I have definitely been looking forward to this book. B. A. Paris has become a favorite author of mine. This one was a murder mystery that takes place in a gated community. There is a wide variety of characters. The MC doesn't know who to trust or believe. There are lots of theories and twists and turns. It is a quick read that I recommend.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by B.A. Paris - 4 stars for a book that will have you turning the pages quickly to figure out the mystery!

Alice and Leo move into a gated community, The Circle, finally being able to spend time together after a long-distance relationship of sorts. Alice is anxious to fit in with her neighbors and make new friends, especially since Leo still travels frequently for business. When Alice learns a disturbing secret about her new home, she becomes obsessed with Nina, a therapist, who lived there before Alice. But no one living in The Circle wants to talk about Nina and Alice starts questioning everyone.

Even though this is one of those books that has you screaming at the protagonist to mind her own business, B.A. Paris is so skilled at drawing you into the story that you must find out all the secrets. There is a big cast of characters and I think I questioned all of them at some point. A fast-paced thriller that includes some "past" chapters to further muddy the waters - be sure to pick this one up for your beach read!

3.5 stars for this interesting read. The book had several twists and turns and an ending I didn't see coming, but the heroine is unimpressive. From the beginning, her relationship with Leo seems toxic and not a good thing. A lot of red flags she seemingly ignores. Not to mention her unhealthy fascination with anyone named Nina which of course embroils her in questioning what actually happened to the previous occupant of her and Leo's new house.

Overall, I enjoyed this read, just wished the characters had been stronger and the book had given me someone to root for at the end.

I received a copy of this book to voluntarily read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Did Oliver really murder Nina and then commit suicide? That's the question Alice becomes obsessed with when she and her partner Leo move into their house. They are now part of the Circle, an upscale group of homes filled with people who have secrets. Alice believes she should get to the truth of what happened in her house- she's convinced Oliver didn't do it. This leads her to make some bad decisions but that's what this sort of novel is all about. She's not the best protagonist (there's a certain clumsiness) but I still found myself turning the pages. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This would make a good travel or beach book- just enough twists to keep you guessing.

BA Paris can always be counted on to keep you guessing! This book takes you on a wild ride that is a total blast. I loved the story, the characters were so intriguing, pulling you in and not letting you go. This was an excellent read.

When Alice Dawson’s boyfriend Leo purchased a house in an elite neighborhood called The Circle, she reluctantly agreed to move in with him. While the gated community of twelve identical houses seemed almost too good to be true, Alice still had reservations. She didn’t feel entirely comfortable in the house, and after learning that Leo had not disclosed all details about the purchase, she found herself questioning his motives. After several lies surfaced, Alice became disenchanted with Leo and the house, and began to suspect foul play. Soon, the small confines of the exclusive community began to close in on Alice, and she found that her potential list of suspects was growing exponentially as each day passed. Was Alice truly in danger, or was it her vivid imagination working overtime? Paris has written a compelling thriller, complete with twists, turns and secrets that keep the reader guessing until the thrilling ending.

B.A. Paris has done it again! The Therapist is a compelling mystery with countless thrilling twists and turns in the plot.

The novel is told primarily from Alice’s point of view. She and her boyfriend, Leo, have just moved into a gated estate, called The Circle, which is comprised of twelve houses situated around a picturesque square. The beginning of the book is very slow, and I’m not going to lie, I was bored at first. However, the story gradually gets more and more interesting, and by the first twist in the plot, I was hooked.

The novel also has a past timeline, told from the point of view of a therapist. These scenes are, honestly, quite boring at first, but as the novel progresses, their purpose becomes much clearer, and by the end I was revelling in how clever they were. Despite their apparent boringness, they were brief and few and far between, which made them not distract from the rest of the narrative.

Every single one of Alice’s new neighbours is a suspect. They all have secrets, even the man she loves, who she’s moved in with. Every interaction that she has with other characters has a little hint at the fact that something isn’t quite right in The Circle. It’s clear right away that there’s more to Nina’s murder than meets the eye, but nobody is being forthcoming about what they know.


Alice and her past plays a key role in the story and what she does when she finds out that there was once a brutal murder in the seemingly idyllic home she’s moved into. Her sister and her parents died suddenly in a car crash when she was only nineteen, and she has never recovered, despite nearly twenty years having passed. Her sister’s name was Nina, and she’s always felt an irrational kinship and responsibility to anyone with that name. And, of course, what was the name of the woman murdered in her home? Alice feels compelled to solve her murder, as she doesn’t think that the victim’s husband was really the one to have killed her.

Paris’s writing style is quite phenomenal, and tension practically drips off the pages. The plot is well crafted, and I found myself constantly questioning each character’s innocence and their motives for every single thing that they were saying and doing. There are some fabulous twists in the storyline–some that are more predictable than others–and by the end reveal, everything snapped perfectly into place without any loose threads that I could identify.

This book is recommended to mystery and thriller lovers who want a novel that might be slow to start, but becomes impossible to put down.

The Therapist
by B.A. Paris
Pub Date: July 13, 2021

I am a B.A. Paris fan so when I got the chance to read the ARC before the publishing date I was quite excited. In our library, another staff member or I frequently recommend this author if someone wants a thriller.
I found this book to be a one-day read for me. It kept me guessing. There were plenty of liars and things that kept me guessing. Yes! REad this!! Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

5 star

This was a quick read. Alice moves to a fancy new house in a gated community with her (dumb) boyfriend, Leo, and soon learns there was a murder in her house (husband killing his wife) that no one wants to talk about. All of the neighbors are cliquish and weird and seem like they have something to hide -- I hate this whole neighborhood. It sounds like a nightmare to live here, murders or not. Alice gets increasingly freaked out by the house and is unconvinced that the husband actually did it and starts investigating. The twisty bit was really predictable, but overall this was an enjoyable domestic thriller.

