by 
When Mazie Reynolds was a young girl, she believed monsters lived under her bed. Now a grown, married woman, she discovers one sleeps in her bed.
Mazie schemes to save herself and her daughter. Her plan will work, if she can out-maneuver the monster who is a master of manipulation and control. She’s got one thing going for her, the one thing she truly owns. Mazie has moxie to the bone. But will it be enough?
Genre: Thriller, psychological, Women’s Fiction, Mystery, Suspense
~Buying Links~
Mazie Baby was named to three Best of 2014 lists – Suspense Magazine, IndieReader.com and Readfree.ly.
~Excerpt~
A key
scratched in the front door lock. Her heart leapt into her throat and she held
her breath.
scratched in the front door lock. Her heart leapt into her throat and she held
her breath.
“Mom?”
Mazie
exhaled and gripped her mug of cold coffee with both hands. “In the kitchen,
bug.”
exhaled and gripped her mug of cold coffee with both hands. “In the kitchen,
bug.”
That
evening, Ariel cleared the dinner dishes while Mazie put leftovers in the
fridge. They chatted about school, about Polly, about anything except the hard
realities of the past week, the evidence of it written all over Mazie’s bruised
and cut face.
evening, Ariel cleared the dinner dishes while Mazie put leftovers in the
fridge. They chatted about school, about Polly, about anything except the hard
realities of the past week, the evidence of it written all over Mazie’s bruised
and cut face.
Mazie
listened to Ariel make light of her day, her forced cheerfulness a poor
imitation of a normal young girl. The false breeziness of the evening was cut
short by a knock at the back door.
listened to Ariel make light of her day, her forced cheerfulness a poor
imitation of a normal young girl. The false breeziness of the evening was cut
short by a knock at the back door.
There
he was again, ignoring police orders. Showing up unannounced.Uninvited.
he was again, ignoring police orders. Showing up unannounced.Uninvited.
“Mom,
it’s Daddy.” Ariel stepped behind Mazie. “What do we do?”
it’s Daddy.” Ariel stepped behind Mazie. “What do we do?”
“I’m
not sure.”
not sure.”
“Should
I call the police?”
I call the police?”
“Not
this time. It would only make him angry.”
this time. It would only make him angry.”
She
opened the door. “Why are you here?”
opened the door. “Why are you here?”
“I
brought some things for you and Ariel.” He looked over Mazie’s head into the
kitchen. “Hi, pumpkin. Daddy brought you something.”
brought some things for you and Ariel.” He looked over Mazie’s head into the
kitchen. “Hi, pumpkin. Daddy brought you something.”
Ariel
froze in place, glanced at her mother then averted her eyes and stared at her
feet.
froze in place, glanced at her mother then averted her eyes and stared at her
feet.
A
guilty ache jabbed Mazie’s heart. Ariel was mirroring her own actions, had
probably seen Mazie in that same stance so many times. It was her coping
mechanism. But she had no idea that Ariel was watching. Maybe it was ingrained
in all women, that apologetic, guilty response. Even though they’d done nothing
to deserve it. Hell, maybe it was genetic.
guilty ache jabbed Mazie’s heart. Ariel was mirroring her own actions, had
probably seen Mazie in that same stance so many times. It was her coping
mechanism. But she had no idea that Ariel was watching. Maybe it was ingrained
in all women, that apologetic, guilty response. Even though they’d done nothing
to deserve it. Hell, maybe it was genetic.
He
arranged his shoes in their proper place, slipped his socked feet up the steps
and dropped a grocery bag on the counter. The familiar clink of glass told her
it was either beer or bourbon. Or both. Couldn’t he go one night without
drinking? She had blamed much of the early abuse on the alcohol. It changed his
personality, made him angry. Poisoned his spirit. But as the years wore on, he
didn’t need booze to be abusive. Or maybe the alcohol was never cleansed from
his system. He never gave it a chance to be.
arranged his shoes in their proper place, slipped his socked feet up the steps
and dropped a grocery bag on the counter. The familiar clink of glass told her
it was either beer or bourbon. Or both. Couldn’t he go one night without
drinking? She had blamed much of the early abuse on the alcohol. It changed his
personality, made him angry. Poisoned his spirit. But as the years wore on, he
didn’t need booze to be abusive. Or maybe the alcohol was never cleansed from
his system. He never gave it a chance to be.
He
reached into the bag. There was a second of absolute stillness, anticipation
for what he would pull out. Like a rapt audience waiting for the magician to
pull a rabbit out of a hat, but then, ta-da! It’s a dove.
reached into the bag. There was a second of absolute stillness, anticipation
for what he would pull out. Like a rapt audience waiting for the magician to
pull a rabbit out of a hat, but then, ta-da! It’s a dove.
Mazie
watched for the neck of the Jack Daniels bottle.
watched for the neck of the Jack Daniels bottle.
Ta-da!
It was a small box. The kind that jewellery comes in.
It was a small box. The kind that jewellery comes in.
He
turned to Ariel and held it out to her. “Here, pumpkin. For you.”
turned to Ariel and held it out to her. “Here, pumpkin. For you.”
Ariel
shot a fleeting look at her mother, then raised her eyes to her father’s face
but didn’t move, didn’t lift her head.
shot a fleeting look at her mother, then raised her eyes to her father’s face
but didn’t move, didn’t lift her head.
“It’s
okay. Take it.” He didn’t take a step forward. It was as far as he ever went
with conciliation. Hold out the carrot, have the abused make the first move.
okay. Take it.” He didn’t take a step forward. It was as far as he ever went
with conciliation. Hold out the carrot, have the abused make the first move.
