My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my copy of The Interview. This book was not what I expected and it took me a while to get really get into it as I found it slow moving and the style (a three way narrative) was taxing until I got a handle on Jenny, Niamh and Laura. Then I was totally engrossed in the shocking and chilling tale, fearful of what would be revealed next.
Gill Perdue writes with knowledge, empathy and subtle anger and the ending was perfect.

Two Garda colleagues in Dublin, Laura and Niamh, are on the case of a missing man, suspected of abuse. His wife and son are in hospital and the only possible witness is his stepdaughter Jenny. Jenny is traumatised by whatever happened and through the interviews conducted by Laura and Niamh her story and that of her interviewees evolves. Laura has a guilty secret which is tormenting her and her friend and colleague Niamh is covering for her though she has no knowledge of Laura’s past. The pace was a little slow and the middle of the story seemed to lose its way, there was no progress and I found I was speed reading to get to the nitty gritty. However, once there, the story gathered momentum and I was more than happy with its conclusion.

A gripping story with good, strong characters, but I found it quite hard to read, especially Jenny's narrative. I liked the different narrators, with their different voices.

This wasn't an easy book to read, very traumatic but with a strong need for justice. Well written book with a compelling narrative, warts and all. The conclusion was a bit muddled but the result was closure of a very sad story.

When 14 year old Jenny is found at the side of the road,she ends up on an adult psychiatric ward. The book centres around her interviews with the Garda's special interveiwers Niamh and Laura,who has issues of her own.

Jenny is outwardly traumatised but inwardly telling herself a story about her stepfather Stuart.

The Gardai want to know what happened to Stuart and Jenny's not telling..

Garda Detective Laura Shaw, a Specialist Victim Interviewer (SVI) based in Dublin, is interviewing Jennifer, a traumatised, amnesiac, fourteen-year-old, rape victim, found unconscious and hypothermic. Elsewhere in the area a crashed car containing her mother and younger brother, both unconscious and seriously injured is found. Her step-father, Stuart, is missing and it is possible that Jenny knows where he is and might have injured or killed him (he is a likely suspect for the rape. SVIs always operate in pairs, carefully unlocking the victim's memory without causing additional trauma or leading them. Laura’s partner is Niamh, and she is monitoring and taking notes while Laura carries out the interview. Unknown to everyone, Laura had been assaulted as a teenager but has totally supressed all negative thoughts and emotions about it for eighteen years. This has made her a very detached observer of life but a near paranoid wife and mother to her husband and their two-and-a-half-year-old daughter. As she struggles with the interview, pushing against the obduracy of Jenny without allowing her own experience to colour the outcomes, she starts to fall apart – associating herself with Jenny and her attacker with Jenny’s.
The story is told episodically, alternating between Laura and Jenny (with a few interventions from Niamh attempting to keep things on track). The story is largely told through the thoughts and reactions of both of them; Jenny inside a fairy story erected to preserve her mind from the traumatic events she has experienced and Laura trying to remain rational as her past merges with her present situation. The quality of the writing provides a very disquieting experience for the reader because it makes the interview scenes so believable, especially those seen from Jenny’s perspective. As a psychological thriller it is a resounding success; as a debut adult novel by the author, it is a tour de force.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

A very intriguing debut novel. I found it a bit slow going for the first few chapters but I'm glad I stuck.with it as it soon picked up the pace. A great insight into a trauma victims mind and a thriller I would recommend.

An exceptional debut novel. A slightly slow start but the author has a wonderful way with words and before long the tension is ratcheting up until it is hard to put the book down. The interviewing detective is almost as damaged as the 14 year old victim who has the answers but communicates by creating a sinister fairy tale - and time is running out for the victim. The psychology is fascinating and the detective is forced to take risks to get to the answers. I very much enjoyed it; a change from the usual psychological crime books and I will be recommending it.
Thanks to Penguin and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest opinion.

This book had me stumped. Sitting smug and thinking I had it all thought out, the author put me in my place. Finally we have a thriller that will keep you your toes. As with a number of authors I have been reading recently I cannot believe that this is the authors debut novel! I truly enjoyed myself and will be recommending it to anyone I see for the next few months.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This definitely exceeded my expectations.
It mingles some pretty raw storyline,with fairytale to the point I could never quite pin down what happened... just constantly guessing.
It was tense as I felt the clock ticking down to find the missing person and you had to wonder would we get there,as the only witness is a damaged 14 year old.... and at times the lead guard seemed even more damaged.
Tense,perfectly paced,and a book I didnt want to put down at all.

I believe its a debut.
Cracking one at that.

A strong debut.

Set in Ireland, we have some dark subject matter, with a story commencing with a 14 year old girl covered in blood and refusing to speak, and her missing stepfather.

A fascinating and compelling insight into the psychiatric profession and how they deal with trauma survivors.

An interesting angle having an interviewer who is struggling under the weight of her own undealt with psychological issues, and this case is triggering those.

I definitely look forward to more from this author.

This is a good, twisty thriller, with an original approach. The main characters, especially Niamh, are very likeable, and made the book more enjoyable with some light moments in a traumatic situation. There was a good twist at the end, and I liked the way the book was concluded.

This book was a bit hard to get into at first, but eventually, once I’d got into it, I found myself page turning and read it all in one sitting. The premise of the book is interesting and the characters are definitely intriguing, without giving too much away.

This was different. The Interview gives an insight into how to deal with trauma survivors while also solving what caused it. Well plotted and it gives the impression it was impeccably researched. Highly recommended.

A strong debut from Gill Perdue. I particularly admired the accuracy, and authenticity, with which she portrayed the effects of trauma. Young Jenny is a difficult witness, despite the special interview training of the officers. And what's going on with Detective Laura? Previously confident and competent, she is consumed by anxiety and the ghosts of the past. Can she use her personal experience to help Jenny provide the answers they so desperately need? There's a lot going on, which makes "The Interview" a gripping read. I also enjoyed the ways in which Perdue employed traditional Irish folklore to convey Jenny's dissociative coping technique.

This was such an interesting read that had me captivated the whole way through. It had such an intriguing storyline that was confusing and unpredictable but in a really good way. I couldnt put it down it was so gripping and had moments that were powerfully dark and disturbing and really showcased the inside of the mind of a victim and the psychology behind it. I loved it.

A mother and her son are badly injured, her husband is missing and the only person who knows what's happened is the 14 year old daughter, but she's not speaking. Laura and Niamh are specially trained police officers tasked with unlocking the truth of what's happened in this psychological thriller which also expose their own personal lives and insecurities.

This was a great concept crime mystery with traumatised fourteen year old Jenny being interviewed by specialist police officers Laura and Niamh. The story is based over the few days since Jenny was found in shock and covered in blood, her mum and brother had sustained serious injuries and her stepfather was missing, Laura and Niamh are tasked with finding out what has happened to her however this is impeded by Laura’s own mental health issues.

I really liked the concept and trying to make sense of Jenny’s confused thoughts was challenging but fascinating, because I have no idea of how these interviews typically go it was difficult for me to sometimes understand what Laura was doing wrong. For me this would have worked better without Laura’s issues thrown into the mix and focus more on Jenny’s story and the investigation but otherwise it was an intriguing mystery.

An amazing insight to the mind of a victim.
Was a powerful story
4****
If you get a chance please read

A dark and disturbing novel about a police psychologist conducting an interview, which I couldn't put down until I had finished it.

It gives a harrowing insight into the way a damaged child just might react, and is a lesson in why children should be nurtured and protected. Heart rending stuff.