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Surviving Her
Nicky is the child with the hurting eyes and desperate ways. Rescue him.
Claus is the man with the empty eyes and controlling ways. Rescue her.
Broken by the death of her sister, Keziah can’t believe her luck when Claus, a beautiful psychologist saves her from a disciplinary disaster. Desperate to heal herself and restore her parents, she marries in haste.
But her husband’s idiosyncrasies and unexplained absences are easy to ignore ‒ until the past resurfaces and forces Keziah to confront the uncomfortable truth.
Nine-year-old Nicky, is also living the life of luxury but desperate to escape ‒ he can’t.
When Keziah ends up in hospital, her world collides with Nicky’s. The secrets he shares have far-reaching consequences and, if mishandled, will blow everyone’s future out of the water...
Claus is the man with the empty eyes and controlling ways. Rescue her.
Broken by the death of her sister, Keziah can’t believe her luck when Claus, a beautiful psychologist saves her from a disciplinary disaster. Desperate to heal herself and restore her parents, she marries in haste.
But her husband’s idiosyncrasies and unexplained absences are easy to ignore ‒ until the past resurfaces and forces Keziah to confront the uncomfortable truth.
Nine-year-old Nicky, is also living the life of luxury but desperate to escape ‒ he can’t.
When Keziah ends up in hospital, her world collides with Nicky’s. The secrets he shares have far-reaching consequences and, if mishandled, will blow everyone’s future out of the water...
- GenresThriller
Kindle Edition
Published November 1, 2022
42 people are currently reading
645 people want to read
About the author
Jo Johnson
11 books44 followersI’m very excited to announce my second novel.
Surviving Her is dual-narrative, domestic suspense. It combines engaging, complex characters with a fast-moving plot that explores what goes on behind fancy doors!
I’m told it’s a timely page turner, it’s a novel novel and I have a unique voice (my kids say a scratchy and irritating one but hey!)
I qualified as a clinical psychologist in 1992 specialising in neurology since 2000. I worked for fifteen years within the NHS but in 2008 made an impulsive decision to leave in order to write and explore new projects.
I continue to practise psychology hoping one day to become perfect at it! In my spare time I love writing fiction and given my day job I believe I can write characters who could be real.
Surviving Her is dual-narrative, domestic suspense. It combines engaging, complex characters with a fast-moving plot that explores what goes on behind fancy doors!
I’m told it’s a timely page turner, it’s a novel novel and I have a unique voice (my kids say a scratchy and irritating one but hey!)
I qualified as a clinical psychologist in 1992 specialising in neurology since 2000. I worked for fifteen years within the NHS but in 2008 made an impulsive decision to leave in order to write and explore new projects.
I continue to practise psychology hoping one day to become perfect at it! In my spare time I love writing fiction and given my day job I believe I can write characters who could be real.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
October 15, 2025
In a Nutshell: I am stunned at this indie work in so many ways! It has its flaws, and yet it had me hooked. I am going to be pondering over the characters for a long time.
Story Synopsis:
There are many reasons for which I should have disliked this book. And yet… I couldn’t keep the book aside!
The two character perspectives were wonderfully written. I didn’t foresee how the two stories were interrelated. I had my guesses, of course, but boy, was I wrong and how! Not a single guess of mine about the connection and the climax was correct; whoops!
Keziah and Nicky have some similar points in their stories. Both are dealing with tragedies in their families. Both want a happy and united future. Both give generous second chances to the people they love. But both forget that a ‘second’ chance can be given only once. A chance given over and over again isn’t a ‘second’ chance anymore. And this is where my feelings for them took different paths. Nicky was just a vulnerable boy. So I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him, and wished that he had had at least one sensible and responsible adult in his close family. (Nancy and Mr. P could do only SO much!) However, Keziah was an independent adult, and her decision to stick with Claus tested my patience.
Claus seemed like a typical ‘gaslighting husband and jerk’ character, the kind omnipresent in almost every contemporary domestic thriller, except that this isn’t a domestic thriller. But by the time the story came to an end, I was thoroughly confused about my opinion of Claus. His character arc offers a lot to ponder over.
There are some memorable secondary characters as well, quite a few of whom stand out in the way they affect the plot for better or for worse. I wish some of them had been given a larger role to play in the proceedings. That said, some decisions made by the characters—main and secondary—left me infuriated, so it was very tough to stay calm while reading this work.
Author Jo Johnson has been a practising clinical psychologist with the NHS for more than a decade, and her experience and her expertise are clearly visible in her portrayal of the characters’ behaviour and reactions. I appreciate how she didn’t make the mental health issues just a quirk but rather, a solid part of the character’s personality. Nicky’s OCD is especially well-integrated into the storyline.
