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SHE LIED TO PROTECT A KILLER. COULD SHE BE HIS NEXT VICTIM?
'An excellent, page-turning psychological suspense novel . . . Kept me guessing to the end' Jenny Quintana, author of The Missing Girl
The morning after a terrible storm, a woman turns up in a remote Cornish village. She calls herself Charlie, but it's a name she's only had for a few days. She keeps herself to herself, reluctant to integrate with the locals. Because Charlie has a secret.
Charlie was in prison for providing a false alibi for a murderer. But Lee Fisher wasn't a murderer to her; he was the man she loved. Convinced of his innocence, Charlie said she was with him the night a young woman was killed.
And now she has a chance to start again. But someone is watching her, waiting for her, wondering if she's really paid the price for what she did….
256 pages, Hardcover
First published October 31, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 240 reviews
November 3, 2019
**3.5 stars *
When Steffi Finn provided a false alibi for her controlling boyfriend Lee Fisher, she had no idea how bad that decision was, but it sees them both serve a prison sentence, and in Steffi’s case it comes with numerous death threats too.
On her release from prison she assumes a new identity under the name of Charlie Miller, and moves hundreds of miles away from her home in Sheffield to a small village on the Cornish coast.
Initially Charlie keeps herself to herself, but as with most small villages it isn’t that easy. Her neighbours are keen to see who’s bought the run down house and when they pay her a call, they want to know all about her. Eventually Charlie begins to integrate, but there’s always the fear that someone will recognise her - and added to that, she also believes that she’s being watched.
Told in the form of dual timelines that very slowly reveal Charlie’s and Lee’s backstory, there were some very tense moments, along with lots of interesting characters, some of whom have you questioning their motives towards Charlie.
Although I felt the storyline lost it’s way a little towards the middle, it definitely picked up again leading to a fast paced conclusion.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK for my ARC. I have given an honest unbiased review in exchange *
When Steffi Finn provided a false alibi for her controlling boyfriend Lee Fisher, she had no idea how bad that decision was, but it sees them both serve a prison sentence, and in Steffi’s case it comes with numerous death threats too.
On her release from prison she assumes a new identity under the name of Charlie Miller, and moves hundreds of miles away from her home in Sheffield to a small village on the Cornish coast.
Initially Charlie keeps herself to herself, but as with most small villages it isn’t that easy. Her neighbours are keen to see who’s bought the run down house and when they pay her a call, they want to know all about her. Eventually Charlie begins to integrate, but there’s always the fear that someone will recognise her - and added to that, she also believes that she’s being watched.
Told in the form of dual timelines that very slowly reveal Charlie’s and Lee’s backstory, there were some very tense moments, along with lots of interesting characters, some of whom have you questioning their motives towards Charlie.
Although I felt the storyline lost it’s way a little towards the middle, it definitely picked up again leading to a fast paced conclusion.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK for my ARC. I have given an honest unbiased review in exchange *
February 17, 2020
This is riveting, interesting, fast pacing story. It is not mind blowing kind of terrifying, nail biter but mostly it is really well written and capturing your focus. It starts as five starred reading with intriguing plot, good characterization (you deeply feel for Steffi a.k.a Charlie) but in the middle you just lose your interest and it drops to 2 or 3 starred reading and thankfully ending was satisfying and it hooks you again and you tell yourself: “Okay, that is not one of the best thrillers that I’ve read but it’s still above the average.
Beginning: 5 Middle: 3 Ending: 3 Average: 11/3= 3.66 stars rounded up 4! (See, I’m always fair with my grading system.)
Well, this book captivates your attention from the first pages with its promising start: Steffi Finn provides false alibi to her boyfriend Lee Fisher but guess what? She got caught, serving prison time and throughout her locked up years, getting more death threats. So as a precaution, she changes her name as Charlie Miller, moving to a small village on Cornish coast named Sheffield. And she always checks her back, being more paranoid than before, scaring that someone at the town may find out who she is and she is right, somebody is watching her. She is not safe anymore. Maybe she should stay at the prison.
We’re moving back and forth between present time: Charlie’s new life: her interaction with town’s people, their prying, noisy, questioning attitudes, her fears not to be recognized and raising tension that somebody is adamant to avenge her. And the flashbacks help us know about her and Lee’s relationship dynamics, the reasoning behind her false alibi.
But as I said before, the author lost the essence of the story and she kept stalling as if she wanted to gain some time till something comes to her mind. But thankfully she finally takes the control of the story where she left of at last chapters and finished it with heart throbbing, exciting, action-packed ending. So I highly suggest you if you get bored in the middle of the book, please keep going, be patient because it’s worth it! It’s good written book with well-rounded, interesting supporting characters. And at the end, you feel relieved the story concludes at some reliable point.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for sharing this ARC COPY with me in exchange my honest review.
Beginning: 5 Middle: 3 Ending: 3 Average: 11/3= 3.66 stars rounded up 4! (See, I’m always fair with my grading system.)
Well, this book captivates your attention from the first pages with its promising start: Steffi Finn provides false alibi to her boyfriend Lee Fisher but guess what? She got caught, serving prison time and throughout her locked up years, getting more death threats. So as a precaution, she changes her name as Charlie Miller, moving to a small village on Cornish coast named Sheffield. And she always checks her back, being more paranoid than before, scaring that someone at the town may find out who she is and she is right, somebody is watching her. She is not safe anymore. Maybe she should stay at the prison.
We’re moving back and forth between present time: Charlie’s new life: her interaction with town’s people, their prying, noisy, questioning attitudes, her fears not to be recognized and raising tension that somebody is adamant to avenge her. And the flashbacks help us know about her and Lee’s relationship dynamics, the reasoning behind her false alibi.
But as I said before, the author lost the essence of the story and she kept stalling as if she wanted to gain some time till something comes to her mind. But thankfully she finally takes the control of the story where she left of at last chapters and finished it with heart throbbing, exciting, action-packed ending. So I highly suggest you if you get bored in the middle of the book, please keep going, be patient because it’s worth it! It’s good written book with well-rounded, interesting supporting characters. And at the end, you feel relieved the story concludes at some reliable point.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for sharing this ARC COPY with me in exchange my honest review.
March 7, 2020
3.5*
Is it possible to simply start over?
Steffi Finn trusted the wrong man. Young, foolish and in love, she ignores all the obvious warning signs. Something about love being blind? This, despite the fact that young local women are being murdered. And when the police came knocking? Well, what’s a love-struck girl to do? Naturally Steffi quickly gives her boyfriend the alibi he desperately needs. I mean, he couldn’t be guilty...right!?💁🏻♀️
No big surprise when everything goes sideways, and Steffi suddenly finds herself the most despised woman in the UK. This begs the obvious question - why didn’t she come forward? Why would she allow her boyfriend to keep murdering innocent girls. Found guilty of hindering an investigation and just released from prison, Steffi quickly changes her identity. She moves to a small village hoping not to be recognized. Despite the major changes, she still feels compelled to keep looking over her shoulder.
This is the second book I’ve read by Jo Jakeman. Her previous release, The Ex’s Revenge had a completely different feel to it. Nothing wrong with that! Once I moved past the differences in style I was able to sit back and enjoy. I look forward to her next release!
A buddy read with Susanne.
Thank you to Elisha at Berkley Publishing for an ARC to read and review.
Is it possible to simply start over?
