My Mother's Eyes

By: Shanelle Dawson

Narrated by: Shanelle Dawson, Alley Pascoe

Length: 6 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

Imagine living with the knowledge that your father had murdered your mother and lied to you your whole life, telling you she left because she didn't love you anymore.

How could a father do this to his children? How could a husband do this to a woman he at one time loved?

When she was four years old, Shanelle Dawson's mother, Lynette, disappeared. On 8 January 1982, the woman who had been a loving, constant presence vanished without a trace. Four year old's might not be able to articulate questions or understand a lot, but the ache of absence is very real. Year after year that ache persisted.

Shanelle's father, Chris Dawson, claimed that his wife just needed to get away. This is what he told Lyn's parents and siblings. This is what he told his daughters. But Lyn never returned home. Her side of the bed was immediately filled by Shanelle's teenage babysitter, a former student of her father's.

After thirty-six years of her father's lies, a podcast called The Teacher's Pet investigated her mother's case. Sordid details about the father she loved became public. Whispers that he had murdered Lynette grew louder. The police refocused on the cold case. Then, Chris Dawson faced court. Forty years after she went missing, he was sentenced to twenty-four years in prison for the murder of Lynette.

Now, in this brave, emotionally powerful memoir, Shanelle reclaims her mother's story and finds a channel for her own voice. It is an unforgettable insight into the ripples of trauma and loss that family violence brings and shows how Shanelle found the strength to confront her father and can now create a new life after unimaginable deception.

This is Shanelle's story.

©2023 Shanelle Dawson (P)2023 Hachette Australia Pty Ltd

Excellent!!!

Blessings to you and your daughter and your family. You are quite an inspiration and I applaud you for your tenacity. Justice for Lynn Joy!

Beautiful follow up to an intriguing story

Like many, I discovered this story from the Teacher’s Pet podcast. It was both sad and comforting to hear Shanelle’s side of this story. I’m glad she felt she could finally share her thoughts and feelings. May she and the rest of Lynette’s family be able to move forward with joy and love in their lives.

Beautiful…

Such a poetic and gorgeous reflections on a difficult life. I was blown away by how lovely this book was, being such a difficult and tragic topic. Your mother would be so proud of you for telling your, and her, story.

Inspirational

Such a powerful demonstration of love and truth.. such terrible things must not happen ever again

Brave

It is not easy to share a certain kind of spiritual path through this world. Western culture has traditionally scoffed and belittled listening to dreams, looking for signs and revering nature. Thank you to the author for her bravery in sharing her journey through this honest lens. All the more so because of the alienation from supportive others that her father’s actions and lies have wrought.

It occurs to me from the outside how important it has been to bring the light of truth to this story and how harmful coexisting with a reality twisted around lies can be. I am so grateful that a semblance of clarity is being reached.

May the pearls of wisdom that this horror has brought, be a guiding light to this woman on her journey further.