The Therapist was a mix of "I am now scared to live alone" and "can I trust anyone in my life?" kind of vibe. The setting works well with the mysterious murder of a therapist named Nina Maxwell. The setting takes place in a private/exclusive gated community of twelve houses. It seems like everyone knows everything about each other and sees everything yet everyone seems to look the other way when questions come up about Nina's murder. Alice and Leo move in to number six and meet all their neighbors + a mysterious man one night and chaos ensues from there. It was a really quick read but I wasn't a huge fan of the protagonist and wish there would have been a some more mystery/plot focus on Nina Maxwell and her husband. Overall, a good read!

When Alice and her boyfriend decide to live together and they manage to find a beautiful newer home in a small gated area of London. The home is beautiful, but since it had been listed for quite a while, Alice’s boyfriend is able to get a really good price on it. It’s not until Alice starts making friends with the neighbors that she finds out the true backstory on the house, putting herself in danger in the process. Another really good page turner from B. A. Paris---probably not my favorite, but definitely a good one to keep you interested and get your mind off your own troubles!

Special Note: Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Alice goes out of her comfort zone and moves into a house in The Circle with her boyfriend Leo, sight unseen. In The Circle there are 12 houses which are all exactly the same model. Alice invites all of the neighbors over for drinks in order to meet everyone and establish her place in the small group of friends. When a man shows up late, she assumes it is one of the neighbor's husbands. Shortly after, he disappears and none of the other guests have seem to have seen him at all. Just when Alice gets her bearings, she finds out that a murder had taken place in her house. The victims name was Nina, which is also the name of Alice's deceased sister. In the past, whenever Alice came across someone with the same name, she becomes obsessed. The same is true for this Nina and her murder case. Deeply disturbed, Alice begins fighting with her boyfriend about his lies and turning to the mysterious man for comfort. It turns out he is a "private investigator" looking into the murder. Soon, Alice decides she wants to leave The Circle for good and return to her old cottage. This is when things take a serious turn and Alice finds out that people in her life are not who they say they are. I loved this book! B. A. Paris really kept me on my toes. There were so many twists and turns she had me second guessing almost every character in the book. Great plot!

This book was intriguing and un-putdownable (yes, it's a word!). Although, I don't know why the author continually creates a protagonist that is so incredibly dumb. I also found the storyline a little far-fetched, but I still was hooked to the book. I know we always read these in reviews, but I truly didn't see the last twist coming!

*I was given an e-ARC from NetGalley and St. Martin's press in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

I have been a fan of B.A. Paris since I read Behind Closed Doors. That book held me in its grip until the end, and -honestly- I still think about how that book went down from time to time. I've also read many of her other books and enjoyed them - although I don't think I've enjoyed any as much as Behind Closed Doors.

**SPOILERS AHEAD**

The Therapist is a book about a woman named Alice who moves with her partner, Leo, to a gated neighborhood in London called The Circle. From the description, it sounds very much like a "stepford" community. The houses are laid out in a circle - hence the name of the neighborhood. Alice wants to meet the neighbors and make friends, but Leo is insistent on laying low and not drawing attention to themselves. Alice invites neighbors over for drinks one night while Leo is gone for work, and discovers the next day that one of the "neighbors" wasn't who he said he was.

She asks around the neighborhood if anyone saw him or knew who he was, but everyone insisted that man had never been at the party. Then he turns up on her doorstep again and tells her he's a private investigator that was hired to uncover the truth about the murder that occurred in her house. Alice was stunned because she had no idea that her new home had been the scene of a horrific crime, and she embarks on a quest to learn the truth - a truth she feels compelled to uncover because the murder victim and her deceased sister shared a name - Nina. And along the way she makes some friends in The Circle, makes some enemies, and learns things she never knew about her partner, Leo.

