5 stars without a doubt!

If you loved “The Silent Patient”, you'll love this one as well. It was simply a page-turner, I never wanted to put it down, and wanted more at the end. It had me guessing all along, and my jaw was on the floor with this ending. I liked the length of the chapters and how we could sometimes see the killer's POV.

I also recommend checking all the major TWs (such as SA of a child, suicide, mental illnesses, graphic descriptions of physical abuse and crime scenes, etc.)

*Thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and S. A. Falk for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Please, for the love of God, can we acknowledge that a psychiatrist is a medical doctor??? The book gets all the medical jargon down, even prescribes palliperidone, which isn't first line but hey, it's an atypical antipsychotic but just one time!!!! The author goes through all the trouble to explain to us how our doctor came to this job as a forensic psychiatrist: oh, I did an internship at a correctional facility, blah blah - there's also medical school involved!!! Please!! I'm begging you!!

From: someone who is quite literally training to be a forensic psychiatrist and yes, also goes to correctional facilities

*Deep breath* Okay. Clearly Falk is someone who has worked in corrections and worked with mental illness. Truly, the way in which our doctor thinks sounds relatively reasonable, if a bit dramatized. But certainly the general wording is there. I read this book because sometimes, I just want to dissociate and read a fun thriller and have it be a twisty psychological bit. But this author really does have most of the accuracy, even if sensationalized. I'm curious why he chose schizoaffective, specifically over schizophrenia, for example.

There is a twist. You see it coming by halfway. I am not a fan of the twist.

From: someone who is quite literally training to be a forensic psychiatrist and yes, also goes to correctional facilities

Thank you to S.A. Falk, Storm Publishing, and NetGalley for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

It’s my first day back at work, and the grief I’m carrying is still with me, but I file it away and put on my professional face to greet my new patient.
As a successful psychiatrist and criminologist, I’m used to working with damaged minds. But I’m not prepared for Trent Davis. Sitting across the table from me, his warm brown eyes shine. He laughs easily and part of me can’t help but like him, despite what his file says he’s capable of.
Then a package arrives for Trent, with my home as the return address.
And everything falls apart…


The synopsis says this is for fans of The Silent Patient and Frieda McFadden and I love both of those, so I thought I would give this author a try and I was very surprised to have another author to add to my "must read" list. Since I'm in the medical field, medical thrillers are always fun for me to read. This book follows Dr. Fletcher, who is accustomed to working with the criminally insane and is going through some mental issues of her own, and her new patient, Trent Davis. He is unlike her typical patients; a twisted and cunning serial killer, who is known as The Bakersfield Vampire....you can't even imagine why. Once the copycat murderer appears on the scene, the story takes a deliciously deviant turn. Are they trying to impress Trent, make a name for themselves, or get revenge on Dr. Fletcher?! Only one way to find out!

Oftentimes I find that most thrillers don't deep dive into the depraved minds of a killer, but this is one story that is super dark and disturbing and adds something special to the suspense and overall feel of the book. It is the definition of a psychological, mind bender thriller that is vicious, terrifying, and yet you can't stop once you start. I didn't want the story to end and the ending came so suddenly and felt rushed. I wanted just a few more chapters to draw it out and give full closure. Overall this was a fantastic book and everything I could have asked for in a thriller. Truly a job well done for the genre. This book publishes on 4/25/2024 and if you're tired of predictable, mundane "thrillers", this is the book for you!

No, thank you. The therapist is sympathetic to a murderer and even says he was self medicating, but then says things like junkie or "ugh, what a mess. " There were other things that rubbed me the wrong way, but this was the worst. Also, the amount of times the author used ruminate or a variation of it was wild.

OBSESSED. I could not put this book down!

There are some major tw's in this book including: SA of a child, physical abuse of a child, drug abuse, mental illness, religion, self harm, graphic descriptions of crime scenes.

"The Therapist" follows.... you guessed it, a therapist but not just any therapist. Dr. Stephanie Fletcher works with the criminally insane. The story begins as she returns to work after losing a mentor and close friend. Amidst her grief, insomnia, and resurfacing PTSD she receives a new patient. Trent Davis, the new patient, has recently been sent to Dr. Fletcher's hospital after murdering and possibly consuming multiple people. It's not long after they meet that a copycat emerges and they have Dr. Fletcher in their sights.

My favorite part about this book was that it had me guessing until the last page. I suspected every last person in this book except the actual killer. I also loved Falk's ability to slowly make the narrator more and more unreliable as she falls victim to stress, lack of sleep, and her past trauma. I sincerely hope Falk writes fast because I need more!

The Therapist tells a story about Stephanie, a correctional facility psychiatrist with a history of trauma who recently lost her own therapist and mentor. Stephanie has a new serial killer (Trent Davis, a controversial heavy metal artist) on her caseload and during his time there, a copycat emerges.