As I mentioned above, the book isn’t without flaws. There were a couple of minor plot-holes and some inconsistencies in character development, especially in Nicky’s feelings for odd numbers. There are random time jumps and scene jumps. The writing becomes sometimes a bit confusing, especially when it tries to foreshadow. There are minor typos here and there, but for a change, I was happy to ignore the grammatical & writing integrity, and focus only on the plot and the characters.
I still don’t know how I feel about the ending – it certainly took me by surprise, and not necessarily in a bad way.
Overall, this book offered me a reading experience that went far beyond the printed words. While not a character-oriented story, it still made me wonder what I would have done had I been in that character’s place. Some of my actions would have matched theirs; some, absolutely not.
If you are looking for a thought-provoking domestic suspense story, I definitely recommend this indie gem. The writing might need some fine-tuning, but the story and the characters make it worth the time.
4 stars.
My thanks to author Jo Johnson for providing me with a complimentary copy of “Surviving Her”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
The book is available for free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers in India.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
Story Synopsis:
Nine-year-old Nicky loves his mom and dad, and wants them to be together. But when his dad walks out because of his mom’s alcoholism, Nicky feels responsible. He tries his best to put things right as the ‘man of the house’, but when he can’t, he struggles with his emotions.
Almost-thirty-year-old Keziah believes that she has found a gem of a man in Claus, a child psychologist. In a bid to provide some happiness to her parents who are still broken over her elder sister’s death a few years ago, she accepts Claus’s proposal. However, it soon becomes clear to her that Claus has two faces. And she isn’t sure which one belongs to the real Claus.
The story comes to us mostly in the third person perspective of Nick and the first person perspective of Keziah.
There are many reasons for which I should have disliked this book. And yet… I couldn’t keep the book aside!
The two character perspectives were wonderfully written. I didn’t foresee how the two stories were interrelated. I had my guesses, of course, but boy, was I wrong and how! Not a single guess of mine about the connection and the climax was correct; whoops!
Keziah and Nicky have some similar points in their stories. Both are dealing with tragedies in their families. Both want a happy and united future. Both give generous second chances to the people they love. But both forget that a ‘second’ chance can be given only once. A chance given over and over again isn’t a ‘second’ chance anymore. And this is where my feelings for them took different paths. Nicky was just a vulnerable boy. So I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him, and wished that he had had at least one sensible and responsible adult in his close family. (Nancy and Mr. P could do only SO much!) However, Keziah was an independent adult, and her decision to stick with Claus tested my patience.
Claus seemed like a typical ‘gaslighting husband and jerk’ character, the kind omnipresent in almost every contemporary domestic thriller, except that this isn’t a domestic thriller. But by the time the story came to an end, I was thoroughly confused about my opinion of Claus. His character arc offers a lot to ponder over.
There are some memorable secondary characters as well, quite a few of whom stand out in the way they affect the plot for better or for worse. I wish some of them had been given a larger role to play in the proceedings. That said, some decisions made by the characters—main and secondary—left me infuriated, so it was very tough to stay calm while reading this work.
Author Jo Johnson has been a practising clinical psychologist with the NHS for more than a decade, and her experience and her expertise are clearly visible in her portrayal of the characters’ behaviour and reactions. I appreciate how she didn’t make the mental health issues just a quirk but rather, a solid part of the character’s personality. Nicky’s OCD is especially well-integrated into the storyline.
As I mentioned above, the book isn’t without flaws. There were a couple of minor plot-holes and some inconsistencies in character development, especially in Nicky’s feelings for odd numbers. There are random time jumps and scene jumps. The writing becomes sometimes a bit confusing, especially when it tries to foreshadow. There are minor typos here and there, but for a change, I was happy to ignore the grammatical & writing integrity, and focus only on the plot and the characters.
I still don’t know how I feel about the ending – it certainly took me by surprise, and not necessarily in a bad way.
Overall, this book offered me a reading experience that went far beyond the printed words. While not a character-oriented story, it still made me wonder what I would have done had I been in that character’s place. Some of my actions would have matched theirs; some, absolutely not.
If you are looking for a thought-provoking domestic suspense story, I definitely recommend this indie gem. The writing might need some fine-tuning, but the story and the characters make it worth the time.
4 stars.
My thanks to author Jo Johnson for providing me with a complimentary copy of “Surviving Her”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
The book is available for free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers in India.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
April 22, 2023
I found this book confusing for and 3/4th of the story. It seemed to follow two completely separate characters in two completely separate storylines.
The first story was about a young boy named Nicky. On the first page, his dad leaves. He spends a huge amount of time blaming himself and trying to get his parents back together. Blaming himself for leaving his bike out. Blaming himself that he can't keep his mom sober. Blaming himself that everything in life isn't perfect. He hates his moms new abusive boyfriend and tries to dislike his dad's new caring girlfriend.
