4 out of 4 stars
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Death Grip is a gripping psychological thriller and the debut novel by prize-winning screenwriter Tracy Sherwood. A tragic event makes it difficult for war heroine Kat Hartley to readjust to a normal life as a loving wife and caring mother. Her oldest daughter Alison hates her. Her husband Ben secretly nurtures hopes for a regular wife. But awful nightmares, blazoned hallucinations, and a terrible secret may disrupt her only course towards psychological freedom and normalcy.
When reliving an attack by an enemy insurgent causes her to put a knife to her own daughter's throat, her husband sees no other alternative but to take the kids and leave. That same night, she almost dies; her husband saves her when he returns to the house. Following the advice of a hospital psychiatrist, Ben attempts to help Kat help herself. Either she agrees to seek help, or she must risk losing her family forever. She was there when her sister's husband Sammy died in a Humvee engulfed by flames. It is he who holds her in a death grip; him and the dreaded secret that they had been lovers.
The author wrote this novel while keeping in mind all military women upon their return home and their bouts with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. She does a wonderful job at portraying an army mom who tries her best to do things normal moms do; watching their children's games, taking them to school, shopping, etc. I loved how the author made simple things in life yank Kat right out of her reality and pull her back into the war. Something as simple as a tire bursting can make her duck down and lose all sense of where she actually is.
Each character plays a necessary role in the overall storyline. Even a Vietnam veteran Kat only meets for a few seconds, assuring her that she will get used to everyday life. The death of her sister's husband seems to have a different, but equally life-altering effect on all the key players. Her sister Mia blames Kat for her husband's death. Mia's son Gunnar completely stops speaking. Though I think the novel could've been fleshed out a little more, the story reads beautifully just the way it is. The short and tightness of this novel works like a charm.
Readers with military backgrounds will connect with this novel pretty well. But the author intended this novel for anyone who has ever suffered a trauma they're struggling to overcome. Considering this, I believe anyone can take something away from it. It kept me hooked from the start with unpredictable characters and unforseen developments that will leave readers stunned. My rating is 4 out of 4.
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Death Grip
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