After a night celebrating the end of the school term, Cass takes a shortcut through the woods to get home. The road is dark and a storm is hitting hard when she sees a car laying on the side of the road. Inside there is a woman but she doesn’t seem to be in need of help and afraid it may be a trap like you see in horror movies, Cass keeps driving. The next morning the news announces that a woman was found murdered the night before on the same road. Consumed by guilt, Cass starts forgetting things like presents to buy or friends who she invited over. Does she have dementia as her mother did? And is the killer behind the silent calls that she receives every day? As her husband and best friend start to doubt her sanity, Cass becomes more depressed and paranoid. Not only a story of murder and jealousy, but also of a woman trying to come to term with the fact that she may become like her mother. A compelling and sinister page-turner with so many twists and turns that at the end I was literally on the edge of my seat.

In The Breakdown, B A Paris' second novel, Cass decides to ignore her husband's advice and drive home along a lonely, woodland road. She sees a car broken down, in appalling weather conditions, and stops to see if the female driver needs help. When they don't react to her stopping she drives on but is shocked to discover, the next day, that not only did she know the driver but that she had been found dead in her car. She feels she can't share the guilt she feels with her husband - he'll be angry that she drove along such a dangerous road - but worse than the guilt is the feeling that she is losing her mind. Her mother died after suffering from early onset Alzheimer's - is Cass starting to show signs of the same awful fate?

There is plenty of threat and fear for Cass - at first that she will become ill and a burden on her husband but later she is plagued by silent phone calls and feels physically threatened. She feels isolated, her husband blames call-centres and she never told him about her Mum's illness because he might not want a woman with such potentially bad genes, and even her best friend isn't there for her. As a reader you can see nothing more positive than heavy-duty meds in her future but, gradually, she starts to realise that all the things happening to her just don't make sense. When she finally takes back control of her life she brings the story to a pretty satisfying conclusion.

The debut novel, 'Behind Closed Doors' by B. A. Paris was just brilliant. So on completion of a Book Club read over 4 long weeks, knowing I had 'The Breakdown' waiting in the wings made my next choice easy - and I was not disappointed. 24 hours! That's all it took me to read and complete; 24 hours - I couldn't put it down. It was so, so easy to rate; an easy five stars without a doubt! Just brilliant.
Cass, the main character, is very believable, haunted as she is by her past - and by the future that might lie ahead. In a moment of fear and frustration in the midst of a storm on a dark and lonely road, Cass drives on rather than stop to assist a lone female stranded in her broken down car; the next morning, she learns that the woman was 'brutally' murdered in her car - and Cass was probably the last person to see her alive! Traumatised by the news and filled with guilt and regret at her failure to take any action, Cass begins to experience a 'breakdown' of an entirely different sort. Haunted by the final years of her mother's life, as she experiences more and more instances of serious memory loss in what appears to be inexplicable circumstances, Cass fears that she is taking after her mother and suffering symptoms of early onset Dementia. Her neurosis increases to almost unmanageable levels as she begins to receive silent telephone calls and feels that she is being watched. Even the love and support of her husband Matthew, and her best friend Rachel, don't seem to help.
B. A. Paris holds the reader enthralled as she builds the suspense and tension to a critical level and Cass feels she is going mad.
I must confess, I did begin to have a little inkling as to what might be going on towards the end, but that didn't detract by any means from the final twist.
Thoroughly recommended five star read!

When she discovers that she drove past a broken down car where a woman is found murdered she is horrified. When she starts forgetting things and strange things happen around her house she worries that she is starting to suffer from early onset dementia. You can feel her panic as she knows what would be ahead. She also starts getting phone calls where the caller stays silent and convinces herself that the murder is now watching her.

This is a real page turner where you join her chaotic life and start wondering whether she is suffering a complete breakdown, is suffering the early stages of dementia or whether something more sinister is going on. Her life seems to be unraveling in front of her.

Plenty of twists keep you gasping as more things happen to her.

I discovered that I already had BA Paris previous book downloaded on my kindle- so I can't wait to read that one now

Another fantastically gripping tale from B A Paris! I was totally drawn into Cass' world of confusion and fear. Tried to guess the outcome but failed! A seriously well plotted and devious thriller with plenty of red herrings. Cannot wait for this authors next book of this is anything to go by they are just getting better and, if possible, even more twisted.

