This was an extremely difficult read - not because it isn't well-written, but because of the subject matter. Patchen handles it skillfully, bringing to life a truly vile situation before the reader's eyes. The story itself is told in multi-POV - each of the main characters takes a turn, and the reader gains insight into what happens behind closed doors when society turns a blind eye. I had to stop reading this a few times, just to take some deep breaths and re-ground myself. If you're looking for a shocking thriller that will make you disgusted by the depths to which humanity can sink, you've found your next read.

I read this book a few years ago. When I didn't know that we had to make a review here as well. This was a weird one, but it was good...

At Daddy’s Hands by Jacob Paul Patchen was an important, necessary, and very hard read. I definitely advise being very aware of trigger warnings going in. It was starkly candid, gritty, gripping, disturbing, and powerful. It’s a story that gets under your skin, for sure.

The author had a good idea of what he wanted to get across in this book in my opinion, but he fell short. The book was not believable in so many parts. Not a good read. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the arc of this book in return for my honest review. Receiving this book in this manner had no bearing on this review.

At Daddy’s Hands is about the abuse of 3 kids by their father who is an upstanding policeman in the town. I found it to be an interesting story but also sad for what this father did to their children. The 3 children, 2 girls and a boy band together to try their best to protect themselves while mom turned into basically a drunk who couldn’t help her children. I won’t talk about the ending as that would give the story away.

An amazing book, I was gripped by what the family had to go through, very tense and honestly an interesting insight to what can happen in life. Would reread book again and recommend to anyone, who might be interested.

Well written.
Not an easy read as it deals with child abuse.
Different POVs.
Well developed, it keeps you reading until the end.
It's not easy, it's disturbing, but it's worth it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me access to this book. This is my honest review. All opinions are my own.

"In public, Jim Handler is a well-respected, small-town hero, and homicide detective who solved the case of the Wills Creek Massacre. But at home, in the shadows, Jim's childhood demons come alive to feast upon his family in the form of sexual, physical, and mental abuse."

This story was so sad, but absolutely gripping. I loved the stories of the victims that were included at the end of the book. Such a great read.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and to Jacob Paul Patchen for allowing me to read and honestly review this ARC.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.

This book.... holy cow. Let me start by saying there's obviously a lot of talk about the abuse these kids endured. That's an obvious trigger for some. Books with this subject matter are difficult to read for obvious reasons. The story is told in multiple points of views of everyone involved. The writing was well done. While difficult to read due to subject matter, it was essential to hear everyone's story.

The book also focuses on how the system is sometimes flawed and can at times hurt the victim.

I read this book quickly, and am so glad I did.

This is one of those books that you probably shouldn't enjoy, necessarily - I can appreciate what it was doing and the conversations it was having but it's a difficult one to actively like, purely because of what it's about - sexual assault, rape, domestic assault. It's a heavy story and quite a disturbing one.

*I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

To be honest, I can't even remember why I requested this book. I didn't enjoy reading it for multiple reasons. My favorite part of the book was Abuse Help Information page at the end.

First of all, the book was disturbing. Granted, I knew going into it that it was about a family being abused (in many ways) by the father. That itself, while awful, is not the reason I didn't like the book. (Though I did hate Jim Handler.) I don't feel like the content was treated quite like it should have been. I can't even really put my finger on what exactly went wrong. But perhaps it's related to my other big complaint.

This book suffered from serious lack of editing. The author had either no editor or an awful one. It felt like something he typed up and self published without re-reading it or having anyone else look over it. Near the beginning, I started keeping mental notes of examples, but I stopped because the whole book is just one big, unedited mess. Commas--so many commas in weird places. Strangely constructed sentences. Unnecessary "and"s all over the place. Timelines that don't line up (Mrs. V watches the busses drive away at the end of the day and then thinks about lunch and her class schedule as she walks Nikki to the office). Long descriptions of really unimportant things. Awkward flowery descriptions. Dialogue that is almost comical even though it shouldn't be.

This book was some of the longest 152 pages I've ever read. And a lot of the penultimate chapter is an exact replica of the first chapter, FYI.

