Thank you Netgalley for this audiobook edition of The Therapist by B.A. Paris.

First, the narration was great! And I love it when they use narration to add intrigue and spin to the text. It makes it feel more like your listening to a show instead of a book.

But now the book. It's interesting, and readable. There are hooks that get you right at the beginning. But OHMYGERSH, it's an eye roller. This main character, someone tackle her for me! I can't go into detail lest I spoil, but there were so many just brain itching inconsistencies, it hurt. The story stayed interesting until the end, but I just could not get over how silly and OTT it was.

This was a twisty little thriller that really packed a punch! I loved secrets and the way this one unfolds. I kept getting surprised again and again! The characters were great, and I felt they were believable. I liked the situation and how it affects everyone. The pacing was a little slower than I would have liked at the beginning, but it definitely gets going and doesn't stop!!

I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

B.A. Paris does it again! I was so thrilled to receive this arc! I read Behind Closed Doors years ago and still think about it! I always recommend Paris and she’s on the top of my list for authors-to-read.

The Therapist is another thrilling, mysterious Paris masterpiece. Alice and her boyfriend Leo move into a tight knit “circle” of homes. The neighbors all seem to be friends and know each other’s business. Alice invites everyone for drinks in an attempt to join the circle clique. Afterward she is approached by a man (PI) asking what it’s like to live in a house where a murder occurred. Alice is upset and absolutely shocked as she had no idea. She becomes obsessed with what happened to Nina (the previous owner). This man becomes a large part of her life as he’s the only one she can tell her findings to.

Alice begins to suspect everyone in the circle, as did I. It even drives a wedge between her and Leo. This story kept me on my toes the entire time. I was constantly trying to figure out whodunit before Alice. Paris scatters clues throughout the story but it’s never obvious. I couldn’t put this story down I had to know how it would end for Alice and what really happened. Great thriller read!

This really pulled me in and immersed me as Alice tried to fit in with a closed neighborhood where everyone already had bonds--and secrets. An enthralling page turner, with lots of clues, and creepy atmosphere in what should be an idyllic space. Wavered on giving it 4 or 5 stars, because it was a fast and fun read, but I was picking up on the clues much earlier than Alice did. Thrilling ending, though it could have been fine to leave the epilogue off IMHO.

Another solid domestic thriller from bestselling author B.A. Paris. Alice moves into a new neighborhood with her most recent boyfriend, and discovers that nothing is what it seems. Everyone on the block appears to have a secret, and the biggest one of all directly affects Alice's daily life. The book takes quite a few twists and turns, putting a zillion red herrings in Alice's path. While there are numerous "don't go in there!" moments that made me cringe, it's easy enough to suspend disbelief.
Any fan of the genre is likely to enjoy this one.

"I was obsessed, and like most obsessed people, I was the last one to know it." (Kate Bornstein)

More on that little ditty in a moment.........

Alice and her partner, Leo, are moving into an exclusive residential area of London called The Circle. It's a gated community of just twelve homes spanned outward like the face of a clock. What's not to like with a coded entrance gate, a park-like setting,and friendly neighbors? And to top it off, Leo got a bargain on the price.

But once they've moved into the spacious #6 home, Alice will stumble upon the truth behind that bargain. Oh, yes, Leo just happened to not mention that #6 was the scene of a murder/suicide in the master bedroom. It seems a therapist lived there and was murdered by her husband. Sadly, said husband fills in the suicide part. Alice is horrified by the thought of it. Leo tries to persuade her to stay.

Let's revisit that obsession thingy. The Therapist grabs your attention from the start. As readers, we mull around the thought of murder if we had purchased this home. Could we get past it? And here's where Alice is like a dog with a bone. She meets with the neighbors for coffee endlessly and grabs bits and pieces of information. Our girl Alice intends to find out if the husband actually killed his wife. Something is disingenuous about these neighbors. Someone knows something here.

As Leo travels for business, Alice spends nights alone in the house. She has an eerie feeling that someone has been entering into the house at night. She can't prove it, but something is amiss.

This is my fifth B.A. Paris novel. Talk about obsession. I kicked this one up from a 3.5 Stars to 4 Stars because the concept was so good. I'd say that the character of Alice threw this one a bit off the tracks at times. Alice would revisit the same source of information over and over again and meet with the same people over and over again to the point of annoyance. And yet, as I tuned out ol' Alice, I just couldn't put this one down. In spite of you, Alice, it turned out to be a good read. Sorry, B.A. Paris........just don't let Alice show up in the next one.

