What a creepy, twisted story this is. The red herrings abound as I tried to discover who was covering for who and why they would cover anyway. The story unfolds at a fast pace and I was grabbed from the start, unable to put it down until I had finished it. The murderer was projected throughout but the red herrings caused doubts. The ending was excellent and cleared ervything up so neatly.
Highly recommend to anyone who likes mysteries or thrillers.

I absolutely loved Behind Closed Doors by this author so jumped at the chance to take part in the tour. I have a couple of her other books which I havent yet read but can't wait to read them. I really like the authors writing style and I know I will enjoy them.

From the beginning I found the pace to be a little slower than expected and with the longer chapters it did feel slightly longer than an average book.

As we were introduced to the couples living in the gated community of The Circle, I did find myself getting a little confused. I felt like I needed to draw a map to keep up with who was who, but once I'd got the characters settled in my mind I was good to go.

Following Alice who becomes obsessed with a tragic accident that happened in her new house, we explored the possibility of who could be guilty.

I did enjoy this book even if it didn't give me the shock factor I would have liked. I would still highly recommend this book and especially Behind Closed Doors if you haven't already read it.

A psychological thriller of the highest order. - creepy, exasperating and so well written.

The main character is Alice and her boyfriend Leo move in to a house in ‘The Circle’, a gated community near Finsbury Park in London. They think it’s the start of their dream life together, but Alice isn’t fully convinced that the house will make her totally happy. She kept her cottage in the country to move to London and there were many pulls back towards her country life.

What Ms Paris creates is how Alice finds out, from her neighbours, a devastating secret that is revealed about her new home and what happened there before Leo bought it. No spoilers here, but Alice gets caught up in this. secret and she begins to feel a strong connection to Nina, the therapist who lived there before.

Lots of twists and turns with her new neighbours who are really well characterised. - Tamsin especially. I'll forgive the missing fence panels which do not ring true, but nothing will make me reduce the book from 5 stars - it is so good!

Thanks to Net Galley and HQ for the chance to read and review.

Really enjoyed this book. The plot was very good and kept me guessing until late into the book. Great storyline and characters as well. Highly recommended

Alice & Leo have had a long distance relationship. Now they plan to live together in London. Although she is loathe to sell her cottage she has resigned herself to the fact. However Leo tells her he has found this great house in a small gated community & the price means she can keep it. Alice is amazed at the price is keen to get to know everybody. After inviting the neighbours in for a drink she finds that some of them seem awkward. When she finds out why, she is horrified - Nina, the woman who lived here before had been murdered there. Nina was the name of Alice's dead sister & she becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to her- did her husband really kill her?

I am a great fan of B.A. Paris. She has a great knack of capturing the setting of her stories & making them almost a character in their own right & Alice & Leo's house in The Circle is no exception. However there were some parts that I failed to grasp the significance. The parts narrated by 'The Therapist' confused rather than added anything to the narrative in my opinion. Although I don't think this is one of her best, it is still a good read. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

The Therapist, the latest and fifth novel from B A Paris, sees a young couple Alice and Leo move into a gated community aptly called The Circle in a leafy London enclave. That they don’t really know each other that well quickly becomes apparent as Alice soon finds that Leo is not keen on socialising with the neighbours but, worse still, he lies to Alice about their house’s dark history. Interspersed with this storyline is a past narrative involving an anonymous therapist. I struggled to differentiate between the various neighbours as there were so many characters to get to grips with which persisted with me until the end. However the most irritating character in this story is Alice herself who manages to see virtually every single person she encounters as a potential murder suspect. I found this to be a very slow burn with the tension not ramping up for me until the three-quarters mark. Thanks to NetGalley And HarperCollins for the ARC.

I was so pleased to read this as all her books have been brilliant, this one tops all the others. A great plot about a circle of houses and the occupants, which all start to blame each other when there is a murder. I did not work it out and what a brilliant twist at the end, I didn't see that coming. A definite bestseller.

3.5 stars

The Circle community reminded me very much of Desperate Housewives, with only a few houses in the gated community everyone knows everything about each other and Alice feels the scrutiny of the other residents immediately.

Throughout the book there are chapters from the point of view of the therapist which were intriguing and linked up nicely to everything.

I knew before reading that this was going to be full of secrets which would be unpicked layer by layer, however they weren’t unpicked fast enough for me. It did feel a little slow in places with the back and forth of Alice deciding whether to stay in the house or not. Some of her decisions confused and frustrated me and I couldn’t understand the reasoning behind why she was so obsessed with finding out what had happened to Nina.

