Paradise Prison (Dark Minds #4) by @FaithMortimer #Psychological #Thriller @BrookCottageBks #Giveaway

• Author: Faith Mortimer
• Published: January 2017 by Topsails Charter
• Category: Psychological Thriller
• 

The perfect hiding-place…Haven…or Hell?

During a huge row, Gillian stands up to her abusive boyfriend. The consequences are horrendous and far-reaching.

Terrified, she flees her home, seeking anonymity abroad while coming to terms with the outcome of her actions.

After a severe beating from her abusive and controlling partner, Lawrence, Gillian snaps when he also attacks the friend who is trying to defend her. When Lawrence turns on her again, Gillian fights back. Panicking at the enormity of what just happened and the scene in front of her, Gillian enlists the help of her best friend, Rebecca, and flees abroad, certain that Lawrence will come after her. 

Rebecca had been true to her word. She contacted her friend, Phil, and persuaded him to let Gill travel on his yacht across to St Malo in France. Phil wasn’t the type to ask questions; people’s business was their own, and he knew if Bex needed to ask a favour, she had a good reason. During the crossing, Gill had been as pleasant as she could be, considering everything that had happened. She helped with meals and drinks on board for the two of them and retired to her cabin when she felt the need for solitude and shed some tears.

Gillian is lying low in Portugal and scoping out the yachts in the harbour, looking to work her passage to somewhere remote where she might feel safe. The police are on the look out for her and she needs somewhere quiet to consider her options and decide what to do. When she meets Harry, who’s about to sail across the Atlantic, Gillian jumps at the chance of going along as cook and assistant crew member, little realising her situation is destined to go from bad to worse. The author is obviously knowledgeable about boats and sailing, which lends authenticity to the storyline.

The cover conveys a menacing vibe from the start, and sets the scene for a story with a dark thread running through. I had to feel sorry for Gillian, even though it seems she makes all the wrong choices. She’s terrified of being found and accused by the police, of going to prison, but running away has done her no favours and it’s too late for regrets.

The story revolves mainly around Gillian and Harry, with a few secondary characters. All are well defined but I was ambivalent  about them initially until more of their back stories are revealed as the plot progresses, then I began to root for Gillian. She’s dealt with a lot  during her life, the mostly shocking experiences damaging and altering her perception in the process.

After a very dramatic opening, I wasn’t sure where Faith Mortimer would take the story, and as the suspense increases there are several unexpected twists. The ending took me completely by surprise, I didn’t see that happening at all. Well written with realistic dialogue and a well paced narrative, this was a very enjoyable read. 

Although this is book 4 in the Dark Minds series, I believe each story is a standalone.

I chose to read and review Paradise Prison for Brook Cottage Books based on a digital copy of the book supplied by the author/publisher.

Book links ~ Amazon UK | US

About Faith Mortimer

Faith is a British author dividing her time between Hampshire, England & Cyprus. Since 2005 she turned her hobby of writing into a career. During childhood, she dreamed of writing novels which readers would love, & spent many hours writing short stories which she read to her sisters. Born in Manchester & educated in Singapore, Malaya & Hampshire, England. Amazon Top #14 author rank for mystery, #27 mystery, thriller & suspense, #55 literature & fiction #5 bestselling author on Nook Books. Faith’s books have made the Kindle Top 100 Paid List numerous times.

Author links ~ Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Google+ | Website