The other storyline follows Keziah. ( I spent half the book wondering how to pronounce her name) Keziah wants to believe she has the perfect life. The perfect married. The perfect home. She is trying to overlook her husband's controlling, demanding personality. His obsession with perfection. His trying to isolate her from her friend. All while navigating her first pregnancy.
Both stories were well written. Both sets of characters were well fleshed out with amazing character growth for a first-time writer. They just didn't seem to go together. It was like reading two separate amazing books at the same time. Every chapter switched between stories, and at times, it was hard to keep in which story I was reading straight.
The book does come together beautifully in the last quarter. They were connected. It was easy to see what the author was doing in the end, and it was all mind-blowing 🤯
The first story was about a young boy named Nicky. On the first page, his dad leaves. He spends a huge amount of time blaming himself and trying to get his parents back together. Blaming himself for leaving his bike out. Blaming himself that he can't keep his mom sober. Blaming himself that everything in life isn't perfect. He hates his moms new abusive boyfriend and tries to dislike his dad's new caring girlfriend.
The other storyline follows Keziah. ( I spent half the book wondering how to pronounce her name) Keziah wants to believe she has the perfect life. The perfect married. The perfect home. She is trying to overlook her husband's controlling, demanding personality. His obsession with perfection. His trying to isolate her from her friend. All while navigating her first pregnancy.
Both stories were well written. Both sets of characters were well fleshed out with amazing character growth for a first-time writer. They just didn't seem to go together. It was like reading two separate amazing books at the same time. Every chapter switched between stories, and at times, it was hard to keep in which story I was reading straight.
The book does come together beautifully in the last quarter. They were connected. It was easy to see what the author was doing in the end, and it was all mind-blowing 🤯
November 8, 2022
I was highly enamoured with Jo Johnson's debut novel Surviving Me which the bookclub in your pocket, Pigeonhole, hosted. The digital reading platform where readers can interact with one another by reading along together and making comments throughout the book (a recommendation all by itself!) has once again given us avid readers a treat by granting us access to Jo's second novel Surviving Her.
Jo is a clinical psychologist so you know her novels are going to be well thought out and full of emotion, not just for the characters and the trauma they might be experiencing, but emotion for the reader. Jo's plots and characters make you think. I love reading and being entertained by someone's dazzling creativity, but I also love to be challenged emotionally and cognitively. Surviving Her does just that, pulling you under in an instant so that you simply want to live out the story with the characters, to either love and protect, to fight and challenge or to simply understand what might drive one to a particular behaviour pattern or set of actions.
Nicky is clearly not living the best life. His childhood is sad, difficult and traumatic. Claus is a grown up and not in the best of health mentally either. Whilst we might empathise with some characters, others we seem to despise and yet often the traits between characters are the same. We notice that we are far less forgiving of adults making mistakes than we are children but of course the adult was also once upon a time a child too.
In this readable, well written, page turning novel we gasp, cry, protest and ultimately finish the reading experience changed. Well, I certainly did. What will you forgive and who and what will you condemn?
I already want book 3 and as a very rare book buyer, Jo's books are one of the few I will buy as gifts or to have for myself that physical, treasured copy in my hands.
Read it, recommend it, buy it and help lesser known writers be seen, heard and celebrated!
Jo is a clinical psychologist so you know her novels are going to be well thought out and full of emotion, not just for the characters and the trauma they might be experiencing, but emotion for the reader. Jo's plots and characters make you think. I love reading and being entertained by someone's dazzling creativity, but I also love to be challenged emotionally and cognitively. Surviving Her does just that, pulling you under in an instant so that you simply want to live out the story with the characters, to either love and protect, to fight and challenge or to simply understand what might drive one to a particular behaviour pattern or set of actions.
Nicky is clearly not living the best life. His childhood is sad, difficult and traumatic. Claus is a grown up and not in the best of health mentally either. Whilst we might empathise with some characters, others we seem to despise and yet often the traits between characters are the same. We notice that we are far less forgiving of adults making mistakes than we are children but of course the adult was also once upon a time a child too.
In this readable, well written, page turning novel we gasp, cry, protest and ultimately finish the reading experience changed. Well, I certainly did. What will you forgive and who and what will you condemn?
I already want book 3 and as a very rare book buyer, Jo's books are one of the few I will buy as gifts or to have for myself that physical, treasured copy in my hands.
Read it, recommend it, buy it and help lesser known writers be seen, heard and celebrated!
November 5, 2022
This is an enthralling tale about a child, Nicky who has OCD, and Claus Doerkson, who works as a psychologist and displays similar characteristics to Nicky. Keziah, a teacher, loses her sister, Esther as a child, and years later, marries Claus. Nicky is nine and no one has explained matters to him; he believes his counting to a certain number, and performing specific things repeatedly keeps everyone safe, especially his alcoholic mum. His father has no idea about much. Claus is a dangerous man and has controlling ways and Keziah has to deal with constant monitoring of her activities.