Apart from that though the sections in Alice’s house at night were really creepy and the whole gated community really gave that claustrophobic feeling.

I’m also really pleased to say I didn’t guess the ending which is always good. I was shocked with the twists that were revealed and it was very intense towards the end.

Overall this was a good thriller with a twist I wasn’t expecting!

I love books set in gated communities, there’s something quite secretive about being locked away from the rest by a looming gate. The circle is no different and with only twelve houses it presents a clock formation. That instantly made me feel like time was running out, but for who?

Trying to make friends Alice invites the neighbours to a housewarming party and after mistaking a guest for a neighbours husband she learns that he’s a stranger and had somehow gained entry into the locked community.

Trying to uncover his identity Alice is then shocked when he turns up again at her house. He reveals that he’s a private investigator and her new home with Leo was the scene of a murder of the previous occupant and worse the victim shared the same name as her deceased sister.

This is where it grabs you by the throat and you are left struggling for breath. Leo kept that information to himself and I was immediately wondering what else he knew and kept quiet about. Then there is the creep factor of feeling like someone is in the house, neighbours that are hermits after their sons death and other neighbours whispering secrets between each other.

This was perfectly pitched, both in terms of pace and plot reveals, that you just want to keep reading. The suspicions I had kept changing and I need to stop trying so hard to work things out as I never do. The inclusion of therapy sessions was a welcome relief from the tension of Alice and offered great insight.

I have to admit I wasn’t over enamoured with Alice and I questioned some of her decisions. I would have left straight away, but then that would have made a terrible book. There was one character that I totally got behind and I looked forward to her every appearance and that was Tamsin. She is in my opinion totally snooty, a queen bee and although I’m glad she’s not my neighbour I love characters like her.

Those of you that know me will know how useless I am at working out the who in the whodunnits. Well chalk this one up as I finally got one banged to rights.

The latest thriller from Sunday Times bestseller B A Paris sees Alice and Leo moving in to a house in ‘The Circle’, a gated community near Finsbury Park in London. They think it’s the start of their dream life together, but Alice isn’t fully convinced that she loves the house and soon discovers that peaceful and idilic appearances can be deceptive.

As Alice gets to know her neighbours, a devastating secret is revealed about her new home and what happened there before it went up for sale – a secret that sheds new light on why it had been on the market for over a year. It causes Alice to re-evaluate everything and she begins to feel a strong connection to Nina, the therapist who lived there before.

Alice becomes obsessed with finding out the truth of what happened and starts to uncover lies and secrets held by all of her neighbours. She can trust only a handful of people.

I zoomed through this addictive, suspenseful read. The characters are far from likeable but had great back stories and I enjoyed that it became a ‘whodunnit’. I did have a moment of correctly guessing the culprit – but I basically suspect everybody at some point! I was constantly second guessing myself and trusted nobody.

I also found this very creepy in parts. The classic ‘there’s somebody in your house’ storyline will always terrify me – and it was so drawn out in this book! The invader goes undetected night after night after night.

I really enjoyed this and will be sure to check out more of B A Paris’ writing in the future.

B A Paris never fails to deliver a completely chilling, addictive read, and The Therapist is arguably one of her best releases to date!.

Alice and Leo make the decision to take their relationship to the next level by moving in together. As they live so far apart, they want to move somewhere that will make Leo’s commute to work easier as Alice is able to work from home. When Leo finds the perfect property in London, which he informs Alice he can afford to pay for himself – meaning Alice doesn’t have to sell her cottage, it all seems perfect….almost too good to be true.

They move in to their new house in The Circle – a gated community within London, it doesn’t take too long for the reasons as to why this house was so affordable come to the surface, and those reasons leave Alice shaken up and chilled to her very core. As Alice and Leo adjust to their new home and getting to know their new neighbours, Alice develops a rather unhealthy obsession with finding out all that she can about Oliver and Nina, the couple who had owned the house before them. The more Alice digs, strange things begin to occur around them, making Alice question whether she can remain living here. But looking at the problems she has left behind, she decides to stay where she is, and to try and uncover exactly what happened in this house.

This book has everything you could possibly want from a psychological thriller!. The storyline is full of suspense and an abundance of twists and turns as the story progresses – most of which I hadn’t contemplated at all!. The story is perfectly plotted, with each character we encounter throughout the book bringing something new to the story, and leaving us scratching our heads as we try to piece everything together.

Alice is one of those wonderful characters that you feel connected to from the first time you meet her. I found myself cheering her on, and feeling equally as invested in finding answers as she is throughout. Every other character you are introduced to along the way are rather flaky and unreliable – which I have to say is absolute genius, in the way it makes everyone a suspect, and leaves you unable to trust what is real and what is a lie.

