Into the Darkest Corner

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If you'd like a non-fiction approach to the subject then you'll enjoy A Secret Madness by Elaine Bass and teenagers will appreciate Zelah Green: Who Says I'm a Freak? The difference between young, carefree Catherine of before and anxious, OCD suffering Cathy is shocking and it should probably come with a trigger warning for domestic abuse as the descriptions of it are visceral, but I recommend it as a great read. Haynes offers up one of the most effective uses of alternating past/present narratives that I've ever read. Well practiced charm and impressive looks were on his side, fooling Cathy’s friends to the point that they didn’t/couldn’t believe that he was anything but a knight in shining armor.

Watching the main character's OCD moments was painful but seeing her gradually pick herself up and work towards a normal life was so pleasing. This book is not for the faint hearted and without putting in spoilers I will just say that some scenes in this book are violent and graphic, possibly triggering for some, if it had been a movie I would have been closing my eyes at certain points, but the book is so much more than just that. I’d always thought of domestic abuse as something that happened to ‘other people’, but it affects many couples and families from every part of society and is often very well hidden. I’m glad that she found love and happiness in the end with that guy but how great would it have been if he was in on it with Lee and was helping to make her think she was losing her mind? with a] theme that makes the book so suited to book group discussion, with our group having a lively debate over how we would react in the same situation.It can be all to easy to pass judgement on victims who stay in violent relationships but for a lot of victims of violence in the home, there is no easy escape from it. Instead, this novel has a bitter aftertaste that leaves you wanting to down shots of Jose Cuervo to take away the burn. INTO THE DARKEST CORNER reminded me of a slow burn, of holding my marshmallow an inch or two above the campfire, the flames licking and dancing but never quite touching that puffy goodness.

It starts so gradually with what looks like a good relationship and even your friends are jealous of your luck and really, there might have been room for complaint about your behaviour and what was asked (well, demanded) didn't seem that unreasonable. A very impressive first novel; it tells the story of Catherine who starts off as a lively, fun loving party girl until she meets Lee.This is an edgy and powerful first novel, utterly convincing in its portrayal of obsession, and a tour de force of suspense. Present day Cathy is suffering with OCD and anxiety, but she is functioning, and getting through life day by day. I enjoyed the way Cathy's story was told in alternate chapters between the past and the present and I also felt all the characters were well developed and played their roles appropriately. I loved this book and would happily recommend it to my female friends both as a brilliant psychological thriller and an interesting window into the world of OCD and obsession.