After the end of year busy times I realised I hadn’t done a review for this book. Sadly I had to refresh myself by reading the synopsis again. I think this sums up my feelings about the book ie not outstanding enough to remember and not so terrible to warn others off. I remember being very irritated by a woman who supposedly has her shit together but fails to follow the advice she gives to others. Not a bad book, but not a great one either

Ria is a driven character, yet she does the very things she warns the women she works with not to do. This is a little frustrating, and her background story also showed she was as much a victim as the women she works with which also made me feel the story-lines/ideas merged just a little too conveniently at times.
As one of the workers at SafeMe, a refuge for women fleeing domestic abuse, Ria is used to hearing some awful stories. She is used to waiting for someone to feel safe enough to tell the truth of their experience. Some of these stories are worse than others, but they all have something in common...a man determined to control those around him, by whatever means necessary.
Alongside Ria’s story - which focuses on the day-to-day running of the refuge, the realities of life with two kids and what could best be described as a campaign of harassment - we have journal entries from a character known as Tanya. Until we see how the stories link, this voice was hard to follow - Tanya sounded like a story from the past and this made it even more difficult to understand how she’d found herself in this scenario.
Few of the characters in this were remotely likeable, perhaps to be expected. The story itself felt like a number of elements pulled together in a way that didn’t quite work. It’s a topic that many won’t - thankfully - have to think about, and it made me angry to see how these situations are dealt with.
Much as we might wring our hands, everyone who sees it and does nothing is part of the problem. I’m pleased I read it, and grateful to NetGalley for the opportunity to do so, but it wasn’t enjoyable.

This book was a slow starter for me, however as the story got going we found out about Ria's past terrors, and was it coming back to haunt her now. It kept me gripped towards the end, and compared to how slow I found the start of the book I found the ending was wrapped up very quickly. Overall it was an OK read.

Firstly, an apology. I read this book around the release date and tweeted enthusiastically that my review would follow soon. ‘Soon’ has come several weeks later thanks to life getting in the way!

Jacqueline’s debut novel, Perfect Ten was among the first batch of books I reviewed for this blog back in the early autumn of 2018, and so when I saw that the author was due to release her second novel, I mosied on over to Netgalley quick sharp!

I found Perfect Ten to be such a psychologically insightful read, and for me that was what set it apart from other psychological thrillers I read that year. The author’s professional knowledge was apparent in the development of the main character, and I was intrigued as to whether this would be the case once more in How to Play Dead.

What it lacks – comparatively speaking for me at least – in the addictive thriller department, it makes up for in spades in terms of story which feels much broader this time round. Much of the story is told through the eyes of Ria, an incredible woman; wife, mother and the manager of a refuge for women escaping domestic abuse. The women she comes across, particularly Sheila and Sally as prime, but differing examples of the struggles these women encounter when trying to escape. I know that in the past I’ve, rather naively held views in the past that women should just leave these situations. I’m more informed nowadays, but this novel really reiterated that things are never as simple as that, adding aspects I’d never even previously considered and was actually deeply shocked by.

The other voice within the novel came via the diary entries from Tanya. These were mysterious and it took me a while to figure out where she fit in, but her story was incredibly powerful and I found her story to be the perfect interlude for the action surrounding Ria and the refuge centre. Once more, it was the psychological gravitas of these diary entries which really appealed to me. The way in which Tanya was groomed and cajoled into submission. It’s terrifying when you lay bare the methods of men like Al.

One of the most interesting elements of the novel was of the sessions run by the centre to help rehabilitate the men. To touch upon the reactions and thinking from their point of view was incredibly interesting and added an entirely new angle for me. Rightfully, it is the plight of the woman that is the focus, but it felt refreshing.

Everything about How To Play Dead feels bigger. The story arc is more accomplished, the setting broader, the characters more developed. In Ria is a character I am sure many readers will identify with and the writing surrounding her is terrifically atmospheric and full of suspense as her stalker edges ever closer, my spine tingled, my skin crawled and I found myself breathless in anticipation of what lay next for her.

Highly recommended, and I look forward to the next novel by Jacqueline Ward!

I received How to Play Dead from Netgalley in an exchange for an honest review and although it’s not my usual type of book to read I did enjoy the mystery thrills.
Ria is a manager of SafeMe, a refuge for women and children that need an escape and help from domestic violence. She works incredibly hard to help all the women that pass through the doors but as her past catches up with her in the shape of a stalker she is all too familiar with the pain and terror that domestic abusers can cause.
The book counts down the days until her husband Danny is back from an international work contract and shows with each passing day Ria getting more scared for herself and her children as the messages and threats from her stalker escalate. She doesn’t know who it is but as the book delves deeper she starts to realise it’s her past finally coming to push her over the edge.
Although the book does get a bit repetitive with each day being quite a monotonous routine of everyday life, a lot of interesting twists emerge that keep you guessing until the very end.
There are also diary extracts from a woman named Tanya scattered throughout the book that highlights the severity of domestic violence and I started to figure out quite early on how she was connected to the main story although it isn’t revealed completely until late on.
The ending picks up the pace and all the loose ends are tied up neatly with a good outcome. This is a heavy read that enlightens readers on just a few examples of domestic violence and the warning signals of an abuser.

