Through Her Eyes

by N.J. Moss

This compelling new psychological thriller from the author of The Second Wife begs the question: How far would you go to save a stranger?

 Jess spends most of her time alone to hide her obsession: prowling the streets, looking into other people’s homes, sneaking glimpses of their private lives . . .

A husband stands at the sink, washing blood off his hands. His wife, nearby, has a dejected expression.

So, when Jess witnesses this, a simmering anger is unleashed. She may be a loner, but Jess won’t stand by when another woman is being abused. She makes plans for a rescue. But what you see through a window frame is only ever part of the story, and plans don’t always work out as intended . . .

Genres: Thriller

284 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 18, 2023

About the author

NJ 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.

Reviews

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

THROUGH HER EYES is a dark psychological thriller by bestselling author N.J. Moss, from the author of The Second Wife. Having enjoyed many of his novels, I was pleased to be able to read his most recent novel, Through Her Eyes.

Novels
All Your Fault (2021)
Her Final Victim (2021)
My Dead Husband (2022) (Read)
The Husband Trap (2022) (Read)
The Second Wife (2022) (Read)
Through Her Eyes (2023) (Read)

This is my review of Through Her Eyes.

Jess’s husband, Kurk, beat and raped her for years. He burned her house down with her daughter, Maisie, and her husband trapped inside. Only Jess managed to survive the horrible ordeal, but it left her disfigured and scarred.

Her husband was an abuser!

Now, Jess, a one-time journalist, lives in a motorhome, is a loner, after suffering major burn trauma, and spends her days watching and following other people, catching a glimpse into their life.

When Jess witnesses a husband, Patrick possibly abusing his wife, Anne, she can’t stand by when another woman is being abused. She makes plans for a rescue. Jess decides to help Anna escape and enlists the help of a drug dealer Luca.

But who is telling the truth and who is lying?

This is a gripping thriller which will have you racing to the end.

Many thanks to the author and Bloodhound Books for my digital copy.

[clumsyplankton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was actually pretty good

[Adele Shea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can only describe this book as an edge of your seat page turner. Leaves you wanting more.

Each NJ Moss’s books get better and better even when you think they can not possibly.

[izzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG 😱 what did I just read
Who is the victim and who is the monster, you never know. Who is lying?? Who really needs help?? Who is who? Very visual terror. Lots of sexual desires. Sick to the core minds. Didn’t know where I am with this story till the end. 5 ⭐️obviously
Thank you to the publisher and NJ Moss for the ARC copy

[Kirstie Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great read by this author!
Took me a little longer to get into than his previous books, although I was still enjoying it - then it got to about 25% and it all of a sudden ramped up and I didn't want to put it down.
Lots of suspicions all the way through about who was lying and who was telling the truth etc but that's how I like my reads.
What I like about Nathan's books, is he isn't afraid to step over the line and go where most people's minds will have never gone before.
Great read ❤️

[Sue Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Through her eyes by NJ Moss.
Jess spends most of her time alone to hide her obsession: prowling the streets, looking into other people’s homes, sneaking glimpses of their private lives . . .
Really enjoyable read. I didn't know how I felt about Jess. She was creepy. Gripping and twisty. Loved it. 5*.

[Heather Cairns · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a rollercoaster ride! I started this on Xmas eve and finished it on Boxing Day but spend Xmas day thinking about it! Who is lying? Who believes who? I couldn’t read the chapters quick enough, great book!

[Stephanie H · Rating 5 out of 5]

This authors books are ridiculously good!! I have read everything written and each book I love more than the last one. Gripping and thrilling books that will seriously have you struggling to put it down. Highly recommend

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Through Her Eyes by N.J. Moss was an other excellent psychological thriller from this author. But this book had me hooked and wanting more especially as it had me sitting on the edge of my chair and kept me up all night as I did not want to put it down, Plus its not for the faint hearted.
I have read a few books by this author and this book was his best.

I highly recommend Through Her Eyes I loved it.

[Arvin Dhillon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This really is a weird book. I did not expect so much voilence and sexually explicit scenes in the book. Although, I agree with Moss on one thing, that it is usually not only the woman a victim in domestic abuse and that men can be victims too. It is kind of a taboo for the males to speak about the abuse generally, but it is out there.

