A new writer to me, this is a promising debut, well written and intriguing throughout. However, for those of us who read a lot of crime fiction, placing a novel in a women's refuge has become a familiar trope and this doesn't really contribute anything particularly new. Nevertheless the characters are well drawn and the flipping of the narrative from past to present is well handled and one's attention is held until the end.

Keeper is a powerful, hard-hitting and superb debut literary thriller with a spicy feminist touch to it that is making many top reads of 2020 lists. It broke me into pieces as a domestic and sexual abuse survivor and it's clear either Ms Moor herself has experienced it or has carried out meticulous and extensive research to make the story as accurate and reality-driven as possible. It centres around Katie Straw who works at a women's refuge filled with brave ladies who have had the courage to flee their home lives in the hopes of stopping the ongoing abuse. DS Whitworth is called in to investigate when Katie looks to have jumped from a bridge into the river below to commit suicide. But Whitworth isn't so quick to jump to baseless conclusions. Plus the women at the refuge who knew her best contest the general police consensus that there was nothing noteworthy happening that needed a deep dive. However, DS Whitworth and DC Brook do exactly that and know they may be on to something when they discover no evidence ”Katie Straw” ever existed.

This is a stunning and dramatic character-driven thriller that treats the issue of domestic abuse in a sympathetic manner and puts the women at the front centre of it all. It has a dual timeline of Katie’s life ”then” and her life ” now”; what it illustrates is that abuse survivors are truly never free from their attackers despite being physically separated from them. It's thought-provoking and topical with the plot quickly immersing you and the entirety of the novel you could've cut the tension with a knife. The prose is urgent and Moor pulls no punches when it came to detailing the horrific, harrowing and frankly rage-inducing abuse. It's compelling and incredibly insightful and Moor writes with such eloquence about such heavy topics that it's impossible not to become addicted to it despite the overwhelming sadness and anger you feel every second you're reading. The way it ends is chilling and heart-wrenching in equal measure. A very special book. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Penguin for an ARC.

I haven't read a thriller in quite a while so this book was perfect to quench my thirst for mystery and suspense. Keeper is the debut novel of author Jessica Moor, and I'm happy I had the opportunity to read it because it only took me a few pages before I was hooked into the story.

The book deals with tough subjects like violence and domestic abuse and the story feels relatable. The author's opinion on these matters can be strongly felt throughout the narrative line. The characters are diverse and well developed. The story is told from multiple perspectives, which allows the reader a better understanding of the events. The plotline is intriguing, suspenseful and it even has a bit of dark humor thrown into the mix. I love a book that puts my mind to work and keeps me guessing and this one is definitely a page-turner. A brilliant novel, that I highly recommend!


*Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Books UK for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Wow! If you want a powerful character driven novel which will grip you from the off and hold you tight all the way through, spitting you out at the end shocked but sated, then look no further...
We start with what looks like a suicide when the body of Katie Straw is recovered from a river. The police write it of as such but the women at the refuge centre where she worked insist that there is more to it. Reluctantly, at first, DS Whitworth and DC Brook get on the case and soon find things that don't quite add up. As well as following the investigation in the present, we flit back to Katie's past as she meets the enigmatic Jamie who turns out to be not as nice as first inspection...
This is a harrowing read as it is centred around domestic violence and so care must be taken if you or a loved one have been touched by this most heinous crime. That said, it is delivered with great care and nothing is included for shock tactic, rather for story progression.
As already mentioned, this is a very character driven book and the characters contained within are expertly crafted and all act according to their parts in the story. The story itself flows well from start to finish with pacing which fits every aspect of the narrative. There is no superfluous padding or waffle so it also gets on with itself very nicely.
Yes, OK I did guess something quite key early on, and I was right, but that actually enhanced my reading rather than distraction from it as I was able to see things that maybe I wouldn't have seen as I was reading. Rather than spoil things, it actually opened my eyes wider to what was going on. Finally, an author who doesn't rely on a big twist to make a book; so refreshing!
All in all, a cracking read and a debut to boot. Looks like I have another author to add to my watch list. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

a domestic violence book that shows you how it can affect your daily lives and the effect it has on everyone...in a women refuge...

this one will hit a few nerves...

katie works in a refuge for woman who have to escape their daily violent lives but she is found dead one day and though at first the police put it down to a suicide the people at the refuge say its murder...
a then and now storyline highlighting katies life before hand and then after

its a cliff hanger and one that you dont see coming right till the end...not a bad book though, will keep an eye out for more from this author

Thanks to Net Galley and Penguin Books UK for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
Katie is found dead at what is known as a suicide spot, the police though are not convinced that she has committed suicide.
The story is told in two parts. Then - this is the lead up to her death and about her life as a victim of domestic violence Now - is the story of the two detectives who are investigating her death and the woman in the refuge centre where Katie worked
I found this to be a slow read and it didn’t holding my attention. I disliked all of the characters, there is though a twist at the end which I definitely didn’t see coming.