Steffi Finn trusted the wrong man. Young, foolish and in love, she ignores all the obvious warning signs. Something about love being blind? This, despite the fact that young local women are being murdered. And when the police came knocking? Well, what’s a love-struck girl to do? Naturally Steffi quickly gives her boyfriend the alibi he desperately needs. I mean, he couldn’t be guilty...right!?💁🏻♀️
No big surprise when everything goes sideways, and Steffi suddenly finds herself the most despised woman in the UK. This begs the obvious question - why didn’t she come forward? Why would she allow her boyfriend to keep murdering innocent girls. Found guilty of hindering an investigation and just released from prison, Steffi quickly changes her identity. She moves to a small village hoping not to be recognized. Despite the major changes, she still feels compelled to keep looking over her shoulder.
This is the second book I’ve read by Jo Jakeman. Her previous release, The Ex’s Revenge had a completely different feel to it. Nothing wrong with that! Once I moved past the differences in style I was able to sit back and enjoy. I look forward to her next release!
A buddy read with Susanne.
Thank you to Elisha at Berkley Publishing for an ARC to read and review.
March 7, 2020
3.75 Stars
Sometimes, no matter what the circumstance, you should trust your instincts.
Every Step You Take
Every Move You Make
Every Breath You Take
I’ll Be Watching You
The Police, 1983
Charlie Miller desperately needs to start fresh. An ex-con, with a new name, Charlie Miller is now living in a small Cornish village far from her home. Charlie was once known as Steffi Finn, girlfriend to serial murderer, Lee. Steffi was accused of giving a false alibi to the police and served two years in prison. The press crucified her and now years later, even though she moved away and made new friends, she still has to watch her back.
“Safe House” by Jo Jakeman, is told in present tense, with flashbacks to Steffi’s past. This novel is what I would describe as a character study wrapped into a slowly evolving suspense novel. I quite enjoyed the way this novel was told as I love character driven novels, though it may not be for everyone. Though I guessed certain plot points, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of this novel. Having read Jo Jakeman’s debut, “The Exe’s Revenge” I will admit that I liked that novel a tad bit more than “Safe House” though I am now a true fan and will read whatever Ms. Jakeman writes.
Another buddy read with Kaceey!
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for the arc.
Published on Goodreads on 3.6.20.
Sometimes, no matter what the circumstance, you should trust your instincts.
Every Step You Take
Every Move You Make
Every Breath You Take
I’ll Be Watching You
The Police, 1983
Charlie Miller desperately needs to start fresh. An ex-con, with a new name, Charlie Miller is now living in a small Cornish village far from her home. Charlie was once known as Steffi Finn, girlfriend to serial murderer, Lee. Steffi was accused of giving a false alibi to the police and served two years in prison. The press crucified her and now years later, even though she moved away and made new friends, she still has to watch her back.
“Safe House” by Jo Jakeman, is told in present tense, with flashbacks to Steffi’s past. This novel is what I would describe as a character study wrapped into a slowly evolving suspense novel. I quite enjoyed the way this novel was told as I love character driven novels, though it may not be for everyone. Though I guessed certain plot points, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of this novel. Having read Jo Jakeman’s debut, “The Exe’s Revenge” I will admit that I liked that novel a tad bit more than “Safe House” though I am now a true fan and will read whatever Ms. Jakeman writes.
Another buddy read with Kaceey!
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for the arc.
Published on Goodreads on 3.6.20.
March 20, 2020
Steffi is guilty of giving her ex a false alibi, and she’s going into hiding in a seaside village. She buys an old cottage and gives herself a new name, Charlie Miller. She’s mostly a recluse.
In the past, Charlie served two years for providing the false alibi. She didn’t believe her boyfriend was guilty, but she was wrong, and now she just wants to start over.
Eventually, Charlie gets to know her neighbors and comes out of her shell. All the while, she feels as if she’s being watched. A friend of hers disappears, and she is forced to face her past.
Safe House is fast-paced and riveting. It’s a suspenseful, character-driven mystery, and I enjoyed all the creepy, “watching you” vibes, and the originality of the story that kept me guessing!
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
In the past, Charlie served two years for providing the false alibi. She didn’t believe her boyfriend was guilty, but she was wrong, and now she just wants to start over.
Eventually, Charlie gets to know her neighbors and comes out of her shell. All the while, she feels as if she’s being watched. A friend of hers disappears, and she is forced to face her past.
Safe House is fast-paced and riveting. It’s a suspenseful, character-driven mystery, and I enjoyed all the creepy, “watching you” vibes, and the originality of the story that kept me guessing!
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
January 13, 2020
3.5 stars
Loved the premise for this one as it's about a woman who just got out of prison for providing a false alibi. She's looking to start over under a new name and in a new town but someone out there thinks she got off too easy. Better watch your back lady! The story lost a bit of steam starting somewhere in the second half but things definitely got interesting towards the end.
Steffi Finn needs a fresh start. She gave a false alibi to police when they came around asking questions about her boyfriend, Lee. Even though she came clean once she realized Lee was a murderer, she still was sentenced to two years in prison. Once she is released, she can't go back to her old life because the case made national news and to say she isn't well-liked is putting it mildly. She moves to a small village and changes her name to Charlie Miller. She doesn't want to get too friendly with her neighbors just in case they figure out her real identity. Unfortunately, it's not too long before Charlie feels like she is being watched. Is she being paranoid for no reason?
The story alternates between a few characters but it mainly shows Charlie in the present day adjusting to her new life, and also back when she was Steffi and the things that led up to her being sent to prison. I thought Charlie/Steffi was a fairly likable character and you couldn't help but feel sorry for her.
I liked this book a little more than the author's previous book, The Exes' Revenge. The story for the most part doesn't feel so far-fetched. Because of the way the author set up the story, you feel like you know basically what is going to happen but you still want to see it play out. I didn't think the second half of the book was as strong as the first, but don't lose faith as the ending wasn't dull.
I wouldn't necessarily say this is a must-read but it definitely made for a good book to curl up on the couch with while drinking some hot chocolate.
Thank you to Berkley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review!
Loved the premise for this one as it's about a woman who just got out of prison for providing a false alibi. She's looking to start over under a new name and in a new town but someone out there thinks she got off too easy. Better watch your back lady! The story lost a bit of steam starting somewhere in the second half but things definitely got interesting towards the end.
Steffi Finn needs a fresh start. She gave a false alibi to police when they came around asking questions about her boyfriend, Lee. Even though she came clean once she realized Lee was a murderer, she still was sentenced to two years in prison. Once she is released, she can't go back to her old life because the case made national news and to say she isn't well-liked is putting it mildly. She moves to a small village and changes her name to Charlie Miller. She doesn't want to get too friendly with her neighbors just in case they figure out her real identity. Unfortunately, it's not too long before Charlie feels like she is being watched. Is she being paranoid for no reason?
The story alternates between a few characters but it mainly shows Charlie in the present day adjusting to her new life, and also back when she was Steffi and the things that led up to her being sent to prison. I thought Charlie/Steffi was a fairly likable character and you couldn't help but feel sorry for her.
I liked this book a little more than the author's previous book, The Exes' Revenge. The story for the most part doesn't feel so far-fetched. Because of the way the author set up the story, you feel like you know basically what is going to happen but you still want to see it play out. I didn't think the second half of the book was as strong as the first, but don't lose faith as the ending wasn't dull.
I wouldn't necessarily say this is a must-read but it definitely made for a good book to curl up on the couch with while drinking some hot chocolate.
Thank you to Berkley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review!
October 28, 2019
Steffi has just been released from prison. She buys a run down cottage that she intends to renovate herself. She changes her name to Charlie and starts her new life in a small Cornish village. She soon starts to make new friends, even with the grumpy old man who lives next door. But then strange things start to happen around her. She feels that she is being watched. Has her past came back to haunt her.
