The Butterfly Trap by Clea Simon is a dual perspective thriller that explores the perceptions we have in relationships. A real slow burn domestic thriller.

It's a story of opposites attract with Greg and Anya. Greg is a serious doctor who is completely devoted to Anya. Anya is an alluring free spirit artist. Over time their marriage begins to fall apart but the question is who is really to blame?

This book was definitely a slow burn but absolutely stick with it. I did really like the dual perspective, it was very intriguing hearing the same story played out but with two different viewpoints. I didn't particularly like either of the characters but they are definitely toxic and that made them interesting. Definitely recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley, Clea Simon, and Severn House for this ARC. Publication day is March 4th 2025.

Clea Simon’s The Butterfly Trap is a masterfully woven psychological thriller that challenges perception and keeps readers second-guessing at every turn. With an intricate dual-perspective narrative, Simon skillfully blurs the lines between truth and deception, leaving readers captivated and questioning what they believe to be real.

The novel’s greatest strength lies in its ability to evoke empathy for its characters, drawing readers into their struggles and shifting allegiances as new revelations come to light. Just when you think you have uncovered the truth, Simon delivers another twist, unraveling expectations in a way that is both shocking and satisfying.

Her writing is immersive and compelling, making it nearly impossible to put the book down. The psychological depth of the story ensures that it lingers in the reader’s mind long after the final page. The Butterfly Trap is an enthralling, mind-bending read that will leave fans of psychological thrillers thoroughly impressed.

Clea Simon can write tense thrillers and cute cozy mysteries. This is an excellent and twisty story that kept me reading and guessing.
Well done, highly recommended
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Thanks to Netgalley and Severn House for this compelling psychological suspense thriller. The characters were well-developed and believable, but they became unlikeable as we got to know them.
The story is divided into two sections, one told from Greg's point of view, and the other from Anya's perspective over the same timeline. It becomes apparent that they hold very different views, and their relationship is heading for trouble.
Greg is beginning his chosen career as a doctor specializing in lab research. He has low self-esteem, is shy, and uncomfortable in social situations. He accompanies a friend, Pete, to clubs, where Pete picks up women and quickly discards them after a few dates. One evening, Greg sees Anya, who is slightly drunk and dancing. He is dazzled by her beauty. He accepts that she would be interested in Pete, and that he would never have the courage to approach her. Anya injures her foot on broken glass, and Greg cleans and bandages the cut. He develops an intense affection for her. Pete is negative, having nothing good to say about Anya or their dating.

Anya is a struggling artist who is determined to make a successful entry into the Boston art scene. She is struggling with her painting and financially. She is outgoing, independent, and manipulative and seems more content among her artsy friends at the gallery where she works. It is evident that Greg knows nothing about art, but he firmly believes that Anya is more talented than the rest of her Bohemian type friends. He thinks she is not receiving the recognition she deserves, while others are becoming more successful. He is upset at the unfairness toward her. Anya realizes that she needs to develop a winning painting style, and spends considerable time at the gallery attempting to improve her technique and style. Her exuberant friends at the gallery are polite to Greg, but consider him a nerd. He does not fit in because of his ignorance of art and formal manner and clothing. Greg gifted a framed butterfly to Anya, as she reminds him of a beautiful butterfly. The dead, pinned butterfly makes her upset.

Greg will make any sacrifice to contribute to Anya's happiness. He dreams of marrying, having a house and several children. He switches his profession from lab research to surgery to build a comfortable life for Anya. Anya is pressured by her mother to marry Greg and halfheartedly agrees. Her mother and Greg arrange the wedding, and she seems distracted. She spends much time at the gallery with her friends and furiously spends hours on her paintings. She comes home late at night, and forgets plans she made with Greg. Anya has a best friend who is gay and sees him often, telling him about her troubles.

Pete expresses his suspicions about Anya, causing Greg to become angry with her—no more affection as his attitude changes. Everything is heading toward a shocking ending.

Recommended for readers who enjoy a gripping psychological thriller filled with tension.

📚: The Butterfly Trap by Clea Simon
⭐️: 2/5

Anya and Greg. Opposites on paper - her an artist and him a doctor - but seemingly fell in love at first sight. But, every meet cute and relationship has two sides of the story, and here we hear the story of their relationship from both of them directly.

A slow burn with prose that felt unnecessarily complicated. Confusing at points with an ending that was intended to be a dark jaw-dropper that felt predictable. This book was unfortunately not for me.

Thanks to Severn House via @netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Butterfly Trap is out tomorrow, 3/4.

1⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for an advanced copy of The Butterfly Trap.

Greg and Anya meet at a party one night and seem to hit it off immediately. Greg is studying to be a doctor and Anya is an artist. They eventually marry and start their life together. Over time the marriage starts to fall apart but who is to blame.

This book was honestly really boring and I felt like there was not a really good story at the core of the book. It is told in the first half from Greg’s point of view and the second half from Anya’s point of view. There was a lot of overlap of events and honestly both main characters were horrible people. I was not a fan at all.

