The Fear by C.L. Taylor

An unputdownable read, The Fear has everything you ever asked for in a thriller. A stalker, a strong woman fighting her demons from the past, and vulnerable young girl in danger, all connected by a conniving monster of a man.

The Fear by C.L. Taylor
Genres: Psychological Thriller
Published: 22nd March, 2018
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon UK
Series: N/A
Rating: 4

When Lou Wandsworth ran away to France with her teacher Mike Hughes, she thought he was the love of her life. But Mike wasn’t what he seemed and he left her life in pieces.
Now 32, Lou discovers that he is involved with teenager Chloe Meadows. Determined to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself, she returns home to confront him for the damage he’s caused.
But Mike is a predator of the worst kind, and as Lou tries to bring him to justice, it’s clear that she could once again become his prey…

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Guys, this book made me fucking furious! But you know what? I would be worried if it hadn’t. If you can read a book about rape and child abuse and feel nothing, there’s either something wrong with you, or the book was badly written. C.L. Taylor possesses a great talent when it comes to getting into people’s head, including the reader’s.

No fluff, no poetic writing style, just raw emotions; that’s what this story is about. It was sickening to read what poor Lou went through, and I’m not talking only about being abducted by a pervert at age fourteen. I’m talking about all those comments people made about her being the evil seductress, and getting what she’s asked for. As someone who went through something similar around that age, this ignorance is what angers me the most. People who find themselves in these kind of situations don’t ask to be raped, groomed, or abused. Period. They just don’t. People asked to be loved, but sometimes what that means, gets muddled in their head. It’s a very easy mistake to make at such a young age.

This is not a story with red herrings and big reveals and unexpected plot twists, although there are a few turning points, don’t worry. We know who the asshole is, what he’s done, and what he’s planning to to next. Just as much as this is a story about women overcoming their fear, and taking back the control over their lives, the author also touches upon topics of parental neglect, and the power of forgiveness.

Brilliantly crafted characters, alternating perspective, bad decisions followed by even worse ones create the mounting tension that makes this book a highly addictive read.

P.S. This was the first book I’ve read by C.L. Taylor, and I must say this is a situation that needs to be remedied, as soon as possible.