A controlling boyfriend, a bored younger lover and a night that will forever change both their lives!⁣
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This is one satisfying LGBTQ thriller! There are so many secrets, lies and bad decisions made that you won't want to stop turning the pages. I actually did this on audio and with short chapters that leave you wanting more, I ended up binge listening. I kept telling myself, I'd listen to just one more chapter to see what happens next and next thing I know, I was done. Don't you love when a book sucks you in like that? ⁣
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This was a dark thriller and a phenomenal debut by P.J. Vernon. I loved how he explored Oliver and Nathan's relationship as things unraveled around them. as you read you know that all the lies, infidelity, secrets, and the power imbalance amongst the two is going to come to a head and we are along for ride. And, what a ride it is! This book is like a runaway train - literally one thing after the other, from the harrowing opening in the bath haus to the conclusion. Loved it! I genuinely can't wait to see what P.J. Vernon writes next.

This was a fantastic read. I throughly enjoyed it and connected to it on so many levels.
I got sucked in by Oliver’s Story and really liked him as a character. Even though I didn’t like all his decisions he made, I liked him anyways.
The plot was good too. It was a gritty, suspense and kinda unnerving read and glued me to my seat for two whole days.
What I loved the most?
That this book is a unapologetic queer thriller with a gay lead and still mainstream entertainment. We absolutely need more of these kinda books.
Loved it!

I feel this is one of the best thrillers I’ve read in 2021. The seemingly functional relationship of a gay couple with a fairly noticeable age difference hits rock bottom when the younger partner succumbs to temptation and enters the seedy underworld of bath houses, thus endangering both his life and his personal relationship with his life partner. Scary and thrilling at the same time!

This was a juicy game of cat and mouse and I wasn’t sure who to be more afraid of as the novel wore on. I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to read more of this author’s work! It was dark and gritty and the title definitely helped in its allure. It was a heart pounding read.

Wow was this one a page turner! I was immediately sucked into the world of this book. The gaslighting was so intense and it had several great twists at the end. Im happy to see more lqbtq+ characters in this genre. this one kept me guessing and had a great "suffocating" feeling to it as the novel progressed. Recommend for anyone who enjoys thrillers.

WOW. This book was nothing like I have ever read before, and nothing like anything I ever knew I needed. PJ is just outstanding. He created such a dark and delicious world that at times I felt dirty for reading. I think that this is one of my favorite books that I have read this year. Not going to lie I felt like everyone and their mother was raving about this book so I was a little skeptical going in, but let me tell you the hype is deserved. PJ will now forever and furthermore be on my auto buy auto read list and I am so obsessed. I think that this book is dramatic, a thrill from start to finish, and just honestly amazing.

When I finished this today, I felt accomplished. It took me so long to read this book because it was a challenging slog. The book was not simply not for me. So many of people have loved it, but I am definitely not one of them.

I do not have a lot patience for books where the main characters do not communicate... especially if that is a crucial part of the plot. It frustrates me. My thinking is if you are with someone romantically and you cannot be completely honest with them, you should not be together. I know that the world does not necessarily work that way, but I don't want to read a novel where most of the plot is the consequence of a couple not communicating and lying to each other. And that is what Bath Haus is.

As for it being a thriller, I did not find Bath Haus all that exciting. The ending was definitely much more so than the rest of the book. I also felt like there was one pretty large loose thread at the end. What P.J. Vernon did do well is craft the main character Oliver and seamlessly alternate between the two main characters.

Overall, I thought Bath Haus was just an okay read. As I said, this is mostly because the plot is one of my big pet peeves. If P.J. Vernon writes another book, I would give it a read.

I really enjoyed PJ Vernon’s Bath Haus. Talk about a crazy ride of manipulation and deception. At times I did feel the book was overwritten, but it was a great read. Can’t wait to see what PJ comes up with next. Thank you to Doubleday and NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

I just finished Bath Haus by P.J. Vernon this weekend and could not recommend this book more. The tension and suspense grab you from the very beginning and does not let up. The story starts with Oliver, a recovering addict, visiting a gay bath house for some anonymous fun – unbeknownst to his older, richer husband, Nathan. After a terrifying encounter, he proceeds to hide the experience from Nathan.

