Unfortunately, this one didn't hold my attention. It sounds good and started strong, but fell short of what I was hoping for. The narrator did well!

Thank you Dreamscape select, Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced audio copy in exchange for an honest review!

This is the first book in a new series that follows FBI agent Susan Parker. I am typically not one for series because I am usually an impatient person and don’t always like to have to wait until the next book in the series comes out. This one was was decent at times; however the pacing of the book was bit slow. I was really interested in the storyline and the case but I felt like it was very difficult for me to get into the book and I saw myself being drawn more to the audiobook than the ebook. The MC was a bit frustrating at times and I kept seeing rookie mistakes from her which were really hard to get past. I feel like there was a lot going on in this book and that might have been why the pacing felt a bit slow to me because there was just so much information.

I will say that I did enjoy the audiobook version of this book. It definitely helped with the experience and as previously mentioned, I did find myself wanting to listen to the book more than reading the ebook copy. Overall, not one that I necessarily loved, but I could see people who might enjoy this one.

Highly suspenseful and a good listen. It was quickly captivating and very inclusive with many different characters from all different walks of life. Overall I enjoyed it and it was a good start to a new series.

This was completely addicting and had me hooked! A must read for any thriller lover!
The ending was quite the twist and I was really impressed!

I don't love detective-thrillers but I actually enjoyed this one more than I expected. I thought the main detective was pretty dynamic and interesting to follow. I also thought the ending explanation for the entire plot was pretty creative and well done. I did find myself getting bored at parts during the investigation but thought the overall plot was really interesting and entertaining to follow. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book! What a great debut for Sam Baron. Still grieving her husband’s devastating suicide less than a year ago, FBI agent Susan Parker is taking a break from work and trying to rebuild her life as a single mom to her seven-year-old daughter Natalie. When a psychiatrist is found dead in an abandoned ranch house, the police find a post it note with Susan Parkers name on it along with her phone number to call her. In the basement are twelve therapy rooms where several victims are rescued, but who won’t speak about what happened to them. Her boss lets her back into the field to help find the person that killed the psychiatrist and kept the victims as hostages. The story has some twists and turns which I loved. If you like thrillers, you will love this book. I am looking forward to reading more from Sam Baron!

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

Suspenseful read, and a lot of diverse characters. I enjoyed it and wouldn't mind reading more. The narrator did a good job.

3.5 stars

A psychiatrist is found dead in a remote Californian ranch house with a post-it note that says 'Susan Parker' and her phone number.

Susan, a freshly widowed FBI agent, is called to investigate this murder. For years, she had suspected Dr. Magnusson to be a serial killer.

As Susan digs deeper, she confronts the 12 survivors rescued from Magnusson's captivity, but they remain silent. And what's more, she uncovers a shocking link between the serial killer and her husband's death.

What I liked about this book was the fact, that the cast is a very diverse one with different cultural backgrounds.
Personally I figured the solution out quite quickly but nethertheless enjoyed the story which is captivating!

Lauryn Allman is a skilled narrator who adds depth to the story!

Thank you #NetGalley #Dreamscape Select, Storm Publishing for this audiobook

Such an awesome thriller! There were so many twists and turns, and it kept my attention the whole time. Definitely pick this one up!

"The Therapy Room" by Sam Baron is a compelling psychological thriller that delves into the complexities of the human mind. Baron's writing is immersive, drawing readers into a world filled with suspense and mystery. The premise of the story is intriguing, and the author executes it well, keeping readers guessing until the very end.One of the strengths of the novel is its well-developed characters. Each character is fleshed out with their own unique quirks and motivations, making them feel like real people rather than just plot devices. The interactions between the characters add depth to the story and keep the reader engaged.The plot twists in "The Therapy Room" are well-crafted and keep the suspense building throughout the book. Baron does an excellent job of weaving together multiple storylines, creating a sense of anticipation that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Overall, "The Therapy Room" is a gripping thriller that will appeal to fans of the genre. Despite its minor flaws, the novel delivers on its promise of suspense and keeps readers hooked until the very end.

Really slow and a bit hard to follow. It was hard for me to stick with it and I ended up taking a break from it half way through because it wasn’t holding my interest.

Tripping Over clues......…..

Book Information

The Therapy Room by Sam Baron is a 310-page mystery with a publication date of February 23, 2024. The audio version, Narrated by Lauryn Allman, spans 11 hours and 27 minutes. Thank you to Dreamscape Select for providing me with an Advance Readers Copy for review.

Summary

After the suspicious death of psychiatrist Dr. Magnusson in a Californian ranch house, FBI agent Susan Parker, grappling with her husband's recent suicide, finds herself drawn into the case when her name appears on a note at the crime scene. Convinced Magnusson was the notorious serial killer 'Splinter,' Susan embarks on a perilous investigation, uncovering dark secrets linking the case to her husband's demise. With her family's safety at risk and her career on the line, Susan races against time to stop the killer and unearth the truth before it's too late.

My Thoughts

"The Therapy Room" by Sam Baron plunges readers into the world of FBI agent Susan Parker, marking the inception of an exciting new series. The book proves to be an entertaining read.

Baron introduces a diverse cast of characters, spanning various cultures and backgrounds, including Indian, British, and Latinx individuals. However, their portrayal veers towards stereotypes, resulting in awkward interactions. Similarly, the inclusion of characters from different walks of life—deaf, gay, or with disabilities—can feel somewhat contrived, lacking seamless integration into the narrative.

Despite the story being largely a police procedural, "The Therapy Room" at times diverges from accepted protocols, leading to moments of confusion. This departure from established procedures can detract from the story's immersion, particularly when characters act in ways seemingly inconsistent with their principles.

