Bronte Fleming posted a drunken rant about her boyfriend that went horrifically viral. Now jobless, friendless and broke, she volunteers to be an unpaid carer in return for room and board on an isolated property known as Gwendolynne, just outside of Bathurst in the central west of New South Wales, looking after dementia sufferer Nell. Her host is Nell’s daughter Veda, who runs spiritual rebirthing retreats.

Almost from the time Bronte arrives at her destination, things don't seem right and she soon becomes aware that Veda, Veda's boyfriend/husband Troy and her assistant Prish are members of a Sovereign Citizens group which means they don't believe the government's laws apply to them. They are really an annoying bunch. Bronte herself is a likeable character and she gradually becomes a stronger, more confident version of herself. I liked the story but felt there was too much going on and the tension I was expecting never materialised. Some of the chapters are extremely long as well.

Thanks to Text Publishing via Netgalley for providing a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: January 7, 2025

I was excited to get my hands on Catherine Jinks's latest offering, Panic. I have enjoyed her last two books, finding them gripping and intense. Panic was no exception, it kept me turning pages at warp speed to see just how the story line would conclude. Panic was one I would definitely recommend, thanks to Text Publishing and NetGalley for this early reading copy.

Bronte is escaping a tumultuous recent online past that has left her very recognisable across social media, harassed, and a target that had her hiding out on a daily basis. Bronte wanted to escape, and through HelpX found a quaint un-paid caring for Nell who is in the throws of dementia at a sprawling property outside of Bathurst called Gwendolynne – something sounding akin to the property in Gone with the Wind. . Nell's daughter Veda, husband Troy (and his beehives), and associate Prish are running a rebirthing trauma clinic and are sovereign citizens, not answerable to any law – they all occupy Gwendolynne, whole Bronte is left in a questionable caravan, minutes walk away from the house.

From the early pages, the chaos ensues. Bronte’s history comes back through the pages in small snippets, including people who recognise her from her past. Veda is also known as Joanne, and demands to be called Doula. And Prish was once Astrid. The sovereign citizen movement was alive and well with Veda, Troy and Prish which I found both startlingly scary and a little humourous at times. And every time a scene ends where you take a breath, another event occurs, like the police hostage siege where Nell helps to save Bronte and the police officers, in return for footage of the dam from Bronte’s phone – she had to see the dam.

Bronte seemed very broken by the whole experience on social media, yet in all the climb active scenes was able to show a lot of resilience. She was able to dig down deep and use a lot of the courage that was stifled in order to work through many of the situations she found herself in. There was still element of self confidence in their from what had been stripped from her through all the trolling online. Even Vader on the other characters what over the top with no credibility, it was very easy to feel the plausibility of Bronte’s actions, especially with the contrasts of characters like Iris and Reece, the police officer, who also came out in defence of her. The property, Gwendolynne, was a character in itself: its setting away from town, it’s history and secrets (including in its very walls!) was developed so well that it contributed to the emotions if its residents, and left a lasting impression on them, including Bronte.

A suspense/thriller that makes use of the hate-filled social media as well as the dark spaces where the conspiracy theorists lurk to fuel the motivation behind lots of grim behaviour. Panic by Catherine Jinks follows a situational drama that quickly escalates from a normal situation into an out of control showdown.

Bronte has fled from her home, her friends and her haters. Her crime? She has posted a drunken video on social media and her now ex-boyfriend and his friends are setting out to destroy her reputation.

To get away from the storm of abuse, she’s taken on a job as a carer on an isolated property just outside of Bathurst in the central west of New South Wales. She’s looking forward to being in a place where no one recognises her - where she can get away and wait for the whole thing to blow over.

But it doesn’t take long for her to wonder exactly what she’s gotten herself into. Veda, the woman who has hired her, runs a spiritual retreat for mental healing. That’s not so much a problem. But the fact that, on the way home from being picked up at the train station, they’re pulled over by the police for dodgy number plates sets Veda off on a waaay over the top rant against the “illegal authorities” really sets her on high alert.

The initial run in with the police is the tipping off point. It’s the point where some people might have bailed there and then. Bronte stuck it out, after all, her main objective was to escape the haters on the ‘Net.

Things go from bad to worse and, of course, when Bronte finally decides it’s time to get out of there, it’s all too late.

Panic is an atmospheric thriller that moves quickly from normal to alarm bells. Bronte, as the main character, is a complex personality. She’s clearly bringing problems to the party and this affects her judgement. She comes across as a relatable victim whose main fault is that she tends to suffer from indecision. I felt for her, even when I started to get quite impatient with her.

