Compulsive reading, I could not put this book down.

Insight into the minds of serial killers, what drives then to it? Revenge for misdemeanours of the past come back to haunt.

Gripping thriller. Excellent.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this book.

This was a gripping story where I just didn't see the perpetrator coming!! It was a bit slow to get going in the beginning but was worth persevering.

This started off a bit slow for my liking but I stuck to it, as I wanted to give it a chance. The story was good and it did thankfully pick up around half way through. I was hoping there would be more chapters between the prisoners and Dr. Eleanor Spencer. I liked the idea of solving a strong of murders, from the perspective of a psychologist and a convicted killer. It never really took off in the direction I wanted but I did like the chapters of their sessions. The story was enjoyable and I was able to finish quickly

Release: May 22, 2025
Author: Alice Hunter
Publisher: Avon Books

Rating: 4 ★ 

Dr. Eleanor Spencer has built a successful career as a psychologist and appears to have it all together. But when women start disappearing, old wounds resurface from her sister’s still-unsolved case. Pulled into the investigation, Ellie seeks help from Lucas Hayne, a convicted serial killer known for playing dangerous mind games. When Lucas suggests that the truth is tangled up in Ellie’s own past, everything she thought she knew starts to unravel. As she digs deeper, Ellie realizes that the real threat might be much closer than she ever thought — and this time, it’s personal.


The Perfect Psychopath had everything I love in a psychological thriller — a chilling setup, lots of twists, and a story that kept me guessing right up until the end. The book follows Dr. Eleanor Spencer, a psychologist assigned to work with a manipulative killer behind bars, but it quickly becomes clear that he knows way more about a string of new murders than he should. The sessions between them grow increasingly personal, especially as Eleanor’s own past — including her sister’s mysterious disappearance — starts to intertwine with the present investigation.

The pacing was strong throughout, with a gripping beginning that immediately pulled me in and an ending that really stuck with me. I loved how the author explored the killer’s psyche and built complex characters that felt real and layered. There were a few moments where I had to suspend disbelief, and at times the back-and-forth between timelines made the story a little harder to follow, but overall, I stayed hooked because I needed to know how everything connected.

This was a dark, twisty read that kept me second-guessing everyone, and the character development made it even more compelling. If you’re into thrillers with morally gray leads, mind games, and secrets that refuse to stay buried, this is one worth picking up.



Favorite Quote:
"psychopaths don't have to be violent to be dangerous. They just have to be manipulative enough to make you doubt your own reality."

A good, keep you guessing, psychological storyline. A serial killer on prison seems to know more about serial killings outside than he should and his connections run deeper than you might imagine. A psychologist is tasked to have regular sessions with him as a study to assess his risk to those around him but those sessions become a lot more personal and poignant. Her sister had disappeared in the past and assumed a victim of the killer but the actual circumstances are shrouded in mystery and questions left unanswered.
There are some good twists and this definitely kept my interest right to the end to see what all the connections were. Some bits were a little bit of a stretch for plausibility but overall a good read.

A lot of books usually either have a super good beginning or an amazing end. It's pretty rare for me to find one that has both but this defiantly had such a great beginning and all the way through pace that kept me wanting to keep reading like crazy and it also had an unforgettable ending.

I love Alice Hunter anyway so I fully expected to adore this book about a psychopath and a forensic psychologist: and I wasn’t disappointed.

The twists were great, it all happened in one go at the end and I was like WOW! It felt like I was watching a film.

Dr Eleanor Spencer a respected forensic psychologist and works in the nearby prison. When she hears of a woman’s body is found with her sister’s necklace on her. Her sister disappeared five years ago never to be seen again.
She is asked to work on the case and se agrees because she wants to find out if there is anymore connection to her sisters’ disappearance. But when another body turns up, they know they have a serial killer on their hands. She knows that this is getting personal. She asks help from notorious serial killer Lucas Haynes who is one of the inmates to get into the serial killer’s mind, but the shocking truth emerges that he knows stuff from her past.
Alice Hunter is one of my go-to authors, so I was excited to read a new novel ‘The perfect Psychopath.
I liked the sound of the premise and got straight stuck in, but I found this to be quite a slow burn or me and I felt it was hard to connect with the characters at times. For me there was something missing. It didn’t give me the intensity that I find and enjoy in other books of this type. This is not a bad book it’s just my personal taste. I wanted more but it didn’t deliver for me. 3.5 stars

I love a good serial killer book but this wasn’t it for me. At times it was hard to follow along when the story bounced back and forth. I had a hard time getting into this book

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of The Perfect Psychopath by Alice Hunter:

This is a psychological thriller about Dr. Eleanor Spencer, a psychologist whose life unravels when a series of women disappear, forcing her to confront past traumas. Eleanor turns to a convicted serial killer, Lucas Hayne, for answers, leading her to question whether the true threat is closer than she thought. She believes he may hold insight into a series of disappearances—but the real question is whether she can trust him, or whether she's being manipulated. The novel explores the ways in which trust can be used as a weapon, particularly when the betrayer understands their victim’s weaknesses. Eleanor’s own past traumas intertwine with her present situation, suggesting that betrayal may not be limited to Lucas Hayne. Whether from colleagues, loved ones, or even her own instincts, she faces layers of deception that force her to reconsider who is truly dangerous.

The story suggests that seemingly trustworthy individuals may conceal sinister intentions. Betrayal here isn't just about broken promises—it’s about the fundamental misjudgment of character and the devastating consequences of misplaced trust.

This book was a really good read and part of a genre i truly enjoy. Highly recommend.

