In Control

wow. my second book of 2021 was phenomenal. this non-fiction completely hypnotized me for the 24 hours it took me to read it. especially as womxn, we all vaguely have an idea or an instinct of what the behaviors and manipulation tactics of domestic abusers look like. but seeing these eight stages lined out so neatly, it still shocked me. it was both scary to read as someone who is statistically at a higher risk of becoming a victim to domestic violence, but also fascinating from my perspective as a (criminal) lawyer.

Monckton-Smith was incredibly successful in making her complex criminologist research accessible to a wider audience by using clear language without any jargon, using real life examples of case studies and through anecdotes from her own life. I also deeply appreciated the fact that she combined criminology with law (explaining why UK criminal law needs reform in order to better protect victims) and sociology/anthropology (explaining how contemporary Western culture and society contribute to the high number of domestic violence cases). she never pretends to be able to explain why these perpetrators end up becoming the people they are though, and she’s very frank about that. she just provides answers as to how to recognize and stop these crimes before they become homicides.

honestly, this might be one of the only non-fiction books I would reread over and over again and it’s already one of my favourite books of the year.

obviously, this book deals with some heavy subject matter and because Monckton-Smith uses real life examples this book definitely comes with some trigger warnings, including domestic violence, rape, murder, forced pregnancy, child abuse, emotional blackmail and manipulation, gaslighting and stalking.

I follow Professor Jane Monckton-Smith on Twitter and that is how I learned of her brilliantly conceived Homicide Timeline. I was lucky to be given early access to her forthcoming book "In Control: Dangerous Relationships And How They End In Murder". The book makes for sobering, yet vital, reading. It's one of the most important books I've ever read and I hope it finds a widespread audience. The content is accessible for all, i.e. you don't have to be an academic to read and understand it. The information, research, knowledge and professional experience documented within, coupled with various case studies, has the potential to save lives. Many, many lives. Please read it and buy a copy for someone you care about. Forewarned is forearmed. I cannot overstate the importance of this book and my gratitude to Professor Monckton-Smith for writing it.

Sobering, yet vital reading!!

This book is both eye-opening and enlightening. The content within this book is hard-hitting at points but is definitely a must read! I have really felt able to relate to some content in this book!

This is well-written and really delves deep into the dynamics of relationships. Many cases mentioned within this have been new, the book is clearly well researched and def a book I recommend.