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The Safehouse by T. Thomas Ackerman

Monday, August 29, 2011


Every nine seconds, a woman becomes a victim of domestic violence in the United States. The laws don't do enough to protect these women and their children from the abuse, which will always escalate. Detective Jessica Warren understands all too well how vulnerable women are in abusive relationships. And she's not going to stand by and watch as innocent victims are injured, or worse. The Safehouse is the story of Jessie Warren and the closely knit network of powerful women who aren't willing to allow abusive men to hide behind inadequate laws. It's the story of the victims she helps, some of whom learn to break out of the patterns holding them trapped. And it's the story of how Jessie navigates the police system with pragmatism, intelligence, and heart to extend a helping hand to women in need. But with all the time and emotional energy she spends helping others, will she be able to maintain her own life balance? And will she be able to outsmart the one member of the police force who doesn't approve of her unorthodox methods? True to life and riveting, The Safehouse will take you on a compelling journey to justice. The author is donating 25% of royalties from this book to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Amazon Summary

I was surprised this book can't be found on Goodreads...so I added it!  The main character and the plot are the main draws.  Jessie, who is a detective and victim of domestic violence herself, is the main character.  She is brave, kind, caring, and protective.  She embodies all of the qualities one could hope to have in a detective. 

The story is quite literally as the summary reads.  The reader will follow Jessie as she makes quick, intelligent decisions in particularly hard cases.  It is not so easy as separating the abused from the abuser...sometimes, the abused is afraid to say anything or won't leave out of fear.  The situations the author details will force the reader to sit up and pay attention.  The reader will certainly not be bored, he or she will be rooting for Jessie throughout the novel.  There are many intriguing secondary characters in this novel, the reader will enjoy getting to know them better. 

I personally loved Jessie, she was the best part of the book.  A strong female lead in a domestic violence book just...fits perfectly.  The author clearly did plenty of research in order to create the scenes described in this book with such realism.  The ending has a surprising twist.  The reader will be happy she/he picked up this book.  This book is recommended for adult readers who enjoy crime fiction and realistic fiction.

4 Stars

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