While this book was engaging and I was intrigued to see what would happen, the main character was just too conveniently dumb for the book to get any more than 3 stars. A great beach read, this book is one that you finish and forget. There were some twists I didn’t see coming and the pacing was perfect, but the main character missed so many obvious clues and made many assumptions that simply did not make sense. It felt very convenient for the story and made the book quite frustrating at times. To be clear, I still finished this book in a day and would recommend it for a quick thriller that you can’t think too hard about. A solid 3 star read.

I enjoyed all the twists and turns throughout. I never figured it out— even the last chapter shocked me.

B.A Paris does not disappoint. I could not wait to get back to this story to see how it ended. The Therapist is a great story that will keep you on the edge of your seat guessing who could it be. Must read.

The Short Version: A not so thrilling thriller; a not so suspenseful suspense novel that probably should have been killed during the outlining stage.

The Long Version: I got to listen to an audiobook version of this novel thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio in exchange for an honest review.

This long version will be shorter than usual as this was a slog of a book and I can’t dive too deep into the mess without spoilers.

The two biggest problems here are the protagonist and the plot, which of course makes for a terrible recipe.

Alice, the protagonist is moving in with her long distance boyfriend Leo on a trial basis and they move into this luxurious house in this gated community, which we find out later he got on a huge discount because someone was murdered there (dun dun dun!). Right away Leo makes it clear he doesn’t want Alice, who works at home, to make friends with their neighbors.

Ok so right there, I loathed Alice. First, she’s moving into a house with her boyfriend and she has no idea what he should be able to afford, and had no involvement whatsoever in the house hunt, like not even touring homes? Doesn’t exactly sound like a winner of a relationship. Layer on top of that the whole Leo trying to keep her isolated in this giant house and she should have already been out, but no, this is all wonderful! (Cue giddy laughter).

Hard to believe, but it gets worse from there. Alice has a terrible personality and makes awful choices all the way through. By the end I was almost rooting for the murderer because Alice did not deserve to survive when she put herself in that situation.

The plot too was a mess. The ultimate killer wasn’t that hard to figure out, and there were countless red herrings seemingly thrown in to extend this tale, because the meat of the narrative was weak.

Oh and Alice only finds out about the murder because a PI sneaks into the gated community and crashes a party they're hosting.....doesn’t exactly seem like a great gated community when strangers just waltz in whenever.

There was a lot of repeated information also, and it left me thinking there wasn’t enough of an idea for a book and they stretched it and twisted it so they could pump out a BA Paris novel and cash in.

Even the title was a bit misleading. The woman who previously died in the house was a therapist, but that fact wasn’t integral to anything really. More evidence this book was weak in its construction

The only really good thing about this audiobook was the narrators performance. I really struggled to plow through this one until the end, and if I had been reading, I’m pretty sure I would have closed the book and walked away. The narrator did some SERIOUS heavy lifting manufacturing some maintained interest while the plot labored along and Alice continued grating on my nerves with terrible choices. Bravo to her doing an exceptional job under trying circumstances.

Overall a 2. Not something I recommend for anyone not already a huge B.A. Paris fan. Also a full point of that 2 is for the narrator’s performance. Really worked hard to salvage a mess of a book.

Component Ratings
Idea/Premise: 2 out of 5
Protagonist: 0 out of 5
Supporting Characters: 3 out of 5
Character Development: 1 out of 5
Prose: 3 out of 5
Plot: 1 out of 5
Pacing: 1 out of 5
Narrator’s Performance: 5 out of 5
Ending: 2 out of 5

Well, that was very good. Talk about a quick, addictive read. I have loved BA Paris. Behind Closed Doors is to this day a favorite. The Therapist....it was pretty darn good.
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I love the premise. You have this gated community in London and basically....you suspect everyone. Technically the murder case has been solved so it runs through your mind. Are we dealing with an unreliable narrator? Who should we trust? I really enjoyed it. It had a readability that kept me completely invested. I’m going to recommend it. I would compare it to...if you like Girl on the Train. Or even Lisa Jewell. Pick it up!

Once again, B.A. Paris does not disappoint. The way the story is written is through the eyes of Alice. It does flashback to the Therapist, but who is the therapist? That one will throw you for a loop as who you think the Therapist is, may not really be the case. Alice and Leo move into The Circle, which is supposed to be this prestigious neighborhood... However, Alice needs to figure out who her true friends are and who is lying or hiding a secret. Alice also believes there is a ghost of some sort living in her new house with her “perfect” boyfriend Leo.

