despite it being not that long took me an age to get through.
Overall, I was very disappointed by this one
TW: rape, domestic violence, murder, suicide and violence against women
Unfortunately I really didn't enjoy this book.
Its marketed as a thriller and I really don't think it is one. It wasn't very thrilling nor were there many twists or turns.
I really struggled with the writing style in this book. I found it very difficult to read. It wasn't engaging at all.
I also didn't like any of the characters. Some of the things said did not sit right with me. Ultimately I didn't care about any of them
The only good thing about this book was that it highlights the issue of domestic violence, violence against women and the struggles of women refuges which is of course a very important subject.
However, I just don't think this book really worked. It wasn't interesting, it didn't keep my attention and despite it being not that long took me an age to get through.
Overall, I was very disappointed by this one
TW: rape, domestic violence, murder, suicide and violence against women
April 26, 2020
3.5. This book is heartbreaking!! That's what i take away from it. The writing is excellent, character driven.. & my heart hurt for several of them. No cliches here- these are unique, traumatic stories of various torments. The women are strong.. Very well done, I feel as though I know them. & actually I’d love to follow up with a few of them.. In fact, I think this would be great as the first in a series. By itself though.. I don’t feel there was much of a mystery. It was much more so a character study, or even a sort of memoir on domestic abuse. Even the main detective was so incredibly flawed, but not evil- just a genuine person made up of his experiences (& I appreciated that.) Very well done for what it is, just not a thriller.
March 18, 2020
This was a novel that once started defies all attempts to put it down, apart from when needs must. Every spare moment today I’ve immersed myself back into it, I’ve yelled at it and quietly contemplated it in equal measure.
Jessica Moor is an insightful and realistic writer with an gently urgent sense to her prose, there is an absolutely compelling world weariness to the narrative that grips you immediately. This, after all, is not a story that has never been told, but a story that needs telling over and over again with just about every nuance you can muster and here they are…
From the lead detective whose old school, not unkind but unknowing attitudes are not always helpful, to the women living in the refuge who all have their own stories, to the flashbacks of Katie’s prior life, to the final genuinely stunning and heart wrenching conclusion, this author uses truth as her weapon and forces you to look at it in vivid reality. It is melancholy and rage inducing and ultimately horrifically sad.
Keeper has the benefit of not only being a literary character drama but also and equally an edgy, addictive thriller. I thought it was pure brilliance.
Highly Recommended.
March 13, 2020
Keeper is a powerful, hard-hitting and superb debut literary thriller with a spicy feminist touch to it that is making many top reads of 2020 lists. It broke me into pieces as a domestic and sexual abuse survivor and it's clear either Ms Moor herself has experienced it or has carried out meticulous and extensive research to make the story as accurate and reality-driven as possible. It centres around Katie Straw who works at a women's refuge filled with brave ladies who have had the courage to flee their home lives in the hopes of stopping the ongoing abuse. DS Whitworth is called in to investigate when Katie looks to have jumped from a bridge into the river below to commit suicide. But Whitworth isn't so quick to jump to baseless conclusions. Plus the women at the refuge who knew her best contest the general police consensus that there was nothing noteworthy happening that needed a deep dive. However, DS Whitworth and DC Brook do exactly that and know they may be on to something when they discover no evidence ”Katie Straw” ever existed.
This is a stunning and dramatic character-driven thriller that treats the issue of domestic abuse in a sympathetic manner and puts the women at the front centre of it all. It has a dual timeline of Katie’s life ”then” and her life ” now”; what it illustrates is that abuse survivors are truly never free from their attackers despite being physically separated from them. It's thought-provoking and topical with the plot quickly immersing you and the entirety of the novel you could've cut the tension with a knife. The prose is urgent and Moor pulls no punches when it came to detailing the horrific, harrowing and frankly rage-inducing abuse. It's compelling and incredibly insightful and Moor writes with such eloquence about such heavy topics that it's impossible not to become addicted to it despite the overwhelming sadness and anger you feel every second you're reading. The way it ends is chilling and heart-wrenching in equal measure. A very special book. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Penguin for an ARC.
This is a stunning and dramatic character-driven thriller that treats the issue of domestic abuse in a sympathetic manner and puts the women at the front centre of it all. It has a dual timeline of Katie’s life ”then” and her life ” now”; what it illustrates is that abuse survivors are truly never free from their attackers despite being physically separated from them. It's thought-provoking and topical with the plot quickly immersing you and the entirety of the novel you could've cut the tension with a knife. The prose is urgent and Moor pulls no punches when it came to detailing the horrific, harrowing and frankly rage-inducing abuse. It's compelling and incredibly insightful and Moor writes with such eloquence about such heavy topics that it's impossible not to become addicted to it despite the overwhelming sadness and anger you feel every second you're reading. The way it ends is chilling and heart-wrenching in equal measure. A very special book. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Penguin for an ARC.
April 28, 2025
I am so happy to be the one starting this amazing blog tour for Keeper by Jessica Moor! Huge thank you to the team at Viking, for sending me a copy of the book, to read and provide an honest review.
Keeper by Jessica Moor is one of the most gripping thrillers I have read this year!
Synopsis:
When Katie Straw’s body is pulled from the waters of the local suicide spot, the police decide it’s an open-and-shut- case. A standard-issue female suicide.
But the residents of Widringham women’s refuge where Katie worked don’t agree. They say it’s murder.