There's quite a lot of backstory to contend with. There are parts that seem to drag on. Charlie's character is complex. There were so many characters that could have been the culprit in this story, I just couldn't guess who it was. The storyline is intriguing and it gets better and better as the story unfolds. The dual timeline enables us to understand Charlie's background better, her time in prison and trying to make a new life for herself. I don't think anyone can escape their past. There is always someone who will recognise you. This is a fantastic read.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Random House UK, Vintage Publishing and the author Jo Jakeman for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
There's quite a lot of backstory to contend with. There are parts that seem to drag on. Charlie's character is complex. There were so many characters that could have been the culprit in this story, I just couldn't guess who it was. The storyline is intriguing and it gets better and better as the story unfolds. The dual timeline enables us to understand Charlie's background better, her time in prison and trying to make a new life for herself. I don't think anyone can escape their past. There is always someone who will recognise you. This is a fantastic read.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Random House UK, Vintage Publishing and the author Jo Jakeman for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 14, 2019
Safe House by Jo Jakeman. This book was an enjoyable enough read but it never really captured me, the beginning was good but I felt that in the middle it got a bit slow and then then the ending felt rushed and way over the top. I was expecting a lot more from the story from the synopsis.
Charlie is new to the small remote Cornish town and ready for a new start. She has just been released from prison where she was serving time for providing her then boyfriend Lee a false alibi. Back then she was Steffi and her boyfriend turned out to be a murderer. Charming! Now she wants to put all that behind her and get on with her life. She plans to keep to herself but the residents of the small town start to become part of her life. She is renovating a house and gets invited to join the book club (I did love the cafe where this was held... heaven!) But she has the feeling she is being watched and strange things start to happen to her.
Thanks to Random House UK, Vintage Publishing and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased
Charlie is new to the small remote Cornish town and ready for a new start. She has just been released from prison where she was serving time for providing her then boyfriend Lee a false alibi. Back then she was Steffi and her boyfriend turned out to be a murderer. Charming! Now she wants to put all that behind her and get on with her life. She plans to keep to herself but the residents of the small town start to become part of her life. She is renovating a house and gets invited to join the book club (I did love the cafe where this was held... heaven!) But she has the feeling she is being watched and strange things start to happen to her.
Thanks to Random House UK, Vintage Publishing and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased
October 18, 2019
Steffi Finn was in love with her man. So when he told her that the police were trying to fit him up for something he hadn’t done, she lied for him. Said he was with her all night. Because that’s what you do, right? You protect the ones you care about. Most of all, you believe them. In cases like this, you have to believe them. Otherwise those questions about missing women mean there’s something a whole lot worse going on than you just making a mistake….
And boy was she ever wrong, with a prison sentence to prove it.
Now she’s out. New name. New life. A chance to start again.
But someone thinks she doesn’t deserve it. They’re going to show her what it really means to be sorry.
This is a book that plays skilfully with perspective. Not just through multiple POV, different timelines, or the addition of newspaper articles, which were all important factors in building the picture, but in the way the very idea of someone can be altered by what you think you know about them. Or what they ‘know’ about themselves. Of course, that’s a staple of psychological thrillers, but it’s well done here. For Charlie, paranoia rules. Her entire world, her system of belief and understanding of self, was invalidated by one choice: to trust her boyfriend. Nothing can be a coincidence anymore, suspicion colours her every interaction. She has to wonder whether those around her are interested, intrusive, or just plain dangerous. Do they know about her? If so, what do they think and more importantly, what are they doing to do? And if they don’t, what happens when they find out??
When you’re just out of prison and the only opportunity you have left is on the line, every moment seems loaded with significance, with threat even. Neither Charlie nor the reader know what’s real. Is there someone out to get her, or is it all a product of her anxious mind? This new Charlie, characterised by disbelief and distrust, is powerfully contrasted by the old version of herself. Poor Steffi, desperate for love and attention, unguarded and easy to manipulate. The flashbacks to her past provide more than a few signs of abuse and control, her murderous ex and his form of coercive love clear for us to see, if not so obvious to Steffi herself. And here lies the interesting bit: if you heard on the news that a woman had alibied her guy when he was out killing women, what would you think? Perhaps that she was stupid? Or maybe that she knew? Even though we experience what Steffi did, know what she thought or saw, still it’s hard not to blame her. Come on now, how could she not see??? Right? That’s the sandbox the book plays in so well. What we know in the book vs what we ‘know’ ourselves. And the realisation that we could so easily be Steffi makes it all so deliciously uncomfortable. After all, how well can you really know somebody…..??
On top of that, it’s surprisingly funny, with more than a dash of dark humour. Steffi/Charlie brings conflicting feelings but is engaging throughout, while the side characters all have that something that makes them vividly rendered in the mind’s eye. The slow-build pacing means that the final reveal crashes in like a tidal wave, demolishing all the hints and possibilities, then receding to leave the truth battered and bruised on the sand. It works well enough but isn’t entirely satisfying. Probably more thanks to the change in pacing than any failure to round out the story. In fact, the biggest issue I had with the book overall is that I loved the opening scene with DC Naz Apkarian and DC Angus Harper so much that I was disappointed that it wasn’t their show. They had immediate appeal, the classic cop duo with attitude all day long. Let Charlie have her new life, I’d rather see what Naz and Angus have to offer.
Safe House is a twisty, suspenseful thriller that has you questioning everything. Even yourself.
ARC via Netgalley
And boy was she ever wrong, with a prison sentence to prove it.
Now she’s out. New name. New life. A chance to start again.
But someone thinks she doesn’t deserve it. They’re going to show her what it really means to be sorry.
This is a book that plays skilfully with perspective. Not just through multiple POV, different timelines, or the addition of newspaper articles, which were all important factors in building the picture, but in the way the very idea of someone can be altered by what you think you know about them. Or what they ‘know’ about themselves. Of course, that’s a staple of psychological thrillers, but it’s well done here. For Charlie, paranoia rules. Her entire world, her system of belief and understanding of self, was invalidated by one choice: to trust her boyfriend. Nothing can be a coincidence anymore, suspicion colours her every interaction. She has to wonder whether those around her are interested, intrusive, or just plain dangerous. Do they know about her? If so, what do they think and more importantly, what are they doing to do? And if they don’t, what happens when they find out??
When you’re just out of prison and the only opportunity you have left is on the line, every moment seems loaded with significance, with threat even. Neither Charlie nor the reader know what’s real. Is there someone out to get her, or is it all a product of her anxious mind? This new Charlie, characterised by disbelief and distrust, is powerfully contrasted by the old version of herself. Poor Steffi, desperate for love and attention, unguarded and easy to manipulate. The flashbacks to her past provide more than a few signs of abuse and control, her murderous ex and his form of coercive love clear for us to see, if not so obvious to Steffi herself. And here lies the interesting bit: if you heard on the news that a woman had alibied her guy when he was out killing women, what would you think? Perhaps that she was stupid? Or maybe that she knew? Even though we experience what Steffi did, know what she thought or saw, still it’s hard not to blame her. Come on now, how could she not see??? Right? That’s the sandbox the book plays in so well. What we know in the book vs what we ‘know’ ourselves. And the realisation that we could so easily be Steffi makes it all so deliciously uncomfortable. After all, how well can you really know somebody…..??
On top of that, it’s surprisingly funny, with more than a dash of dark humour. Steffi/Charlie brings conflicting feelings but is engaging throughout, while the side characters all have that something that makes them vividly rendered in the mind’s eye. The slow-build pacing means that the final reveal crashes in like a tidal wave, demolishing all the hints and possibilities, then receding to leave the truth battered and bruised on the sand. It works well enough but isn’t entirely satisfying. Probably more thanks to the change in pacing than any failure to round out the story. In fact, the biggest issue I had with the book overall is that I loved the opening scene with DC Naz Apkarian and DC Angus Harper so much that I was disappointed that it wasn’t their show. They had immediate appeal, the classic cop duo with attitude all day long. Let Charlie have her new life, I’d rather see what Naz and Angus have to offer.