Ariel
inched around the table and held out her hand. He dropped it into her open
palm. She opened it, and a subtle smile crossed her face.
inched around the table and held out her hand. He dropped it into her open
palm. She opened it, and a subtle smile crossed her face.
Cullen
plucked a delicate chain from the box, a cursive capital A dangling from it.
“It’s gold. Big girl jewellery.” He undid the clasp and placed it around her
neck. She pulled her hair out of the way while he did it up.
plucked a delicate chain from the box, a cursive capital A dangling from it.
“It’s gold. Big girl jewellery.” He undid the clasp and placed it around her
neck. She pulled her hair out of the way while he did it up.
Ariel
held the A in her fingers and ran her thumb over it. She grinned.
held the A in her fingers and ran her thumb over it. She grinned.
He
stroked her hair. “Will you take care of it?”
stroked her hair. “Will you take care of it?”
She
nodded. “Yes, Daddy.” Ariel stepped forward and went to put her arms around his
body, but only got her hands to his waist. She touched her head to his chest.
Not the usual Ariel bear-hug. “Thank you,” she mumbled.
nodded. “Yes, Daddy.” Ariel stepped forward and went to put her arms around his
body, but only got her hands to his waist. She touched her head to his chest.
Not the usual Ariel bear-hug. “Thank you,” she mumbled.
He
hugged her hard and kissed the top of her head. His eyes glistened. But with
what?Love?Relief? Or satisfaction that he’d perpetrated the same ruse with his
daughter as he had with Mazie time and time again.
hugged her hard and kissed the top of her head. His eyes glistened. But with
what?Love?Relief? Or satisfaction that he’d perpetrated the same ruse with his
daughter as he had with Mazie time and time again.
Did I
hurt you? Here’s a piece of jewellery. Won’t happen again. Did I do it again?
Here’s a bunch of flowers. Won’t happen again. It was your fault. You made me
hit you, made me choke you, made me break your ribs. Will it happen again?
Can’t make any promises.
hurt you? Here’s a piece of jewellery. Won’t happen again. Did I do it again?
Here’s a bunch of flowers. Won’t happen again. It was your fault. You made me
hit you, made me choke you, made me break your ribs. Will it happen again?
Can’t make any promises.
It’s a lie! A trick! Don’t believe it Ariel!Mazie’s screams never left her mouth. How could she ruin her
daughter’s moment? No matter how brief this respite from their normal lives
would be?
daughter’s moment? No matter how brief this respite from their normal lives
would be?
~Praise about the book~
Told in third person, MAZIE BABY hooks you first with its descriptive sentences and believable characters, who right off the bat you can imagine being your own next door neighbors. Then it hooks you with the truth. Author Julie Frayn does not beat around the bush when she describes Mazie’s fear when her husband comes home and loses himself in liquor and rage; nor does she shy away from building up the tension in the house, from the second Cullen gets upset until Mazie, now bruised and bleeding, tucks Ariel into bed.
While the story isn’t definably a happy tale, it is an honest one that makes you fly through the pages in the hopes that Mazie makes it out free of her past in the end. The story truly is a tale of how “sometimes innocent people must defend themselves” and that opening up yourself to trust again is the best way to mend a battered soul.
The dialogue is raw, the character development happens at a life-like pace, and the story line – though depicting a desperate mother – never wavers on the edge of fantasy. Though fiction, MAZIE BABY could arguably be a firsthand autobiography for someone.
-Reviewed by Jessica Czarnogursky for IndieReader.
While the story isn’t definably a happy tale, it is an honest one that makes you fly through the pages in the hopes that Mazie makes it out free of her past in the end. The story truly is a tale of how “sometimes innocent people must defend themselves” and that opening up yourself to trust again is the best way to mend a battered soul.
The dialogue is raw, the character development happens at a life-like pace, and the story line – though depicting a desperate mother – never wavers on the edge of fantasy. Though fiction, MAZIE BABY could arguably be a firsthand autobiography for someone.
-Reviewed by Jessica Czarnogursky for IndieReader.
“It is well written and the characters are well developed. ” – emkat01
“This read made me laugh, cry, and internally yell and kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. ” – alma
“Although it is a very tough subject matter, the book was very well-written. ” – veggiegirl55
~Meet The Author~
Julie Frayn pens award-winning novels and short stories that pack a punch. And a few stabs. She has published three novels and two short, short story collections. A bean counter by day, Julie revels in the written word. When she is not working or writing, she spends as much time as possible with her two children (grown adults, really), while they still think she’s cool.
Social Media:
Website/Blog: www.juliefrayn.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/juliebirdfrayn
Twitter: www.twitter.com/juliefrayn
Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/juliefrayn
Google+: www.google.com/+JulieFrayn
This book is finally coming up in my reading queue and I can't wait!
Thanks so much, Nikita!
Yay, Great book, talented author. 🙂
Got this on my TBR list and look forward to reading it! Loved the excerpt, Julie 🙂
Nikita! You have just showcased one of the best books I have read in years. Mazie Baby is enthralling.
Started on it already and I agree it is different and I am enjoying reading it 🙂
I started on it and it is unlike any book I have read in quite sometime 🙂
So true Dale 🙂
Welcome Julie..:) Loving your book so far 🙂
Yay Amy..I hope you like it. 🙂
Thanks, Jackie – and Nikita! This is a lovely spotlight.
Thanks, Fros! It's hard to know what to share, but wanted something that wasn't in the 'look inside' feature on Amazon.
Glad to hear!