by Catherine Jinks
Publisher: The Text Publishing, 2025
Review
by Karin Kos
When Bronte is faced with the reality that a Wellness Retreat where she is working, is really a front for a sovereign citizenship group, her desire to run away from her own mistakes takes her down a path mired by the delusional behaviour of others. In Panic, Catherine Jinks takes her reader on a journey of mayhem. Her protagonist, Bronte, has fled the after a drunken post about her conniving ex-boyfriend’s adultery went viral. Bronte thought that she would get even with him online; instead, the vitriolic backlash of social media trolls forces her to scrounge for anonymity far away from everyone she knows. Bronte’s need for quiet draws her innocently to the retreat run by “doula” Veda and her assistant, Prish, who the retreat for women seeking solace from their trauma. The lure of a quiet home and a new job caring for a sweet and ageing mother lulls Bronte into a false sense of security. For a while.
The plot takes a turn as the Wellness guru, Veda, who refers to herself as a “doula” who can heal other women’s trauma, turns out to be leading a small group of disengaged fanatics who are seeking meaning in a politically ambiguous climate. The doula’s constant need for control and pursuit to run her retreat, leaves her vulnerable ageing mother in precarious situations. However, this is where the narrative turns. What is genuine love for a parent? What is elder abuse?
Jinks has her reader question the treatment of elderly parents and whether the level of care at home can really be compared to that of a nursing home. The reader is led down an ethical path as this story searches for answers to the questions: where does elder abuse start and who really knows what’s best for people in their twilight years? We are challenged by the juxtaposed depiction of the characters who on the surface seem paranoid, but on closer examination there is more to it. Do the claims against Trustee organisations have validity, when treasured family possessions had been stolen while their houses were being cleared for sale? This subplot gives insight into a deeper understanding to Veda’s concern about losing her ancestral home, whilst trying to maintain a business to keep herself solvent.
Jinks draws upon her reader’s empathy in the desire to protect family; however, the narrative offers more twists and turns as we are drawn into the lives of people who feel disenfranchised from the law and therefore try to find justice by their own hands. It was thought-provoking, as the story unfolded. Did Veda have a point? Were the police and the laws of the country fair and trustworthy, or was there a place for common law to rise? People who are drawn to creating alternative government systems may want more freedom; among them though are those who seek control and suck others into their rhetoric. This leads to danger, and as the story builds there are strong lines drawn between being alternative and being controlled.
But just as we think that Bronte will finally gain justice, she is brought back to unanticipated moments of drama, with an inevitable twist, leaving us wanting more. I found Panic difficult to put down, as the thriller elements became more defined. Will Bronte find her peace, will she make amends for her impulsive mistakes, and at her core, will she be able to trust again?
This story poses questions of its readers about the mistreatment of women at the hands of thoughtless men, while equally striking a balance with male characters who are caring. From the mothering character, Iris, to the physically threatening Troy who turns the retreat into a place of ambush where you would be expecting to see a bed … the room was full of guns.
Will Jinks allow Bronte to find happiness? And do the reader’s fears about the power of sovereign citizens take us on a journey that becomes a clear warning? Maybe we should all panic.
Publisher’s blurb
BRONTE NEEDS A PLACE TO LIE LOW.
She posted a drunken rant that went horrifically viral. Now – jobless, friendless and broke – she’s forced to volunteer as a carer on an isolated rural property. She won’t be paid for looking after dementia sufferer Nell, but at least she’ll have a place to stay.
Bronte’s host is Nell’s daughter Veda, who runs spiritual rebirthing retreats. She also claims the rights of a sovereign citizen and rejects the authority of the state, refusing even to register her car. She has acquired a small but devoted following.
Are they harmless cranks, with their conspiracy theories and outrage at government overreach? Or dangerously paranoid domestic terrorists? And what is the dark secret that Nell, in her confusion, keeps harking back to?
Bronte, increasingly uneasy, would be getting far away from the whole place – if she had anywhere else to go.