Safe House is a twisty, suspenseful thriller that has you questioning everything. Even yourself.
ARC via Netgalley
March 3, 2020
Where would you go if you had just been released from prison and knew everyone hated you for what you had done?
Steffi Finn, now known as Charlie Miller, went to a remote town....a town with gossipy women. Was this a good idea?
Small towns have small-town ways of protecting each other and are suspicious of outsiders.
The women welcomed Charlie and even invited her to their book club meetings, but they and an elderly neighbor didn’t understand why she would move so far from the city unless she had something to hide.
We follow Charlie as she tries to live this new, free life. We also go back to her life before prison and see what led up to her arrest. Her boyfriend basically tricked her and got her convicted.
Now that she was out, there was another person who didn’t want her free and vowed to have his day with her. He puts all of his time and effort into hunting Charlie down.
Jo Jakeman made SAFE HOUSE very appealing with a terrific story line and pull-you-in writing.
SAFE HOUSE is a suspenseful thriller that will keep you on edge along with Charlie.
The tension won’t let you put the book down and will have you gripping the pages.
If you enjoy guessing until the end, do not miss SAFE HOUSE. 5/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via NETGALLEY in exchange for an honest review.
Steffi Finn, now known as Charlie Miller, went to a remote town....a town with gossipy women. Was this a good idea?
Small towns have small-town ways of protecting each other and are suspicious of outsiders.
The women welcomed Charlie and even invited her to their book club meetings, but they and an elderly neighbor didn’t understand why she would move so far from the city unless she had something to hide.
We follow Charlie as she tries to live this new, free life. We also go back to her life before prison and see what led up to her arrest. Her boyfriend basically tricked her and got her convicted.
Now that she was out, there was another person who didn’t want her free and vowed to have his day with her. He puts all of his time and effort into hunting Charlie down.
Jo Jakeman made SAFE HOUSE very appealing with a terrific story line and pull-you-in writing.
SAFE HOUSE is a suspenseful thriller that will keep you on edge along with Charlie.
The tension won’t let you put the book down and will have you gripping the pages.
If you enjoy guessing until the end, do not miss SAFE HOUSE. 5/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via NETGALLEY in exchange for an honest review.
March 30, 2020
3.75 stars rounded up.
In Safe House, Steffi Finn was imprisoned for lying about her boyfriend’s whereabouts when he was being investigated for the disappearance of a woman. She couldn’t fathom that the man she loved could possibly be involved. The evidence is conclusive, and it is uncovered that he has murdered two women. While in jail, Steffi receives loads of hate mail – the public had no sympathy for her.
With the hope of starting a new life after being released from jail, Steffi reinvents herself as Charlie Miller and moves to a small village. But can she truly escape her past? Someone is working relentlessly to find her, believing she was in on the murders. Was Steffi unwise to pick a small village to hide in? She quickly senses that she’s been recognized and is being watched.
This fast-paced thriller has lots of intense suspense and twists and turns. You won’t want to put this book down.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
In Safe House, Steffi Finn was imprisoned for lying about her boyfriend’s whereabouts when he was being investigated for the disappearance of a woman. She couldn’t fathom that the man she loved could possibly be involved. The evidence is conclusive, and it is uncovered that he has murdered two women. While in jail, Steffi receives loads of hate mail – the public had no sympathy for her.
With the hope of starting a new life after being released from jail, Steffi reinvents herself as Charlie Miller and moves to a small village. But can she truly escape her past? Someone is working relentlessly to find her, believing she was in on the murders. Was Steffi unwise to pick a small village to hide in? She quickly senses that she’s been recognized and is being watched.
This fast-paced thriller has lots of intense suspense and twists and turns. You won’t want to put this book down.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
January 21, 2021
After being released from prison Stephanie Finn turns up in a small Cornish village, desperate to put the past behind her. She’s given herself a new name too, Charlie Miller, in the hope that no one can track her down. After all, she was in prison for providing a false alibi for her boyfriend who murdered a young girl. And there are many people out there who hold her partly to blame. Will Charlie ever be able to relax or will she be looking over her shoulder forever?
This was a really interesting thriller which actually crept up on me and before I knew it I was completely hooked and couldn’t put in down. The main timeline is the present day but with flashbacks to Charlie’s previous life as Steffi. The flashbacks are expertly crafted to carefully reveal just how controlling and calculating Lee was, and while you can be frustrated at how gullible Steffi was you can still feel some empathy for her, she’s just a girl blinded by love and a man who is a total creep, I’m sure some of us can slightly relate!
There were some great characters in this book, I loved Charlie’s friendship with her elderly neighbour, and there were plenty of red herrings thrown into the plot to stir it up. I tried to predict the ending but failed miserably.
All in all a great thriller, perfect for a dose of escapism.
This was a really interesting thriller which actually crept up on me and before I knew it I was completely hooked and couldn’t put in down. The main timeline is the present day but with flashbacks to Charlie’s previous life as Steffi. The flashbacks are expertly crafted to carefully reveal just how controlling and calculating Lee was, and while you can be frustrated at how gullible Steffi was you can still feel some empathy for her, she’s just a girl blinded by love and a man who is a total creep, I’m sure some of us can slightly relate!
There were some great characters in this book, I loved Charlie’s friendship with her elderly neighbour, and there were plenty of red herrings thrown into the plot to stir it up. I tried to predict the ending but failed miserably.
All in all a great thriller, perfect for a dose of escapism.
February 20, 2020
3.5 STARS.
Thank you so much to Berkley for the gifted ARC of SAFE HOUSE! This was such a quick and easy read 🙌🏼 I flew through this book not only because of how light of a read it was, but also because it was super intriguing 🤓
What I really enjoyed about this book was how easy it was to get into the story. The first few chapters were so incredibly intriguing to me that I just HAD to know what was going to happen. I also really enjoyed the format and felt like it was perfect for this book. Each chapter focuses on a different character, which kept things interesting and moving quickly 👌🏼 This book is definitely slow-burning and not a ton happens right away, but it was still such a fast read nonetheless.
While I was interested in the story, I didn’t find myself fully connecting with it. I wasn’t really attached to any of the characters, which made it a lot harder for me to love the story. I also felt like the story was leading up to something huge, but in the end I went “wait... that’s it?” 🤔 The ending just wasn’t as climactic as I was hoping it would be, but it was still a solid mystery.
Overall, I would recommend this one to you guys! It’s a very intriguing and easy read, which makes for the perfect lighter mystery 🤓🙌🏼 SAFE HOUSE is out MARCH 10th so make sure to keep an eye out!
Thank you so much to Berkley for the gifted ARC of SAFE HOUSE! This was such a quick and easy read 🙌🏼 I flew through this book not only because of how light of a read it was, but also because it was super intriguing 🤓
What I really enjoyed about this book was how easy it was to get into the story. The first few chapters were so incredibly intriguing to me that I just HAD to know what was going to happen. I also really enjoyed the format and felt like it was perfect for this book. Each chapter focuses on a different character, which kept things interesting and moving quickly 👌🏼 This book is definitely slow-burning and not a ton happens right away, but it was still such a fast read nonetheless.
While I was interested in the story, I didn’t find myself fully connecting with it. I wasn’t really attached to any of the characters, which made it a lot harder for me to love the story. I also felt like the story was leading up to something huge, but in the end I went “wait... that’s it?” 🤔 The ending just wasn’t as climactic as I was hoping it would be, but it was still a solid mystery.