Furthermore, I struggled with characters repeatedly failing to grasp essential information. Explanations were often presented but not understood. This oversight may frustrate readers expecting a more intuitive unraveling of the plot's mysteries.

Nonetheless, "The Therapy Room" remains a captivating read, offering glimpses of Baron's potential for gripping storytelling and character development. With its solid groundwork and tantalizing hints of what lies ahead, this debut novel holds promise for an engaging series, anchored by the enigmatic Susan Parker.

Lauryn Allman, the narrator for the audio version, brought the characters to life with her fantastic voice work. I especially enjoyed how she changed her tone for different characters, making it easy to follow along and engaging throughout. Her clear reading and character representations made the experience enjoyable from start to finish.

Recommendation

Despite occasional deviations from standard police procedural tropes and some stereotypical character portrayals, “The Therapy Room” has a suspenseful plot and promises a compelling series to follow.

Rating

3 Therapy Stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Sam Baron for a free eARC of The Therapy Room in exchange for an honest review!

The very first scene of this book had me hooked. I am a huge mystery and thriller fan. This book fit the bill perfectly for me so I was super excited to learn it is a series!

Things I loved:

That the main character is flawed but working on herself: Susan Parker had a rough year, but she is going to therapy and recognizes her weaknesses. I appreciate this from a main character SO much. Often times we see a hero who refuses to admit they have a problem or even knows they have a problem, but they let this overcome them until they get help at the end of the book. Not my girl, Susan. She fully recognizes she has had issues in the past and she relies on her team of people to help get her through. Speaking of which...

Susan's FBI team is super smart and ridiculously funny: I found myself looking forward to the scenes where her team would all explain their findings and brainstorm ideas. It reminded me of Criminal Minds, one of my all time favorite shows. Susan's team is her found family and that is priceless.

The connections - Sam Baron wove a web and connected some smaller plot points to the big one. Not everything was resolved, though, so I am super interested to read the next book which also comes out soon!

Overall, I thought this was a decent mystery/thriller! It had suspicious characters and enough mystery to keep the reader guessing.

3.5/5 stars rounded up!

This one didn't work for me. I will not be posting my review elsewhere as others may love it, but I didn't.

‘The Therapy Room’ written by Sam Baron and narrated by Lauryn Allman is a psychological thriller. A semi-abandoned farmhouse with chambers in the basement where a psychiatrist is found dead with post-it notes to call ‘Susan Parker’ had me wanting to grab this book and start listening.

Susan Parker, an FBI agent, who is struggling with the death of her husband’s alleged suicide receives a call from another law enforcement officer to meet him at the abandoned house where they find 12 chambers in the basement with individuals in all but one of the chambers. Severe malnutrition victims who aren’t speaking leads Susan and the others on a journey to find the missing victim and trying to unlock the key.

This book is highly suspenseful but there are many sections where I’m left pondering what the author was trying to accomplish. There were many sections that either needed further teasing out or left completely out of the book. I also believe the language could have been a bit more professional for the professions in this book. The concept and suspense in this book lead me to give this book a 3 star.

Allman did an excellent job with narrating this book.

Thank you #NetGalley and #Dreamscape #DreamscapeSelect for the opportunity to listen to this book in exchange for a review. All opinions and thoughts are those of my own. #TheTherapyRoom

A carefully created narrative to cover the horror behind the truth. A disturbing and horrific series of events leads to the unearthing of the real truth behind how this serial killer is managing to execute so many.

FBI Special Agent Susan Parker is on the hunt for a serial killer. She is coming off of leave and has been called to a farmhouse. Little does she know, this call may lead her to find her husband’s murderer.

Talk about a damaged character. Susan has had such a terrible time recovering from her husband’s death. But, finding Splinter is her new priority and the further she digs the more confusing this case becomes.
Well, this story is different, intense and right in my wheelhouse! I had it figured out, partly. Only because the author wanted the reader to figure it out. I love how the author kept weaving different aspects and drama into this tale. And believe me, this story is full of drama!

I don’t think I have listened to a book narrated by Lauryn Allman. She is now on my radar. I really enjoyed her voice!

Need a good psychological thriller…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

unfortunately i did not vibe with his book as i thought i would, it needed to be edited, have better pacing and just make some more sense, i couldn't finish it. the cover and title were very intriguing though.

Thank you so much to @netgalley for the chance to review The Therapy Room by Sam Baron. A world-renowned psychiatrist is found dead with a note that says "Susan Parker". Agent Parker had been looking for a serial killer named "Splinter" - a killer who was harming people at their most vulnerable, She works to learn about what the 12 captives experienced, and uncovers secrets about her husband's death that links him to this case.

I read this book in 2 days - I couldn't stop thinking about it! Excellent writing with perfectly paced suspense. Lauryn Allman did a wonderful job narrating this book, really bringing it to life. I really loved FBI Agent Susan Parker, and eagerly await the next installment!

Sam Baron's The Therapy Room was a fun psychological mystery / thriller - with the psychological part taken literally. I listened to an advanced readers copy of the audio book, and enjoyed it from start to finish. The book was interesting, fast paced, and kept me wanting to see where it was going. Like a good thriller, I was trying to figure out the "whodunit" and make sense of the serial murders attributed to "splinter." For the audio book, this required paying close attention to each small reveal, and trying to make sense of what the one victim was saying. It's a good read. The book is possibly the first in a series involving FBI agent Susan Parker, who is the main protagonist, and who has been on leave for a year after the suicide of her husband. Is this a perfect book? NO, there are some issues, which several reviews have pointed out, but is it an enjoyable read? Yeah. It might not be at the level of a Harry Bosch, but I enjoyed the book. And the audiobook was well narrated.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early access to the audio book.