The book definitely had me wondering the entire time I read it. Who is the copycat? Is the therapist dreaming? Is she the one killing? Is it someone on the force? I had my suspicions and theories (which ended up being true) but the author does a good job of keeping it implausible until the end. Although I wish we would’ve gotten more closure with Trent and Stephanie’s past and wished the story could’ve continued, I loved this book! Definitely looking forward to reading more from S.A. Falk.

tw // cannibalism, murder, childhood sexual/physical/emotional abuse, neglect

Thank you NetGalley, S.A. Falk, & Stone Publishing for my ARC!

Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this eARC. The premise of this book piqued my attention right away. Stephanie, a criminal therapist with her own traumatic past is tasked dealing with one of the most notorious serial killers. Suddenly a copycat killer is on the loose and it looks like Stephanie will be his next victim. The plot twist at the end definitely surprised me. That being said, the vast majority of the book felt like the characters were going around in circles replaying the same information over and over. I felt frustrated a lot of the time. A solid 3 star thriller read.

Book: The Therapist
Pub Date: April 25, 2024

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️(3/5)
Review:
Sadly this book is put down able. It was incredibly boring to me. I love thrillers, but this lacked that. I saw the twists and ending coming. No likeable charters. Just blah to me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing, & Author S. A. Falk for this ARC. #TheTherapist #NetGalley #StormPublishing

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced copy.

I started this book very very intrigued but quickly became boring and I found myself skimming through the whole middle. Interesting ending that was a good twist but definitely not a book I enjoyed.

The Therapist
•
Ya’ll this book was kinda batshit crazy! A little The Silent Patient, Ward D (Frieda McFadden), Criminal Minds, and dark true crime serial k!ller stories and poof! you have The Therapist. This one may not be for everyone, you have to have a certain stomach to read it. It’s creepy, disturbing, and totally crosses the gross line, but you won’t want to put it down, you can 100% binge read this one. I read the first chapter and was like “okay it’s time to get comfy, let’s go!” I know this is going to sounds weird, but I have always been fascinated with the minds of serial k!llers and criminal psychiatric therapy so this book was right up my alley. I wish the ending just had a little✨more✨ but honestly this author may become an auto buy for me after just reading one book! There would a long list of trigger warnings with this one so be aware of that going in. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
•
Thank you NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and S.A Falk for this E-ARC. Run to the store April 25 when The Therapist hits the shelves!

Oh my goodness, this book was incredible!! I was so so drawn in by the plot and the characters I could not stop reading it and when I wasn't reading it I couldn't stop thinking about it!

Stephanie is a forensic psychiatrist who just got Trent Davis, a serial killer, as a patient. One day, a copycat killer appears and she throws herself into the investigation through her work with the detective and her sessions with Trent. As the story progresses, the murders get worse and her work with Trent continues to regress.

I absolutely loved the psychology part, I thought it was so interesting to read about their sessions and to analyze Trent and Stephanie's traumas from a psychological perspective. Admittedly this wasn't a super realistic scenario, but it felt very real and was very intriguing.

The characters were amazing, I thought each of them was a suspect at different times (still not convinced it wasn't <spoiler>Navarro </spoiler>) and the twists kept me guessing. I got just enough of a hint of what happened with each person that I could have believed it was them.

The book had a great pace throughout, remaining very fast-paced and not really having any dull moments. The ending too! I knew it would be a crazy end but this exceeded my expectations.

My one warning to people who may want to read this book is that it is extremely dark. Trent Davis is a serial killer who brutally murdered his victims and canabalized them. There are several graphic depictions of abuse (physical and sexual) as well as of the victims.

Overall, I really really loved this book, I think I liked it as much (or more) as any Freida McFadden book I've read and it's definitely on par with Alex Michaelides books. I am very excited to read more from this author!

Dr. Fletcher specializes in psychiatric disorders within the criminal justice system, working with those considered criminally insane and spared from capital punishment. One day, the infamous Trent Davis, known for a brutal string of murders, is brought to her facility. Eager to explore his psyche, Fletcher anticipates unraveling the deep-rooted traumas from his past, suspecting a history of abuse similar to her own experiences. Shortly after Trent's arrival, a series of similar crimes begin outside the facility. Fletcher, along with law enforcement, repeatedly interrogates Trent for information. Clues emerge, including cryptic messages that add a layer of complexity to the investigation.

Despite some repetitive themes and predictable plot twists, the book manages to maintain engagement. It presents a fast-paced narrative with well-developed characters, immersing readers in a suspenseful tale set in a contemporary backdrop. While the storyline unravels predictably, the journey towards the final revelation is gripping, keeping readers on edge throughout. Exploring the concept of an unreliable narrator, the story challenges readers to discern hidden truths within the narrative. Despite some foreseen outcomes, the book concludes with a sense of realization regarding the unfolding events.

Overall, the book offers a compelling read that provides insight into the human psyche and delivers a refreshing narrative experience. I recommend this novel and this author. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.

Dr Fletcher is a criminologist and psychiatrist returning to work with the criminally insane after a bereavement. She begins to work with a new inmate, Trent, who is a serial killer. A series of copycat murders begin while Trent is inside, and Dr Fletcher is intent on finding out who it is, and what Trent knows.

