4.5/ 5 stars


The Therapist is my fifth book by this author. And IMO it is her best book since Behind Closed Doors!

The Therapist is an amazing and riveting psychological thriller. The narrator is 35 year old Alice (1st person POV). She moves in with her boyfriend Leo into a newly renovated house in The Circle (a gated community).

Her neighbors have secrets. The house has secrets. Everything about this book captivated me completely.

The beginning was so good. But this book only got better and better!

I absolutely loved how Alice would tell us her suspicions at various points in the book.

The last part of the book was so thrilling. The ending was so chilling. This book had reveals that left me breathless. I absolutely loved this book!

Many thanks to @stmartinspress, @baparisauthor, and @netgalley for the early gifted copy of The Therapist, out today, July 13th!

BA Paris is an auto buy author for me. I’d read her grocery list, if I could get my hands on it. With her latest psychological suspense, The Therapist takes us on a trip to The Circle in London. Alice and Leo have moved to this gated community, but quickly find out their new house has a dark past. This picture perfect neighborhood has some secrets and not everyone is who they claim to be. This was an addictive, slow burn suspense that will leave you giving the side eye to your neighbors. Check it out today!

A quick read about a crazy person who spends a few hundred pages ignoring the real world in order to live in her own fantasy. There is a cheap twist at the end that wasn’t really a twist so much as an attempt at misdirection that seemed like cheating. Most characters were fairly flat and hard to tell apart. The actual events of the book didn’t follow in any logical order but it was fun to read.

“Do you know what Henry David Thoreau believed? “Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you. But if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder.”

Title: The Therapist
Author: B.A Paris
Type: Standalone
Genres: Adult, Thriller, Mystery, Suspense

This book got me out of the biggest book slumps I've had this year. When I tell you that I read ZERO books in June I am not lying or kidding (I wish I was). Th truth is that June was a hard month for me emotionally and my reading mirrored my emotions. Hence, I knew that July had to be better and I decided to pick this thriller up as fantasy and romance stories were not making me happy. I am deeply thankful I did because I devoured it. I started it one day at work and I couldn't stop, I didn't want to stop, and just like that I knew that my slump was over and my reading was back to normal.

The Therapist is an eery novel about a young couple who moves into a new apartment in London, in a closed complex called The Circle. If any of you are fans of horror movies and watched Netflix's 1BR this is the mood and vibe I got from this story: creepy neighbors and cult like behavior. Soon our main character Alice and her boyfriend Leo start feeling out of place in the new home and Leo even wakes up in the middle of the night thinking someone is in the room. As the couple starts to get used to living in the house and starts being friendly to the neighbors, an uninvited guest appears at Alice's house. Later he comes again letting her know he is a PI looking into the murder that happened in her house, a murder she had no idea even existed. She learns that Leo has been hiding things from her and her relationship unravels. She begins helping Thomas, the PI out to try and uncover the real murderer. However, she soon starts to realize that her neighbors all appear to be guilty and the only way of finding out is befriending Thomas and the others to ensure the crime is solved.

All of the character is this story are a little crazy and I believe this is the main driving force of the plot. Our main characters sister happened to be called Nina as well, and she died in a car accident. Hence, Alice's obsession with finding out who killed the owner of the house who also happened to be called Nina stemmed from her obsession of trying to get redemption for her sister's death. The way she starts unraveling and alienating the people from her life that love her and getting closer and closer to Thomas, whom she did not know, made it all so potent. I really had no clue the story would end the way it did, and it really made sense yet the author wrote so well that you didn't see it coming.


* I received this eArc from Netgalley and St. Martins Press in exchange for an honest review *

--- 3 stars ---

This will be another many people like that I did not. Do I standardly dislike the main character in every B.A. Paris book? Yes. Do I always say this is it? Yes. Have I continued to read them? Yes. I have no one to blame but myself. This author's books are an example of ones I think are hyped and fed to the masses by publishing houses that people assume are good because everyone is reading them but when I actually examine them as a body of work, I do not like. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

I loved this book. I feel like her best book was her debut Behind Closed Doors, and this one was up there with it. I loved that I couldn’t guess the ending and that it kept me up at night. I am definitely recommending this one!

B.A. Paris is one of my favorite reads each year. I unabashedly love these books where I can just suspend my disbelief for a few hours and lap it up like a cat with cream. Paris does it again this year, I am pleased to say!

Alice and Leo have recently moved to The Circle, an exclusive gated community with only twelve homes. However, Alice soon learns a horrible secret about the woman who used to live in her house, and as she investigates, none of her neighbors are willing to speak to her about the past.

There was a LOT of build up to the final “reveal”, and the ending was just okay--it felt a bit over the top in my opinion. While the book had a lot of characters, they were easy to keep track of and it made for plenty of potential suspects! Unfortunately, I strongly disliked the main character, Alice. She repeatedly made senseless and dangerous decisions, and acted stupidly throughout the book. However, it was incredibly fast-paced, and this is a suspenseful novel you can read in one sitting!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

This was the first book that I have read by B.A. Paris and it had an interesting storyline. I really do enjoy murder mysteries because I always like to try and guess who the killer is. Which is exactly what I did in this book and oh boy did I ever suspect every single character at one point.