Will you listen to them?
My Thoughts:
As soon as I started reading Keeper, I couldn’t put it down. The story is gripping from the very first moment, and the intensity keeps growing with each page.
Scenes from THEN and scenes from NOW give us a story of Katie’s life before, and the investigation of Katie’s death now. In the past, we get a detailed view of Katie’s life in her new relationship, and how it progresses from true love to something very unhealthy. In the current time, we meet a couple of refuge women, who all suffered domestic violence, as they are being interviewed by the detectives, in the hope to shine some light to Katie’s death.
There is no evidence to point out that Katie took her own life, but there is also no evidence to suggest that she has been killed. And the detectives now have to rely on small clues, to try and figure out what exactly happened that day. Some secrets that Katie kept also don’t help their investigation at all.
Even though this is Katie’s story, it is also the story of the refuge women. Even more so. Through their experiences, we can fully understand Katie’s perspective. And through their lives, we find out secrets hidden that should never have come to surface.
The main subject of the book is about domestic violence, both physical and psychological. This can be a trigger warning, as many scenes go into a lot of detail. We meet different characters that suffered in their relationships in different ways. And while they are in the refuge home, we see the aftermath that these relationships have on the women. Some women are unable to speak to men anymore. They are unable to trust people. Nothing is ever the same. And some decide to go back to that horrible environment, because it’s the only thing they know. On average, a woman tries to leave her partner seven times before she succeeds. This tells you all you need to know, of how hard it is to leave in the first place, and why it is so easy to also go back.
I loved the main mystery. The fact that we assume something happened to Katie, but we are not sure. It is not until the very end that we actually find out the truth. The plot twists in the end were very well done, and I really enjoyed that WOW factor. I have the urge to read the book again now, just to capture the secrets clues that were right in front of me, but I never saw them coming. I also loved the issue this book raises about domestic violence, the refuge centres, and how little help they are getting. Struggling for budgets and being ignored by large organisations is very a very common practice, and the women staying there can feel this, which results in them not feeling as safe as they should be, or not getting the help they really need.
Keeper is set in a very uncomfortable atmosphere. In each chapter, you can almost feel what these women are feeling, and even though I cannot relate to them, I could feel their pain and felt so anxious to help them. Jessica Moor was able to perfectly capture their fear, their anxiety, their struggle, and I could empathise with them.
Beautiful fast-paced thriller that you can’t put down, with amazing plot twists and topics so unfortunately common and infuriating! I definitely recommend it, you won’t be able to forget Keeper easily.
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Keeper by Jessica Moor is one of the most gripping thrillers I have read this year!
Synopsis:
When Katie Straw’s body is pulled from the waters of the local suicide spot, the police decide it’s an open-and-shut- case. A standard-issue female suicide.
But the residents of Widringham women’s refuge where Katie worked don’t agree. They say it’s murder.
Will you listen to them?
My Thoughts:
As soon as I started reading Keeper, I couldn’t put it down. The story is gripping from the very first moment, and the intensity keeps growing with each page.
Scenes from THEN and scenes from NOW give us a story of Katie’s life before, and the investigation of Katie’s death now. In the past, we get a detailed view of Katie’s life in her new relationship, and how it progresses from true love to something very unhealthy. In the current time, we meet a couple of refuge women, who all suffered domestic violence, as they are being interviewed by the detectives, in the hope to shine some light to Katie’s death.
There is no evidence to point out that Katie took her own life, but there is also no evidence to suggest that she has been killed. And the detectives now have to rely on small clues, to try and figure out what exactly happened that day. Some secrets that Katie kept also don’t help their investigation at all.
Even though this is Katie’s story, it is also the story of the refuge women. Even more so. Through their experiences, we can fully understand Katie’s perspective. And through their lives, we find out secrets hidden that should never have come to surface.
The main subject of the book is about domestic violence, both physical and psychological. This can be a trigger warning, as many scenes go into a lot of detail. We meet different characters that suffered in their relationships in different ways. And while they are in the refuge home, we see the aftermath that these relationships have on the women. Some women are unable to speak to men anymore. They are unable to trust people. Nothing is ever the same. And some decide to go back to that horrible environment, because it’s the only thing they know. On average, a woman tries to leave her partner seven times before she succeeds. This tells you all you need to know, of how hard it is to leave in the first place, and why it is so easy to also go back.
I loved the main mystery. The fact that we assume something happened to Katie, but we are not sure. It is not until the very end that we actually find out the truth. The plot twists in the end were very well done, and I really enjoyed that WOW factor. I have the urge to read the book again now, just to capture the secrets clues that were right in front of me, but I never saw them coming. I also loved the issue this book raises about domestic violence, the refuge centres, and how little help they are getting. Struggling for budgets and being ignored by large organisations is very a very common practice, and the women staying there can feel this, which results in them not feeling as safe as they should be, or not getting the help they really need.
Keeper is set in a very uncomfortable atmosphere. In each chapter, you can almost feel what these women are feeling, and even though I cannot relate to them, I could feel their pain and felt so anxious to help them. Jessica Moor was able to perfectly capture their fear, their anxiety, their struggle, and I could empathise with them.
Beautiful fast-paced thriller that you can’t put down, with amazing plot twists and topics so unfortunately common and infuriating! I definitely recommend it, you won’t be able to forget Keeper easily.
