Title: Three Rules
Author: Marie Drake
Genre: Fiction Suspense/Thriller/Psychological
Synopsis
Hope Wellman carries a childhood full of horrific memories, a bone chilling recurring nightmare, and a persistent paranoid sense of being followed that she would rather keep repressed. Is evil reaching from beyond the grave to capture the tattered remnants of her soul once and for all, is it only a machination of her disturbed mind, or is there something happening more sinister than even she can imagine?
Attending the funeral of her abuser is the first step in putting her life back together. She struggles with the fact she never told anyone what happened to her, and that the grave they are mourning over is empty. She'd find it a lot easier to move on and believe in the future if he were in the box, ready to be covered with dirt. She fears the last thread of her sanity has snapped when she sees Lucas everywhere she turns, and can't escape a recurring nightmare. Is her tormentor alive, or is she imagining it? Is her dream triggered by past fears or is it a prediction of the future?
Joey Bishop has loved Hope Wellman since they were children but Hope finds it difficult to love anyone else when she is less than fond of herself. Will Hope realize the depth of Joey's devotion and accept his love, or will her temporary feeling of relief be shattered by an even harsher reality and end her wishes for a better future?
What if the secret you believed was your most awful, shocking, and shameful wasn't truly the worst thing you kept locked deep inside your mind? What if you thought you'd survived the worst thing that could possibly happen to you... and you were wrong?
A Personal Note from Marie Drake
I am a survivor of abuse. It changed me. I closed myself off. It changed the way I saw myself. It changed the way I thought others saw me. It changed my outlook on the whole world. It changed the way I let people treat me, and had a snowball effect on my life. I married an abusive man. I divorced an abusive man. I finally broke the cycle.
Most of all, I wanted to express how important it is to encourage the discussion of abuse. In my book, as in my life, silence is the enemy.
Three Rules was written as fiction in order to make it an enjoyable read, but, much of the thought processes, feelings and reactions are real. However, there are no gory detailed scenes. It was written with sincere respect and sensitivity for the reader while trying to convey the honest and realistic feelings of an abuse survivor.
Excerpt: An Empty Grave
I want to spit on his grave, but I won't. That would cause the surrounding people to be offended and confused, all these people who didn't truly know him but honor him at this service. Holding my frame as stiff as a board beneath the dark, rumbling sky of churning clouds - the perfect weather to send him off - I twist my buttons, trying to make sure they all point in the same direction. It's a trivial thing to be focused on at a gravesite, but my obsessiveness won't allow me to stop until I fix them all.
I guess most people would be sad attending two family members' funerals so close together. I'm not. We buried Grandfather Leonard not long ago. I didn't cry. I didn't know him. I didn't know what I was missing by not knowing him. I don't have any grandparents on my mother's side either. I wasn't his real grandchild anyway - and he never fussed over his own children - so why would he fuss over their children? I'm wearing the same black dress. My black hat covers my long blonde hair, fashioned into a bun. A veil conceals my face. I'm not crying for the loss of this man either, but no one can tell. Another rumble of thunder sounds before lightning crackles and splits the clouds. It seems appropriate that the sky swell up and spit on him for me. The pearly gates will not open to welcome him. No, he will not spend a single moment of eternity in a peaceful state.
There is no open casket, no public viewing. The authorities recovered his boat with evidence of some blood, a few strands of hair, and empty alcohol bottles. It was a logical conclusion that he fell, bumped his head, and went into the water. They did not recover his body. Too bad, I may find some morbid sense of satisfaction seeing him laying there in a coffin dead.
This ceremony over an empty grave seems very strange. Among all these tearful people mourning and sharing embraces, I separate myself and look at them. I can see the fear in some of their faces. He died very young and they're afraid of death.
I scan the cemetery. So many headstones, so many graves, they all contain secrets - even the empty ones. I stand alone, twisting these buttons, counting the reasons I'm glad he's dead.
~~~~~~~~~~
I have learned three rules in my life: 1) The most dangerous people in the world are not always strangers. 2) The scariest things imaginable are not those that can kill you, but those you can live through. And probably the most prominent: 3) The most horrible possibility is not what could happen to you, but what you could become – I became a killer.
-Hope Wellman
My Review
Three Rules by Marie DrakeMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is one of the most powerfully emotional and genera encompassing books I have ever read!
It isn't a romance; but the unconditional love that Joey has for Hope inspired me to love more deeply.
It isn't a thriller; but the constant twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat from the very first page.
It isn't a psychological drama; but the mental and emotional impact of long term abuse are flawlessly integrated into Hope's psyche.
It isn't a suspense; but the burning need to know what was really happening, and how the story ended kept me awake long past my bedtime.
In the end, I was wrong on all previous accounts. Three Rules is a romance, a thriller and a drama. It is the story of one woman's will to survive and face her deepest fears in order to find the truth about herself.
It's a story that contains pain, suffering, heartache and betrayal. It made me gasp in horror, thirst for revenge, and cry both tears of sorrow and joy.
If you have never read a story about abuse; read this one. If you don't think it's your cup of tea, try it anyway. The writing is flawless, the character building is complex, and the emotions will leave you stunned.
Marie Drake has a gift for story-weaving that will touch you; and if you happen to have better luck categorizing this genera than I did, you are a better reader than I!
A copy of Three Rules was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
View all my reviews
Author Biography
I enjoy football and hockey seasons with my husband and sons - Giants, Seahawks, and Broncos fans in the house. BIG time Bruins fans. And we go Orange - SU basketball. While juggling all my boys' sporting events, academic, musical, and other extra curricular activities, and running a small home based business designing crochet afghan patterns, I try to squeeze in some time for writing each day. I am a crochet fanatic. I design my own patterns and enjoy crocheting for friends, family, and charity. I love to cook and bake, especially when making up a new recipe. I am addicted to the games Words With Friends and WordFeud.
I spend as much time reading as possible. Romance is probably my favorite genre, and I am especially inclined to read historical romances. But a suspense thriller is often in my hand as well.
I walk and read at the same time, in a controlled space of course; it keeps exercise from being boring. My favorite invention ever is the kindle.
I am passionate about writing. I write because I love it. I write because I have stories to tell. I write because seeing what is on my mind pouring out on "paper" feeds my soul. I write for me. I write because I love the way it makes me feel. I write poetry because I feel it in my heart. I do not write to become rich or famous. Let's face it, there are an abundance of talented writers out in the world who won't be famous, and will be crushed by it. Yes, I love for people to read what I write, and I also like getting feedback. I hope to contribute something readers can enjoy.
Thanks so much for participating in my event with your articulate and thoughtful review, Carly! And best wishes for your health and wellness.
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