Caron killed her husband, then turned herself in. I just didn't like this book, I didn't like the stlye of writing. I didn't connect with any character.

Twisty, twisty goodness. Caron was abused or was she the abuser? It depends on who you talk to. She admits to killing her husband but she has set the scene for years of abuse at his hands and now she snaps and accidentally kills him, or did she...After much detective work, it finally comes to light that all was not as it appeared in her life and she may have even killed her father. Oh, the twisty goodness in this one...

3.65 ⭐ rounded up

This one starts off with a bang, or rather a stab 🔪🩸
Caron stabs her husband, Bill, and then proceeds to call 999 to confess.

Classic case of domestic violence, or is it?

We follow a few different perspectives:
Caron ~ killed her husband, Bill
Fiona ~ Caron's therapist
Jack ~ lead detective on the case
Liz ~ Caron's sister

I totally had it all (except one bit in court, and that bit didn't really wow me) figured out, however it was still pretty good. I liked all of the supporting characters, especially Jack ~ he was a top notch detective. The police did a stellar job with the case.

This is a new to me author and I'd give her a go again.

I was very happy with the narration done by Hannah Curtis, even the male parts. I was able to listen easily at 2x, so this was a pretty quick listen coming in at 4 hours and 1 minute.

I was bored.

*eek* I'm sorry - I hate saying that, but I was. I didn't care for the narrator, the story was over done, and I just didn't like the flow. I also thought the "twist" was SUPER predictable.

And just FYI = this is a trigger warning that the book talks about domestic abuse, etc.

This starts with Caron killing her husband. We know that for sure. What we must ask ourselves is if she is telling the truth about why.

On the outside, they look like the perfect couple, but according to Caron, behind closed doors he is severely abusive.

She has to convince the police of this. She's finally free to tell her story but they're also free to not believe it.

I thought this was an interesting and nuanced take on domestic violence. It wasn't super original, it's a tale we've read a thousand times but at least they handled that part well.

The narration was pretty good, not great.

The description of this book gave me a lot of hope for a super suspenseful and shocking read. While I did find it interesting, I did at times find it difficult to follow and keep my interest. I also suspected the ending, which I always find disappointing. I would be more than willing to give other books by this author a try, as the storyline was intriguing. I just feel like maybe it could have been better executed. #thevictim #netgalley

Thank you Dreamscape Media for allowing me to review this audiobook arc!

Content Warning: Domestic violence and sexual assault

Caron seems to have it all... that is, until she kills her husband Bill then calls the police on herself. With Bill dead, Caron is free to tell her story, including the details of domestic violence she suffered in her marriage. But is Caron telling the truth? Why did she really kill Bill? And what is it about this woman that has everyone questioning her true motives?

This was a super quick listen for me, I finished it in just over a day! I found the plot to be fairly predictable, but still had a few twists and turns that I didn't anticipate. The narrator, Hannah Curtis, was very pleasant to listen to and told the story with vigor. I always love a therapist character and appreciated the inclusion of Fiona, Caron's therapist, to give us another perspective. We heard from a lot of different points of views throughout this story, like Caron's family, doctor and the investigators on the case, which helped to weave a tale of suspicion and mystery that is sure to keep you on your toes. 3.5 stars rounded up!

Things aren’t always as they appear. As the book was going through at the beginning I wondered where it was going. The book starts unfolding with Caron standing in the kitchen with her husband Bill dead. Is it self defense or cold blooded murder?

Caron had a diary with what has been happening in her marriage and a therapist that she has opened up to. However there is one detective that doesn’t fully believe that it was self defense.

The story unfolds with the truth and what actually happens the fateful morning.

Thank you #netgalley and dreamscape media for my unbiased review.

2.75 stars From the first few pages, I knew the ending and what the truth would be. If you read often in the psychological domestic genre, this isn't a new or exciting plot. It also, at times, felt like a very watered down version of a novel by Gillian Flynn.

Yet, "knowing" the ending and the repeated familiarity didn't bother me too much and I kept on reading to see how it would play out. There was one tiny little "fact" (it can't be called a twist) at the end that did surprise me, but it hardly redeems the book. Overall, this book was a fast read and totally forgettable. It wasn't terribly thrilling or mind bending or twisty but the pace is steady. It's def. a book I never would have finished if I didn't have a good narrator reading to me while I did chores.

That said, with some reflection, I am a little concerned how many books are using gaslighting and domestic violence gratuitously. I'm not sure I can keep reading books that use either.

Who IS "The Victim?"

This is a really well-written and well-narrated suspense audiobook about Caron, a woman who, in the very beginning of the novel, kills her husband. At first blush, it seems like a clear-cut case of self-defense: a woman who kills her husband after years of spousal abuse. But is there something more to Caron Rivers' killing of her spouse? Was she the true victim -- or was her husband?

I was impressed with the depth of discussion of domestic violence, and the well-written police procedural aspect of the mystery. I also liked the layered and deep nature of all the characters, from the police to the killer to the side characters. The only critique I have is that the book took a little too long to get where it was going. It was pretty clear what the initial twist was, and it was laid out very well in the narrative. I also had a good idea what the final twist would be and was excited to get there -- and I wasn't wrong. So that final twist was very fun but I wish it happened a little sooner since a lot of well-places hints let us anticipate it from early on.

