I had high hopes for this and it started out strong, but fell flat for me. I give it 3 stars -- and that is being generous.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC,.

This was 100% a DNF for me. I have never read anything by this author and had seen good reviews but this was just sooooo boring. I am not sure how this classifies as a mystery/thriller.

When I started this book, I really wasn't sure if I was going to like it....I was wrong! I loved it! Not at all what I expected, and the twists and turns we're never expected. Awesome book!
Thanks to netgalley, the publisher and author for the chance to see r read this advanced copy.

I have to say this is not my favorite book of hers so it’s just okay. I didn’t really care too much for the characters and the main character was a bit annoying. Overall it was on okay read.

this book did not keep my interest. THere was too much going on an easy to figure out. It was slow and was really hard to read

While this may not have been my favorite B.A. Paris novel to date—her debut was astounding!—“The Prisoner” delivers all that readers have come to expect from this bestselling suspense author, and I quickly became intrigued with the narrative. Throughout the story, there is a niggling sense that something is off, not quite right, adding to the tension in a way that reminds me of the static preceding a lightning strike. It’s subtle, but suddenly it gives way and chaos ensues. As with her other novels, “The Prisoner” is primarily psychological suspense, which I find more frightening than outright horror. Beware of making presumptions and of taking things at face value, because circumstances cast doubt on what is really happening. When done well, the twists and revelations can turn the narrative on its head, and Paris has made this her trademark.

Comprised of two segments, “The Prisoner” is both literal and a metaphor, representing the main character’s status in more ways than one. Kidnapped and held in an empty, windowless, pitch-black room, Amelie Lamont goes from fears surrounding her new husband to wondering where she is and why, and what is really happening. Narrated in the first-person by Amelie, readers assume her limited point of view while being drawn alongside her into the situation. “The Prisoner” evokes such a keen sense of claustrophobia, and Paris writes with a cinematic style that makes it easy for readers to put themselves into Amelie’s position. Some chapters during the first section of the book take place during the past and offer vignettes into Amelie’s life prior to the kidnapping and how they shaped her into the independent woman she became. As with the story itself, each layer reveals another aspect and another surprise. Paris does with “The Prisoner” what she does with her other novels, taking a seemingly common trope and turning it on its head with a domino effect of twists that always go further than expected. Talk about being held captive!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

B.A. Paris is truly a genius! This story was different and just so good!

Amelie’s goal is to go to college and become a lawyer. To right a wrong that caused her Mom and sibling to die during childbirth. After her Dad passes, she makes her way to London to start fresh. Without money, it’s not so easy and she finds herself working for Carolyn who helps her make her way up. She finds herself married to a rich magazine owner and that’s when all the trouble begins. She finds herself in a dark room on a mattress on the floor.

This story was really great! It kept me interested, kept me on the edge of my seat or bed haha and truly wanting to read more. Five stars for this really amazingly written read!

I have read all of B.A. Paris' books and couldn't wait for this one to be released. While I don't think anything could rate as great as Behind Closed Doors, this one came a close second.

Amelia has been through a lot in her life, and being kidnapped and realizing that her kidnappers might be easier to live with than her husband, really puts a different spin on things.

When you start reading this one, be prepared to finish it all in one sitting. As always, this author is one of my favorites, and I'm ready and waiting for the next one.

It’s always been hit or miss with B.A. Paris’s books. This one for me was a hit. I loved it and the emotional rollercoaster it put me through. The ending I was like eh but this was an exciting, tense, read. It definitely had me on the edge of my seat as I stayed up late to finish it.

After her father’s death, Amelie tries to start over in France. There she makes a few friends who get her set up including the handsome and wealthy Ned Hawthorne. After a shotgun wedding, broken promise, a murder or two and a car ride later, Amelie wakes up in total darkness. Her world begins to crumble around her as she realizes that she has been kidnapped. Who has done this to her and why?

The Prisoner is available November 1, 2022

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I thought this book was wonderful! It wasn't my favorite book by B.A. Paris, but it was still top notch! The twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat. In true B.A. Paris fashion, I could not put this one down. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a thriller to read.

This one was mind blowing. Keeps you on the edge of your seat! Will definitely recommend to others. Definitely will read more by this author.

