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My Dead Husband
When a woman learns her abusive husband is dead, it’s only the beginning of her nightmare, in this twisting psychological thriller by the author of Her Final Victim .
Ellie managed to escape from husband Kayden’s vicious abuse—and since learning from her mother-in-law that he’s taken his own life, she’ll never have to worry about him again.
But instead of relief, Ellie is now experiencing terror in the form of frightening phone calls, hostile strangers on the street, and what appears to be deliberate sabotage of her writing career. Thinking she’s spotted a reflection of Kayden’s face only makes her wonder if she’s having a breakdown . . . again.
With the help of a new man in her life, Ellie intends to head to Scotland and find out once and for all what is real and what is illusion—but the deeper her investigation goes, the darker the truth becomes . . .
Ellie managed to escape from husband Kayden’s vicious abuse—and since learning from her mother-in-law that he’s taken his own life, she’ll never have to worry about him again.
But instead of relief, Ellie is now experiencing terror in the form of frightening phone calls, hostile strangers on the street, and what appears to be deliberate sabotage of her writing career. Thinking she’s spotted a reflection of Kayden’s face only makes her wonder if she’s having a breakdown . . . again.
With the help of a new man in her life, Ellie intends to head to Scotland and find out once and for all what is real and what is illusion—but the deeper her investigation goes, the darker the truth becomes . . .
274 pages, Paperback
First published January 12, 2022
118 people are currently reading
1093 people want to read
About the author
N.J. Moss
11 books140 followersNJ Moss worked as a fiction ghostwriter for ten years before he turned his skills to his own work. His latest novel is The Husband Trap.
When he is not working on his next thriller, you can normally find him walking his dogs (Loki and Gizmo, a Jack Russell terrier and a Chihuahua), rollerblading up and down the promenade of Weston-super-Mare, or spending time with his lovely wife.
When he is not working on his next thriller, you can normally find him walking his dogs (Loki and Gizmo, a Jack Russell terrier and a Chihuahua), rollerblading up and down the promenade of Weston-super-Mare, or spending time with his lovely wife.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 260 reviews
February 14, 2022
My Dead Husband could also be titled Everything-but-the-kitchen-sink! Because so much happens to Ellie in this book that I almost got whiplash!
Let's get the triggers out of the way first - There are a lot! I would be giving away a lot of the book if I mentioned all but here are some - horribly disturbing abuse and mental illness to name a few.
Ellie left her husband, Kayden and his horrible abuse and one day learns that he is dead. She thinks she can finally move on with her life, but that is when the horrors really begin. She receives threatening phone calls, a broken window at her home, bad reviews online for her book, etc. She begins to look inward and wonder if she is on the verge of a breakdown or if she is really experiencing these attacks/acts of sabotage.
The one bright side is a new relationship. He is encouraging and supportive and encourages her to face things head on by going back to Scotland and....
Whew, as I mentioned everything, but the kitchen sink is thrown into the mix here. Over the top??? Way over the top - and yet...it was enjoyable. I had to suspend all kinds of disbelief while reading this. At times I just rolled my eyes and thought "What next?"
I listened to the audio book and thought the narrator did a good job. This book moved at a fast speed as there was so much going on and so many questions that popped up.
As I mentioned are triggers in this book. A lot of them. This book has some very disturbing situation and occurrences. If the author was going for shock value - He nailed it!
Enjoyable yet very dark and disturbing.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Let's get the triggers out of the way first - There are a lot! I would be giving away a lot of the book if I mentioned all but here are some - horribly disturbing abuse and mental illness to name a few.
Ellie left her husband, Kayden and his horrible abuse and one day learns that he is dead. She thinks she can finally move on with her life, but that is when the horrors really begin. She receives threatening phone calls, a broken window at her home, bad reviews online for her book, etc. She begins to look inward and wonder if she is on the verge of a breakdown or if she is really experiencing these attacks/acts of sabotage.
The one bright side is a new relationship. He is encouraging and supportive and encourages her to face things head on by going back to Scotland and....
Whew, as I mentioned everything, but the kitchen sink is thrown into the mix here. Over the top??? Way over the top - and yet...it was enjoyable. I had to suspend all kinds of disbelief while reading this. At times I just rolled my eyes and thought "What next?"
I listened to the audio book and thought the narrator did a good job. This book moved at a fast speed as there was so much going on and so many questions that popped up.
As I mentioned are triggers in this book. A lot of them. This book has some very disturbing situation and occurrences. If the author was going for shock value - He nailed it!
Enjoyable yet very dark and disturbing.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
July 14, 2022
Ellie's mother-in-law informs her that her abusive husband Kayden from whom she's separated, has committed suicide. Meanwhile the e-book which Ellie has written and which is about to be released is receiving derogatory reviews on Goodreads(!) and she's receiving offensive phone calls at the call centre where she works. Can anything else go wrong?! As a matter of fact, yes it can!
I was really liking this book and was hovering around 3.5 stars. The characters are well drawn and the story was intriguing if not totally plausible. Besides chapters from Ellie's POV, there are chapters taken from her mother's journal which are quite jaw-dropping. An incident in the past is alluded to many times and I was getting impatient to learn what that was all about. Around 80% the story got a little bogged down and eventually took a nosedive into cloud cuckoo land! Maybe I'm a bit of a prude but I couldn't even read some of it, it was so vile and violent and the language was nasty.
I had been going to say some nice things about the author (who I thought was female until nearly halfway through the book) and about how I'd be reading his next book but nah, I don't think so.
Many triggers in this book so take care if you're the sensitive sort or even if you're not. Even the author describes the story as "twisted and macabre".
I borrowed a copy of this book with my Kindle Unlimited membership. Because I enjoyed most of the book, I'll give it 2.5 stars, rounded up.
