RETIRED Letterkenny solicitor Sean McGlynn has published his first novel detailing an abusive marriage relationship as told by the story’s victim Josephine.

‘Control Freak’, by Pegasus Elliot Mackenzie Publishers Ltd, is the culmination of many years work in Family Law and a diverse range of cases he dealt with.

Speaking to the Donegal News Sean explained it took him seven years to write ‘Control Freak’.

In the introduction he says that despite studying Family Law for his degree “the theory I learned in university, didn’t fully prepare me for the reality”.

“It is not easy for someone to admit they made a mistake, made the wrong choice, chose the wrong partner…I am glad we have moved away from the term domestic violence because it is not always about the physical. Psychological and mental abuse can be just as bad, or even worse, can have longer lasting effects.

“The characters I have created and the incidents I have depicted in this book, although fictitious, do have their basis in fact. However, neither John nor Josephine are based on any one person. Rather they have been created from several persons or characters I have encountered in both my professional and social life. The reader may recognise someone they know in either, or both of them. And if you do be assured that is not them,” he writes.

The story opens with John and Josephine on a Caribbean island on their idyllic honeymoon. They met through a newspaper box number advert and it all seemed so perfect. But then things start to change.

In the book Josephine works at Letterkenny University Hospital and John is from Derry. He sweeps her off her feet from their first date until their marriage and then slowly the relationship starts to deteriorate as he plays mind games with her.

“Back when I started writing the book back in 2013 there was no such thing in law as coercive control. I don’t think anyone walks into an abusive relationship with their eyes open. At the start it is more than wonderful but they don’t really know the person they are with,” he added.

When finished in 2019 he submitted the book to Irish publishers who showed no interest but then three UK publishers made him offers.

“Publication did get delayed because of Covid-19 but now sales are going well. It is in Clarke’s Newsagents in Letterkenny and available from major publishers online. It is exciting having your first book published,” Sean said.

The retail price is £8.99 and the book is available from Waterstones, Foyles, Amazon, Book Depository and the publishers.