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March 20, 2020
This is a gut checking book on women's abuse.
Katie Shaw was one of them. She committed suicide OR was it murder?
A couple of competent detectives are on the case to sort out her life as she
lived it.
It took me a while to figure out how this story was evolving. It started to make sense after I figured out who was who and what was what.
Thanks to Goodreads/authors/publishers for a chance to read this story.
Katie Shaw was one of them. She committed suicide OR was it murder?
A couple of competent detectives are on the case to sort out her life as she
lived it.
It took me a while to figure out how this story was evolving. It started to make sense after I figured out who was who and what was what.
Thanks to Goodreads/authors/publishers for a chance to read this story.
June 28, 2020
The premise for KEEPER drew my attention and I was thoroughly engrossed for about the first 30%. After that...my interest waned. The concept was promising, as the light on domestic violence really needs to shine a little brighter sometimes and the twist at the end was brilliant, but everything in between was just a little bleh.
Katie Straw worked at a domestic violence refuge for women. But when her body is pulled from the river, at first glance it appears to be suicide. Or is it? Detectives Whitworth and Brookes must piece together Katie's life to work out if she did in fact kill herself or if she was murdered. But the question is, who would want to kill Katie?
As they delve into her background, detectives discover that there is no trace of anyone named Katie Straw. No birth certificate, no tax records, no nothing. The only real reason to change one's name is to hide in plain sight. So who exactly was Katie? And what, or who, was she running from?
Detectives question her boyfriend Noah and the women at the refuge, much to the chagrin of the woman who runs it, to try and get a lead on exactly who Katie was and what secrets she kept. The women, all of whom are a mixed bunch, aren't convinced Katie killed herself. Yes, she seemed sad at times but that wasn't who she was. The reader is slowly let into the confines of both the refuge and the minds of the women who shelter there.
KEEPER is Katie's story told in the past and present - THEN and NOW. As her story unfolds in the past chapters, we soon learn that her boyfriend Jamie is incredibly controlling and abusive. He doesn't hit her but then abuse comes in all shapes and sizes. He uses coercive control, he manipulates her, slowly chipping away at her and breaking her down...ultimately leading to threats. It is obvious from early on that Katie isn't happy. She stops eating and begins to lose weight. Jamie's pointed remarks about her being skin and bone only add to her growing loss of self confidence. It isn't until she finds herself in hospital that she finds the strength to leave.
I found myself more drawn to Katie's past story than the current one which was just so boring. Detective Whitworth was a wet blanket with a somewhat complacent view on abused women. He had no backbone and I kind of felt what was the point of him even being there. The women in the refuge, as sad as their stories were, all seemed to bleat on endlessly and Val, the woman who ran the place, wore a permanent cat's arse expression with tired lipstick. No one was very likable at all. As a domestic violence survivor myself, I found I couldn't relate to any of these women...except Katie, because she's the one we got to know the most.
It was unfortunate that this was such a disappointing read for me as it certainly had the potential to be a fantastic thriller. But it is not a thriller at all. It's not even a crime thriller. But it is a mystery. However, having said that, the best part of KEEPER is the ending. It was a shocking twist that I didn't see coming and it was a clever one at that...which is probably why I am so disappointed in the rest of the book.
So even if you don't like this book, I do recommend you read till the end...that twist may change the entire book for you. It didn't for me, but I still thought it was such a clever ending.
I would like to thank #JessicaMoor, #NetGalley and #PenguinUK for an ARC of #Keeper in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
Katie Straw worked at a domestic violence refuge for women. But when her body is pulled from the river, at first glance it appears to be suicide. Or is it? Detectives Whitworth and Brookes must piece together Katie's life to work out if she did in fact kill herself or if she was murdered. But the question is, who would want to kill Katie?
As they delve into her background, detectives discover that there is no trace of anyone named Katie Straw. No birth certificate, no tax records, no nothing. The only real reason to change one's name is to hide in plain sight. So who exactly was Katie? And what, or who, was she running from?
Detectives question her boyfriend Noah and the women at the refuge, much to the chagrin of the woman who runs it, to try and get a lead on exactly who Katie was and what secrets she kept. The women, all of whom are a mixed bunch, aren't convinced Katie killed herself. Yes, she seemed sad at times but that wasn't who she was. The reader is slowly let into the confines of both the refuge and the minds of the women who shelter there.
KEEPER is Katie's story told in the past and present - THEN and NOW. As her story unfolds in the past chapters, we soon learn that her boyfriend Jamie is incredibly controlling and abusive. He doesn't hit her but then abuse comes in all shapes and sizes. He uses coercive control, he manipulates her, slowly chipping away at her and breaking her down...ultimately leading to threats. It is obvious from early on that Katie isn't happy. She stops eating and begins to lose weight. Jamie's pointed remarks about her being skin and bone only add to her growing loss of self confidence. It isn't until she finds herself in hospital that she finds the strength to leave.
I found myself more drawn to Katie's past story than the current one which was just so boring. Detective Whitworth was a wet blanket with a somewhat complacent view on abused women. He had no backbone and I kind of felt what was the point of him even being there. The women in the refuge, as sad as their stories were, all seemed to bleat on endlessly and Val, the woman who ran the place, wore a permanent cat's arse expression with tired lipstick. No one was very likable at all. As a domestic violence survivor myself, I found I couldn't relate to any of these women...except Katie, because she's the one we got to know the most.
