The Man Behind Closed Doors

The Other Side of Domestic Bliss

By: Maria Frankland

Narrated by: Beruce Khan

Length: 10 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's Summary

What could be so bad that a six-year-old stops talking?

Domestic violence isn't only perpetrated by men. Ask Paul Jackson who is on remand, accused of stabbing his wife, Michelle. As he reveals his reality behind their troubled marriage, it seems that only his six-year-old knows what really happened. But she's trapped in her own world of silence.

©2020 Maria Frankland (P)2020 Maria Frankland

Diatribe Ahead

I'm required by law to state that I received a free copy of this audio book in exchange for my unbiased review.

And my unbiased opinion is that this book had so much potential and didn't act on any of it.

I tried so hard not to write any spoilers, but...well...spoilers ahead. Consider yourselves warned.

I think it covers an important topic -- the topic of female perpetrated spousal abuse is an issue that doesn't get discussed very often. Perhaps if a man had actually written the book, it would have made a difference? Who knows? I was kind of invested in the story until the end. I feel like justice would have been better served if we didn't suffer through 10 hours of court hearings and flashbacks in order to prove the main guy's innocence only to find out that he did it afterall. Oops. Sorry. The story had a lot of weight about how because this character is a man no one takes him seriously and he is immediately blamed for killing his wife just because he's a man and women aren't usually the aggressors in domestically violent relationships, and the message that the system needs to change with regards to this topic is very powerful. But then the author killed it by making the battered husband the killer afterall. It smacks us in the face like the main guy's wife hitting him with her handbag. It couldn't have been either of the clearly psychotic people in the story. It had to be the battered husband. Really? Come on! The whole plot point about his daughter being the only witness gets lost in the mire of court testimonies and supposed twistiness. So much potential. So disappointed.

Excellent story!

This is a look inside the mind of a man being abused by his wife. Very interesting tale.

A great story with mental health stigmatisation

*I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.*

Paul lived for many years in what you could call a troubled marriage. One day, his wife is found stabbed while the family was on holidays and he is accused of having perpetrated the act. He denies having done so at all times, and his daughter, a 6-year-old child, possibly the only witness, hasn't spoken a word since it happened.

I needed to know what would happen next and loved the plot twist this psychological thriller had.

The plot was interesting and engaging, the writing style did a great job for the genre and helped the listening experience enjoyable.

Regarding the characters, Paul and Alina's were spot on. However, I believe Michelle Jackson's mental disorder is featured quite differently from the way it really is. While Alina seems to suffer from a psychopathic personality disorder, Michelle, as I see it, is meant to be Borderline. Well, aside from being a psychologist, I suffer from BPD and this disorder is not as the book reflects. Our motives are not manipulative, we are not narcissists. I believe there's a confusion among these from the book, which actually made me feel uncomfortable and stigmatised on a few passages.

This would have been a 4.5 otherwise because I loved the rest of the features.

Beruce Khan did a pretty good job with the voices and intentions, allthough I believe there was something missing at times.

A good suspenseful read

I was given a free code for this book by the author. An unexpected twist at the end. I didn’t see that coming. It was a good read, kept me guessing. Beruce Khan was great narrating this novel. I love when a reader narrates the book not straight read it. I like when they put voices to the characters. Reading this book led me to ponder how many men out there are facing domestic violence and afraid to talk about it. Regardless men or women, nobody should stay in a abusive relationship. If you like suspense I recommend for you to check this book out. You will not be disappointed. It’s a fast paced read. I will definitely read other novels by Maria Frankland.

Intense

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

This was an amazing book. I wasn't too fond of the narrator at first but eventually got used to him at around chapter 7 or so. This is a book filled with twists and turns with a shocker ending which had me floored. It's a frustratingly sad tale of depression, codependency and abuse. The characters were well created and I felt so much for them. It's a must read!

A different point of view.

I always enjoy stories that use real life situations that a lot of people can’t or won’t acknowledge. This was a great picture of domestic violence from a man’s points of view.


"I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review."

Phenomenal!

Loved this book! It was so great to read another perspective on domestic abuse and this was superbly done. It had a nice twist at the end. I felt like I was listening to a true story. The narration was great and the storyline flowed along flawlessly. Very impressed.

Very British

This very British novel could be categorized in part as psychological suspense, part as legal suspense and all about human relations. I'm not at all familiar with the British legal system and was surprised by a few things in this story, such as the lack of prohibition against double jeopardy and their seemingly shorter prison sentences. I was also disappointed by the ending, but despite all that, or maybe because of the "Britishness" of the story, I found it engaging and worth the listen. And Beruce Khan's competent narration gave the story authenticity.

Note: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Excellent book

I really enjoyed this book. Although not a lot of action it kept your attention and a twist at the end which was good

Gripped from the first few minutes

Brilliant narration and a fast paced, absorbing story. Food for thought as well as a roller-coaster of a listen

What a fabulous book!

This book was AMAZING!. I seriously could not stop listening to it. So well written and unusual to hear about domestic abuse in reverse, what an eye opener and a twist at the end... Loved it

Great book excellent narrator.

A gripping story taking on a difficult subject was brought to life by the narrator Beruce Khan. Loved it.

Interesting story

This is a very interesting story and I was gripped listening to it as wanted to find out what happened next. The narration was very good and fitted in with the narrative.
I felt that the author explained the different perspectives.

I am looking forward to reading/listening to other books by this author but I am also going to investigate the narrator as it was such a good choice.

I was given a free copy by the author in exchange for an honest review which I have done.

Brilliant listen

I have listened to audio for years, this challenged so many issues in a different way, and highlighted what happens to men in the same same way as women but they don’t speak up! It was a written in a cleaver non preachy tone that told a deep story that remains hidden in people’s lives. There are twists and perspectives being challenged throughout. I highly recommend this book . ❤️

Excellent

Really loved the story. But the voices where sometimes confusing as there wasn’t much difference in the men’s voice to women’s voice. There was also an eco sounds on some of the story but overall very enjoyable
Cannot find out if it fact or fiction

the main behind Closed doors

absolutely brilliant I absolutely loved first class in every way, wow just wow I do however think that there is a big difference between men and women in these situations and the law needs to change because this is real and men are being abused and its not fair why should it be any different

5 stars

Wow loved this book great story and great narrator highly recommend.an unusual story of abuse

Highly recommend

I was really struggling for motivation for running when I was gifted this audio book and this could not have come at a better time.

The suspense, uncertainty and anticipation of the plot had me gripped and keen to actually run for longer than ever so I didn't have to stop listening (a big testament to the book). A really great book and I highly recommend. I felt the northern accent of the narrator added to the authenticity of the story too.

I've downloaded 'The Last Cuckoo' by the same author immediately after I'd finished this.