Tony and Nick had pretty grim childhoods with different mothers and an aggressive alcoholic father. Tony looked out for Nick all through his young life.

An evening out for Nick turned into an appalling crime which set the scene for this story.

Tony and his wife Julia continue to support Nick and try to be of help wherever it is possible but this situation has made huge complications in their lives and the different ways in which they deal with what has happened.

It is a difficult subject to read but was well written. However, for me it was not a fast pace book and dragged too much in quite a few areas.

Tony has always looked out for his little brother Nick. He is married to Julia with two small children.
Nick goes out to meet a friend one night and wakes up the next morning in a hotel room, badly bruised and battered, a victim of a sexual assault.
The man who did it says it was consensual which Nick denies.
Tony has a temper and now he is angry. Angry about what has happened to Nick and angry at the person who did it.
The police are now involved but can the family hold up under the pressure.
Watch out for the twist at the end!

“Your body, your mind, they are protecting you. It is your way of easing into the knowledge of what happened. There is nothing wrong with you.”

You probably already have heard something about this book. Or at least you caught a glimpse of its beautiful cover. You haven’t? Your miss! Lucky for you, here is more about this book that probably will make you want to read it as soon as possible.

I thought a lot after finishing it. It is a book that some people (including me) can finish in two sittings, but I read it for almost a week. There are moments that I couldn’t handle, and I couldn’t keep reading after them. So much pain is infused into the story. It’s unbearable at the times. It brings me joy as well as tears. But mostly tears. This is a matter that needs more publicity, and I’m happy I came across a book that is caring and put the lights on this. And it comes at the perfect moment – Happy Pride! Be proud of who you are and don’t let people label you!

The story follows a family tragedy. Two actually.

Tony has a father he doesn’t wish his greatest enemy to have. His mom runs away with him and gives him the life he deserves. She frees him from the scare of whether his dad will be that drunk to beat them all. Tony is hoping his dad won’t have any more kids, but yet – here is Nick. Nick is his youngest half brother, way youngest. In all ways, Tony is more father to him than a brother. Can you imagine how heartbroken Tony ends up after he receives a call that his brother is a victim of a sexual assault? He is a wreck. His skin becomes too tight for him. He could have prevented this. Couldn’t he?

It’s a Friday night, and Nick has a date with a guy called Chris. The thing about Chris is that he is not really interested and always late. Like in the aforementioned night. Nick goes to the bar with his roommate Elle, and after a handsome man starts a chat with him a the bar, he takes the opportunity to have it in for Chris. He doesn’t have the faintest idea what he is signing up to.

Saturday morning. Nick wakes up. He is in an unfamiliar bed, in a hotel room. What is more disturbing is that the bedsheets are covered in blood. His blood. Although he makes it to his house, he scared the hell out of his roommates so they take him to the hospital. And this is how everything began.


There are two other main points of views that enrich the story – Julia’s, Tony’s wife and Detective Rice, the leading detective on Nick’s case. At first, I was a bit confused why the narrative is going back and forth between the years, it’s probably me, but it took me a bit of time to ‘solve’ it. However, the actual storyline is at the ‘nowadays’. It is told from Julia point of view, and it is a conversation with Detective Rice. He is terminally ill and wants to speak with her to let go of all the things that are bugging him and rest in peace. The events of Nick rape and the following events are intended as flash-backs, although this does require a little bit of polishing.

Why this story followed me during the day? What bothers me is that there is not much publicity when we are talking about people that define themselves as a part of the LGBTQ society. If a woman is a victim of domestic abuse, here, in the UK, she can go to the train station and get a free ticket to a safe place. What if the victim is a male? What if his abuser took all his money and he has nowhere to go? Nobody cares because he is a man, everybody presumes that he can hit back and deal with the situation like a man. But that’s not always the case.