The story is in two timelines – one is Nicky’s childhood and the other is told from the point of view of Keziah, whose life was altered irrecoverably when Esther died whilst they were both teenagers and she still feels the guilt.
With themes of family relationships, childhood trauma, parenthood, loss, guilt, and control showcased, I was thoroughly invested in all aspects of this terrific tale. The writing is sensitively executed and I highly recommend Surviving Her.
A special thank you to Jo Johnson and The Pigeonhole for a complimentary copy of this novel at my request. This review is my unbiased opinion.
The story is in two timelines – one is Nicky’s childhood and the other is told from the point of view of Keziah, whose life was altered irrecoverably when Esther died whilst they were both teenagers and she still feels the guilt.
With themes of family relationships, childhood trauma, parenthood, loss, guilt, and control showcased, I was thoroughly invested in all aspects of this terrific tale. The writing is sensitively executed and I highly recommend Surviving Her.
A special thank you to Jo Johnson and The Pigeonhole for a complimentary copy of this novel at my request. This review is my unbiased opinion.
November 26, 2022
I was very excited to be sent an ARC copy of this book to pre-read and review as I have heard many fantastic things about this author. I am a psychology student and found the portrayal of OCD to be filled with the harsh veracity often covered up by the media and novels. The depiction was educational and added a sense of reality and sympathy towards the character with OCD, and I think on a wider-scale people with OCD.
As you progress through the book pieces start to fall into place and the book grips you, making you want to absorb the words as quickly as you can: desperate to know what happens to the characters.
I have to say the ending surprised me and I didn’t see it coming. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book; I found it both gripping, infuriating (it really plays on your emotions!) and a lot to reflect on at the end. I look forward to reading more books my Jo Johnson, she has a way with words.
As you progress through the book pieces start to fall into place and the book grips you, making you want to absorb the words as quickly as you can: desperate to know what happens to the characters.
I have to say the ending surprised me and I didn’t see it coming. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book; I found it both gripping, infuriating (it really plays on your emotions!) and a lot to reflect on at the end. I look forward to reading more books my Jo Johnson, she has a way with words.
November 1, 2022
This is a worthy sequel to Jo Johnson's excellent debut novel, Surviving Me.
Read in my online bookclub @Pigeonhole, readers were enthralled and invested in this cleverly written story about a child named Nicky who has extreme OCD and an adult, Claus, with similar characteristics who works as a psychologist. In parallel, we learn about Keziah, a teacher, who loses her sister Esther as a child, and years later marries Claus. The genius of this book raises the issues of why we are so forgiving and worried about a child who displays concerning behaviour(although to be fair Nicky's parents needed a damned good shaking) whereas we are harsh and judgemental of grown ups with similar behavioral patterns. One also is driven to wonder whether children will turn out better if they are nurtured and loved, rather than seen as a burden that has to be put up with. The old argument of nature versus nurture is raised and upon completion the story remains with one - always the mark of a good book. 5 stars
Read in my online bookclub @Pigeonhole, readers were enthralled and invested in this cleverly written story about a child named Nicky who has extreme OCD and an adult, Claus, with similar characteristics who works as a psychologist. In parallel, we learn about Keziah, a teacher, who loses her sister Esther as a child, and years later marries Claus. The genius of this book raises the issues of why we are so forgiving and worried about a child who displays concerning behaviour(although to be fair Nicky's parents needed a damned good shaking) whereas we are harsh and judgemental of grown ups with similar behavioral patterns. One also is driven to wonder whether children will turn out better if they are nurtured and loved, rather than seen as a burden that has to be put up with. The old argument of nature versus nurture is raised and upon completion the story remains with one - always the mark of a good book. 5 stars
October 4, 2022
Another great novel from Jo Johnson. I was thrilled to be sent an ARC copy and set to reading it soon after it arrived in my inbox. The story begins steadily and splits between two characters. Your heart quickly goes out to Nicky and his situation had me feeling very sad and in many ways cross. The same could be said for Keziah who longs for an escape from the tragedy in her past. The story quickly builds to the point I found it difficult to put down,when I did I was eager to get back to reading. I was fortunate to be able to ‘buddy’ read with my daughter so we were able to talk about what was happening and where we thought the plot was going. I made a call part way through which proved correct, the book didn’t end as I expected (that’s not a negative). A great book, one I will definitely recommend to friends and reading groups.
March 12, 2023
What a story!
The character development is incredible. My takeaways on each one:
Nicky is a child that desperately needs help.
Nicky’s father is irresponsible when he should be taking charge of his son’s wellbeing.
Nicky’s mother is a selfish drunk.
Claus is a psychopath desperate to escape his demons.