Cass is driving home one stormy night, she takes a shortcut through a wooded lane (against her husband's advice) and sees a car in a layby. There is a woman inside the car, she decides not to stop but the next day discovers that the woman was murdered. She is guilt ridden wondering if she could have prevented the murder.

Everyone has memory lapses but Cass becomes increasing worries that she has early onset dementia like her mum had. The murder seems to have triggered more memory lapses and she believes someone is watching the house and trying to spook her with silent phone calls..

This is the second book I have read of B.A. Paris and I loved this one equally. There were some gripping moments in this book and some great twists. I felt the ending was a bit rushed but thoroughly enjoyed it

Cass's life changes overnight when she takes a decision to take a short cut through the woods one rainy evening. There's a car parked in the layby and apart from stopping her car for a few minutes, doesn't get out to help, something she will regret. Shortly afterwards things start to go wrong, forgetting things, mysterious parcels arrive, silent phone calls - she's doubting her own sanity. Wow!! Just loved this from the very first line - what a stomping good read, gripping and menacing, pacey and dark. It was one of those books you just have to read in one sitting, no putting it down apart from the essentials that is! Allow plenty of time because you won't want to leave this story and watch out for your fingernails as you just might bite them off as you feverishly turn the pages! Another wonderful book by this author.

Well the author certainly has a devious mind that’s for certain. Within the first few pages I already knew who the bad guy was and was certain I knew who the killer was too. About three quarters into the read I decided I was wrong and had a new suspect. Turns out I was wrong on both counts. It was neither of my suspects.

Paris does know how to lead readers on a merry goose chase.

Let me tell you what I liked the most about this story. It was the way the author manages to create a perfect situation of moral wrongdoing even when the act itself isn’t actually legally wrong. A question of conscience one could say, which is something Paris seems to excel at.

I bet a lot of readers will wonder what they would do or would have done in the same situation. Would you have stopped and helped or even stopped the car at all? It’s a dark, wet and secluded area. Common sense and precautionary warnings suggest driving on would be the most sensible thing to do, and yet there is that niggling doubt called base humanity and kindness. Of course cynical me thinks kindness is probably what gets a large percentage of people killed in the first place.

The author creates a convincing atmosphere of fear and paranoia, which is linked to a medical condition and mental health issues at the same time. Everything Cass is going through seems to be exacerbated by her choice to drive away. Of course, it’s a B.A. Paris story so nothing is as it seems.
*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my copy of The Breakdown*

Last year, BA Paris’ debut novel, Behind Closed Doors, catapulted her to the top of bestsellers lists on both sides of the Atlantic and this outstanding writer of psychological chillers is back with The Breakdown, a tense, taut and terrifying page-turner that will keep readers on the edge of their seats and biting their nails to the elbow once again!

Cass Anderson seems to be a woman with the world at her feet – she has a loving, handsome and kind-hearted husband who worships the ground she walks on, good friends and a lifestyle other people would envy. But recently Cass cannot help but be troubled by worrying episodes that are forcing her to question her sanity and her grip on reality. As these events start to become even more frequent, Cass finds herself asking whether she is going to be plagued by the same illness that had destroyed and claimed her mother’s life – or whether there might be something even more sinister afoot…

One night, when Cass is driving through the woods, she comes across a woman sitting in a stationary car by herself. Although Cass wants to offer her assistance, she is frightened that she might be walking into a dangerous trap that could have frightening consequences, so she drives on home and decides to put the unusual episode behind her – until news reaches her the following morning that the woman has been found murdered! She finds herself consumed by guilt and despair – and by an unsettling feeling deep within her gut that she might be the murderer’s next victim. Is Cass in danger? Can she trust anyone to keep her safe from harm? Or will she end up being let down not just by the people around her, but also by her own sanity and hazy memories of that fateful night?

