When Alice and Leo move to the gated neighborhood of The Circle, it seems like their dreams are coming true. But then Alice invites the neighbors for cocktails and learns that the previous homeowner was murdered in her bedroom. Alice becomes obsessed with finding the truth about the murder of Nina Maxwell.

I enjoyed the premise of this book, but thought it was a bit repetitive. The middle of the book just seemed to be the same thing happening day in and day out. However, the ending was unexpected. Every time I thought I had it figured out, I was wrong.

I would consider this more of a domestic suspense/mystery vs a thriller.

3.5 stars

This book was a pleasant diversion and I thought Paris did a good job of creating a claustrophobic atmosphere on The Circle where everyone was watching each other or felt that they were. Although the plot and final resolution were thin and pretty easy to see through, there is some good domestic suspense that will keep readers interested. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

***When Alice and Leo move into their new 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 neighbors, 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 figure out what happened 2 years ago!***

I love B. A Paris writing style. She draws you in and keeps you hooked and guessing! In the last half of the book, I had to finish in one sitting I needed to know how it ended. The twists were good; I was suspicious of everyone so some of the ending didn’t come as a complete surprise. I did feel there were quite a lot of characters going on so I found it hard to remember who all the neighbors were.
The book was well written one scene where Alice is asleep and wakes to feel someone in the room with her I found it very creepy like I was there with her feeling the unease she felt!

Overall I would 100% recommend this book if you love twisty, suspenseful thrillers. This was a 5* read for me!

I've read and loved all of B.A Paris's other books and this one was certainly no exception. I just love her style of writing because I'm always left surprised by the endings and they're always fast-moving thrillers. This is another psychological, domestic thriller that kept me interested and entertained throughout. However, I really didn't like Alice or the way she handled things at all and found her to be a pretty weak character. I would have liked better development of her and of her and Leo's relationship in general. Overall, she was hard to relate to and her character is my only complaint. I feel like I should have been able to figure out the ending but I was once again shocked and love that B.A. Paris always goes back and explains all of the red flags that the readers might not have caught. She will continue to be one of my favorite authors and I look forward to her next book.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and the author for the ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This book will be available: 7/13/21

This mystery is delightful in every way; it has an intriging plot line that drew me in right away, is suspenseful, and is just pure escapism!

Alice and her partner Leo move into #6 in a prestigious small gated community called The Circle in London. Living in a house together is a big step for them: up to now, they've only been able to be together on the weekends, as Leo lived and works in London, and Alice lived in a 200 year old cottage in a rural area that she was very hesitant to give up.

Alice very much wants to fit in with the other families in The Circle, but from the start she feels as if she's on the outside looking in - like everyone else knows something she doesn't. Turns out there's a very good reason for that, they do!

With secrets aplenty on all sides, Alice begins asking questions that upset those around her. The more she discovers, the more determined she is to get to the bottom of things until it is almost an obsession. Soon she finds herself wondering who she can trust, if anyone. When strange happenings in her new home escalate, she also finds herself in danger. Can she figure out what's going on before it's too late?

I've never been disappointed by a B.A. Paris novel, and her latest continues that streak. I highly recommend this book.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read an ARC of this book which is scheduled to be published on 7/13/2021. All opinions (and any errors) expressed in this review are strictly my own.

B. A. Paris writes incredible twisty-turny psychological suspense. I'm pretty good at figuring things out, but she tricks me every time.

Alice and Leo are excited to begin their new life together in a house in an exclusive gated community in London. It's a new beginning for Alice, who has lived in the cottage she grew up in. Although she immediately gets a weird vibe from her neighbors, she at first thinks they're just clique-ish, until she learns the horrifying past of their house. A woman named Nina was murdered in the master bedroom.

Betrayed by Leo, Alice can't stop digging to find out the truth of what happened to Nina, even as she is terrified to stay there. A new friend and potential love interest is just the support she needs to solve the mystery.

This one will leave you reeling. #TheTherapist #NetGalley

Alice and Leo move to a renovated home in a ‘fancy’ neighborhood called The Circle. They soon meet their neighbors who are somewhat welcoming but reserved. When Alice learns about the previous home owners, she starts conducting her own investigation with the help of a PI who shows up at her door. Yikes.
Alice’s awful decision making drove me crazy and the rest of the characters were unlikable and boring. The author did keep me reading and guessing but the ending was just blah. 2.5 stars.

This was definitely a page turner but felt similar to many other thrillers I’ve read and wasn’t entirely unpredictable.

Alice and Leo move to London to a private, exclusive gated community called The Circle. Alice is excited to make new friends and grow her relationship with Leo. But when she finds out that a woman was brutally murdered in their home, she no longer trusts Leo since he kept the information from her and she no longer feels safe in her own home. Determined to figure out what really happened to the former owner, Alice becomes obsessed with the murder. As secrets slowly begin to reveal themselves, Alice starts to suspect that a resident of The Circle may be the culprit.

