From the first couple of pages, I was completely pulled in.. It was definitely unputdownable! Page after page, I needed to know who, what? Why?! But then.. Wait, what the heck?! I’m still speechless..

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC of The Therapist. Wow. That was a whirlwind that I consumed in two days. This held all of the makings of a true psychological thriller with some pieces of horror and shock value interlaced throughout. The characters worked together to create an amazing storyline. The shocking twist at the end after I thought I figured it out made this a 5 star read for me.

The Therapist by S.A. Falk is the true definition of a psychological thriller. This book has every piece of a thriller that makes a thriller a best seller. Psychosis, psychiatric breaks, murder, grotesque descriptions of what psych patients did to their victims, suspense, mystery, twists and turns. I will caution, that this book is dark. Really dark. But it’s also really good, like unputdownable good.

Set in a psychiatric hospital in California for the criminally insane, the main character, Dr. Stephanie Fletcher is tasked with a new patient, Trent, that sadistically and ritually murdered six women and engaged in cannibalism with their corpses. Dealing with a patient like this shakes Stephanie to her core, but when copycat murderer appears and mimics Trent’s murders, Stephanie becomes concerned that somehow, even from the psych facility, Trent is involved. Meanwhile, she is battling her own demons and fighting to keep them at bay. Who’s the copycat murderer? Is Stephanie in too deep with this patient? Did she cross a line that a psychiatrist should never cross with her patient? The ending will shock you.

The authors writing style was great, and the storyline was great. My only complaint is the ending was abrupt, also with a shocking twist, I would have loved it played out more with a tad bit more closure, but still, a 5 star read!

Really struggled with this book. Not my usual kind and for me it was too gory. I got a bit lost at parts and found it just not for me. However I do know folk will love all that.

A fast paced thriller that kept me intrigued right up until the end when it ended with no wrap up for the two main characters. Talk about a bummer, ruined the book completely for me.

Very Hannibal Lecter - esque !

The premise is interesting and some of the prose is very atmospheric but I did find the meanderings of the main character quite tedious at times.

Whilst I did anticipate the twist as the story unfolded the various characters involved certainly hold off that suspicion until nearing the end.

**3.5 Rounded up**

I have many mixed emotions about books with an unreliable narrator, this one is no exception. From the beginning, the author has you second guessing yourself on who the copycat killer is. However, if you pay close enough attention to the information between the lines, the ending can be predicted from the beginning. I definitely finished the book with the idea that I should’ve seen it coming a mile away. This is a classic psychological thriller that would make a fantastic introduction to the genre. There just wasn’t anything about the story that made it stand out against the rest. Definitely comparable to the Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides.

TW: csa, religion, satan/devil, religious influence, sa, extreme mental health issues, violence, graphic descriptions of violent crimes, murder.

Dr Fletcher has the weighted task of working with Trent Davies, notorious killer of women, However, there appears to be a copycat killer out there, but is Trent involved from the confines of a psychiatric hospital? I really enjoyed the story throughout but found the ending a little rushed and a little bit of a let down compared to the build up.

This was my first time reading a book from this author. Such a refreshing and exciting read. I loved that it was immersive, graphic details that make it feel more real in the scariest way possible. Highly recommend this author. You will not be able to put his books down.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, and all opinions expressed are strictly my own.

This book hooked me from the very beginning, and took me for quite the roller coaster ride. Very interesting premise, although there were some gory scenes to be prepared for. The ending seemed very abrupt and it was not explained very well if she had these psychotic tendencies on her own, or if Trent’s evil spirit had invaded her.

Dr. Stephanie Fletcher is no stranger to dangerous people. As a psychiatrist for the Department of Corrections in California, Dr. Fletcher treats some of the most dangerous patients. When Trent Davis, famous heavy metal artist and convicted serial killer, is assigned to her, she gets sucked into his case. Did a demon inside of him convince him to kill all those people or is he clinically insane? Now there is a copycat killer on the loose and Stephanie is drug into the middle of the investigation.

I loved the first 3 quarters of this book. I was interested to find out the reality of Trent's situation and if there really was a demon inside him or if it was just a manifestation of his childhood trauma. Who is the copycat killer and why are they so interested in Trent? When the twist came, I felt it was out of nowhere. I would have liked if the author would have explained how the copycat killer managed the killings. I don't want to spoil the book here, so I'll try to be vague. There was little to no explanation of why the copycat killer did what they did. I think the ending could have been fleshed out more. I do enjoy a twist or two, but when there is little to no clues building up to the reveal, it feels like more of a cop-out or a twist just for the shock value.

