"Power and Control. Gwyn could have made a huge headline out of what these guys were all about."

The first book I ever read by Nykanen was HUSH, a terrifying tale of child abuse. It's been years since I first read it and I still remember the dramatic impact the words of this writer had on me.

STRIKING BACK was good. In fact, it started out very good, but it ended up to be rather a mess - thus the rating I gave it.

Gwyn Sanders is an L.A. therapist who holds group counseling sessions for men that are guilty of violent physical abuse against women and children. She has a rare insight into this field because she grew up with an abusive stepfather - that died a mysterious death when Gwyn was 16 years old.

Now men in her group sessions are being killed off and she's one of the suspects.

Some parts of this book were great while some really stretched the seams of believability. It's still a book worth reading but if you're given the choice of reading either this book or HUSH, definitely choose HUSH.

I received this book from Belle Books through Net Galley in exchange for my unbiased review but I also bought this book to support this author.

3.5 Stars

Therapist Gwyn Sanders is counseling a bunch of men who have all committed acts of domestic violence.

One of her clients is found murdered, ironically killed the same way he abused the woman in his life. When second man is also murdered, in a different way, but again in the same manner he abused his wife and child.

When it's learned that Gwyn was a suspect in the murder of her abusive step-father 23 years ago, the detectives take a much closer look at her and her mother.

Is she trying to break a cycle of domestic abuse in her clients ... or is she a killer taking revenge?

The subject of domestic abuse is a hard one to address. I'm sure the author did some research, but there were areas that didn't come across as cohesive. There are twists and turns and practically all the characters are suspects. The ending tied up all the loose ends, but it felt a bit rushed.

Many thanks to the author / BelleBooks, Inc. / Netgalley for the digital copy of STRIKING BACK. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.