Overall, I would recommend this one to you guys! It’s a very intriguing and easy read, which makes for the perfect lighter mystery 🤓🙌🏼 SAFE HOUSE is out MARCH 10th so make sure to keep an eye out!
November 17, 2019
This was a slow burn suspense. Having read the previous book by this author, I was eager to get my hooks into this one.
Steffi had given false alibi for boyfriend and was realesed after being in jail for 10 months. She decided to move to Cornwall with a new identity, but felt someone stalking her. Was it real or just paranoia?
This was quite a mind bender of a read with the writing making the atmosphere take on a claustrophobic feel. The plot twists occured later down the pages. Overall a fun read.
Steffi had given false alibi for boyfriend and was realesed after being in jail for 10 months. She decided to move to Cornwall with a new identity, but felt someone stalking her. Was it real or just paranoia?
This was quite a mind bender of a read with the writing making the atmosphere take on a claustrophobic feel. The plot twists occured later down the pages. Overall a fun read.
November 10, 2019
Bloody brilliant!
March 25, 2020
3.5 STARS - Safe House is a story about past mistakes and how quickly you can lose yourself and change your future if you trust the wrong person. In her second thriller, Jakeman weaves a slow-burn suspense story that combines some intense scenes and a main character whose choices will make readers question her intentions.
The story is told using dual timelines. The first focuses on Steffi's new life as Charlie Miller as she tries to quietly start over after serving ten months in prison for giving her murderous boyfriend a false alibi. There are also flashbacks to Steffi's old life which enable readers to witness how and why Steffi made the decisions that irrevocably changed her life.
There are good underlying messages about women standing up for themselves, but I particularly enjoyed the creepy 'someone's watching you' vibe. These aspects were done well but I found the tension inconsistent and the book faltered a bit in the middle, taking on a more contemporary fiction feel as page time is spent showing Charlie easily acclimating to her new life and friends in a small Cornish town. Nice but not quite riveting stuff. Thankfully, things pick up for an exciting and satisfying conclusion as the story refocuses on the suspense aspect.
I thought this was a much stronger book than Jackman's previous book, The Exes' Revenge. I enjoyed how she focused more on character development, the addition of thought-provoking topics and I felt she had better twists in her story this time out.
Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Viking Publishing for providing me with a copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.
The story is told using dual timelines. The first focuses on Steffi's new life as Charlie Miller as she tries to quietly start over after serving ten months in prison for giving her murderous boyfriend a false alibi. There are also flashbacks to Steffi's old life which enable readers to witness how and why Steffi made the decisions that irrevocably changed her life.
There are good underlying messages about women standing up for themselves, but I particularly enjoyed the creepy 'someone's watching you' vibe. These aspects were done well but I found the tension inconsistent and the book faltered a bit in the middle, taking on a more contemporary fiction feel as page time is spent showing Charlie easily acclimating to her new life and friends in a small Cornish town. Nice but not quite riveting stuff. Thankfully, things pick up for an exciting and satisfying conclusion as the story refocuses on the suspense aspect.
I thought this was a much stronger book than Jackman's previous book, The Exes' Revenge. I enjoyed how she focused more on character development, the addition of thought-provoking topics and I felt she had better twists in her story this time out.
Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Viking Publishing for providing me with a copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.
November 21, 2019
★★★ 3.5 stars
I've not read Jo Jakeman before so I wasn't sure what to expect from SAFE HOUSE. I wasn't disappointed but I wasn't wowed either. I think the story had great potential to be better, though it was still reasonably enjoyable.
It's the first day of Charlie Miller's life. That is, as Charlie Miller. For that isn't her real name...just her new one. She used to be Steffi Finn and she has just been released from prison after serving a 10 month sentence for perverting the course of justice when she gave her boyfriend a false alibi for the night a woman was murdered. Undertaking various courses in prison to both keep her busy and enable her to put those new skills to good use, she kept her head down and awaited her release to put it all behind her. And now that time had come.
Leaving "Steffi" behind, Charlie made her way down to a sleepy Cornish village where her solicitor friend had bought a dilapidated cottage on her behalf. The cottage was in such disrepair, those skills she acquired at Her Majesty's pleasure would be put to good use. Charlie was happy to keep to herself but then wouldn't that draw attention to her if she failed to mingle with the community? So when two women walking their dogs came upon her one morning, despite being wary Charlie was grateful for the opportunity to make new friends. She even made an impression on her curmudgeonly neighbour, Aubrey, whose gruffness was just a front.
But someone is watching Charlie. Someone knows who she really is. And they mean to harm her. Or do they?
You see, having her whole life scrutinised by the public where the truth didn't really matter gave credence to Charlie's paranoia. The public just wanted justice for the murders of two women, one of which Steffi/Charlie could have prevented had she been truthful from the beginning. Charlie knows this. She understands this. She has long blamed herself for the death of the second woman she could have prevented. But could she really? Was she really responsible for her boyfriend's actions? Lee Fisher was a killer; she wasn't responsible for that. But Lee made her think she was.
Steffi Finn was a naive young woman who, desperate for love and affection, had fallen head over heels for Lee Fisher. They had only been together a short time before he moved into her house, and it wasn't long until she was completely under his spell. You see, Lee was manipulative charmer. He had a way of making you feel that you were responsible for his actions...after all, he was only reacting to something YOU had done. Hu used coercive control to make subtle demands on Steffi to which she happily complied, knowing that he loved her, and because she loved him.
At Lee's request, Steffi had given up drinking alcohol and yet she came home from a colleague's leaving do, wreaking of wine and stumbling over her own feet. Lee was livid. They'd argued, he stormed out and she went to bed. That night Katy Foster disappeared and when the police came calling, Steffi had said Lee was home all night, assuming he'd slept in the spare room.
And here lies the point in question: upon hearing a woman has provided an alibi for her boyfriend for the time he was in fact murdering women - what would you think? That she was foolish, stupid, naive? Or maybe she knew? The public are fed tidbits by the media who have their own slant on a story, because the fact that she couldn't be oblivious to what he was doing is ludicrous! I mean, how could she not know? But that is what the public are always lead to believe...whether it was true or not. However, it is completely possible to live with someone and share your life with them and be completely unaware of a secret life they may be harbouring. How else do you think some men keep two families for years without detection? Or affairs are kept from partners? And the secret lives as killers some people in real life have maintained until caught out? Everyone has secrets, even from each other. Steffi was just naive and I didn't for one minute believe she was aware of Lee's activities. To say it was hard not to blame her is absurd. People are just too quick to taint others as guilty merely by association. How could she not see?? Simple....he was good at hiding it. Men like that are chameleons.
So now Charlie finds herself living in fear and paranoia in the quaint yet remote little Cornish village of Penderrion with the sinister feeling of being watched. A creak in the floorboards. A broken safety catch on a ladder. A shadow in the window. Nothing can possibly be a coincidence anymore as suspicion clouds her every interaction. What if someone knows who she really is? And what will happen when the rest of the village finds out? Is she in danger?
SAFE HOUSE is told in dual timelines that slowly reveal Steffi and Lee's backstory from Steffi and Charlie's perspective and newspaper articles. There is also the POV from a Ben Jarvis, whose role is exposed in the climatic throes of the penultimate finale, as well as an unknown narrative. Each of these chronicle the transformation from Steffi to Charlie with some very tense moments, and the story surrounding her.
An interesting premise and somewhat thought-provoking, SAFE HOUSE was a fairly enjoyable read. Its slow build promised a final reveal that would crash and devour all other possibilities in one fell swoop, leaving the truth battered and bruised and laying bare by the end. It worked well enough but didn't completely satisfy. I don't know why...I just felt there was more to be said.
