Beyond Fear

Book Summary

Author: 

Jaye Ford

Publisher: 

Bantam, Random House Australia

Copyright Year: 

2011

ISBN: 

9781864711974

No of Pages: 

422

Review By: 

Sharon Halasz

Book Synopsis: 

At seventeen, Jodie Cramer survived a terrifying assault at the hands of three strangers. Her schoolmate Angie was not so lucky...
Now thirty-five, Jodie is a teacher and mother of two – and her past is a horror she’s buried deep. When she sets out for a weekend in the country with three friends, all she has in mind are a few laughs and a break from routine.
However, unknown to the four women, their secluded cabin was once the focus of a police investigation and, like Jodie, it nurtures a dark secret.
As her friends relax, the isolation reawakens Jodie’s terrifying memories. When she finds evidence of trespassers, she is convinced they are being watched. But no one will believe her and as her past threatens to overwhelm her, she begins to doubt herself – and her sanity.
Until two men knock at their door...

Beyond Fear is so deliciously scary, it’s hard to believe this psychological thriller is a debut novel. If you’re packing your overnight bag for a weekend away in the country – alone – I suggest you leave this book at home. Read it as soon as you get back and be glad you survived the trip. No, scrap that idea. Cancel the weekend away. Lock the doors. Close the curtains. Grab a torch in case the lights go out and settle in for a chilling read.
Four women escape their everyday lives for an idyllic weekend at a country retreat. What could possibly go wrong? Everything! Right from the start, I felt a prickle of unease. The sense of menace gradually builds until disaster erupts. Author Jaye Ford taps into every woman’s fears – isolated setting, the feeling of being watched by unseen strangers, the oppressively dark country nights, no mobile phone reception...
The characters are well-drawn with a likeable gang of friends. Jodie’s traumatic past gives her every reason to be paranoid. When the other women wouldn’t listen to her concerns, I wanted to grab their shoulders and shout at them. Fascinating to watch the different reactions to danger. Enough backstory is given in small doses to make the characters’ responses believable. My attention was held right to the end.
I definitely recommend Beyond Fear to readers who enjoy a pulse-racing thriller and am looking forward to the next story by Jaye Ford. Hope I don’t have to wait too long.