A HUGE thank you to B.A. Paris, St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

i generally love all B. A. Paris books. I did not love this one quite as much. The story premise was great, and elements of the story I would expect are all there. A wild ride and a semi-unpredictable ending (I am really good at figuring things out) are things I expect. I think my issue came from the characters themselves. They just did not seem as real for me, especially towards the end of the book. My 2 cents and I am sure others do not agree.

Alice and Leo have had a long distance relationship and now have found a beautiful home in the Circle, a gated community of 12 homes. When meeting neighbors, Alice discovers that the former resident was a therapist that was killed in the house. Alice becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to the former resident of her home.

After loving B.A.s first few books, I was hopeful I would love this one as well. I loved the narrators calm voice and felt like it added to the story. I became immersed in the story and characters and was continually trying to guess “who did it”. The close knit neighbors kept me on the edge of my seat. Definitely worth the read!

Thanks NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the advanced copy. Book releases July 13.

Alice has just moved into the circle with her boyfriend, an exclusive popular neighborhood. Soon she learns a devastating secret about the house that Alice just can't over look!

Now she's obsessed with finding answers but will it destroy the relationships she has and is making in the circle?
I liked this one but didn't love it. Alice seemed to put everything aside to find answers which I was happy someone really wanted answers, but she wasn't smart about it all. I hadn't guessed the killer and I love when I don't. The ending twist was great, there was a false trials laid out!
3.5

Thank you to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for copy for honest review.

I am very appreciative of a thriller that can make me yell “WHAT” when the big reveal comes. This one did just that for me. It was my first experience with Paris’s writing, and I can say that I will be reading more.
The plot flowed well and the characters were annoying in ways that they are supposed to be. The author kept me guessing on what was actually happening and who was really involved. I will say that the main character did get on my nerves a little bit. She was a little naive which caused some eye roll moments, but I didn’t hate her.
Overall I think this was a good thriller, if you are looking for something engrossing the read while laying on the beach this summer, this would be a good one.
The quality of the audio was also good and the narrators were also great. Would recommend as an audiobook for sure,,

This book is a domestic thriller that kept me guessing until the end! B.A. Paris threw in multiple twists to keep the reader questioning whether they had it figured out. The main character Alice moves in with her boyfriend Leo in a gated community outside of London. It seems like a nice quiet neighborhood, but what she doesn’t know was something terrible happened there a year ago.

Still grieving the death of her sister and parents, Alice is trying to move forward with her life. When she finds out about the brutal murder of a woman named Nina (her sisters name) in her house she feels compelled to get to the bottom of it. Weird things begin happening in the house, and nothing is as it seems. With many plot twists, and an ending I didn’t expect this was a great audiobook! I enjoyed the buildup and suspense, and trying to figure out the truth of what really happened. The story was well paced but it really kept me on the edge of my seat at the end!

Thanks Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the advanced copy! This book releases on July 13.

The therapist…. Who is the therapist?! This is the question I asked myself countless times as I was listening to this book. The close knit neighbors kept me on edge trying to piece everything together. It did not disappoint and the narration seemed to fit perfectly.

This was an interesting story. I'm not sure that I would call it a thriller, but I could get on board with it being in the suspense genre. Mostly, it is a mystery. Honestly, there wasn't much that happened in the first 3/4 of the book to get my heart racing. A few things occur, but mostly it is the MC doing some investigating and trying to put the pieces together.

I was a bit surprised at some of the connections our MC made where there didn't seem to be any proof. She seemed to pull some random information out of the air and link it to her case. However, these bits did make for some interesting theories in the story.

I liked the way the story played out in the end. I was able to work out some of the twists on my own, but there were a couple that I didn't expect as well.

I listened to the audio version narrated by Olivia Dowd & Thomas Judd. The narration was perfect for the story. I would recommend the audio because there were a couple places where the story might be a little slow or repetitive, but the narration helped moved it along and kept me engaged.