As the people around her seem convinced that she is losing her mind, Cass finds herself in a desperate race against time to uncover the truth about who murdered the woman in the car that night – before she ends up paying the ultimate price…

BA Paris’ The Breakdown should come with a warning: cancel your plans, make sure all the lights are switched on at home and lock all your doors because this is a heart-pounding, nerve-shredding and absolutely terrifying thriller that will grip you from the very first sentence and keep you riveted until the final jaw-dropping twist. The pages will simply turn themselves as you find yourself completely and utterly consumed by this first class thriller that continues to cement BA Paris’ standing as one of the genre’s finest and most ingenious talents.

An outstanding tale that you will not easily forget, if you liked Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train and haven’t yet discovered BA Paris’s twisted and hair raising spine chillers, then what on earth are you waiting for?

I have officially decided that this kind of book is not for me. Same problem I had with Behind Her Eyes. Sure it was a breeze to read. I had it finished in just over 24hrs. Made me feel well-chuffed with myself. And then I moved on, never gave it another thought. In fact, I couldn't even be bothered to post a review. Yes, I feel awful saying that. I'm sorry I was not moved to care.

I never believed Cass was crazy. I never believed everyone around her was innocent. I never believed the killer was after her. I was just skipping along with the story until the was revealed; and then, well, by then I didn't much care.

I don't know if it's me, or if it's a result of my issues with this genre, or if it was really just not that good. Surely if it was I would love it? Wouldn't I? I can't even trust my own opinion on something I read!

A brilliant thriller that I couldn't put down. It made me feel uneasy at times. Poor Cass! Highly recommended.

This book has absorbed me from the first page. May I say first of all how much I loved "Behind Closed Doors" - the debut novel and this second book is equally gripping. Cass is married to Matthew. She becomes agitated when she realises she is becoming increasingly forgetful and paranoid. She's not sure whether she's going mad, having a nervous breakdown or it's the early onset of dementia like her mother suffered. It was chilling to be inside her head as the book progresses. You can almost taste her fears and find it hard to rationalise them. Matthew and her best friend Rachel seem to be very supportive. It's basically a story of greed, manipulation and gross betrayal. The plot is so well masterminded that you are kept guessing. Grimly, it makes you wonder who you can trust. Excuse my cynicism. A fantastic book! Thank you for the opportunity of reading it. I shall spread the word on Amazon and Facebook etc.

After reading and loving Behind Closed Doors by the same author I was so excited to hear that this one was being published, but would it be as good as her first?

I didn't need to worry, The Breakdown is equally as good as BCD. From page one BA Paris grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and unceremoniously dropped me right into the front seat of the rollercoaster that was about to become Cass Anderson's life and the trail of events that followed.

The story begins with Cass driving home from a night out with colleagues, through a severe storm when she decides to take a shortcut through the woods close to her home, she happens upon a car parked up in a lay-by and stops in case she can help, when the woman in the car doesn't appear to want help, Cass drives on home, only to find out the following morning that the woman was brutally murdered.

What follows is a complex chain of events which presents the reader with more twists and turns than a helter skelter and left me not knowing if I was coming or going, the writing is pure genius and my heart was in my mouth throughout the book.

If I could offer this book more than the standard 5 stars I would because it definitely deserves it. I would like to thank Harper Collins for the approval. I will post my review on Goodreads, Amazon UK & US and Twitter.

I was really highly-anticipating this second novel from the author of 'Behind Closed Doors'.

We follow Cass, in the summer holidays before returning to her job as a teacher; following time off taken to care for a mother with dementia. Then a woman is murdered. She becomes obsessed with the event, believing that she could have stopped it or helped the victim.

In many ways, it delivered the pacy, easy-read thriller that I wanted. In terms of plot, the resolution of the action involved a good antagonist twist and was unexpected. However, much of the novel seemed to involve drawn-out explanations of the main couple's rather everyday and unchanging life.

The protaganist's willingness to accept everything that happened to her and readily assume all blame didn't make for a complelling viewpoint from which to read either, in my opinion.

Overall, it was a quick and absorbing read for cold winter nights or a lazy Sunday afternoon; but, unfortunately, I couldn't rate it any higher in light of this. Will be keeping an eye out for future B.A. Paris books, though!

AND......... Breathe!