★★★★ 3.5 to 4 stars

This was a difficult book for me to read in some ways, having been a survivor of domestic abuse, and I found myself overwhelmed with a range of emotions from tear-filled sadness to complete rage. Although my own experience was not like Sheila's or even Tanya's, it was just as horrendous and frightening at the time. So in reading this book, it brought up all the old memories and there were times I questioned whether I could finish it or not.

TRIGGER WARNING
So it goes without saying that this book comes with a trigger warning of domestic violence, psychological abuse, stalking and sexual assault. If you don't think you can cope with it, then I advise to give this one a miss. Having been through domestic abuse myself, I did find it tough going at times.

HOW TO PLAY DEAD is a hard hitting story of abuse in its many forms. It is not an easy read but it is compelling. It's the story of Ria, but more than that, it is also the story of Tanya who we meet in the alternate diary chapters. Both women have their own stories to tell but neither of them could foresee how their parallel tales will meet in the end.

Ria Taylor is married with two children but she also runs SafeMe, a shelter for domestic abuse survivors and their families. She has dedicated her life to helping these women through SafeMe which is in desperate need of council funding to continue its specialist care. I love how the shelter is more than just a shelter - it helps rehome the women and their children to safer communities and provides one on one care with them. This type of service wasn't available to me at the time...just a shelter where I felt completely alone.

SafeMe also provides counselling to the aggressors, which was called perpetrator counselling although I was uncomfortable with the use of the term "perpetrator" in such a service. It is meant to be a non-judgmental service offering help to the men who abuse their wives, partners and children. Calling them perpetrators vilifies this and while they are indeed "perps" I think it could have been named something a little more helpful and appropriate. Even "Offenders Counselling" or "Taking Responsibility Counselling" would have been far more appropriate. The stigma created by labelling them really doesn't provide the proper service, even if it was just for funding purposes.

While there are men who truly believe they are above the law and that it is their right to keep their wives in line with their fists or manipulation, there are also those who simply have no proper outlet for their anger than to lash out at their partners - which is no excuse, I know. But to offer them a service that will enable them to channel that anger in other ways or learn how to take responsibility for their actions is far more helpful than simply discarding them as just "perps". And I have been on the receiving end of those fists, of those threats of harm and death - I know all too well what it is like as a victim/survivor. But I also believe that everyone deserves a second chance.

Ria and her best friend Janice work tirelessly to keep the women and children in the shelter and its adjoining flats safe. But not everyone wants SafeMe to remain open. Council funding is approaching and one person is intent on seeing it fail...just so he could rescue them and pull the strings, and give him access to his own wife. But Ria will not let that happen.

Whilst juggling the responsibilities of SafeMe, her worries for the women who are most at risk as well as the upcoming renewal of funding application, Ria must also contend with her husband Danny working on an international contract for a month. He is what keeps her grounded and waking every day without him there is a painful reminder that he is thousands of miles away. But soon after Danny's departure, Ria begins to receive sinister messages...videos of her, even one of her hair being clipped on the bus. Working in the environment that she does, Ria also knows there is nothing the police can do unless her stalker resorts to violence. She doesn't even know who it is...her only suspicions are one of the husbands of the women housed at SafeMe. But soon, not a day goes by where Ria doesn't feel she is constantly being watched, always on the lookout for someone or something out of place. Paranoia begins to take over that even her loved ones notice a change.

In the alternating chapters, we meet Tanya (of indeterminate age) who lives with her husband Alan in a big spacious house that he inherited from his parents. In the beginning, we see her excuse his behaviour and moods as a reaction to something she has done. But as the days count down over the month, we see her resolve change. She loves him and yet she hates him. He restricts her every movement, her every choice so that everything she does is completely for his benefit...and yet he still criticises it all. She is never given anything sharp unless he is in attendance and she has no access to television. She is permitted to work, but her wages are paid into his bank account (as she doesn't have one, he excuses) so she has no access to any money. When he leaves the house, she is locked in with the shutters made of reinforced steel closed over the windows to prevent her escaping. She is completely dependent on him for everything and knows nothing else but the information he feeds her...and that he had fed her over the years.

Alan is a completely despicable character. He made my skin crawl. And to think he has kept Tanya prisoner in his home through rape, violence, manipulation and invisible walls just made my blood boil. Then when he left Tanya locked in the house for nearly a week with barely enough food to survive, it was obvious he was just waiting for her to die of starvation. In the end, that's what Tanya believed too as she wrote her last entry to be found with her...