It was unfortunate that this was such a disappointing read for me as it certainly had the potential to be a fantastic thriller. But it is not a thriller at all. It's not even a crime thriller. But it is a mystery. However, having said that, the best part of KEEPER is the ending. It was a shocking twist that I didn't see coming and it was a clever one at that...which is probably why I am so disappointed in the rest of the book.
So even if you don't like this book, I do recommend you read till the end...that twist may change the entire book for you. It didn't for me, but I still thought it was such a clever ending.
I would like to thank #JessicaMoor, #NetGalley and #PenguinUK for an ARC of #Keeper in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
November 23, 2019
2.5 stars, skimmed to the end
Stories about domestic control, violence and abuse appear to be the topic du jour in popular fiction - and as important as it is as a live issue, not all these books have new or enlightening things to say. Into the Darkest Corner by Elisabeth Haynes, published in 2007, made me understand convincingly how a contemporary young woman can become isolated so systematically from friends, family, work, an entire social support network that to leave her 'loving protector' (aka abuser) becomes nearly impossible in her psyche. Many books since just reiterate the same message, becoming 'me too' copies: and that's where I'd place this.
Split into a conventional 'now' and 'then' narrative, one explores the police investigation into the death of Katie, the other takes us through her past relationship with Jamie. Hardly anything happens in the police investigation though it does provide a vehicle to tell other stories of the inhabitants of a women's refuge. If you've read any other books on this topic Katie's 'then' story will be very similar with nothing new to add. And there's a crass and trashy 'twist' at the end that cheapens everything.
It goes without saying that this is a hugely important topic and the author's intentions are undoubtedly well-meaning, wrapping up social messages in a piece of crime fiction - for me, the thriller elements were rather tepid but that's subjective. I'd recommend this to people who haven't read about abusive relationships before: if you have, this is predictable and transparent.
Thanks to Penguin for an ARC via NetGalley
Stories about domestic control, violence and abuse appear to be the topic du jour in popular fiction - and as important as it is as a live issue, not all these books have new or enlightening things to say. Into the Darkest Corner by Elisabeth Haynes, published in 2007, made me understand convincingly how a contemporary young woman can become isolated so systematically from friends, family, work, an entire social support network that to leave her 'loving protector' (aka abuser) becomes nearly impossible in her psyche. Many books since just reiterate the same message, becoming 'me too' copies: and that's where I'd place this.
Split into a conventional 'now' and 'then' narrative, one explores the police investigation into the death of Katie, the other takes us through her past relationship with Jamie. Hardly anything happens in the police investigation though it does provide a vehicle to tell other stories of the inhabitants of a women's refuge. If you've read any other books on this topic Katie's 'then' story will be very similar with nothing new to add. And there's a crass and trashy 'twist' at the end that cheapens everything.
It goes without saying that this is a hugely important topic and the author's intentions are undoubtedly well-meaning, wrapping up social messages in a piece of crime fiction - for me, the thriller elements were rather tepid but that's subjective. I'd recommend this to people who haven't read about abusive relationships before: if you have, this is predictable and transparent.
Thanks to Penguin for an ARC via NetGalley
March 22, 2020
When the body of Katie Straw is pulled from the river, the police think it was suicide. But the women at the refuge where Katie worked think differently. They persuade DS Whitworth and DC Brook to investigate further. But when the police look into her background, it seemed Katie didn't exist. So who is Katie Shaw?
The story is told from multiple points of view. This is a story about domestic abuse. Katie worked as a counsellor at a women's shelter. It's written in the then and now. There's references to sexual abuse and violence. There's a twist at the end that I never saw coming. The story is character driven. A good debut novel.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Books (UK) and the author Jessica Moor for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The story is told from multiple points of view. This is a story about domestic abuse. Katie worked as a counsellor at a women's shelter. It's written in the then and now. There's references to sexual abuse and violence. There's a twist at the end that I never saw coming. The story is character driven. A good debut novel.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Books (UK) and the author Jessica Moor for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 9, 2020
Compelling writing kept me reading even when I wanted to stop. The contents is devastating, all too real, and will haunt me for a while to come.
October 4, 2020
Talk about a gut punch of a book!
Katie Straw is dead. Her body was found in the river, assumed to be yet another jumper from the local suicide bridge. But those who knew her, the women she worked closely with at a domestic violence center, know it's not the case.
Murder framed as a suicide is a trope as old as time (Never Suicide). I could list a million examples, but Heathers comes to mind immediately.
But a pitch black comedic 80s classic, The Keeper is not. At it's heart, it's a slow moving emotional mystery. Heartbreaking stories of domestic violence and abuse are nothing new, not in fiction and not in real life. These characters have an aching realness to them, an unflinching display of raw emotion.
Jessica Moor's quiet yet open writing style (and in her debut novel no less!) does exactly what it needed to do. It guides you through the mystery and shows you the raw pain of the characters.
The Keeper doesn't break new ground, but maybe it repaves it at least. Thoughtful and well-written, it's a keeper for sure.
Thanks to Edelweiss and Penguin Books for the drc
Katie Straw is dead. Her body was found in the river, assumed to be yet another jumper from the local suicide bridge. But those who knew her, the women she worked closely with at a domestic violence center, know it's not the case.
