Member Reviews
Once again S.A. Falk does exactly what he always does.... ropes the reader and keeps you up past your bedtime.
Another fast moving thriller and the plot that you never see coming. WOW ........ If you love the silent patient hold on because this will be your new read new author.
S.A. Falk .... the writing, the plot and the WOW factor is amazing. Always fast paced and leaving you wanting to read in one sitting. Put this on your TBR you won't be disappointed.
Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.
This ARC was something. I liked the beginning and the middle became slow for me. The tension between Dr. Fletcher and Trent was there for sure; but you kept wondering who the copycat killer was.
Dr. Fletcher and the detective sure had chemistry and worked on the case well together. But her past traumas were definitely not managed and I knew she had a mental health concern that would lead to an interesting ending. (But maybe that’s the therapist in me!)
Overall, it’s a solid 3 star read and I enjoyed it but it had more opportunity for potential I wish I could’ve read!
Thank you @netgalley and @stormpublishing for this ARC!
#netgalley #stormpublishing #safaulk
This twisty, psychological read keeps you on your toes because it's impossible to predict what will happen next. The main character, Dr. Stephanie Fletcher, has a new patient arriving at the facility for the criminally insane where she works—a serial killer and popular musician named Trent. After his arrival, more bodies begin turning up killed in the same manner as his victims. I don't want to say more for fear of spoiling anything, but this is an insane read. I highly recommend this one for fans of dark psychological thrillers.
I was really enjoying this one until about halfway through. Then I figured out the twist and it lost something. The characters are excellent. If you loved The Silent Patient you will definitely like this one!
Dr. Stephanie Fletcher is a leading psychiatrist working in the prison psychiatric facility. She was assigned to do psych evaluations on the most notorious serial killer and a famous gothic band member- Trent Davis. Trent Davis was convicted of killing six women and many of these women were murdered in the most gruesome and brutal manner that some of their organs are missing. As Dr. Fletcher takes on Davis's case, boxes with body parts in it were mailed to none other than Dr. Fletcher herself. Women start going missing and their mutilated bodies were found in the highway. Is there are copycat killer out there or someone else is responsible?
Honestly, this story really had a good premise. The story is well written and then there is the moment of suspense throughout the story. The plot was really good as well. The story itself is unpredictable, which made me guess more as to what is going to happen towards the end. The characters weren't really likable, although Trent Davis really as a serial killer vibe in the character. The story was at times too disturbing and gory to read and so this is not really for the faint hearted who cannot stand reading about blood. The ending was a surprising twist although I didn't really fancy the ending too much. I actually enjoyed this author's debut move The Patient's Secret and saw I took a chance to read this latest novel. This book wasn't bad but wasn't great as the first novel. Overall this book is worth four stars in my opinion.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.
This was not my typical thriller novel like I thought. It was pretty haunting and I was not a fan....Kept me up at night how graphic it got at points. :/
This is a very clever book- intense and twisted with some truly heinous characters and that twist! …the ending makes you want to go back to the beginning and read again to see if you missed the clues!
I am extremely interested in the human psyche and why we do what we do, so I liked the idea of a book following a therapist taking over the worst of humankind, horrifying serial killers and try to understand their motives.
In this sense, I really enjoyed the conversations between Stephanie and Trent. They left me uneasy sometimes, so I would say the author nailed it. Stephanie Fletcher is there to accompany Trent Davis, who has murdered six women in the most sadistic ways but has been considered innocent by ways of insanity and landed in the psychiatric facility where she works.
Soon after, a copycat starts reproducing his murders, to some extent with more expertise than he used to. Can Stephanie help find out who is behind it all?
The answer was hidden in plain sight, so that I considered it more than once, to neglect it, because it felt like the idea had been visited too often already. I liked the pacing of the story, the characters also, so there is not much development there. But the ending felt a little bit rushed, and mostly unfinished actually. Why? What triggered it? How? Did Trent know?
I enjoyed the book a lot except for this ending. Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book!
After reading this authors debut ‘The Patients Secret’ and thoroughly enjoying it I was delighted to be granted the arc of this book (Thank you NetGalley, the author & publisher)
Dr Fletcher works at Pantano State Hospital, which is a psychiatric institution for the criminally insane, those who will more than likely never see the outside of here in their lifetime. The most recent patient is former heavy metal star from the band SOS , serial killer Trent Davis who has been nicknamed “The Vampire” due to him drinking the blood & eating the organs of his victims. As Dr Fletcher delves into the mind of Trent who claims he suffers hallucinations, she learns of the voice of Larua that Trent says he hears. Then a copycat emerges and Dr Fletcher is sure Trent knows exactly who it is!
This is one hundred percent my type of book, getting inside the criminal mind, insanity, psychiatry etc , I really didn’t want to put it down, every time I got time to read I was addicted and desperate to finish it. It is a dark and disturbing read digging deep inside the relationship between therapist and serial killer. Mind bending & an Outstanding read and one I definitely recommend. I am looking forward to more from S.A. Falk, with the author’s knowledge and writing skills I would love him to generate a series. He builds great characters not only in his protagonists but also cameo characters. Great book!
So, this was not my favorite book. This book was dark & for my first time reading something like this it wasn’t bad.. I just feel like the book dragged on for awhile & then the ending was very rushed. I did not expect that ending, but that was the only exciting part of the book for me. The characters were boring in my opinion & the story just wasn’t exciting to me. I did like the authors writing & her vocabulary!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC !!!
