The premise of this book seemed very intriguing; however the delivery was not. I found this book very difficult to read and full of inconsistencies. It seemed like there was a great plot there, but no story to follow it. This is the first time I did not finish an ARC. I stopped at 75%. I tried really hard to keep reading, but just could not.

*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When a world-renowned psychiatrist is found dead in an abandoned ranch house, a post-it note with the words ‘Susan Parker’ and her cell phone number is taped to the basement door.

This was an interesting read which kept me guessing until about 2/3 of the way through. From then on it was a bit hit or miss for me given that the FBI couldn't seem to figure out what was in front of their faces.

That said it was definitely a good read. Well written and kept me engaged. I will definitely be following the rest of the series.

Love the title and cover, and I did finish the book but there was a little too much going on for my liking, with some missed opportunities for more interesting delving. My interest waned and I didn't warm to the FBI agent unfortunately. But I don't regret giving it a try. Thank you for the free copy.

Wow! Surprisingly, I found myself drawn to this ARC. SAC Susan Parker's journey in unraveling the mystery she was handling was truly captivating. Additionally, I appreciated the inclusion of a character who uses sign language, and what set it apart was that this character emerged stronger, defying the typical narrative where someone using sign language faces constant bullying. It was refreshing that everyone embraced this character instead.

Furthermore, as a Muslim, I appreciate that, for once, an author didn't make a Muslim character "the bad guy." I noticed Naved using "Inshallah," and although widely accepted, it would have been better if spelled as "Inshaa Allah" since the two variations carry different meanings.

I'd like to mention a specific phrase in the book that seems a bit confusing and might be challenging for someone without a background in the medical field to grasp. As a Medical Laboratory Scientist, it strikes me that the author may not have thoroughly researched mobile laboratory details. When Susan mentioned, "She makes us look through microscopes and shows us screens filled with data, as she walks us through her process," the information felt somewhat vague. A clearer expression could be, "Looking through the microscope's eyepiece reveals slides filled with specimens”, especially when dealing with DNA and similar elements."

In general, I adore almost all the characters, and there's this strange but exciting feeling making me ship Naved and Susan together. However, I must admit feeling a bit let down by the cliffhanger at the end. I was eagerly anticipating a major plot twist, especially regarding Amit's case, but unfortunately, it didn't unfold as I hoped. Fingers crossed for some revelations in the sequel, considering this book is part of a series. Despite that, I gave it a solid 5-star rating because SAC Susan Parker's story truly captivated me. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys thrillers and mysteries.

I want to express my gratitude to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for allowing me the opportunity to read this amazing ARC. Thank you so much!

This is billed as the first Susan Parker book in a series. Parker is an FBI agent, her husband has recently committed suicide (or has he?), she has a young, deaf daughter and lives with her sister in law who helps them. She has been suspended from her job for mental health reason after attacking a local psychologist, accusing him of being serial killer Splinter, the case she was working.

We meet Parker when she is contemplating killing the woman whom she believes was the last person to see her husband. Later that night she is called to a scene by Naved Seth from the Santa Clarita Sheriff’s Office because her name is on a post-it note. At the scene is a dead man and eleven captives the man was holding, he is believed to have been killed by one of them.

The man turns out to be Splinter, the serial killer. Parker is reinstated to work the case. The captives are assigned to the psychologist Parker accused. Fun and hilarity ensue.

I quite liked Parker and her family but the book itself seemed like a bunch of missed opportunities to me. The idea of Splinter kidnapping therapists and their families was interesting and I would have liked to read about that. The idea of the eleven captives was interesting and I would have liked to have read about them. Instead we got a book filled with a lot of nothing much. As I did like Parker I would give book two a read to see if plotting better. Lightly recommended.

