One thing that can most definitely be said about C L Taylor is that she knows how to write a breathtaking psychological thriller that is guaranteed to have readers on the edge of their seats. The Escape is C L Taylor’s fourth book and having had the pleasure of reading all of them I can honestly say that she is an author who just keeps on delivering great things. The Escape was a book that I really couldn’t escape, one that demanded my full attention and that I couldn’t bear to be parted with.
The Escape tells the story of Max and Jo a married couple who are all too familiar with heartbreak having tragically lost their first child but were then later blessed with a daughter, Elise. Despite suffering from terrible agoraphobia and the stress that comes with knowing her father is imminently dying, Jo wants nothing more than to provide for, protect and be a good mother to young Elise. One day Jo’s world is turned upside down when she is approached by a strange woman who asks her for a lift, a request she feels unable to refuse despite her reservations about doing so. Jo soon learns that this woman isn’t that much of a stranger after all - she knows Jo, she knows her daughter and her husband too - and she’s making threats towards Elise that Jo cannot ignore. Just what does this woman want and will Jo be able to protect her beloved daughter from danger?
This is a book that is presented to us in an immensely clever and effective way, with chapters not only being told from the perspective of both Jo and Max but with little snippets of dialogue that are directed towards Jo from an anonymous source that I simply couldn’t figure out the identity of. Every single one of the characters that C L Taylor has introduced to us were expertly crafted being characters who really got under my skin, I just didn’t know who to trust. Each and every one of them really helped to make this book as wonderful as it was, and it was very clear to see how much time the author must have spent thinking about their development.
This proved to be an incredibly addictive read that I was well and truly hooked on from the very first page. With twists and turns galore, every time I thought that I’d worked out what was going on something would come along to make me change my mind. Throughout the entirety of the novel the tension did nothing but grow at an alarming pace with surprise after surprise being thrown our way. Before I knew it, I had reached the end of this book and all I can say is that by ending like it did The Escape is a book that leaves other psychological thrillers with a lot to live up to.
The Escape is an almighty novel that exceeded all of my expectations and one that quickly became the best book I’ve read so far this year. Sometimes you come across a book that you wish technology would allow to be rated more than five stars, and that is most certainly the case with The Escape. Over the years C L Taylor seems to have gone from strength to strength and I already can’t wait to read what she will write next!