Very engaging, kept me guessing all the way through.. Cosistent with authors previous books and will continue to read this author.

Gripping psychological thriller that you will not want to put down. Well written, evenly paced, this thrill ride will keep you up at night and having you guessing until the very end.

I switched between the book and audiobook for this one and loved both. If I had to pick a favourite it would be the audiobook because the narration was great. This book was so well-written, suspenseful and a true page-turner! I liked the setting, a circle of friends / neighbours. The characters weren’t really likeable but it worked with the story. The author did a great job misdirecting the reader to have multiple suspects and I actually didn’t figure out the whole ending (which doesn’t happen often). Overall, this is a great domestic thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Thank you to the publishers and @netgalley for providing a free advanced copy of this ebook and audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I was provided a free copy of this text by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This was yet another disappointment by Paris. I have read much better, but the preview pulled me in. Hoping Paris can reclaim some glory on the next novel.

Alice and Leo have just moved into their new , which is situated in an exclusive community in London, known as The Circle. As they begin to settle in and befriend their neighbors, Alice is made aware of some startling news. The woman who lived there before was found murdered in Alice and Leo's bedroom. The troubling revelation coupled with the suspicion that someone has been sneaking into their home at night, makes Alice wonder if the wrong person was blamed for the murder....

I believe this is my 3rd book by B.A. Paris and now I will be buying the rest of her backlog. The Therapist was so good! The author is so adept at creating the right level of creepiness, I started to feel paranoid in my own home.

As with most thrillers, there were your fair share of red-herrings, but B.A.Paris included them so seamlessly, you don't feel overwhelmed. Nor do they feel inorganic. Every character introduced served a purpose and weren't added to confuse the reader. I also appreciated the background provided for the MC, which made their actions more believable.

At various points I suspected each character, including the eventual culprit, but the final revelations were still shocking enough to make my adrenaline rush.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

I did not care for this. The story just didn’t draw me in for some reason, though the writing was decent.

Me Paris has done it again with the new book called The Therapist. Alice finally agrees to move in with Leo in the new area of London called The Circle. The homes are all similar and built so everyone in the circle can see everyone’s house. Leo isn’t ready to start meeting all the neighbors but Alice wants to throw a drinks party which starts the mystery. A mystery man shows up and no one knows how he got in or who he is. She finds out the history of the house to make it so cheap. Alice feels connected to the ladies in the group right away and with the previous owner, Nina.
I really enjoyed the book but guessed pretty early who committed the murder but was surprised at the relationships throughout the neighborhood.
Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for a preview copy of this book. I’m looking forward to the next BA Paris.
#Netgalley #StMartinsPress

I found this book to be somewhat interesting. It had its moments where I was hooked, and at other times I was completely bored. The main character was interesting, but over time I found myself not caring about her. I found The character to be whiny and I couldn't really understand her motivation for getting involved with the neighbors. I also didn't find it believable that she had any care for her partner; she would whine about what he did to her but never let it go. The entire middle of this book is her disappointment with any and everything around her. Once I reached the end I wasn't thrilled with conclusion and felt meh. I did enjoy the neighbors and wanted to delve deeper into them and into the "Therapist" . Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

While she's great at domestic thrillers, they're starting to feel formulaic and identical. The Dilemma aside, it feels like the same storyline being rehashed in different settings and this book included. I didn't quite see the totality of the ending coming, which was nice, but it was pretty predictable and mildly tedious at times. That said, it's a great book for the beach, a flight, or to pass the afternoon on a too hot or rainy day.

Alice and her partner, Leo, move into the lovely gated community known as The Circle. Shortly after moving in, Alice learns that the former resident, a therapist named Nina, was murdered in the home. Domestic upset, challenging relationships with neighbors, and amateur sleuthing ensues.
I really enjoyed this book. It very much kept me guessing until the end; I was convinced everyone in The Circle was guilty of killing Nina at one time or another throughout the novel. The characters, both central and ancillary, were very well developed compared to many other books I’ve read recently in this genre. I received an audio galley from #netgalley and #macmillian.audio, and the narration was excellent. The narrator, Olivia Dowd, expressed the confusion and fear that Alice experienced wonderfully. If you are looking for a gripping, keep-you-guessing-til the-last-page summer thriller, make The Therapist your next read!
Thank you #netgalley, #stmartinspress, and #macmillian.audio for a copy of the digital and audio ARCs in exchange for a fair and honest review.

When Alice and Leo move into a new community, they start getting to know the neighbors. Alice soon finds out the previous resident was murdered. As she wonders if the murderer was actually caught, she becomes obsessed with finding the truth.

This was an easy read that I flew through. If it hadn’t of been such a fast read, I probably would have DNF it. There was really no connection with the characters, especially the woman who was murdered. It was hard to care about how killed her, when we were never really introduced to her. I didn’t like any of the neighbors and there really wasn’t any drama besides the main character’s, which honestly just seemed paranoid at times.

“Psychologists and psychotherapists help people, they don’t kill them.”

The Therapist comes out 7/13.