Expert Witness - J Richardson

Cathy thought she had met the perfect man when she was introduced to Jay, a talented and respected local rock climber. But while everyone around her would have given anything to spend even a few minutes alone with him, Cathy had no idea of Jay's fame when the two struck up a relationship. Maybe that's what interested him the most; here was finally someone he could bond with and connect to that wasn't concerned with his status or too involved with the athletic culture. But while the two instantly hit it off - with Cathy becoming the object of envy for many women in the process - it doesn't take long for the initial honeymoon period to end. Like all relationships, things Cathy once adored about her new partner begin to turn sour, as his once romantic dominance and assertiveness quickly transforms into something much more hostile. As the two become entrenched in their relationship Jay's once-charming persona changes into one of pure aggression and anger, as his increasing manipulation and physical threats leave Cathy trapped, a hostage in her own life. The beginning of Cathy's story, Expert Witness chronicles the formation and solidification of abuse that insidiously creeps its way into the lives of couples that would otherwise be considered perfectly normal to any onlookers. But as Jay's behaviour becomes more and more extreme and Cathy realises that it's not only her life that's at stake, the oppressive situation starts to spiral out of control. Presenting the haunting reality of abuse that goes on behind the closed doors of thousands upon thousands of families worldwide, the first Volume of Expert Witness offers a strikingly frank exploration into the life-changing consequences of domestic abuse.