I have to say that Alice was exhausting at times. I didn’t really connect with her at all. I thought it was a bit hypocritical of Alice to be angry at Leo for the lies he told especially when she has been lying to him as well.

So I didn’t realise who the killer was until near the end of the book because I was too busy blaming everyone else.

Leo and Alice have been dating for a short time but they both feel ready to move in together. Alice is happy when Leo finds a home that allows her to keep her cottage and rent it out. When Alice holds a get together to meet her new neighbors, one of the guests turns out to be a stranger and no one except Alice saw him. A few days later he shows up at her door and tells her that Leo had not been honest about their new home. Alice becomes obsessed in finding answers but she doesn’t know who to trust.
The story alternates POV between Alice and therapy sessions with Nina.

This author is fantastic at times but this one missed the mark for me. I did not connect with Alice or find her actions or her obsession with her dead sisters name believable. Alice was quick to
pass judgement on others but then was hurt by their rejection of her friendship which showed a lack of self awareness. I found it interesting how she was so quick to cast certain neighbors in a bad light but was easily manipulated. I think the “ villain” is predictable as well. Most readers will find this a solid entry into summer reads.
Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for the free scope in exchange for my honest opinion.

Alice and Leo have been together for awhile now. Their homes are far enough apart that they don’t see one another as often as they would like. Therefore, Alice agrees to rent her cosy cottage that has been in her family for many years. Leo has purchased a lovely home in a gated community known as The Circle located in London for them to live in.

Alice sends out invitations to the neighbors to come to a drinks party to get to know them. Most people are quite nice but she feels as though some are looking at her in a strange way. Soon, she learns that a woman, Nina Maxwell, a therapist, was murdered in the house by her husband. Leo knew about it when he purchased the house but didn’t bother to tell Alice. She is now freaked out and does not feel comfortable staying there. She works from home as a translator and Leo works in Birmingham several days a week. Alice tries to make herself stay in the house, but when some strange things happen, she realizes that something isn’t right.

Something isn’t right for sure. This book story was such a disappointment. So much back and forth with neighbors repeating conversations that had me yawning. If you feel someone is looking at you in the middle of the night and you continue to stay there alone, you are nuts! I felt as if the author was digging really hard to make a plausible story here but it was so boring. I have really enjoyed others of her books and was so excited to read this one. Nope. Just nope.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Alice is misled by her boyfriend when he buys a house in an exclusive area (aka The Circle, named for the circular shape of the gated community) without disclosing to her the murder that took place there. Alice only finds out she’d been deceived when a private investigator comes to the house and informs of the horrible tragedy had occurred upstairs. Alice feels the need to uncover the truth, but with whispered warnings to trust no one, Alice knows it has to be someone in The Circle.

So this is my first book by British writer B. A. Paris and I have to say I was thoroughly impressed. The story was creepily wonderful and the ending was PERFECT. The Therapist will definitely be one of my favourite Thriller of the year.

A big thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advance copy for review.

“Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder.” - Henry David Thoreau

The Therapist is a psychological thriller set in a small tight-knit community called The Circle in Finsbury, London. Alice and her boyfriend Leo purchase their first home together and Leo is able to get it at a real steal. When Alice sees the house she questions how they are able to afford such a beautiful home. Shortly after they move in, Alice finds out that a murder took place in their home. The woman killed in her home is named Nina Maxwell, the same first name as her sister’s that was also murdered. Alice becomes obsessed to find out everything about Nina’s death and then becomes convinced that Nina’s husband was not the one that killed her.

Overall, this is a fast and interesting murder mystery but I became irritated with Alice. The first half of the book was a real page turner but then Alice’s choices became harder and harder to read. This also happened when reading Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris. The twist at the end wrapped up the book really well.

I think this book will appeal to B.A. Paris fans and those looking for an easy read.

Books rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️
Cover rating : 🌟🌟

🎉 HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY 🎉

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for an opportunity to read The Therapist

Alice is excited to be moving to London, into a new house her boyfriend has just bought for them …until she discovers a woman was murdered in that same house by her husband 14 months ago… but was he really guilty ?

✔️ although this is a slow burner, it kept me interested
✔️ most of the time, I was as confused as Alice, suspecting everyone 😂
✖️there are a lot of characters and especially at the beginning I was getting confused with all the neighbours

Overall, I enjoyed this one !

This was a so-so read. While exciting as it was, I wasn’t a big fan of the protagonist herself, Alice. She was obsessive and judgmental IMO. Also, not the brightest. As wary and as anxious as she was, she too easily became trusting of the one person she should have had the least trust in. I felt that there were definitely red flags that she missed, but I did enjoy the whirlwind of twists at the end. There were a few I saw coming, and a few that I pleasantly didn’t see coming. It’s a fun read if you can get past the naivity of Alice.

What a FUN story!!! This took me a minute to get into, but when I did, wow. It takes a lot for a thriller to surprise me, and though I guessed the "who," I certainly NEVER would have guessed the details. Loved the main character, loved the tension, there was a perfect amount of red herrings, and a perfect conclusion. Excellent all around!

