Synopsis
What an incredible story! Stepping into the world of a person with multiple personalities was fascinating. This psychological thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat. Beautifully written, hauntingly powerful, and a true testament to the power of the human spirit. Highly recommended. Leeanna Morgan, USA Today bestselling author
It all unraveled at the funeral...
Horace Reid's death opened the door to our freedom. His widow, Elizabeth, exists only on paper. She disappeared thirty years ago. It's us, the Tribe, who live in her body now. But nobody knows that. Us are Elise, the reluctant host, Lilly the closer, Ama, the proverbial mother, Sky, our wise guide, Amadeus, the warrior, and Luke, the man around the house. There are others, but we make sure they stay hidden and away from harm.After Horace's funeral, they tried to lock us in a mental hospital. Our sister-in-law had it all carefully planned. Thanks to quick thinking—yes, being a multiple has its advantages—we escaped to New Zealand's South Island. Tucked away in the West Coast wilderness we... well, the plan was to continue our healing. We didn't expect that monsters from our past still had us on their radar. When the police accuse us of murder we have to run again. Where to go, which way to turn? Our neighbor Scott appears helpful, but can we trust him? Can we trust ourselves? Can we trust anyone? The GIRL FROM THE TREE HOUSE is the first of a series of psychological thrillers set in current day New Zealand. It describes how Elizabeth, a thirty-two-year-old woman with multiple personalities (Dissociative Identity Disorder, DID), fights for her sanity and freedom. Four core personalities tell the story from the inside out, giving a touching insight into the workings of the dissociated mind. There are no graphic descriptions of abuse. Gudrun Frerichs is a retired psychotherapist and trauma specialist in the field of (sexual) abuse recovery. She successfully worked with many clients who had a DID diagnosis. Recovery from trauma and dissociation has been the focus of her Master's dissertation (2000) and Ph.D. thesis (2008) and is also the topic of her blog Multiple Voices. THE GIRL FROM THE TREE HOUSE is a spectacular departure from her romance series THE GOLDEN GIRLS.This is a fascinating book about a woman, Elise, who has multiple personalities (DID). The story begins at the funeral of Horace, Elise’s husband, who was also her childhood guardian after both of her parents died. The chapters are cleverly written from different points of view from members of the Tribe following their escape and journey. Elise is the ‘default’ person. I couldn’t put this book down! I was intrigued by the Tribe and I cannot wait for the next book! Thank you to Ms. Frerichs and the publisher for a wonderful new series! Highly recommended. - Amazon reviewer “I feel sorry for Elise. She doesn't know that when the shit hits the fan, most of us go to ground. That means we disappear. Not that we want to, it just happens. Is it a habit or an inbuilt mechanism? I don't know. I wish she would stop with the mea culpa rubbish. She may have the ability to see into a person's character, but it's just as much our fault as hers. We were desperate to trust someone. This was such an amazing look into DID. I like the way the character and her alters are portrayed. It’s unlike any multiple personalities story that I’ve read in the past. Makes it seem like this is what it would be like living with the disorder, not like movies portray. - Mary Marie Brown, GoodreadsWow, made you stop and think! Really enjoyed the book; makes you wonder if we ALL don't have a little CRAZY going on! - Sandra Pipitone, Goodreads
About the Author
Gudrun Frerichs is a retired psychotherapist, full-time writer, and closet-gypsy. Born on a small fishing island close to Hamburg, Germany, she followed her husband with their three children to New Zealand, after detours over Switzerland and The Netherlands. It has been their home for the last 30 years. A late starter, she writes contemporary women's fiction with a dash of adventure, a sprinkling of romance, and second chances at finding love, if that's where their desire leads them. She is passionate about challenging the invisibility of older women and those who fell through the gaps in our social and mental health systems. Over the last years, she has written and published two non-fiction books about the pitfalls of relationships and four books in the romantic GOLDEN GIRLS SERIES, where she gives older women a voice and shows the rich life they still lead. Her new series flys under the flag of WOMEN OF OUR TIME, where she explores the intricate relationships seasoned heroines have, their struggle with health and mental health issues, what she calls, the changing of the guard, handing the baton to the younger generation. She's always been a storyteller and avid reader. She prefers to read stories about people she can relate to. They are also reflected in her books. Here they come, her heroes and heroines, the gray foxes and silver vixens popular media have written off unless they can stick them in supportive roles. As life doesn't end at thirty-five, women and men who are past fifty, sixty, and yes, even seventy have not stopped loving, longing for closeness, and, dare I say, having sex. These people not only dream of adventure, but they're also still having their fair shares of it. They say write about what you know. So this is what she does in her cottage in windy Wellington, with Steffie, the rescue dog, at her feet. Armed with a box of chocolates, a laptop, a cup of Earl Grey or the occasional glass of Merlot, she's enjoying letting the characters in her books overcome (dangerous) obstacles before they find their well deserved Happy End. And finding it, they will. There are enough ugly drama and hardship in the world without her having to add to it. Visit her at www.gudrunfrerichs.com
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