Chilling, full of suspense and completely captivating. The Therapist is undoubtedly one of the best books I have read to date, and a definite must read for 2021.

Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Alice and Leo move into a house in The Circle (a gated community). Alice gets to know their neighbours and can’t understand why they seem to be keeping secrets. She finds out the previous owner of the house was a therapist and was murdered in the house. She then finds out that Leo knew all along and didn’t tell her as he thought she wouldn’t want to live their. Alice becomes obsessed with finding out what actually happened in her house before she can decide whether she can carry on living there or not.

A really good book.

I always enjoy a B A Paris book and this didn’t disappoint.

Alice and Leo move into their new home in the Circle, exciting times in their new home but things aren’t quite what they seem.

Lots of different characters and lots of twists and turns.

A gripping page turner

Popular writer Paris returns with a brilliant piece of thriller fiction, that had me guessing as much as Alice throughout the story. I’ve got another Paris book on my ‘To Be Read’ pile but I couldn’t resist the temptation of reading this one first – and I was not disappointed!

The affluent, gated community in London seems like the perfect location for Alice. The Circle is a collection of 12 properties all set in a, well, you guessed it, a circle formation. In the centre of this clock-like structure is a square with benches and a playpark. All in all, it’s a community you want to be a part of. Therefore, Alice is convinced by her boyfriend’s persuasion to move into house number six, despite not actually having been there for the viewing. However, it soon becomes clear that this wonderful piece of suburbia has more secrets than a magician’s hat. What follows is a twisty, turny narrative where I felt as flummoxed and paranoid as Alice. Right until the very end I could not predict how the story would unfold, meaning I just could not put this story down.

Paris does not fully focus on the therapist, as detailed by the title of the novel. Spread throughout the book are flashbacks in the past where we witness scenes with this anonymous character. Details are gradually revealed by the housewives of The Circle about previous residents and a scandal that rocked the community. What I liked about the flashbacks the most was the fact that the writer really does not give anything away at all. Scanning the text for clues, I was desperate to pick out some information that would give me a hint to this character’s identity. Alas, this was never made clear until the final revelations.

Alice is an interesting protagonist. I found her relationship with Leo considerably odd, especially as it is revealed that, despite relocating to London to be with him, they still maintain a long-distance relationship. This is down to Leo’s work, meaning he spends his week in the Midlands. Having just the weekends together, I was sceptical whether the couple really knew one another. Indeed, learning that Alice not only has a traumatic past but has also kept ownership of her cottage in East Sussex, indicated to me that perhaps neither are fully committed to the relationship. Paris deliberately wants you to consider this because it adds to the paranoia and suspicion that drives this plot forwards.

There’s plenty of characters in this neighbourhood and their portrayal meant that I had a list of suspects as long as my arm! Whilst on the outside it appears a fabulous, safe place to belong to, it is clear that families are loyal to themselves – for the sake of their reputation and security. Whilst Alice feels like an outsider when she first moves to this area, it is clear that this is what fuels her suspicions and lack of trust with any of her neighbours. I really felt sympathy towards her, especially when she believes that there is someone watching her sleep at night. Creepy…

My first read from Paris and this will certainly not be my last. It was a delightful rollercoaster and I was excited to read this from the beginning. I could not put it down and was intrigued by the story throughout. Never a dull moment, I think The Circle is one postcode I will probably avoid!

With thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My thanks to HQ for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Therapist’ by B.A. Paris in exchange for an honest review.

I suggest that like most thrillers, this is best read ‘cold’. So, only a few plot details in order to avoid spoilers.

Alice and her partner, Leo, move into a house in The Circle, an exclusive gated community in Finsbury Park, London. The house seems ideal though Alice doesn’t feel at ease. When Alice begins to get acquainted with their new neighbours she learns a grisly secret about the house and its former occupants, Nina and Oliver Maxwell. As a result she becomes obsessed with piecing together the events of two years previously.

The narrative occasionally visits the past and sessions held by Nina, who was a therapist and yoga instructor.

B.A. Paris certainly knows how to write a domestic noir brimming with suspense, red herrings, and delicious twists. As a result I read ‘The Therapist’ in a single sitting. On a side note every time The Circle was mentioned I thought about Channel 4’s reality show of the same name.

Overall, this proved a highly engaging read that is bound to win Paris new fans.

