Jane Doe January audiobook

In 1992, Emily Winslow was walking back home when a man jumped from the shadows of the stairwell, pushed her into her apartment and brutally attacked her. Her rapist was never caught and Emily moved on with her life. She became a writer, married, had kids. And then, two decades later, she got the news: Law enforcement had found her attacker and now she would finally have the chance to seek justice for what had been done to her. Jane Doe January is a deep and heartbreaking story detailing the struggles Emily Winslow had to go through, not only after her attack, but 20 years later as her past caught up to her and brought back all the awful memories. It is a brutally honest and blunt memoir that made me feel uncomfortable in more than one occasion. Full review at Joie des Livres!

Jane Doe January is an absolutely stunning book. It left me breathless. One woman's intimate story about her fight for human rights, Jane Doe January should be mandatory reading for law students—for every college student.If I could recommend only one book this year, Jane Doe January would be it. I have goosebumps just thinking about Emily Winslow's nearly perfect prose, her blunt revelations, her bravery. I hope this book sets all the right fires.

This is an incredibly powerful non-fiction book; which walks us through one woman’s journey in the aftermath of, a stranger rape. The narrative not only focuses on the immediate aftermath; but the longevity of the case spanning over 20 years. It is at times a difficult read, but one I feel could provide a huge benefit to other victims of sexual violence.The opening is in September 2013, when Emily finally gets the call she has been longing for. Her rapist has been apprehended. The New York fugitive force have been brought into the case, at the Pennsylvania police forces request. They inform Emily, the suspect has been arrested for what he had done previously, to another victim, shortly after Emily’s attack!What makes this novel unique, is that Emily in 2013 is now living in Cambridge, UK. Her attack took place in her college town of Pennsylvania. The case and trial, force Emily to navigate the American legal system, from England. She is often kept out of the loop, of information and you can hear her internal angst, that she may never get justice.The timeline, jumps from past to present. It details the attack that took place on a college campus in 1992. Where a young Emily, is innocently doing her laundry on a quiet Sunday evening. The violence of the attack is fully explained. Although this may make for uncomfortable reading. I think it is imperative, to understand the full context of the book in its entirety.When you read the pages of the attack and the aftermath at the hospital. You never one question yourself, was she drinking? What was she wearing on the night of the attack? Which leads me to wonder, why these are such ‘crucial’ questions frequently at victim’s trials…..Emily begins her recovery by setting herself mental challenges and rules. She allows herself to be ‘a mess’ for a year only. Seek support in the daytime only and keep a diary of her thoughts. Each victim must deal with the aftermath of their attack individually, and this is also addressed in the book. After getting a sense of who Emily is as a person and her views. I felt she made the decisions based on what was best for her, at that time. But I often wanted to reach through the book, to offer her my friendship, a hug and some solidarity as a fellow woman.The book also details the legal aspects of the case, such as the statute of limitations. This doesn’t exist in the UK and therefore I found this intriguing reading. Whilst I respect the legal points of the statute of limitations, it does not consider the advances made in science and in-particular DNA evidence. This is a great shame of the US. Not only that, but the ‘back-log’ of rape kits that haven’t been ran through the new CODIS system. How many rapists roam American streets freely?“I don’t want to have to say that he ruined my life. I don’t want to consider my life ruined” – EmilyThe book goes on to detail the cops involved in the case, both past and present. The legal team and the obstacles they face in securing a conviction. The book also recounts Emily’s desperate search for information about her rapist. I don’t know if this is her attempts to understand why the attack took place. Her inner need; to gain back some control over the situation now developing in 2013. She often references forgiveness and punishment within her narrative. Meanwhile, her rapist is determined to dominate and control the investigation and legal process, right up to trial!“I know that some people hate the term ‘victim’ and prefer to be called a ‘survivor’ instead, but I don’t mind the word. He did hurt me. I was a victim of that. It bothers me to euphemize it” – EmilyI felt privileged to be able to read Emily’s story. Fortunate that she lets us, the reader, into her emotional journey. There is a specific part where she uses the aftermath of the ordeal; as a metaphoric comparison to carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide doesn’t harm you, by itself, it merely takes the space of the oxygen. This is both profound and insightful to the emotional/psychological impact that rape, has on its victims.Emily comes across as someone you can relate to. Almost like someone you knew growing up. Which makes the narrative and pain she goes through harder to digest. But I think this book could be a huge benefit to other victims. It may help them validate their feelings and pain. There are paragraphs designed as advice to fellow victims. There is a ‘in conversation’ part with author Sophie Hannah. Reading group questions and information relating to behind the book and the backlog of rape kits. The author has covered, as many aspects as possible to offer help and support to others and for that she deserves huge credit.A non-fiction title that will stay with me for a very long time! 5*

Emily is raped, her rapist is not found, and she moves on. 20 years later the rapist is found. Emily takes us through her emotional journey as well as the legal system that is designed to serve justice, but oh how evasive that is.

