Caught in Traffick

Freya Barrington's previous book, 'Known to Social Services', gave us a frighteningly realistic insight into the harrowing world of the child protection social worker. Based on her own experiences, the book was a revelation and occupied the number one spot for social work books on Amazon UK within weeks of release and went on to win the autobiography/biography/memoir section of the 2015 London Book Festival and received an Honourable Mention at the 2016 Paris Book Festival.

Freya’s latest novel, 'Caught in Traffick' is the sequel to 'Known to Social Services', and continues the story of social worker Diane Foster. Set mainly in Thailand; Diane and her partner Ethan are on a working holiday, blissfully unaware of the dangers lurking against the beautiful backdrop of white beaches and glorious monuments. When four-year-old Darcie Taylor is abducted from a crowded beach, Diane and Ethan find themselves sucked into the horrifying world of child trafficking. When Darcie’s abduction is followed closely by the kidnap of another child, there can be no doubt that a well co-ordinated gang is operating in the area. A chance meeting with the Director of Social Services Nicholas Bishop leads to a shocking revelation about the man who is still Diane’s most senior manager. Together, they become embroiled in a dangerous web of subterfuge and corruption, where organised crime syndicates and depraved sex offenders engage in a desperate battle of wits against those dedicated to their downfall. Trapped within this labyrinth of immorality are the children, who are sacrificed on the altar of greed and perversion for financial gain. With the gang’s tentacles reaching across to England, Diane is shocked to find herself faced with some old adversaries. With gripping twists and turns, hair-raising rescue attempts and heart breaking tragedies which leave you in despair; 'Caught in Traffick' will open your eyes to the disturbing underground world of child trafficking.


Caught in Traffick was awarded an Honorable Mention in the General Fiction Section of the 2016 London Book Festival.

Please do visit and like Freya’s author pages on Facebook, Google+ Goodreads. Thank you.

My Latest Novel

My Latest Novel
MY LATEST NOVEL

Tuesday 30 December 2014

New Beginnings


2015 is almost upon us, and I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year.  I’m sure that many of you have made some sort of New Year’s resolution; maybe to lose weight, give up smoking, eat more greens or even to write that book you've always said you would write!

I recall my 2013 resolution was to make good on my long time ambition to write a book. A lot of procrastinating, sleepless nights and hard work resulted in my debut novel, “Known to Social Services”, which will be published by Faraxa Books early in 2015.

“Known to Social Services” is a gripping novel, which takes an inside look at the challenging and often harrowing world of social worker Diane Foster as she juggles with her impossible work load and complicated private life. Though dedicated to her work, Diane cannot stretch herself thinly enough to manage all the demands made of her.  

There are several key characters in the book, with lives so absorbing and terrible; you may find you can’t put it down.

Diane is frustrated in her efforts to engage with the avoidant and neglectful, Kirsty Thompson and her vulnerable three-month-old baby Daniel. Magnifying the risk is Kirsty’s obnoxious partner Neil O’ Grady, though she refuses to accept any advice or support. At the other end of the scale is the likeable but hopeless young mother Jodie Pearson, who understands exactly what her choices are, in relation to her drug-dealing boyfriend, but lacks the confidence to make the right ones.

As well as all the children she is striving to keep safe, Diane is aware of the possibility of a paedophile ring operating in her locality, with many of her families unwittingly caught up in the middle of it.

There is a desperate drama when a child goes missing, resulting in the intervention of Interpol, not to mention an angry confused teenager who is about to throw her whole life away just to make a point.   These are just a few of the story lines, which I sincerely hope will keep you enthralled, entertained, and hopefully asking for more.

The book is a realistic reflection of the day-to-day life of a social worker and culminates in a breath-taking climax, which of course I’m not going to tell you about here J but don’t worry, I’ll let you know when the book is available.

My resolution for 2015 is to focus on completing the sequel to “Known to Social Services”. 

Discipline will be the main requirement, with the usual balancing act of timescales versus creativity. Steve has threatened to chain me to the computer desk if I don’t knuckle down to it J I have actually made a start and have the skeleton for the book, with new characters developing along the way. There are already some I know you will LOVE to hate.

I am grateful to those of you who have sent me good wishes and congratulations in relation to this exciting opportunity. I’d like to ask a big favour of you all; would you take a minute to visit my Facebook page – Freya Barrington – “like” it, and then share the page, and the link to this blog, http://freyabarrington.blogspot.com/ with your own friends on Facebook with the request that they “like” it too.  This would be a huge support to me in promoting the book, and will also ensure that no one misses the book launch. Thank you J and Happy New Year once again.


Freya 

Sunday 21 December 2014

Sneak Preview




I would like to thank everyone who has shown interest in my forthcoming book, "Known to Social Services".   

The book takes a realistic look into the often harrowing world of a social worker. It follows the day-to-day life of social worker Diane Foster as she struggles to manage her impossible caseload. Diane is dedicated to her job and works hard to improve the lives of the children she is involved with. 


Below is a small preview of just one of the families Diane is currently working with.  Shanice and Grant Ellis have four children, a beautiful home and to the outside world, seem to have it all. However, Shanice is hiding a terrible secret. 