Counting down from Day 29 to the return of her husband Danny from Dubai, Ria's life is thrown into turmoil when it becomes apparent that her stalker will not give up. From roses to messages to the feeling of someone watching her...Ria worries for her safety and that of her children's. She has Danny's sister Donelle pick them up from school every day...until Donelle meets a new man. But Ria was too wrapped up in her own worries and the pending funding application to hear the alarm bells going off around Donelle's new man. Added to all this, are Ria's estranged parents and the mystery back home resurfaces of when Ria's best friend Alice disappeared when they were 15.

I do have to question Ria's actions, reactions and often stupidity when it came to the text messages she received. I found it to be completely frustrating particularly for someone with so much direct knowledge of these types of men and what they are capable of...and yet she still didn't continue to lodge it with the police. Even one point she was about to go in, but read the latest message and turned around and left. I was left shaking my head. Why, woman, why? And why did she not just throw the phone away, I wondered. And the knowledge of telling as many people as you can so they know the situation in case something happens...why was she just so vague in it all, dismissing the texts as nothing? For someone who works with these women, she knows what to do as she tells the women often enough. So the hell didn't she take her own advice?

I found Ria to be completely frustrating and not entirely likable at times. Her story didn't excite me, but rather frustrated me more than anything. The story around the women was far more gripping, as was Ria's past. The writing style around Ria was at times somewhat confusing. I found her and her mother to often be talking in riddles. What the hell were they talking about? Did I miss something? It was incredibly frustrating and I felt like slapping Ria on more than one occasion.

I think Tanya's diary was the most effective part of the story...even if the most painful. Through her every entry throughout, the reader wonders if Tanya can escape before it's too late. After all, no one knows she is locked inside a house that appears empty with its shutters in place. And Ria...can she keep herself and her family safe from the person who is stalking her? And can she save Donelle from a potentially abusive situation?

As Ria starts to unlock the truth and Tanya's world comes crashing down, HOW TO PLAY DEAD will shock you and chill you as their stories collide leading up to a somewhat confusing ending...which I felt could have panned out a little better. It felt somewhat rushed with the absence of the main perpetrators in each case. With no big reveal it just sort of flowed into revelation long before the end.

HOW TO PLAY DEAD is an uncomfortable read in parts, with a no holds barred approach. It highlights the growing problem of domestic abuse and how even in the most unsuspecting circumstances it can be rampant. Domestic abuse does not discriminate. It can affect anyone at any time and any place. Sadly no one is immune. Even the strongest of people can fall victim to a charming yet controlling and manipulative partner which by then is too late. It's easy for an outside to ask "why doesn't she just leave?" but until you have been in that situation, until you have been conditioned to know no other way...no one can understand why she doesn't "just leave". For it truly is never as easy as that.

A book that really makes you think, HOW TO PLAY DEAD is a different perspective on the whole domestic abuse theme. It is cleverly plotted and well crafted, though it doesn't always hit the mark at times, it is certainly worth a read.

I would like to thank #JacquelineWard, #NetGalley and #AtlanticBooks for an ARC of #HowToPlayDead in exchange for an honest review.

How to Play Dead by Jacqueline Ward is a wonderful psychological thriller.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Corvus, and the author for providing me with a complimentary digital copy of this novel. This review was written voluntarily.

Ria Taylor has it all - a loving husband, a job she is passionate about at a women's refuge, known as Safeme, and two beautiful children, but having a little more financial freedom would make her life a whole lot easier. So when her husband, Danny, is offered a month long contract abroad with excellent pay, it makes perfect sense for him to take the job so that they can finally buy themselves a home of their own.

But one night, struggling a bit with Danny away, Ria starts to receive alarming and terrifyingly sinister messages on a burner phone that was delivered to the refuge, telling her that she is being watched. Someone seems to know everything about her. She knows what she should do - seek help, just like she tells her clients to. Meanwhile, Tanya is trapped in her own home under her partner's abusive and oppressive will. The reader follows the journeys of these two women - Ria and Tanya - as their present situations escalate and their pasts are exposed and laid bare.

The story was told from the Ria's perspective and via a diary from Tanya, across differing timelines. How to Play Dead was a highly readable and a cracking work of fiction. That isn't to say the topic wasn't distressing, but some very strong messages for the reality of domestic abuse were conveyed within this story that takes the reader into the fictional lives of Ria and Janice, her close colleague. At it's core is the danger that Ria faces from a man in her past. The plot is intricate and tells the stories of many different women, some of whom survive. I thought the diary was a very effective part of the book, and the most enlightening sections from Ria’s story were the interactions with her mother. The theme of the book means of course, that a lot of the characters are not merely unpleasant, but you hate them and their actions with a vengeance. The subject of domestic violence has clearly been well-researched by Jacqueline Ward, which was obvious from the many ways in which she used her characters to so credibly convey the complexity of their situations.

