I’ve been meaning to read B A Paris for simply ages and have all of her books on my bookshelves or Kindle, but life has always got in the way. This time, however, when lovely Sian Baldwin at Harper Collins sent me a copy of B A Paris’ latest book, The Therapist, in return for an honest review I was determined I’d get to it. I’m so glad I did and am delighted to share my review today.

Since I wrote this review back in January, I have been privileged to participate in a wonderful question and answer session with B A Paris, enjoying The Therapist themed goodies too. My enormous thanks to Sophie Calder for inviting me to join in.

It was fascinating to learn that B A Paris finds that her characters take over when she writes and that she feels she has an analytical brain which is why psychological thrillers appeal to her as a writer. She loves solving puzzles and enjoys exploring issues that could or should be discussed more openly. She is currently working on her next book which is another twisty psychological thriller.

Published by Harper Collins imprint HQ on 15th April 2021, The Therapist is available for pre-order through the links here.

The Therapist

When Alice and Leo move into a newly renovated house in The Circle, a gated community of exclusive houses, it is everything they’ve dreamed of. But appearances can be deceptive…

As Alice is getting to know her neighbours, she discovers a devastating, grisly secret about her new home, and begins to feel a strong connection with Nina, the therapist who lived there before.

Alice becomes obsessed with trying to piece together what happened two years before. But no one wants to talk about it. Her neighbours are keeping secrets and things are not as perfect as they seem…

The million-copy Sunday Times bestselling author B A Paris returns to her heartland of gripping psychological suspense in this powerful tale of a house that holds a shocking secret.

My Review of The Therapist

A gated community might not be as safe as Alice thinks.

I’ve been meaning to read B A Paris for ages because I’ve always seen such high praise for her writing. As a result, The Therapist had a lot to live up to. I’m delighted that it met all my expectations and was a complete cracker of a read.

It’s not going to be possible to say too much about the plot as I’d be afraid of revealing spoilers, but let me say that it is meticulously constructed so that I was swept along with the narrative, believing every element even when I was certain I wouldn’t have taken some of the decisions Alice takes. The Therapist is fast paced, creepy, exciting and has secrets to uncover along the way. I loved the resolution and the dénouement of the story had my heart thumping and my breath held. I thought the extended ‘locked room’ constraints of The Circle setting added an extra layer of claustrophobia and menace that was highly effective so that I found myself experiencing the same thoughts as Alice as I read.

Alice is a far more complex character than might at first be thought. She is flawed, naïve, foolish, quick to judge and easily manipulated – and I loved her. Alongside all her faults she has ideals, is self-critical, brave and determined. I certainly couldn’t envisage myself having her strength on occasion and I found myself admiring her even when I thought she was being foolhardy. The other characters in The Therapist are so well done because any one of them could have committed the crime Alice becomes obsessed by, so that B A Paris left me wondering how much we can ever trust those around us. I found the occasional injection of italicised first person accounts from the therapist very unsettling!

Alongside a roller-coaster plot filled with convincing characters, what is particularly riveting in The Therapist is the way B A Paris manipulates her readers and provides themes that make them think. Partly, the reader is given information that draws them in and makes them aware of why events take place and partly B A Paris cleverly obfuscates detail so that the reader is duped and receives surprises too as the truth is uncovered. I thought this was incredibly well balanced, making for a thrilling read. I loved the themes of trust and past history, loyalty and friendship, that ripple through the narrative.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Therapist. I found it exciting, thought provoking and hugely entertaining. It’s a brilliant read and let’s just say I shall be checking the doors and windows and I won’t be having therapy any time soon!

About B A Paris

B A Paris is the internationally bestselling author of Behind Closed Doors, The Breakdown, Bring Me Back and The Dilemma. Having sold over one million copies in the UK alone, she is a New York Times bestseller as well as Sunday Times bestseller and a number one bestseller on Amazon and iBooks. Her books have been translated into 40 languages. Having lived in France for many years, she and her husband recently moved back to the UK.

For more information about B A Paris, you can follow her on Twitter @BAParisAuthor. You’ll also find her on Instagram and Facebook.