Rating: 2.3/5

Although this could not be described as being particularly poorly written, I did find it somewhat disappointing.

The story never really gains sufficient momentum to get fully into its stride. It isn't until around the 50% mark that the relationship between the central characters of Ellie and Lucas really displays any sense of intrigue and gravitas. Furthermore, only in the final 20% does the plotline really click into a higher gear and gain some pace.

I am not convinced that sufficient clues were dropped into the narrative toi treat the reader in an entirely fair manner, which leaves the author open to accusations of pulling rabbits out of hats rather than constructing clever, legitimate plot twists.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

The perfect psychopath hides in plain sight. Dr Eleanor Spence works with high profile serial killers, and in the wake of a series of murders, she is tasked by police to help locate the killer. She is personally motivated by the loss of her younger sister, and confused hiw items relaring tonher sister are lonked to the presebt day cases. Ellie believes the answers lie closely with one of her patients. How can he be helping with these crimes from his prison cell? The answers are staring her in the face. Can she recognise them before any more victims fall prey? This thriller comes with a superb twist. #theperfectpsychopath #alicehunter #netgalley

A cracking read from Alice Hunter. Eleanor Spencer a psychologist is drawn into a case where women are disappearing.. This book will keep you guessing till the end. Full of twists to make your head spin and well realised characters. I would highly recommend this book. Thanks to Avon books and Netgalley for this review ARC.

I am so sad that I didn't love this one like I wanted to. I was so disappointed it was way too slow for me and nothing happened so I wasn't able to push through and I had to DNF.

Alice Hunter is back with another thriller and in this one we meet Ellie who interviews killers in prison.
Her sister Grace went missing 5 years ago and she is determined to find out what happened.
Sarah is the DS who was in charge of the missing sisters case and now appears back on the scene when more bodies are being found.
Is this a copy cat killer or a partner of Lucas the man currently in prison for previous murders of women?
The setting of the prison was convincing especially as we find out that violence against women and sexual assault reports have gone up x 4 recently.
Good page turner. I will be recommending

The Perfect Psychopath is one of those thrillers where you kinda know exactly where the road is headed, but you still stay in the car because the ride’s interesting enough.

Yes, I saw the ending coming—but watching how it all unraveled was still worth the read. The structure is sharp, the pacing clips along nicely, and the main character’s voice has just enough edge to keep things tense without tipping into melodrama.

It’s not the most unpredictable thriller out there, and some of the reveals land more with a shrug than a gasp—but if you’re into twisty domestic suspense with morally messy characters and an undercurrent of “oh no, you did what now,” this one might be up your alley.

Appreciate the ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review—even if the twist didn’t shock me, the journey kept me intrigued.

A psychological thriller that drew me in and captivated me from the start. It took me a long while to even have the correct suspicions, but I'd never have guessed the outcome. Dr Eleanor Spencer is a prison psychologist working with serial killers. Her own sister, Grace, went missing 5 years previously and now a new case is showing links. DS Sarah Knight was on the original case and is involved once more. Ellie's husband Mike worries about her being drawn into it all over again. Are Ellie and Sarah too close to what's happening now? What is the link with serial killer Lucas Haynes, behind bars for 12 years at this point? How can he be involved? So many strands. A great read. #netgalley #theperfectpsychopath

I really like Alice Hunter’s style of writing and new as soon as I started this I was going to love it.

Dr Eleanor Spencer is a forensic psychiatrist who’s works closely with serial killers to try and understand their behaviour. Her younger sister Grace went missing 5 years earlier and when evidence at a crime scene links to Grace, DS Knight asks for Ellie’s help in catching the killer. Ellie is desperate for closure and so agrees to help in order to find out what happened to her sister.

The story is told through Ellie and Grace’s POV’s as well as Ellie’s personal and work journal entries.

The story keeps the tension throughout, with Ellie believing she is being watched adding to it. The plot is cleverly told and I really enjoyed the cat and mouse game between Ellie and one of the inmates she works with Lucas.

This story kept me guessing right till the end.

What did I just read?!
That book kept me guessing till the end! Every time I suspected someone, the author quickly mopped that in the bud.
The 3 perspectives of this book (the killer, the cop and the psychologist) make this book really interesting, as it adds both clues and mystery! The character building was great, and showcases the different ways that people deal with trauma.
I’d highly recommend omens this book to anyone looking for a crime thriller, but also an easy read!

I enjoy reading Alice Hunter's books; she clearly knows her stuff when it comes to the inner workings of the mind and this book shows it really well.

I'm not going to go into the plot as the description summarises it perfectly but I will say that it is intriguing and kept me guessing how it was all going to play out. The pace is steady, with the middle being a little slow but ramping up towards the end. The characters are well developed and an eclectic bunch from Ellie herself to the serial killer she is interviewing.

It has some great twists and it definitely kept me reading towards the end. I can quite happily recommend this to lovers of psychological thrillers and many thanks to the author, Avon Books UK and NetGalley for this intriguing book.

Dr Eleanor ‘Ellie’ Spencer is a forensic psychologist working with prisoners serving a life sentence.

One of the incarcerated prisoners she works with is Lucas Hayne. He’s serving a life sentence for multiple murders of women. During one of their sessions, he implies that he might have the knowledge of what happened to Grace, Ellie’s younger sister.

