I Looked Away (Child of Mine)

This book was well written. It had a very interesting plot and story line. Good read!

Not the author’s best work (IMHO) but a good read.

Jane is amazing author. The tension and movement to her work is spellbinding. Her characters are vivid, complex and emotionally taunt. Ellie's story could be the story of someone you know it have passed on the street. I promise you will look at homelessness and emotional abuse differently, more carefully and perhaps with a more empathetic heart after this moving work. Well done Jane!

Great read, reminds you to never judge unless you walked in that person's shoes. I kept wondering about the narration and the change between each chapter of Jo and Ellie but if you stick with it you'll see why. You won't regret this one!!

Ellie is grandma to Josh and she idolises him, but one thing stands in the way of her true happiness and that's her husband Roger's infidelity. One day, during an argument about his latest affair, Ellie takes her eye off Josh for a split second and what happens next changes everything and brings memories flooding back from her past that she thought were long buried. Jo is a Big Issue seller that Ellie regularly speaks to, gives her money, buys her a hot drink and food whenever she sees her, but their world's are about to collide in a way that nobody expected.The story is told by Ellie and Jo in alternate chapters throughout, I was slightly confused to begin with how the two women were connected and where the story was heading, but it all became very clear in the last part of the book. This book covers a multitude of issues that are faced by many people in today's society; homelessness, domestic abuse, mental health issues, infidelity and more, and executed beautifully in this story, showing how well the author researched all the topics before putting pen to paper. One thing the author does highlight in this tale is how many good and generous people there are that will lend a hand to someone that is down on their luck, not all people look the other way and that restored my faith in humanity a little bit more after reading this. A very emotional and thought provoking read which I loved. Definitely recommend.

Read this book in 2 days. Can't say too much without spoilers but will say it reminded me of Ruth Rendell writing as Barbara Vine. Long time since I was so impressed by the way a book was written

Most of the book told in a flashback of Ellie's early life and Jo's life as a person living on the street. I thought Jo's parts dragged on a little too much. The last 10-20% did bring everything to a good closure with a little twist at the end and a surprise friend who helped Ellie escape.

This really a page turner! I live Jane Corry. Her story keeps you guessing until the end!! I stayed up too late last night but worth it!!

I found I couldn't put the book down as I just needed to see what happened next to Ellie/Jo! Although it kept moving from one part of her life to another it was very well written and I look forward to reading more of Jane's books.

A woman takes her eyes off her grandson for just one minute...This is a story told between 2 characters: Ellie and Jo and between 2 timelines. It took me many pages to settle into the story and it didn’t come together until the end, but had me hooked just the same.I loved the flowers presented between chapters - a bonus and sweet addition to the story.Only 3 stars because it was slightly awkward and complicated until it did finally come together. I also had a difficult time feeling much of a connection to the main character(s), finding Ellie a bit watery and bland.An interesting premise and the author touched on some sensitive issues (PTSD and homelessness) with care.

A novel of journey through the hearts of people, each page pulls you into the core of characters.No guesses or plan works here, the thriller point hooks us right from the start and still keeps hanging.Ellie, character is beautifully written, her life, psychological vulnerability, purity of heart is exemplary. From the little beliefs of a kid to the peak of adulthood is carved in real.How traumas of life haunt a person, make her vigilant in every aspect, it's a lesson.Warmth of a heart struggling to keep her family together and her emotional shut down poke our minds to think past the character.I read the whole book in few hours, it was impossible to take the eyes off. A worthy read to get a easy escape.A subtle way of telling the cordiality of lifeAn awesome thriller ride through the words.I really loved it and I highly recommend this to every individual who have a heart to know the inner layers of life.Just go for it....its really really worth it.The author Jane Corry did an awesome job.

I have enjoyed reading Jane’s work before and this book was another great read that had me hooked. It showed an understanding of the background lives, that impact on future actions and events. My knowledge of working in a Education in prisons also makes this book resonate with me. I really enjoyed the way it unfolded and the way Jane wrote the characters.

I Looked Aways is perhaps the most hard-hitting of Jane Corry’s novels to date and tackles a number of weighty issues, including coercive control, PTSD, homelessness and mental health in general. As with previous novels by this author that I have read it is engaging and easily readable but where the story excels is in explaining the realities of living with PTSD and deconstructing some of the myths around ‘convenient’ mental health explanations for misdemeanours. The strong ending alone make this one of the worthier novels in the psychological thriller and domestic noir arena.The story begins with forty-nine-year-old Ellie Halls trying to keep her mind busy and off her husband’s serial infidelity as she walks through the Oxfordshire town where she lives with retired university lecturer, Roger. Her first person narrative is enough to get a sense of her nervy disposition and default anxiety as she talks to forty-something Big Issue seller and homeless woman, Jo. A chance meeting with her husband’s mistress sends her home distraught and sees her take her eyes off her precious four-year-old grandson, Josh, for one moment too long. The novel is then split into before and after the accident sections, with Ellie now on remand ahead of trial (for what exactly is not specified) and provides her backstory starting from childhood to date, including her marriage to a bullying and manipulative man.A second narrative of Jo, the Big Issue seller who Ellie looks out for in town also features and alternates with Ellie’s. Travelling to Bristol, trusting nobody and trying to find a place to sleep, Jo’s first person story shows the adversity and danger that comes with being homeless. Jo’s story was every bit as grim as I would have expected and it was Ellie’s story that I found most emotionally involving with damaged Ellie a vulnerable and sympathetic character. What isn’t clear from the start is how the stories of Ellie and Jo will marry up and despite having my suspicions (and not really warming to Jo) I was intrigued enough to keep reading. When it came the reveal was satisfying and meaningful enough to prove an adequate reward for sticking with the novel and paved the way for a strong denouement that was well explained and sensitively explored.At nearly 500 pages the novel could certainly have been a little more succinct and on occasions Ellie’s naivety and susceptibility to manipulation feels overdone, but having read Jane Corry’s previous books she does have a tendency for overly sentimental observation! Overall a sobering reminder of the effects of psychological trauma and a thought-provoking read.