Two Years After

by Paul J. Teague

A shattered life. A tortured mind. A return to work that becomes a living hell ...

When Rosie Taylor returns to work after a long recovery from a tragic accident, she can't believe how much things have changed for the worst.

Not only is there a new HR guy in charge, everybody's fighting to keep their job and there are some new recruits with very unusual habits.

Rosie needs this job.

Social services are threatening to take her child, she's struggling to recover from mental illness and if she doesn't bring some money in fast, she'll lose the house.

But somebody at work has got it in for her and she's struggling to hang on to what's left of her shattered life.

Two Years After is an unsettling psychological thriller which will have you looking over your shoulder next time you go to work.

185 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 21, 2019

About the author

Hi, I'm Paul Teague (writing as Paul J. Teague), the author of the Don't Tell Meg trilogy, the Morecambe Bay series of books as well as several other standalone psychological thrillers such as Dead of Night, So Many Lies and Now You See Her.

I'm a former broadcaster and journalist with the BBC, but I have also worked as a primary school teacher, a disc jockey, a shopkeeper, a waiter and a sales rep.

I've read thrillers all my life, starting with Enid Blyton's Famous Five series, then graduating to James Hadley Chase, Harlan Coben, Linwood Barclay and Mark Edwards.

If you love those authors then you’ll like my thrillers too.

I started off writing thrillers with the Don’t Tell Meg Trilogy which draws upon my 18 year career in radio journalism.

It’s fast-moving, high action and a bit racy in places, but it was great fun writing the story and I hope to re-visit the characters one day.

My standalones are ‘can’t-put-down’ stories where normal people find themselves in extradordinary situations.

I also write sci-fi and dystopian novels as Paul Teague and these stories are set in dark and sinister future-worlds.

I have written The Secret Bunker Trilogy, The Grid Trilogy and the stanadlone story, Phase 6.

You can find out more about my books at: https://paulteague.net/

Reviews

[Philomena Callan Cheekypee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a new author to me and it’s a great read.

From the blurb I knew life wasn’t gonna be easy for Rosie but that was an understatement. Being forced back to work is the last thing Rosie wants to do but she must. Work isn’t what it was before she left and Rosies life gets a whole lot worse.

I read this pretty quickly as I needed to know what was gonna happen next.

Although this isn’t a really long read it’s a brilliant read. I can’t wait to read more from this author in the future.

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two Years After is the latest standalone psychological thriller from writer Mr Teague and despite it being a mere 185 pages the story, or novella, packs a powerful punch. Having enjoyed his captivating writing in Left for Dead in November, 2019, I was eager to try his other books, and although if I'm honest it failed to grip me quite as easily I still thought it was a solid, entertaining and tense read. One of the aspects which stood out the most to me was a chilling, creepy and deeply unsettling undertone that ripples throughout the entirety of the compelling tale.

It messes with your mind in a way that many other similar books don't, and I can't put my finger on quite how Mr Teague did this apart from mentioning that it was done very skillfully. Like so many thrillers it revolves around a likeable and relatable cast member striving to live a happy and fulfilled life and a psychopathic cast member striving to make himself happy and fulfilled by setting in motion his disturbing and psychotic plan as a way to get his kicks and feel as alive as the rest of the population. Recommended. Many thanks to BOTBS for an ARC.

[Nila (digitalcreativepages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whoa!! Talk about staring evil at its face and having its world heaped on you. A vicious cycle, if you will, was this book.

The story readily made me feel its effects, right from the beginning, as if it wanted to pull me in too. An accident started it all. But it didn't end there. No siree no, the author Paul Teague made sure of that. He twisted and turned the main character, Rosie's life so much so that even I couldn't believe where it all ended.

No idea why the author decided to call it a psychological thriller. It was PURE HORROR to realize how depraved a human psyche could be. Man, talk about darkness... I have read horrors which didn't scare me up half as this book did.

Rosie had an accident, lost her husband and daughter, and now was back to work with son being looked after by her dad. Constant pain had led to her being addicted to the pain meds, but she was slowly turning her life back. But someone didn't want that and was harassing her at work.

My second book by this author, I was more than happy to be sucked into the macabre that was Rosie's life. The darkness was written subtly in the words initially until it escalated. The author made sure that it remained hidden in the first few chapters, hinting its presence at certain vulnerable moments.