3.5 Stars for this one. I am a little sad that I guessed the twist pretty early on. The author made things go in so many directions, like she was trying to throw us off the path, but it was pretty clear to me what was happening. I did enjoy the suspense and I read it in one sitting. I had to know if I was right.
Alice and Leo have had a long distance relationship before now. They finally move in together and Alice finds out that the house they bought was the scene of a brutal murder that took place the year before. As she tries to piece together what happened and help to solve the murder, she wonders if she really knows the man she is living with. With someone sneaking into the house at night and the ladies in the circle judging her for not leaving the case alone, she has her work cut out for her.
The issue I had here is that Alice really didn't have any business trying to solve this crime, but I did like that she knew there was more to the story than meets the eye. I felt she was a little naive for her age and very gullible to just believe things that were said by everyone and take them at face value.
The narrators were perfect for this and kept me engaged through the whole book, waiting to see if my theory was correct. Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio and BA Paris for an early copy of this audiobook.

Alice and Leo move into a house in The Circle, a gated community close enough to the city, but its own little oasis. When the truth of what transpired in the house reaches Alice's ears, she soon starts to question everything that she learns from that point forward. Obsessed with finding the truth, will Alice alienate herself from all in The Circle?

Narrated by Olivia Dowd and Thomas Judd, The Therapist is well read, with good intonation and pacing. I enjoyed the novel as I went through my day and the book provided a good amount of entertainment. It is a bit repetitive, which is made more apparent by the audio version. The premise of the book falls on Alice's presumptions, which was not all that realistic in my opinion. As a newcomer to the neighborhood, I find it hard to believe that Alice would not say simply "I am Alice, and you are?" The plot holes in the story give the novel an unrealistic feeling as well. The fact that the book is called The Therapist, yet the story is more about Alice than the titled character, is a little off-putting. For these reasons, I would be hesitant to recommend The Therapist to other readers.

Disclaimer: I was given an advanced, audio version of The Therapist by NetGalley and the publisher, Macmillan Audio. The decision to review this audiobook was entirely my own.

Thanks to the publisher for the advanced ecopy and audiobook of The Therapist by BA Paris. I went back and forth between the two reading options.

The audiobook narrators were very good.

The Therapist was my fourth BA Paris novel and I enjoyed it very much. I read it in basically two sittings with much resentment that I had to put it down at all. As a lifelong introvert, I could absolutely NOT relate to Alice's immediate desire to throw a party for all the residents of her and Leo's new neighborhood, but I KNOW people LIKE her. Haha. Anyway, that party device worked well for setting up the mystery of who killed the former resident of Alice and Leo's home. I kept guessing the entire novel and thought the resolution was satisfying even if overall the likelihood of such a plot happening and working in real life is next to zero.

The Therapist was fun. The characters were interesting. There is only on BA Paris novel I have yet to read, and I own it so I will cover that one eventually. Basically, put me in the camp of being a big fan of hers and I look forward to each book she publishes. I have not been disappointed in a single one.

The only other book I read by B.A. Paris was 2020 released The Dilemma, which I gave a 3-star rating.

What I enjoyed more about The Therapist:
- the storyline
- the domestic thriller genre: a plot set up in gated community The Circle. Protagonist Alice and her partner Leo are moving in to this fancy London neighborhood. Everything looks peachy until Alice finds out that a murder occurred in the pretty house they have just moved in. I loved the intricate twists and turns that keep the reader guessing. I personally couldn't figure out what was behind the murder of Nina the therapist.
- much more fast-paced than The Dilemma; no dragging conversations, no analysis of a million thoughts going through the main characters' minds.

What I didn't enjoy so much;
- the story wasn't believable at all.
- I didn't connect with a single character; even though the story took place in a gated community, at no moment did I fancy anyone's lives or did I connect with a single actor.

A commercial, forgettable story that can sell well among readers with little to no high expectations, who are simply looking for a fun thriller to read by the pool.

Leo asks Alice to move in with him. She doesn’t want to move to his apartment. They agree to sell their places and get something for the two of them.

The new place is strange. The Circle is a gated community filled with everyone who knows one another but she invites them over for a gathering which Leo doesn’t want to have. Afterwards, strange things start happening. Leo sees someone in their room one night but when they turn on the light no one is there. The house is searched but no one is found. Then, she is sure things aren’t in the place she left them.

Then, they find out one of their neighbors didn’t show up to the house like they thought but she was sure he said his name was Tim but Tim looks different than the man from her party. So she starts asking her other neighbors but nothing.

The man comes by later and mentions that he is a PI and tells her that a murder happened in the house. This is why the house was so cheap. She decides to help the PI out but tells everyone that it was a reporter that told her about the lady who was murdered in the house.