[Scott Parsons · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel by N.J. Moss was interesting but I did not find any of the characters likeable.
The " her eyes" of the title are those of Jess, a former journalist, whose house burned down with her daughter Maisie and her husband Kurt inside it. We are never quite sure whether the fire was started by Kurt or Jess. But it is clear that Kurt was an abuser of both Jess and Maisie. And Jess's grief for Maisie is quite intense.

Jess, badly burned and scarred, now lives in a motor home which she moves from place to place as she snoops on other people's lives. In this novel the focus is on her snooping on the activities of a couple who live next door, Anna and Patrick. Jess observes the pair frequently going upstairs presumably to have sex. After, she sees Patrick return to the kitchen, his hands coated in blood which he washes in the sink. The "logical" assumption is that he is a wife abuser.

Jess becomes involved with a chap named Luca who supplies her with weed. She recruits Luca to seduce Anna and find out the facts behind the assumed abuse.
The plot then thickens as it becomes uncertain who is telling the truth and who is lying.

Luca gets mired in the midst of this and appears to join Anna's scheme to steal Jess's money.

But Anna is not the innocent woman she appears to be. The novel ends in disaster for two of the three main characters.

Although I didn't feel much empathy for either of the leading characters I did enjoy the many twists and turns that the author weaves into the plot. I will now look for other novels by this author.

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s pretty much a forgone conclusion that a book by this author is not one for the faint hearted and this definitely isn’t a cosy read! A very dark psychological thriller written in an easy to read style with a cast of characters it’s hard to like. A story that will draw you in because you need to know the truth.

Briefly, Jess is a widow having lost her husband and daughter in a house fire set by her husband. Jess managed to escape but has been left badly scarred mentally and physically. Now, living in a motor home, she spends her time ‘looking’ into other peoples lives. When she sees Anne standing in a kitchen whilst her husband is washing his blood stained hands in the sink Jess decides to help Anna escape and enlists the help of a drug dealer Luca. But how far will she go in providing help?

It really is difficult to tell who is telling the truth and who is lying in this twisted and emotional story. It’s a deeply disturbing psychological thriller where nothing is really as it seems to be. There are some shocking revelations and some hard to read moments. If you like your books dark full of flawed character this is definitely one for you. A compelling read.

[Susan Blissett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the writing style of this author; it’s very chatty and makes you feel part of the story. The story is exciting from the start and has short chapters which keeps you interested to read more and find out what will happen. The main character is particularly interesting and has lots of issues which have stemmed from her past. Initially, you want her to recover to who she was before everything happened to her but as the story continues, you begin to realise she is an unreliable narrator, unable to remember what she has done due to blackouts. She becomes quite obsessive and unhinged, which makes you wonder what part she played in her past and what she may be capable of doing in the future. The story covers topics such as domestic abuse, drug taking and mental health disorders, which makes it quite a dark story. Although, an interesting read, I felt that a few more twists and turns may add to the story.
I received an ARC from BloodHound Books for an honest review, thank you, and all thoughts are my own.

[SJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book because the blurb sounded so good, and yet.....I really struggled to finish it.

I think the second biggest problem was that I found the first "twist" too obvious. In fact it was so obvious that perhaps it wasn't even meant to be a twist - I'm not sure. But after that the other twists just didn't really seem that exciting - more of "oh ok" than "Oh! Wow!" moments.

The biggest problem was that I just didn't like any of the characters so there wasn't anybody I could get behind and root for. I don't necessarily mind a book being predictable if I'm invested in the main character triumphing in the end, but I just wasn't.

On the positive side, the writer had a really easy, engaging writing style so I would give another of their books a go.

I can see that there are several 4 and 5 star reviews for this book so don't let my opinion put you off. It just wasn't for me.

[Sarah Drew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I basically skimmed through this book whilst in a post Christmas haze (that semi-turkey-drunk period just before New Year), so felt I hadn't given it my full attention. I went back to the beginning and re-read it.
I must say, the second time around was a lot better!
In order to fully appreciate the pure genius of it, you have to give it your full attention. I found that I had missed little details the first time around that were actually very cleverly placed throughout the book.