I was really liking this book and was hovering around 3.5 stars. The characters are well drawn and the story was intriguing if not totally plausible. Besides chapters from Ellie's POV, there are chapters taken from her mother's journal which are quite jaw-dropping. An incident in the past is alluded to many times and I was getting impatient to learn what that was all about. Around 80% the story got a little bogged down and eventually took a nosedive into cloud cuckoo land! Maybe I'm a bit of a prude but I couldn't even read some of it, it was so vile and violent and the language was nasty.
I had been going to say some nice things about the author (who I thought was female until nearly halfway through the book) and about how I'd be reading his next book but nah, I don't think so.
Many triggers in this book so take care if you're the sensitive sort or even if you're not. Even the author describes the story as "twisted and macabre".
I borrowed a copy of this book with my Kindle Unlimited membership. Because I enjoyed most of the book, I'll give it 2.5 stars, rounded up.
February 20, 2022
This book was a miss for me. Unlike other reviewers, I didn’t dislike the language, the darkness or the sick and twisted nature of some of the plot points. All that stuff is cool by me. I am a sicko. What I had a problem with was the treatment of domestic violence and the unrealistic and one-dimensional nature of the female characters.
Having just read the excellent domestic thriller The Favor by Nora Murphy, it’s hard not to compare the two books. The Favor is a sensitive and nuanced portrayal of what it’s like to be in a violent intimate relationship. This book was almost comical in its portrayal of a victim of domestic violence as a vengeful, gleeful person whose experience with intimate partner violence does not ring true and is not at all sensitive.
Another reviewer wrote that this feels like a book written by men for men. I wish I’d read that review before picking this up. I somewhat agree - with the caveat that many male writers are wonderfully adept at creating nuanced, believable female characters. AND some women, in turn can’t write believable women. I didn’t know the gender of this author while reading the book (now see via Goodreads it’s a man), but I do completely agree that the women in this novel were off-putting and unrealistic and full of dated assumptions and stereotypes. I found myself eye-rolling, and it was a struggle to push through. This is not a great book for a feminist reader.
I love audiobooks in this genre and I find that sometimes I tend to be easier to please than other readers simply because of my love of the genre, but I really can’t recommend this one.
Thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the chance to preview this book and offer an honest review.
Having just read the excellent domestic thriller The Favor by Nora Murphy, it’s hard not to compare the two books. The Favor is a sensitive and nuanced portrayal of what it’s like to be in a violent intimate relationship. This book was almost comical in its portrayal of a victim of domestic violence as a vengeful, gleeful person whose experience with intimate partner violence does not ring true and is not at all sensitive.
Another reviewer wrote that this feels like a book written by men for men. I wish I’d read that review before picking this up. I somewhat agree - with the caveat that many male writers are wonderfully adept at creating nuanced, believable female characters. AND some women, in turn can’t write believable women. I didn’t know the gender of this author while reading the book (now see via Goodreads it’s a man), but I do completely agree that the women in this novel were off-putting and unrealistic and full of dated assumptions and stereotypes. I found myself eye-rolling, and it was a struggle to push through. This is not a great book for a feminist reader.
I love audiobooks in this genre and I find that sometimes I tend to be easier to please than other readers simply because of my love of the genre, but I really can’t recommend this one.
Thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the chance to preview this book and offer an honest review.
August 9, 2024
3.25⭐
Genre ~ psychological fiction
Publication date ~ January 26, 2022
Publisher ~ Dreamscape Media
Est Page Count ~ 276
Audio length ~ 7 hours 56 minutes
Narrator ~ Ella Lynch
‼‼DIS-TUR-BING‼‼
DARK!! CREEPY!! TWISTED!! GROSS!! INSANE!! HORRIFIC!!
⚠Beware⚠
This book is not for the faint hearted.
There are many triggers warnings, such as ~
Ellie has learned her abusive husband has died by suicide and left a note stating she is to blame.
Ellie's mom has schizophrenia and knows a secret about Ellie's husband, Kayden.
The story goes back and forth between the perspective of Ellie and what her mom wrote in a journal about her past.
I did figure out some of the twists ahead of time, so that put a damper on my rating. However, I do feel like the story wrapped up well though.
Narration notes:
Ella was really good in expressing emotions when necessary, however I would have preferred a second narrator for the journal entries.
*Thanks to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media and N.J. Moss for the advance audiobook. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
Genre ~ psychological fiction
Publication date ~ January 26, 2022
Publisher ~ Dreamscape Media
Est Page Count ~ 276
Audio length ~ 7 hours 56 minutes
Narrator ~ Ella Lynch
‼‼DIS-TUR-BING‼‼
DARK!! CREEPY!! TWISTED!! GROSS!! INSANE!! HORRIFIC!!
⚠Beware⚠
This book is not for the faint hearted.
There are many triggers warnings, such as ~
Ellie has learned her abusive husband has died by suicide and left a note stating she is to blame.
Ellie's mom has schizophrenia and knows a secret about Ellie's husband, Kayden.
The story goes back and forth between the perspective of Ellie and what her mom wrote in a journal about her past.
I did figure out some of the twists ahead of time, so that put a damper on my rating. However, I do feel like the story wrapped up well though.
Narration notes:
Ella was really good in expressing emotions when necessary, however I would have preferred a second narrator for the journal entries.
*Thanks to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media and N.J. Moss for the advance audiobook. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
January 18, 2022
MY DEAD HUSBAND is a twisted dark and disturbing psychological thriller by NJ Moss, the author of Her Final Victim..
This novel is not for the faint-hearted as it highlights some very dark issues including schizophrenia, sexual and psychological abuse and some strong language.
Ellie learns her abusive husband, Kayden, who she had been separated from for over a year, is dead. She receives a call from Paisley, her mother-in-law, that Kayden had taken his own life, and that his suicide was all Ellie’s fault because she separated from him. She is told she is not welcome at the funeral. But Ellie didn’t care…as she was now free of him.