Overall, I found the book fairly predictable and unoriginal but I did enjoy it.

The novel primarily focuses on Alice and her quest to solve Nina’s murder. There are also snippets of therapy sessions scattered throughout the novel, but otherwise there’s not a whole lot of reference to a therapist so I think there could have been a better title choice.

I liked that Nina cycled through thinking and accusing most of the other characters in the book. I also thought the use of a paranormal / ghost element was a nice touch that added a bit of depth to the story, however, much of this novel felt like many other books I’ve read. A husband that is too good to be true, a protagonist becoming obsessed with a murder and taking it in her own hands to solve, and a web of lies and secrets unfolding to present several red herrings.

If you’re a B. A. Paris fan I definitely recommend (though I enjoyed her other works more), but generally I think this will be a forgettable read.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a copy of this novel.

I loved this book! I mean I’ve loved all B.A. Paris books, but I really loved this one! It was tamer then some of her other books, but just as suspenseful! Make sure to grab this book next week when it’s officially published!!

This was my third BA Paris book to read. I don’t think I would call this a thriller, but maybe more of a domestic mystery. I am a therapist, and I’m always a little more critical of books that try to include therapy, mental health or psychology. Unfortunately, the therapist aspect of this book was pretty unbelievable and sometimes downright terrible. The protagonist seemed to be clueless during much of the story and she really didn’t solve anything so much as stumble into the solution to the mystery. I really wish Alice had been a strong female lead, but she was bumbling around for much of the story. There really weren’t any likable characters in my opinion. Overall, an underwhelming non-thriller with poor execution. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for a review copy of this book.

Thank you so much for my copy of this book! This is one of B.A. Paris' best books yet and I really enjoyed it!

Alice and her boyfriend Leo move into a new home in London. As Alice gets to know her new neighbors in the small, gated community called "The Circle", she catches them sending her sidelong glances and whispering about her. Alice soon discovers that the former resident of the house, Nina, was murdered by her husband, Oliver, who soon committed suicide afterward. Alice is furious that Leo bought the house without telling her that someone had been murdered there! She decides that she can't possibly live in the house any longer, but before she can leave, she gets sucked into deciding to stay and try to figure out who really killed Nina, as she doesn't believe that Oliver did it. Strange things begin happening and Nina feels as if someone is in the house at night, watching her...

The premise for the story was good although, I did not feel a connection to the main character Alice. I found her annoying and couldn't believe all of the stupid decisions she made throughout the story. I wasn't shocked at the ending, as I had a hunch early on, but the author does do a nice job of getting you to suspect multiple people of being the murderer throughout the book. This was a fast read and I enjoyed it, but didn't love it. 3 stars

Thank you to #NetGalley for an ARC of #TheTherapist by #B.A.Paris . I have enjoyed B.A. Paris in the past and, even though this particular novel wasn't my favorite, I will definitely continue to read books by this author!!

For me B.A. Paris has become one of those authors that if I see a new book I don’t bother with the description and just grab it as fast as I can. The Therapist is her latest psychological thriller and boy was I excited to sit down and dive into this one after loving several of her previous novels.

Alice and Leo had been dating for a while when Leo suggested that the two move to a home in London. Alice is not too keen on living in the city but Leo has found a property in a small gated community so that she would feel safe. The home seems too good to be true especially since Alice will not have to sell her cottage she loves.

After the move however Alice is feeling a bit cut off in her new home and wanting to begin to make friends with her new neighbors in the surrounding homes in the community known as The Circle. Throwing a party she invites the neighbors who all seem to have a brilliant time and Alice considers it all a success, that is until she finds that she had a gate crasher at her party.

Now while I did not find The Therapist to be one of B.A. Paris’s strongest novels I still enjoyed this one quite a bit. The setting of this circle of houses locked away from the rest of the world made for quite a suspenseful place. The characters were of course all on the unreliable side to give the reader plenty of suspects to follow. I did find myself suspecting the right culprit early on however the end was still full of twists to keep the pages turning.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

4 stars

I’ve read B.A. Paris’s other books, and while none have captivated me quite the same way that Behind Closed Doors did, I’ve enjoyed them all, and The Therapist is probably my second favourite. The novel contained a few good twists and turns; I found myself distrusting a few different characters throughout, and although I wasn’t totally surprised by some parts of the ending, I did enjoy the way the story wrapped up, and I’m very glad to have been able to read it in advance of its publication date. I would recommend this book to others who are also looking for a fun, suspenseful thriller.

I have enjoyed all of the BA Paris books I have read so far, and this book is no different. She is a master at giving voice to all of the insecurities, doubts, fears and panic we feel when faced with different challenges. Although I guessed the ending, the path is a twisting one that makes you question the motives of everyone in the story, including the main characters. I really enjoyed the interactions between the characters because they reflected real people - some days your neighbor is your best friend, other days you can't avoid them fast enough. I found myself not liking the main character Alice much, but it didn't prevent me from liking the story and the way the suspense and panic built. If you like psychological thrillers, you can't go wrong with a BA Paris novel! I highly recommend this read!

