Blind Side by Jennie Ensor

Another book I enjoyed in my pre blog days that I wanted to share with you.

The Blurb:

Can you ever truly know someone? And what if you suspect the unthinkable?

London, 2005. Georgie is attracted to Nikolai, a volatile ex-soldier she meets in a pub. Despite her friend Julian's warnings, she’s tempted to risk everything. Then she begins to suspect that the Russian is hiding something terrible from her...

BLIND SIDE explores love and friendship, guilt and betrayal, secrets and sexual obsession. A shiver-inducing psychological mystery for fans of quality psychological suspense such as Louise Doughty's Apple Tree Yard.

My Review:

This isn't a book that I would necessarily normally have read, but I was taken by the blurb, and am really glad I was, as I really enjoyed the story. It tells the story of Georgie, her best friend Julian and Nikolai, a Russian man she meets and falls for. There is a cast of supporting characters, including Georgie's dad. The three main players are all well described, particularly Nikolai who is really interesting. I think I'm a little bit in love with him!

The book plays on our fears of terrorism and radicalisation. The author has clearly researched the Russia/Chechnya situation, and also describes PTSD well. The story didn't go the way I thought it would, which is always good, and I was particularly pleased on this occasion! The book also deals with obsession, and that character's journey is really interesting. Really enjoyed this book (although I would have liked a wee update a year or two down the line!). And would recommend to anyone who enjoys a good story with strong characters and interesting relationships.

Blind Side is available to buy from Amazon UK and US.

The Author:

A Londoner with Irish heritage, Jennie Ensor began her writing career as a journalist, obtaining a Masters in Journalism (winning two awards) and covering topics from forced marriages to accidents in the mining industry. She isn’t afraid to tackle controversial issues in her novels, either: Islamic terrorism, Russian gangsters and war crimes in her debut Blind Side, a psychological mystery; child abuse and sexual exploitation in her domestic noir The Girl in His Eyes, which will be published by Bloodhound Books on 18th September 2018.

Jennie Ensor’s poetry has appeared in many literary publications, most recently Ink Sweat and Tears. Jennie briefly considered doing research into plasma physics while studying astrophysics at uni. In her spare time, she sings in a chamber choir and dreams of setting off on a long trip with her Kindle.

 You can visit Jennie's website here.