This was a great read by Sam Baron, and the first in a new series of books about the FBI's SAC Susan Parker, and her team.
The book introduces us to Susan who is still grieving after losing her beloved husband Amit to suicide.
She is called to the crime scene of a Doctor Magnusson, who for some time, she has suspected of being the notorious serial killer known as 'Splinter'. Susan and the team discover 12 therapy rooms, housing imprisoned 'patients' who have been 'condidtioned'. Only one room is empty, and the prisoner missing. It is assumed that this patient is one who managed to escape and kill their captor.
The team are desperate to find out for the patients what has occured, but when approached each one refuses to speak.
How will they manage to capture the 12th patient? Will the prisoners ever feel secure enough to speak? How is this crime connected to amit's suicide?
This book has many twists and turns, and you are left guessing the outcome right until the finale.
I will be on the look out for the next installment of the Susan Parker series.

The Therapy Room is my first book by this author, Seth Baron. The story follows FBI agent Susan Parker, who has been on an extended leave of absence due to an incident at work that leaves her unfit for duty. She gets roped back in due to a mysterious murder that links her to the case. Someone is killing therapists, families of therapists, and only she can get to the bottom of it.

From the first chapter, this book had me in a grip. The suspense was great.
The pacing was good. At no point was I ever bored with the story. I thought the twist was good, although somewhat predictable. Honestly, reading this book was like watching an episode of CSI, Bones, or something similar. It starts off high suspense, good banter between the characters, and then wraps up with a pretty bow at the end. All around an enjoyable time.

Unfortunately, there were a couple of things that just really turned me off and made this take longer to read than normal.
1. Why are there so many exclamation points used? It was so distracting! Three exclamation points in the first, very short chapter! Every one in this book stays so excited!
2. Susan is completely off her rocker. Who in their right mind would sign off that she is fit for duty? It is very clear after reinstatement that she should not be on this case.
3. To add onto my second point, for a mother to want to only put the safety of her child first, HOW DO YOU TAKE YOUR SEVEN YEAR OLD TO AN ACTIVE CRIME SCENE WITH A SHOOTER ON SIGHT? No, absolutely not. This was absolutely unbelievable to me and got several eyerolls for decisions made after this point.

This book was solid up to about 50% and then Susan became too unreliable. The conversations didn't seems like real conversations people would be having. I think in real life she would have been kicked off the case. But, this is fiction, and I can't take it too seriously. Overall, I enjoyed the fast-paced suspense. Solid 3 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Susan Parker is a very likable character who I can see myself wanting to get to know. The story was good, kept me interested and also left some room for more books. I definitely would read more to see what happens to Susan and her family, to see if she can solve the one big murder that remains a cold case mystery and learn more about other characters such as her partner on the force. I will definitely recommend this to my friends! Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

I did not read much of this but maybe a few chapters, I just struggled to get into it but I think I may have been the wrong audience and I can see the potential! It just was not for me! I found it hard to connect with and while I’m aware I did not give it a full chance, if I’m not hooked within the first few chapters I’m more likely to not finish a book!

The Therapy Room by Sam Baron is the first book in a series featuring FBI Agent Susan Parker, and my first book by this author. I picked up this book based on the intriguing plot and can report back that what makes this one really enjoyable is the shocking, intriguing and intricately woven storyline. A serial killer named Splinter! At first this name put me off but as the story progressed, I came to like it. I liked how this story was unique and while some parts were a little predictable, I enjoyed the angle that it took. The ending perfectly sets up book 2. While there were some parts that I think could have been fleshed out a lot more and taken this book to a higher level, overall, it was enjoyable. The writing was a little clunky at times and took me out of the story as the characters would say things that didn’t seem natural or what someone would say at that time. Despite this, I would read book 2 to see how the story further develops, hopefully the characters will be further fleshed out as things go on. The inclusion of a main character with a child with a disability adds a layer of diversity that I appreciated. While I didn't fully connect with the main character, the overall experience of The Therapy Room was entertaining and fun. Overall, an enjoyable offering in the thriller/mystery genre.

I really liked this story line, I thought it was pretty unique and felt like the characters had a bit of depth. I wish there was more info about the “patients” and felt like there could have been some additional description and depth to the storyline. While there were still questions at the end of the book i think it was a good reflection of life not always having answers.

I enjoyed the introduction to FBI agent Susan. Susan has just experienced several setbacks in her personal and professional life and is called in to investigate a series of events that are seemingly unrelated, but ultimately connected.