I just read this new book by an author that I have really enjoyed in the past, B.A. Paris. Her latest book, The Prisoner, was engaging, entertaining and enjoyable.
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It was a quick read, narrated by Amelie in the present, where she wakes up alone and confused in a pitch black room, and in the recent past, when she finds a job, a home, new friends, and an opportunity to have the life she has been working towards. Learning how she got from point A to point B kept me turning the pages and suspecting almost everyone. The author brought past and present together seamlessly and ended it well. I had wondered about the main twist, but dismissed it a couple of times, I should have gone with my instinct.
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I really recommend this easy thriller, and this author.

It is probably time for me to give up on BA Paris. This book had great potential at the beginning to become an excellent psychological thriller. But in the second half it turned into like a crazy crime action drama and I was just not here for that.

I enjoyed this book and loved the way it opened, not knowing at all what direction the book was going to take. Really well written

While I am not usually a fan of books that you can’t really guess the why, I was along for the ride in this one. While it was a slow burn, it was actually a quick read for me. I wanted to know why the kidnapping happened and why Amelie. I will admit she is a lot stronger than me. Total blackness would do me in.

I liked the short chapters. I liked the alternating timelines and that the past explained how we got to the present. Just as I was losing interest in the kidnapping, it came to an end. I was less impressed with the very end, but I quite often find this happening in thrillers, but it wasn’t the end of the thrill, but the after that (I can’t explain this any further without a spoiler, but you’ll know what I mean when you read it).

If you like slow burn mysteries and kidnappings, you should definitely give this one a try.

Conflicted. So conflicted about this book. I was turning pages so quickly during the beginning - I was really into it. But, the second half was such a mess for me. All the characters were frustrating - I felt like they lacked a lot of depth and I wasn’t cheering for any of them. The ending was so abrupt too - I wanted more!

Read if you enjoy:
▪️Fast paced plot
▪️Short chapters (yay!)
▪️Who did it stories

I have loved all of this authors books and this was no exception!!!
Murder mysteries are fascinating. They start with situations which lead to many questions. Too often, like an incompetent lawyer who makes promises in an opening argument which are never fulfilled, the answers either don’t add up or seem to be just an afterthought, a means of tying up loose ends. Having gotten hooked by her prior novels, B.A. Paris, does not disappoint. By the end, I’m glad to have made the journey and, in addition, am already awaiting the next departure!
In addition, I am a mom so reading book about a child being taken as a journey!

I’ve generally been fond of B.A. Paris’ novels since devouring her debut, Behind Closed Doors, and her latest, The Prisoner was a highly-anticipated read for me. Unfortunately, I wasn’t crazy about this locked room/dual timeline thriller with a twist.

WHAT I LIKED
💫 This book grabs you from the start and throws you right in the middle of the action. It was jarring at first, but the story alternates chapters between the past and present timelines, which makes it easy to catch up.
💫 There’s a twist halfway through the novel that really shakes things up and makes the book impossible to put down. It kept me engaged with the story and had me theorizing about how it would end.
💫 The Prisoner is what I would call “thriller lite.” It’s suspenseful, but not overly scary or violent, which I think would make it a good read for someone looking to dip their toe in the genre.

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
💫 The ending was a huge miss for me. I personally felt like there weren’t enough clues planted along the way to get to the final reveal, which resulted in a head-scratcher of an ending (and not in a good way). In my opinion, that overshadowed many of the other things I liked about the book.

I will say I’ve seen several glowing reviews for The Prisoner over the last few days, so if you’ve liked Paris’ other titles and are looking for a new thriller to add to your TBR, I wouldn’t dissuade you from picking this up — it just wasn’t the right book for me.

The Prisoner is out today! Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC.

For me, The Prisoner is right up there with Behind Closed Doors and The Therapist. As always, B.A. Paris draws you in from the very beginning with the kidnapping of Amelie and her husband, Ned. From here Amelie is held captive in a pitch black room so why does she begin to feel safer here? Stockholm syndrome?

Told from Amelie’s POV, Paris takes you between past and present unveiling a dark story. I can’t say much without giving it away. I really enjoyed this one and the twists. My only complaint was the way the ending felt abrupt. Thankfully it answers all of the questions you might be asking as you read but then it just ends. Again, I can’t say more without spoiling anything.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC! I’m always excited for a new B.A. Paris novel!

Unfortunately this didn’t really work for me. It felt predictable and didn’t really keep me hooked. The pace was a little slower than I would have liked and I really didn’t care about any of the characters.