Let's talk about that ending for a moment, too. There's a five-year gap between the last two chapters, and somehow we go from . . . THAT . . . to what uncomfortably feels like a unicorns-and-rainbows type of ending. I didn't care to read paragraphs of what each character believes "freedom" is. I wanted to know the consequences and repercussions of the previous chapter. Heck, I wanted to see some serious reprimands because of how the police, judge, and attorneys handled the allegations Nikki brought against her father. But no, apparently the author found that lacked importance compared to a family barbecue and a ticklefest.

The book felt like one big, long-winded cautionary tale with a chicken-soup-for-the-soul (or maybe Hallmark movie) ending.

Note: Language, including 1 f word (I believe). Horrible, horrible abuse by a father--mental, physical, and sexual. Scenes of abuse aren't graphic, as it's written in a more peripheral way (if that makes sense). But it still made me want to vomit. One sex scene (consensual, two teens) that, while not explicit, was still somewhat disturbing and made me uncomfortable.

In public, Jim Handler is a well-respected, small-town hero, and homicide detective who solved the case of the Will’s Creek Massacre. But at home, in the shadows, Jim’s childhood demons come alive to feast upon his family in the form of sexual, physical, and mental abuse.

But his three teenage children have had enough. They have devised a plan for redemption.

Empowered by the legal system’s lack of accountability, a judge who offers a quiet and meager plea deal to save face, Jim feels enabled to do whatever he wants to his family. With no one to keep Jim in check, this cycle of sexual and physical abuse is rampant. It is up to Nikki, Tyler, and Ally to end the evil that is devouring the Handler family.

3/5 stars

In public, Jim Handler is a well-respected, small-town hero, and homicide detective who solved the case of the Will’s Creek Massacre. But at home, in the shadows, Jim’s childhood demons come alive to feast upon his family in the form of sexual, physical, and mental abuse.

But his three teenage children have had enough. They have devised a plan for redemption.

Empowered by the legal system’s lack of accountability, a judge who offers a quiet and meager plea deal to save face, Jim feels enabled to do whatever he wants to his family. With no one to keep Jim in check, this cycle of sexual and physical abuse is rampant. It is up Nikki, Tyler, and Ally to end the evil that is devouring the Handler family.

I'm honestly not sure how to go about reviewing this book. It make me uncomfortable and sick at times, but I'm pretty sure that was the intent. While I can't say I "enjoyed" the the book, I did find it interesting and had a hard time putting it down.

At Daddy’s Hands: Courage Knows No Age by Jacob Paul Patchen may be classified as teen/young adult, but it certainly has enough appeal for adult readers of all ages. I wouldn’t necessarily classify this as a psychological thriller, but it could be called psychological suspense.

Jim Handler is a homicide detective who solved a major murder case and turned himself into a hero in his small hometown. Jim has a wife, Ashley, and three children, Ally, Tyler and Nikki. The Handlers should be a shining example of the All-Amerįcan family and appear to be on the outside, but the Handlers have a terrible secret. Jim is an abuser. He subjects his wife and children to physical, mental and sexual abuse on a nearly daily basis.

Ashley, the abused wife, has given up so much of herself that she is unable to save her children from their father’s abuse.

Tyler, the middle child, has reached his breaking point and comes up with plan to free himself and his siblings from their father.

Ally is the eldest child at sixteen. She’s an artist, but has resorted to cutting herself and attempted suicide to have some control over her life.

Nikki is the youngest child at eleven. She loves journaling and writing poetry to document and escape the cruel reality of her home life. Nikki becomes the word she uses in an essay that leads her teacher to realize the situation Nikki is in: courage.

The secret is out, but no one wants to believe it. Jim is a decorated police officer. His fellow officers and the local judge all refuse to see what’s right in front of their eyes. He receives a slap on the wrist for the horrors he’s inflicted upon his family, and it emboldens him. He will never stop. He is omnipotent. Where children should feel the safest Jim Handler’s children felt only fear and pain: At Daddy’s Hands.

The children realize that they must implement Tyler’s plan if they are to ever get out from under their father’s hands. They want to live without fear and hate. They want to be free.

