Fiadh

At first glance, Fiadh looks like a story about love and care.

A young woman becomes unwell. A man steps in to protect her. He anticipates her needs, shields her from stress, rearranges the world so she can rest. To everyone around them, it appears generous, even romantic. What unfolds instead is a quiet, tightening trap.

This novel is a psychological study of coercive control, explored through an unusual and rarely examined lens: Fabricated or Induced Illness (FII) within an adult romantic relationship. The illness at the heart of the story is not simply something that happens to the protagonist; it becomes a mechanism. A way to limit movement, sever connections, and reframe dependence as love.

The narrative follows Fiadh as her world narrows almost imperceptibly. Each restriction is justified. Each intervention sounds reasonable. Medical language is used to close doors rather than open them. Those who question the situation are painted as disruptive, careless, or dangerous. Meanwhile, Fiadh is told, repeatedly and convincingly, that everything being done is for her own good.

The story is not driven by overt violence or obvious villainy. Its tension lies in the spaces between gestures, in the way care is administered, in how power is exercised gently enough to feel consensual. The antagonist is not chaos, but control. Not rage, but certainty.

We also see the cost of that certainty ripple outward. Friends struggle to articulate what feels wrong without proof. Institutions move slowly, bound by consent, credibility, and paperwork. By the time the danger becomes visible, it has already been normalised.

Fiadh is a book about how abuse can look like stability, how isolation can masquerade as healing, and how the most dangerous relationships are sometimes the ones that never raise their voice. It asks difficult questions about autonomy, medical authority, and the thin line between protection and possession.

This is a story meant to be read attentively. Not to shock, but to unsettle. Not to accuse, but to illuminate patterns that often go unnamed.

I hope it encourages readers to look again at the stories we tell ourselves about love, illness, and care — and to notice what happens when concern becomes control.

************************************************************

This novel is informed by my own experience of coercive control within a long-term relationship. I did not recognise what was happening to me at the time, largely because there was no physical violence and because much of the control was framed as care, concern, or love. Through writing this book, I wanted to explore how abuse can exist quietly, how it can be wrapped in tenderness, and how easily autonomy can be eroded when one person slowly assumes the role of protector, decision-maker, and gatekeeper. The story also touches on fabricated or induced illness (FII), formerly known as Munchausen’s syndrome by proxy, to examine how illness—real or perceived—can be used to reinforce dependence and control, even in adult relationships. This is not a story about villains and victims in simple terms, but about how power can shift subtly, how trust can be weaponised, and how difficult it can be to see what is happening while you are still inside it.

This book explores themes of coercive control, emotional abuse, and fabricated or induced illness. Some readers may find these topics distressing or may recognise elements of their own experiences within the story. If reading this brings up difficult feelings, you are not alone, and support is available.

If you are in the UK, you can contact:

• National Domestic Abuse Helpline (24/7): 0808 2000 247

• Women’s Aid: womensaid.org.uk

• Refuge: refuge.org.uk

If you are in the United States, support is available via:

• National Domestic Violence Hotline (24/7): 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or thehotline.org

If you are in Canada, you can reach:

• Talk Suicide Canada / Distress Centres: 1-833-456-4566 or talksuicide.ca

• ShelterSafe: sheltersafe.ca

If you are in Australia, support is available through:

• 1800RESPECT (24/7): 1800 737 732 or 1800respect.org.au

If you are elsewhere, local domestic abuse organisations, healthcare professionals, or trusted community services may be able to help direct you to appropriate support in your region.

If you are in immediate danger, please contact your local emergency services.