Katie Straw worked in the women's refuge and the women who lived there liked and respected her. She treated them well and seemed to have an understanding of what they were going through. Why then did she jump from the local suicide spot into the river below? There had been no signs that she was unhappy and she and her boyfriend seemed to have been content together - and Noah has a decent alibi for the time when she died, but what other explanation could there be for her death? The police are convinced that it's suicide, but the women who knew her believe otherwise.

It's a phrase I've used myself: he's a keeper. I mean that he's a man with the sort of qualities which you'd be looking for in a relationship, but there's a double meaning and so often they can be applied to the same person. That person who appears to the outside world to be so thoughtful, so accommodating and loving can be controlling and even violent in private. It's often, if not impossible, to persuade the outside world or even yourself that he's the problem - not you. (I should mention here that whilst it's often the man who is controlling and violent, it's not unknown for the woman to be coercive and controlling - or to be violent.)

Jamie did seem perfect, too. He was a police officer and was only too willing to help out with Katie's mother who was suffering from terminal cancer. The women in the refuge didn't know Katie's story, but they knew their own histories. There was the younger brother who beat up his sister because she didn't want to get married. All her father would say was that he shouldn't have been so aggressive. One woman had suffered abuse for forty-nine years before she realised that enough was enough. Lynne was mentally unstable: her husband coped by being violent.

Such situations are commonplace, but there are few remedies in place and many of these rely on charity rather than the state, in the form of the social services or the police: Val Greenwood was derided, trolled on social media but still did her best to help the women who came to her refuge for safety.

Jessica Moor tells a superb story - the plotting is excellent and the characterisation superb. I believed in every one of these women and they stayed with me long after I'd turned the final page of the book. Keeper achieves something quite remarkable though: Moor informs us about domestic violence without ever making it seem as though she's delivering a lecture. She gives confidence to those who might be suffering and reassurance to those who might have tried to leave an abusive relationship but failed. It's a superb story which had me on the edge of my seat and I really can't wait to see what Moor writes next. I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag.

Fast paced, utterly chilling novel that at times turned my blood cold. Unfortunately having known coercion and domestic violence myself I can attest too easily to how conflicted and imprisoned Katie felt in her relationship with Jamie.

It is such a well written book that I sometimes had to put it down to deal with the feelings it evoked, and so cleverly done that I did not for one minute expect the ending.

Jessica Moor is a name to look out for, for sure.

Triggers suicide / violence / sexual abuse references

This covers a whole range of domestic abuse, which I was only aware of before reading from other reviews. None of the scenes is particularly graphic to me but definitely worth being aware of if this might affect you.

Written in two perspectives; then and now.
Then follows how Katie has become under the control of her abusive boyfriend, who seems charming and lovely but clearly isn’t. it also describes the events leading up to her death.

Now follows the investigation that has been launched into Katie's death and follows the two detectives leading the enquiry.

Sad and harrowing at times, especially how easily Katie fell into the relationship with her boyfriend, Jamie. Her friend's concern about him and their withdrawal almost from their friendship shows how easily it can happen and how, although people want to help, they also don’t want to interfere.

I was completely invested in the story and found myself squeezing in a couple of pages wherever I could. However, not all of the characters seem well developed, one just disappears altogether and then ending felt anti-climactic. Having said that this covers some difficult subjects and the author has done this very well and sensitively.

Disturbing, relevant, gritty. I found this hard to read for personal reasons... Coercive relationships are explored painfully. Brace, brilliant and brutal.

When Katie Straw’s body is pulled from the waters of a local suicide spot it looks like case closed. But residents of the local women’s domestic violence shelter where Katie worked disagree.
Weeks and years these women have been hiding from their violent men waiting for the day when they get tracked down.
The main character Katie is central to the story. Jamie her boyfriend takes over her life so profoundly that in the end she can’t eat, think, sleep when she wants.
The story is wrote in a now and then theme and has multiple perspectives from the different women in the refuge.
DS Whitworth and DS Brookes are investigating the crime they are a good pair both good cop bad cop affair.
Oh my I didn’t see the end coming it was like a bolt of electricity running through me and I actually stopped and thought how Katie would have felt.
Domestic violence is a difficult subject matter and we can’t really have a happy ending in this story. I would look for another book in this vein from this debut author Jessica Moor lots of characters still have stories to be told and hopefully happy ever endings.
A great read, dark and scary with lots of heart drumming moments. It will make you feel uncomfortable and scared and angry and a host of other emotions and you’ll realize how lucky / unlucky we can be with our chosen partners in life.
Look out for more from Jessica Moor.

