Behind Closed Doors by B.A Paris

[Jax14]

Behind Closed Doors is a standalone thriller that delves into psychological games/traps.

Jack and Grace have the perfect marriage. He is the attentive, handsome and thoughtful husband every wife longs for, while she is the ideal example of a rounded homemaker. It is strange though that Grace never follows up on promises to join friends for lunch, or constantly has a tummy bug, rendering her unable to see her sister every weekend. How does Grace manage to be a master of it all and still keep a gorgeous man so in love with her? Is there such a thing as perfection? Surely there must be more than meets the eye? (I can’t say more than that without revealing spoilers!)

This book was recommended on an fb group and I love psychological thrillers so I thought I’d give it a bash. While it was definitely a thriller, I thought that the psychological aspects of it were less subtle than implied as they were actually laid out for you. You can pretty much tell that there will be a twist just by the blurb and it’s obvious early on what it is. Knowing certainly does not detract from the feelings of revulsion and incredulousness you experience as the mind games continue. Grace does come across as a little soft, but I understand the frustration and reasons behind her decisions. Jack, well, Jack is certainly a piece of work. I did enjoy the way the book went from present to past and you get to see exactly how the story got to its point. What led to the ending felt a bit rushed, but it wrapped up well and you support the decisions taken that led to the finale. Some disturbing scenes will be upsetting, but you can see them coming so skip those parts!

I enjoyed this book, as the way it was written made me feel as though I was experiencing the emotions first-hand. The psychological aspects are quite draining and while the story does draw aspects from other books, I recommend this one for a gripping read.

[Emmariebe]

Behind Closed Doors is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. I could not put this book down. At some points certain events were predictable but I still wanted to keep reading.

[Sable Raven]

Just finished this book!
I read it because it had been recommended twice by bibliophiles I trust, and even though it was a little atypical of the stuff I usually read they were both right, I really enjoyed it (if that's even the right term for this sort of story).
I especially liked the ending for some reason. Her final statement felt so poignant.
Anyway, I will definitely be recommending this book.

[Trobecca]

I finished this book simply because it was the only thing I had available to read. I found the story incredibly predictable and not very believable. Pondering on why, I think it was the poor writing. I thought the dialogue was forced and not at all reflective of actual conversation. I wouldn't recommend this book. It wasn't suspenseful at all.