#BlogTour! #Review of #TheEscape by C.L.Taylor (@callytaylor) @AvonBooksUK

“Look after your daughter’s things. And your daughter…”

When a stranger asks Jo Blackmore for a lift she says yes, then swiftly wishes she hadn’t.

The stranger knows Jo’s name, she knows her husband Max and she’s got a glove belonging to Jo’s two year old daughter Elise.

What begins with a subtle threat swiftly turns into a nightmare as the police, social services and even Jo’s own husband turn against her.

No one believes that Elise is in danger. But Jo knows there’s only one way to keep her child safe – RUN.

The Sunday Times bestseller returns with her biggest and best book yet. The perfect read for fans of Paula Hawkins and Clare Mackintosh.

What does TWG think?

29 days…29 tour stops…and day two is finally here…
I am beyond thrilled to be hosting today’s stop on C.L.Taylor’s blog tour for her new release, #TheEscape, which was published by Avon Books on the 23rd March.

How on EARTH have I not read any of C.L.Taylor’s books before now?! I am ashamed of myself for not sticking my nose into one of her books until ‘The Escape’, but by golly! WHAT a book to start with!!!

Jo, being too trusting, ends up giving a stranger a lift and she soon realises that the stranger is quite clearly not a ‘stranger’ to Jo’s personal life. The stranger knows EVERYTHING and they use their knowledge to their advantage. Unfortunately, this means that Jo is left at a severe disadvantage. She’s anxious, she’s a mother and she feels as though her whole life is about to get taken away from her. There’s only one thing that she can do…escape…

An incredible page turner of a book, The Escape had me flicking through the pages at lightening speed, wanting to digest the storyline as quickly as I could. My maternal instincts kicked in for Jo’s little girl, even though a lot of those uncertain moments were incredibly difficult to read, I felt as though I owed it to that little girl…

I am honestly surprised that I didn’t faint whilst reading this book, as it felt like I was holding my breath the entire time, I don’t recall taking a breath. Even though I could work out bits and pieces of the storyline before they actually happened, the sense of fear and uncertainty jumped off those pages making those ‘known’ moments; unknown.

C.L.Taylor writes the storyline from both Jo and her husband’s, Max. Max describes Jo as severely unstable and seems to be determined to get what he wants. Although to be honest, I wasn’t even sure that Max even knew what he want. During the chapters from Jo’s point of view, my nerves went on high alert as every single noise and emotion that Jo heard and felt; I weirdly felt it too. If Jo looked over her shoulder thinking that she was being followed, I also looked over my shoulder and wondered why I was seeing the back of my sofa and not a path like Jo.

C.L.Taylor has quite clearly researched, and researched, and researched some more, where the procedures and illnesses are concerned. Taylor hasn’t written those parts into the storyline on a whim, thinking that nobody would notice. No. She has taken several illnesses, laid them bare and entwined them in a rollercoaster ride of fear. ‘The Escape’, personally, psychologically stumped me for a good 24 hours after reading it. My emotions and mind were in absolute tatters…and not in a negative way! Thank goodness for having a lot of chocolate in my cupboards to inhale!

‘The Escape’ has enough plot twists to make you require a sat nav. It has enough headfunk material to render you psychologically paused. The storyline offers multiple opportunities to ask yourself a ton of questions to the point you’ll think you’re on an episode of ‘Question Time’. Whilst reading C.L.Taylor’s novel, you may find that your most repeated words are ‘what the…..’.

I am in awe at Taylor’s literary skills with her ability to create a storyline so complex and intense, without losing momentum. I really don’t know the heck she does it, but geeeesh she does it good.
A heart pounding, spine tingling, fear inducing novel from the incredibly talented, C.L.Taylor.
(P.S. I blame you if I end up with a lack of money after buying your back catalogue….sorry, not if…WHEN. -runs to amazon-.

Huge thanks to Avon books for having me on the tour.

Buy now from Amazon UK

Make sure you keep a look out for the other bloggers on C.L.Taylor’s tour (details on pic).