Review: The Escape by C.L. Taylor

The Escape by C.L. Taylor

Release Date: 23rd March 2017
Publisher: Avon

Genres: Psychological Thriller / Crime

The new psychological thriller from the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Accident, The Lie and The Missing.

"Look after your daughter's things. And your daughter…"

When a stranger asks Jo Blackmore for a lift she says yes, then swiftly wishes she hadn't. The stranger knows Jo's name, she knows her husband Max and she's got a glove belonging to Jo's two year old daughter Elise.

What begins with a subtle threat swiftly turns into a nightmare as the police, social services and even Jo's own husband turn against her.

No one believes that Elise is in danger. But Jo knows there's only one way to keep her child safe – RUN.

Having read The Missing by C.L Taylor I had high hopes for this book...........and I wasn't disappointed. What a fantastic read! Right from the beginning we learn that Jo Blackmore is vulnerable. A woman barely holding things together and battling every day with crippling agoraphobia. She only leaves the house to keep down her job and take her daughter to nursery. Going to nursery is the only normality young Elise has in her short life. Jo's husband Max is an investigative crime journalist who has just exposed a very nasty loan shark business and he is feeling very pleased with himself. He is tiring of Jo and her condition and is becoming less and less supportive.

One day on the way to collect her daughter from nursery, Jo against her better judgement agrees to give a stranger a lift. The woman, Paula, claims to have relatives living in Jo's street. However, this proves to be a major error in judgement and soon the woman is threatening Jo and her daughter, claiming to know her husband and demanding that Max return what is rightfully hers. Jo is terrified and this only heightens her fear of being outside. Max is convinced that this is all part of Jo's paranoia and as the threats from the woman continue and Jo is soon fighting a battle to make people believe her and that she and her family are in real danger. This shakes her marriage to the very core and Jo has some difficult decisions to make. She needs to protect Elise at all costs...........but how to do this when people believe she is a bad mother?

C.L Taylor has created a character in Jo that leaves the reader feeling frustrated and desperate......which is perfect as this is exactly how Jo feels. Of course there were times when I wanted to scream to Jo not just to accept what was being told to her but then when you realise the vulnerability of her character its easy to understand why Jo is the way she is. She's terrified and feeling totally alone except for her friend Helen. Throughout the book little snippets of information and clues are dropped in and just when you think you've got the story sussed you are soon forced to change your mind. It seems that soon there may be nobody left for Jo to trust. Nobody! Imagine how this feels. Imagine the isolation and fear. The author has captured this really well. This was an exciting and thrilling read and as usual I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish it. I love the other characters in the book especially Mary! A book full of fear, secrets and a great cast of interesting characters.

The Escape is well written, nicely paced and a super read. Definitely a five star highly recommended read!