Keziah suffers from family trauma and has become a shell of her former self.
Full of trauma, power, control, loss and guilt that is rampant throughout the story but told in such a fascinating way. As the reader, you feel the drama and the suspense. The ending was redemption. Such a good book.
The character development is incredible. My takeaways on each one:
Nicky is a child that desperately needs help.
Nicky’s father is irresponsible when he should be taking charge of his son’s wellbeing.
Nicky’s mother is a selfish drunk.
Claus is a psychopath desperate to escape his demons.
Keziah suffers from family trauma and has become a shell of her former self.
Full of trauma, power, control, loss and guilt that is rampant throughout the story but told in such a fascinating way. As the reader, you feel the drama and the suspense. The ending was redemption. Such a good book.
November 11, 2022
Have never come across this author before so wasn't really sure what to expect but I absolutely loved this book.
It follows the lives of 2 different people, both from different times.
Everything all intermingle further on.... And that's all I can tell you else it will completely spoil the book.
Would definitely recommend ❤️
It follows the lives of 2 different people, both from different times.
Everything all intermingle further on.... And that's all I can tell you else it will completely spoil the book.
Would definitely recommend ❤️
November 1, 2022
What an emotional rollercoaster of a book!
It covered a whole array of emotional topics from OCD to alocolism and parental abuse. It was hard to read in parts but about half way in I couldn't put it down and had to keep reading to find out what the connection was to both the parrell stories.
Thank you to Pigeonhole for giving me the chance to read this amazing book.
It covered a whole array of emotional topics from OCD to alocolism and parental abuse. It was hard to read in parts but about half way in I couldn't put it down and had to keep reading to find out what the connection was to both the parrell stories.
Thank you to Pigeonhole for giving me the chance to read this amazing book.
November 6, 2022
I enjoyed this very much despite the difficult subject matter, very clever writing at times. Kept guessing the twists and turns until the end! Although there were a few loose ends/discrepancies these didn't detract too much from my enjoyment of the story 🙂 read with pigeonhole x
April 12, 2023
I almost read the whole book in a day! Incredible insights to the characters. I thought the book was going in a completely opposite direction to what it was and then right near the end, it all became apparent! Loved it and will get straight onto the author’s first book which I haven’t ready yet.
January 1, 2026
I did find this book confusing for about 3/4 of it, but the ending was seriously heartfelt!
June 13, 2024
I’ll round this up. I would’ve given it 3.5 stars. It’s written by a clinical psychologist and really delves into the why the characters behave as they do. There were surprises throughout where you thought you were being lead one way and then it turns out you were wrong. I really liked the ending of the story which was also very realistic as well.
January 18, 2023
Nicky is a child with an alcoholic mother and a father who doesn’t understand him! Nicky thinks he is responsible for his parents splitting up and believes he is bad/evil, he’s just a confused child. Keziah meets and marries Claus and believes he’s her saviour, they have both experienced tragedy in their lives. This book gripped me from the opening chapters and held my attention right to the end, an engrossing, dark, emotional cleverly written story.
September 21, 2022
I was given a free ARC copy of this book from mine head publishing and it is brilliant It was such a page turner the story of two different lives have so many twists and turns one of the best stories I have read in a long while and I would recommend this book to all my friends without hesitation can’t wait to read the next one
Read
September 29, 2022I received an advance copy from the publisher. I couldn’t put this down! I really enjoyed the characterisation. I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next. It’s one of the best books I have read recently
November 2, 2022
I have just read the final stave of Surviving Her by Jo Johnson with The Pigeonhole. The author writes from personal, professional experience as a clinical psychologist, which comes across in this novel about Nicky, the child with the hurting eyes who believes he is responsible for everyone and everything, Keziah, who is still haunted by the death of her sister, and Claus, a beautiful psychologist with empty eyes and controlling ways. If you are able to ignore the typos and errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation, this book is powerful in its exploration of childhood neglect and trauma, guilt, and family and marital relationships. It is an extremely emotional read.
November 1, 2022
So we all feel desperately sorry for Nicky (none of it is his fault – he’s only nine – though he thinks it is). No-one ever explains anything to him so he takes everything literally. If he doesn’t do this or that or count to a certain number, then that prevents him from keeping everyone safe. But his alcoholic mum should be keeping him safe – not the other way round. And his father doesn’t have a clue.
Claus is a dangerous man, exercising coercive control over Keziah. She is gradually becoming estranged from her friends and family. He also lies, hides things and disappears for days. He wants to know where she is all the time and even tracks her.
The book is set in two timelines – one is Nicky’s childhood in the eighties – though the exact date is not always clear – and at times so sad I wasn’t sure initially if I would be able to carry on reading. The other is told from the point of view of Keziah, a primary school teacher who has recently married Claus, supposedly the man of her dreams, the man who would rescue her. Because Keziah’s life has never been the same since her sister Esther died when they were both in their teens and she still harbours the guilt she felt at the time. I think sometimes she feels she deserves whatever has been handed out to her.
