Blue Wolf Reviews

Tag: abuse

  • Be a good girl, Valerie

    Be a good girl, Valerie

    In 2018 the Harvey Weinstein court cases set off a train of events that have indirectly or directly to resulted in the creation of Be a good girl, Valerie from Marcia van Zeller, a woman who has spent her professional life in the hard-edged world of Journalism before moving to a freelance career in professional writing.

    With a light touch and a lovely tempering of humour she uses the basis of her life story to create Valerie a woman heading for retirement, retrenched from the world of Journalism and now working for an upmarket firm in Perth creating and correcting copy for various requirements.

    She is focused on her work, keeps to herself and while not set in her ways is comfortable with her lifestyle. When Grace, a young woman she has noticed commuting on the same train service appears to be stalked by an unknown man, she intervenes.

    When an unfair dismissal occurs at Dawes, Bland and Armstrong over a sexual harassment complaint she decides to not only support the talented young woman Anna, she recruits a group of supporters, led by Grace who is in her last year of Law, to try to make sure justice is done.

    Woven over the time frame of 1974 to 2020 van Zeller highlights the issues that women have faced and, in many instances, still do face in their professional lives, the power men can hold over women and their powerlessness to be able to do anything about the violations that are often committed under the guise of working relationships.

    Valerie takes issue forty years after being abused, realising that it is never too late to act against the entitlement men seem to believe they have around women with whom they work.

    Her long time Friend Jeanette, also retrenched from her position as a Dean of Research at a prestigious University in Canada decides  in her retirement to carry our research into why men in the field of Media and Entertainment  believe they are entitled to use women as they see fit and the economic cost associated with the calling out of sexual abuse within the industry.

    Chilling and accurate Be a good girl, Valerie will resonate with women, particularly young women who have been subjected to a wide range of suggestive and abusive behaviours within the workplace and have felt powerless to act. It is also quirky, funny at times and perfectly captures the world that once was while paying tribute to the women who have been brave enough, angry enough and old enough to stand tall, act and begin to create change in a positive manner.

  • Hunting Ghislaine

    Hunting Ghislaine

    Is there anything else which can be said about Ghislaine Maxwell, the subject of several podcasts, a number of documentaries, a Netflix film and a closely monitored 2021 trail? Investigative journalist John Sweeney, author of Hunting Ghislaine, proves there is!

     In his carefully researched book based on his popular 2020 podcast by the same name, he explores the dark and disturbing life of the vivacious, fun loving, socialite Ghislaine from birth to her ultimate incarceration.

    He casts a new light on her complex character. The author theorises that as the daughter of the ‘monster’ Robert Maxwell, Ghislaine was susceptible to the equally monstrous Jeffery Epstein; she ‘blinded’ herself to his depravity and even became a willing accomplice to it.  Her desire to please these difficult, demanding, vile men resulted in her losing sight of the wellbeing of the vulnerable young women she ‘pimped’ for the paedophile Epstein. 

    By dividing the book into three sections, Ghislaine’s early privileged childhood as the publisher/fraudster Robert Maxwell’s daughter, her relationship and exploitation by her lover Jeffrey Epstein and finally her trail which resulted in 20 years for child trafficking in a US prison, the author provides the reader with a greater understanding of the convicted Ghislaine.

    However, readers are left to question was Ghislaine the ‘victim of two monsters’ or ‘was she a monster in her own right’?

  • Daughters of Eve

    Daughters of Eve

    There is great news for readers of Crime Fiction. A new South Australian author has emerged. She is passionate, has a keen eye for realistic characters and a dramatic style of writing which is hard to put down. Nina D Campbell has written Daughters of Eve using the theme of domestic and sexual violence as her base. She uses a multisided approach, and her male characters are often respectful and cooperative.

    The story begins dramatically when a top Sydney lawyer, known to defend many a guilty predator, is shot on the steps of the courthouse. Emilia Hart, who is a Detective Sergeant, was following him down the stairs and tries to resuscitate him, but the pattern of bullets in his chest means a swift death. She immediately begins to activate investigations and to gather information for the team.

    Back at headquarters, a tactical response has begun. The stage is set when notice comes in of another shooting. In the next few days there follow many other shootings. The army is called in to keep the city safe. But what is the link between these assassinations.

    As she speaks to next of kin, DS Hart begins to see a pattern of domestic violence emerge. Then it appears, a pattern of sexual violence is also a factor in the murder enquiries. Personal experience and a desire to address wrong doings spur Hart to explore all avenues.

    Daughters of Eve unfolds seamlessly with each step presented; the flow is smooth. Suddenly there is a dramatic twist when Emilia’s family become involved. This story could become rather grim, but is saved by the humour, and a sense of justice portrayed. Nina Campbell has broken pulp stereotypes and used clever storytelling to great effect. Can’t wait for the next book!