The Therapist is the latest book by B. A. Paris. With this story Ms Paris immediately grabs the reader's attention, quickly turning The Therapist into a page turner. I read this in less than a day as I couldn't put it down. I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an early copy to review.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of "The Therapist" in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was eagerly awaiting a new book from B.A. Paris and this book did NOT disappoint. It grabbed me from page one and did not let go until the last page. I wanted to keep turning pages so see what happens next but I also did not want the book to end.

The story begins in the past with a therapy session between two unidentified people. We can't tell if they are both women, both men or a man and a woman.

The story then moves to present day London where Alice Dawson and Leo Curtis are moving into Number 6 at The Circle. Alice decides to have a drinks party to meet the new neighbours. While Leo is not happy, he goes along with it. We meet Connor and Tamsin, Eve and Will - Edward and Lorna rarely go out, while Maria and Tim are having trouble getting a sitter.

A man arrives at the party and Alice assumes it's Tim, briefly wonders why he calls his wife "Mary" instead of Maria. She never really gives him a chance to introduce himself. Who is this mystery man and why would he crash a drinks party?

Alice rented out her cottage in Harlestone to move in with Leo. He says that he's estranged from his parents. He doesn't like socializing, he feels that they don't need anyone other than their own company.

Strange things happen in the house ~ Alice's white sundress goes missing and then reappears smelling of being freshly washed. A white rose appears on the window sill, a bottle of expensive champagne is in the fridge, shoes moved in the closet, the feeling that someone is in the room while they are sleeping.

The previous occupant of the house Nina Maxwell was murdered in the bedroom. When Alice learns that Leo knew this and didn't think to tell her, she embarks on a mission to find out who killed her. Even though he husband Oliver was accused of the crime.

Alice overhears Tamsin, Eve and Maria talking about her. Tamsin doesn't like Alice and her behaviour borders on rude. Lorna and Edward are rarely out but Alice does learn that their only son was killed in Iraq. Alice can relate to their pain because she lost her parents and 22 year-old sister in a car accident when she was 19.

The story is woven through with therapy sessions from the past that once the reader gets to the end of the book all make sense. The mystery man is also revealed. The story concludes 6 months after the final scene. It neatly pulls together all the different things that were happening in the book.

5 stars are not enough for this book. It met my expectations and absolutely exceeded them. I can't wait to see what B.A. Paris writes next.

This was a fun book with a quick pace that kept me guessing throughout. I especially enjoyed the ‘gated community’ setting, keeping the tension and suspense within a small and secluded neighborhood. My only complaint was the number of characters. I spent a lot of time trying to keep everyone straight (and which house they lived in), that it took away from my detective skills in trying to solve the case. Overall an enjoyable read that I would recommend!

The Therapist by B. A. Paris
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Alice and Leo move into a new house in an exclusive neighborhood. But when Alice discovers a devastating secret about the new house she becomes obsessed with the past. In a new house surrounded by people she barely knows she becomes suspicious of everyone and everything.
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What I liked:
-I loved the full cast of suspicious characters! I never could settle on who to trust, I kept ping-ponging back and forth from guess to guess.
-It took me forever to figure out what was going on in the POV of the therapist.
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What I didn’t like:
-Some of the actions from our main character made her come off as a hypocrite and that bugged me a little bit.
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4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 I really enjoyed this thriller! Thank you Netgalley for my digital copy to read. Pub date 7/13/21.

This was the first book that I’ve read from B.A. Paris and it certainly won’t be the last! One of my favorite parts of a suspenseful mystery thriller is playing detective. I say it all the time, I would make a terrible one, but that doesn’t stop me from trying and failing. And trying again, but mostly failing. I digress. THE THERAPIST had that neighborhood vibe where everyone is a suspect. My theories bounced around from person to person, committing to someone then committing to someone else. This story was a fun rollercoaster of emotions, as my spidey senses zoomed around like a pinball machine.

A woman moves into an exclusive gated community with her partner. She decides to hold a housewarming party to get to know her neighbors. Her partner is put off by the idea. Everyone is friendly enough, if not slightly standoffish. The woman wonders why. She soon realizes that… a murder occurred in the home she now lives in. Her partner knew and he did not tell her! I would be so upset! Rightfully, she is, but she’s also unsettlingly intrigued because they never found the killer. Going back to the whodunit, it could’ve been anyone! And it does seem like it is everyone at one point in the book, which made it even more fun. When the killer is revealed, once again, I was surprised, but also delighted that I guessed it. Process of elimination is a wonderful thing, until you’re down to final choices and guess the right one!