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Shanice Ellis picked herself up off the floor and went to the bathroom. The face which stared back at her was not her own. She had a black eye and a cut lip; her nose was bleeding and she had a clump of hair missing from the side of her head. Shanice touched her face and wept. She knew that she was trapped and she rued the day she had met Grant Ellis.  She had been a successful beautician, with a good job in a salon in the nearby town of Blenton. Grant’s Sister Louise had been a regular visitor to the salon and had been the one to introduce her to Grant. Shanice had been impressed with his 6’ 2” frame and rugged good looks; not to mention his charm. As an added bonus, he ran a construction business and was not short of money. Grant had been so loving and attentive when they first met. He had swept her off her feet, showered her with gifts and flowers and taken her to dinner every few nights.  It had been a whirlwind romance, and he had proposed to her at midnight one Christmas Eve; she had said yes of course, never suspecting that her fairy tale romance, would evolve into a nightmare. 

The changes had initially been so small as to be almost insignificant; a complaint about her cooking; followed by a teasing laugh and an accusation that she was sulking.  A comment about how she was dressed for an evening out, accompanied by a seemingly innocent suggestion of how she might prefer to dress when she went out with him. Then came the objection to her working, with the argument that she did not need to work as he provided a good living for them. Eventually, reluctantly, Shanice had given up her job and devoted herself to being a full time home maker. Grant had then openly disapproved of her regular visits to her mother who lived ten miles away, stating that it was taking up too much of her time. The same argument was used to curtail her trips into town for coffee with friends. Worn down by his constant criticisms, he finally succeeded in isolating Shanice, and then announced that he was ready to start a family, which had been the final nail in the coffin.

Grant’s first assault had come when she was pregnant with Tia; she had been tired due to severe morning sickness. Grant had made sexual advances, but she had said no; what followed had changed everything forever. Grant had attacked her with such ferocity, she had feared for her life. After he had finished, Shanice had lain in shock on the bedroom floor shaking and covered in her own blood. Grant had dragged her to her feet; told her to go get herself cleaned up, “Don’t ever make me do that again” he had warned.  He had of course done it again, repeatedly. Shanice dare not tell anyone, not even her own mother, for fear of what Grant might do. However, the walls were thin, and the neighbours had called the police on more than one occasion, which had led to the intervention of Social Services. 

Grant had been furious and had blamed Shanice; she tried desperately to put on a brave face, but she knew she was reaching breaking point. Grant had started to pick on the children now, and only last week had hit their 6 year old son DJ across the back of the head when he failed to answer Grant’s question quickly enough. 


Shanice studied her battered face and wept some more.
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You can read about the outcome for Shanice, Grant and their children, and for all the other families Diane is involved with, in the New Year. 

"Known to Social Services" published by Faraxa Books is due for release early in 2015

Friday 12 December 2014

Chapter One


So, this is it; I'm about to be a published author! A dream come true? Most certainly. Exciting? Absolutely. Unbelievable? You bet!  

There are literally thousands of people who dream of writing a book and having the thrill of seeing it in print. However, I seem to recall someone telling me that less than 1% of people who want to write a book, actually do so. It would seem therefore that I am in the minority.  

I have been asked what inspired me to write. As a child, I was an avid reader, spending all my weekly pocket money on paperback books. Like many of my pre Harry Potter generation, I grew up on Enid Blyton’s Secret 7, rather fancying myself to be the tom boyish George, whose real name of course was Georgina. I delighted in the antics of Darren and her boarding school chums at Mallory Towers and lost myself in The Chronicles of Narnia, and The Hobbit. At grammar school, I developed a love of poetry, and more serious books such as Lord of the Flies. I recall my first “grown up” book was a Wilbur Smith novel, which I read in its entirety in a horsebox on the way to Perth Races in the days when I worked as a groom! I enjoy Phillipa Gregory, George RR Martin, Arundhati Roy, Dan Brown, Khaled Hosseini and James Morgan Ayres to name but a few, though I am equally at home with the classics of Bronte Austen and Dickens.

The idea to write a book of my own began after a particularly challenging day at work. I came home tired and exasperated and uttered the phrase that so many of you will relate to, and may even have said yourselves,.........  "I could write a book you know".  

However, whilst the idea of writing a book was appealing, finding the time to undertake such a task was quite a different matter.  When I actually sat down and stared at that laptop screen, I suddenly found I had so many other demands on my time; so many things, which required my attention, and which distracted me from the actual task of writing. There was all that dust forming on top of the coffee table for a start, not to mention the fluffy bits on the rugs, which needed hoovering. You understand what I mean right? I think it’s known as a dissociative task, or in plain English, an excuse.

After putting it off for too long, I finally made the decision to take a year off work to write. I am fortunate in that I live on the lovely and peaceful island of Gozo, where life moves at a slower pace. I am equally fortunate in having a husband who is 100% supportive and encouraging.

And so it began; the long endless nights, where caffeine became my new best friend, and I became somewhat of a social outcast, as I had to make my apologies to friends, “I’m so sorry, I can’t come for lunch, dinner, a drink, as I have to write”. However, their support and understanding was amazing, as is their continued encouragement to write.

After endless drafts and rewrites, the book was ready, and with a huge amount of trepidation, I began sending it for consideration to publishers and agents. I felt an unexpected sense of possessiveness as I sent off my precious manuscript. After all, it had been my whole world for the past year and I was understandably protective of it. Finally, I got the e-mail, which all authors long for, the fantastic news telling me that my book was to be published. I was quite literally speechless with delight.

I am indebted to Faraxa Publishers in Malta for affording me the opportunity to realise my dream and see my work in print. For a full list of their available work and other related information, please visit www.faraxabooks.com


Known to Social Services will be available in early 2015.