  • Unravelling Us

    Unravelling Us

    It is rare to find an author who can recount her past story with so much clarity and reflective thought. While Unravelling Us moves along at a comfortable pace, we have time to reflect on many of her past issues, and how this has affected Renee McBryde’s current situation. It makes fascinating reading.

    You see, when Renee was ten years old, she found out that her father was a murderer and guilty of sex crimes. Her mother was adamant that no-one should know about her partner. He was jailed when her mother was fifteen, and pregnant with Renee. As Renee grew and wanted answers to questions that she dared not ask, she began to see a pattern in the mothering in her family. Her Nana had a horrendous back story, and her mother, at fifteen, was limited in her child raising abilities.

    The pathway for this young woman was never going to be easy, and the desperate need for her mother to love her, made Renee make some bad choices growing up. As she matured, Renee realised that to break the cycle of families in crises, she would need to change her life drastically.

    Her story is told using her own children’s names, and against her mother’s wishes. Her husband, a great partner for Renee supports her and shares the same values that she aspires to. With a move to Alice Springs, and working in the Child Protection Agency, this strong and astute woman uses all her love and compassion to understand the lack of mothering she sees every day and celebrate when there are small but positive breakthroughs.

    Unravelling Us is a is really a dynamic read.

  • On Reckoning

    On Reckoning

    When Australia’s Prime Minister told the nation that it took his wife’s argument that ‘he should think about what happened to Brittany Higgins in relation to his own daughters,’ before he was able to comprehend the seriousness of her allegations, it opened the floodgates of comment on the airwaves and on social media.

    Why did it take Scott Morrison’s wife to appeal to him as a father of daughters before he was able to understand the gravity of this crime, which had been perpetrated against Ms Higgins? 

    Amy Remeikis, herself a survivor of sexual assault, explores not only the Prime Minister’s approach towards inappropriate actions of men towards women, but also that of the population in general.  She asserts that leaders talk about sexual violence and harassment of women, but that we as a society remain uncomfortable with it and are happy for it to remain in the dark.

    Respect, protect and reflect are words used by politicians but they are not really backed up by action.

    ‘On Reckoning’ is the latest publication in the OnSeries Little Books, Big Idea collection. As other books in this series, it is a thought provoking little book, which engages the reader, provides insight and encourages reflection

  • You Had It Coming

    You Had It Coming

    Not enough evidence doesn’t mean ‘Not Guilty’; it doesn’t mean a crime hasn’t been committed! When William Newson, skilled lawyer achieves a ‘not guilty’ verdict for his clients, teenage friends Jess and Megan experience the trauma of not only having their reported sexual abuse at the hands of Malouf and O’Brien, two entitled young men dismissed but also their credibility and reputations in shatters.

    Twelve years later, when paramedic Megan, is called out to the scene of a shooting; the victim is lawyer William Newson! Having partially picked up the pieces to create a fulfilling life, memories come flooding back and Jess and Megan become persons of interest in his murder inquiry. Before long Detective Sergeant Bridget Kennedy has a host of possible suspects; not only the angry victims but also their family members and friends, his wife who divorced him, and his bullied son.  

    In her tenth novel B.M.Carroll’s has created a suspenseful crime fiction, which includes authentic police procedural elements. The narrative of “You Had It Coming” unfolds from the alternating perspectives of Megan, Jess and Bridget. While Bridget and her colleagues sifting through the evidence, leads and suspects, Jess and Megan, are recalling incidents from their troubled past while at the same time trying to get on with their current lives. As this intriguing story unfolds, the author sympathetically and sensitively explores a number of themes which include justice, shame, guilt revenge and friendship.

    Lovers of crime fiction will find this an absorbing read, with its twists and turns, which keep the readers rapidly turning the pages.

  • You Can Thrive After Narcissistic Abuse

    You Can Thrive After Narcissistic Abuse

    Narcissism, what is it and how do you know if it is a part of your life, is a question many people ask, many who have been and are victims in many ways do not really understand the condition entirely, but do fully understand the debilitating and life-threatening fallout from the abuse which is Narcissism?

    Melanie Tonia Evans is a survivor of Narcissism, knowing all too well the horror and destruction this causes as she , as a healer and well educated person, found herself enveloped in abuse, unable to see a way out, no matter how hard she tried, until she was at a point in her life when suicide was, at least to her, the only way to get any relief from the very real torture her life had become.

    She had what she refers to as a collapse of body, mind and soul, calling out ‘Help me. I can’t do this on my own!’ at which point she felt a massive change within herself, as if a gigantic load had been lifted and clarity and illumination as to what had, was and would happen in her life, was offered to her.

    Since that time, and after several years rebuilding her life, she has researched thoroughly the evil that is Narcissism and become considered as a leading expert in Narcissistic Personality Disorder, acceptance, recovery and empowerment.