WOW! Talk about a 'Can't put it down' thriller. I raced through this book in record time. It had me hooked from page one to the end. It is a fast paced, edge of the seat, nail biting, heart thumping 5 star read and I highly recommend it.

I loved B A Paris's first book, Behind Closed Doors, which made a huge splash and had everybody talking about it. The Breakdown is that tricky second novel and following up Behind Closed Doors was always going to be hard but I'm pleased to say that I found The Breakdown just as much of a page turner.

This is Cass Anderson's story, told in the first person which means that the reader never quite knows whether Cass's account of events can be trusted or not. Having had a mother with early onset dementia, when Cass starts to forget things she wonders if she is going to have the same condition. Husband Matthew and best friend Rachel are rocks for her as she wonders if she is going mad after learning she was in a lay-by at the same time as a local woman who was murdered there. Suddenly her world is turned upside down and paranoia takes over.

This is such an atmospheric, clever and claustrophobic novel. When reading it in bed at night I was genuinely freaked out and I found the whole thing terrifying at times. The Breakdown is such a clever title as it has more than one meaning within the context of the story. Just as terrifying as anything else is the way that Cass is forgetting things like how to do the most basic of tasks. Her confusion and fear is put across perfectly to the reader.

When the big reveals came my heart was racing. It wasn't so much that it was a huge surprise, more that there was such a sense of menace about the whole book that I was feeling quite het up as I hurtled towards the conclusion.

I don't know how B A Paris does it but she manages to create these page turners that keep me reading long after I should have put it down and gone to sleep. The Breakdown is highly recommended by me and is right up there with the best of the psychological thrillers.

After 2 books B A Paris is firmly on my "to read" list. In my opinion, The Breakdown even improves on her first book Behind Closed Doors which was also a fascinating read and I would recommend to anyone. In The Breakdown the reader is taken on a journey with a number of psychological twists and turns at a pace which kept me engaged at all times. Just sit back and enjoy an excellent thriller.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was really excited when I saw that B.A.Paris had a new book out as I really enjoyed 'Behind Closed Doors'. I wondered if the next one could possibly live up to my expectations but I needn't have worried- I was just as hooked.

When hearing of the murder of a young woman, Cass becomes overcome with guilt because she didn't stop when she saw a car stopped in a country lane during a storm. She wonders if she could have made a difference. After anonymously informing the police that the young woman had been alive when Cass drove by she becomes convinced the killer is out to get her too. Silent phone calls seem to plague her and she also battles with increasing signs that her memory is failing her. In spite of the support of her husband she seems to be in the midst of a complete breakdown.

Definitely five stars! Thanks to Netgallery and the publisher for giving me the chance to read it.

The Breakdown is BA Paris's second novel, and after such a strong debut (Behind Closed Doors), I have to confess I wasn't sure what to expect. I needn't have been concerned, the two novels are very different, but if anything, the Breakdown is even better than this authors outstanding debut.

When Cass chooses to take a familiar short cut home from an end of term gathering down a darkened country lane. She thinks nothing of it. Her husband didn't want her to take the more dangerous route. But on a dark and stormy night, a short cut is exactly what Cass needs.

She passes by what she assumes is a broken down vehicle on her way, stops to see if the woman inside needs any help, and after getting no response, assumes help is already on its way. So Cass is shocked and devastated the following morning to hear that the woman has died; the circumstances suspicious.

Police are appealing for witnesses, but Cass is terrified that she will be in trouble as she didn't properly help the poor woman due to the appealing weather and her determination to get home quickly. Her guilt is all consuming, Cass feels awful about the whole thing.

And then, the silent phone calls start. Is the murderer after her?

Quickly Cass becomes a nervous wreck, dealing with anonymous telephone calls, an exasperated husband and an alarming spate of forgetfulness. Worried that she has early onset dementia like her Mother, as the pressure on her to remember important things mounts, Cass begins to slowly unravel.

Behind Closed Doors is a novel full of suspense, paranoia and dread. The perfect psychological thriller with enough twists and turns to keep even the most prolific thriller readers thoroughly hooked.

I loved her first book, and was eagerly anticipating this read. Once again, the beautiful writing flows into your mind and then grips you tight and pulls you in. A worthy book 2 - I shan't post any spoilers so please just read it!