A fast paced book where I was more eager to know how it would all end. Being warned by the author of it not having a happy ending, I thought I was all geared up until I got to the last chapter, and my finger too flickered wanting to show the middle one to the evil. But for that, the author would have to write a sequel.

A fun breakfast read, I would say. Got to say, at 185 pages, the author made brilliant use of the words to write his story. Shivery and unsettling.

[Nicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rosie knows that she isn't really ready to return to work but after two years everything including her maternity pay has ran out and she desperately needs to make some money. She can't believe that two years had passed since the death of her beloved husband and their son's unborn twin sister in a car crash. Two years during which she had suffered a nervous breakdown and spent time in a psychiatric hospital. Now not only was she plagued by mental health issues and lack of cash but she also has social services doubting her abilities as a mother and a nosy neighbour scrutinising her every movement.

Before her enforced time away from work, Rosie used to love her job at Willis supplies ltd, the happy atmosphere and the banter and camaraderie between the workers. But whilst she has been away, the company has been taken over and from the minute that Rosie arrives at work, she immediately notices the tension and feelings of oppression that are permeating the once jovial offices. Then from the moment that she sits at her desk,she finds herself the victim of a terrifying campaign of intimidation and mind games. Someone is trying to push Rosie's already fragile mind back over the edge into insanity but who and what is their motive?

This shocking tale of a grieving mother's struggle to cope with a young child, get her life back on track and try to retain her sanity whilst trying to figure out who is behind the campaign that is being waged against her opens with a breath taking car crash. This is followed by a chapter that is set in the psychiatric hospital and then we move on too find Rosie getting ready for her first day back at work. As you would expect with a character who suffered from mental health issues, Rosie was a complex mix of emotions,anxiety and confusion. I thought the author's portrayal of her mental health issues were very realistic and I fully understood Rosie's mixed feelings for her young son Sam. Out of the mixed bag of other characters, I loved the hilarious double act of Phil and Terry, Rosie's dad Iain and Neil Jennings. There was a character who I wasn't sure wether I disliked them or felt sympathy for and that was Rosie's new boss who dressed like he was related to Dracula and had the social skills of a amoeba.

It's a well written,gripping,shocking and enthralling thriller that has a seriously twisted protagonist, a heart pounding confrontation and a mind blowing final twist. I loved this book and hope that the author has left the ending open because he plans to write a sequel. So,please Mr Paul Teague, please could you write a sequel and give Rosie the opportunity to exact her revenge.

[Donna Maguire · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...

I thought that this was a great story and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I read the blurb and was really keen to get started on it especially having to spend my days working in an office and I also work in HR and mentioning that in the blurb was always going to catch my attention! I loved the characters in the book and I really liked getting to know Rosie and following her story as the book progressed.

It was a quick read for me at 185 pages and I thoroughly enjoyed it, it didn’t take me very long to read but it also helped that I found it to be an additive thriller that certainly gave me chills in places and it was certainly a book that I didn’t want to put down either!

It is 4 stars from me for this one, I am assuming, and hoping that there will be a follow up book from how the story was left – highly recommended!

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love discovering new authors and Paul J. Teague is certainly a new author for me. 'Two Years After' was the first book of Paul's that I have read but it certainly won't be the last. Given the subject matter that this book describes, it seems kind of wrong to say that I enjoyed reading 'Two Years After' but it was definitely an interesting and compelling read.
I wasn't quite sure what to make of Rosie Taylor and I can't say that I really warmed to her. There was something about her that started off little alarm bells for me. That could just be me being too suspicious. To be fair Rosie doesn't have it easy. One minute she is a successful businesswoman, with a husband and twins on the way and the next she has the rug pulled out from under her. I won't go into specifics as that would be giving far too much away. When she returns to work she does seem super paranoid but then gradually I actually realised that she had every reason to be.
It didn't take me long at all to get into this story. In fact I was drawn to this book from the synopsis alone. As soon as I started to read the book itself, I felt compelled to keep turning the pages. I mean that in the nicest possible way. I had to keep reading to see just how bad things got for Rosie and whether or not she survived. The pages turned over increasingly quickly as my desperation to find out how the story concluded steadily grew and grew. I seemed to fly through the story and all too quickly I reached the end.
'Two Years After' was a difficult sort of read for me. I don't mean that as a criticism of the way in which the book is written. I had the misfortune to work in a toxic work environment, which ultimately ended up in me having a nervous breakdown. I could totally understand Rosie's feelings of not wanting to be there and the way in which she constantly felt on edge and on the verge of tears.
'Two Years After' is well written. The synopsis alone is enough to grab your attention to start with. After grabbing my attention with the synopsis, the author gradually drew me into the story. The author describes thing so vividly and realistically that I felt as though I was part of the story myself. I felt as though I was a witness to an impending incident- I knew that something major was going to happen but there wasn't a thing that I could do about it and I certainly couldn't stop it.
In short, I found 'Two Years After' to be an interesting and compelling read. As I mention above, 'Two Years After' might be the first of Paul's books that I have read but it certainly won't be the last. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 4* out of 5*.

[Marnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the opening sentence in the blurb suggests, Two Years After is definitely an unsettling psychological thriller with a chilling twist…From the shocking and harrowing prologue, that pulls at the heartstrings, there is nothing about this book that will make you feel anything but sadness, shock and despair, but don’t let that put you off reading this. If you have read the blurb, you will see that Paul has given the reader a very blunt and to the point warning that “this book does not have a happy ending”! How right he is!

When I thought about that statement, as weird as this is to say, it was actually quite a refreshing change. I am in no way a morbid person, but with most of the psychological thrillers I have read, the endings are always mostly the same. Wrapped up nicely wherein 99% of most cases, there is a happy ever after. In reality, though, this is not always the case, which Paul has demonstrated very well in this story. I have deliberately avoided talking about the plot, as the blurb gives more than enough details and is best only going in with this information.

Paul has cast such a diverse and eclectic bunch of characters that are the perfect balance of likeable, tolerable and downright despicable! It goes without saying that the standout for me was Rosie. I felt very protective of her and was rooting for her throughout. Each of the other players has been brought to life through the pages extremely well and are believable in the roles they have been given. This has been achieved through Paul’s very engaging style of writing that easily captures and holds the reader’s attention.

I enjoyed the fast pace of this story and as it is only 184 pages, it was a breeze to get through. Being such a dark story, this was actually the perfect length and if longer, I don’t think it would have had the same impact. The analogy of less is more, is really the perfect example when it comes to Two Years After.

This is the first book I have read from Paul and I was impressed with how he was able to instantly get me invested in the story. He achieved this by making me feel so many different emotions as it progressed. At times I was in tears, at others yelling out some rather colourful expletives and by the end, I was in shock and mentally exhausted by the turn of events. Paul has done a really great job with this story and I look forward to reading more books from him in the future and I highly recommend you reading this book.

[Misfits farm · Rating 5 out of 5]

“A shattered life. A tortured mind. A return to work that becomes a living hell ..”
Two years ago Rosie was in an RTA. The car driven by her husband crashed . She was heavily pregnant with twins and unfortunately one twin and her husband died. Rosie had a breakdown and was admitted to psychiatric care. She is now back at work but finds everything has changed. Edward, the new HR director is a total nightmare and already she has found a dead rat in her desk. Things go from bad to worse.. it never rains as the saying goes. Who has it in for Rosie and why? Has she not gone through enough already? OMG! I devoured this in a day and was on the edge of my seat. Many (of a certain age group) will remember or have heard about bosses like Edward and how much stress and misery one comment can cause. Paul has done an excellent job - the tension and anticipation were for me, palpable, and I almost felt nervous, slightly anxious myself, let alone poor Rosie, if that makes sense. The skill of a brilliant author to be able to do that through the pages. Wow! One gripping stunning read- hold on tight!
For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/
or follow me on Twitter@nickisbookblog

[Kerry https://likeherdingcatsblog.wordpress.com Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t be fooled by this shorter novel – short it may be but it still packs a punch…right where it hurts!

From the very beginning Mr Teague is determined to give Rosie a really tough ride. It becomes very clear early in this novel that this is no light read.

Having physically recovered from a devastating car accident, Rosie is attempting to return to work. But, things have changed and she has a new boss and new colleagues. Things go from bad to worse for Rosie as it becomes painfully obvious someone has it in for her…someone who is determined she won’t succeed. The questions are who and why?

In the short space of this novel, Paul Teague manages to quickly build and maintain tension to keep the reader perched on the edge of their seat for the whole ride. As well as the intense and chilling atmosphere, there’s the additional stress of watching Rosie fall victim to this sadistic behaviour. She’s been though so much it almost becomes heartbreaking witnessing further trauma and not being able to help her (Sorry but I often get totally involved in character’s lives).