This was so good. I am so glad I got to listen to this. I still need to read B.A. Paris’ other books but I loved Behind Closed Doors and have plans to read her other works. I believe she may be a new favorite author of my but let’s see what the other books hold. I plan on reading at least one of them this month.

I recommend this book if you are a fan of Paris’ other books. Mystery and thriller lovers should definitely check this out if you haven’t already. If you like the idea of a murder mystery or a house where the new tenant doesn’t know a murder took place there. I just think you should pick this up if you haven’t already.

I can’t wait to know what you thought of this one. Please tell me what your thoughts are? Did you like it? What’s your favorite part of this story?

What are other books you’ve read by B.A Paris? Did you like them? Which is your favorite?

Since I loved this book, what other book/s would you recommend me read?

I recieved this Audio ARC via NetGalley and Macmillan Audio in exchange for an unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3 stars

As a long-time fan of all styles of mysteries and thrillers, I'm surprised that B.A. Paris has somehow eluded my reading list...until now. While I enjoyed this novel overall, it did not live up to the incoming expectations I had for this writer.

Alice, the m.c., moves with her partner Leo into an area called The Circle, and while the name alone should tell them that they should perhaps be preparing for midnight volleyball, the creepy nature of the other residents also helps. Unfortunately, Alice and Leo fit right in to this mess. When Alice uncovers a strange yet easy to Google secret about their new home, she goes down a rabbit hole of her own and decides to upend her whole life over solving something that does not actually appear to be a mystery at the start. This is a particularly unusual choice because Alice is - to put it diplomatically - NOT quick on the uptake. To give credit where it is due, even she realizes this and regularly (and somewhat depressingly) admits her own shortcomings in synthesis and analytical skills. She is by no means alone in this situation, but these qualities make her tough to take at times due to her central position in this mystery (which remains a mystery most of all to her - yeesh).

While Alice can be frustrating and the plot both meanders and slows throughout most of the novel, the finale features an intriguing reveal and a detailed explanation that wraps up every detail (and more). I'm neither sorry I read this nor enthusiastic about recommending it to likeminded mystery/thriller fans, but I do think there are some wonderful book club drinking games to be had with this one. While you're at it, pour one out for Alice. She truly gets an A for effort.

The Therapist, the newest psychological thriller by B. A. Paris is a thoroughly twisty, mind-bending, entertaining novel about a small, private enclave off central London. It’s an exclusive gated community where a murder has recently taken place and our protagonist, Alice, finds herself a new resident with her boyfriend Leo. He purchased the house for the couple so they could spend more time together. Alice was hesitant, but Leo was persuasive.

Right after their arrival, Alice becomes irate, and then intrigued when she finds out that a woman was murdered in the very house she now lives in and no one told her. As a result of a personal tragic event in her past, and some suspicious behavior in her home, Alice begins to question if the right culprit was apprehended. She is compelled to investigate on her own and soon finds herself in a downward, obsessive spiral of suspicion, accusation and a relentless search for answers.

This story kept me guessing until the end. It was fast-paced, clever and paranoid, which made it fun. I will admit it gets a bit repetitive with the constant questioning, and some occurrences are out of the range of plausibility, but it was still a page-turner that held my attention. I thoroughly enjoyed the audio-narration of this book. The narrators were clear, easy to understand and really added to the story. I was surprised by the reveal at the conclusion and found the story to be a suspenseful, guessing game in an almost soap opera-esque setting. As such, it’s the perfect light, summer thriller.