Dr. Ellie Spencer works as a forensic psychologist at a jail. However, when women start disappearing and turning up dead, Ellie is reminded of her past. Her sister went missing five years ago and was never found. When her sister's necklace turns up on the body of one of the latest victims, Ellie is desperate to find a connection to her missing sister. In order to figure out what is happening, Ellie works with one of her patients, a notorious serial killer, in order to get into his mind and catch the latest killer.

I really enjoyed this one! I love novels that dive into the psyche and the inner workings of a killer. You can tell the author is very knowledge on this subject. The author does an excellent job at keeping the reader engrossed and on their toes. I honestly had no idea who the killer was and kept changing my mind throughout the story. Lots of great twists and turns. The character development was really well done - you can really get a sense of each character and connect with them.

Thank you Avon Books UK | Avon and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Perfect Psychopath had all the ingredients I look for in a psychological thriller: a mysterious disappearance, a morally murky protagonist, a manipulative killer in a prison cell, and a dark past slowly unraveling. And for the most part, it delivered! The setup was genuinely compelling—Dr. Eleanor Spencer is a psychologist with a polished exterior and a mess of unresolved trauma underneath, and when women start vanishing again, it becomes clear that her past and present are dangerously entwined.

Alice Hunter does a great job building atmosphere and slowly peeling back the layers of Ellie’s mind. The idea of a psychologist becoming too close to a case, possibly to the point of losing objectivity (and her grip on reality?), is always intriguing. Add in Lucas Hayne, the convicted killer who may or may not know more than he’s letting on, and the tension definitely ramps up.

But here’s the thing: the pacing is a bit uneven. While the story is interesting, it leans more into slow-burn mystery than edge-of-your-seat thriller. Some parts drag a little, and Ellie’s reluctance to confront certain memories—or even open her old journals—felt like a slightly frustrating plot device rather than a believable trait. I found myself wishing she’d just read the damn entries already, especially when she kept saying they might hold clues. It got repetitive after a while.

That said, I was genuinely surprised by the final twist. I didn’t see it coming, which I always appreciate, even if the execution didn’t totally land for me. The motive felt a bit undercooked, and the ending could’ve used a stronger punch.

Overall, The Perfect Psychopath is a solid, twisty read that’s perfect for fans of psychological mysteries with damaged protagonists and morally grey choices. It didn’t quite blow me away, but I enjoyed it enough to keep Alice Hunter on my radar.

This kept me intrigued throughout. While I did figure out the final twist/reveal. I was still invested enough. Wondering if I missed something.
This had the perfect balance between personal life and the crimes being solved.

This was a really good book but I'm still a bit confused with the ending . It is well worth a read as it keeps you guessing .

“Broken people try to heal themselves by breaking others”

I was lucky enough to be approved for an advanced readers copy (ARC) of this book via @netgalley @avonbooksuk having recently read and loved The Serial Killer Series I was overjoyed to be reading @alicehunter_author The Perfect Psychopath.

Dr Eleanor Spencer is a psychologist who works in a prison and has sessions with the inmates who are serial killers and rapists.

When women start to vanish and are later murdered it resurfaces feelings of her sisters unsolved disappearance and before she knows it, Eleanor is entwined in the present investigation.

Lucas Hayne, a convicted serial killer speaks of his crimes within his sessions with Eleanor and not only are there similarities in his crimes to the new murders but he is taunting Eleanor and encouraging her to look closer to home for the answers and links to her sisters disappearance.

It was fascinating having a look into the mind of serial killers and eye opening how powerful the human brain is. This book will make you question every character and keep you on your toes with mini twists and turns until the big revelation.

This will be a big hit and I am honoured to have been able to read an early release in exchange for a truthful review. @harperfiction @harperfiction

The idea for this book was engaging. The psychiatrist, Ellie, is interviewing serial killers for research and also wants to get to the bottom of the years old case of her sister’s disappearance. The other point of view is the detective investigating a suspected copy cat murder. DS Sarah Knight finds clues linking the current crimes to Ellie’s missing sister.
The portrayal of the prison setting felt realistic and well drawn. The characters were ok, but none of them had a lot of depth.
The story is past paced and kept me reading. The only thing I didn’t like was the fact that Ellie just forgot all the pertinent points relevant to solving the crimes. This seemed far too convenient and it wasn’t explored why. This let the overall plot down for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC

A great psychological thriller with some perfectly creepy characters. The way it was written made you feel like you were part of the investigation which added to the feeling of tension that was throughout the book. If you like a having your mind messed with, this is the book for you.

I received this as an eARC from NetGalley

This book had me at the edge of my seat with every turn of the page. So many twists and turns - all unexpected. It was gasp after gasp with all of the new developments.

I highly recommend this book!

4.5/5 stars! This is a psychological thriller done right. To be transparent, I have enjoyed basically everything I've read by Alice Hunter, so I had high hopes for this book. It was so good. The mental health aspect was spot on and intriguing and THAT TWIST! Omg. I was stunned. Only gripe is that the pacing was very mellow for what should be a tumultuous time seeking answers faster.

What a fantastic gripping read, our main character Dr Ellie Spencer is on big journey to help her solve the disappearance of her sister and to finally get closure. It takes us through her day to day of working in a prison which is very insightful as she works with some big characters, it shows the challenges faced when trying to rehabiliate prisoners. You can almost feel the anxiety coming off the pages as you are taken down a road of turns and twists. This interwines her personal life and feelings , but with the added challenges of the outside world and key events that keep happening. I dont want to give any more away! This was consumed within 2 days and i felt that the character development was outstanding, you could get a real feel for the different characters in the book. A great read ! I will be purchasing more of Alice Hunters books. thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my Advanced reader copy it was a pleasure as always !