Untouchable

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When reading this book, I began to understand the quote from the Shadow: "You know what evil lurks in the hearts of men." As the writer details the issue of foster child sexual abuse, I thought of how foster children have been invisible victims. This book had me weeping over these injustices. This is a must read for any adult interested in the causes of social justice, and any students of social work or child welfare. I recommend this NetGalley copy as my evaluation is this is a compelling 5 star work.

Untouchable will be a book that remains with me forever. Sibel Hodge is an author who is not afraid to write and expose difficult topics in her novels and this was no exception. I have NEVER read a book that made me so sad and angry at scenes of systematic child sexual abuse in my entire life, I kid you not. This book stirred up my emotions and whilst not an easy subject matter we all know it happens, it's real and it's common.

The book for the most part follows two storylines, outlining horrific times within a children's home where the strings are pulled by the most vile, sick and messed up individuals for a number of helpless young boys. The other storyline brings us into modern day where everything is not as it seems and a devastated woman is seeking answers to the death of the man she loves. Just what was it in his past that brought life to this place? She will NOT stop looking for answers. What she uncovers will blow you away.

I found this one of those novels that hooks you in from the start, then keeps upping the game as you read it until you are desperate for certain outcomes from the plot and characters. I warn you, this book is fairly descriptive and has very hard to read moments. I can't recommend it enough however, it's exceptional writing, the plot is truly engaging and the characters they type you will be forming "book" relationships with.

Once dark secrets are revealed more and more it really got me thinking as to how much the novel matches real life as I could see how a lot of the scenarios (terrifying I know!) could be in play in today's world. There is a dark side to a lot of people that seem normal. There is a terrible dark side to the internet. There is a war on crimes of this nature by the police, FBI and other organisations. There are real victims out there and real perpetrators. Some of the questions the book raised for me are important ones and I think the author did exceptional research for this book.

It's got all you want really in a page-turner and I know so many others will really rate this book highly as I have. Being my first book ever read by Sibel Hodge I can tell you it will NOT be my last. I am a fan. Totally hooked. I absolutely have the utmost respect for authors who don't pussyfoot around in their writing. Kudos to you Sibel!

I am not going to say much more as it's not a book to reveal plot on as it would spoil the whole journey. I loved it, it stirred me on so many levels and recommend it openly and gladly. 5 huge stars and long-listed for my Top Ten Books of 2016. If this is your thing, add this one to your must-get-no-matter-how list.

Untouchable by sebil hodge is a mystery and thriller read.

It's Maya and Jamie's anniversary, and she waits with excitement for him to return home for a celebratory dinner. There's a knock at the door. It's the police. Jamie has been found hanging in a local wood.

His death is ruled a suicide, but Maya doesn't believe Jamie would take his own life. Something isn't right. Someone has broken into her house. Someone is watching her. And someone has gone to great lengths to cover up what Jamie was doing before he died.

Maya's grief turns to suspicion, and as she begins to investigate the weeks leading up to Jamie's death, her trail leads her to a place known as "The Big House" and the horrific secrets within. Secrets people will stop at nothing to keep hidden. People linked to the heart of the Establishment who think they're untouchable.

Now Maya has a dangerous decision to make. How far is she prepared to go to reveal the truth?

Absolutely fantastic read.
I loved the story and the characters.
Maya was my favourite character.
What a read.
Devoured in less than 24 hours.
Had me gripped from start to finish.
Couldn't put it down until I knew what happened to Jamie.
5* from me.
Thanks to netgalley for the arc.

Most of this story is split between two narrators. Maya and her fianceé, Jamie.

As the synopsis says, he dies very early in the book. So how is he half the narrative? His parts are written by his younger self when he was in the orphanage.

Thus the mystery starts to come clear from both ends of the timeline.

To be very honest, I didn't find anything terribly original that set this out from the many books about extreme child abuse.

Then I read the afterword. Turns out that story is heavily inspired and borrows from real scandals. Being American, I was unaware of them but in essence this book is like an episode of Law & Order: SVU, ripped from the headlines.

It is a full and well told story. The author made some interesting choices that did break from the normal trends in this kind of story. I always enjoy when this happens.

It wasn't a hit out of the park for me but definitely a satisfying psychological horror thriller.

Thank you to the publisher for the free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Sometimes you know a book is for you from the very first page and for me, this was one of those books.
A real page turner, I found hard it to put down and was reading any spare moment I had which given the darkness of the subject matter, is thanks to the fantastic writing.
A dark disturbing psychological thriller, Untouchable is a powerful and compelling story. brilliantly written by Sibel Hodge. The phrase 'page turner' has become overused in book reviews but it certainly applies in this case. Highly Recommended.
Thank you.