I had the disquieting experience of feeling as though the story resonated with me until it tipped over into a more manic territory where control, and ultimately believability, was lost.

My thanks to Text Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of Panic which has enabled me to read, enjoy and review this book.

After leaving Katoomba in a rush, to get away from a bad decision, Bronte travelled to Bathurst by train. She was to be met by someone from the retreat she was heading to, as carer for the owner's elderly dementia suffering mother, Nell. Veda ran a spiritual rebirthing centre where people came to work through the trauma of their birth, but all Bronte was concerned about was that she had a roof over her head, meals supplied, a job to keep her busy. But from the very first, Veda was strange. They were stopped by the police on the way to the retreat and Veda refused to get out of the car until finally she was arrested. Bronte was gobsmacked! The police dropped Brooke off and that was when the trouble started; the weirdness of what was happening scared Bronte - what had she let herself in for?

Panic by Aussie author Catherine Jinks is a psychological thriller with it pointing towards a cult. The paranoia and night activities were creepy but the tenseness and chilling atmosphere just wasn't there. Bronte was a great character, though I would have left quickly at the first red flag, which Bronte ignored. I loved the author's historical fiction novel - Shelter - but unfortunately, this one wasn't for me.

With thanks to NetGalley & Text Publishing for my digital ARC to read and review.

An interesting take on some current issues driven by sovereign citizen activism in country towns. Our narrator is Brontë and she’s had her own challenges as a social media sensation for all the wrong reasons. Jonks does well in creating an environment where nothing seems right and it isn’t. The activities of these sovereign citizens are fuelled by guns and their own fight for control and eventual ascendancy. Thrown into this is some weird focus on rebirthing and a side plot on elder abuse. A bit much probably. Not my favourite topics and not my favourite characters but I’m sure it will work for some. Thanks to @netgalley for an advance copy and to text publishing for their continued support of Australian writing.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

"Panic" by Catherine Jinks is a gripping psychological thriller that masterfully delves into the depths of fear and survival. The story centers around four teenagers who find themselves entangled in a deadly game of cat and mouse, orchestrated by a mysterious abductor.

Jinks does an excellent job of developing her characters, each with distinct personalities and backstories that add depth to the narrative. Their interactions and evolving relationships are authentic and engaging, drawing readers into their harrowing experience. The author skillfully captures the raw emotions of panic and desperation, making the characters' plight feel all too real.

The plot is intricately woven, with twists and turns that keep readers guessing. Jinks' writing is taut and evocative, creating a palpable sense of tension and dread. The themes of trust, betrayal, and resilience are explored thoughtfully, adding layers of complexity to the story.

"Panic" is a compelling and intense read that will leave readers breathless. Catherine Jinks has crafted a memorable and thrilling tale that is sure to resonate with fans of suspense and psychological drama. If you're looking for a book that will keep you hooked until the final page, "Panic' is an excellent choice.

I loved the pace of this book, I felt drawn into this new world for Bronte and there were moments that shocked me.

I really wanted to love this one given the captivating cover and title but... the writing style was just not for me.

I feel like the storyline was interesting but I found it really hard to stay engaged and keep reading due to the writing.


Thank you NetGalley, the author and Text Publishing for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Panic by Catherine Jinks is a suspenseful thriller that didn’t quite make it for me. While there times when the main character, Brooke, was going through some very highly dramatic moments, there were times when it dragged and become bogged down in some of the issues such as sovereign citizens who reject the existing authorities and the use and abuse of social media. While both of these issues are interesting, I found them too dominating.

While I believe this novel will appeal to a lot of people as it does raise quite a few I interesting issues, it lacked consistency for me.


This review is based on a complimentary copy from Text Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#Panic #NetGalley