I have enjoyed books by this author in the past but this just didn't grab me in the same way.
I'm not sure why as there was plenty of tension and twists, an abundance of suspects and secrets that were gradually revealed.
Maybe it was because it seemed a bit of a slow burn or that absolutely everyone was a suspect at one point. I did guess the ending but there were lots of red herrings along the way which was good.
The night visitor elements were creepy and suspenseful and overall it was a reasonable read but not one of my favourites unfortunately.

I would like to thank Netgalley and HQ for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

An addictive and suspenseful read with a dark and chilling edge!

If I was allowed and it wasn’t creepy, I think I would just camp outside of B A Paris’s house waiting for her to write her next book, she is one of my favourite authors and she never disappoints! This book had me hooked from the start right until the final pages, which had me on the edge of my seat. (Quite literally!)

Alice and Leo have decided to take the next step in their relationship and move in together. Living so far apart they want to move somewhere that will be easier for Leo with work as Alice can work from home. When Leo calls Alice to tell her that he has found the perfect property in London and he can afford it himself without Alice having to sell her cottage, it all sounds too good to be true!

As they settle into their new home in The Circle, a gated community, it is not long before Alice finds out why the house was so affordable, and the reason chills her to the bone! Whilst getting to know the new neighbours she finds herself becoming obsessed with knowing more about Nina and Oliver, the people who’d lived in the house before her. As strange things start to happen, Alice isn’t sure whether she can remain in The Circle, but past events in her own life drive her to stay put and try and solve what really happened in this house.

This book is full of secrets and lies that we unearth as we read on, each one more shocking and surprising than the last. I really like Alice as a character and felt as determined as she did to work things out. There wasn’t a single reliable character in this book, which I absolutely loved. It caused me to be suspicious of everyone and trust no one. Even characters that seemed genuinely nice and welcoming towards Alice, you find yourself wondering if they have a hidden agenda. To be honest I even had doubts over Alice’s sanity at times.

Like this author’s other books this one is so well written and tightly plotted. Every time I thought I had worked something out, something else would happen to send my head in a spin. The suspense is palpable throughout but especially towards the end. My heart rate must have been through the roof during the final chapters.

To me, this was one of those books where everything felt so real that I haven’t stopped thinking about the book and its characters since I finished it. In my head, they will likely live on.

Compulsive, compelling and even a bit spooky at times, this book deserves every one of the five stars I am giving it!

Huge thanks to B A Paris and HQ for my early copy of this book and my place on the blog tour.

Alice and Leo have been together for 18 months and after dating and only seeing each other at the weekends, they decide to move in together. Leo buys a house in a place called The Circle in London, which is a gated community containing 13 houses.

Alice arranges welcome drinks for the residents and a private investigator, Thomas Grainger, turns up, telling her that a woman named Nina Maxwell was murdered in their new home. Nina's husband Oliver was arrested and subsequently committed suicide but Oliver's sister Helen has asked for Thomas's help in finding the real killer as she knows it wasn't her brother.

Alice then starts to become a bit obsessive with Nina's murder. Lots of creepy things are happening and she ends up suspecting everyone from the residents to estate agent who sold them the house. But what is the truth and who is telling lies?

Alice feels a deep connection to this murder as the lady who was killed has the same name as her late sister. For me, this was just mentioned a bit too much throughout the story.

It has a great plot but I felt like it was a little too slow paced for me. I had guessed who the real killer was but there were a few surprises at the end which I didn't get.

I zoomed through this book - I love B.A. Paris’ writing style as it hooks you in straight away and leaves you wanting to read more. The chapters are the perfect length and often finish with a wee cliff hanger that makes you want to read just one more chapter!

The characters in this book are quite the bunch - lots of different characters living in The Circle and there are definitely some I liked and others not so much! There is so much doubt hanging over their heads as to who might have done it, that there are times when you have no idea who it could have been. That being said, as the book progressed I was able to guess the murderer (although not the reasons why) and that let the book down a little for me.

B.A. Paris really does know how to create suspense in a book and there were some moments where I was very glad I wasn’t reading it alone in a dark house! These scenes were written brilliantly and I loved the creepy element to the book - definitely added an extra bit of excitement.

The Therapist by BA Paris
I give this book 4 stars

When Alice and Leo move into a house in The Circle,its everything they’ve dreamed of. But Alice soon discovers a devastating, grisly secret about her new home, .She becomes obsessed with trying to piece together what happened 2 years before.But her neighbours are keeping secrets and things are not as perfect as they seem….....
An Author l really enjoy reading,this latest book doesn’t disappoint.A page turner that had me hooked on its story and characters. With plenty of twists and turns it kept guessing till the very end.
Secrets and suspicion, a tense, mysterious enjoyable read!
With thanks to Netgalley,BA Paris and HQ for my chance to read and review this book