Murder framed as a suicide is a trope as old as time (Never Suicide). I could list a million examples, but Heathers comes to mind immediately.
But a pitch black comedic 80s classic, The Keeper is not. At it's heart, it's a slow moving emotional mystery. Heartbreaking stories of domestic violence and abuse are nothing new, not in fiction and not in real life. These characters have an aching realness to them, an unflinching display of raw emotion.
Jessica Moor's quiet yet open writing style (and in her debut novel no less!) does exactly what it needed to do. It guides you through the mystery and shows you the raw pain of the characters.
The Keeper doesn't break new ground, but maybe it repaves it at least. Thoughtful and well-written, it's a keeper for sure.
Thanks to Edelweiss and Penguin Books for the drc
March 18, 2020
He loves you.
He controls you.
He’ll never let you go.
It’s insanely hard to find the words to do this novel justice. Keeper is one of those books that requires time to process. One that made me feel so incredibly angry, it left me wanting to punch something. And even after giving myself that time to sit back and think … guess what. Still bloody angry!
When Katie Straw’s body is found in the river, detectives quickly rule her death a suicide. But not everyone is convinced. The women at the local refuge, where Katie worked, know that danger lurks in every corner and while they may be at what is considered a safe place, somehow death got inside.
Despite the fact that there is a mystery to solve surrounding the death of Katie Straw, this is not your typical crime fiction novel. Keeper is billed as a literary thriller and I’m slightly worried that the “thriller” part will be somewhat misleading to readers who decide to pick this one up. It’s not that kind of thriller, it’s not a fast-paced solve-a-crime sort of novel but more of a character-driven drama with a thriller-ish element to it. (I know what I’m trying to say here but I don’t think I’m doing a very good job of it.) Yet, it is equally compelling, tense and gripping.
To be honest, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect but what I got is a dark and powerful story. Told in alternating chapters, we hear from Katie herself and learn about her past, we follow the detectives who are investigating Katie’s death and we are introduced to the women at the refuge. Manipulation and abuse comes in various shapes and sizes and these women’s stories really bring that to the fore. It doesn’t always come like a bolt of lightning, sometimes it’s just there from the beginning and it builds up gradually, so slowly that maybe you don’t even realise it’s happening.
Needless to say this isn’t a comfortable read. It is awfully sad and upsetting. It is unfortunately highly believable and realistic. It is incredibly frightening because it makes you realise this could happen to any one of us. It is chilling, hugely insightful and addictive. Did I mention it made me angry?
Keeper is an incredibly hard-hitting and thought-provoking debut from Jessica Moor and a novel that will undoubtedly stay with me forever. I definitely recommend you give this one a go. Brace yourself for the impact it will have and for the utterly heartbreaking conclusion.
He controls you.
He’ll never let you go.
It’s insanely hard to find the words to do this novel justice. Keeper is one of those books that requires time to process. One that made me feel so incredibly angry, it left me wanting to punch something. And even after giving myself that time to sit back and think … guess what. Still bloody angry!
When Katie Straw’s body is found in the river, detectives quickly rule her death a suicide. But not everyone is convinced. The women at the local refuge, where Katie worked, know that danger lurks in every corner and while they may be at what is considered a safe place, somehow death got inside.
Despite the fact that there is a mystery to solve surrounding the death of Katie Straw, this is not your typical crime fiction novel. Keeper is billed as a literary thriller and I’m slightly worried that the “thriller” part will be somewhat misleading to readers who decide to pick this one up. It’s not that kind of thriller, it’s not a fast-paced solve-a-crime sort of novel but more of a character-driven drama with a thriller-ish element to it. (I know what I’m trying to say here but I don’t think I’m doing a very good job of it.) Yet, it is equally compelling, tense and gripping.
To be honest, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect but what I got is a dark and powerful story. Told in alternating chapters, we hear from Katie herself and learn about her past, we follow the detectives who are investigating Katie’s death and we are introduced to the women at the refuge. Manipulation and abuse comes in various shapes and sizes and these women’s stories really bring that to the fore. It doesn’t always come like a bolt of lightning, sometimes it’s just there from the beginning and it builds up gradually, so slowly that maybe you don’t even realise it’s happening.
Needless to say this isn’t a comfortable read. It is awfully sad and upsetting. It is unfortunately highly believable and realistic. It is incredibly frightening because it makes you realise this could happen to any one of us. It is chilling, hugely insightful and addictive. Did I mention it made me angry?
Keeper is an incredibly hard-hitting and thought-provoking debut from Jessica Moor and a novel that will undoubtedly stay with me forever. I definitely recommend you give this one a go. Brace yourself for the impact it will have and for the utterly heartbreaking conclusion.
July 25, 2020
Keeper was one of those books that had the premise of being outstanding, but it didn’t work for me for several different reasons. Firstly, the characterisation didn’t work in any aspect. I didn’t feel connected or invested in their back stories or their end game. This was a real shame because good characterisation is pretty much a deal breaker for me. Like other readers, I went through bouts of anger and not the type that invoked such emotion that I was intertwined with the plot, the anger was for reasons that I will discuss below.
The main protagonists were so devoid of human kindness and emotion that I seriously wondered how far they had either got/or would get in the police force. I mean, you are dealing with a potential suicide and Detective Whitworth spend most of his time wondering why the deceased partner was such a wimp? We all have different reactions to grief and I was astonished that the Detective would actually voice this. He seems like an overly jaded officer, jaded about marriage, parenthood and women in general.
