This was my first encounter with a Jane Corry novel, and I was not disappointed! “I Looked Away” is an extremely emotional well-crafted read, which certainly highlights human frailty. The reader has to follow the lives of the two main characters... Ellie and Jo. The narrative cleverly informs events from their present to past, and the often-shocking consequences for these two ladies. As time goes by both Ellie and Jo reflect and tell their own emotional stories of the events in their own troubled lives. Of course, it is always the past which shapes their present and even their future situations. We discover just how unfortunate and hideous their lives are, and how Jane Corry tackles issues such as abuse, bullying, deception, cruelty, alcoholism and homelessness with sensitivity, empathy and compassion. She has clearly researched these subjects, so adding to the reality of some people’s fractured lives. Even potential murder and prison becomes real for Ellie. I felt that all the characters were extremely believable and woven together expertly by Jane Corry. We discover how their lives are interwoven and I enjoyed the twists throughout. I’ll certainly lookout for this author again! Galadriel. Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of this book to review.

It opens with the incident referred to in the book's blurb, with something happening to Ellie's young grandson Josh when she takes her eyes off him for a few moments in her garden. But while most crime thrillers would follow straight on from this incident, I Looked Away takes a big step sideways and it is only late in the book that we come back to that fateful day. The story unfolds through two different narrators. Ellie is in prison, telling the story of her past, from her early childhood to more recent events. Mixed through her story is the story of Jo, a homeless woman on the run from something unspecified. Additional short passages tell us more about each woman's tragic history. Their stories are fascinating. Emotional abuse and coercive control is a major theme, and it is handled really well, showing how insidious and destructive it can be. This is something I most enjoyed about the book, and the way the book shows the psychological harm that controlling people can do was really moving. Jo's experiences living on the streets are powerful and affecting, showing us some of the dangers and hardships she faces and the mental impact it has on her, such that even when things start going well for her she is unable to accept it and forces herself to move on. The narrative structure is a very interesting one. Ellie's story is told across several different narrative threads, her early life before an "accident" that is referred to a lot in rather vague terms forms part one of the book, her life after the accident up to the current time is told in part two, and then the day of the accident is told in a series of short passages used like chapter headings in part two. Jo's past is also briefly covered in similar short passages heading her POV chapters. Throughout the book, this is used to build tension. We know something major happened to Ellie, but until near the end of the book we don't know exactly what happened. What we see is the build-up to it, the pressures and abuse she is subjected to, and we see some of the consequences of it as we follow her later life. Similarly, we know something happens regarding her grandson right at the start of the book but the details are hidden until near the end. We also don't know how Jo fits into this narrative and why we're following her story too. With all these different threads, it took me a while to get into the book, but by the time I got to the middle of the book I was pretty gripped. There were so many hints dropped about what had happened in Ellie's past that I was eager to find out what had actually happened, as one of the story threads got to a particularly fateful day and slowly described it. I Looked Away is an ambitious psychological thriller, dealing with serious real-world issues like coercive control, gas-lighting and homelessness very effectively, and a complex story telling approach

This book is an emotional rollercoaster. Ellie and Jo are two very different people: Ellie a doting grandma to Josh, Jo unfortunately homeless. How are they linked? It took me a while to get into this book as I found the parts in italics distracting and confusing. Who do they refer to? Ellie, Jo or someone else? Worth persevering though as the suspense is gradually ratcheted up. Part Three ties everything together. Ellie gets momentarily distracted and a child goes missing. A similar event in her childhood has left her an emotional wreck. She feels she doesn't deserve anything good in her life again, but perhaps eventually... Themes of homelessness, prison life, possessiveness and guilt are offset by moments of joy and love. Life is not all grim on the streets for Jo. She meets kindness from several good people, from a wealthy American couple to homeless street artist Steve. But what is she hiding from? Will her former life catch up with her? A well plotted thriller with lots of twists, believable characters you can relate to and a powerful resolution.

This is the third book I have read by Jane Corry and by far the best. It was obviously well-researched and the descriptions of homeless people were rounded, encompassing all types of folk who find themselves with no home and no security. Ellie and Jo's lives are quite believable sadly. I felt invested in the characters and wanted to know all about them. This was quite an emotional read in places, the story is well-paced and often shocking. Many thanks to Netgalley for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.