Logic is a funny thing. If you read any discourse for well-established IPs, you'll find people arguing about characters acting illogically or making decisions that don't make sense. These criticisms are usually countered with the argument that people often make illogical decisions due to their backgrounds or circumstances, and to a certain extent this rings true. Humans are emotional and fickle creatures and more often than not our decisions are rooted in complex emotions over hard, cold logic, but there are limits.
Panic by Catherine Jinks is a thriller set in Bathurst Australia. It follows Bronte, a woman with an embarrassing past that takes a job caring for an elderly woman with dementia in exchange for room and board. Almost instantly, Bronte is confronted with the fact that her new hosts are a group of sovereign citizens with a dubious grasp of the law.
The writing is decent and Jinks has clearly done her research. While at first glance it may seem like the characters that Bronte encounters are unrealistic caricatures, a quick look at any sov cit video compilation on YouTube will show just how left of field many of these people are. Despite the accurate portrayal of sov cits, the novel falls down in most other areas.
Most pressing is the decision making that gets Bronte into her situation in the first place. Even before she meets her host Veda, red flags are flying about the place that she is about to call home, and then when Bronte finally meets her, she's given no time to settle before the sovereign citizen type behaviour rears its ugly head. Despite this, Bronte decides to continue onto the property anyway. The novel does go a long way to explain that she is running away from prolonged harassment and feels like she can't go back home, but ultimately I don't think that's enough of an explanation.
Veda and everyone with her goes from crazy decision to crazy decision without letting up and Bronte simply has no actual reason to stick around. Logically, it makes no sense and at the early points in the novel, she has no emotional reason to stay either.
Even so, I was willing to let that slide as the novel went on. I found the novel’s central mystery to be intriguing and I was starting to find myself compelled, only to be frustrated as the novel started to ramp up. Bronte's internal dialogue is filled with references to her formal training and she seemed overly concerned with protecting her reputation, even in situations where her life’s in danger.

This is a thriller about sovereign citizens and social media celebrities. It's also about the dangers of social media. But it could have been so much more suspenseful if the sections that were meant to be tense were actually tense. I also think basing this in Australia was an odd choice. The sovereign citizen movement has reared its ugly head in Australia, but not to any great degree. And there were phrases that didn't resonate as Australian, such as "college bros".

Protagonist Bronte needs a break and accepts a non-paid carers role. There's immediate red flags she ignores - and I'm not a big fan of the ignoring such obvious red flags in a plot. It removes any realism because, desperate or not, I don't think anybody would stay after the first red flags. Despite this, Bronte is a good protagonist for the book, but I think the story lets the character down. A tenser plot would have really showcased her toughness and courage - which is evident.

What eventuates in this book is what you would expect once you read the first few scenes. Basically lunacy and more lunacy. It's not chilling, it's almost comical. And the villains seem a ragtag bunch, with little organisation. I can't say I felt suspense and I know there are moments when the reader is expected to. I just couldn't when the scenes felt more comical than threatening.

Structurally, the book is fine, and I liked how the story played out. I applaud the risk taken with this book. It must be difficult to portray sovereign citizens in a light that isn't ridiculous, but this just needed something more threatening to really make it work.

Jinks's latest offering is a compelling psychological thriller for the social media age. She knows how to ratchet up the tension and create an unsettling atmosphere. Panic has plenty of twists and turns to keep the pages turning and a satisfying ending.
Thanks to Text and NetGalley for an advance copy to review.

The cover shows the rather desolate looking, isolated farm that is called Gwendolynn, it is in Australia and is the central setting in the book.
Bronte finds out that her boyfriend Callum has been cheating on her with her best friend and housemate Harper. Not only has she lost her boyfriend but her home too as Harper wants her out! Bronte is naturally upset so she gets drunk and goes on social media making a drunken Tik Tok rant about her ex-boyfriend Callum! Bronte can’t prove which one of her friends leaked the video she made but it had to be someone that she knew that had access to her accounts. Due to the content of this video, she earns herself the name and hashtag “pussybugs.” Later Bronte has her hot drink drugged and is filmed totally “out of it” on a train, further fuelling the context that is a some “drunken idiot who sleeps around.” Despite reporting the incident of her drink being drugged the Police don’t take her seriously because of her reputation of being “pussybugs.” Bronte is convinced that Callum, his cousin Jesse and their Tik Tok followers are hounding her so, decides she needs to “disappear” for a while. Bronte answers an advert on HelpX a site that matches volunteers with jobs. Bronte ends up answering an advert from a woman called Veda who needs someone to be a companion to her mother Nell who has dementia. The job sounds too good to be true, Nell can wash, and dress herself she just needs a companion and someone to keep an eye on her so she doesn’t wander off. In exchange for being this “companion” Bronte is told she will get free bed and board, though there are no wages.

Bronte soon begins to regret her decision to take the volunteer job when on the way from the train station, the Police attempt to get her new employer Veda to pull over and she refuses!! It literally takes another Police vehicle coming in the other direction to force Veda to stop. The Police want to talk to Veda about her lack of registration plates. It turns out Veda does not believe in our government, police and laws and will only recognise the common assembly that she is part of with some other like-minded members. Theres complete chaos with both Veda’s husband Troy and other farm tenant/Veda follower, Prish blaming Bronte for the current situation of Veda being held at the Police Station.