Ellie had a hard childhood, her mother growing up suffered from schizophrenia and it was hard on Ellie. Then her father died and her mum’s condition got worse. Her only friend was Georgia and her boyfriend Theo.
Something happened between her and Theo where Ellie lost a whole year of her life and was in a coma. When she woke up, she couldn’t remember anything and Theo was gone.
Fast forward and Ellie is working as a complaints handler, until she could make the transition to full-time writer, awaiting her first book publication.
But relief soon changes to terror when Ellie starts receiving frightening phone calls, strangers on the street, and what appears to be an attempt to destroy her writing career. She thinks she saw a reflection of Kayden’s face. Is she having a breakdown again? Who is doing this to her and Why?
Then with a new boyfriend, Freddie in her life, Ellie and Freddie head to Scotland to visit her mother-in-law and demand to know the truth.
This is a fast-paced and suspenseful thriller, with a twisted highpoint that will grip you until you reach the shocking ending, and one that I didn’t see coming.
Many thanks to the author, and Bloodhound Books for my digital copy.
This novel is not for the faint-hearted as it highlights some very dark issues including schizophrenia, sexual and psychological abuse and some strong language.
Ellie learns her abusive husband, Kayden, who she had been separated from for over a year, is dead. She receives a call from Paisley, her mother-in-law, that Kayden had taken his own life, and that his suicide was all Ellie’s fault because she separated from him. She is told she is not welcome at the funeral. But Ellie didn’t care…as she was now free of him.
Ellie had a hard childhood, her mother growing up suffered from schizophrenia and it was hard on Ellie. Then her father died and her mum’s condition got worse. Her only friend was Georgia and her boyfriend Theo.
Something happened between her and Theo where Ellie lost a whole year of her life and was in a coma. When she woke up, she couldn’t remember anything and Theo was gone.
Fast forward and Ellie is working as a complaints handler, until she could make the transition to full-time writer, awaiting her first book publication.
But relief soon changes to terror when Ellie starts receiving frightening phone calls, strangers on the street, and what appears to be an attempt to destroy her writing career. She thinks she saw a reflection of Kayden’s face. Is she having a breakdown again? Who is doing this to her and Why?
Then with a new boyfriend, Freddie in her life, Ellie and Freddie head to Scotland to visit her mother-in-law and demand to know the truth.
This is a fast-paced and suspenseful thriller, with a twisted highpoint that will grip you until you reach the shocking ending, and one that I didn’t see coming.
Many thanks to the author, and Bloodhound Books for my digital copy.
February 13, 2022
Ellie finding out her abusive husband has died begins the new nightmare that will destroy her life. Ellie learns from Paisley, her mother in law, that Kayden has taken his own life. Yet Ellie is getting disturbing phone calls and seeing Kayden in her window, on the street.... is she heading towards another breakdown? Ellie has already lost a year of her life at 14, knowing if she finds out what happened in that blank space, it would turn her life upside down. The nightmare is only just beginning for Ellie, and Ellie could never imagine how far it is going to go...
Oh WOW! What a disturbing, thrilling, shocker of a story. I was reading it with my mouth wide open in shock, especially when the twist came about! Never would have saw that coming, never read a book quite like this before! I couldn't stop reading it, even at it's most disturbing.
This author is incredibly talented, I cannot wait to read more by them. The short chapters, gripping twists! Just wow! I can't quite put into words this book, how there's twists you could never see coming. I have seen so many good reviews of this book and I can confirm they are all true!
Oh WOW! What a disturbing, thrilling, shocker of a story. I was reading it with my mouth wide open in shock, especially when the twist came about! Never would have saw that coming, never read a book quite like this before! I couldn't stop reading it, even at it's most disturbing.
This author is incredibly talented, I cannot wait to read more by them. The short chapters, gripping twists! Just wow! I can't quite put into words this book, how there's twists you could never see coming. I have seen so many good reviews of this book and I can confirm they are all true!
March 2, 2022
This book was not the thriller I was expecting. It was like the soap opera version of a thriller where each new twist was beyond over the top. It wasn’t that they were surprising - they weren’t to me. I didn’t mind that it was dark (and it was super dark, trigger warnings for domestic abuse, sex abuse, child abuse, incest, rape, and violence). I also don’t mind the vulgar language but it did get pretty vulgar at times. I didn’t even mind going to the taboo places but it was the exaggerated and unrealistic way it went about it that was hard for me. I also felt like the story dragged in places. There also wasn’t really anyone to root for in this story. To say the characters were all unlivable would be an understatement. I listened to the audiobook and I did think the narrator did a good job trying to bring the characters to life despite them all being written pretty shallowly in my opinion. I struggled with the rating but in the end I landed on 2 stars because I don’t think I can really recommend this one and I won’t be picking up another by this author.
Ellie has finally escaped her abuse husband Kayden when she hears from Kayden’s mother Paisley that Kayden has killed himself and left a note saying it was Ellie’s fault. She’s moving on with her life and she has a book publishing soon and has met someone new at work. But when things start happening - she gets review bombed on goodreads and at her day job taking complaints, she gets horrible perverts calling at work, attacked by a homeless man, and has a brick thrown in her window and she starts to believe she hasn’t really escaped Kayden. She also thinks she sees him through the glass of her apartment window and wonders if her mother’s mental illness has finally begun to show in her as well.
Ellie has finally escaped her abuse husband Kayden when she hears from Kayden’s mother Paisley that Kayden has killed himself and left a note saying it was Ellie’s fault. She’s moving on with her life and she has a book publishing soon and has met someone new at work. But when things start happening - she gets review bombed on goodreads and at her day job taking complaints, she gets horrible perverts calling at work, attacked by a homeless man, and has a brick thrown in her window and she starts to believe she hasn’t really escaped Kayden. She also thinks she sees him through the glass of her apartment window and wonders if her mother’s mental illness has finally begun to show in her as well.