I appreciated some of the elements that were included, such as a character with a disability. I could not, however, connect to the dialogue. Many times what the characters were saying did not seem authentic, and certainly not the way FBI agents would speak.

The story about the husband was not very interesting or suspenseful. Overall, I found this story lacking in excitement. Some of the sequences were unbelievable.
I am hoping that the author can "build" on the character in the next installment, as well as the rest of the team.

I was given a copy in advance by NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I liked this for the most part. However, it felt somewhat unfinished. By that, I mean that I would have liked some more fleshing out of certain aspects, including what the radical therapy entailed exactly. I would still recommend it, though.

FBI agent, Sarah Parker‘s husband committed suicide leaving her grieving. When her name and number are found at the murder scene of Dr. Magnusson, it leads to questions about his death. She has been trying to track down the Doctor because she believes he is a serial killer. There were several people locked in the therapy rooms at the scene and she is desperate to speak to them. She uncovers secrets that link her husband‘s death to that of the serial killer. She needs to move fast to prevent another killing spree.

This one started out really good but about a quarter quarter to a halfway through it just seemed to jump all over the place, and I found myself confused as to what was happening. Susan the MC didn’t have a lot of personality and wasn’t likable character. I really wanted to like this one is a gave off a criminal minds vibe but I feel the characters need more development and the timeline needs to be cleaned up a bit. Thank you NetGalley and Storm publishing for the chance to read and review.

Thanks NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book “The Therapy Room” by Sam Baron.

This was my first book by Sam Baron and it was a great fast thriller read! I thought the book was written very well. I will say there are lots of different names so that can be confusing at times in the book. I’m really excited for the next book in this series and I’ll be checking out more books by Sam Baron.

When I saw this on NetGalley I was immediately drawn to it. The title alone gives the impression that you're going to delve into some not only complex situations but characters as well. Susan Parker is just that. Right off the bat you're left with more questions than answers but over the course of the story pieces to her puzzle begin to fall into place. Who killed her husband? Why is she sidelined from her position at work? Who can you trust and who is not entirely what they seem? I love a book that has you questioning almost every character that comes into play. I can see Parker's character turning into a female version of Will Trent. I really think readers will enjoy this one and Sam sets it up so nicely for #2. I can't wait to see where he takes the story of Susan Parker.

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Absolutely loved the therapy room ! It kept me on my toes the whole way though . I already can’t wait for the next book I must know what happens. I loved falling for these characters it gives just enough back story to invest you into their lives without dragging it out .. amazing job !

I always get excited for a book that is part of a series so I can catch up my "my friends" when the new books turn up!

This book was a good read - an entertaining story (with a few inconsistencies here and there) but kept my attention throughout the novel.

Mixed feelings about this one. I enjoyed the story and reading this book but there are a couple of points that I didn't like.

- I LOVE multicultural teams and stories BUT here it seemed that every character needed to be of foreign descent. With all these names added to that I had a hard time following and it felt that I'm reading an European thriller..
- The Therapy sessions... I needed more details, what happened, how where the victims treated - I feel leaving this out it didn't make such a huge impact.

I'm still curious how the story will continue and I might read the next one too.

Thank you Netgalley!

The Therapy room is a police procedural thriller that really starts with a bang. The first couple of chapters were intriguing and atmospheric and I was eager to read on. Unfortunately from this point on I was disappointed, while I expected to need to suspend my disbelief for the sake of plot, I found it difficult to reconcile some of the actions of the main character who is supposedly a seasoned FBI agent. I appreciated the author’s intention to create a diverse cast of characters but I found some of these to fall into stereotype and become borderline problematic and the dialogue between characters seemed unrealistic at times. There were some inconsistencies with the timeline which I hope may be resolved in the final proof.
The writing was reasonable although I found some of the ‘info dumping’ and acronym explaining a little patronising and repetitive and I think some of the longer sentences could have used a little more editing
However, I have to say that this book is propulsive and relatively fast paced, I know that many crime thriller readers out there will love it. I have read many positive reviews and I am willing to believe that this was just not the right fit for me personally.
Thanks to Storm Publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book which publishes 23rd February 2024