Once Veda is finally back at the old farmhouse, Bronte learns a little more about Gwendolynn, though it is a farm there is no livestock, but Veda's husband, Troy has beehives and sells honey. Veda explains they are vegetarian and that there will be lots of fresh organic produce & home baked bread. Bronte will not be staying in the main house she will have her own vintage caravan with kitchenette & composting toilet. She will be able to use one of the bathrooms in the main house to shower etc. The main house is used for Veda’s business which is a wellness retreat. The retreat is called YouBorn. Later when Bronte explores the house alone, she discovers there were 3 'womb rooms' all freshly decorated all in pink, called Rose, Aster & Olive. These bedrooms only have a kingsized be with pink plush headboard.
A 4th bedroom is called Daisy and was Prish's room, it is all white & Victoriana in style. When Bronte asks Prish is she can use the upstairs bathroom she is abruptly told, no she should use the downstairs one. Bronte puts her washbasin in the downstairs bathroom where she will shower etc.
We discover that reason Bronte has been employed later in the book. Nell tends to wander if she can get out alone. Her last adventure took her to the neighbouring property which used to belong to the farm but was sold off to a nurse called Iris. The Munro don’t like Iris, as they see her as always complaining and blame her for bringing Nell to the attention of social services. As when Iris found Nell on her property, she called the Police who in turn called the paramedics to check over the confused Nell.
Nell occupies the entire top floor of the rear wing of Gwendolynne and it’s whilst exploring that area that Bronte discovers a panic room containing a single bed, toilet & lots of food supplies behind a piece of the wall in Nells bathroom upstairs, when she talks to Nell about it Nell reveals there's one underneath it too downstairs, she explains that they were for herself and Joanne/Veda to hide in away from Ezra. The rules of “the house” that apply to Bronte even though she isn’t staying in the house are that all phones & devices are locked away, except for a short period after dinner and for work use, which she is happy to go along with due to her recent social media notoriety.

Bronte finds the job easy enough with Nell already having her own routine, the only issues she seems to have become somewhat obsessed on checking on the dam that is on the property and the fact she is terribly afraid of the Police. Veda/Joanne explain the fear of the Police as being a result of Nells latest encounter with them when she wandered onto Iris’s property.
Bronte goes along with a lot of things that should have given her “off vibes” because she feels has nowhere else to go. She comes to the conclusion that she is staying with a bunch of nutty, paranoid, new age anarchists! Sadly, she is soon labelled paranoid by Prish and Veda when she complains about someone hanging around her caravan at night. It’s a long, quite treacherous underfoot walk from the house so Bronte worries if anyone would hear her if she needed help.

There is quite a bit going on in the book, though it is all linked to Nell and her obsession with the dam and the obsession of Joanne/Veda and Troy etc being part of a common assembly that is against all “normal authority.” There’s a siege where Bronte and a Police officer end up locked in one of the panic rooms only to be rescued by the confused Nell.
Just when you think everything is over and all questions are answered something else pops up! This story really shows just how 'strange' people can be and how far people are prepared to go when they think they are being pushed into a corner. I enjoyed reading the book and it certainly kept me reading, I wanted to know who was hanging around after dark outside of Bronte’s caravan. I also wanted to learn more about Ezra and his altercations in the past with Joanne/Veda and Nell. There were so many spokes to this plot, though most seemed to lead back to Joanne/Veda and her mother Nell and a history of violence at Gwendolynn.
The book also reveals how social media is a double-edged sword, that once something is posted it is out there forever. That you can have a supportive, positive reaction on social media but that there is a darker, negative side where you can be trolled continually.

My immediate thoughts were Wow! What an ending! Just when I thought it was over something else happened…twice!

Summing up, despite having dementia there was a memory that Nell was fixated on to do with the dam that ends up explaining the reality behind her fear of the police. It does make you wonder if her daughter Joanne/Veda really cared about her mother or if she tolerated her just to keep a hold of the property Nell owned and keep their dark history with Ezra a secret. The loose ends were all tied up at the end of the book but the relationship that was created between Bronte and Reece could hint at a possibility of more books where the duo solve cyber bullying cases. There is also the potential for more exploration of the friendship with Iris and the possible romance between Bronte and Reece.

A slow burn psychological thriller that keeps you in suspense. I really enjoyed the storyline and the twists.

Thank you NetGalley and to the publisher Text Publishing for the ARC

A rollercoaster of suspense and intrigue, fast paced and perfect, it was cleverly plotted with a shocking twist.

Panic by Catherine Jinks is a very highly recommended psychological thriller set in Australia.