Tender, uplifting, inspiring and heartbreaking, the threads of Ria and Tanya's stories begin to become entwined and the dramatic denouement to their story is breath-taking. I was certainly invested enough to be interested in each of their outcomes.

I am excitedly anticipating whatever comes next from Jacqueline Ward!

Powerful and well written. A story of strong women, scared women and abuse they face. I really enjoyed this and I can’t imagine anyone not. Good choice for a Christmas gift.
5/5 on goodreads and Amazon.

I thought this book was brilliant, it covers very important messages as well as covering parts that people who don't know much about domestic abuse wouldn't know happens. The link later on in the book is really good and I couldn't work out who it was before it came.

I was eager to read this book at any point that I had spare time as I was desperate to know what was going to happen next.

Well written, well executed and s very important story to tell.

Ria runs Safe Me, a women’s refuge and while her husband, Danny, is away working for 30 days she starts being stalked. Can she sort out so many things and find her stalker before her husband gets back? There is also a second interwoven POV from a woman linked to Ria, who is in a bad situation.

While this book could be a trigger for some people this was not an issue for me. The violence was done within the context of the story and was not overbearing.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Domestic violence isn’t talked about enough and most definitely not written about as much as it should be. This was an excellent book that covered the reality of domestic abuse very well. Having gone through it myself and seen family members go through it I felt the book could have been fact. It’s a very difficult read for anyone who has had any connection with domestic abuse but at the same time an essential read for everyone. Domestic violence isn’t always physical, it’s a whole load of other stuff and this book got it exactly right.

I read this late into the night to finish it as I just couldn’t put it down. If I could give this book more than five stars I would do. Five for the book and more for the author for taking a very difficult subject and telling it well.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest and unbiased opinion.

This is a well written and hard hitting story about domestic abuse and rape. It is told from the view point of two people, Ria who runs a refuge for women and children who have suffered domestic abuse and Tanya who is being controlled in every aspect of her life by her partner who is also violent towards her. As the book progresses we discover the link between these two women. I found it quite difficult reading the sections covering the domestic abuse but it makes you realise how difficult life is for these women who are completely controlled by their husbands or partners.

It was quite a heavy read but totally worth it. The story revolves around Ria who has everything going for her. Her life changes drastically one evening and realises that seeking help is not that easy. A wonderful read.

I really tried to get into this book but I found it a struggle. The writing is perfectly fine, although I don’t usually enjoy first person present tense so it could be a case of this being a book that would never gel with my tastes.

I ended up not being able to finish but I didn’t hate the premise, just a case of the wrong book for me.

I really enjoyed this book even though it's not something I'd normally choose. The stalking is only really secondary to the story of the women's refuge. I thought the characters were great and.I loved the way Ria and Janice stood up to the abusers especially the loathsome Frank James. I'd recommend this highly to anyone wanting a good read.

REVIEW 💫

‘The truth is no one is looking for me. There is no one.’ - How To Play Dead by Jaqueline Ward.

Focusing on the complexities of domestic abuse this book went straight into the main storyline quite quickly which I really liked as I’ve read too many slow books recently! I was gripped almost immediately.

To be honest, the whole time I was reading this I was coming up with different scenarios in my head and trying to work out who was who... my guesses were mainly right but that didn’t take anything away from the story once they were revealed and I think this is because of the nature of the storyline.

I sort of feel like something was missing from this book but I can’t put my finger on what it is but I really enjoyed it!

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫


Thank you to the Jaqueline Ward and @netgalley for my copy.

So I have just finished this book
This book is centred around domestic abuse and rape and in some instances, child abuse.
This book will not be for everyone
But, due to me working in this type of role and environment, I find that these types of books don’t bother me as much as some!
I really enjoyed this book and thought that the author tackled the topic so well and It gave me a real awareness of things that actually go on

A fantastic story which can be devastating realising how tough life can be for some people. A really well written book which will hook you in from start to finish.

This was a difficult read following a woman running a shelter for victims of domestic abuse. I felt uncomfortable at times reading horrific stories of sexual and psychological abuse but there were some heart-warming moments and good characters developed.
I was, however, slightly disappointed with the pace despite there being the potential of a gripping plot and couldn't always feel a connection with the main character, Ria. Her relationship with her own husband was unusual and some of her actions were difficult to understand in the light of her advice to others but she was also admirable at times. I mostly enjoyed reading this book but it just never quite reached its full potential on this brave topic.

Excellent well written book, believable storyline with good character settings. I very much enjoyed this book and will look for any other work by the autor.