I loved this book way more than I thought I would! I have read a few therapist-type thrillers in the past and was afraid this would be similar to those. That wasn’t the case! This was a wild ride and had me at the edge of my seat the entire time. I even tried to figure out the ending of this, and was shocked at the twist. That, my friends, is a great thriller!

Somewhere between a 3.5 and 4, The Therapist is a very good read. I liked Alice's character, found her to be real, and although quite obsessive, we learn why much later in the book. I didn't feel the bond between Alice and Leo, but I do think it helps when Alice begins to doubt their relationship. Lots of creepy moments and big reveals, I didn't figure it out until the very end. Well done; Paris does a really good job of bringing it all together.

P. S. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

When Alice and Leo move into a gated community of posh houses in London known as The Circle, they are looking forward to starting their new life together. But Alice learns that Leo is hiding things from her, including the bombshell that a murder-suicide occurred in the house a year ago. The victims were Nina and Oliver, the wife having the same as Alice's late sister. Alice and Leo are creeped out by subtle signs that someone has been visiting their house while they slept. Alice ends up obsessing about Nina and tries to get to know her new neighbours while she bans Leo from the house. But the other couples living in the Circle are reluctant to talk about Nina. Alice comes up with a wide range of wild theories as she is convinced all of them of withholding key details. But it's Nina's work as a therapist and the identity of her alleged lover that will eventually be revealed in a convoluted ending.

I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and St. Martin's Press with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and prov

TW: Cheating, murder, gaslighting, lying, family abuse,

*****SPOILERS*****
About the book: When Alice and Leo move into a newly renovated house in The Circle, a gated community of exclusive houses, it is everything they’ve dreamed of. But appearances can be deceptive…As Alice is getting to know her neighbours, she discovers a devastating secret about her new home, and begins to feel a strong connection with Nina, the therapist who lived there before.Alice becomes obsessed with trying to piece together what happened two years before. But no one wants to talk about it. Her neighbors are keeping secrets and things are not as perfect as they seem…
Release Date: July 13th, 2021
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Pages: 304
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

What I Liked:
• The story sounded like it could be interesting


What I Didn't Like:
• All the different characters got a bit confusing.
• The story didn't seem like one we haven't read before

Overall Thoughts: I was so excited about this book because of three reasons;
1) I'm moving at the moment so I could relate to the book as she is also in the middle of her move.
2) When I moved out of my old apartment a new girl moved in. She got some of my old mail and found me on social media. We ended up becoming friends while she was in my old apartment. Everyone told me how weird that was.
3) I love B. A. Paris

Alice has the biggest case of commitment phobia. She's convinced herself her boyfriend is a murderer so she can get out of being in a relationship with him. I love how fast Alice was to say because Leo bought a house that suddenly he's a cheater and a murderer. How very random to think that just because a neighbor mentions it now it's all she can think about. It's so ridiculous that Alice gets so obsessed with the murder of a woman because her name is the same as her sisters.

The neighbors talk to Alice as though they've known her years and are more than willing to help her solve the case. It's odd. Alm the neighbors are so cheery and open to her.

Alice is the dumbest character ever. She's like the person that screams in the woods for someone when a murderer is after her. The fact that she continued to tell ever single person who she thought was the killer and who she thought would have motive, even though she didn't know who was the killer with certainty.

The ending just wasn't great. It felt so flat and rushed. Like really rushed. We find out everything because murderers love to talk about their plans and boom he's dead. No struggle or anything just dead.

Final Thoughts: What would we ever do with thrillers if the women weren't dumb and do stupid things? I'm sure we wouldn't have all these okay thrillers that make you roll your eyes to.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

In a gated community, you can feel safe right?

Wrong! Especially when a) the house has a secret past, b) your husband is lying to you, and c) you think your neighbors hate you.

Alice is compelled to solve what she sees as a miscarriage of justice, putting her relationship with her partner Leo on the line. When she feels someone watching her in her house, my thoughts were all over the place - is this going to be a weird "I see dead people story?", is she being gaslighted, or is she just imagining things. Several times I thought I was close to solving the mystery, only to be thrown by the really twisty ending.

B. A. Paris does it again with another great psychological thriller!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance reader's copy for review.