Katie Straw works at a women’s domestic violence refuge. She’s later pulled from the river and suspected suicide is considered. There’s no note but its suggested that that only happens in Hollywood movies. It’s the Detectives job to piece together that last moments of her life to work out if it was indeed suicide or that she was murdered. The question is who would want to kill the shy and reserved woman?
The plot thickens when they discover that there is no-one named Katie Straw – no birth certificate, no university degree and no tax records. Surely this is impossible? Only one plausible reason stands out – that she was hiding from something or someone. Katie’s boyfriend is questioned, her employer Val and the women who live in the refuge. Someone must know something? It was a nice touch being able to have the women’s take on the situation. We get to see a little snapshot of Katie’s day and it wasn’t necessarily a pleasant one.
Keeper was written in such a way that it invoked anger and questioning into its narrative. I didn’t like the detectives, nor did I like Val. She had the condescending air of a female supremacist. Yes, she wanted to protect the women under her care, but she also didn’t think that men were capable of being in the same situation. Ultimately, she conducted herself with an air of toxic femininity. I truly wonder what kind of impact she had on the women and children living there.
The two saving graces for Keeper was the ending and the awareness it tried to show in regard to domestic violence. The ending was a complete doozy and one I didn’t see coming. It blew me straight out of the left field and I was utterly gobsmacked. I wish the rest of the book had been as thrilling as that because I wouldn’t have felt exasperated whilst reading it.
The main protagonists were so devoid of human kindness and emotion that I seriously wondered how far they had either got/or would get in the police force. I mean, you are dealing with a potential suicide and Detective Whitworth spend most of his time wondering why the deceased partner was such a wimp? We all have different reactions to grief and I was astonished that the Detective would actually voice this. He seems like an overly jaded officer, jaded about marriage, parenthood and women in general.
Katie Straw works at a women’s domestic violence refuge. She’s later pulled from the river and suspected suicide is considered. There’s no note but its suggested that that only happens in Hollywood movies. It’s the Detectives job to piece together that last moments of her life to work out if it was indeed suicide or that she was murdered. The question is who would want to kill the shy and reserved woman?
The plot thickens when they discover that there is no-one named Katie Straw – no birth certificate, no university degree and no tax records. Surely this is impossible? Only one plausible reason stands out – that she was hiding from something or someone. Katie’s boyfriend is questioned, her employer Val and the women who live in the refuge. Someone must know something? It was a nice touch being able to have the women’s take on the situation. We get to see a little snapshot of Katie’s day and it wasn’t necessarily a pleasant one.
Keeper was written in such a way that it invoked anger and questioning into its narrative. I didn’t like the detectives, nor did I like Val. She had the condescending air of a female supremacist. Yes, she wanted to protect the women under her care, but she also didn’t think that men were capable of being in the same situation. Ultimately, she conducted herself with an air of toxic femininity. I truly wonder what kind of impact she had on the women and children living there.
The two saving graces for Keeper was the ending and the awareness it tried to show in regard to domestic violence. The ending was a complete doozy and one I didn’t see coming. It blew me straight out of the left field and I was utterly gobsmacked. I wish the rest of the book had been as thrilling as that because I wouldn’t have felt exasperated whilst reading it.
February 23, 2020
In compliance with FTC guidelines------I received this book free from a Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for an honest review. The content of this review is not influenced by that fact. The feelings expressed are solely mine. I sincerely appreciate the chance to read and review this book.
3.5 stars but I’ll generously raise to 4 stars for Goodreads rating system.
I do not want to appear that I’m being overly harsh with my rating for this book. I think it was a great quick paced read. Definitely a good fit for thriller lovers. It was not the greatest of all thrillers I’ve read but it was certainly entertaining and interesting.
However these three things hold me back from a higher rating as sometimes it is all in the small details.
1. The book seemed to turn to a more literary fiction focus at times.
2. There was a very pronounced author opinion bleeding through the characters. I’m not opposed to that somewhat but it can get distracting when it’s overdone. In my opinion that was the case a bit here.
3. The cover art on the version I received was not in the least bit intriguing. I know judging a book by its cover is often frowned upon but it is naive to believe a buyer will not be influenced. It happens daily! If the cover art is not appealing a book cannot compete in the especially over saturated thriller market. This cover had nothing to draw a reader’s eye and surely nothing to make them not skip over it. The was nothing new or refreshing. In fact, when I first saw it I thought I’d either read it or seen it on the shelf a million times before.
3.5* (4*)/ 3.84*
3.5 stars but I’ll generously raise to 4 stars for Goodreads rating system.
I do not want to appear that I’m being overly harsh with my rating for this book. I think it was a great quick paced read. Definitely a good fit for thriller lovers. It was not the greatest of all thrillers I’ve read but it was certainly entertaining and interesting.
However these three things hold me back from a higher rating as sometimes it is all in the small details.
1. The book seemed to turn to a more literary fiction focus at times.
2. There was a very pronounced author opinion bleeding through the characters. I’m not opposed to that somewhat but it can get distracting when it’s overdone. In my opinion that was the case a bit here.