If you are like me when you read these types of thriller, nonfiction, essentially real-life horror stories, then you silently and obviously come to admire the victim - the author in this case.In this story, I have learned about strength, regardless of the series of unfortunate twists and turns she endured (which are a must read). I started to learn to admire my own story and series of unfortunate events, and not let them become me. I did have some tiffs with her style of writing, which anyone may understand after reading a few chapters. However, the story is too significant to judge this book solely by that. It was a really empowering work of nonfiction.

A first-rate memoir, steeped in the experience of the moments depicted, peppered with insights into universal human experience. I’ll read this one again - and I may bump it to 5 stars eventually - it deserves the additional attention.

A frustrating book, but because of the subject matter, not because of the author or the writing. It's a strong book that makes you angry for the author.

This isa great book that hits you like a punch to the gut. You really must read it.

Jane Doe January is a memoir by an author who primarily works in mysteries, and it shows in Winslow's innate ability to build tension and draw a reader into the story. This searing account goes beyond traditional true crime, exploring the mechanics of the criminal justice system with a meticulous eye, and examining the author's own resilience in building a life after surviving trauma. This should be required reading.

When I started this book, I didn’t realize that the author is in fact a writer — that is, she is a novelist who was well established in her career before she penned her deeply personal, moving memoir. As such, she is a wordsmith and a student of human nature of the first order. Her narrative is both incisively articulate and gut-honest, and so fair warning: her memoir is not for the faint of heart.In sometimes graphic terms, Emily Winslow examines the crime, its aftermath, and her reactions with crystal clarity. She also reveals the depth and breadth of her intellect — diving, for example, into the minutiae of law and legality with an investigative reporter’s single-minded focus; but also expressing herself creatively as in a poem she wrote shortly after the rape (which also serves to expose the breathtaking power of the written word).I was puzzled by a stylistic choice — whether this was the author’s own or the publisher’s, I don’t know. In references of her kids, she calls them by their first initial — S. and W. While of course understanding the need for privacy, this seemed unnecessary and distracting, especially since everywhere else either real names are used or, in five instances, pseudonyms. As it was, the initial followed by a period always made me stumble, disrupting the flow of an otherwise flawlessly smooth narrative.Once her attacker was identified and scheduled for trial — twenty-plus years after the crime — the author became temporarily obsessed with discovering all she could about him, and naturally so. As a reader, I was much more interested in her recovery from the event that inflicted such deep wounds. And in the proactive steps she took to not let it define her. And in the fiction-worthy twists and turns of her real-life story.Emily Winslow was and apparently still is a practicing Christian, and so how she wrestled honestly with questions of faith and forgiveness was fascinating to me. I also took encouragement from the fact that in her recovery from an act of evil — of reclaiming her life from a thief who stole something most precious — she found beauty and goodness in friendship, community, and the authentic expression of self.Thanks to William Morrow for providing me a free copy to review. All opinions are mine.

Several times while reading JANE DOE JANUARY I had to double-check that this was a work of non-fiction. It is quite evident that the author is an accomplished mystery/thriller writer as that experience is felt throughout the pages of this book.The subtitle to this book is "My Twenty-Year Search For Truth and Justice". Emily Winslow, while attending Carnegie Mellon University as an aspiring young drama student, suffers a horrific attack that will shape the rest of her life. She is accosted by a much larger man at the doorway to her apartment. Forcing his way inside, the man proceeds to sodomize and brutally rape Emily.Emily is shattered. Her dreams of acting are equally impacted as she can no longer emotionally connect with other actors on stage or in the classroom. Her attacker took that part of her as well. It is well known that rape is more a case of hatred and control than it is a sexually motivated act. However, there is no solace for Emily in this fact.We jump forward twenty years and find Emily happily married and a mother of two now living in Cambridge, England (the same location her mystery series is set in). She will soon have her life once again upended with the case of a man who was arrested in New York City. This was no ordinary criminal as the FBI database matches this man to a series of rapes that took place decades earlier. Could this man, Arthur Fryar, be the same person who raped her in January of 1992?Emily Winslow/author handles Emily Winslow/protagonist with just the right amount of distance to allow for the story to read like a thriller. Winslow also has the ability to transport the reader into her head as she deals with the inner turmoil of emotions that nearly broke her. The courtroom scenes could be straight out of Grisham and the police procedural part --- both past and present --- reads like a top forensic influenced thriller.JANE DOE JANUARY is a tough but rewarding read. There are twists and turns, many unexpected, and this plants the book firmly in reality as readers will agonize and cheer with Emily with each passing disappointment and revelation this interesting case provides.