It’s an amazing book which perfectly captures the themes of love, loss, parenthood, childhood trauma, guilt and control. Having been written by a psychologist, we know that these themes, together with that of mental health, will be dealt with sensitively and realistically.
There is so much more that resonated with me but it would lead to spoilers, so I can’t say more, but suffice to say this is a book that will make you reevaluate your prejudices.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole, the author, and my fellow Pigeons for making this such an enjoyable read.
Claus is a dangerous man, exercising coercive control over Keziah. She is gradually becoming estranged from her friends and family. He also lies, hides things and disappears for days. He wants to know where she is all the time and even tracks her.
The book is set in two timelines – one is Nicky’s childhood in the eighties – though the exact date is not always clear – and at times so sad I wasn’t sure initially if I would be able to carry on reading. The other is told from the point of view of Keziah, a primary school teacher who has recently married Claus, supposedly the man of her dreams, the man who would rescue her. Because Keziah’s life has never been the same since her sister Esther died when they were both in their teens and she still harbours the guilt she felt at the time. I think sometimes she feels she deserves whatever has been handed out to her.
It’s an amazing book which perfectly captures the themes of love, loss, parenthood, childhood trauma, guilt and control. Having been written by a psychologist, we know that these themes, together with that of mental health, will be dealt with sensitively and realistically.
There is so much more that resonated with me but it would lead to spoilers, so I can’t say more, but suffice to say this is a book that will make you reevaluate your prejudices.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole, the author, and my fellow Pigeons for making this such an enjoyable read.
November 5, 2022
The story begins slowly but steadily as we are introduced to Nicky, a young boy who is dealing with a dreadful home situation and Claus, an adult who works as a psychologist. My heart went out to Nicky and I felt both sadness for his situation and rage against the useless adults involved in his story.
Keziah was also longing for escape from her situation and the tragedy of her past. She feels happy when she meets Claus who will take her away from her situation.
Nicky believes he is to blame for his situation. If he doesn’t count to a certain number or do a variety of tasks, he can’t keep everyone safe. But he is nine and he can’t be responsible for anything. His alcoholic mum should be looking after him but she is usually incapable. His father has no clue.
Meanwhile, Claus is exerting coercive control over Keziah, moving her further away from her friends and family. He is a dangerous man.
The different timescales can be confusing at first, but you soon get used to this. Keziah feels guilty for her sister Esther’s death when they were both teenagers. She feels that she deserves whatever she is given, and that’s why she puts up with the things Claus does to her.
This is a brilliant book that deals with the themes of family, love and loss. Childhood trauma is dealt with in a kind and tender way, sensitively managing this multi faceted problem. Such a well written book, I am particularly looking forward to her third book.
Keziah was also longing for escape from her situation and the tragedy of her past. She feels happy when she meets Claus who will take her away from her situation.
Nicky believes he is to blame for his situation. If he doesn’t count to a certain number or do a variety of tasks, he can’t keep everyone safe. But he is nine and he can’t be responsible for anything. His alcoholic mum should be looking after him but she is usually incapable. His father has no clue.
Meanwhile, Claus is exerting coercive control over Keziah, moving her further away from her friends and family. He is a dangerous man.
The different timescales can be confusing at first, but you soon get used to this. Keziah feels guilty for her sister Esther’s death when they were both teenagers. She feels that she deserves whatever she is given, and that’s why she puts up with the things Claus does to her.
This is a brilliant book that deals with the themes of family, love and loss. Childhood trauma is dealt with in a kind and tender way, sensitively managing this multi faceted problem. Such a well written book, I am particularly looking forward to her third book.
November 1, 2022
This is a very enjoyable, well written book which tells the story of Nicky a young boy whose mother is an alcoholic who often leaves him home alone and brings a succession of unsuitable men home. Nicky feels that he is the man of the house now his father has left and seems to be doing all the tasks his mother ought to be carrying out which also includes looking after his mother as she's quite often in bed with a hangover. His father has him to stay for odd weekends but he is almost as useless as Nicky's mother.
Keziah is a primary school teacher whose sister Esther died when they were teenagers and Keziah is still blaming herself for her death. She meets and marries Claus who is the man of her dreams. Claus is a very successful Psychologist but he is also very controlling and wants to know where Keziah has been, who she's been with, who her friends are and so on. Claus also has some secrets from his past which Keziah will eventually become aware of.
I read this book courtesy of the Pigeonhole which means reading one stave a day for ten days but it was such a page turner that I would have read it in a couple of sittings if I could have done so.