3. The cover art on the version I received was not in the least bit intriguing. I know judging a book by its cover is often frowned upon but it is naive to believe a buyer will not be influenced. It happens daily! If the cover art is not appealing a book cannot compete in the especially over saturated thriller market. This cover had nothing to draw a reader’s eye and surely nothing to make them not skip over it. The was nothing new or refreshing. In fact, when I first saw it I thought I’d either read it or seen it on the shelf a million times before.
3.5* (4*)/ 3.84*
March 28, 2020
Val McDermid and Jeanette Winterson are among the fans of this, Penguin’s lead debut title of 2020. When a young woman is found drowned at a popular suicide site in the Manchester area, the police plan to dismiss the case as an open-and-shut suicide. But the others at the women’s shelter where Katie Straw worked aren’t convinced, and for nearly the whole span of this taut psychological thriller readers are left to wonder if it was suicide or murder.
The novel alternates between chapters marked “Then” and “Now”: in the latter story line, we follow the police investigation and meet the women of the refuge; in the former, we dive into Katie’s own experience of an abusive relationship back in London. While her mother was dying of cancer she found it comforting to have a boyfriend who was so attentive to her needs, but eventually Jamie’s obsessive love became confining.
I almost never pick up a mystery, but this one was well worth making an exception for. I started suspecting the twist at maybe the two-thirds point, but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment. Based on Moor’s year working in the violence against women sector, it’s a gripping and grimly fascinating story of why women stay with their abusers and what finally drives them to leave.
Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.
The novel alternates between chapters marked “Then” and “Now”: in the latter story line, we follow the police investigation and meet the women of the refuge; in the former, we dive into Katie’s own experience of an abusive relationship back in London. While her mother was dying of cancer she found it comforting to have a boyfriend who was so attentive to her needs, but eventually Jamie’s obsessive love became confining.
I almost never pick up a mystery, but this one was well worth making an exception for. I started suspecting the twist at maybe the two-thirds point, but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment. Based on Moor’s year working in the violence against women sector, it’s a gripping and grimly fascinating story of why women stay with their abusers and what finally drives them to leave.
Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.
March 22, 2020
When the body of Kate Straw is pulled from the river, the police think it was suicide. But the women at the refuge where katie worked think differently. They persuade DS Whitworth and DC Brook to investigate further. But when the police .ook into her background, it seems Katie didn't exist. So who is Katie Shaw.
This story is told from multiple points of view. This is a story about domestic abuse. Kaatie worked as a counsellor at a women's shelter. It's written in the then and now. There's references to sexual abuse and violence. There's a twist athe the end that I never saw coming. Thenstory is character driven. A good debut novel
I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Books (UK) and the author Jessica Moor for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This story is told from multiple points of view. This is a story about domestic abuse. Kaatie worked as a counsellor at a women's shelter. It's written in the then and now. There's references to sexual abuse and violence. There's a twist athe the end that I never saw coming. Thenstory is character driven. A good debut novel
I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Books (UK) and the author Jessica Moor for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 27, 2020
I was banking on easy crime reading, and while all crime writing is designed to shock and unsettle I got much more than I bargained for here. This story about domestic violence was equal parts quietly unsettling, horrifying, gruesomely violent, and uncomfortable. While I didn’t think the writing was anything exceptional, the narrative left me feeling sick in a way a lot of crime writing isn’t able to.
May 13, 2020
3 stars
I was greatly looking forward to The Keeper, as it was pitched as "an addictive literary thriller about a crime as shocking as it is commonplace" (i.e., domestic violence). Some of my favorite books can be loosely classified literary thrillers (Du Maurier's Rebecca; Tartt's The Secret History; Moshfegh's Eileen). Plus, while killings due to domestic abuse are quite commonplace, I've never known them to be the subject of crime fiction. This makes The Keeper doubly intriguing to me.
However, few chapters into the book, it became clear to me that this is neither literary fiction nor a thriller. This is probably best described a character-driven murder mystery, similar to Laura Lippman's After I'm Gone. The book opens with the investigation of the apparent suicide of Katie Straw, with the narrative moving back and forth between past and present. The sections titled "Then" give us a window into Katie's life when she was alive, and the ones on "Now" follow DS Whitworth and DC Brookes as they interrogate possible suspects, namely Katie's boyfriend and the women in the shelter that Katie worked with. In the present, we also get the backstories of the five or six women who last interacted with Katie when she was alive.
I liked what this book attempted much more than its execution, so I'll start with what it tried to do. I think by the slow-going, half-hearted investigation and the use of two white men as police officers, Moor demonstrates how the law never takes the cases of domestic violence seriously in the first place. DS Whitworth and DC Brookes also have some galling notions about the women in the shelter. For example, when a woman went back to her husband:
And, when this woman was found dead, DC Brookes commented:
It was infuriating how they tried to justify the man's actions, even when the woman was already dead. A number of other scenes also make this point: the justice system is still inherently biased towards defending the men's actions, and minimizing and dismissing the women's experiences of abuse at their hands, suggesting that she "deserved it" or that she "made him do it".
However, aside from the point it was trying to make, I didn't like anything else about the novel. The women in the shelter were given backstories but not personalities—even halfway through the book, I was still confusing one character for another. I also felt I had to care about the women because the book is telling me to, and because they're all victims. The women's persistent sense of victimhood did contribute to the bleakness of the novel, but I don't think it does justice to survivors of domestic abuse.