This is EXACTLY the type of book you have become accustom to with B. A. Paris. I could not put the book down and just had to know what was happening. Another excellent page turner with events that will keep you guessing and asking questions. The story revolves around Alice who has recently moved into a gated community, The Circle, with her boyfriend, Leo. After a long distance relationship, they are moving in together. Shortly after moving into the Circle, Alice learns some disturbing news about her new house. This news has her searching for information about not only the previous occupants, but also all her new neighbors. Alice has a trauma from her past that has her more invested in this quest for information than may be healthy. While Alice desperately wants to fit in and develop friendships with her new neighbors, her constant questioning and digging for information may set her apart from the people living in The Circle. This is a must read by B. A. Paris! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book.

How would you like to find out that you have just moved into a home where a murder took place? Alice finds out from a complete stranger and decides to get to the bottom of the mystery. Meanwhile strange things are occurring in the house itself and the neighbors are acting suspiciously. I was wholly invested in following Alice's quest and found the end to be quite thrilling. There were times, though, when the narrative seemed to bog down a bit so not a homerun for me. I may try another B.A. Paris in the future, but this particular work does not make me a die hard fan.

Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoy domestic thrillers, and this one was a quick and enjoyable read for me. It didn't check ALL the boxes, as the main protagonist was a bit too single-minded, and not as complex a character as I'd like. The rest of the cast of characters were relatively colorful if not also a bit one-dimensional. The twist at the end I saw coming a mile away, but ultimately, a good, solid thriller!

I really enjoy Paris's writing and this one did not disappoint, I love a thriller that keeps me guessing and this one did just that, along with the main character I found myself suspecting everyone in the novel.

The novel takes place when Alice and her boyfriend Leo move to a gated community. As they start to settle in Alice starts making friends with others in the community when she discovers a horrifying secret about the house. Alice then uncovers that Leo knew all along and if he knew what happened what other secrets could he be keeping? Strange things start happening to Alice when she's alone in the house, Alice starts questioning everything to do with the house, and her relationship. Will Alice be happy with what she uncovers?

If you love a thriller packed with drama, obsession and secrets that keep you turning the page, this is one you should definitely add to your list.

I have been a fan of all of B. A. Paris's books, and without a doubt this is by far my favorite. Alice and Leo have decided to move in together after months of a long-distance relationship, and they've found the perfect house in a gated community.. Some neighbors are welcoming, and others are cautious/distant. An unexpected visitor at a garden party breaks the seal on a number of secrets that threaten to tear everything apart, not just for Alice and Leo. I couldn't red the last half of this book fast enough, it was fast paced with twists and turns coming to a nerve-wracking ending.

When Alice and Leo move into a newly renovated house in The Circle, a gated community of exclusive houses, it is everything they’ve dreamed of. But appearances can be deceptive…

As Alice is getting to know her neighbours, she discovers a devastating secret about her new home, and begins to feel a strong connection with Nina, the therapist who lived there before.

Alice and Leo move into a beautiful gated community after having a long distance relationship. Most of the neighbors are nice, but one is not. Alice is extremely upset to learn that a woman was murdered in the house and Leo never told her. Alice then becomes obsessed with learning what happened to the previous tenant. As lies and secrets are uncovered the book just gets more interesting. Some of the twists seem a little unrealistic, but it's a book not real life after all.

Thanks to netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc

Thank you to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for an e-arc!

Publisher: St Martin's Press
Pages: 304 pages
Genre: Thriller
Goodreads Rating: 3.81 ⭐️
My rating: I loved it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SUMMARY:
Alice and Leo move into The Circle, a gated community with cookie cutter houses and a close knit community. Alice is unsure about the move, especially when she finds out the previous owner, Nina, was murdered and the killer's true identity is still debatable. Alice quickly becomes obsessed with murder and with Nina, questioning every person around her.

MY THOUGHTS:
👤 This book was so good! It was fast paced and kept me guessing. I consider myself a seasoned thriller reader, and can typically guess the ending, but I was way off with this book!
👤 The setting of The Circle was set so well, it felt creepy and unsettling. The neighbors always watching, knowing everything, and not knowing who was covering up and who to trust.
👤 It felt like a whole cast of characters in each of the homes and it was a little difficult to follow, but it didn't distract too much from the story because each of them is a suspect at one point.
👤 All throughout, I really didn't care for the therapist chapters, they didn't connect. I think I need to go back and reread them, now that I know the ending.

In B.A. Paris' latest book we find Alice and Leo moving into a new gated community. The plan is to keep Alice's cottage as a rental, sell Leo's home and move closer to his work. Alice was a bit apprehensive and when she finds out that the previous owner, Nina, was killed in her home and her husband commit suicide, she is ready to pack up and move out. When a private detective asks for her help in clearing the husband of suspicion (he was hired by his ill sister) she feels uncomfortable but can't resist passing on information she gleans from the neighbors. Eventually, Alice becomes obsessed in trying to solve this crime of who killed Nina, The Therapist.