That’s what people on the Internet talk about Nick. That he is a lier. He is a man, he could have fought back. He probably wanted it, that’s why he didn’t fight hard enough to break free, and now he is ashamed so he is trying to put the fault on an innocent man with a good reputation. I was infuriated. I couldn’t read further. I needed a break from human cruelty.


These bitter comments lead to Nick starting to harm himself. In the beginning, he is picking the crust on his head wound. Then he starts to pick his body hair, starting with his legs and continuing with his arms. People are simply not aware of what the impact of their words will be and how much they affect the mental health, especially when Nick mental health is already starting to go down the loop.

There is Tony on the other side. This situation is driving him insane. He wants to kill the bastard who hurts his little brother. The situation becomes even tougher when the riper gets released on bail. He can’t believe that this is possible, and he is on the edge to do something stupid. Is he brave enough to kill?

I would like to emphasize the fact that this is a debut! It is an intense book that unveils the truth behind the emotional condition of the victims of sexual assault. The impact that aftermath events and strangers’ chitchat may have over the victim. How the victim’s family handle the situation. It is a story written with care. Deeply emotional and it is obvious that the author has a vivid interest in this type of injustices and she cares about the victims.

The story can be categorised as a slow-burner. It unfolds dark secrets with every page. And don’t think you know how the book is going to end. You will be far from the truth. The conclusion stokes me so hard, I closed the book with my mouth agape, unable to believe what just happened. It is that mind-blowing!

The last time I read that good debut was 2 years ago, Samantha Downing’s debut My Lovely Wife. When I wasn’t reading it haunted my thoughts the way Mindy McGinnis’s Heroine did.

Michael Joseph Publishing has another great find and I’m delighted that they gave me the chance to read this in advance. I can’t wait for the next Wahrer book!

A well written story about a taboo subject which was very refreshing to see. It wasnt really for me and I found it a bit slow and I prefer fast paced books.

Tony and Nick’s Dad is an alcoholic and didn’t look after either of his sons as they grew up. Tony practically brought up his half brother, Nick.

Now at college, Nick goes out drinking with a friend at a bar and ends up going off with a man. This results in a horrific sexual assault on Nick.

Tony and his wife, Julia, want to look after Nick and they do all they can to keep him safe and help him during his recovery.

The story takes place in two different time periods - 2015, when the assault takes place and also in 2019.

This is a difficult read due to the nature of the story. The characters are well written and it is a story of family, protection and also lies. A great debut novel by the author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Every so often, I get a craving for a gritty mystery with a lot of heart at the centre of it and I think that’s what I was expecting from this one. I hadn’t heard anyone talk about it but when I saw it available to request on NetGalley, I was intrigued and I’m now delighted that I gave it a shot.

Tony has always felt responsible for his much younger half brother Nick. So when Nick is brutally assaulted, Tony’s rage and desire for revenge starts to build. As Nick descends further into despair, his attacker disputes Nick’s version of events. Tony’s wife Julia, a former lawyer, is determined to help her brother-in-law and keep her family together but she can’t help but realise the toll that it’s taking on her husband. So she is forced to ask the question -what are any of us really capable of under the right circumstances?

The novel touches on the different ways that male sexual assault victims are treated compared to their female counterparts. As a young, fit man, very few outsiders really believe that Nick could have been beaten and attacked in the way that he claims and that is obviously a huge detriment to his case. Of course, the act of not having your story believed and accepted by society can be extremely damaging to the already traumatised victim and I think it’s this that causes Nick to reach his rock bottom. I really feel that the author was trying to send a stark warning here -believe the victim, always.

Of course, the attacker has a team of family and friends who refuse to believe that their loved one could be capable of such a horrific attack. They know him as a good upstanding citizen and do all they can to prove and promote this image of him. But we never really know what people do when they’re alone or the thoughts and urges that circle their heads. Absolutely everyone has the potential for very dark hidden depths and at no point in the book did I believe that Mr Raymond Walker was innocent.