This book has all the makings of greatness: it has likeable characters, it's well written, nerve-racking, and makes you think. Oh, does it make you think. The subject matter is heavy. I very rarely read more than one book at a time but I took a break in the middle of this one to read something lighter. There were no doubts I'd come back to it, I just needed a breather. Gritty and disturbing but not one to miss.
Maya is happy. She's moved in with her boyfriend and it's their anniversary. When he leaves for work in the morning, he promises her she's going to have a great night when he gets back and that he has a surprise for her. Hopeful that he will propose, Maya dresses carefully and has dinner waiting for his return. He never comes home. He's found dead from an apparent suicide. All her hopes and dreams for the future come crashing down. Wasn't he happy? Shouldn't she have known? These thoughts torture her and she needs answers. The book goes back and forth from Mayas perspective to Jamie's before his death. What was ruled as a suicide may be in fact part of a massive cover-up having to do with the abuse Jamie suffered from during his childhood. Terrible things he told Maya nothing about and things powerful people are willing to kill to keep hidden.

Why did Jamie hang himself when he was happy? That's what Maya his girlfriend wants to know and will do anything to find out. This is a very intriguing story about the life Jamie had before meeting Maya and how it leads to his death. Very suspenseful and a great page turner. Recommend!!

Harrowing subject matter brilliantly and sensitively written. The pace of this book makes it difficult to put down.

Having read and loved several books by Sibel Hodge, I was so excited to get my hands on Untouchable and what a brilliant read. I thought this book was the best so far and that is saying something.

Corruption galore, secrets, lies, a subject matter of the most horrific kind, that made me cry and want to punish several of the evil characters.

Untouchable is a fact paced, page turning psychological thriller that I can’t recommend highly enough.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Wonder Women Publishing LTD for this great ARC.

Disturbing and graphic, this is an intense and compelling psychological thriller that had me totally gripped. Recommended.

Really loved this book . Enjoyed the twists and turns . Loved the ending.

This book runs the gamut of all emotions, I was sad, upset, disturbed, frightened for the character - the list is endless! I just could not stop reading this and read it in one sitting. LIterally un-putdownable!

Untouchable

Can I just say WOW!!! Hang on, I need to say it again, WOW!!

This is one of the best psychological thrillers I've ever read. It's dark, gritty and disturbing, and definitely not for the faint hearted. The subject matter is a highly sensitive and taboo one but one that needs bringing out in the open and uncovering.

If I could give this book more than 5* then I would, it's amazing! Very highly recommended!

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A special thank you to Wonder Women Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Talented author, Sibel Hodge returns following the suspenseful Where the Memories Lie (2015), with the highly-charged, psychological thriller, UNTOUCHABLE . A highly emotional book of child abuse, murder, torture, and rape. The hi-profile, officials, influential men- the rich and powerful misuse their authority in unspeakable ways. The sadistic. A child abuse ring.

Well-researched, inspired by true allegations involving deep-rooted historical, institutional, and international child abuse allegations, including murder and pedophiles.

The Big House “There is something so very dreadful, so satanic in tormenting those who have never harmed us, and who cannot defend themselves, who are utterly in our power, who have weapons neither of offense nor defense, that none but very hardened persons can endure the thought of it.”— Cardinal John Henry Newman

Compelling, dark, and chilling.

Maya and boyfriend Jamie are approaching their second anniversary. Jamie does not show. They had been looking forward to a pleasant evening to celebrate. Instead, Maya is greeted by the police, delivering the devastating news. He has hanged himself in the nearby woods near Tyttenhanger.

How? Why? Maya is shocked, full of horror since he is not the type to commit suicide. After all, they had just discussed their evening plans that morning. Surely someone has made a mistake. Did someone steal his wallet?

His parents had died years ago and he had no family. Had she missed the signs? She was looking forward to an anniversary surprise. She knows he loved her. Now he is dead.

The author takes us back to Jamie. The real story. Not the childhood he had made up. The lying. The relationships. His mistrust. Hard to handle emotions. Damaged. He craved love and closeness, but pushed it away, never staying with a woman more than a few months. He was a loner. He did not need anyone. Or so he thought until Maya came into his life.

With her the attraction was instant. She was so full of life. Energetic, bubbly. She brought him back to life again. He fell in love. He wanted to confide in her but he couldn’t handle the thought she would leave him. He had imagined her looking at him with disgust and revulsion and he knew he could never tell her.