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March 5, 2022DNF
February 18, 2022
“My Dead Husband” is a new read/listen by NJ Moss, new author to this reader. Wow! I tend to shy away from psychological thrillers but on occasion read them from time to time. This novel, I didn’t think would be so very dark for a thriller that had the wrong kind of romance. Did I say wrong…definitely wrong!
Ellie has finally left her abusive husband and for the most part is shying away from men because of what she had experienced in her marriage. She gets a call from her mother-in-law telling her that her husband is dead, and Ellie feels a sense of relief and freedom to do what she has always wanted to do and that is become a terrific writer. As she moves forward with her life, she begins to receive crude and obnoxious phone calls, ratings of her work and reviews start to crumble, a break in to her flat, and attacks on her person. She begins to wonder if she is losing her mind or if someone is out to sabotage her progress forward.
Well, if you are someone who likes dark…and I mean dark thrillers, then this is a story/audiobook you definitely must put on your TBR. This book has some twists, turns, disturbing situations and outcomes while incorporating mental illness into the fray. Yes, Ellie is the heroine of this story but the subcharacters join together to make this story come to life. It is a well-written, well-developed, well-thought out and oh so close to sinister. Hate to think that I found the story so unsettling that it was hard for me to put it down, however I had to finish until the end. Did I say this book was wrong…it is exactly all kinds of wrongs but oh so right to listen/read. This story got stranger and stranger by the chapters that the ending totally surprised and shocked me to the core.
As mentioned, this was an audiobook listen and the narration was nicely performed by Ella Lynch. Well done NJ Moss. Recommend if you desire to listen or read something out of your ordinary that is dark and twisted. A definite 5-Stars.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this ARC Audiobook in exchange for my fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Ellie has finally left her abusive husband and for the most part is shying away from men because of what she had experienced in her marriage. She gets a call from her mother-in-law telling her that her husband is dead, and Ellie feels a sense of relief and freedom to do what she has always wanted to do and that is become a terrific writer. As she moves forward with her life, she begins to receive crude and obnoxious phone calls, ratings of her work and reviews start to crumble, a break in to her flat, and attacks on her person. She begins to wonder if she is losing her mind or if someone is out to sabotage her progress forward.
Well, if you are someone who likes dark…and I mean dark thrillers, then this is a story/audiobook you definitely must put on your TBR. This book has some twists, turns, disturbing situations and outcomes while incorporating mental illness into the fray. Yes, Ellie is the heroine of this story but the subcharacters join together to make this story come to life. It is a well-written, well-developed, well-thought out and oh so close to sinister. Hate to think that I found the story so unsettling that it was hard for me to put it down, however I had to finish until the end. Did I say this book was wrong…it is exactly all kinds of wrongs but oh so right to listen/read. This story got stranger and stranger by the chapters that the ending totally surprised and shocked me to the core.
As mentioned, this was an audiobook listen and the narration was nicely performed by Ella Lynch. Well done NJ Moss. Recommend if you desire to listen or read something out of your ordinary that is dark and twisted. A definite 5-Stars.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this ARC Audiobook in exchange for my fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
December 26, 2021
Ellie is a writer and just about to publish her first e-book. So, whilst she is waiting works in a complaints department for a furniture store.
She learns her ex-husband Kayden; a vicious abuser has committed suicide and leaves a note blaming her for his death. Soon after, weird things start to happen. She gets weird phone calls at work and bad reviews at the company she works for on their website and Kayden’s mother Paisley blames her for her son’s death.
Thank you, Bloodhound books, for a copy of My dead Husband by NJ Moss. I do like a gritty tense thriller but for me I found this too sick and twisted that I didn’t much like 3 stars from me.
She learns her ex-husband Kayden; a vicious abuser has committed suicide and leaves a note blaming her for his death. Soon after, weird things start to happen. She gets weird phone calls at work and bad reviews at the company she works for on their website and Kayden’s mother Paisley blames her for her son’s death.
Thank you, Bloodhound books, for a copy of My dead Husband by NJ Moss. I do like a gritty tense thriller but for me I found this too sick and twisted that I didn’t much like 3 stars from me.
March 3, 2022
I tend to rate thrillers a little differently than other books since the main goal to me is to keep me at the edge of my seat for an entire book (or have a crazy twist or mystery). My main focuses tend to be softer if I feel like it's getting its job done.
I want to start and say this book has ALL the trigger warnings: domestic violence, violence, gore, child abuse, sexual abuse, rape, incest, many more things that I can’t think off the top of my head. This book is brutal but it works in that it keeps you engaged with the whole story. It possibly feels a little torture porn-y but honestly, I felt like we never focused too hard on the horrors or reveled in them in a way that felt like we were supposed to be staring* (except for an unnecessary (to me) part at the end) but this could still be very upsetting for people with triggers.
So anyways, plot synopsis: Ellie seems to be getting her life back together, she is about to publish a book, she has a decent job and her abusive asshole ex husband just died. So she is in a pretty good place. However, things start to take a turn when random events start working against her and escalate.
This book just…goes there. I saw a twist going from a mile away (thanks very specific remaining nameless movie!) and was just shaking my head ‘no, no, no’ until we got to the reveal and I still couldn’t believe it actually happened. I can’t really describe this book as anything other than shocking and suspenseful but that's its goal! So yay!
The character work was fine even if most characters were shallowly built. Definitely don’t look to this for a nuanced or steeped in realism look at surviving abuse or mental illness because you won’t find that here. The timeline was absolutely crazy and made almost zero sense. There are like five twists and all of them are bonkers ridiculous. If this was longer than it was then I probably would not rate nearly as high, but the pace is set fast and the compactness of the story keeps it tense.
There doesn’t seem to be a greater message here than ‘oh my god, look how messed up this is! Isn’t it crazy and pretty entertaining?!” and yes, yes it is. But um, seriously if you can’t handle really twisted things that are not shied away from then I would pass.