Tony takes on so much responsibility for how Nick has turned out as a young adult. Tony knows firsthand that their shared father did very little for either of his sons and it seems that Nick’s mother wasn’t a great parent either. Therefore, Tony has always taken it upon himself to parent Nick and steer him on to the right path and he has always thought of him as his first-born. Naturally, this is what leads him to become determined to get justice for Nick, even if it means destroying his own life. The idea of this assault causing irreparable, lifelong damage to Nick and the perpetrator getting away with it or not getting just punishment is something that Tony simply can’t risk happening.

Tony’s wife Julia is a smart, caring woman who really feels like she has no other choice by the end of the book. She takes an enormous risk to save her family and her husband’s reputation and I had nothing but admiration for her. After such a bleak read, I couldn’t help but smile when I realised Julia’s role in what had happened. The extent of this actually didn’t come out until the very last chapter and I loved that the author was clearly eking that out for as long as possible. What a deliciously satisfying ending!

Damage is a suspenseful drama that puts justice and the incredible bonds of family at its heart. It is a very visceral and frank betrayal of the damage that trauma can do not just for the victim but for their entire family and support network. I was thoroughly absorbed from beginning to end and I finished it with a tremendous sense of hope, which I really wasn’t expecting considering the subject matter.

Wow this book was incredible! Gripping right from the start, I couldn't put it down. I would class this book as a thriller but there is also plenty of drama!
Such a fantastic debut for Caitlin Wahrer! I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!
Thank you to Caitlin Wahrer, NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for the opportunity to read and review this book.

‘Damage’ is an incredible debut from Caitlin Wahrer.
The story follows a small town family and how all of their lives change after a horrendous attack and although it depicts a very difficult topic it is handled extremely well. The main characters are Tony, his wife Julia and his brother Nick; after Nick is attacked Tony finds it hard to come to terms that he could not protect Nick as he has done for most of their lives. Julia struggles to see the change in her husband and is at a loss as to help Nick when it appears his suffering will continue throughout the investigation.
Part of me would classify this book as a thriller because it reads like a gripping tale of avenging a loved one but it is also a domestic drama that feels so well thought out and ultimately real in the individual reactions to trauma.
There are so many intricate layers to this book I find it hard to put into an eloquent review; in my opinion I cannot express how much I want people to read this and discuss the questions it asks; primarily ‘How far would you go to protect your family?’
*Warning: this novel may be triggering as contains description of sexual assault.

This is an emotional read, due to the subject of sexual assault and it started off with a fast pace. However, the pace then slowed down and became repetitive, although the subject matter was handled with sensitivity. The writing was strong and there were interesting characters but the mix of police procedural and thriller just failed to work for me. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

This is a richly-woven, character lead crime drama which I couldn't put down. The story centres on the Hall family when Tony Hall's younger brother (and almost his surrogate son) Nick is beaten and sexually assaulted. What follows is an intense family drama as the crime is investigated and the family deal with the emotional and traumatic fallout.

The writing is superb with its main cast of characters well explored and alongside these elements is narrative thread set 4 years later which hints at surprising twists and turns. Combined, it makes for a gripping, involving read. It deals with a very difficult subject matter well, though there was an occasion where there was a suggestion of a twist that would undermine Nick's story which I felt was unnecessary but thankfully it didn't take a crass route.

Not my usual choice of read but I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to what Caitlin Wahrer writes in future - this was a very impressive debut!

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Michael Joseph for this ARC in exchange for a fair review.

Gripped from the beginning of this debut novel from Caitlin Wahrer. A hard read at times due to the subject matter. A slow burner but definitely worth staying with.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley for my arc of this book!

I had high hopes for this book as the synopsis sounded good, however it just fell a bit flat for me.
After reading so many brilliant crime and thriller books, it just didn't live up to the expectation unfortunately.
I liked the characters of Nick, Julia and Tony and also Detective Rice who was doing everything he could, but the storyline was just a bit too predictable and the 'twists' weren't really twists. Went on a but too long and was a bit too repetitive.
I kept reading it though to see if anything unexpected would happen but sadly it wasn't a gripping novel like I had hoped.