An unsettling and hellish ride with no frills or unnecessary words. Just intense, chilling emotions form start to finish.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a psychological thriller, Two Years After has a proper distressing opener. I felt heartbroken and helpless as I read Rosie’s plight and recovery.

But Rosie is a fighter, determined to get herself back to some sort of normality which is no mean feat for her! The return to work is hard after any significant time period (been there twice following mat leave and once after major surgery) so I felt Rosie’s nerves. But no business stays the same and it would appear a lot can change in two years at Willis Supplies Ltd.

I love it when you get that character designed to be hated. I seriously disliked Edward (Mr HR) entirely! His total lack of social awareness was uncomfortable for someone in HR. He made my skin crawl! *Shudder* So glad there isn’t anyone in my office like that (yet)…..

I found this fast paced read very disturbing. Teague has written a brilliant psychological thriller that makes me nervous about going to work, despite knowing the people I work with! I didn’t know who to trust at all and the ending definitely packed a punch to the gut to leave you reeling.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I had to pick a word to sum Two Years After in one word, it would be, unsettling. It’s a psychological thriller that is quite chilling, and take the warning in the blurb seriously – this doesn’t have a happy ending and it does contain some sensitive material.
Despair and sadness will be most of the emotions you will feel, but don’t let that sway you. I think Paul J. Teague wrote this fantastically, and I love that he was brave enough to not wrap this novel up in a nice little bow. I tend to enjoy darker novels, that’s probably why I enjoyed Two Years After so much.
Great pacing, great characters and shocks you won’t see coming, Two Years After.was.a.great novel. I was a bit emotionally exhausted by the end, but I love when books cause me such emotions. Check it out!
Rating:
4/5☆
*I received a free copy of this book from BOTBS Publicity in exchange for an honest review on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.*

[ReadandRated · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars from me

I raced through this nasty little psychological thriller from Paul J Teague! The pages virtually turned themselves while I did my best to hold on and enjoy the ride.

Poor Rosie, what a time of it she has had - how fortunate for her that her job has remained open... What lovely new friends she has made at work - with the exception of deliciously creepy Mr HR Manager of course.

Really can't praise this enough, fabulous escapism at its finest with a fast pace, intriguing storyline and an unpredictable ending.

Loved it.

My thanks to BOTBSPublicity and Paul Teague for letting me take part in this blog tour.

[Caroline Venables · Rating 4 out of 5]

This really is an unsettling read but it keeps you turning the pages.

Rosie has already been thorough hell, losing her husband and child in a tragic accident. It has taken two years for her to try and rebuild herself physically and emotionally, with money worries building it’s time to go back to work.

She loved her job but she’s about to find out things have changed, the once familiar and happy atmosphere is gone. Someone is trying to play with Rosie’s already fragile mind, but for what end?

This is a great psychological thriller, that really messes with your head. As the blurb says don’t expect a happy ever after ending because it just isn’t there.

Brilliant read.

[Wendy Del Toro · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid enough psychological suspense story, very tight, no excess. The perfect length. The main character had my sympathy and I was rooting for her to succeed and become whole and happy. The culprit was not difficult to guess since the suspect pool was small, but was still a bit shocking as to the lengths s/he went to. It had a dark ending that I like in this genre. I would most definitely not want to meet this culprit in real life, but in a movie or book, it is what I look for.

[Julie Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have the box set that includes this story so will just say that yes, it was a great psychological thriller with a chilling end, but I hope there is more to come because evil needs to be addressed.

Rosie is vulnerable and filled with grief in addition to facing the evils of corporations...and more. I did become somewhat exasperated that she refused to report - no spoilers - however, I could also understand her dilemma.

Overall, a good read.

Recommended.

[Debbie Tully · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant read, disappointing ending.

[jay grange · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmm didnt really like this one, left me with a very uneasy feeling, what a fucked up story

[Carol Gulick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Scary

Very different. Not often the villain succeeds. Pretty good, but ended rather abruptly. Will undoubtedly look for more by this author.

[Connie Miles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not many books keeps me guessing, but not only did this one keep me guessing but totally floored me with it's ending. I did not seeing that coming! WOW!

[Ann Keeran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unsettling? Most definitely. Happily Ever After? Not a chance. A realistic psychological thriller that will keep you awake far into the night. Realistic if you are surrounded by psychopaths who delight in destroying people. Everyone knows at least one, right? The ending will blow you away!