Keziah is a primary school teacher whose sister Esther died when they were teenagers and Keziah is still blaming herself for her death. She meets and marries Claus who is the man of her dreams. Claus is a very successful Psychologist but he is also very controlling and wants to know where Keziah has been, who she's been with, who her friends are and so on. Claus also has some secrets from his past which Keziah will eventually become aware of.
I read this book courtesy of the Pigeonhole which means reading one stave a day for ten days but it was such a page turner that I would have read it in a couple of sittings if I could have done so.
November 18, 2022
This was a huge rollercoaster, with lots of red herrings, red flags and unexpected plot twists. I read via online book group The Pigeonhole and reading along with others comments and guesses really brought the book to life for me.
I struggled slightly with the character of Keziah; there were times when her decisions seemed absurd which made her less sympathetic as a character. Nicky was exceptionally well written, the storylines concerning him were heartbreaking.
Overall I enjoyed reading and it kept me wanting to know what was going on!
I struggled slightly with the character of Keziah; there were times when her decisions seemed absurd which made her less sympathetic as a character. Nicky was exceptionally well written, the storylines concerning him were heartbreaking.
Overall I enjoyed reading and it kept me wanting to know what was going on!
September 30, 2022
This has been a brilliant read! I have been hunting for a good book for a while as I wanted a decent holiday read to get lost in, and this didn’t let me down!
The characters are interesting and come to life on the pages as you get to know them. The writing style is engaging and relaxed and littered with descriptive phrases - making it easy to read and transporting you into the story.
The plot line is clever, particularly how it weaves back and forth between Nicky (a young boy) and Kezia (a young married woman and of course the well educated and respectable Claus…..
The author (with her background in psychology) uses her expertise and experience in this area masterfully making the story both authentic and exciting. For me; this was what made it such a fantastic read and I REALLY wanted to know what happened to the characters (always a sign of a great book!)
The beauty of this book (without giving anything away) is that it keeps you guessing till the very end….!
If you want an engaging exciting story with a killer twist then look no further…. You won’t be disappointed!
The characters are interesting and come to life on the pages as you get to know them. The writing style is engaging and relaxed and littered with descriptive phrases - making it easy to read and transporting you into the story.
The plot line is clever, particularly how it weaves back and forth between Nicky (a young boy) and Kezia (a young married woman and of course the well educated and respectable Claus…..
The author (with her background in psychology) uses her expertise and experience in this area masterfully making the story both authentic and exciting. For me; this was what made it such a fantastic read and I REALLY wanted to know what happened to the characters (always a sign of a great book!)
The beauty of this book (without giving anything away) is that it keeps you guessing till the very end….!
If you want an engaging exciting story with a killer twist then look no further…. You won’t be disappointed!
November 3, 2022
This is one of the best books I have read this year. At times, it was difficult to read and I was in tears a couple of times but the writing is so good and believable. The author's professional background gives authenticity to the story.
Nicky is a young boys who lives with his Mum. She has her own problems and doesn't always see Nicky struggling. He copes through numbers and patterns. His Dad left and Mum told him he was now the man of the house. Nicky takes this on board and takes the lame for everything happening to his family, on himself.
Keziah blames herself for the death of her sister. She wants to please her Mum and Dad and marries Claus, a man older than herself. He has controlling ways and she feels suffocated by the constant questions and monitoring of her activities.
Claus is a closed book and there are things he hasn't shared with Keziah.
Keziah is admitted to hospital and her path crosses with Nicky's. Little does she know how much her life is about to change.
#ThePigeonhole
Nicky is a young boys who lives with his Mum. She has her own problems and doesn't always see Nicky struggling. He copes through numbers and patterns. His Dad left and Mum told him he was now the man of the house. Nicky takes this on board and takes the lame for everything happening to his family, on himself.
Keziah blames herself for the death of her sister. She wants to please her Mum and Dad and marries Claus, a man older than herself. He has controlling ways and she feels suffocated by the constant questions and monitoring of her activities.
Claus is a closed book and there are things he hasn't shared with Keziah.
Keziah is admitted to hospital and her path crosses with Nicky's. Little does she know how much her life is about to change.
#ThePigeonhole
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September 24, 2022I was asked to review this book and Im so pleased because I absolutely loved it. There’s a tense switch between character narratives throughout, forcing the reader to keep guessing what the link between them may be. It keeps the pace fast and thrilling. I could not put the book down. The psychological explorations of trauma, control, power, loss and guilt are very well done. This connects the reader to the ways in which a psychologist would think in real life. As a clinical psychologist myself I found it hugely satisfying. Typically these kids of explorations can be stereotypical and too simplistic. The author expertly navigates the complexities and grey areas of humanness. There is a sad accuracy in the context of what so many children grow up with and which tugs at the readers own morals and values. The book ends perfectly and in a way that allows space for hope. I love how the author has knitted psychology alongside the usual thrills and drama of a novel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 18, 2022
If like me, you are impatient to understand characters and how storylines mesh together, be patient as you will be rewarded for sticking with it in this book. I was puzzled and a bit frustrated initially that I couldn't figure out if there were connections between the characters in the parallel storylines to start with. As the story developed, I found myself more and more drawn into the worlds of the characters in the book and delighted by each twist in the story.