My feelings towards Jess's character was very mixed. I went through so many emotions; sympathy, sadness, disgust... Her character was made more complex due to her habit and I think that NJ Moss did this very well.

Overall, I loved this book but I would advise giving it your full attention so you don't miss the little details...

Another great book from The King. 😉

[Reading between the wines · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Jess might be the most unlikeable character I have ever had the displeasure of reading.

I was thankful when the book started switching points of views, simply to get away from Jess’s narrative.

Just like Moss’s ‘The Second Wife’ I felt this book lacked a clear motive for anyone’s actions. Anne lacked the proper backstory to make her actions make sense. And the whole ‘rape’ blackmail was a inadequate plot line to get Luca (the only likable character in the whole book) on board with Anne’s insane, no motive actions.

And poor Patrick was written as being weak and pitiable.

Back to Jess, seriously the worst character ever. I started skimming through her parts. I am still not clear on whether she burnt down her own house or not.

The sex scenes are dominatrix ‘by men for men’ type scenes. 👎🏻

[Julie Lacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great read but not for the faint hearted.
This is a dark and twisted psychological thriller which will have you second guessing all the characters, trying to work out who is telling the truth.
Jess likes to watch people and finds herself sneaking about peering into other people’s houses. One night she spots a couple who have clearly had a fight and sees the man washing blood off his hands. His wife appears next to him and Jess knows she has to help her.
She has got to know Luca and asks him for his help to try and help this woman but things soon spiral out of control.
This is a gripping thriller which will have you racing through the pages.
Thanks to Bloodhound books for the opportunity to read this book.

[Allison Valentine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't believe what I've finished reading!
An absolute mind bending and twisted psychological thriller.
The author has you in a complete head spin into each and every character and I have screamed,shouted and cried throughout this book!

Jess has her own demons to battle with, having been facially disfigured after a fire in her home that killed her baby daughter and her abusive husband.

But Jess is trying hard to except her fate by helping people unknown to her but secretly watching from afar.
But what she thinks she sees one night after watching Anne in her home becomes a deadly chase of cat and mouse.

With her weed smoking getting out of control and dealer friend Luca can she escape her own reality and her past?

[Patricia Dawes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’d describe this book as magnetic, because I was instantly pulled in.

Jess is scarred inside and out. I can relate to her as someone who’s always felt a bit like she’s on the outside looking in, although in my case not literally. Jess sees something as she’s travelling in her motor home, something that compels her to come to the rescue of the person she identified as the victim. But in this book it’s not clear-cut who the victims are. All the main characters are damaged by life, and as always in a book written by Nathan the characters are well-developed and I found myself checking the battery life as I neared the end hoping not to run out of battery before finishing the book.

Another hit by NJ Miss

[Misfits farm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jess lives in a motorhome and likes to watch people. She has enough money to sustain her current way of living and loves what she does. She has had her own rough time of things and when she sees Anna being abused by her husband Patrick, Jess hatches a plan. Jess befriends Luka to get involved in this. However seeing parts of lives through snatched glances isn’t always the full story….

.
Knowing Nathan's other books, I knew I wouldn't be in for a straightforward domestic drama type read. There was quickly something about Jess that resonated, something more than just someone with a pair of binoculars gazing at other peoples lives. I won’t spoil anything other than to say hang on for the ride and when I finished my first thought was “ what the heck just happened?”. I’d felt as if I had been picked up, flung around and shaken up and down for good measure.

Then……….. I read Nathan afterword piece and like the very last part of a complex puzzle it all slotted into place perfectly. How very clever, how ingenious. Nathan says it was subliminal and only when he finished writing did he realise. I feel there is a clever mindset going on even if unpremeditated. Wow! What more can I say? I can only think this is a work of a genius or a madman and I’m sure (hope) Nathan would agree. Every genius there ever was has been called mad by someone at some stage, so please take this as a compliment Nathan, I really am congratulating you. Stunning, reeling, dark and complex. One heck of a read wow, wow wow!

For more reviews please follow me on Twitter@nickisbookblog
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[Alison Taylor-Muhl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read all of Nathan’s books, I was sure this was going to be so much more than a ‘standard’ psychological/domestic thriller… I was right! The book is very dark in places, covering domestic abuse, drug taking, mental illness and emotional manipulation, as such, it is not for the faint hearted, I personally loved it. The chapters are short and snappy and the characters well-rounded, however, I found it hard to like any of them!

