Beyond Fear, by Jaye Ford

Jodie Cramer loves the one weekend each year when she and her three best friends escape together for a girls’ weekend. She can forget her busy life as a divorced working mother, and relax with her friends. But this year is different. It’s Jodie’s turn to book the accommodation and, on the road to the country town, their car is run off the road…

Jodie smelled bacon and fresh coffee as she ran up the steps to the verandah. She took a second to pull herself together … Bursting through the door and announcing that Matt Weisman, the nice guy who’d rescued them last night, was more than likely a stalker would not be the best method of describing what had just happened … But she had to tell them. Forewarned was forearmed.

Jodie Cramer loves the one weekend each year when she and her three best friends escape together for a girls’ weekend. She can forget her busy life as a divorced working mother, and relax with her friends. But this year is different. It’s Jodie’s turn to book the accommodation and, on the road to the country town, their car is run off the road. Jodie finds herself caught up in flashbacks to a horrible night nearly twenty years ago when she and her best friend were abducted.

Now Jodie finds signs of trouble wherever she looks, but her friends think she is just paranoid. They don’t know the history of the old barn they are staying in, or its dark secrets.

Beyond Fear is a thrilling first novel from debut author Jaye Ford. As the four friends find their weekend plummeting into horror, the characters of Jodie and each of her friends, as well as their new friend Matt Weisman, are developed and explored. Jodie is a feisty yet troubled main character and Matt has his own scars, being on recuperative leave from the police force. Together the pair take centre stage in the battle to outwit two brothers with little to lose.

Beyond Fear is the sort of book you don’t want to read late at night, but this is a sign of how well it does its job. A gripping read.

Beyond Fear

Beyond Fear, by Jaye Ford
Bantam, 2011
ISBN 978186471197

This book can be purchased in good bookstores or online from Fishpond.