Behind a Closed Door is the latest thriller by J.D. Barker and is a bit of a different twist than his usual cop chases serial killer fare. Here, he takes an ordinary suburban couple, Brendan and Abby Hollander, who are busy dealing with the usual work-life balance and suspicions of cheating and thrusts them headfirst into a high stakes game. Indeed, their troubles begin with the downloading of a sexy-game application to their cellphones called Sugar and Spice, sort of the adult version of Truth or Dare, and one thing leads to another and their lives spin out of control as they realize they have granted permissions for the app to fully access everything from bank accounts to photos and that there are others playing the game, trying to earn their way up the ladder to gold or platinum status. Points are awarded for completing tasks and the tasks are far more risque than one might imagine, leaving one open for blackmail and embarrassment and social media shame. But that’s only the beginning of the challenge which takes the young couple far out of their comfort zone and into a game where they are manipulated and blamed for numerous deaths, shootings, and the like. With other players after them as well as half the state’s law enforcement, they have to figure their way out of their dilemma. This is one of those novels where you want to put it down, but can’t.

I really enjoyed this book and looking forward to more from this author

~This book was given by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I’ve been a long-time fan of J.D. Barker since reading his amazing 4MK series and was thrilled to get the chance to read BEHIND A CLOSED DOOR. The premise was fascinating and had so much promise - unfortunately, the plot lost me around the halfway mark and became overly convoluted and difficult to follow. I understand some suspension of belief is required for these stories but in this case, I had to suspend a bit too much to get through this one.

I’m still excited to read whatever this author comes out with next, he’s a fabulous writer with an engaging style - this one just wasn’t for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hampton Creek Press for the opportunity to read and review BEHIND A CLOSED DOOR.