Another brilliant read from B.A. Paris. Special thanks to St Martins Press and NetGalley for the review copies. The cover on this is beautiful.

As a past psychology major, anything dealing with the subject of therapy and counseling draws me in, even better when it’s a thriller like this one.

Alice and Leo move into this newly renovated house in The Circle and everything appears to be perfect. Sadly, nothing is ever perfect and things start to unravel for Alice. Wanting to fit in with the women of The Circle she begins talking and hanging out with them and eventually finds out through a PI, that the previous owner was murdered. Curiousity piqued she begins “investigating” and her thoughts turn her towards everyone as a suspect.

This story was so wild, scary and perfectly written. The whodunnit was someone I didn’t even think of and the ending was greatly interwoven. I enjoyed it and it comes out tomorrow. Highly recommend!

Yet another great thriller from BA Paris. Having read the author’s previous works, I KNEW some sort of twist had to be coming but it wasn’t until the very end that I even had a guess as to what that was. Creative twist. Good ending.

**Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and B.A. Paris for an ARC of this book!**

"Do you know what Henry David Thoreau believed? 'Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you. But if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder.'"

She smiles, relaxes. It always works.

Sounds like calm and sage advice from the perfect therapist...right?

Alice and her husband Leo have moved to the Circle, a fancy, closely-knit community where the homes are all prim and proper, and the neighbors are kind...but just a little bit mysterious. Alice has reservations about leaving her beloved cottage to be near the hubbub of London, but Leo is insistent they move into this particular locale. While hosting a get-to-know you round of drinks at their new home, Alice finds out from a mysterious party-crashing stranger that the previous occupant of their new home was a therapist named Nina...and she was brutally murdered.

Alice understandably balks at the news, and takes a particular interest in Nina's story, as she lost her sister Nina years ago and has been obsessed with all things Nina ever since. When she is told this was not only a murder, but a murder-suicide involving Nina's husband Oliver, something starts in Alice: a nagging suspicion she just can't let go. And then the noises and odd gifts start showing up around the house at night. Who can Alice trust? Do her posh new neighbors have much to hide, and did Alice arrive at just the right time to bring the killer to justice? Or have her paranoid detective tendencies put her directly in the line of fire...with no hope of escape?

After a shockingly bad experience with Paris' The Dilemma, I was a bit wary going into the Therapist, but was enticed by the premise and the first 40% of the book or so FLEW by for me! Not sure if I was coming off of a slower read or if this one is simply that page-turning, but I was enthralled and excited to see what Alice would find out about her neighbors and their supposed dirty deeds. The characters felt fully developed (even if our protagonist was a bit on the flighty and helpless female side of things) and I still found myself rooting for her to get answers and justice for Nina.

However, this became a bit heavy-handed after a while, as nearly EVERY character questioned Alice's dedication to discovering the truth, asking why the police wouldn't have started an inquiry if there was more to be found. This happened so many times I'm surprised Alice didn't get fed up with it herself! Perhaps Paris was trying to remind the reader that this tale requires a suspension of disbelief on many levels...and it DOES, but in this case? Absolutely worth it!

While I did predict some of the twists, others did catch me off guard and I found myself questioning many of the characters just as much as Alice! Proof positive that speculation can abound here and this has all of the earmarks of a classic whodunit, as well as the eerie atmosphere of a domestic suspense in line with authors like Shari Lapena. This isn't the world's most twisted plot, and it did take a while to reach the end after a frenetic start, but I felt satisfied by the time I finished reading (although perhaps I was just happy to not have to listen to Alice speculate anymore!)

In terms of Paris, this one is less enthralling than Behind Closed Doors, but still makes for an absolutely perfect summer read for a lazy afternoon and certainly stands out for me as a decent summer thriller in a very crowded arena. I am already looking forward to Paris' next book...and the subsequent summer beverage to follow! 3.5 stars, rounded up

The Therapist by BA Paris is a psychological thriller and one woman’s determination to find the truth. Alice Dawson moved in with her boyfriend, Leo, into a newly renovated house in The Circle, an exclusive gated community in London, it was everything they’ve dreamed of. But the perfect house holds a terrible secret. As Alice gets to know her neighbors, she discovers the devastating secret and begins to feel a strong connection with Nina, the therapist who lived there before. Alice soon becomes obsessed with trying to discover what happened in the house and to Nina, but no one will talk about it. She also discovers that someone is playing a sick game with her, can she discover who it is before it’s too late? Will she ever truly find out what happened to Nina?
The Therapist is my first book by BA Paris and I wasn’t sure what to expect as I read. At first, I didn’t care for Alice. I thought she was a bit whinny, always going on about her late sister who just happens to share the same name as the house’s former resident. But as I read and the clues about what happened became clearer, I found myself scared for her. I read late into the night, desperate to find out what happened to Nina and if Alice would escape the nightmare her dream house had become. Overall, I enjoyed the story. It has all the elements of a psychological thriller: misdirected clues, the secretive neighbors and a boyfriend who may not be who he says he is. I recommend The Therapist. Once you read, you will want to discover the truth.

The Therapist will be available tomorrow, July 13, 2021, in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook.