I LOOKED AWAY by Jane Corry | Blog Tour Review | #ILookedAway

Published by Penguin/Viking
Available in ebook and paperback (27 June 2019)
512 pages
Source: My own purchased copy

ABOUT THE BOOK

YOU MADE A MISTAKE. BUT THEY’RE SAYING IT’S MURDER.

Every Monday, 49-year-old Ellie looks after her grandson Josh. She loves him more than anyone else in the world. The only thing that can mar her happiness is her husband’s affair. But he swears it’s over now, and Ellie has decided to be thankful for what she’s got.

Then one day, while she’s looking after Josh, her husband gets a call from that woman. And just for a moment, Ellie takes her eyes off her grandson. What happens next will change her life forever.

Because Ellie is hiding something in her past.

And what looks like an accident could start to look like murder…

MY THOUGHTS

My thanks to Georgia and Ellie from Penguin for the invitation to take part in the tour and for providing a paperback copy, although for the purposes of this review I purchased my own Kindle copy.

I’ve enjoyed all of Jane’s previous thrillers, which have been reviewed here but I Looked Away is probably the most hard hitting in that it tackles some tough subjects woven into a tense story line but also capturing emotional depth and compassion.

Focusing on two main characters, Ellie and Jo, it covers many themes including mental health issues, manipulation and control and homelessness.

Ellie is married to Roger and has two children. Her marriage has its problems but she adores her grandson Josh and loves looking after him until one day something dreadful happens.

Jo is homeless, trying to find a safe place to sleep and digging out food from bins when she doesn’t have any money. Some people she meets show her nothing but kindness whilst others treat her like dirt and take advantage. It becomes clear from early on in her story that she is frightened of someone or something.

The one thing you can always expect from Jane Corry is a story with surprises. As well as the two main narratives from Ellie and Jo, there is also an unknown voice briefly telling their story. Who was this person and where did they fit in?

The story moves between the past and the present with Ellie’s childhood being told in detail up the present day. Ellie’s story was extremely sad and moving and at times my heart broke for her but it was Jo who made the most emotional impact on me and the hardships she faced on the streets.

I Looked Away is both suspenseful and emotional in equal measures featuring psychological trauma and the effects it has on mental health. Having read Jane’s books before, there were certain aspects that I had correctly guessed but others that came as a complete surprise. The characters and situations are authentic and the storyline had me hooked from the first page. It’s an intense and powerful read and possibly one of her best thrillers yet.

I Looked Away is currently only 99p to download from Amazon UK

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jane Corry is a writer and journalist (Daily Telegraph and women’s magazines) who worked for three years as the writer in residence of a high security prison for men. This experience helped inspire her Sunday Times bestsellers ‘My Husband’s Wife’, ‘Blood Sisters’ and ‘The Dead Ex’. She also writes short stories as well as a weekly digital column about being a granny for My Weekly. Jane speaks at literary festivals all over the world. Many of her ideas strike during morning dog-jogs along the beach followed by a dip in the sea – no matter how cold it is!