Grace has been missing for the past five years, and no one has heard from her since.

Then, a body of a young woman is found, and Ellie finds herself helping in the police investigation.

As more bodies are found, Ellie starts to think that the link may be closer to home than she originally anticipated…

I love Alice Hunter’s book, and I’m always looking forward to her next read. This book didn’t disappoint. I found myself racing through the pages, trying to figure out what was going to happen next.

The beauty of this author’s writing is that each chapter leaves you wanting to read another page or one more chapter. You can tell that the author has worked in prisons before, as her knowledge of the procedures and psychology is astounding.

Overall, it is a compelling read with a twist at the end.

Many thanks to Avon Books for approving my NetGalley request.

Alice Hunter delivers a tense, addictive thriller in The Perfect Psychopath. The story follows Dr. Eleanor Spencer, a forensic psychologist whose past trauma resurfaces when women start disappearing, and the details echo her sister’s unsolved case.

Eleanor is a deeply flawed, intriguing protagonist, and her interactions with a manipulative convicted killer add a sinister layer to the plot. The pacing is mostly sharp, though it lags briefly in the middle. That said, the final twist completely caught me off guard and made the whole journey worth it.

A chilling exploration of memory, trauma, and deception, perfect for fans of psychological thrillers that keep you guessing.

A truly great psychological story. All the way throughEllie is trying to evaluate other people's minds and what they might have done over the loss of her sister. .Information is added throughout at an excellent pace and the twists continue right unti the end. The story is based upon how we are judging people's character or deep thoughts and why they do the things that they do. All the way through the question s raised who can you trust.
A superb story that starts and ends well.

Alice Hunter has done it again with another one of her binge-worthy suspense thrillers!
The Perfect Psychopath is a tense, taut thriller that pulls you along with it right to the last page.
I loved this book. Once I picked this novel up I didn’t put it down. Read in one sitting.
Not one moment did this book slow down to allow you to catch your breath.
The twist at the ending is so cleverly written that I was left thinking about it for a long time after.
Such an addictive read!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc. Alice Hunter is a go to author for me, I have loved each of her books. What a great thriller. I can't imagine working with criminal minds in the prison, while also hoping to find out what happened to my sister. This was such an engaging thriller

The first couple of chapters set the scene well. We immediately feel really strong concern for Jess, willing her to say the truth. And, obviously, we are instantly enraged by Lewis. He deserves to have a taste of his own medicine.

When Jess speaks up, she is directed to a support group, and this is where she meets a bunch of women who ultimately change her life. The majority of the story is told through the narrative of Jess, so we do get to know her well, and through her, we then get to learn more about the women in the group.

Interspersed through the book is a mysterious point of view of The Caretaker, a secret identity. That first introduction is just wow, shocking. Whilst reading, I was going along with it nicely, and then the incident happened. The eye for an eye, and I just felt a bit unbalanced. Was what the caretaker doing justifiable? I can't say much about The Caretaker in this review as obviously it will give away too much about the plot.

We also get another narrative. And that is from Sophie Salam, the detective who is leading the case that is embroiled in the story. We get to see a work-life balance with Sophie, as she juggles being a detective and being a single mother to an autistic daughter. We are given tiny breadcrumbs of information that Sophie has a secret past.

This story does highlight domestic violence and how, even after speaking up. Sometimes justice isn't served. There is a whole moral debate going on, which I found myself changing my mind all the time with. Again, I can't say too much.

This is the first in a new series, which I didn't find out until the end, and I found that a nice surprise as now I am wondering how far things can go? What is Sophies secret? What about the men in the support groups? Loads of questions that I hope will get answered. I have seen some reviews that state that they felt the ending was rushed. But, given its the first book in a series, I like the ending, and it opens up for the next instalment.

What would you do to find out what happened to your sister? When a more recent crime indicates a possible link with her sister's cold case, Dr Eleanor Spencer is desperate to figure out what it all means. Desperate enough to seek the help of a serial killer - who is playing a cat and mouse game with her, because he knows more than he is telling...

A gripping thriller which manages to throw in multiple red herrings and plenty of twists to deliver a truly satisfying piece of story telling. This one is not to be missed. Look forward to more from this writer!

This had me on edge the entire time.

Ten out of ten for atmosphere, pace, and unsettling psychology. If you're a fan of forensic profiles, manipulative killers, and books that constantly make you second-guess yourself… this one’s for you.

The Perfect Psychopath follows Dr Eleanor Spencer, a respected psychologist whose life is turned upside down when a string of women are murdered — mirroring her own sister’s unsolved disappearance. Desperate, she turns to serial killer Lucas Hayne, whose cryptic mind games suggest the truth may lie closer to home than Ellie ever feared.

Told in dual POV with past journal entries woven in, this was sharp, gripping, and perfectly twisted. I loved the morally grey layers, the buried secrets, and the pacing that had me racing to the end.

I could totally see this being adapted for TV — think The Fall meets Criminal Minds, but with a British noir edge.

I really liked this one, once the story started it was really hard to put down. The twists were really well done and I had no idea what was coming next. Really great book

2.5 stars

Ah man, I had a hard time getting through this one. It was a very slow burn and it didn’t pick up until the last quarter of the book. I struggled to submerse myself into this story and I can’t quite put my finger on it.

Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!