Bronte posted a rant on social media that went viral for all the wrong reasons. Now she's a social pariah whom strangers recognize and taunt. To escape the attention and lie low for awhile she volunteers as a carer on an isolated rural property near Bathurst. For room and board Bronte will be watching Nell, a dementia sufferer, at Gwendelynne, the families isolated homestead where her Nell's daughter, Veda, runs spiritual rebirthing retreats.

Unknown until she already arrived, Veda is also involved with the sovereign citizen movement and rejects the authority of the state. This makes Bronte's arrival a rocky introduction and events go downhill from here as Bronte begins to question her safety and the sanity of Veda and the others at Gwendelynne.

The writing is very good and credibly captures the unwanted notoriety Bronte receives over the bad choice of posting her regrettably scandalous video. Even though readers may shake their heads at her poor choices, especially in the beginning of the narrative, these details help depict her as a complex, fully realized, and sympathetic character. Since Bronte is also the narrator, this helps hold your attention as the plot unfolds. Other characters in the novel are also all portrayed as unique individuals

The start of the narrative is a little slow, but will hold your attention as you learn why Bronte wants to escape to an isolated area and are introduced to the cast of characters. Quickly you will realize that these people are odd and the tension begins to rise. Bronte's situation is tenuous and it becomes clear that she is in a problematic position. Once the action takes off it is a riveting, tension-filled, action-packed, twisty thriller.

Panic starts out as an okay novel but becomes notably better, faster, and more compelling with every page. 4.5 rounded up. Thanks to Text Publishing for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Bronte has run away from her home in Katoomba after she posted an ill-considered drunken rant about her boyfriend on social media which went viral. Now everyone recognises her as ‘that girl’ and are out to jeer and ridicule her. After losing her job, she found a live-in position near Bathurst looking after Nell, an elderly woman with dementia. No salary, but board and food provided and peace and quiet far from everyone who might know who she is.

Nell’s daughter Veda runs a spiritual rebirthing retreat, which does sound peaceful. However, what Bronte doesn’t know is that Veda and her boyfriend and staff believe they are sovereign citizens, not answerable to the government or the laws of the land and see conspiracies around every corner. Bronte tries to ignore their beliefs and do her job looking after Nell, but when a situation escalates dangerously Nell finds herself fearing for her life.

The tension ramps up gradually in this novel as Bronte finds Veda and her followers becoming increasingly uneasy and strange. The atmosphere is claustrophobic and creepy with strange goings on at night and the almost cultish beliefs that make Veda and her friedns paranoid about those in authority. 3.5&#9733

Bronte is jobless and friendless after a drunken online rant about her ex-boyfriend Callum. She is desperate for a place to hide and signs up to be a carer for Nell who has dementia. Nell's daughter Veda is busy running her rebirthing business and needs the help in looking after Nell. When Bronte arrives at Gwendelynne, an isolated homestead, she is faced with a group of individuals who reject the authority of the state and claim to be free citizens, not answerable to the law. Are they a harmless cult or dangerous individuals? Why is Nell obsessed with the dam that she can see out of her window? Will Bronte be safe?

Jinks has written an entralling thriller that is difficult to put down. Bronte's dilemma is gripping. After her drunken video has gone viral she is easily recognisable and has been harassed online and in real time. Her window has been broken and her coffee spiked. She has no where to go but her innate ability to think clearly and to be practical helps her to struggle through the danger that she faces.

The action is non stop. Each chapter is rivetting and the reader is forced to continue reading to see whether Bronte will survive.

Readers who enjoy psychological thrillers and gripping suspense, a social media background and conspiracy theories, are sure to get a thrill from Panic.

4.5 stars.

Panic by Catherine Jinks is a suspense-laden mystery.

Bronte is a sympathetic character whose life has turned upside down after a drunken video goes viral. She is desperate to escape the real-life and internet trolls that have plagued her in the aftermath. Unsure who to trust trust, Bronte makes a fateful decision to take a job caring for an elderly woman in rural Australia.

Bronte soon discovers her hosts are embroiled in the sovereign citizen movement. Their distrust of all officials results in increasingly antagonistic interactions. Bronte is already uneasy with her accommodations when an already fraught situation turns into a dangerous situation that leaves her fearing for her life.

Panic is a riveting mystery that is fast-paced. Bronte is a complex character with relatable strengths and weaknesses. The storyline is timely and will resonate with social media users. The sovereign citizen element of the plot is well-developed and adds another layer of tension. With an unexpected plot twist, Catherine Jinks brings this tense thriller to an action-packed conclusion.