Overall, this was a very promising debut novel that fell short in execution, likely because of its noble intentions. The pacing was too slow, the plot was bogged down by too much backstory, and the characters were so similar to each other that they could have been interchangeable. The moralizing was also heavy-handed. However, if you’re looking for a noir-ish crime novel with feminist undertones and don’t mind the slow pacing, backstory, and large cast of characters, then you might be curious about what The Keeper has to offer.
I was greatly looking forward to The Keeper, as it was pitched as "an addictive literary thriller about a crime as shocking as it is commonplace" (i.e., domestic violence). Some of my favorite books can be loosely classified literary thrillers (Du Maurier's Rebecca; Tartt's The Secret History; Moshfegh's Eileen). Plus, while killings due to domestic abuse are quite commonplace, I've never known them to be the subject of crime fiction. This makes The Keeper doubly intriguing to me.
However, few chapters into the book, it became clear to me that this is neither literary fiction nor a thriller. This is probably best described a character-driven murder mystery, similar to Laura Lippman's After I'm Gone. The book opens with the investigation of the apparent suicide of Katie Straw, with the narrative moving back and forth between past and present. The sections titled "Then" give us a window into Katie's life when she was alive, and the ones on "Now" follow DS Whitworth and DC Brookes as they interrogate possible suspects, namely Katie's boyfriend and the women in the shelter that Katie worked with. In the present, we also get the backstories of the five or six women who last interacted with Katie when she was alive.
I liked what this book attempted much more than its execution, so I'll start with what it tried to do. I think by the slow-going, half-hearted investigation and the use of two white men as police officers, Moor demonstrates how the law never takes the cases of domestic violence seriously in the first place. DS Whitworth and DC Brookes also have some galling notions about the women in the shelter. For example, when a woman went back to her husband:
Why, Whitworth wondered with an ancient sort of weariness, can these bloody women not look after themselves?
And, when this woman was found dead, DC Brookes commented:
“We don’t know what she did. For all we know, she spent every day dragging her husband through the dirt while she lived off his money. You saw that house. You saw all the things he gave her. And what did she do in return?”
It was infuriating how they tried to justify the man's actions, even when the woman was already dead. A number of other scenes also make this point: the justice system is still inherently biased towards defending the men's actions, and minimizing and dismissing the women's experiences of abuse at their hands, suggesting that she "deserved it" or that she "made him do it".
However, aside from the point it was trying to make, I didn't like anything else about the novel. The women in the shelter were given backstories but not personalities—even halfway through the book, I was still confusing one character for another. I also felt I had to care about the women because the book is telling me to, and because they're all victims. The women's persistent sense of victimhood did contribute to the bleakness of the novel, but I don't think it does justice to survivors of domestic abuse.
Overall, this was a very promising debut novel that fell short in execution, likely because of its noble intentions. The pacing was too slow, the plot was bogged down by too much backstory, and the characters were so similar to each other that they could have been interchangeable. The moralizing was also heavy-handed. However, if you’re looking for a noir-ish crime novel with feminist undertones and don’t mind the slow pacing, backstory, and large cast of characters, then you might be curious about what The Keeper has to offer.
March 8, 2021
When Katie Straw’s body is found in a local river the police are sure it’s a suicide. Detectives Whitworth and his protege Brookes just need to convince the staff and residents at the local women’s refuge, where Katie worked, of this as they aren’t that convinced.
In a separate timeline, several years in the past, Katie meets Jamie; a charismatic and intense man who quickly and easily fits into her life, supporting her while she deals with her mother’s cancer diagnosis. He looks after her, he makes her feel safe. After all her mother can’t exactly do that right now.
This book was a bit of a slow burner. While I was instantly transfixed with Katie and Jamie’s relationship, it took me longer to get into the world of the women’s refuge and get to know the different women there. But after a while I was hooked and couldn’t put it down. Seeing how Katie’s relationship kept slowly, and ever so subtly, changing scared the life out of me. And oh my god, the last few chapters! You know when you’re reading a book and your heart starts hammering in your chest with fear? Yep, been there and done that tonight.
It’s hard to believe that this is Jessica Moor’s debut novel. She writes so beautifully that you’d be forgiven for thinking she’s an old hand at this. The book is plotted so perfectly that before you know it you’re sucked in and can’t leave - just like Katie.
Keeper is a deeply disturbing and incredibly powerful novel, which will keep you thinking about it long after you’ve finished it.
In a separate timeline, several years in the past, Katie meets Jamie; a charismatic and intense man who quickly and easily fits into her life, supporting her while she deals with her mother’s cancer diagnosis. He looks after her, he makes her feel safe. After all her mother can’t exactly do that right now.
This book was a bit of a slow burner. While I was instantly transfixed with Katie and Jamie’s relationship, it took me longer to get into the world of the women’s refuge and get to know the different women there. But after a while I was hooked and couldn’t put it down. Seeing how Katie’s relationship kept slowly, and ever so subtly, changing scared the life out of me. And oh my god, the last few chapters! You know when you’re reading a book and your heart starts hammering in your chest with fear? Yep, been there and done that tonight.
It’s hard to believe that this is Jessica Moor’s debut novel. She writes so beautifully that you’d be forgiven for thinking she’s an old hand at this. The book is plotted so perfectly that before you know it you’re sucked in and can’t leave - just like Katie.
Keeper is a deeply disturbing and incredibly powerful novel, which will keep you thinking about it long after you’ve finished it.
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