This was a tough read but one that kept me gripped to my book as I had to carry on reading every possible second. It is highly emotive with the main emphasis on the women from the refuge, their children, their history, their relationships and for some at least their outcomes.although there is a murder being investigated it took second place to all the domestic issues and so I do find it hard to classify it as a thriller per se. It is an excellent read which because of the emotional aspects tough in places. This book gave me an insight into life in a refuge that I had not considered before and I was delighted to be able to say that my eyes have been somewhat opened.

This reads more like a domestic drama than a thriller as it was billed. A hard hitting read about all forms of abuse. Set mostly in a women's refuge we hear their own personal experiences of their abuse. In the meantime a young woman has been found floating in the local river. Suicide or Murder? The victim worked at the refuge. Why do the women at the refuge think that she was murdered? A very powerful and emotive read which every woman should read. A new author and this book is hard reading due to the subject matter. She has treated this subject with respect and is definitely one to watch. Almost five stars and so Highly Recommended.
Thanks to Penguin Books UK and Netgalley for the ARC.

This was a sad and harrowing tale of domestic abuse and the horrors that are endured on a daily basis.
Centered around a women's refuge -we focus on Katie from a now and then perspective.
Now -- An investigation has been launched into Katie's death by two local policeman -is it suicide or murder ?
Then -- How Katie became under the complete control of her boyfriend -and the events leading up to her death.
And no-I did not see that end coming ...
Fabulous read

Thankyou NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest opinion

I found this book a bit of a enigma. Some of it was engaging but some of it confusing and slow paced. I found the ending to be a damp squib with not all explained satisfactorily. Not a thriller but more of a domestic drama. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

An extremely hard hitting, topical and at times hard to read book covering physical, mental abuse and controlling behaviours
The book,I felt,was written as a statement more than a ‘plot reveal’ kind of book and so not so much twists as an expected ending
A well written, disturbing book that willl,no doubting be remembered by all who read it

The Keeper by Jessica Moor is a powerful journey through experiences of coercive control and domestic violence. The stories of the women in the refuge run alongside that of Katie as her death is investigated, somewhat half heartedly by the local police who believe she has taken her own life. The ultimate denouement is chilling and the impact of the topic remains with you long after the book is finished. A hard read at times but giving great insight into the psychology of domestic violence, physical and emotional. Well handled by the author. I definitely recommend

Gritty, powerful and necessary. The Keeper is an exceptionally well written and thought provoking tale of domestic violence and where it can lead. Told across two timelines which neatly mesh together, the text is sparse with barely a superfluous word. My one irk is that I guessed the twist very early.

I came across The Keeper as an Observer debut book of 2020. As is often the case from this annual guide to what’s new and worth reading, the books are high calibre and this is no exception.

With thanks to netgalley and Penguin books for an advance copy in consideration of an honest review.

A realistic account of domestic abuse both physical and mental, this was a straight and narrow book, no exciting twists which I look forward to in my thrillers but an easy, enjoyable read nonetheless.

I have to say that my life had to be put on hold whilst I was reading this book. I was glued and every spare minute I was picking it up to just read that little bit more. Even though I did have an inkling from quite early on who the bad guy was, this no way stopped my enjoyment and I was blown away by this debut author. Amazing, emotional, twisty read that really got me thinking about the perceptions that we have about people.

I really don’t want to say too much about the actual storyline as this would spoil the enjoyment for other readers. When I read the blurb I had presumed that this would be like a lot of police procedurals that I have read before. That was fine with me as I love a good old crime to solve but the way that the author put this book together was so much more. It’s blown me away.

The tension is there from the start and it just builds and builds. All the while my heart was crying out that this is all so wrong but I couldn’t tear my eyes from the page. We flip seamlessly from the ‘Then’ life of Katie, who we already know has been found dead but the circumstances are a bit fuzzy and it’s clear there’s a lot more to be revealed, to the ‘Now’ where the police are investigating but getting nowhere. We also learn about the people that were in her life and have been left behind.

Katie was working at a Women’s Refuge and we got to know the back stories and outcomes for the women that are currently in hiding in their safe place. Valerie is the woman in charge, a hard as nails woman that always puts her women first. At first she is reluctant to have the police inside their safe place. Men are bad and to be feared.

This book not only told the dramatic main story plot but managed to weave in effortlessly all of the heartbreaking stories from the residents of the refuge as well as dealing with the political issues that are raised regarding lack of funding for the victims.

This was a story that will stay with me for quite some time and all I can say go and buy this little gem because you won’t regret it.

Many thanks for my ARC and I will be posting a review on my blog nearer to the publication date.