    Evans shares her story, her philosophies and her tried and true healing methods, reaching out to everyone who is suffering at the hands of a narcissist, in this practical, easy to use book on moving on, rebuilding a purposeful life and becoming the person you were always meant to be, by healing the pain and becoming empowered.

    Heartbreaking stories are told from many people who have reached out and rebuilt their lives, her own deeply personal story and importantly, what are considered as the five major signs of narcissism and the nine major points that make you susceptible to the whiles of the narcissist are very, very informative.

    You Can Thrive After Narcistic Abuse is an empowering course in small miracles, constructed and proven, that anyone who has or believes they may be being abused, should consider as a must read, as it is the roadmap to place your life back on a healthy, happy and most importantly, empowered journey into new and unchartered happiness.

  • Three Gold Coins

    Three Gold Coins

    In societies, we find there are people who are predators. They prey on others who are vulnerable. Usually the predator identifies a person, surrounds them with love and then gradually isolates their victim, to completely dominate them. Then the real abuse begins, physical, mental and emotional. In this romantic novel, Josephine has cleverly brought our attention the plight of (mostly women), who fall into the trap of these evil people, and the consequences they suffer during the process of the law.

    The main character, Lara, has a bi-polar disorder. She is the vulnerable target for Dave, who is an intelligent trainee doctor. His power over Lara becomes all consuming, and she is lucky to escape with her life. However, there are children involved, and again the author raises a huge issue about family law in Australia. As Lara’s lawyer says, “The family law system is, ironically, set up to support parenting arrangements rather than safety from violence. A woman in Australia is more likely to be killed in her own home and at the hands of her partner than anywhere else.”

    Despite the realities that the author confronts us with, a charming love story develops as Lara makes her escape to Italy. She meets an elderly man, whose young carer has taken his money and fled, leaving him stranded in Rome. Lara accompanies him back to his small farm in Tuscany, and accepts the role as his career, while she allows herself healing time and space to begin to rebuild her life.

    Samuel has a broken wrist, and Lara has to help out in many ways. As a city girl, she needs to learn how to milk the two frisky goats on the farm, and she begins to enjoy sorting out the kitchen, and cooking.

    Gradually Samuel, the elderly farmer, warms to Lara, as does the shepherd, Matteo. He is passionate about goats, and the process of cheese making. He wishes to develop this skill and teaches Lara cheese making and goat handling. Their relationship develops slowly, as Lara is attracted to him, but nervous of the many issues in the past affecting their chance of happiness.

    There are many threads to this story to keep it interesting and readable. The wonderful landscape and customs on a small farm in Tuscany also hold the reader’s attention. The love of family, and chance of a new life for Lara, end the story on a positive note, but well done to the author for including the above issues, which  are real.

     

  • To Prey And To Silence

    To Prey And To Silence

    Perpetrators of child abuse leave their victims with lifelong scars. It is often not until decades after the abuse that the victims are able to discuss this exploitation and seek retribution. However, Joan Isaacs was one such victim, who did disclose the abuse not long after it had occurred, only to discover that many of those who should have supported her, failed to do so; they pretended it hadn’t happened!

    Joan Isaacs was born into a predominantly Dutch immigrant family in 1953. Growing up in a loving, devout Catholic family, she attended a Catholic secondary school where she excelled academically.  It was here that she was groomed and abused by the charismatic school chaplain Father Francis Edward Derriman. From this time on Joan’s life changed. No longer a carefree student with the world at her feet, she was filled with despair and riddled with shame; only just qualifying to enter into a teacher training course. Although the abuse was reported to the appropriated authorities, nothing happened – just silence!

    ‘To Prey and to Silence’ chronicles the author’s journey to obtain justice and to ensure that other victims are treated with greater consideration by the church. It turned into a 40 year battle for truth from a church which preferred to preserve its assets by stonewalling and covering its tracks, rather than to publically support the victims. By articulating the events which marked this journey, the reader is given insight into a church which preaches compassion but in this case delivered none! The author relates her disappointing and unsatisfactory experiences with the Catholic Church’s “Towards Healing” programme which was to deal with sex abuse and support the victims, but in Joan’s case did neither. The faith which had sustained her life was shattered; the Isaac family severed their ties with the Catholic Church.

    This time the Church’s life has come under scrutiny by the Royal Commission into the Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse at which Joan gave evidence in 2013. Her objective account of the Church’s reaction to abuse inflicted by members of its clergy was confirmed by this inquest. The reader is also able to verify her account by referring to the detailed Notes at the end of the book.

    ‘To Prey and to Silence’ is a thought provoking book which gives the reader insight into the author’s dignity, strength and perseverance; her ability to overcome a soul destroying experience to live a fulfilling life. It emphasizes the importance of standing up for what you believe, even if it is at great cost to self and those we love. Having a loving family and good friends helped Joan to write this book and to finally find some peace. What a remarkable woman!