I received a copy of The Therapist through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to St. Martin's Press and to B.A. Paris for the opportunity.

Whew, that was rough.

When Alice moves into The Circle, an upscale subdivision inside a gated entrance, she thinks this may be the new beginning she has been waiting for. It doesn't take long before she learns that everything is not as it seems and the community around her isn't as nice as she was led to believe.

I have learned when it comes to B.A. Paris, you can always expect a dumb as a box of rocks lead character. I have never in all my reading life ever experience so much frustration when it came to reading from the point of view of a lead. She misses SO. MANY. RED. FLAGS. Within the first 30 pages of the book I looked at my husband and said "I don't think I have ever seen a worse lead character in all my life."

The stakes feel so damn low for this one and it is because the level of suspension of reality you have to take to just PRETENED to understand why Alice does some of the things she does is so ridiculous.

EXAMPLE Alice awakes MULTIPLE times throughout the book and swears someone is in her room, watching her sleep. What does she do? MULTIPLE times? Lays there and pretends to be asleep just so maybe he will leave. Literally who does that?

What originally drew me to this book was the title and synopsis about the gated community. I thought that had a lot of promise as the idea of sitting in on a therapy session in a fictional story was intriguing. But that really isn't even part of the book. The title makes it feel like pandering for book sales and I found myself frustrated that I fell into the trap. Luckily, I didn't spend a dime on this book and it was an ARC shared with me through Netgalley.

I think I can officially say I am done with this author.

Thank you to Netfalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced reader copy of The Therapist for my honest review.

Slow-paced at first and then picking up the pace as the book raced to a surprise conclusion, this was the author at her best. The story of Alice and Leo’s move into a new home in an exclusive neighborhood was relatable and at times horrifying because of all of the secrets that the neighborhood held close to the chest. Alice had no idea that the reason Leo could afford the home is that a murder happened in it. When she does discover the truth, she wants to know more about the victim, more about the killer, just more. Her quest for the truth leads her down a dangerous path and twisted me into the story, too. As more was revealed, I got more and more invested in the story and in the atmosphere of mystery. Alice is a protagonist but not particularly strong since she falls for every ploy and kept frustrating me with her lack of wisdom. The theme of neighbors with secrets was captivating, but I especially liked Alice’s “friendship” with the deceased therapist Nina. Determined to find out more about Nina and her death, Alice becomes obsessed and so did I as she delved more into the past and discovered layers of secrecy. The genre is psychological suspense and the author is at her best game in this genre. Entertaining and intriguing, this was a propulsive mystery that held me captive for hours until I reached a stunning and unexpected conclusion. Think roller coaster ride that just suddenly goes over a cliff. I enjoyed the ride but was not a fan of the ending, but that could just be me.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Paris produced another freaky read. It’s not as frightening as a few of her books have been, but it will still make you have the urge to look behind doors at night. How would you feel if you moved into a home where the previous owner had been murdered? Alice and her partner have moved into a secluded neighborhood but it all quickly falls apart. Sensations of so,some being in the house, unanswered questions, creepy people. Paris gets the reader to doubt everyone living in The Circle. I locked up on one important clue early on but was unsure how it fit until much later in the book. I kept asking myself why is no one else mentioning this?? The real culprit was obscure and I kick myself for not seeing it. I like to think I’d be a super investigator in real,life, but actually I’m a good detective in fiction only. Read The Therapist and see who is to blame and the real story. You don’t want to miss it and you won’t need a therapist.

I loved this book, lots of twists, lots of who can be trusted, even the narrator. Alice finds out about a crime that has happened in her house and she becomes obsessed with finding out what happened. Her need for juistice for the victim and her sister and husband takes on a life of it's own and leave us wondering about Alice herself. Read this book

Well, that was very good. Talk about a quick, addictive read. I have loved BA Paris. Behind Closed Doors is to this day a favorite. The Therapist....it was pretty darn good.
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I love the premise. You have this gated community in London and basically....you suspect everyone. Technically the murder case has been solved so it runs through your mind. Are we dealing with an unreliable narrator? Who should we trust? I really enjoyed it. It had a readability that kept me completely invested. I’m going to recommend it. I would compare it to...if you like Girl on the Train. Or even Lisa Jewell. Pick it up!