Who is the therapist?
Who is the patient?
Who murdered Nina?

“Do you know what Henry David Thoreau believed? Happiness is like a butterfly, the more you chase it, the more it will elude you. But if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder. “ 🦋
Check out our blog for our full review before publication day. www.twogirlsandabookobsession.com
#macmillanaudio, #st.martin'spress, #bookobsession4, #twogirlsandabookobsession, #psychologicalthriller, #TheTherapist

I walked a lot of miles listening to this book and made my fitbit very happy! I found the first 3/4 of the book very compelling. The characters were interesting and for a who-done-it, I was definitely guessing who did it.

And then things took a bit of a strange turn for me. I'm all for a twist but I found the ending, without giving spoilers, deeply unsatisfying. It didn't feel like all the work that the protagonist (and us, as the reader, alongside her) did paid off, if anything it was the opposite, and while she felt stupid, then we necessarily also felt... stupid, although in all fairness, it had been set up that she was quite naive and perhaps not the sharpest knife in the drawer. I still felt a little let down. That probably sounds ridiculous and I will say that for the genre, this was better than most and I'll definitely recommend it and pick up other books by this author.

One of my favorite authors and this one didn’t disappoint. I really enjoyed this book. There was a perfect amount of characters/suspects to keep me guessing til the end. Thanks to NetGalley for the privilege to read and review this book.

Wow! BA. Paris is truly one of a kind. I am convinced that there isn’t a single book
She writes or will write that I won’t love. After agreeing to a Q&A for our blog after she wrote The Breakdown, i am fascinated by the way ideas come to her. She mentioned that getting lost on a winding road during unsettled weather inspired her idea for The Breakdown. Now, after reading each of her titles, it makes me wonder what real life experience inspired The Therapist! This story has all the ingredients that cook up a perfect psychological thriller. From page one you will be suspicious of Leo’s motives. I was u sure if his character in the beginning... especially after reading Paris’s other books. This new house new neighbors, and old secrets will have you hooked from the start! Don’t underestimate anyone in this story. Even though you’ll suspect everyone, most likely you will be shocked by the twist! #foreverfan #bookobsession4 #twogirlsandabookobsession

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 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 neighbors are keeping secrets and things are not as perfect as they seem…

Alice is a woman in a relationship with Leo. They lived separately until Leo found an amazing deal on a house in The Circle. Alice lost her sister in an accident and misses her dearly. Alice learns of what occurred in the house that she now lives in and why her boyfriend got such a good deal on it. Since Alice has some flexibility with work and is missing her late sister, she becomes obsessed with what happened to the previous tenant. Alice is not likeable at all - she is insecure and gullible and I think we can all relate in even the smallest of ways. Leo is not likeable because he is a sneaky jerk. The fact that I find these two characters so unlikeable shows that they author did a great job. I listened to this novel in audiobook form and loved it. I think I would prefer the audio version instead of reading it. This is suspenseful but I don't think it will keep you up all night trying to piece things together. It is certainly full of question marks and as the listener I did want to get to the bottom of those questions. B.A. Paris is a favorite of mine. This did not disappoint and is perfect for a summer or vacation read.

After a year of a long distance relationship, Leo and Alice move together to London in a beautiful gated community. Though reluctant to leave her countryside cottage, Alice is ready to make a new change for her future with Leo. The neighbors are all very kind and the home was even a great bargain for reasons unknown to Alice.

Alice begins to make friends with her neighbors and tries to find a new place for herself. After an unexpected visit from a private investigator, Alice finds out the last resident of the house was a therapist who was murdered. She comes to find out Leo kept this one important detail from her about their new home. A murder suicide occurred in the bedroom, explaining why the homes pricing was so low.

Alice finds out the victim is named Nina; the name of her late sister. She kicks Leo out of the house and becomes immersed with finding out the truth. Nina’s husband, Oliver, killed her and then killed himself or so that is how the story goes and what everyone is led to believe. She wonders if the neighbors know more than they’re letting on or if they even had anything to do with it.