I won’t delve in to the plot much to avoid spoilers, but will say that as the story progresses and we see both Oliver & Nathan’s point of view come in to play, the lies and betrayals get bigger and more dangerous for everyone involved. The conclusion was satisfying, and through all the twists and turns, nothing felt too contrived or over the top.

I’ve read some of the critiques saying that all of the characters were unlikable or gay stereotypes. I’ve read plenty of ‘straight’ thrillers where everyone was unlikable, so that is nothing new (and I also really came to like Oliver even though he made some bad choices early on)

I look forward to reading whatever Vernon writes next – hopefully he will continue to craft smart, sexy & twisted thrillers with gay leads. (Would also love to see this adapted as a 4 episode miniseries for HBO or something similar) Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

🦁 leo szn ❌ thriller thursday 🔪
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happy #leoseason to my fellow leos!!! it’s our time to shine and get allllll the attention! speaking of attention, y’all should be turning yours to @pjvernonbooks and one of the most anticipated books of the year, BATH HAUS. it was one of the first books i was approved for on @netgalley, and p.j. has become a dear friend with whom i share queer pittsburgh experiences. thank you so much to him and @doubledaybooks for my #gifted copies. also, shoutout to my hubby for choking me. ❤️‍🔥
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oliver park is a recovering addict who finally has sobriety and a loving partner, dr. nathan klein. from the outside, they’re the picture-perfect couple. but when oliver visits a gay bathhouse and follows a man into a private room, he barely escapes with his life, ending up at home with hand-shaped bruise around his neck. nathan can never find out, and oliver will do whatever it takes to keep the truth from him…
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y’all. this book. ya know when you’re afraid something won’t live up to the hype? not the case here! BATH HAUS is a gut-punching, skin-crawling, throat-grabbing roller coaster of twists and emotions. just when you think you’ve read the most shocking part, there’s one a few chapters later. i would grab a man’s razor wire fly (thanks @john.fram) over and over again if it meant i could forget the story and read it from scratch.
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aside from the sexy, shocking thrills of BATH HAUS, i really appreciated how realistic the gay characters are. i felt like oliver and nathan are a couple i’d see at a gay bar and loathe, but try my best to have them take me home. there were also so many deep elements explored in this story, unlike other thrillers. addiction, public sex, gaslighting, abuse, the list goes on.
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i can’t talk about and recommend this book enough. a brilliantly crafted, taut, steamy thriller written by an extraordinary human. thank you for contributing to the queer community in such a unique way. this is officially one of my fave thrillers ever, and might end up being my fave book of the year. read BATH HAUS and learn from oliver’s indiscretions. obvi go to the bathhouse private rooms in groups, rather than alone. 😈
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❌❌❌❌❌/5

Books related to serial killers are seldom an area of interest for this reviewer, but Vernon’s "Bath Haus" blew me away! This story was so gripping I read it within one day.

This story is full of so many red herrings, it was hard to keep count. Just when you think you have the story figured out, WHAM! Another red herring stands uncovered.

"Bath Haus" was absolutely riveting and suspenseful.

I look forward to reading Vernon’s future novels!

Note: This ARC was provided by NetGalley and publisher Doubleday Books in exchange for an honest review.

I have to admit that I found the opening of the book pretty terrifying. So much so, that I had to put it down until I was really ready to read it. I'm glad I did because when I returned to it, I was rewarded with a truly electrifying, reading experience.

P.J. Vernon has created an incredible thriller with Bath Haus. Many levels of fear and confusion, always leaving you guessing what is around the next corner. The question of trust is really broken down from many angles, revealing truth isn't always reality, but belief in one's self is the ultimate necessity to survive.

I may just have to read it again.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was exactly what I look for in a thriller! One surprise after another! This is a LGBTQ+ thriller, and it's a twisty, suspenseful ride! Oliver and Nathan have been together for awhile, and they have a pretty good relationship. Nathan is a successful doctor, and quite a few years older than Oliver. When Nathan is out of town, Oliver makes a bad choice to go to Haus, a gay bathhouse. There he goes with Kristian to a private room and things go askew! He ends up being almost choked to death, and fights back. He ends up getting away, but is left with horrible bruising on his neck. After this incident, things go crazy when he gets home. Then he has to makes up all kinds of lies and to tell Nathan. It's one thing after another with this one. Such a great read! Highly recommend!


Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

Wow! Very unique and original! I DID NOT see the plot twist coming at all! I would 1000% recommend this thriller! The best I've read in a hot minute!

Such a twisty whirlwind of a thriller! I tore through this book. Every time I thought I knew what was going to happen next, I was wrong. This had everything I love in a thriller: terrifying antagonist, twist after twist, secrets gradually unfolding, scandal, and very flawed characters. I didn't want the book to end.

I couldn’t finish this book. I found it a bit ridiculous.
I do plan to try again at a later time so I will update my review then.

Thank you NetGalley and Doubleday Books for providing me with this ARC for my honest review.

Oliver Park is feeling a little stifled in his committed relationship with Dr. Nathan Klein, a successful surgeon. Oliver comes from rural Indiana and is a recovering addict and Nathan is one of the wealthy elite who saved Oliver's life when he gave him a chance. While Nathan is out of town for work, Oliver uses this time to give into his desires and visits Haus, a gay bathhouse looking for a stranger to have some NSA fun with. Oliver is propositioned by an Alexander Skarsgård look-a-like and follows him into a private room. When this secret rendezvous turns deadly, Oliver barely escapes with his life and then has to figure out how to explain to Nathan his bruised body. Oliver does what he does best, he lies.

What follows is a gripping narrative that has run off the rails as Oliver tries to keep his lies straight and his life with Nathan protected, all while being harassed by the man he so narrowly escaped. An amazing story ripe with emotion, filled to the brim with suspense, and twists until the very end. Do yourself a favor and read this brilliant book.

I know it’s July and many have already posted outstanding reviews for Ｂａｔｈ Ｈａｕｓby P.J. Vernon but you know me….I have to put my two cents in too.

I am calling it, the is going to be the HOT thriller of the summer and likely the year. It grabs you from page 1 and holds on until the last page. Honestly, one of the BEST thrillers I have ever read. I finished this book in one sitting.

Get ready readers….Bath Haus is going to blow your mind. It’s so twisty and the ending….whew it spun me around. An absolute masterpeice.

Here’s a quick synopsis to get you ready to run out and buy this one because it’s avaialble NOW.

The book opens with Oliver cheating on his husband at a bathhouse. His encounter turns deadly and he barely makes it out alive. Now Oliver has to come up with lie after to lie to explain the fallout from the attack and his intent to cheat.

His husband Nathan is a successful surgeon with a wealthy family. Nathan would do anything to help Oliver through this difficult time BUT it seems Nathan has some secrets of his own he has to keep hidden.

Bath Haus is told from 2 POVs, alowing the reader to get both Oliver and Nathan’s perspectives. Surprisingly I actually liked both characters and wanted them to just come clean with one another BUT then it wouldn’t be a twisty, mindblowing thriller.

P.J. Vernon is so talented! It takes a great writer to keep me engaged from page 1! I am ADD as hell so I am impressed. The plot was so well executed, the characters were written so well, AND the ending is a jaw-dropper for sure!

Go grab your copy, you do not want to miss this one. I promise you’ll want all of your friends to read it.

Thank you @netgalley @pjvernonbooks and @doubledaybooks for my digital copy of the review! Of course, I ordered a copy for my shelf too. It's just that good!!

This was an expertly constructed novel compelling the reader to turn each consecutive page as the stakes—and lies—rise. I thoroughly enjoyed the flawed, multilayered protagonist whose one night of indiscretion leads to a rapidly building nightmare. Fraught with tension, poignancy, ample twists and turns, and an ensemble of memorably written characters, this book is a must read for thriller lovers and I will wait with bated breath for this author’s next book.

Brilliant and compelling, this book is wonderfully crafted. Every time I tried to set it down it called to me until we could be together again.

This one soared to a satisfying conclusion and even as I raced to get there, I was so sad to be done.

Thank you to the publisher for gifting me a copy, it is my pleasure to write an honest review.