He thought he was safe from the past. Safe with his new life with Maya. His job. His home. However, he was invaded and he was no longer safe.

He saw it on the news. The memories had hit like the powerful force. Now a children’s minister, in charge of protecting the vulnerable and innocent, keeping them safe, looking after their welfare. Nothing was more abhorrent or unjust. The evil excuse for a man. He prayed on the weak. A Member of Parliament.

The dark memories of a terrified boy. He could not stay silent any longer. He would record everything to get it straight in his head. He was now a man who had fought to survive. He was going to finally tell his story.

From Maya's investigation into the death of Jamie. To make sense of everything that has happened to the man she loved. Something wasn’t right. Maya was determined to find out what it was that led Jamie to his death.

The life of Jamie is slowly unraveled from six years old, a family gone. A Children’s Home, social workers. Alone and scared, grieving. Neglected, forgotten children. He could not trust anyone. He was trapped, and no one to talk to or nowhere to run.

His life was a prison. The only thing he had done wrong was to be born. Control, evil. No one would stop them. They were untouchable. The degrading acts. The screams unheard. Drugs, rape, abuse. The killing. The parties. Torture. Authorities. No one could be trusted. Political power.

Maya finds a list of names. What did it all mean? He did not love her enough to stay? What was he mixed up in and what secrets had he been hiding?

Her suspicion grows and her personal investigation leads her to a children’s home called “The Big House” where child sex abuse is commonplace. Maya wants to reveal the truth, but the people involved want to keep it a secret. She had recalled this name and his horrible dreams.

Whatever Jamie had been doing before he died had got him killed. Murdered. Why a murder made to look like a suicide? The same kind of person who would make a child disappear. A diary.

Someone had a very important secret to hide. Whatever secret Jamie had been hiding would be buried with him, unless she can figure it out. A letter from Mitchell, a name she had not heard from Jamie. Can she open this can of worms? She could be putting herself in danger.

Who had gone great lengths to kill Jamie and cover up things James could expose. Jamie had lied about his past. He had hidden the truth because he could not bear to speak of it.

She would have loved him anyway, despite it all. She was angry. People had stolen Jamie’s childhood and his life to shut him up. His death could not: "be for nothing". She had to expose them. Justice. Revenge. (Loved her tenacity)!

"My silence is not weakness but the beginning of my revenge." - Author Unknown

From the physical and mental effects on survivors, the quashed investigations, inquiries, cover-ups, and lack of prosecutions, insanely light sentencing, and a low number of convictions for offenders – mind-blowing devastating, and heartbreaking. The truth is revealed. The author exposes all the dirty evil.

I love Whistle-blower stories! Something thrilling about uncovering corruption of any kind.

Hodge raises awareness of child abuse, by putting it out there versus staying silent, “making child abuse taboo takes the power away from survivors and gives it to the perpetrators.” Silence and denial make the vulnerable even more voiceless.

She is not afraid to tackle difficult subjects which need to be addressed and brought front and center. With a blending of fact and fiction, a chilling psychological suspense thriller of secrets and abuse. An amazing storyteller!

Be sure and add Sibel's upcoming book, Duplicity, coming Dec. 27, 2016. Definitely on my list!

JDCMustReadBooks

Sibel Hodge is an outstanding author. Untouchable is an outstanding book. A powerful book.

In her note at the end of Untouchable, Sibel Hodge writes <I>'Untouchable was a very difficult book to write.'</I> I would image that to be so. For it is not an easy read either. It is disturbing, sickening. It is graphic in it's descriptions of the atrocities performed upon these children.

Hodge has written from her heart; her intention to <I>'raise awareness, because making child abuse taboo takes the power away from survivors and gives it to the perpetrators. Silence and denial makes the vulnerable even more voiceless.'<I> is well achieved. She dedicates this book to survivors everywhere.

<i>'A Conspiracy. A cover-up. And a whistle-blower who knows too much. You think you know who to trust? You're wrong. And the truth may kill you...Untouchable is a chillingly dark psychological thriller inspired by real UK police investigations.

This book contains scenes which some readers may find disturbing.'</I>

Thank you Sibel Hodge for having the courage and the stamina to write this book, which I unreservedly recommend to everyone. If we don't know, we can't stop these atrocities.

Thank you to Netgalley and WonderWoman Publishing for providing a digital ARC for review.

All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Thanks for the privilege of having read this absolutely brilliant book. From the start of the book I was hooked and I literally could not put it down. Please do yourself the favor of reading this!