I do love an excerpt day! A day where I can try to help entice you to read a book of my picking! Ok so I didn’t write the excerpt nor did I choose the excerpt….but you get my drift!
Today I am sharing with you an excerpt from Noelle first book Dead Inside, so what is this fab book all about?
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Dead Inside by Noelle HoltenSeries: Maggie Jamieson #1
Published by Killer Reads on May 21, 2019
Pages: 293
Amazon UK
Goodreads
Also by this author: Dead Inside, Dead Inside, Dead Wrong, Dead Perfect, Dead Secret, Dead Mercy
When three domestic abuse offenders are found beaten to death, DC Maggie Jamieson knows she is facing her toughest case yet.
The police suspect that Probation Officer Lucy Sherwood – who is connected to all three victims – is hiding a dark secret.
Then a fourth domestic abuser is brutally murdered. And he is Lucy’s husband.
Now the finger of suspicion points at Lucy and the police are running out of time.
Can Maggie and her team solve the murders before another person dies? And is Lucy really a cold-blooded killer?
Before I share the excerpt, here is an audio snippet from the book
PROLOGUE
The crash at the bottom of the stairs woke me instantly.
I could see the smallest sliver of light peering underneath the door. The rest of the bedroom was in complete darkness.
I froze.
Should I get up and check on Siobhan? But, I knew if she had woken up, she would tap her fingers on her headboard like she always did, to let us know she was awake.
No tapping.
I didn’t want to move. I couldn’t, I was paralyzed with fear. I had always accepted the verbal abuse that was thrown at me. I could take that. It was the physical abuse that filled me with shame. I couldn’t help but shudder in dread as he stumbled his way up the stairs. I pretended to be asleep, but my heart raced faster with the sound of every footstep. My fear of him weighed me down, suffocated me, and pinned me to the bed.
We had two years of bliss before he proposed to me.
Two years of living normal, happy lives.
What happened?
Six months into the marriage, I realized I’d sealed my fate when I’d said, ‘I do’.
Ten years later, and the regrets were mounting.
Who would have thought that two little words would have given me such a long sentence? Why me? What did I do to deserve this?
The bedroom door creaked open slowly. That’s what he did. Let me know he was coming, then built on my terror by taking his time to enter the bedroom.
I could hear his breathing as he stood there, his eyes bearing down on me. I tried to keep as still as possible. I wanted to disappear, sink deep down into the depths of the mattress where it was safe.
The foul stench of alcohol filled the room, stinging my eyes, and threatening to choke me. Oh God! Please let him just ignore me tonight.
The dull thud from the change in his pocket startled me, as his clothing fell piece by piece to the floor.
I can’t take this anymore.
I wanted to shout but couldn’t wake up Siobhan.
He crawled in beside me. Hot, smelly breath burned at my neck, making me cringe. I couldn’t stand him anywhere near me.
In my mind, I was screaming, get away please just leave me the fuck alone! But not a sound escaped my lips.
He put one of his rough, calloused hands under my oversized T-shirt, his fingers icy to the touch. I shivered, not because his hand was cold, but because I knew what would happen if I said no.
He wrapped his arm around my neck, pulled me closer. Tight, uncaring and rough, until he was almost choking me.
‘Please … don’t.’ There was a whimper in my voice.
Sometimes, my weakness made me sick.
‘I want you.’
‘I have to work in the morning, Patrick. Please … don’t.’
He shoved his hand between my legs. Not gentle or loving, but forceful.
Through gritted teeth he snarled, ‘I don’t care. I. Want. You.’
‘Please. Think of Siobhan. You’ll wake her.’
I remember tears flowing down my face like a waterfall. Like they’d never stop. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to think of something else.
Anything else.
Anything would be better than this.
I was dead inside, numb to it all, even as I tried to remember the happier times.
When I thought he loved me.
When I loved him.
That night was the first time my husband raped me.
The look in his eyes when he finished and cast me aside told me it wouldn’t be the last.
Wow!! Well if this has still not enticed you, let us check out what other reviewers have said……
It’s All About the Thrill says:- The research and personal experience was very evident in this debut novel. Brilliant writing, edge of seat terrifying details! The graphic details of the physical and psychological abuse pulled me right in. Both were welcomed by me and I felt necessary to truly understand and being able to empathize with what the victims where going through. I found it an enthralling read that I could not put down. I was shocked towards the ending as I did not see it coming and I feel we were left with a great ending that could lead us right into book number 2! I can’t wait to see what Noelle has in store for us next! I highly recommend getting your hands on Dead Inside (perfect title by the way). Just plan on pulling an all nighter and having a hell of a book hangover!
Goodreads Reviewer says:- The book is a fascinating, often harrowing and a very real to life story of domestic abuse, abusers, victims and the Police and Probation work and workers and how they all fits together when the above mentioned murders happen. The detail and obvious knowledge of the Probation Service makes the book flawless in that respect and gives a very clear understanding of what it is like to work in the service, this was intriguing to me as a reader with little knowledge of it. Sadly the abuse side of the story, how it affects victims and how their lives are is also very close to the author and I found this very moving and powerful. The story is in quick easy to read chapters and once you get to know all the characters flows well and moves quickly
Book Reviews by Shalini says:- This book was a hard core, dark gritty read which dealt in great detail with domestic abuse, the way men hit women, the scars which the women carried, both physical and mental. It told me how the cops and other disciplinary services were sometimes so helpless, the scrap of paper which was the restraining order was basically useless.
Novel Deelights says:- Dead Inside is a powerful debut. Extremely dark and gritty, with characters that will get under your skin, it tackles an immensely difficult topic but I dare say Noelle Holten did it sensitively and the inevitable violence required to make the story work is never gratuitous. The ending perfectly sets the scene for the follow-up in this series and I have no doubt many a reader will be back for more from DC Maggie Jamieson. Well played, Noelle, well played!
Rachel Read It says:- [Noelle] lays bare the charming way that men inveigle themselves into your life, cut off your support, your safe spaces, your finances and use your children as a weapon against you. She also shows great skill in getting you to think about the concept of justice-whilst so many would say that the world is a better place without them, don’t these men deserve to be treated the same? Are all murder victims created equal?
Well I hope these have done enough, if so look below and clck the picture!
Until next time xxx
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