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I enjoyed *parts* of this book. I felt like there were many parts that could have been edited out - or just re-written in general. The whole "secrecy" surrounding Alice's reasoning for having an issue with Leo having spent time in prison, for example. I also had issues with how incredibly trusting Alice is when it comes to Thomas, yet she's super suspicious of each of her neighbors and her partner. Overall, she was not a very likable character. Another thing that I struggled with - Alice's reasoning for wanting justice for the victim.

Stepping back from the little details and things that annoyed me about Alice, the plot as a whole was good. I enjoy a suspense that keeps me guessing through most of the book. At one point, I'm sure I'd suspected every one of her neighbors, just like Alice did - but I came to the conclusion of who the killer was before she did, so in that way it may have been a little predictable.

I really like B.A. Paris' writing style, and while this wasn't my favorite book by her, I'll definitely keep reading her books.

Fast-paced, suspenseful thriller that had me on edge, especially when I was reading it at night. The suspense is so well-done! Who to trust, how well do you know people, especially your neighbors, how safe are you in your own home - all questions the author makes you think about in this book. Kept me turning the pages! So good!!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have read a few of B.A, Paris' book now. I have to say that it always keeps my interest. I did not expect this one to end quite the way it did. It was intriguing. I feel like Alice was a bit naive. I couldn't really understand why she kept somethings to herself and shared others when warned it might not be a good idea. I am not sure how I feel about Leo and his keeping secrets. I felt for Alice that she missed her sister and found herself obsessed with other women named Nina.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance readers copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Books like this are the reason I have trust issues. The unreliable narrator had me going back and forth, never knowing who to look at and suspecting everyone. At one point while I was reading I found myself thinking, “pshhh, this is so freaking obvious.”. Well, I’m an idiot and, just to quote GoT, “you know nothing, Jon Snow.”
I finally got to the last 10 pages and thought there is no way we can wrap this book up so quickly. But I’ll be damned if B.A. (does this stand for Bad Ass? Cause it should.) didn’t tie up every question I had in those ten pages.

3.5 stars rounding up to 4. This was an entertaining and suspenseful thriller. There were lots of red herrings throughout the book and the some good twists. I though Alice was a little too naïve and her relationship with Leo was not very believable. But overall it was a good escape and I look forward to reading some of B.A. Paris' other books. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley Books and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
**
Alice and Leo have been dating for over a year; the most of which was long distance where the only saw each other on weekends. Both wanted to integrate their lives a bit more together so when Leo proposed the idea of them moving to London together, Alice figured why not. Leo found the perfect house in a beautifully gated neighborhood; only ‘catch’, the house was sold to Leo under market value. The reason, a woman was brutally murdered in the house; and Leo has yet to share this information with Alice.
Once Alice becomes aware of the murder, by a party crashing private investigator, her trust in Leo and their relationship goes out the window. Alice asks Leo to leave the home for the foreseeable future while she tries to get her thoughts together. The longer Alice stays in the home, the more she doesn’t believe the murdered was actually caught. The police and neighbors strongly believed it was the husbands; because lets me honest is nearly always is.
As the story unravels Alice starts to question everyone she’s met in the neighborhood; and with good reason too. Everyone seems suspicious and has given more than a few reasons for Alice to suspect them.
BA Paris delivered another page turner, keeping her readers guessing until the very end!

Alice and Leo move into a newly renovated house in a gated community called The Circle. Alice feels like all is going well until she gets the shocking news that their home’s previous owner was murdered in the house and Leo knew and intentionally hid it from Alice. As Alice starts digging around to get answers about the previous owner and what happened, she begins to worry that one or more of her neighbors might have had a hand in Nina’s murder.

B.A Paris never disappoints. She has delivered another riveting, amazing thriller in her latest book. You’ll want to clear your plans once you start this story because you will not stop reading until you’ve finished. It had me hooked from the beginning with its twists and turns that had me on the edge of my seat. This book was impossible to put down. The plot was extremely engaging and gripping. The main character, Alice was complex and very sympathetic. I didn’t see the end coming and I was guessing until the very end. The neighborhood reminded me of Wisteria Lane from “Desperate Housewives”. If you’re into mystery thrillers, then this one is a definite must read for you. This was a real page turner of a psychological/domestic thriller. Put this on your TBR pile for 2021.