Although this is about the very challenging subject of male rape it is told in a palatable and considerate manner. I expected this to be quite a difficult read due to the subject but it’s really well written and I found it quite steady going. Told in several viewpoints both from the time of the attack and looking back a few years later you can really see how the situation affected various individuals and led them to take the actions they did. Mental health is a huge focus of this but it’s all very sympathetic and considered. Although this could never be a happy story it is actually very digestible.

male rape and it's aftermath on both victims, perpetrator and families is not a subject matter often tackled in fiction. This book does explore the matter deftly and with a lightness of touch and depth. It talks about masculinity, power, revenge and the end of really satisfying. All the characters and their struggle, their humanity and complexity ring true.

This book hits the ground running. After the first couple of pages I knew I was reading a five star book and could not put it down. I will be looking out for Caitlin Wahrers books.

I was interested by the summary given on this debut novel.. The story was slow to start. A story of three ordinary people, one terrible event and the problems started. Tony and Julia are married and Nick is Tony's younger brother, whom he has always looked out for all his life. This triangle is about to fall apart. I did not enjoy the style of writing and not for me. I struggled to connect to any of the characters.

I give a 3 star rating only because the novel was not for m.

I WANT TO THANK NETGALLEY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY OF READING AN ADVANCED COPY OF THIS BOOK FOR AN HONEST REPLY

A hard hitting and brilliant debut. It deals with hard hitting and difficult subject matters. I cant believe this was her first novel as its so well written.

This is a really hard hitting read. It deals with rape but uniquely from a male rape victims perspective. The book is incredibly well written, and deals with the issues sensitivity but at the same time creating a slow building atmosphere of suspense. The story also considers the impact that such an attack has on all the family. The story alternates been several different character view points as the story moves forward. All the characters are really well written and their responses believable and definitely very real. This is definitely a character driven story but the storyline does keep you hooked right to the very last line.

What an incredible, intense and heartbreaking read.
The storyline of Nick being sexually assaulted was truly awful and the horrendous abuse he got when the story got out. The fact people can't get their head around that men can also be assaulted is heartbreaking and you felt that all the way through the book.
Ray Walker was a cruel and deceiving man and got what he truly deserved. The ending of the book was brilliant.
Nick, what a storyline for him and how he dealt with everything was so detailed and really true to life, again, great writing.
Tony, what a hero to Nick throughout his life and the support he has given to his little brother was warming and just so lovely. You could tell Tony would do anything for his family, including Murder?!
Julia, the strongest person without realising how amazing she is and the ending of the book shows this.
Honestly, as horrible the storyline was, great book, great raw writing and emotion.
Thank you for allowing me to read this wye opening book.

#NetGalley #TheDamage

An interesting concept for a procedural/crime thriller, yet this felt like there was a number of stumbling blocks, making it less easy to delve into through the subject matter.
A truly interesting concept, dealing with the harmful, devastating and relentless after effect of a sexual assault. The writing itself is engaging and well-paced, though the characters are missing some elements of the third dimension that could have really brought them to life.
As far as plot and narrative structures, the book came a little undone the further it went on - there was a lack of succinctness which grew alongside the length of the novel, which lead further to engagement being lost in the final third. The premise seems brilliant, yet the outcome is hindered at times by it's own ambitious nature to craft a unique victim-based tale, yet cram it into a well-know, tried and tested genre structure, wherein it is lost and seems unclear as to what it wants to be.
For readers, there is enigma, mystery and the base potential to really invest in characters...but with the distraction of pace and procedure clouding the potential to really care about character for too long, before shifting gears and keeping up with the narrative nuts and bolts.

Real potential and some lovely sections of well-crafted writing from Wahrer, but what begins with finesse and curiousity-invoking storytelling, peters out into a slightly outpaced generic crime-thriller.