The Therapist
by S.A. Falk
Pub Date: April 25, 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.
A shocking and unputdownable thriller with a ‘didn’t see that coming’ twist. The perfect read for fans of The Silent Patient, Mike Omer and Freida McFadden.
This is a dark, disturbing, gory thriller about a therapist who treats a serial killer. While he is locked away, a copycat killer emerges.

This is a darker thriller than most and after reading I felt like I needed to clense with a lighter read. It involves talk of the devil and demons. This might be hard for some to read.
The pros - Started out suspenseful, who doesn’t want to know what goes on in a killer’s mind?
Bit repetitive. The characters went round and round in circles. The ending, you see it a million miles away.
I wish I could say that I loved it. However, it did hold my interest.

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 Stephanie Fletcher is the lead psychiatrist on the high security ward of a maximum security prison. Even though she is dealing with loss and grieving her mentor whom she considered family, her work does not stop and a new serial killer is starting his sentence. Trent Davis is not only a famous musician, he is another kind of killer that no one, including Stephanie, is prepared for. I have worked in a psychiatric hospital and the things Trent describes are more terrifying than anything I ever heard from a patient but this book is one I absolutely did not want to put down! Stephanie use interviews with Trent, his fiance that holds onto his innocence, and takes a deep dive into his music to try and understand the mind of this horrific killer. The Therapist is wonderfully written and absolutely oozing with suspense, a book to clear your schedule to devour!

Review is on Goodreads and will be on Instagram in early April.

This was an amazing book. I highly recommend it to everyone. Great characters and a great plot. I will be looking for more books by this author. The book is superbly written. Lots of twists, turns and shocking turns of events. Quickly becoming a go to author for me!!!! If you love to read a book and be shocked by the ending then check out this author for sure. You will love this book and this author Theo Baxter is the new king of suspense.

I have mixed reviews. There were parts of this book I really loved… the world of criminal psychology fascinates me and the basis of the storyline kept me intrigued throughout. I devoured the philosophical aspects of crime, and good vs. evil. Some parts were incredibly dark and gory. There were also parts that drove me crazy. The continuous, “I know everything and I’m right” mentality from the main character was over the top. I was starting to piece together the main twist by the end, but the relationships just didn’t make sense once the truth was revealed. Overall, it was a mind-bending read. Big thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and the author for letting me read an ARC copy of the book.

The Therapist by S.A Falk
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Out on the 25th of April 2024

Dr. Stephanie Fletcher, a psychiatrist at Pantana State Hospital, has a new patient, Trent Davis. A notorious serial killer, rock star, and cannibal. As she tries to unravel his mind, Dr. Fletcher is drawn into finding a copycat killer who started killing shortly after Trent became her patient. Is he involved? Will she discover who the copycat is in time?

I wanted to read this book because I love a good story about serial killers and the insane. Unfortunately for me this book fell flat. I love the idea of the story, but I found that Dr. Fletcher is unlikeable, as too were the other characters. I didn't get the correlation with the way the story chose to go. I figured out the twist halfway through, I was so hoping that I was wrong about it. It was lacking in the suspense you get from reading a thriller. I found it quite repetitive at times. I didn't dislike the book. It was a good, quick read.

If you like an easy, fast-paced thriller that you don't need to think too much about or you are a fan of Freida McFaddon, then this is a book I recommend to you.

Thank you, NetGalley and Storm publishing.

Just when you think you know what’s happening sa fall throws another twist at you! Such a good read and i can’t wait to read more by them.

Very intriguing and loved the psychology aspect of the book. I was not expecting the twist at the end! However I feel like the ending was very abrupt and there could have been more of an explanation or conclusion to the story. Great writing and characterisation.

This is a suspenseful novel that will make you not want to put it down. How would you feel if you were in an area with a copycat killer? Well this book will take you on a whirlwind where a copycat killer has been emerging. If you are into books that have twists and turns then definitely check this out and see if you can guess the twist before the end

This book was so good for 99% of the time.

I loved the main character and the mystery behind what’s going on with this copycat killer. I kept wanting to go to back read it whenever I put it down and I was so immersed in the writing I flew the pages.

The only issue I have is the ending. It felt too rushed into the the conclusion and what went on that I had to go back and re read the last 20 pages to make sure I didn’t miss anything cause I was so confused! Apart from that it was a brilliant read and I did enjoy myself throughout