Damage
By Caitlin Wahrer
Damage is compelling and one that grips from the very start. Thanks to Penguin Random House for gifting me a copy to review. Read on to discover the blurb and my review below.
Blurb
Sometimes, the true story is the hardest to believe.
TONY has always looked out for his younger brother, Nick. So when Nick is badly hurt and it looks like he was the victim of sexual assault, Tony’s anger flares.
JULIA is alarmed by her husband Tony’s obsession with Nick’s case. She’s always known Tony has a temper. But does she really know what he’s capable of?
NICK went out for a drink. After that, everything’s a blank. When he woke up he found himself in a world of confusion and pain, and the man who hurt him doesn’t deny doing it. But he says the whole thing was consensual.
Three ordinary people; one life-shattering event. When the police get involved with this family in crisis, all the cracks will start to show…
Set to ignite debate and as gripping as your favourite box-set, Damage is a compulsive drama from an extraordinary new writer.
Review
Chilling, atmospheric, visceral, emotional and absolutely grips from the start! It’ll make you take a sharp in-take of breath!
Set between 2019 and 2015; Detective John Rice is on the case and Nick is the victim of a sexual assault. Tony Hall is his brother, who along with his wife, Julia want to protect him. Tony and Julia have their relationship issues and what’s happened to Nick furthers that stress.
This in a way tells an important story with a deep subject matter – it shows a young man being sexually assaulted and both brothers being damaged, not just by this, but the book also hints at the sort of man their father is. It shows their raw emotion and reaction, which is so heartrendering. This is all handled with realism and sensitivity, especially when it comes to Nick meeting Lisa who questions him. It’s a very moving book with the way the characters interact with each other and how they are affected by the secrets that spiral through the book.
The level of high intensity is consistent throughout the book. As much as it is an emotionally affecting read, it is powerful and so much so, it’s quite hard to put down. It magically draws the attention in, even though the subject matters within it are hard ones.
There are twists and turns as a result of so much damage being caused to people, that are deeper and darker than expected and that grip ferociously to the very end as the effects are huge and cause behaviours to spiral out of control.
Bookmarks and Stages by Lou 