I listened to this Audiobook thanks to Dreamscape Media, NJ Moss, and Netgalley. Narrated by Ella Lynch who probably gave this an extra star with her excellent narration (and wonderful accent).
*This book is still less torture porn-y than A Little Life and I will die on this hill
I want to start and say this book has ALL the trigger warnings: domestic violence, violence, gore, child abuse, sexual abuse, rape, incest, many more things that I can’t think off the top of my head. This book is brutal but it works in that it keeps you engaged with the whole story. It possibly feels a little torture porn-y but honestly, I felt like we never focused too hard on the horrors or reveled in them in a way that felt like we were supposed to be staring* (except for an unnecessary (to me) part at the end) but this could still be very upsetting for people with triggers.
So anyways, plot synopsis: Ellie seems to be getting her life back together, she is about to publish a book, she has a decent job and her abusive asshole ex husband just died. So she is in a pretty good place. However, things start to take a turn when random events start working against her and escalate.
This book just…goes there. I saw a twist going from a mile away (thanks very specific remaining nameless movie!) and was just shaking my head ‘no, no, no’ until we got to the reveal and I still couldn’t believe it actually happened. I can’t really describe this book as anything other than shocking and suspenseful but that's its goal! So yay!
The character work was fine even if most characters were shallowly built. Definitely don’t look to this for a nuanced or steeped in realism look at surviving abuse or mental illness because you won’t find that here. The timeline was absolutely crazy and made almost zero sense. There are like five twists and all of them are bonkers ridiculous. If this was longer than it was then I probably would not rate nearly as high, but the pace is set fast and the compactness of the story keeps it tense.
There doesn’t seem to be a greater message here than ‘oh my god, look how messed up this is! Isn’t it crazy and pretty entertaining?!” and yes, yes it is. But um, seriously if you can’t handle really twisted things that are not shied away from then I would pass.
I listened to this Audiobook thanks to Dreamscape Media, NJ Moss, and Netgalley. Narrated by Ella Lynch who probably gave this an extra star with her excellent narration (and wonderful accent).
*This book is still less torture porn-y than A Little Life and I will die on this hill
January 29, 2022
Incredibly dark, twisted and disturbing and certainly not for the faint-hearted. It was at times pretty uncomfortable to read and made me squirm but it was a real page-turner and very well written. 4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
April 23, 2022
Dark, twisted, and unsettling! I will start by saying that I found many of the plot elements highly disturbing and it usually takes a lot to push my boundaries. It just seemed like the book tried too hard to achieve shock value, which took away from the authenticity of the story. There was nothing believable. The plot was way over the top. TRIGGER WARNING - some readers may find the plot elements triggering.
There were some shocking twists. And I mean shocking….and did I say disturbing. Yet, despite all of the graphic material, eye rolling and having to suspend disbelief, I found the book to be oddly engaging. I kept wondering what could possibly come next. It was highly unpredictable.
The audiobook was engaging. The narrator kept it entertaining although it was at times confusing because her voice was the same for both the mother and daughter perspectives. Having two different narrators would’ve been better.
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
There were some shocking twists. And I mean shocking….and did I say disturbing. Yet, despite all of the graphic material, eye rolling and having to suspend disbelief, I found the book to be oddly engaging. I kept wondering what could possibly come next. It was highly unpredictable.
The audiobook was engaging. The narrator kept it entertaining although it was at times confusing because her voice was the same for both the mother and daughter perspectives. Having two different narrators would’ve been better.
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
February 19, 2022
Trigger Warning ~ Every nasty awful thing I can think of happens!
Story starts when Ellie finds out that Kayden her abusive husband committed suicide and leaves a note that she is the blame.
Ellie is actually very pleased that she has finally escaped from her husband’s vicious abuse. But now she is getting frighten phone calls and other situations that appears someone is out to ‘get her’!
The abuse was very descriptive and very disturbing to read. Additionally, these characters are awful,
I wasn’t sure this was going to work for me. I love psychological thrillers so hung in there!
However, it only got worst ~ never got to the fun twists and turns that I love in psychological thrillers.
I know there are readers who enjoy this as there are a lot of great reviews~ however, it didn’t work for me.
Want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape for this audio eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for an honest professional review.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for March 8, 2022.
Story starts when Ellie finds out that Kayden her abusive husband committed suicide and leaves a note that she is the blame.
Ellie is actually very pleased that she has finally escaped from her husband’s vicious abuse. But now she is getting frighten phone calls and other situations that appears someone is out to ‘get her’!
The abuse was very descriptive and very disturbing to read. Additionally, these characters are awful,
I wasn’t sure this was going to work for me. I love psychological thrillers so hung in there!
However, it only got worst ~ never got to the fun twists and turns that I love in psychological thrillers.
I know there are readers who enjoy this as there are a lot of great reviews~ however, it didn’t work for me.
Want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape for this audio eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for an honest professional review.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for March 8, 2022.
March 12, 2022
I received a free copy of the audiobook from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media, in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, I feel like I need to bleach my brain after reading this.
I can handle gore, I can handle all sorts of fetishes, but this. This. How many new shelves should I add to my Goodreads account to handle all the "ugh" and "ick" I feel with this story lingering in my memory?
There was just too much sickness woven in here. I could never fully engage with the story or the main character, because the outrageousness of all the mind games, perverted sex, and ugly (inside and out) players in this sick setup kept pulling me out and up for air.
I stopped many times and thought "I don't have to finish this". For some reason, I kept going, but I never enjoyed it. Perhaps it was well written, but who would notice while they're reading about some unclean and morbidly obese woman masturbating and making her young son help her have an orgasm? If you just went "eww, gross, that's disgusting", there you go -- that's the whole freaking book in a nutshell.
I was not the target audience for this darker-than-dark, sicker-than-sick book.
