Naomi Hannah has been blind since birth, living her life in darkness. Trapped in her claustrophobic hometown, she’s finally reached her breaking point.
But everything changes when she stumbles across the body of a young woman who has been brutally murdered. Not only that, but Naomi senses she isn’t alone at the scene… Someone is there with her. The killer is watching.
Naomi may not be able to see their face, but she is the only person who can identify them.
As the police begin their hunt and more victims are discovered, Naomi is forced to answer the question on which her fate hangs: why did the killer let her live?
And in a town this small, the murderer may still be close. Perhaps even before her very eyes...
It's my pleasure to be sharing my review of Before Her Eyes for the Compulsive Readers Jack Jordan blogathon today. Many thanks to Tracy Fenton for inviting me and to Simon & Schuster for my digital copy of the novel.
Having read a few of Jack Jordan's books now, I found Before Her Eyes to be a different read than I'd expected. It is, of course, a twisty domestic thriller but there is also a well-crafted police procedural aspect to this novel. Meanwhile, the main character, Naomi Hannah's blindness makes her a unique protagonist. I don't feel qualified to comment on how accurate the portrayal of a blind person is here and so my review is based on its success as a gripping mystery alone and it certainly hits the mark on that score.
When we first meet Naomi, she is in a low place emotionally and is ready to end it all. Having been affected by suicide loss myself, it's always a challenging subject to read about and I must admit to having a few early misgivings regarding having a blind character feeling their life was worthless. However, as the novel progresses and we learn more about Naomi, it becomes clear that her past also lies behind her unhappiness. Having made the decision to kill herself, Naomi believes she has found a sense of peace but following a frightening experience at work, she is thrust into a nightmare when she stumbles across a murder scene and a direct encounter with the killer.
The town has already been rocked by the brutal murder of Cassie Jennings, who like this new victim, was slain in a dark alley. However, the dark history of the Balkerne Place goes back even further, to the mystery of Hayley Miller, a beautiful teenager who went missing twenty years ago and has never been found. Rumours of police corruption and incompetence still haunt the town and the pressure is on to find the killer. Jack Jordan writes standalone mysteries but should he ever fancy writing a series, he has an excellent lead character already, in the form of Detective Sergeant Marcus Campbell. I really liked Marcus who only joined the force in Balkerne Heights two months earlier. Several chapters follow his perspective and his concern for Naomi and his forthright principles – he firmly believes in following every lead to determine the truth – is evident throughout. However, he is warned off digging into the past by Detective Inspector Lisa Elliott who is the sort of character readers will love to hate. She is scathingly rude and frustratingly stubborn and the clashes between her and Marcus adds more drama to the tense plot.
Marcus is concerned for Naomi's welfare and becomes increasingly convinced this new spate of murders must be linked to Hayley's disappearance; it's not difficult to understand why considering the convoluted relationships between many of the involved parties and the secrets they are keeping. Jealousy, guilt and obsession lie at the heart of the terrible crimes committed here as the killer continues to terrify poor Naomi while sparing her the violent fate of his other victims. She is driven to the depths of despair in some of the darkest, most harrowing scenes in Before Her Eyes.
Although Marcus isn't subjected to the same dangerous ordeals, his disillusionment grows as he is forced to risk his career in the pursuit of the truth. The weight of expectation and the loneliness they both feel – he as an outsider and she due to her blindness ensures the sense of claustrophobia becomes almost palpable. I was kept guessing throughout as this compelling mystery reached its dramatic climax and the shocks just kept coming! Before Her Eyes strikes a fine balance between being a poignant, perceptive character study and a nerve-shredding suspense thriller, with some twists that made me gasp out loud. Highly recommended.
Before Her Eyes will be re-published with a new cover by Simon & Schuster in eBook on 4th December 2025 and in paperback on Februrary 26th 2026. Purchasing links can be found here.
Check out more blogathon posts, see below for details.
About the Author
Jack Jordan is the global number one bestselling author of Anything for Her (2015), My Girl (2016), A Woman Scorned (2018), Before Her Eyes (2018) and Night by Night (2019). His thriller, Do No Harm, was an instant Times bestseller and shortlisted for the Most Recommended Book in the DeadGood Reader Awards. Coined the thriller of the summer for 2022, it was described as “relentlessly tense” by Sunday Times Bestseller Lesley Kara, and “Chilling and perfectly paced” by New York Times Bestseller Sarah Pearse. The idea for Do No Harm came to Jack after undergoing a minor medical procedure where he had to be sedated and trust strangers with his welfare. After the anaesthesia wore off, Jack began scribbling his notes, wondering to himself just how iron-clad a surgeon’s oath is, and what it would take to break it…
Conviction, was published in June 2023 and featured in Cosmopolitan’s ‘best new books out in June’ round-up, it was also chosen as one of the June featured books by Magic Radio’s Book Club and the audiobook was selected for Fingerprint Award at Capital Crime 2024.
His most recent book, Redemption was published in June 2024.
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