Description: After a seemingly perfect start to their relationship, Emma marries Simon. But as soon as they return from the honeymoon, Simon changes. He forbids Emma from seeing her friends and parents. He controls their finances. And through a series of cruel, unexplained incidents, he persuades her that she's losing her mind. With Emma's spirit battered and her passion for painting destroyed after a few months of marriage, she finally admits to herself that she's afraid of her husband. The only piece she manages to complete is of a depressing charcoal house, a representation of her tortured life. Then Emma receives a cryptic message from a stranger--and shocking revelations begin to emerge one by one. When the police become involved, events spiral out of control, and Emma's loved ones do all they can to help her escape the monster's clutches--but is it already too late to save her?
Brief description: Gillian Jackson is the author of several psychological thrillers, including Abducted and The Accident. She initially pursued a career in childcare before moving on to train as a therapeutic counselor and eventually to a role in the voluntary sector with Victim Support. Her five years with the organization provided a wealth of experience and insight into the criminal-justice system, which has enriched her understanding of human nature and her writing.