I can handle gore, I can handle all sorts of fetishes, but this. This. How many new shelves should I add to my Goodreads account to handle all the "ugh" and "ick" I feel with this story lingering in my memory?
There was just too much sickness woven in here. I could never fully engage with the story or the main character, because the outrageousness of all the mind games, perverted sex, and ugly (inside and out) players in this sick setup kept pulling me out and up for air.
I stopped many times and thought "I don't have to finish this". For some reason, I kept going, but I never enjoyed it. Perhaps it was well written, but who would notice while they're reading about some unclean and morbidly obese woman masturbating and making her young son help her have an orgasm? If you just went "eww, gross, that's disgusting", there you go -- that's the whole freaking book in a nutshell.
I was not the target audience for this darker-than-dark, sicker-than-sick book.
February 21, 2022
I think I’m in the minority when I say this book wasn’t for me.
When people coin a book as “all of the characters were unlikeable” or “there was too much going on,” that is usually a trigger for me to want to read the book. I love to hate characters who have a lot going on. But this one was over the top. I realize that may be intentional to the story, but my wee brain just couldn’t keep track. I found myself confused about the timeline and characters. I just found it confusing and far-fetched.
That said, I didn't have any issues with the language, violence, or twisted imagery going on... I think I will still try another book by the author hoping that this one is just a one-off because I like twisted books and I think that NJ Moss is a twisted author. I mean that in the best way possible.
Thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the chance to preview this book and offer an honest review.
When people coin a book as “all of the characters were unlikeable” or “there was too much going on,” that is usually a trigger for me to want to read the book. I love to hate characters who have a lot going on. But this one was over the top. I realize that may be intentional to the story, but my wee brain just couldn’t keep track. I found myself confused about the timeline and characters. I just found it confusing and far-fetched.
That said, I didn't have any issues with the language, violence, or twisted imagery going on... I think I will still try another book by the author hoping that this one is just a one-off because I like twisted books and I think that NJ Moss is a twisted author. I mean that in the best way possible.
Thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the chance to preview this book and offer an honest review.
February 15, 2023
Women's Psychological Fiction / Domestic Thriller
Publication date : January 26, 2022
Synopsis sounded interesting but the way it was written and the characters...after only a couple of chapters I lost interest and wanted to stop reading. Like many thrillers this story touches mental health issues, domestic violence, incest etc. TBH I did not like the way they were handled. Someone needed a therapist asap.
I found very hard to connect with any of the characters. The main character was whiny and unpleasant. The way she spoke to her ex husband's mother and then to her own mother seemed odd and rude. The main character was a female but I wondered if she was written by a male writer. Quick check confirmed it. Ha!
I much prefer authors like, Riley Sager and T.M. Logan who's female characters are varied, interesting, realistic for their circumstances, and overall very well written.
Publication date : January 26, 2022
Synopsis sounded interesting but the way it was written and the characters...after only a couple of chapters I lost interest and wanted to stop reading. Like many thrillers this story touches mental health issues, domestic violence, incest etc. TBH I did not like the way they were handled. Someone needed a therapist asap.
I found very hard to connect with any of the characters. The main character was whiny and unpleasant. The way she spoke to her ex husband's mother and then to her own mother seemed odd and rude. The main character was a female but I wondered if she was written by a male writer. Quick check confirmed it. Ha!
I much prefer authors like, Riley Sager and T.M. Logan who's female characters are varied, interesting, realistic for their circumstances, and overall very well written.
January 14, 2022
28 hours it took me to read this book. Every free waking minute I had, this book was in front of me.
Wow!!! Most definitely not for the faint hearted. This is probably one of the most twisted books I have read but it was gripping. You went there and you kept on going.
Nathan, upon reading your books, it cements my opinion that you have an amazing talent with each read. I can’t wait for your next masterpiece. Xx
Wow!!! Most definitely not for the faint hearted. This is probably one of the most twisted books I have read but it was gripping. You went there and you kept on going.
Nathan, upon reading your books, it cements my opinion that you have an amazing talent with each read. I can’t wait for your next masterpiece. Xx
March 1, 2022
Dark and twisted, this book won't be for everyone as it explores just how cruel and depraved some individuals can be.
The plot moves at a breakneck speed, with more twists than a helter-skelter. I won't give away any of the story, but poor Ellie must be the unluckiest woman alive.
What shone through for me was the quality of the writing. This author has an eloquent yet effortless way with words and I think with each book he writes he will grow in brilliance.
The plot moves at a breakneck speed, with more twists than a helter-skelter. I won't give away any of the story, but poor Ellie must be the unluckiest woman alive.
What shone through for me was the quality of the writing. This author has an eloquent yet effortless way with words and I think with each book he writes he will grow in brilliance.
December 26, 2021
Well this got to be easily the most disturbing book I have read but I could not put it down. It is not an easy read but so very well written and captivated me that I needed to finish it.
I am not going to go into the plot as so careful about spoilers.
I was given an advance copy by Bloodhound books but this in no way impacted my review.
I am not going to go into the plot as so careful about spoilers.
I was given an advance copy by Bloodhound books but this in no way impacted my review.
January 27, 2022
This is a great read from Nathan J Moss but it is not for the faint hearted.
Ellie is relieved that her abusive husband is dead but her mother in law makes it clear, she’ll get what’s coming to her as he had blamed Ellie for his suicide.
Things are good for Ellie at first but when nasty reviews are left about her new book and also her performance at work, she becomes worried.
A brick through her window is the final straw and she is convinced she’s seen her ex at her window.
Freddy is keen to take Ellie out and eventually she agrees and lets him help her face her mother in law.
There’s also chapters from Ellie’s mother in the form of a journal and this can get very uncomfortable with accounts of mental illness and abuse.
The ending of the book is very shocking so as I’ve said, definitely not one for the faint hearted.
Thanks to Bloodhound Books and N J Moss for sending me a copy to read and review.