Not a favorite. I was never able to sympathize with the main character nor identify with her friends. There were so many characters—new neighbors mixed in with former neighbors and old friends—that I found myself mostly trying to remember who was who again. The protagonist was needy and unsure of herself and her neighbors a confusing bunch. Add to that the fact that exposition often took the place of action, and the book dragged for me. I read it to the end to learn the identity of the murderer, but it was too easy to put it down and not get back to it for days at a time.

B. A. Paris comes through again with a great psychological thriller that kept me excitedly turning pages, however, all of a sudden the story seemed to get bogged down and started dragging. The book is definitely worth finishing but could have been shorter.

Thank you to NetGalley who provided me with a free advance copy.

Whew...this book was rough. The main character is so completely unlikeable and idiotic I almost couldn't finish this. Coupled with the fact that they flirted with this being a ghost story a few times it's a miracle I got through this at all. It's definitely an easy read, and for those who enjoy a good completely non-sensical and far-fetched Lifetime Movie this is the book for you. For anyone looking for an actual thriller, forget it. I've read all of this author's books but unfortunately, after this formulaic silliness, I doubt I'll be picking her books up again.

Hold onto your hats for this ride! I thoroughly enjoyed this gripping thriller that had me guessing right up to the very end.

Leo and Alice have been long-distance dating for over a year and Leo buys a home in the exclusive gated community known as The Circle in London where the homes are built around a park/square area. All the neighbors seem to spend a lot of time standing in the windows spying on everyone else. Leo and Alice settle in quite well until Alice discovers that the previous owner, Nina Maxwell, a therapist, was murdered in the home and Leo knew about it when he bought it, but did not tell her. Their relationship begins to unravel and Alice becomes obsessed with the murder partly because her dead sister's name was Nina also. Alice questions the neighbors every chance she gets about the murder and strange things begin to happen in the home at night. Lots of twists and turns in this very interesting and spooky story with an ending I did not see coming.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this very interesting whodunit.

I absolutely love domestic thrillers and B. A. Paris excels in this genre. I really enjoyed The Therapist. There4 were so many secrets and liars in this novel, and a couple of very engaging twists.

Leo and Alice think they have found the perfect home, in the perfect neighborhood. But there are lies and hidden knowledge of what happened in their house that come to light. This does not sit well with Alice and causes problems for her and Leo. I wasn't as impressed with this story as I have been with B.A.'s other books. It was okay but not as good as I was hoping. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

Another zinger from BA Paris! Talk about a twisty mystery!! Kept me glued to the book, completely mesmerized and eagerly anticipating the end. This is a slow burn psychological mystery thriller that builds until it reaches an explosive ending.

Alice and Leo move into The Circle, a gated high end community near London. Leo is only able to afford the house because a young psychotherapist named Nina was brutally murdered there by her husband several months earlier. Alice, who is unaware of this fact when she first moves in, discovers it shortly after hosting a housewarming with neighbours. After learning about the murder, she becomes emotionally drawn into Nina’s life and tries to determine if Nina’s husband was really the murderer?

The plot was well crafted. Many plausible suspects were presented. The writing flowed well. This author has a way with words that keeps the reader hooked. As always, the first person perspective added a layer of tension and foreboding. Worth the read!

A gracious thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was an ok psychological thriller containing characters who are not what they seem. It was rather predictable and I had the bad guy picked out before the end though there was one relationship element I missed.

This book was full of twists and turns, and kept me thinking. I don't know who had more theories about Nina's murder; me or Alice!
The book follows the main character Alice, who is in her new house with her domestic partner Leo. Leo found the perfect house for them to move to in a gated community with 12 houses. The tight-nit community called "The Circle," since all the houses are arranged in a circle around a middle square section, which has a playground for the children. Alice reluctantly agreed to move there with Leo, and leave her family cottage, for Leo's work travels. What Alice didn't know is that Leo hid from her that a murder had taken place in their house where a woman named Nina was brutally murdered. Her husband Oliver was presumed to be guilty of the murder, as he committed suicide during the police investigation.
The way Alice finds out about all this is when a private investigator comes to see her about the murder. It seems he was hired by Oliver's sister Helen, who is terminally ill, to prove Oliver's innocence. Once Alice gets involved with the investigation she starts to see that everything is not always as it seems. She starts to suspect everyone around her is covering something up, and the only way she can go on is to find out what really happened.
As I said in beginning, there were many twists in the stories of all the occupants in the Circle, and I started to suspect everyone, just like Alice. I would never want to ruin the story for anyone else, so I guess you will just have to read it to get to the bottom of it!