However, SAFE HOUSE is a twisty thriller filled with suspense that will have you questioning everything.
I would like to thank #JoJakeman, #NetGalley and ,b>#RandomHouseUK and #VintagePublishing for an ARC of #SafeHouse in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
I've not read Jo Jakeman before so I wasn't sure what to expect from SAFE HOUSE. I wasn't disappointed but I wasn't wowed either. I think the story had great potential to be better, though it was still reasonably enjoyable.
It's the first day of Charlie Miller's life. That is, as Charlie Miller. For that isn't her real name...just her new one. She used to be Steffi Finn and she has just been released from prison after serving a 10 month sentence for perverting the course of justice when she gave her boyfriend a false alibi for the night a woman was murdered. Undertaking various courses in prison to both keep her busy and enable her to put those new skills to good use, she kept her head down and awaited her release to put it all behind her. And now that time had come.
Leaving "Steffi" behind, Charlie made her way down to a sleepy Cornish village where her solicitor friend had bought a dilapidated cottage on her behalf. The cottage was in such disrepair, those skills she acquired at Her Majesty's pleasure would be put to good use. Charlie was happy to keep to herself but then wouldn't that draw attention to her if she failed to mingle with the community? So when two women walking their dogs came upon her one morning, despite being wary Charlie was grateful for the opportunity to make new friends. She even made an impression on her curmudgeonly neighbour, Aubrey, whose gruffness was just a front.
But someone is watching Charlie. Someone knows who she really is. And they mean to harm her. Or do they?
You see, having her whole life scrutinised by the public where the truth didn't really matter gave credence to Charlie's paranoia. The public just wanted justice for the murders of two women, one of which Steffi/Charlie could have prevented had she been truthful from the beginning. Charlie knows this. She understands this. She has long blamed herself for the death of the second woman she could have prevented. But could she really? Was she really responsible for her boyfriend's actions? Lee Fisher was a killer; she wasn't responsible for that. But Lee made her think she was.
Steffi Finn was a naive young woman who, desperate for love and affection, had fallen head over heels for Lee Fisher. They had only been together a short time before he moved into her house, and it wasn't long until she was completely under his spell. You see, Lee was manipulative charmer. He had a way of making you feel that you were responsible for his actions...after all, he was only reacting to something YOU had done. Hu used coercive control to make subtle demands on Steffi to which she happily complied, knowing that he loved her, and because she loved him.
At Lee's request, Steffi had given up drinking alcohol and yet she came home from a colleague's leaving do, wreaking of wine and stumbling over her own feet. Lee was livid. They'd argued, he stormed out and she went to bed. That night Katy Foster disappeared and when the police came calling, Steffi had said Lee was home all night, assuming he'd slept in the spare room.
And here lies the point in question: upon hearing a woman has provided an alibi for her boyfriend for the time he was in fact murdering women - what would you think? That she was foolish, stupid, naive? Or maybe she knew? The public are fed tidbits by the media who have their own slant on a story, because the fact that she couldn't be oblivious to what he was doing is ludicrous! I mean, how could she not know? But that is what the public are always lead to believe...whether it was true or not. However, it is completely possible to live with someone and share your life with them and be completely unaware of a secret life they may be harbouring. How else do you think some men keep two families for years without detection? Or affairs are kept from partners? And the secret lives as killers some people in real life have maintained until caught out? Everyone has secrets, even from each other. Steffi was just naive and I didn't for one minute believe she was aware of Lee's activities. To say it was hard not to blame her is absurd. People are just too quick to taint others as guilty merely by association. How could she not see?? Simple....he was good at hiding it. Men like that are chameleons.
So now Charlie finds herself living in fear and paranoia in the quaint yet remote little Cornish village of Penderrion with the sinister feeling of being watched. A creak in the floorboards. A broken safety catch on a ladder. A shadow in the window. Nothing can possibly be a coincidence anymore as suspicion clouds her every interaction. What if someone knows who she really is? And what will happen when the rest of the village finds out? Is she in danger?
SAFE HOUSE is told in dual timelines that slowly reveal Steffi and Lee's backstory from Steffi and Charlie's perspective and newspaper articles. There is also the POV from a Ben Jarvis, whose role is exposed in the climatic throes of the penultimate finale, as well as an unknown narrative. Each of these chronicle the transformation from Steffi to Charlie with some very tense moments, and the story surrounding her.
An interesting premise and somewhat thought-provoking, SAFE HOUSE was a fairly enjoyable read. Its slow build promised a final reveal that would crash and devour all other possibilities in one fell swoop, leaving the truth battered and bruised and laying bare by the end. It worked well enough but didn't completely satisfy. I don't know why...I just felt there was more to be said.
However, SAFE HOUSE is a twisty thriller filled with suspense that will have you questioning everything.
I would like to thank #JoJakeman, #NetGalley and ,b>#RandomHouseUK and #VintagePublishing for an ARC of #SafeHouse in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
December 8, 2019
Actual rating: 4.5 out of 5
Safe House is a gripping tale filled with twists, lies, and deception. It's the perfect psychological thriller for cold weather and I can't recommend it enough!
Read the entire review on This is Lit.
Safe House is a gripping tale filled with twists, lies, and deception. It's the perfect psychological thriller for cold weather and I can't recommend it enough!
Read the entire review on This is Lit.
March 4, 2024
Gut geschrieben, auch wenn tatsächlich nicht so viel passiert.
Das Ende fand ich dann aber leider doch etwas enttäuschend.
Das Ende fand ich dann aber leider doch etwas enttäuschend.
August 23, 2026
Nejdřív to na mne působilo jako průměrný thriller, ale nakonec banger🤘🏻
November 1, 2019
Charlie has bought a new property in Cornwall. It’s a total wreck but she’s determined to do it up and live a quiet and peaceful life there. Unfortunately, Charlie’s new abode may not be the safe haven that she’s been hoping for as she’s convinced that someone is out there, watching her. The more we find out about “Charlie”, the more we realise that she’s hiding behind her new identity to keep her former name and past a secret. But even constantly looking over her shoulder isn’t going to keep her safe from whoever wants her to pay for whatever they think she’s done…
I do love a slow burner and Safe House certainly falls into that category. But its also a very dark and atmospheric read with a gripping storyline that bubbles with secrets and lies and builds to a twisty and dramatic denouement. The setting of the cottage plays a huge part in building up that tension, with its creepy overgrown ivy and broken windows, and I was able to visualise its rundown appearance perfectly from the intensely descriptive narrative. Charlie herself was actually very likeable, which surprised me, as Jo Jakeman gave her a vulnerability that sat at odds with her criminal record and therefore made me question what had happened in the lead up to her imprisonment. But by shutting herself away from society in the middle of nowhere, her imprisonment was really only swapped from one kind to another so I felt rather sorry for her. Whether that pity was displaced is up to you to find out!
I really enjoyed Safe House especially the beautifully written narrative and the descriptive characterisation. I had quite a soft spot for Aubrey (as well as Charlie) and loved how the relationship developed between them gradually, alongside a build up of trust that wasn’t easy to find for either of them.
I liked Safe House far more than I was expecting to. The final few chapters especially had me unable to concentrate on anything other than the outcome of Charlie’s torment. Definitely worth the special price of 99p throughout the month of November.