Ellie is relieved that her abusive husband is dead but her mother in law makes it clear, she’ll get what’s coming to her as he had blamed Ellie for his suicide.
Things are good for Ellie at first but when nasty reviews are left about her new book and also her performance at work, she becomes worried.
A brick through her window is the final straw and she is convinced she’s seen her ex at her window.
Freddy is keen to take Ellie out and eventually she agrees and lets him help her face her mother in law.
There’s also chapters from Ellie’s mother in the form of a journal and this can get very uncomfortable with accounts of mental illness and abuse.
The ending of the book is very shocking so as I’ve said, definitely not one for the faint hearted.
Thanks to Bloodhound Books and N J Moss for sending me a copy to read and review.
February 20, 2022
GRAPHIC WARNING: this book dealt with physical abuse, mind games, mental illness, incest and frankly was too much for me. I have read books about abuse but this could have triggers for many. So be prepared.
January 31, 2022
If you are looking for a book you can't put down this is it!
December 29, 2021
The main characters are writer Ellie Hunter, and her ex husband Kayden who is an abusive monster, a smiling demon, a deranged psychopath, after he commits suicide she is well rid of the monster, or was she? but lies and truths are going to surface that will break her into a million pieces forever.
this book has explosive symbol warnings, paranoia and disturbing graphics, but is so well written, that makes readers curious to keep reading, it's not for the faint hearted, but it's one heck of a twisted book with one big one as we close at the end, so be warned.
This author is a genius, using talent for his readers to work it out for themselves giving them a special dose that you won't ever expect to read, I have never read a book like this before and was an almighty challenge for me, but found I could not put it down, as all the characters have a past and secrets that Ellie finds right up to that ending. It gets my vote of full marks and more, the only thing I can now say is big thanks to the author and the publishers for giving me the chance to read the advance copy and it's a book I will read once again on it's publication date without a doubt. and don't doubt me with the warning signs it is a full on remarkable story to knock you off the edge of your seat, this is all I really have to say now pick it up, read it, and enjoy.
this book has explosive symbol warnings, paranoia and disturbing graphics, but is so well written, that makes readers curious to keep reading, it's not for the faint hearted, but it's one heck of a twisted book with one big one as we close at the end, so be warned.
This author is a genius, using talent for his readers to work it out for themselves giving them a special dose that you won't ever expect to read, I have never read a book like this before and was an almighty challenge for me, but found I could not put it down, as all the characters have a past and secrets that Ellie finds right up to that ending. It gets my vote of full marks and more, the only thing I can now say is big thanks to the author and the publishers for giving me the chance to read the advance copy and it's a book I will read once again on it's publication date without a doubt. and don't doubt me with the warning signs it is a full on remarkable story to knock you off the edge of your seat, this is all I really have to say now pick it up, read it, and enjoy.
February 19, 2022
0.5 stars rounded up
I nearly never give a book a rating lower than 2 stars, so that says a lot right there.
Although it has a good start, the book becomes pretty dragged and annoying fast as all the nasty, wrong things happen to Ellie. Now Ellie is a widow, her husband committed suicide but she is more than relieved as he was quite abusive.
Things start to take a turn for the worse, as Ellie starts being mistreated at work, belittle by her boss and abused by her clients. However she does find a new boyfriend that sheds some light in her dark world.
The book is also related from Ellie's mom perspective, and more precisely her journal entries describing her how she met someone when she was young.
The first half of the book is alright and then we start having a multitude of foul language being used. But that's not even half as bad as the ending where a lot of twists are happening and the revelations are disturbing, shocking, obnoxious.
I won't say that this book as triggers, it has far more than that. Starting with the language used (which is beyond foul), the actions of the characters and the turn of events. The only way I can describe it all is sick.
I do not understand the author (the need to put something like this on paper).
I do not recommend this book to anyone. I can't think of any sane person enjoying this book or any part of it.
I am puzzled how this book gets to be published. It shouldn't, in my opinion.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I nearly never give a book a rating lower than 2 stars, so that says a lot right there.
Although it has a good start, the book becomes pretty dragged and annoying fast as all the nasty, wrong things happen to Ellie. Now Ellie is a widow, her husband committed suicide but she is more than relieved as he was quite abusive.
Things start to take a turn for the worse, as Ellie starts being mistreated at work, belittle by her boss and abused by her clients. However she does find a new boyfriend that sheds some light in her dark world.
The book is also related from Ellie's mom perspective, and more precisely her journal entries describing her how she met someone when she was young.
The first half of the book is alright and then we start having a multitude of foul language being used. But that's not even half as bad as the ending where a lot of twists are happening and the revelations are disturbing, shocking, obnoxious.
I won't say that this book as triggers, it has far more than that. Starting with the language used (which is beyond foul), the actions of the characters and the turn of events. The only way I can describe it all is sick.
I do not understand the author (the need to put something like this on paper).
I do not recommend this book to anyone. I can't think of any sane person enjoying this book or any part of it.
I am puzzled how this book gets to be published. It shouldn't, in my opinion.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 21, 2022
This is a very dark, disturbing book and the list of potential triggers is long. It truly is a psychological thriller extraordinaire. I read this a while back but I needed some time to digest it and decide what I thought. Alongside the main book we also get to read a diary Ellie’s mother is writing about her past; very revealing.
Briefly, Ellie was brought up by a schizophrenic mother. She had a boyfriend, Theo, but something happened that caused her to spend a year in a waking coma and didn’t see Theo again. When she met Kayden she thought her life was getting better but from the minute they exchanged vows her life took a turn for the worse. Extremely abusive she eventually left him and was working in a call centre whilst her first book is published. Then she hears that Kayden has committed suicide. Shortly afterward strange things start to happen, dreadful reviews of her book, abusive calls at work, hostile people in the streets. What is happening to her? Who is instigating this terror campaign?