I love to read and this book did what all my favourite reads do: it burned in my brain and called to me while I was off brushing my teeth, washing up and cooking my tea. I couldn't wait to get back down to it, and, by the last few chapters, I wanted to slow down so it didn't finish too quickly.
With thanks to the publisher for an advanced review copy.
I love to read and this book did what all my favourite reads do: it burned in my brain and called to me while I was off brushing my teeth, washing up and cooking my tea. I couldn't wait to get back down to it, and, by the last few chapters, I wanted to slow down so it didn't finish too quickly.
With thanks to the publisher for an advanced review copy.
October 6, 2022
I found this book to be very readable throughout; however, from halfway through, it really became a page turner - so much so that I was up until midnight to finish it. The two main characters in the story are well developed with sufficient complexity to make the reader care about them. The themes in the book aren’t cheerful but they are important and deserve to be examined in this way; i.e. with a complete understanding rather than from a judgemental perspective that maligns one character as evil or bad. This book adopts a more compassionate approach to making sense of the actions of the characters and is much richer than other books within this genre as a result. I would definitely recommend you give it a go; it’s an ideal holiday read.
With thanks to the publisher for an advanced review copy.
With thanks to the publisher for an advanced review copy.
February 17, 2023
Nicky's story was simply heartbreaking. I literally had tears in my eyes and was so happy when Nancy came into his life and the role Mr P played. His parents were really not fit to be parents and it was horrible to read about how he suffered and how it affected his mental state. As a mother myself I wanted nothing more than to protect this dear boy and get him away from there.
Keziah's story was very different. I liked her, but quickly saw red flags with regards to her new husband. I would not have lasted as long as she did in that relationship!
The story moves back and forth between Nicky and Keziah and the reader knows that somehow these stories are linked, but how. When the links become clear fear set in. I was so worried for Keziah and how she could behave the way she did and what would become of her... and wow! Just read this book!
Keziah's story was very different. I liked her, but quickly saw red flags with regards to her new husband. I would not have lasted as long as she did in that relationship!
The story moves back and forth between Nicky and Keziah and the reader knows that somehow these stories are linked, but how. When the links become clear fear set in. I was so worried for Keziah and how she could behave the way she did and what would become of her... and wow! Just read this book!
September 22, 2022
I was lucky to receive an advance copy for review from Mind Your Head publishing and was able to read this thought provoking book on holiday. And what a brilliant page turner it was! As another reviewer said, the characters called to me whenever I reluctantly put it down and I devoured it in a day.
I was truly invested in the stories of both Keziah and Nicky and thought that the author’s portrayal of their lives and, in particular, Nicky’s sense of isolation was so vivid that my emotions ran deep; so much so that I had to force myself to slow down and take it all in properly.
I don’t want to give anything approaching a spoiler so can’t say much about the ending but I can promise that it won’t disappoint!
I was truly invested in the stories of both Keziah and Nicky and thought that the author’s portrayal of their lives and, in particular, Nicky’s sense of isolation was so vivid that my emotions ran deep; so much so that I had to force myself to slow down and take it all in properly.
I don’t want to give anything approaching a spoiler so can’t say much about the ending but I can promise that it won’t disappoint!
November 1, 2022
I very much enjoyed this writer’s second novel. Jo Johnson is a psychologist and it’s clear that she has an excellent understanding of the themes within this book.
We meet little Nicky, a child who lives with an alcoholic, neglectful mother. His dad has left and Nicky feels responsible for caring for his mum. He’s often frightened, dirty and exposed to unsuitable adults. His life is deeply sad.
In the other half of this dual narrative we meet Keziah. Newly married to child psychologist Claus, she’s subject to her husband’s controlling behaviours, and trying to keep herself safe. What will happen when her world collides with Nicky’s?
This book is very clever, with a really good plot twist and a lot of suspense. Highly recommended.
Read with The Pigeonhole.
We meet little Nicky, a child who lives with an alcoholic, neglectful mother. His dad has left and Nicky feels responsible for caring for his mum. He’s often frightened, dirty and exposed to unsuitable adults. His life is deeply sad.
In the other half of this dual narrative we meet Keziah. Newly married to child psychologist Claus, she’s subject to her husband’s controlling behaviours, and trying to keep herself safe. What will happen when her world collides with Nicky’s?
This book is very clever, with a really good plot twist and a lot of suspense. Highly recommended.
Read with The Pigeonhole.
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