The Therapist is psychological thriller packed with twists and turns. Just when I thought I had the story figured out, there would be a new twist. I really enjoyed this book, it was hard to set down. I stayed hooked from beginning to end.
Steph is a correctional psychologist at Pantano State Hospital, a psychiatric facility. She treats criminal patients, who have committed very horrific crimes. Trent Davis, The Vampire of Bakersfield, becomes a new patient of Steph’s and it’s all downhill from there.
Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
If you are a fan of psychological thrillers, or of Criminal Minds and serial killers, you need to check out this book!
This was an insane psychological thriller about a psychologist working in a corrections facility who’s newest patient is ‘The Bakersfield Vampire’. The vampire, Trent Davis, murdered 6 young female hitchhikers, and then removing their organs from their bodies and supposedly eating them, all in the name of Satan. He pled guilty by reason of insanity, saying the devil made him do it and he had no control. Dr. Stephanie Fletcher is tasked with rehabilitating him and determining the illnesses that afflict him.
But all of a sudden more female bodies are found with their organs removed and the police worry they have a copycat on their hands, someone trying to impress Trent or do his bidding while he is incarcerated. Dr Fletcher starts working with the police to try to help understand the copycat’s motives and if they have a direct connection to Trent. But the copycat somehow finds out about Dr Fletcher and seems to be following her, and has targeted her as their next victim.
This was such a twisty and wild book, all the way up to literally the last sentence I was hooked. I read it in one day, not able to put it down until I knew what was happening. I really enjoyed this book, it’s going on my list of amazing psychological thrillers.
Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. This book officially publishes on 4/25/24!
This is my second book by this author and they have NOT disappointed me! I rated their last book 5 stars and this book is getting the same. As with the last book I read from this author, the MC works in the mental health field. I was intrigued with this story from page 1 and the plot held my attention for the entirety of the novel. The novel is told from one main POV and also features a mystery POV at various intervals. This story featured a huge twist at the end that I did not see coming!! I would definitely recommend this book but please read any relevant trigger warnings before doing so!
I love reading this authors books. She writes books that will grip you from beginning to end. I found myself reading into the night and attempting to predict the ending.
This book started off with a great plot and some complex characters. Trent was CREEPY and I was here for it. There was a certain level of drama that he brought throughout his interactions with the therapists. As the story unfolds, the author brings doubt as to who the killer could be and offers up some alternative suspects.
The last chunk of the book suddenly had much shorter chapters. It felt a bit rushed and chaotic. The killer ends up being someone I suspected so it wasn’t a huge surprise, but there is definitely doubt casted towards this character as well. Overall this was a good read.
Thank you NetGalley & Storm Publishing for the ARC.
Clear your day when you start this book! The Therapist will have you hooked from the first word to the last. An easy read with a surprise ending. If you are looking for something gripping, thrilling, and mind bending this is a must read.
Where do I beginnnn! Whew chile! If you love psychological thrillers, you’re going to love this book! The Therapist was a mix between The Silent Patient, Dahmer, and Bundy! It takes you into the mind of a serial killer but from different aspects! This wasn’t a slow read at all! Right from the beginning it will have you thinking you know what’s going on and questioning every character. I would have never in a million years have seen the plot twist coming. I don’t think I have been this intensely invested into a thriller like I have the last few days! I would highly recommend this book!
Dr Stephanie Flecther, Lead Psychiatrist at Pantano State Hospital, has just lost her mentor/therapist/dearest friend. The arrival of Trent Davis, a celebrity musician and serial killer offers a distraction to her grief. Shortly after his arrival, murders with similarities to Trent’s crimes take place. Is it a copycat? Or is Trent orchestrating the murders from the psychiatric facility?? Dr Stephanie tries to seek the answers from Trent’s cryptic responses while grappling with her grief and her own childhood traumas that started resurfacing.
I was really looking forward to this book, but I did not end up liking it as much as I hoped. The book starts out slow, gets interesting with the introduction of Trent, becomes boring and then picks up once the investigation intensifies, only to end abruptly leaving so many questions that are left unanswered.
I loved the way the author portrayed Trent Davis, the psychotic serial killer to perfection. None of the other characters including Dr Stephanie are likeable. There are parts where you think you know what is going on only to be proven wrong. However, towards the end, you kind of realise who the culprit is. I would not say I loved the book, but it did hold my interest at certain points.
This book would be perfect for those who love psychological thrillers.
Thank you Netgalley, S.A. Falk and Storm Publishing for giving me a chance to read this ARC!
A good psychological thriller which takes you on a mind-bending journey with a great twist at the end. I liked the way the story was written and also the characters. Highly recommended. I received an ARC copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Therapist tells the story of Dr Stephanie Fletcher, who is a psychiatrist in a high security ward of Pantano State Hospital and her sessions and attempt of rehabilitation of Trent Davis, who is a musician turned serial killer. The book follows Dr Fletcher as she is battling her grief, as her old therapist and friend has died, while analysing Trent and as she tries to help the police with an active murder investigation, involving a possible copycat killer.
In my opinion, the first half of the book was suspenseful. I found that the author did a good job portraying characters dealing with grief and the insides of a broken mind. However, I did find the book to be a bit repetitive, at some points.
To me this book was a 3.5 stars read, I rounded it to 3 stars as it was closer to 3 stars then 4 stars, as I did not entirely love the ending of the book, as it did feel a bit rushed.
Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC the above review was made with my own thoughts.