My Mother's Eyes

Shanelle Dawson, Alley Pascoe

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English

Hachette Australia
11 October 2023

Memoirs; True crime; Biography - Australian

The disappearance of Lynette Dawson captured the world's attention. Now, in this brave, emotionally powerful memoir, Lyn's daughter Shanelle reclaims their story.

Imagine living with the knowledge that your father had murdered your mother and lied to you your whole life, telling you that she left because she didn't love you any more. How could a father do this to his children? How could a husband do this to a woman he at one time loved?

When she was four years old, Shanelle Dawson's mother, Lynette, disappeared. On 8 January 1982, the woman who had been a loving, constant presence in her daughter's life vanished without a trace. A four-year-old might not be able to articulate questions or understand the answers, but the ache of absence is very real. Year after year, that ache persisted.

Shanelle's father, Chris Dawson, claimed that his wife just needed to get away. This is what he told Lyn's parents and siblings. This is what he told his daughters. But Lyn never returned home. Her side of the bed was immediately filled by Shanelle's teenage babysitter, one of Chris Dawson's former students.

After 36 years of Chris Dawson's lies, a podcast called The Teacher's Pet investigated Lynette's disappearance. Sordid details about the father Shanelle loved became public. Whispers that he had murdered Lynette grew louder. The police refocused on the cold case. Then Chris Dawson faced court, and 40 years after Lynette went missing, he was sentenced to 24 years in prison for her murder.

Now Shanelle reclaims her mother's story and finds a channel for her own voice. It is an unforgettable insight into the ripples of trauma and loss that family violence brings, and shows how Shanelle found the strength to confront her father and can now create a new life after unimaginable deception.

My Mother's Eyes is Shanelle Dawson's story.

By: Shanelle Dawson
With: Alley Pascoe
Imprint: Hachette Australia
Country of Publication: Australia
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 153mm,
Weight: 300g
ISBN: 9780733650888
ISBN 10: 0733650880
Pages: 336
Publication Date: 11 October 2023
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Shanelle Dawson has spent her life trying to heal the massive wounding of her father's betrayal and tragic loss of her mother. She has extensively explored many healing modalities and alternative lifestyles whilst working an eclectic variety of jobs, mostly in childcare. Shanelle is a wayfaring, truth-seeking traveller expansively exploring both inner and outer worlds.