The story is depraved, deviant, debased, debauched, dark… you get the picture. I rarely have issues when reading a book but some of the language in this made me very uncomfortable. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t brilliantly written, extremely clever and well put together with a shocking storyline and an equally shocking climax. Because it is. If I had scored this immediately I probably would have scored four stars but now I look back at it I was adversely affected by the language and this is a very good book worthy of ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Briefly, Ellie was brought up by a schizophrenic mother. She had a boyfriend, Theo, but something happened that caused her to spend a year in a waking coma and didn’t see Theo again. When she met Kayden she thought her life was getting better but from the minute they exchanged vows her life took a turn for the worse. Extremely abusive she eventually left him and was working in a call centre whilst her first book is published. Then she hears that Kayden has committed suicide. Shortly afterward strange things start to happen, dreadful reviews of her book, abusive calls at work, hostile people in the streets. What is happening to her? Who is instigating this terror campaign?
The story is depraved, deviant, debased, debauched, dark… you get the picture. I rarely have issues when reading a book but some of the language in this made me very uncomfortable. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t brilliantly written, extremely clever and well put together with a shocking storyline and an equally shocking climax. Because it is. If I had scored this immediately I probably would have scored four stars but now I look back at it I was adversely affected by the language and this is a very good book worthy of ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
February 13, 2022
It seems that I chose this weekend to binge read all of my dark, depraved selections that I've been hoarding. How did I sleep? Like the dead...what does that say about me? Let's not discuss that now.
First, ALL of the trigger warnings, such as 𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐞, 𝐩𝐞𝐝𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐚, 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐭, 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐦𝐚,& 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (mentioned very briefly). I was drawn to this book because the author is in a Facebook group that I moderate, and I kept hearing that the book had VERITY vibes, so I was definitely intrigued.
Ellie finds out in the opening chapter that her abusive monster of a husband Kayden is dead, and by his own hand. Kayden's mother Paisley is devastated and makes it her mission to ensure that Ellie pays. Ellie begins experiencing a series of disappointments in both her personal and professional life, but then she begins to have more sinister interactions.
This book is unique because it's a story within a story--the second storyline is told by Ellie's mother through a series of journal entries, and there is some jaw-dropping info there, AND the Freudian storyline between Kayden and Paisley...I was NOT prepared for that.
Absolutely dark, twisted, and amoral, and I have the author's other two books on my Kindle to read soon.
First, ALL of the trigger warnings, such as 𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐞, 𝐩𝐞𝐝𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐚, 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐭, 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐦𝐚,& 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (mentioned very briefly). I was drawn to this book because the author is in a Facebook group that I moderate, and I kept hearing that the book had VERITY vibes, so I was definitely intrigued.
Ellie finds out in the opening chapter that her abusive monster of a husband Kayden is dead, and by his own hand. Kayden's mother Paisley is devastated and makes it her mission to ensure that Ellie pays. Ellie begins experiencing a series of disappointments in both her personal and professional life, but then she begins to have more sinister interactions.
This book is unique because it's a story within a story--the second storyline is told by Ellie's mother through a series of journal entries, and there is some jaw-dropping info there, AND the Freudian storyline between Kayden and Paisley...I was NOT prepared for that.
Absolutely dark, twisted, and amoral, and I have the author's other two books on my Kindle to read soon.
February 11, 2022
This was all kinds of wrong! Crude, dark and creepy. I listened to this with utter shock! It was crazy and I had to see where it would end. Gahhhh. It just got stranger and stranger. Is that the word I want to use?? Maybe.
I have this thing about Mothers and how they treat their kids. I’m just throwing that out there because this mother was something else.
The writing was good, but the topic was difficult and and and I don’t know what else to say! If you like dark and twisted then, this is for you.
I chose to listen to this book on audio and this was narrated by Ella Lynch. She did a great job. It’s was 7 hours and 56 minutes long.
Thanks Dreamscape Media via NetGalley.
I have this thing about Mothers and how they treat their kids. I’m just throwing that out there because this mother was something else.
The writing was good, but the topic was difficult and and and I don’t know what else to say! If you like dark and twisted then, this is for you.
I chose to listen to this book on audio and this was narrated by Ella Lynch. She did a great job. It’s was 7 hours and 56 minutes long.
Thanks Dreamscape Media via NetGalley.
February 1, 2022
Thank you Bloodhound books for the advance copy in exchange for a honest review. When Ellie hears from her ex mother in law that her estranged husband Kayden has committed suicide she feels relived. Then she starts to get abusive phone calls and abused by strangers in the street. She also has bad reviews both at work and for her soon to be published book. When she thinks she sees Kayden's face at her study window Ellie decides to go to Scotland with her new partner Freddie to confront her ex mother in law. A dark and disturbing thriller.
May 4, 2022
Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for this advance listener copy in exchange for my honest review.
I don't even know where to start with this one. I had a love/hate relationship with this story. It was decent enough to hold my interest. I flew through it because it had me wanting to know what was going to happen and a LOT happened in this book. Too much happened in this book. It had my head spinning. Twist after twist after twist was just too much. And the twists were almost too shocking, like they were just there to add shock value to a really weird story.
My main problem with this book is that the shock value was the only substance in the story. The vile things that people did just didn't make sense to me. I give this book 3 stars because it did hold my interest, but it could have had more substance to the story.
I did not like the audio. Her voices for the men were not good.
I don't even know where to start with this one. I had a love/hate relationship with this story. It was decent enough to hold my interest. I flew through it because it had me wanting to know what was going to happen and a LOT happened in this book. Too much happened in this book. It had my head spinning. Twist after twist after twist was just too much. And the twists were almost too shocking, like they were just there to add shock value to a really weird story.
My main problem with this book is that the shock value was the only substance in the story. The vile things that people did just didn't make sense to me. I give this book 3 stars because it did hold my interest, but it could have had more substance to the story.
I did not like the audio. Her voices for the men were not good.
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