As she decides if she should stay in the house and forgive Leo or to move away, she begins to slowly piece together information to figure out the truth of what really happened that night. Meanwhile, strange things begin happening in her home. She notices misplaced items, odd noises, and the feeling of being watched during the night. As things spin out of control, she is unsure if she can trust her new neighbors or even Leo. She turns to the private investigator, Thomas for help since her neighbors might be hiding something else from her too.

As the story progresses, new information is learned and Alice soon expects everyone around her as the possible killer. The readers are right there with her wondering who to trust or if anyone is even trustworthy. The plot twist will definitely come as a surprise and keep you flipping through the pages until the very end. This is a fast read and will be perfect for a beach read this summer. I’d like to thank St. Martins Press for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Therapist was a great listen! It had suspense and self-discovery, of course...it's called The Therapist,
Alice and Leo move in together after dating and living in different cities so there is a lot to get used to. But when Alice finds out that a murder had occurred at their house, thus the "good price" , she is taken aback and doesn't think she can live there. Then, she starts suspecting each of her neighbors and even Leo of committing the murder.

The narrator was excellent and the story kept me wanting to go on walks so I could listen some more. There were clues left along the way that all made sense in the end. Another great mystery from B.A. Paris.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance listen in exchange for this honest review.

Overall, I enjoyed this one. It kept me guessing and suspecting everyone! I think the best thing about the plot was that it was creative and unpredictable. I liked the feel of the host of characters from the neighborhood all being suspicious.

The narrator was good. Her voice was pleasant and easy to listen to, but I don't feel anything about the narration was distinct.

Avery good read with a great twist. I think my favorite part of this audiobook absolutely has to be the narrator. I would love to hear her read many more.

I enjoyed listening to the audiobook.
The main character was a bit frustrating and hard to like but the story kept my interest. I love when thrillers keep me guessing on who the bad guy is. I would think I had it figured out and then BAM! surprise!
This is not my first book from this author and it definitely will not be my last!

First, the book was going well...the new house in the Circle and all the neighbours and their secrets was interesting...Even though I could not relate to Alice's obsession over Nina's murder, the storyline was captivating...Needless to say, who I had suspected as the whodunnit was wrong...Then things start happening and BOOM!!! you don't know what hit you...What an ending!!! I would have never suspected it! Great book, definitely will be recommending it to my friends!

The narrator was great. I love her accent and how she would change her voice at times for the different characters.

Thanks NetGalley, MacMillanAudio, and BA Paris for the ARC!!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read this book! I love B.A. Paris and as soon as I see a new book by this author I immediately look forward to reading it. They are great audiobooks if you are looking for something to keep you engaged, with lots of twists and turns. This newest book did not disappoint!

As all B.A. Paris books go, it's full of mystery and has a main character who second guesses themselves a million times. Is Alice losing her mind? Is she truly living in a gated community that contains a murdery secret? Is one of her new friends not only involved, but could they have done it?

I will be honest, I figured out the person responsible halfway through but that in no way spoiled things for me. Highly recommend if you are looking for a book to suck you in!

this is the best audiobook i have listened to in a long time - i especially loved the narrator - she drew me right in!
the story was really very good too! I was surprised by the ending.
So many good characters in a beautiful setting.

Another very twisty thriller from B. A. Paris. Alice and Leo get a great deal when they buy a house in an exclusive, gated community in London. Not long after they move in they find out why, and you can guess what comes next! With only 12 houses in The Circle, everyone gets to know each other very well, but there's still lots of room for secrets.

This story sure kept me guessing, everyone looked guilty at some point and I kept changing my mind about who had done what to/with who else! The audiobook narration is fantastic. I love Olivia Dowd's accent and she tells a great suspenseful story that had me jumping out of my skin in places. I was totally surprised by the ending and thoroughly enjoyed the story.

Reviewing
The Therapist
B.A. Paris

Who else has been eagerly anticipating B.A. Paris’ July 2021 release of The Therapist!?!? I was lucky enough to grab an advanced reader copy and I’m happy to report it was as just as intriguing and radiant as her former publications.

Readers are fully immersed in the close knit, family feel, of the exclusive community that Alice and Leo join after purchasing their dream home. As they come to know the other occupants of “The Circle” Alice discovers a disturbing, grisly secret about her beautiful new home and now she can let it go.

Secrets, jealousy, obsession, and revenge all play a part in this fast-paced, entertaining, and contorted tale of The Therapist!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars with a 14+ rating for another riveting summer read from B.A. Paris