Portobello Book Blog

I have a review of CL Taylor’s latest novel The Fear today as well as a short extract to share. It’s a psychological thriller about Lou Wandsworth who ran off to France when she was younger with her teacher Mike Hughes. Their relationship unsurprisingly didn’t work out and now she has discovered he is involved with another teenage girl. Lou is determined he won’t do the same again and returns home to confront him. In doing so though, she could be putting herself in grave danger.

First of all, here’s the extract:

By the time I got to work I didn’t have more than five minutes to run a comb through my hair and print out my emails before Alison buzzed me to tell me that Dr Wendy Harrison was waiting in reception for me. That was a strange meeting. I’ve met some interesting clients in my time – including the man who talked to my chin rather than looking me in the eye, a woman who continuously tapped a pen against her teeth and the man who addressed all of his questions to my male colleagues rather than me – but I’ve never met anyone like Dr Harrison before. She had a very odd manner for someone with a background in nursing – clinical, rather than caring. I could feel her watching me while Gary gave his presentation and then, after she’d ordered him from the room to make more tea, she stared at me like a specimen under a microscope. Then she started asking me personal questions, her strange, fixed smile not faltering once. As I wondered if she might be on the autistic spectrum, she sprayed me with ink.

Let’s just say I won’t be gutted if we don’t win the bid.

Having now read the book, I can see where that fits in and can tell you Dr Harrison plays a very important part in the book. The Fear was a very unsettling read particularly when it came to the parts about how Lou was ‘groomed’ by Mike when she was younger. Mike was an especially unlikable character both in the past and the present, a real creep. At no point did I feel any sympathy for him whatsoever. It was scary to think about how easy it seemed that a young girl could be taken in by an older man, by playing – or preying – on typical teenage insecurities. The fear and terror experienced by Lou as a young girl was mirrored to a certain extent by Mike in the circumstances he finds himself in in the present. 

The Fear is a dark tale of revenge and just when you think you know where story’s going, the author takes you completely by surprise! 

My thanks to Sabah Khan at Avon for my copy of this book. It was published on March 2nd in paperback and as an e-book. You can order a copy online here: The Fear

From the back of the book

Sometimes your first love won’t let you go…

When Lou Wandsworth ran away to France with her teacher Mike Hughes, she thought he was the love of her life. But Mike wasn’t what he seemed and he left her life in pieces.

Now 32, Lou discovers that he is involved with teenager Chloe Meadows. Determined to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself, she returns home to confront him for the damage he’s caused.

But Mike is a predator of the worst kind, and as Lou tries to bring him to justice, it’s clear that she could once again become his prey…

The million copy Sunday Times bestseller returns with a gripping psychological thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat.

C.L. Taylor is the Sunday Times bestselling author of five psychological thrillers: THE ACCIDENT, THE LIE, THE MISSING, THE ESCAPE and THE FEAR. Her books have sold in excess of a million copies. She was born in Worcester and spent her early years living in various army camps in the UK and Germany. 

She started writing short stories in 2005 and was published widely in literary and women’s magazines. She also won several short story competitions. C.L. Taylor lives in Bristol with her partner and young son.

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