The Therapist is about a young couple, Alice and Leo, who decide to move in together. Leo finds a beautiful house in an exclusive gated community in London. The house had sat unsold for a year and he was able to get it for a great price. The only problem is he decides to not tell his partner, Alice, the reason was a horrific murder had been committed in that house.
What comes next is a predictable reaction Alice wants to leave, but tries to stay for her lover's sake. The neighbor's not knowing of her initial ignorance, thinks she is brave, crazy, or cruel to move there.
So far so good..
She explains to them what happened, one neighbor at a time, over and over and over again. She begins to look into the murder and every little clue she finds is told over and over and over again.
She repeated the same stories so many times I began to wonder if Alice had a short-term memory problem!
I found the repetition annoying, but in the way, that old family member tells you the same story every time they see you. Annoying but not enough to make you go away.
The end was actually a nice little twist that was only a surprise because Alice accused every single person in her community as well as her partner, of the crime you lost track of who did what, when, or where.
The second problem I had with this audio version was the narrator. While for the most part, she did an excellent job, there were little quirks in her speech that began to drive me nuts! The most glaring was her habit of pronouncing words that ended in "A" as "er" for instance Nina, the murder victim whose name was said incessantly, was pronounced "Niner" Maria as "Marier". Had me gritting my teeth after 10 hours.
Other than me nitpicking over those two issues, I did find it to be a fairly interesting story and a pretty good mystery. Makes a great beach read.
I received this audiobook from McMillian Audio and @NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a chance to read and review this outstanding novel before the official publication date. Loved this story! B. A. Paris never disappoints. This story had me anxious to find out who the villain could be from the start. The author does a terrific job fully developing the characters. You care about Alice and hold hope for what her new home and neighborhood can bring. But there are so many secrets surrounding her. Her significant other Leo wanted this house badly and Alice finds herself questioning why. She wants the neighbors to like her and accept them into their circle. Odd things happen during her first gathering and tension builds from there. Circumstances begin to unfold. What happened to the previous owners of their new home? What are the neighbors hiding? Sinister motives are at play but who is involved? The ending while not totally unexpected was still revealed surprises. If you love a good mystery embedded in imperfect human interactions, this book will delight you.

I wasn't a huge fan of Paris's last book (The Dilemma) but I had liked some previous books of hers so decided to give this one a try. The Therapist did have a couple of decent twists, but overall I disliked the character of Alice so much that it clouded everything about this book.

This is the story of Alice and Leo, a couple who decide to move in together after dating long distance for a while. Leo purchases a home in a gated community, and some odd things occur. Alice discovers that the previous owner of the house, Nina, was murdered and her husband Oliver was accused of the crime and later committed suicide. Alice is horrified that Leo kept this information from her and for a while pretty much refuses to step foot back into the house. After a little bit though, she gets over it because she has a new mission--find out who really killed Nina. Why would Alice want to do this you ask? She didn't even know Nina. Well, it turns out that Alice's older sister Nina, along with their parents, was killed in a car accident when Alice was 19. She feels as if it's her duty to avenge her sister's namesake and figure out what really happened to her.

Huh?
Yes, Alice becomes an armchair detective, endlessly quizzing the neighbors about Nina and basically spying on everyone trying to ferret out what really happened to her. Alice is such a wishy washy character. First she's afraid to re-enter the house she has been living in for quite some time because a murder took place there, then she becomes this crusader for justice taking risks and chances. There were so many times that I rolled my eyes that they were getting sore from the rolling.

Bottom Line-- this is a fair read, if you like far-fetched domestic dramas with armchair detectives you just might enjoy this one. I listened to the audiobook and I did like the narrator who kept me invested in the story.

This is the crazy story of a woman whose boyfriend buys a nice house in a gated community and invites her to live with him, without mentioning anything about the house. She later learns that a murder happened and the husband was charged but later committed suicide. She invites the neighbors to a cocktail party to get to know them. As she finds out more, she believes that the husband was not guilty, and with the help of a private investigator, wants to find the guilty party.

This was a very entertaining audiobook. The narration was very well done. The story was good with interesting characters. While I did get why Alice was upset that her boyfriend did not tell her about a murder having been committed in the house they had just moved into, I did think she became too obsessed with it to a point where I found it a bit annoying. But even so I, like Alice, also kept changing my mind as to who might have committed the murder. I suppose that’s Alice’s fault! Ha! Was the guilty person someone from that close-knit community they were now living in or someone outside the circle? I had strong suspicions about one character (no, I won’t say which one) who ended up being the guilty person. Quite a little twist there and it was cleverly done. I’ve read all but one of B. A. Paris’ books and have enjoyed them all. I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the review audiobook.

I ended up reading, rather than listening to this one. I'd looked forward to this one, but in the end, I felt like the reader was being gas lighted.
from description: 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.
Everyone is a suspect in Nina's murder. Alice is boring and obsessed, and no one is trustworthy because the author is manipulating the reader to keep up suspense, and counterintuitively, the pace begins to crawl and the suspicions become repetitive. (It's Tamsin, Will, Connor. No, Edward, Eve, Leo, Ben.)

NetGalley/St. Martin's Press

July 13, 2021. Print length: 304 pages.