Beyond Fear (47 page)

Beyond Fear
wouldn’t have been finished without the determined support of my sister Nikki. A thousand thankyous for the well-timed text messages, the coffee consults and her insistence that being tied to a computer was a worthy way to spend my time.

A huge thankyou goes to the Turramurra Women’s Fiction Critique Group: Isolde Martyn, Christine Stinson, Kandy Shepherd, Elizabeth Lhuede, Simone Camilleri, Carla Molino, Melinda Seed and Caroll Casey. Their enthusiasm, professionalism, friendship and just straight-out talent has inspired me, advised me and kept the dream alive. A special mention to Chris and Michael, and Isolde and John for giving me a place to lay my head every month.

To Romance Writers of Australia, for providing the opportunity to pitch this story to Clare Forster at the 2009 conference.

To Sam Findley, APM, retired superintendent of police, for sharing his knowledge of police operations, police officers and his own experiences – it was invaluable. The gun talk was cool, too. Thanks also to Les Chanter for his military knowledge and contacts.

For their encouragement, reading and advice over the ten years it’s taken to get a book on the shelves, many thanks to: Mum and Les, Dad and Carol, Cath and Grant Every-Burns, Fiona Honson, Tracy Hewson, Vanessa Barnveld, Kay Patterson, Bill Mackarell and Joan and Brian Hankinson.

My biggest and most heartfelt thanks goes to my fabulous family: my husband Paul for the walking and talking and his consummate skill in fight choreography, my son Mark for the brainstorming and logistics sessions and my daughter Claire for her powers of insight and listening skills. Thank you most of all for letting me follow my dream.

Jaye Ford is a former journalist, who worked in print, radio and television for twelve years. She was Australia’s first female presenter of a national sports show, hosting
Sport Report
on SBS in 1988–89. Later, she fronted evening news on regional television and ran her own public relations business. She has written two gripping psychological suspense novels,
Beyond Fear
and
Scared Yet?
. She lives in Lake Macquarie in the NSW Hunter Valley.

www.jayefordauthor.com

Praise for Jaye Ford and BEYOND FEAR

‘This heart-stopping novel is a must-read for its sheer suspense’
Woman’s Day

‘
Beyond Fear
is so deliciously scary, it’s hard to believe this psychological thriller is a debut novel’
Sisters in Crime

‘I loved this book for many reasons, most of all because it is essentially a simple mystery tale. If you’re a fan of good crime and mysteries I have no doubt you will love this book too’
Good Reads

‘A gripping psychological thriller inspired by real events is the adrenaline-pumping debut novel by Jaye Ford’
Maitland Mercury

‘This taut suspense thriller will have you guessing till the end’
Famous

‘There are elements of Salander in Jodie Cramer, the central character in
Beyond Fear
. . . While the action in the barn between the men and the captive women is nail-biting, the psychological action in Jodie’s mind equally compels . . . She’s a heroine to cheer on’
Sunday Telegraph

‘Full of suspense and startling storytelling . . . Compelling’
Weekend Gold Coast Bulletin

‘A novel with lashings of suspense and a no-nonsense take-charge female heroine . . . A must-read for thriller fans,
Beyond Fear
has plenty of suspense, atmosphere and an excellent mix of action and psychological tension’
The Nile
(online retailer)

‘An entertaining, tension-packed example of the woman-in-jeopardy novel’
Canberra Times

‘In parts I was terrified to continue reading but had to keep turning the pages anyway. I look forward to reading more from this talented new author’
needtoreadthis.com

‘Racing through Jaye Ford’s gripping psychological thriller is like watching a horror film unfold, as one dramatic turn of events moves rapidly into the next . . . This is a creepy debut that is also written well, a book where dread at the central characters’ dire predicament is enhanced and balanced by a genuine concern for them’
Kalgoorlie Miner

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted by any person or entity, including internet search engines or retailers, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including printing, photocopying (except under the statutory exceptions provisions of the Australian
Copyright Act 1968
), recording, scanning or by any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written permission of Random House Australia. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

Version 1.0

Beyond Fear

First published by Random House Australia 2011

Copyright © Jaye Ford

The moral right of the author has been asserted.

A Bantam book

Published by Random House Australia Pty Ltd

Level 3, 100 Pacific Highway, North Sydney NSW, 2060

www.randomhouse.com.au

Addresses for companies within the Random House Group can be found at
www.randomhouse.com.au/offices

First published by Bantam in 2011

National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry

Ford, Jaye.

Beyond fear [electronic resource] / Jaye Ford.

978 186471 198 1 (eBook)

A823.4

Cover photographs by iStockphoto (woman’s face) and Dreamstime (girl in red jacket and window)

Cover design by Leanne Beattie

Author photograph by AJM Photography

Typeset and eBook production by
Midland Typesetters
, Australia

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