I do love a slow burner and Safe House certainly falls into that category. But its also a very dark and atmospheric read with a gripping storyline that bubbles with secrets and lies and builds to a twisty and dramatic denouement. The setting of the cottage plays a huge part in building up that tension, with its creepy overgrown ivy and broken windows, and I was able to visualise its rundown appearance perfectly from the intensely descriptive narrative. Charlie herself was actually very likeable, which surprised me, as Jo Jakeman gave her a vulnerability that sat at odds with her criminal record and therefore made me question what had happened in the lead up to her imprisonment. But by shutting herself away from society in the middle of nowhere, her imprisonment was really only swapped from one kind to another so I felt rather sorry for her. Whether that pity was displaced is up to you to find out!
I really enjoyed Safe House especially the beautifully written narrative and the descriptive characterisation. I had quite a soft spot for Aubrey (as well as Charlie) and loved how the relationship developed between them gradually, alongside a build up of trust that wasn’t easy to find for either of them.
I liked Safe House far more than I was expecting to. The final few chapters especially had me unable to concentrate on anything other than the outcome of Charlie’s torment. Definitely worth the special price of 99p throughout the month of November.
November 1, 2019
Ooo that Jo Jakeman is a clever little bugger. I thought I had it pegged and I was, as the saying goes “close but no cigar”. I really should pay more attention as she had carefully laid clues in such a subtle way that this oaf missed them until it was too late. Now I love red herrings and unreliable narrators but what I really love is being misdirected even though the clues are there all along if you look hard enough. So when all is revealed you slap your forehead and shout god I’m a dimwit.
I loved the main character and her growing anxiety makes you unsure about everyone so you really get to the heart of Charlie straight away and feel empathy for her. She’s a great protagonist but my favourite character was Aubrey the crotchety old git next door. He was a delight.
Add to this the setting of Cornwall which is normally sunshine and beaches but here it is wet and wild and cut off, heightening the isolation and paranoia. A rundown house with broken windows, overgrown ivy and crucifixes gives an extra dimension of creepiness. Then as if all that isn’t enough there is the puzzle of who is the anonymous narrator?
I recommend this to fellow armchair detectives who like a mystery to solve all hidden in a very gripping thriller.
I loved the main character and her growing anxiety makes you unsure about everyone so you really get to the heart of Charlie straight away and feel empathy for her. She’s a great protagonist but my favourite character was Aubrey the crotchety old git next door. He was a delight.
Add to this the setting of Cornwall which is normally sunshine and beaches but here it is wet and wild and cut off, heightening the isolation and paranoia. A rundown house with broken windows, overgrown ivy and crucifixes gives an extra dimension of creepiness. Then as if all that isn’t enough there is the puzzle of who is the anonymous narrator?
I recommend this to fellow armchair detectives who like a mystery to solve all hidden in a very gripping thriller.
March 22, 2020
Do you think it’s possible to start over by simply changing your name and moving to a different city? Will that change your past? Steffi Finn fell in love and trusted the wrong man Lee Fisher. Steffi unknowingly gave him a false alibi Lee could be a bit controlling but she loved him , she knew he lied occasionally but she chose to see only the good. When the police knock on her door and inform her that Lee has been charged with murder, and now she’s going to prison for covering for him she’s shocked, the press splash her face over every newspaper and she becomes the most hated woman. Now released from prison she takes the name Charlie Miller and moved to a small village on the Cornish Coast. Trying to keep to herself and sort through her thoughts, her neighbors make a point on meeting her she’s constantly worrying that they will figure out who she really is. Soon Steffi begins to feel like she’s being watched and when accidents start happening like someone pushing her off a ladder and little things she notices are off, she begins wonder is someone out to make her pay or is she paranoid. I loved this book you could just feel steffis paranoia and nerves trying to move on from the most horrific time in her life. What made the book more interesting is that there were chapters with letters , that were written by an unknown person wanting to make her pay and was obviously following her. Also a mysterious Ben who was making it a point to find Steffi, the other chapters went back and forth from past and present telling Steffis story! I give this four stars!
February 17, 2023
Setting: Sheffield & Cornwall, UK; 2016-2018.
In Sheffield, Steffi Finn was living with her partner, Lee Fisher, when he was questioned by police regarding the murder of a young woman. Convinced of his innocence, Steffi gives Lee an alibi but, as a result, another woman dies and Steffi finally realises what Lee is really like and admits to police that she lied when she gave him an alibi. As a result, Steffi is charged with perjury and serves 10 months in prison.
After release, Steffi arranges to sell her house and buys a derelict cottage in a Cornish fishing village, where she moves in under the name Charlie Miller. But someone in the village knows who she really is and is out to bring about her downfall whilst, at the same time, a man called Ben Jarvis is also trying to track her down...
This is a tense and nail-biting tale with some great twists and turns and unexpected culprits. Great Cornish setting, good characters and every bit as enjoyable as her first book - 9/10.
In Sheffield, Steffi Finn was living with her partner, Lee Fisher, when he was questioned by police regarding the murder of a young woman. Convinced of his innocence, Steffi gives Lee an alibi but, as a result, another woman dies and Steffi finally realises what Lee is really like and admits to police that she lied when she gave him an alibi. As a result, Steffi is charged with perjury and serves 10 months in prison.
After release, Steffi arranges to sell her house and buys a derelict cottage in a Cornish fishing village, where she moves in under the name Charlie Miller. But someone in the village knows who she really is and is out to bring about her downfall whilst, at the same time, a man called Ben Jarvis is also trying to track her down...
This is a tense and nail-biting tale with some great twists and turns and unexpected culprits. Great Cornish setting, good characters and every bit as enjoyable as her first book - 9/10.
November 2, 2019
Steffi Finn is in prison, serving 10 months for giving a false alibi for her boyfriend, Lee. The relationship had been one sided and very coercive, but she loved Lee….but he had then killed another woman…
On her release, she moves to Cornwall, takes a new identity, Charlie Miller, and settles into life in a small community.
However, she starts to feel she is being watched, is this paranoia? Or is someone really watching, someone who knows her real identity?
This is quite a gentle psychological thriller, but it has a sense of foreboding, a darkness to it that really makes this so gripping. The clever plot, the twists and surprises make this a thoroughly entertaining read.
Thank you to Mia at Harvill Secker for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour, for the promotional material and a free copy of the book. This is my honest and unbiased review.
On her release, she moves to Cornwall, takes a new identity, Charlie Miller, and settles into life in a small community.
However, she starts to feel she is being watched, is this paranoia? Or is someone really watching, someone who knows her real identity?
This is quite a gentle psychological thriller, but it has a sense of foreboding, a darkness to it that really makes this so gripping. The clever plot, the twists and surprises make this a thoroughly entertaining read.
Thank you to Mia at Harvill Secker for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour, for the promotional material and a free copy of the book. This is my honest and unbiased review.
January 5, 2020
The pacing was good even if I had a bit of trouble getting into it during the beginning. The setting of the village where Steffi/Charlie settled and the uneasiness she felt every moment was perfectly written. I liked the unpredictability of the twists as the author kept my mind working to find out who Steffi/Charlie’s stalker was and why was he/she(/they) were trying to kill her.
Overall, I would recommend this book if you’re looking for a slow-burn thriller with a captivating female lead. This story literally gives a terrifying meaning to the phrase “Love is blind.”
Thanks to the publisher for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review and for including me in the blog tour!
Overall, I would recommend this book if you’re looking for a slow-burn thriller with a captivating female lead. This story literally gives a terrifying meaning to the phrase “Love is blind.”
Thanks to the publisher for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review and for including me in the blog tour!
April 22, 2020
This book grabbed me from beginning to end - read a lot today because I had to find out how it ended!!! Jo Jakeman did an excellent job in creating suspense and adding surprise twists to the plot!!!