Throughout, you are left trying to work out who is telling the truth, that spurred me on to keep reading, devouring the book in just two sittings. All in all, a gripping read, worthy of all five stars.

[Sharon Rimmelzwaan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anything written by this author is undoubtedly going be be dark, twisted and addictive! This book is no exception to the rule.
As always, well written with characters and a plot that hooks you in from the very beginning. I didn't know who to believe as the story unfolded and was compelled to keep turning the pages in order to find out the truth.
Twisted and dark this is an emotional and quite disturbing read that will keep you on the edge of your seat all the way. Expect everything and rule out nothing! N.J Moss has done it again.
Thanks to Bloodhound Books for the ARC to provide my review.

[Bev · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jess "watches" people, complete strangers as they go about their lives. She started doing this after her own world was destroyed. She gets hooked up with Luca, the person she gets her weed from. Things then get even worse -- with her black outs and smoking, she isn't sure what is real and what isn't. Then Anne notices Jess watching her. That is when things really snowball. I had a hard time keeping the story straight, maybe it was me and I should have been smoking some of that weed before reading. Not one of my favorite books by this author.

[Karen Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book has 4 main characters, Jess a loner, who is scarred from a house fire which killed her child. She watches people. One night she sees Patrick washing blood off his hands and assumes he is beating his wife Anne. Jess is determined to help Anne get away from her abusive husband and seeks the help of Luca her drug dealer.

But is everyone’s life as it seems, who is lying, who is the victim, who deserves to die?

I didn’t warm to any of the characters but I still wanted to find out how it ends and get to the truth, which shows how good the writing is.

Many thanks to the author and publishers for my advance copy of this book.

[Livia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Dark and Scouring story that holds you in its grasp ..Jess is scarred both on the inside and the outside by something in her past that haunts her , and never leaves her mind ...Jess is also a woman who peers into other people's homes and lives ..When she believes she has seen something very wrong ...something is triggered inside of her ...and she keeps going back .....obsession is a dangerous word ...All the characters in this story have their own idiosyncrasies....but when does a truth become a lie ...and a lie become a truth? .....

[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Through her eyes by Nathan James Moss is a dark and twisty tale of domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse. Jess likes to watch people from the shadows and live vicariously through them. In doing so she sees a scene of domestic violence and makes it her mission to help. Things are not as they seem and Jess has to decide who to believe and how far she will go to put things right. I loved this book, there was so much going on in it and as with all of Nathan’s books it was thought provoking, disturbing and very cleverly constructed.

Definite 5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Vivian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a fan of NJ Moss and read a lot of this author's books, they have always engaged me since the first pages gripping my attention until the end of the book, unfortunately that wasn't the case with this book. It isn't that the book is not well written, because it is, or that it doesn't have all the marks of an NJ Moss book, but simply put it was, at least for me, very predictable and I was able to get to the ending conclusion very early in the book.
Having said this, if you haven't read any of the author's previous books, I'm sure you will enjoy this one.

[A. Hancock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a read!

This is not a pleasant book, the characters are more than flawed, but it's an addictive read. Came out of it wondering what kind of world I had just been drawn into. Just when you feel some empathy for a character the author snatches it away. The ending I didn't see coming and it's left me wondering if I'm a poor judge of character, they are written so well. Fantastic. Probably the best way I can describe this is I can't wait to read another book by this author but I need a few days to recover first!

[Vicsta Dolan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is read through the eyes of different characters Jess, Patrick, Anne and Luca.

Jess has been through a turbulent relationship with her ex partner and a tragic situation occurs, which leads Jess into watching other peoples relationships. But where does this lead?

This book is full of twists and lies and the question is who is actually telling the truth??

I found the book to be written in a really punchy style which I found quite different to the authors other books.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book grips you from the first page and doesn't let go. It is a fast paced thriller that leads brings out many different emotions as you meet the different characters and their situations. Well written complex characters and fast placed twisty plot combine with the different character perspectives for a thrill ride you don't want to miss. I voluntarily reviewed an advance readers copy of this book.