Fast paced domestic noir, strong until the ending where it fell apart for me. I would have liked it better if one of the neighbors was the dark character and the theme was suburban and upper class married with kids and career ennui...easy to relate, The actual reveal was way more suspension of disbelief than I
like, so skip the end and write your own. three and a half stars for page turning prose

Alice and Leo haven't known each other long but are certain they are each others forever soul mate. Leo buys house #6 in a small gated community where the neighbors know each other and he and Alice will be safe.

Except, the house has sat empty for a year because of a horrible murder. Leo knows the house has a past, but he doesn"t share this information with Alice, because Leo also has a past he needs to hide.

As the story progresses we see that this small friendly gated community has some big secrets in needs to keep and someone will go at great lengths to make that happen.

This book had great characters and a fast moving plot. Perfect twist that many will wonder how they missed.
Once again B. A. Paris has taken me on a thrilling ride.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for allowing me and advances copy to reas in exchange for my honest review.

I always look forward to this authors thrillers. I guessed at the killer and was right, but oh what a fun ride it was guessing. Great characters and plenty of people to consider as guilty.
This was a GR Win for me but also read via Netgalley. Thanks to the publisher and author for the ARC
All comments are my own.

As much as I enjoy her work. I found this drawn out for no reason, was going to put it down after more than half way.

If this was the first book if her I read, I’d NEVER read her again.

This should if anything be a Lifetime movie at best!

I found the book to be very long and drawn out. Chapters and chapters were spent on details of the characters which really had no bearing on anything. I found Alice to be whiny and dull. By the ending I felt like who cares.

I am a huge BA Paris fan, so I was thrilled that St,. Martin’s Press and NetGalley allowed me to read this ARC. If you have read BA Paris before, you will notice some recurring themes: relationship troubles, a feeling of isolation, and a narrator that doesn’t understand everything that is happening around her (almost an unreliable narrator, but not quite). The author is a master at creating a creepy atmosphere and this novel is no exception. Alice and Leo have moved into a close knit community in London called The Circle, where all the residents are friends and are entwined in each other’s lives. Shortly after moving in, Alice learns that several years ago, a woman was murdered in the home that Alice now lives in. She starts asking the neighbors about the woman and her death, and feels convinced that there is a conspiracy that everyone in The Circle is covering up. Excellent thriller, I definitely recommend this book!

Such a marvellous writer and we were so looking forward to reading what we thought would be another of her enthralling, truly brilliant books, but this one was a very real disappointment. Weak characters and a thoroughly implausible plot. Totally unrealistic and implausible.
A real disappointment. A misstep by a fabulous writer.

Alice and Leo have dated for a while long distance when he suggests they buy a home and move in together, though he doesn't believe in marriage. The home sounds too good to be true at an affordable price so what could go wrong, right? She can even rent out her cottage for 6 months and move back if she wants to, as he assures her. Not too many red flags here!

Of course most of the neighbors are welcoming, though one is decidedly bitchy. The back story of the home is revealed to Alice and she knows she cannot stay there... Or can she? Maybe she can solve the mystery of the former owner!

Paris has created a story that hooked me from the first chapter. Who is telling the truth or is anyone? I love stories that make me think. Who did it? I love stories that keep me wanting to know more. Great job on this one. Highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

The Therapist is a quick read with lots of action. Leo and Alice move in together for the first time. Alice is excited until she realizes that she moved into a home where someone was murdered. Alice then goes a little crazy and obsesses over trying to solve the murder, which alienates herself from both Leo and her new neighbors and which puts herself in danger.
Alice is a naive and unlikable character who bounces all over the place. She suspects everyone and no one at the same time because even though she suspects them, she trusts them to be her friend. I think I would have enjoyed the book more if I liked Alice.
It is a quick read. You'll enjoy trying to figure out who is the murderer.
Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for the advanced copy of the book. The opinions are my own.