October 29, 2019
You can read all my review on Blog - Books Teacup and Reviews
Safe House was intriguing psychological thriller that revolved around Charlie, desperate to put behind her past, murderer ex and hate-filled judgmental people of the town. The book was about seeing the signs and heed to warning bells before it’s too late, misreading and misjudging a person, guilt, betrayal, manipulation, lies, deceit, blind love, unhealthy relationship, and facing past to give it closure.
I have just one word to describe this book- wow! The writing was easy and gripping, plot was suspenseful and intriguing, characters were interesting and setting was atmospheric. Short chapters made me flip the pages quicker.
It started with Charlie starting her new life with a new name in new place- a remote coastal village- after serving her 10 months sentence for giving false alibi. It was hard for her to move on. She felt paranoid someone might find out who and where she was and would try to harm her. She was restless and desperate to get over what she had gone through and so she tried to be part of the close-knit community letting her guards down. But the sense of someone was watching over her never left. Who was it? Can she really run from her past? Will friends she made stay friends when they will know about her sectret? Can she save them from the person who was trying to harm her?
Story was first person narrative told in dual timeline- past and present. Present told about Charlie’s efforts to stay safe and cautious, start new life, becoming a person she couldn’t because of her controlling father and then manipulative ex-boyfriend. Past was about what happened to her and how her life took unexpected turn, how she was sentenced for false alibi, how she discovered her boyfriend’s deceit. There were snippet of news articles telling what world thought about her, how people blamed her and how difficult it made her life before and after her sentence; interview with officers working on murder case told about what they thought about Steffi and her statements; and then there was Ben and unknown narrator who were out to get her, bring her to justice. Basically you get the wide perspective of the story- from victim, victim’s relatives, culprit, police, media and people who believed what was served on papers.
Charlie’s past life was most interesting to read. I was shocked at first to see she didn’t see through Lee’s lie and deceit, how could she not recognize manipulation? The way he treated her, detached her from her family and friends, not letting her enjoy her hobbies, weren’t those enough signs of unhealthy relationship? Oh but she was so naïve, stupid and blindly in love. As I knew more about her I could see why she was like this, less confident, eager to please and fearful to upset others, putting other before her, easily influenced.
Charlie’s voice was believable. I could empathize with her. Her thoughts and emotions were impactful. It made me think would I have done the same. Surely it’s not easy to believe the person you love is murderer, when they didn’t give away anything. It also made me think how her life would have been different only if her father was loving and supportive. The more I heard her thoughts the more I believed she deserved second chance. Author did amazing job in representing how a person feel after being manipulated, judged by people and serving sentence in prison.
I loved how she morphed into new Charlie. Confident, helping and seeing good in people but cautious, working on her skills and hobbies, turning the house into home, being helpful and trying to be part of community, trying to do right the thing, faced the past with calm and steady mind. It was great to see development in her.
All side characters were interesting. They made an impression, surely not easily forgettable. I liked Aubrey the most. Charlie’s conversation with him served as breather in this gloomy suspense. Cop duo was also good. I wish I could know them more. I loved the community and people who helped Charlie.
Author did amazing job with suspense. I couldn’t guess who that unknown narrator was, why Ben was after Charlie and what his motive was until climax. Climax was tense, kept me on the edge, flip the pages like maniac. There were many revelations from climax to end. End was unpredictable but satisfactory.
Overall, it was steady paced, intriguing, suspenseful thriller with interesting characters and strong plot. I definitely recommend this book.
*** Note: I received e-copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Mia and publisher. ***
Safe House was intriguing psychological thriller that revolved around Charlie, desperate to put behind her past, murderer ex and hate-filled judgmental people of the town. The book was about seeing the signs and heed to warning bells before it’s too late, misreading and misjudging a person, guilt, betrayal, manipulation, lies, deceit, blind love, unhealthy relationship, and facing past to give it closure.
I have just one word to describe this book- wow! The writing was easy and gripping, plot was suspenseful and intriguing, characters were interesting and setting was atmospheric. Short chapters made me flip the pages quicker.
It started with Charlie starting her new life with a new name in new place- a remote coastal village- after serving her 10 months sentence for giving false alibi. It was hard for her to move on. She felt paranoid someone might find out who and where she was and would try to harm her. She was restless and desperate to get over what she had gone through and so she tried to be part of the close-knit community letting her guards down. But the sense of someone was watching over her never left. Who was it? Can she really run from her past? Will friends she made stay friends when they will know about her sectret? Can she save them from the person who was trying to harm her?
Story was first person narrative told in dual timeline- past and present. Present told about Charlie’s efforts to stay safe and cautious, start new life, becoming a person she couldn’t because of her controlling father and then manipulative ex-boyfriend. Past was about what happened to her and how her life took unexpected turn, how she was sentenced for false alibi, how she discovered her boyfriend’s deceit. There were snippet of news articles telling what world thought about her, how people blamed her and how difficult it made her life before and after her sentence; interview with officers working on murder case told about what they thought about Steffi and her statements; and then there was Ben and unknown narrator who were out to get her, bring her to justice. Basically you get the wide perspective of the story- from victim, victim’s relatives, culprit, police, media and people who believed what was served on papers.
Charlie’s past life was most interesting to read. I was shocked at first to see she didn’t see through Lee’s lie and deceit, how could she not recognize manipulation? The way he treated her, detached her from her family and friends, not letting her enjoy her hobbies, weren’t those enough signs of unhealthy relationship? Oh but she was so naïve, stupid and blindly in love. As I knew more about her I could see why she was like this, less confident, eager to please and fearful to upset others, putting other before her, easily influenced.
Charlie’s voice was believable. I could empathize with her. Her thoughts and emotions were impactful. It made me think would I have done the same. Surely it’s not easy to believe the person you love is murderer, when they didn’t give away anything. It also made me think how her life would have been different only if her father was loving and supportive. The more I heard her thoughts the more I believed she deserved second chance. Author did amazing job in representing how a person feel after being manipulated, judged by people and serving sentence in prison.
I loved how she morphed into new Charlie. Confident, helping and seeing good in people but cautious, working on her skills and hobbies, turning the house into home, being helpful and trying to be part of community, trying to do right the thing, faced the past with calm and steady mind. It was great to see development in her.
All side characters were interesting. They made an impression, surely not easily forgettable. I liked Aubrey the most. Charlie’s conversation with him served as breather in this gloomy suspense. Cop duo was also good. I wish I could know them more. I loved the community and people who helped Charlie.
Author did amazing job with suspense. I couldn’t guess who that unknown narrator was, why Ben was after Charlie and what his motive was until climax. Climax was tense, kept me on the edge, flip the pages like maniac. There were many revelations from climax to end. End was unpredictable but satisfactory.
Overall, it was steady paced, intriguing, suspenseful thriller with interesting characters and strong plot. I definitely recommend this book.
*** Note: I received e-copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Mia and publisher. ***
August 25, 2019
A woman moves to a sleepy Cornish village to try and escape her past but her secrets follow her.
I really enjoyed the setting and characters in this book - Charlie is complex - trusting and open and entirely believable. Her past relationship with her ex - Lee is the root of her troubles and I liked the way the past and current interwove until we had the complete picture. I really enjoyed the twists and turns along the way - Jo had me questioning everybody and everything. The Cornish village feels very real as do all of the characters in it.
Recommended for readers who enjoy psychological thrillers with a interesting female lead.
I really enjoyed the setting and characters in this book - Charlie is complex - trusting and open and entirely believable. Her past relationship with her ex - Lee is the root of her troubles and I liked the way the past and current interwove until we had the complete picture. I really enjoyed the twists and turns along the way - Jo had me questioning everybody and everything. The Cornish village feels very real as do all of the characters in it.
Recommended for readers who enjoy psychological thrillers with a interesting female lead.
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