This book was not what I was expecting by the synopsis, but I got pulled in for the first half and was very engaged. I really enjoyed the psychology and uncovering what goes on in people's minds.
The second half got extremely repetitive, and I felt it was bordering on the horror genre. I wasn't expecting such a dark, gory read, which felt unnecessary at times, but I stayed until the end in which the twist did totally surprise me.

Title- The therapist by SA Falk
Rating -⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

For those who have a taste for psychological thrillers and enjoy works by authors like Freida, I suggest giving this novel a try if you liked The Silent Patient by Alex michaelides .I finished it in just about six hours, I was HOOKED from the beginning to the end.

I have a deep interest in understanding the motivations behind criminal behavior, as well as the complexities of mental health and trauma that can contribute to it. Additionally, I am intrigued by the debate surrounding whether individuals are born evil or shaped into it. This book was perfectly aligned with my interests.

It’s my first day back at work, and the grief I’m carrying is still with me, but I file it away and put on my professional face to greet my new patient.

As a successful psychiatrist and criminologist, I’m used to working with damaged minds. But I’m not prepared for Trent Davis. Sitting across the table from me, his warm brown eyes shine. He laughs easily and part of me can’t help but like him, despite what his file says he’s capable of.

Then a package arrives for Trent, with my home as the return address.

And everything falls apart..

I will say that I had a feeling about the plot twist, but I don't think it's always a bad thing to have some foresight as a reader. However, I'm still unsure of my feelings towards how everything ended. The ending left room for interpretation and raised several questions, leading me to hope there will be another installment so we can delve deeper into this intricate world.

This is my first book by S.A. Falk and I already have his other book on the way.👏🏽

Thank you @netgalley @safalkauthor and @stormbooks_co for this advanced copy.

This is a gripping thriller that left me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. I had the opportunity to read this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing, and it is definitely a 5 star read for me.From the very beginning, I was captivated by the intricate storyline. The protagonist, a head psychiatrist at a maximum-security mental hospital in Southern California, is thrown into a chilling investigation when a high-profile killer enters their facility. This killer's past as a death metal musician accused of gruesome crimes sets the stage for a dark and twisted narrative that keeps you guessing until the very end. What impressed me the most was Falk's ability to delve deep into the minds of both the psychiatrist and the serial killer, creating mind games and suspense that had me turning pages eagerly. The attention to detail and the seamless portrayal of mental health professionals and the horrors they face added a layer of realism to the story. The pacing of the book is relentless, drawing the reader in with its fast-paced narrative and engaging plot twists. While some may have seen the ending coming, I found it to be a shocking and satisfying conclusion that tied up the story's threads effectively. The only slightly negative thing I can say about this book is that I wish the ending was a bit longer. I wanted more!!

The Therapist is a must-read for fans of thrillers and psychological suspense. S.A. Falk will definitely be an "auto-buy" author for me!!

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was really enjoying reading The Therapist. Wanted to read other books by this author. I pictured Travis Davis, the highly controversial musician in the heavy metal band SOS turned "The Vampire of Bakersfield" being played by a aRick Springfield type actor and his fiance Finley played by someone like Winona Ryder. I was invested in the characters & storyline. I sensed the romance between Dr. Stephanie Finley and the detective. I wasn't a big fan of Dr Fletcher's dream scene. The poem paragraph chapters heightened the pacing. And then bam, a horrible ending. I'm not going to give spoilers but I'll just sum it up that it seems the author stopped caring and/or was rushed to finish. Such a major disappointment. I'm so mad that I can't even praise the positives of the book.

I know looking at the reviews that I'm in the minority on this but it was not for me. Way too dark and gruesome! That said, you can't deny that the writing was fast paced and twisty!

Thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the eARC of this book.

The Therapist
By: S.A. Falk

5 Stars

Dr. Fletcher has the job of working with the worst of the worst. After the death of her psychiatrist, she is presented with a case that will haunt her and make her question all that she has fought for. Is it her sanity or her patients she is fighting for?

Wow. Most thrillers grab, but this one captivates. It lures you in and makes you question your own mind. It was awesome. The writing and the storyline are done so well in this book. The book itself can get dark, but that makes the story so much more captivating and real. I loved the drama. I enjoyed the thrill of the chase. This is how a thriller should be done.


*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Review

This book was very gruesome at parts and had my stomach turning…HOWEVER, it still has me hooked and the twist at the end was great! If you’re not too queasy, I definitely recommend. Thanks NetGalley for the eARC!

Thanks to both Storm Publishing and NetGalley for this eARC!
I won't deny this book had me gripped. I managed to read it in approximately 4 hours total. Falk clearly understands how to keep a reader interested, slowly feeding you information, and then making you doubt everything you've learned.
However, if you want answers to all your questions, you won't find them.

×SPOILERS BELOW×
All of the mystery around Trent, who he is, why he does things, what is Larua, and how he is able to influence his "followers", are left unanswered. This is especially disappointing after figuring out the big twist almost immediately. The twist is also dampened with the idea of Steph's dissociative amnesia, as she is now completely unreliable.
I am left with nothing about Trent, the guy the book spends most of its time trying to figure out.

Overall, Falk is a very talented writer, spinning a dark psychological thriller mystery. I just wished more of the mystery got solved.