At Daddy’s Hands is very well-written. The story is mainly revealed through the varying viewpoints of each family member and through multiple timeframes. This could have been awkward but the author handles it competently so there is no confusion. Patchen has done a fantastic job of making a very uncomfortable subject into a story you want to read. I rate it 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to everyone.

My thanks to Black Rose Writing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. However, the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and mine alone.

This book was fast paced. Hard to put down. It flowed well and it was very well written. It caught hold of me and had me hooked from the start . I was literally on the edge of my seat reading this book.

I DNF’ed this book at page 50. I didn’t like the writing style I felt like it was quite average, nothing special. The beginning of the book was extremely fast paced, a little too fast paced for a beginning of a book. I felt like we were just forced into going straight to the disturbing scenes instead of giving a more broader backstory as to why their mom was a drug addict and why the dad sexually, physically, and emotionally abused these kids and why the dad was an alcoholic. This book just wasn’t it for me.

# At Daddy’s Hands # Netgalley
A extremely powerful message well written book. Of incest, sexual physical, emotional, mental abuse. Of a farther on his three children. It probably the closest books on this subject I have ever ever read. Even when his children conspire to try and get something done to stop it. It often fails. Just like it did in the 70s and 80s. When sexual abuse was rampant. Yet no one would of could do much about it. Due to the. High ranking police, court judges, Queens councils. Politicians where involved in the abuse. The children where a comodotiy. Not worth much in the eyes of such powerful men. Where blind eyes where tuned and a child was made to suffer more. For taking and bringing attention to the sexual assault, abuse. Oh how the mighty felt untouchable. Because they where. Children where sent back home. Children where sent back to children’s homes. It often been said when reports started to come into the police. No one really knew what to do. Because these children, where naming big stars names. Who where being protected. This book is so life like back to that era. A absolutely brilliant written book on the horrors of sexual abuse where no one seemed to want to do anything about it. I can honestly say although it’s such a extremely in-depth story line. I certainly would advise a cautionary paragraph for anyone who has been through the horrors of incest or any type of sexual abuse. I say this with such a well meaning reasons. Someone who just happens to pick this book up, yet knowing it’s on a dark horrific subject. Of someone having been through this kind of think. Often read books like this. I have found it’s like the read them looking or hoping a fictional or true book will help them find answers to why. Yet I feel this particular book. Is such a exceptional eerie almost real life book. The author has dared to cross a line between fact and fiction, in such a way, that I really believe some sexual abused people could read this book and it quite easily be read in the wrong way. It’s actually so well written and storyline so absolutely phenomenal real although it’s fictional. Because the author has actually put so much research it could quite easily be mistaken for a factual book. Hence bringing such strong and powerful messages that if someone where to read this I would hate in to be confused with reality for some. Provoking horrific memories from the past back I would be exceptionally concerned. For a person who has not dealt with their own experiences properly. I can not express how extremely powerful and emotionally charged this book is. After of 50yrs of reading I can honestly say. The author has gone to the edge of fictional to the boundaries of reality. As I stated at the beginning it’s the closest read to the actual real thing. It’s not just the closest it’s the fear written in the book is actually so much on the edge of reality I found myself thinking this is a factual book. Then I had to keep telling myself no it’s a fictional story not reality. However there’s such a fine line between the two. I have such a immense., respect to the author for bringing this subject so close to life. That crossing the line from fact to fictional storyline. Is such a touch of brilliance. He has surpassed any other author by far. By being as close to the actual truth I think without him realising how much brilliance and such a a piece of genius writing. What a great fantastic read above and beyond anything I have read in years. Probably more for the realism, he’s caught the true essence of a survivor and of a abuser like no one else ever has done both so well ever before. A pure pure brilliant thriller. This is really really one book no one can pass by. You really would be missing out on a brilliant almost realistic storyline ever.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a chance to review this book.

A brutal tale of abuse and survival, this is a tough book to read and might be hard for abuse survivors. A book about the bond of siblings, the failure of law enforcement and the importance of caring adults.

this book was good but i found it hard to read due to the sexual abuse factor and i so wanted to kill the dad Jim myself . It goes on a lot in real life too as some people show a different side to the outside than they do at home. Story was realistic