Blade in the Shadow

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A coming-of-age memoir about a young Scottish woman struggling to navigate life as her obsessive compulsive disorder worsens and her mind is plagued by violent intrusive thoughts. The book follows Halket as she navigates mental illness, addiction, university, sexual assault, motor tics and her relationship with her family. Through access to treatment, she forges her identity not in spite of her disorder but in the acceptance of it and all its messiness.

We need more voices like Jillian Halket’s in conversations around mental health in Scotland. - Elsa Maishman, The Scotsman

A testament to the power of naming what you are and a wrenching portrayal of the mind in all of its colours. - Jessica Andrews, author of Saltwater (Portico Prize 2020)

The writing is fresh, frank and fearless and I highly recommend it. - Catherine Simpson, author of TrueStory and When I Had a Little Sister

Often uncomfortable in the reading, Blade in the Shadow is revelatory and necessary. And above all, it blazes with hope. - Harriet Mercer, author of Gargoyles

Told through masterful prose, Blade in the Shadow doesn’t shy away from demons, but manages to depict the light that defeats them in a poetic and poignant way. - Emma Grae, author of Be Guid Tae Yer Mammy