This book has received mixed reviews, but I have to say I enjoyed it. I agree, it was not B.A. Paris' best book, but it was well-written, had me wanting to know what was happening and I did invested in Alice's story. Alice is a bit naive, paranoid that the murder victim has the same name as her sister, and needs to develop a bit of a backbone. She wants to fit in with her neighbors in this gated community with just 12 homes. The story is told from several POVs and there are some excerpts from the therapist (Nina). As Leo travels for business, Alice spends nights alone in the house. She has the eerie feeling that someone has been entering into the house at night. This story is relatively fast paced, but their are a few slower parts and some repetition. This is more of a mystery than a thriller, but it has some suspenseful moments and one huge twist at the end. With the idea of unreliable sources of information, and several suspects, this one kept me guessing right to the end. This was a nice bit of escapism, a popcorn book that I enjoyed.

The Therapist kept me guessing right up until the end. Just like the main character, I kept changing my opinion as to who should be trusted and who was the culprit. If you enjoy phycological thrillers, this is the book for you!

Alice and Leo move into their new home together, and they both begin to feel like they’re not alone. Alice learns of the grisly crime committed in their home, and that’s when the whodunnit really begins. Who’s responsible? The neighbors? Leo? Is Alice losing her mind? A decently paced leg turner that held my interest. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.

BA Paris does it again.
Every time I thought I knew what was going on in this book, something happened that through me off. The ending was as usual, a huge shock to me. Of course, I had small suspicions throughout, but then something would happen that threw me off the trail. This book was well crafted, with a perfect mystery and plot line that was fast paced and left your heart beating and the pages turning. Not too gruesome, but just enough to be a thriller you could see becoming a bizarre news story.

“I want to check the street outside but the thought of seeing someone standing there, watching the house, watching me, is almost more terrifying than thinking they’re inside, so I keep the curtains closed.” 😫

Alice and Leo move into The Circle, an upscale gated community in London. They get the house for a steal, but only Leo knows why. Soon after, Alice is made aware that a murder/suicide occurred there and she quickly becomes obsessed with the crime. When she gets to know her neighbors better she realizes that lies abound in The Circle, and nothing is what it seems.

Oh Alice Alice Alice. I have very conflicting feelings about this book. The reviews I have seen are great. But there’s something about it that’s holding me back from giving it a glowing review. Maybe it’s how annoying I found Alice and her obsession with the murder that happens in her house. Or how she feels like she’s the only person on the planet that can solve the crime. There are actual police and private investigators involved here, dear Alice. Yet she fancies herself an amateur sleuth and stays in the house, alone, despite being convinced that someone is sneaking in at night. 🤔 Like hellooooo?! Why are you insisting on staying in that house 𝒶𝓁𝑜𝓃𝑒 if you think someone is breaking in at night? 🤦🏼‍♀️

✋🏻‼️ REDEEMED 🙌🏻. Wow, the ending of this one guys! I did NOT see it coming. And mad respect to Alice for opening those doe eyes of hers and realizing what an asshat she can be.

Thank you to Netgalley, St Martins Press, and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another great suspense from B.A. Paris.

Alice has just found out her new home was the site of a horrific murder. She becomes fixated on the case and trying to find out which of her new neighbors could have been the killer.

Just like the books before it, The Therapist keeps you turning the pages. Not a single character is trust worthy, and I didn’t see the end coming! I will admit, I was not a fan of the main character. I found it hard to understand her motivations, but the plot made up for it.

Thank you for my advanced copy, I can’t wait for everyone else to read this Tuesday!!

What a twisted web B.A. Paris weaves ...

The Therapist was absolutely brilliant! I love a thriller that keeps me guessing and gives me that creepy, unsettled feeling. This book delivered! The extensive cast of characters was easy to follow and the storyline had me pointing a finger at almost all of them. I love myself some neighborhood drama! (Well, maybe not in my own.... haha!)

The Circle is a gated community of exclusive homes, and Alice & her boyfriend Leo are brand new to the neighborhood. As Alice begins to form a connection with her new neighbors she discovers a horrifying secret about the home she and Leo have just moved into. One that has her questioning absolutely everything.

Packed with obsession for the truth, interesting characters and a storyline that will keep you turning pages!

Huge thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for my copy!