I must add that I really appreciated the fact that though the central question of the book was whether Caron was truly a victim or domestic violence, the book never minimized domestic violence nor made Caron one-dimensional or stereotypical as a lot of suspense novels nowadays do. This is a carefully thought-out and well-executed suspense novel that rewards the reader with carefully placed details and clues and a well-done ending. I'm very interested to read more of Gillian Jackson's books now.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for the advance audiobook copy! I was impressed with this book.

Storyline sounded very familiar as I listened to the audiobook after a couple of chapters. There were areas that were repetitive and a bit dragging. In the very beginning, story talks about abuse. So certain areas of the story may be to strong for certain audiences. It was a very interesting story with similar storylines from other authors.

Thank you Netgalley for this audio edition of The Victim by Gillian Jackson.

I don't know how to review this without giving anything away, so I'll say this. It would be a great book club book, especially if your book club enjoys true crime/discussions of ethics, psychology and morality. It is written well, but it does drag a bit. It's also upsetting, but again, in that way that hurt my ethics and morals, so approach with caution!

The description of this book caught my attention, but it was not what I expected. It wasn’t that it wasn’t good, it just didn’t necessarily bring anything new to the table. I rounded up from 2.5 stars because the narrator did a good job in the audiobook.
The book starts with Caron’s admission that she has killed her husband. She calls the police herself and tells them what she did. She claims it was in self defense after he had abused her, and from the way things look at first sight, the police seem to think that is the case. But as they delve further into their investigation, things are not what they seem, and Caron has a past that impacts the current situation in a big way.
There’s a lot of police procedures and criminal justice descriptions and there’s a lot of extraneous details that could have been left out and not lost anything.
Thanks to Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for this audiobook arc in exchange for my review.

The victim by Gillian Jackson released may 2022. A young woman who says she is been abused by her older rich husband. Stabs and kills him. Was it murder or man slaughter from the abuse. The police job now is to find out. This is a pretty good book. I would say give it a read

I thought the concept of this book was so interesting. However, I did not like the narrator and found that the story dragged a lot. I did not connect with or like the characters and found the whole thing boring.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Name of Book: The Victim
Author: Gillian Jackson
Publisher: Dreamscape Media LLC
Genre: Psychological Domestic Thriller
Pub Date: May 10, 2022
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐+ Stars

Story starts with Caron Rivers calling 999 (our 911)
Her husband Bill has been stabbed and dying on the kitchen floor.
It appears Caron is the one who stabbed him in self by accident?
She is now trying to convince the authorities that she is not the villain but ‘the victim’.

I am a big psychological thriller fan so go into a story . . . .
 Expecting twists and turns!
 Suspicious of everyone!
 The most obvious person didn’t do it!
 There will be many secrets!

The Detectives kept this story interesting. I especially liked DI Jack Priestly and his wife Sarah as well sidekick Della. I was sure I was correct with my suspicious but this held my attention as I was anxious to see how they would prove whodunit.

This turned out much better than I expected. Additionally narrator Hannah Curtis does a great job in performing all the characters.

Want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape for this audio eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for an honest professional review. Publishing Release Date scheduled for May 10, 2022.

There’s no secret about the killer in this story. Readers know immediately that Caron killed her husband, the question is, why? Readers learn of the abuse Caron suffered at Bill’s hand through her numerous diary entires and she has plenty of bruises and lacerations to display to the police after she’s arrested. The case seems like a clear cut case of self defense…or is it? Jackson will have you guessing

Since this book was sent to me by Netgalley for review (audio book) I thought I should finish it. The premise of the book I thought was to be against abuse of women...there were so many red herrings, but I determined early on that this woman was not what she should be. I won't write spoilers, but I do maintain that the book should have gone in different direction...also the descriptions of the policemen and their romances had no place in the story...that slowed it down...although this writer is gifted and talented with great books, this one is just not one I loved. That being said, others might truly get into the subject.

**ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review**

3 out of 5 stars.

The only word I can think of to describe this book is "disappointing." The premise was overused, and the ending was expected from page one. I'm not quite sure where all the five star reviews came from, maybe they simply went into the novel expecting less.

The plot was reminded me of "Gone Girl," highlighting domestic abuse, secrets behind closed doors, diary entries that held details of a nightmare, and a wife that was as trustworthy as she was placid. But while "Gone Girl" came to mind, as it did my fellow reviewers, it wasn't nearly as powerful, shocking, or even interesting. This novel was categorized as a suspense thriller, and yet this felt like a lukewarm mystery with one twist thrown in at the end. While the police force was well-written and fleshed out, I didn't connect to Caron at all and so it made it impossible to feel for her or to even want to root for her side. The book was promising but ever so lacking.

4.5 stars.

Did she or didn't she?

A wealthy widow is accused of murdering her husband in cold blood.

Was the widow an abused wife or was she the abuser?

Did the widow snap after years of abuse? Or was the widow simply after a huge payday?

Although "The Victim" starts off slow, it quickly picks up.

The author's characterizations and insights on domestic abuse were strong and compelling.

What I enjoyed most about the book, however, was the expert police procedurals.

The author did a superb job of taking readers behind the scene of the investigation, showcasing law enforcement's strategy as well as the forensic evidence at the crime scene.

This was my third book by author Gillian Jackson and I am a fan.

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did an outstanding job.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I look forward to listening to future books by this talented author.