The truth between two people is always somewhere in the middle. This book tells the story of a couple from both sides. We start with the devoted if dull Greg who falls for free-spirited Anya. The book explores the miscommunications that happen in any relationship while building the suspense of a thriller. We get the sense early that this is far more than a he-said, she-said story. Where your sympathies lie are constantly tested as the book progresses.

Know that the first half of this quick read is Greg's perspective on how he met and romanced Anya,, a woman as different from him as could be, and the second half is Anya's view of the same thing. This could have been a repetitive situation but Simon finds the nuances and that's what makes this tale of secrets and lies in a relationship work. Neither character is particularly likable but they are interesting. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read..

Wow thank you Clea.

A tail of 2 halves. A slow burn but well worth it.

The first part Greg story slow and simmering under tones of something his love for Anya.

Part 2 Anya story and the truth.

All brought to an ending which I didn't see coming.

If you pick this up keep with it you will not be disappointed

The Butterfly Trap by Clea Simon is a toxic domestic drama where everyone plays everyone and believes they are the ones who are the players!
I must say I loved the concept of this book! So the book is told from Anya's and Greg's perspective. So technically we are reading the same story just one is told by Greg and another by Anya. I loved that even though it's the same story it didn't feel repetitive! Parts that we already witnessed in Greg's story were nicely wrapped up in Anya's story concentrating on parts that we didn't know! So respect! That was clever!
This one is slow-burn so will not be good for readers who need constant action but the dynamics between characters and situations were excellent! Toxic but excellent.

Anya is a struggling artist and art is what she wants to do.
Greg is on his way to being a successful surgeon and all he needs is a wife. When he meets Anya, he is positive they are meant to be together. He is focused on getting married and having kids... but is this what Anya's plan is?

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc. I did enjoy the multiple POVS, however it was very hard for me to get into. I didn't like any of the characters, so I couldn't find one I wanted to root for.

Based on the cover and description I wasn't sure what do think about this one. I was intrigued but didn't know where to place my expectations going on but omg I loved it y'all!

Doctor Greg and artist Anya couldn't be more different. This story follows them as they get together, sharing both POVs and how they drastically differ. As they get serious, it becomes apparent that Anya is hiding something. How will this affect their relationship?

This was a good read, keeping me intrigued throughout. I struggled to put the book down in parts because I just had to know what was going to happen next. I loved the dual POVs and hearing how they differed! It was definitely a unique way to construct the story!

Not sure why it is classified as a psychological thriller. It had a few twists in it depending on who was relaying the story but I had a hard time getting through the whole book.

Clea Simon’s *The Butterfly Trap* is a gripping psychological thriller that explores the dark secrets of a seemingly perfect relationship through a he said/she said narrative.

The story follows Greg, a committed post-doc whose life changes when he meets Anya, a passionate and enigmatic artist. Their whirlwind romance soon reveals tension, as Anya’s need for independence clashes with Greg’s intense affection.

As secrets emerge, the dynamics of their relationship shift in unexpected ways. The alternating viewpoints provide insight into both characters, creating intrigue throughout the story.

Fans of psychological thrillers like *Gone Girl* will appreciate Simon’s skillful exploration of love and obsession in this novel.

The Butterfly Trap by Clea Simon is a great read! This is a true page turner that you won't want to put down until the very end when you can find out what's happened!

The plot was very good, but had to DNF it was too slow-burn suspense thriller for me.

Beautiful cover, it what got me to get the book to give it a try,.

In any psychological suspense novel it is easy to fall into the trap of slowly revealing where the evil lies—who is victim and who is perpetrator—but we are all heroes of our own story, as the saying goes, which poses a far greater challenge to the writer. Simon meets the challenge without compromise in a brilliant tale of two people who meet and fall in love—or do they?

In a rare night out, Greg sees a woman dancing wildly, when, a bit drunk, she falls into his arms. He’s more than smitten, hardly able to believe that such a beautiful creature could even notice him. For a hundred pages we follow him in his pursuit of Anya, and learn everything he’s willing to sacrifice to build his world around her. For the remaining hundred pages we live the same experience through Anya’s eyes.

Lots of words have been used to describe what happens to the two: gritty, smart, dark, inventive, and other terms sure to seduce thriller readers. But the book is more—painfully honest in how men and women see each other and their behaviors. The first few pages took me back to my years as a social worker, and were almost too painful to read, but I couldn’t stop. I couldn’t leave the two, Anya and Greg, there. The ending is perfect, one no reader can ever forget.

Susan Oleksiw

I loved the plot of the book and was drawn in by its cover. I had to dnf because it was too slow and I was waiting for the thrill to happen and it just hadn't. It could also be because I needed a palette cleanser from all the romance I have been reading. I will have to give this another try maybe later!

This inventive page-turner had me from the get-go. Simon deftly flips points of view in a manner that recalls Henry James's "The Golden Bowl" -- albeit in a contemporary, much sexier context. Anya is an alluring protagonist, and you can see immediately why Greg is attracted to her. As for Anya's tortured calculations -- well, as an artist trying to establish herself in an unforgiving market, she's completely believable, and relatable. Which makes the novel's ultimate twists even more chilling.