I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review-
Dr. Spencer Ella, has always wondered what happened to her sister. When women start disappearing she decides to meet with Lucas in prison hoping to find answers….but will she? He seems to know a lot about her… how can that be? What really happened to her sister? Will she ever know?

Criminal psychologist Ellie becomes wrapped up in a police investigation hunting down a serial killer.
Ellie works in a prison and one of the inmates, a serial killer named Lucas, seems to know more than he should about the police investigation.
DC Sarah asks for Ellie's help in the investigation and finds herself questioning her past
I loved the sound of this book but I did find it a bit of a slow burn taking a while for the plot to develop! It followed a dual POV.

This book was riveting from beginning to end.

It opened up with surprises I wasn’t ready for!

I loved the twists and turns as the truth was revealed. It was psychologically shocking and revealing at the same time.

I enjoyed this book immensely and was barely able to put it down when life beckoned for my attention.

Highly recommended and I’ve already bought every other book by this author which I can’t wait to get my hands on!

This a great new book by Alice Hunter, I've read a few books by her and found them all to be enjoyable and thrilling. It was a little slow to unravel the plot, however, it wasn't predictable which won it some points in my book.

I enjoyed the strong female lead character Dr Eleanor (Ellie) Spencer and her unusual relationship with prisoner Lucas Hayne. It was intriguing.

Overall I enjoyed the book and how it tied everything together nicely at the end. It had some great twists and turns in the plot but I found it to be a little slow at times.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly, thank you to Avon Books UK for allowing me access to this ARC through Netgalley.

Ellie Spencer is a forensic psychologist working at a men's prison with some of the most depraved individuals.
She's worked hard to get where she is now & maintaining a steady balance between work and personal life. Very few are aware of the struggles she's had to overcome.

As part of her new study she's introduced to notorious serial killer, Lucas Haynes. Lucas is sinister & thoroughly enjoys trying to get under Ellie's skin.
Except, when a spate of women are suddenly murdered, the similarities to Lucas' MO are hard to ignore. When the police reach out to Ellie for her assistance, it seems Lucas knows more than he's letting on, and perhaps he's not the only link to this new case. Perhaps Ellie is the missing link...?

This was an incredibly easy read! Fast paced, short chapters (which we all love!) And dual PoV meant I inhaled this story!
Alice Hunter knows how to write a good psychopath, I'll give her that!
Lucas was, as the title suggests, the perfect psychopath. Sinister, creepy and not giving too much away.
Ellie's character had the right amount of strength whilst everything around her is in question.
The plot kept me on my toes guessing (I was wrong everytime!) & I didn't see the twists coming.
If you like a good twisty thriller, grab this one when it comes out!

Thank you NetGalley! I love Alice Hunter’s books and this one was no exception. It immediately drew me from the first lines. The twists had me on the edge of my seat as I dived into each chapter. Cannot wait to read more by this author

Just finished The Perfect Psychopath by Alice Hunter and wow. This one grabs you fast. Dr. Eleanor Spencer, a forensic psychologist, gets pulled into a chilling investigation as women disappear, echoing her own sister's past.
The story takes you into the mind of a monster and even behind bars with a notorious serial killer. The twists? Definitely there and kept me guessing until the very end, trying to piece everything together.
The middle section had a slightly slower pace, but it builds into a suspenseful whodunit. I did feel like some of Ellie's memory gaps could have been explored a bit more. And while the story is super compelling, a couple of plot points felt a little quick, and I wanted more from some of the other characters.
Overall though, The Perfect Psychopath"
is a great read. It's dark, it's addictive, and it really makes you think about trust and deception. Definitely recommend if you're looking for a suspenseful thriller. This was my first Alice Hunter book and I'm already looking forward to reading more.

Alice Hunter delivers another gripping psychological thriller with The Perfect Psychopath, weaving a chilling narrative that delves into the darkest corners of the human psyche. Dr. Eleanor Spencer, a respected forensic psychologist, finds her seemingly perfect life unraveling as a series of women vanish, echoing the haunting disappearance of her own sister. Her investigation leads her to Lucas Hayne, a notorious serial killer who hints that the key to the current crimes lies buried in her past .

Hunter masterfully builds suspense, keeping readers on edge as Ellie confronts the terrifying possibility that the real monster might be closer than she ever imagined. The narrative is fast-paced and filled with unexpected twists, making it difficult to put down. Fans of Mindhunter, Luther, and The Silent Patient will find this novel particularly engaging .

While the story is compelling, a few plot developments felt slightly rushed, and some secondary characters could have been more fleshed out. Nevertheless, The Perfect Psychopath is a standout addition to Hunter's body of work, showcasing her talent for crafting dark, addictive tales that explore the complexities of trust, deception, and the human mind.

Rating: ★★★★☆

Just WOW! My first Alice Hunter read but definitely not my last! Brilliant look into the mind of a serial killer. So many mind games kept me flipping pages long into the night. Absolutely perfect storytelling! Deliciously dark and twisted with crazy surprises all along the way. Do not let this gem pass you by.
Thank you NetGalley, Alice Hunter and Avon Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The synopsis of this book has me so excited to read it. However, the book fell short. It’s a slow burn mystery.
The twists and turns are good but you can definitely see them coming. I didn’t get that “can’t put this book down feeling” at all. It was actually a chore to keep reading this book. The book finally got fun to read at 80%.

Here’s a rewritten version of the text, polished for clarity, tone, and flow while keeping the original sentiment intact:

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Every time I read a book, I try to guess who the killer is. I jot it down in my notebook and wait until the end to see if I was right. I did the same with this book — and wow, was I wrong!

Alice Hunter, acclaimed author of the *Serial Killer* series and *Bad Apple*, has done it again. In fact, I’d go so far as to say this is her best book yet. Drawing from her own experience as a nurse, her psychology degree, and time working in a prison, Alice has crafted a true masterpiece.

The story follows Dr. Eleanor Spencer, a highly respected forensic psychologist who seems to have the perfect life — a successful career and a polished image. But her world begins to unravel when a series of disappearances dredges up memories of her sister’s mysterious vanishing years earlier. As Ellie becomes entangled in the investigation, her own fears and unresolved traumas start to resurface.

As more women go missing, Ellie’s once-steady grip on reality begins to crack under the pressure. To uncover the truth, she must delve deep into the mind of a deranged killer. Her search leads her to Lucas Hayne, a notorious serial predator now behind bars. Lucas hints that the secret to the killer’s identity may lie buried within Ellie’s own past.

Told in Alice Hunter’s signature style — blending case files, news clippings, school yearbooks, and multiple narrative perspectives — the story grips you from the first page. The pacing is electric, the suspense relentless, and the urge to keep reading irresistible.

The psychological depth adds a rich layer to the narrative, offering readers a window into the minds of the characters. Each one feels authentic and fully realized, thanks to Alice’s skillful writing. You can almost picture the people on the page as if you’ve met them in real life.

Alice Hunter has truly outdone herself. This book is unputdownable.

alice hunter is a master wizard at writing books. we are lucky and actually blessed to have this woman sharing her talent! wow. just blooming wow. her other books had me gripped and this one did just the same all over again. you are pulled in all sorts of directions. you feel like you are reading alongside the characters at some points, you feel their tension and fear. but then are fly on the wall at other times either shaking or screaming at whats going to happen.
i was asking questions of the baddies and asking question of the goodies. i was questioning the narrator aswell as myself. brilliant.
i love her books so much. and this is a excellent addiction to the super favorites list of her that i have.
you will read this book and want to read more. but you will need a slight break to breathe first...

The Perfect Psychopath is a perfect physiological thriller. It’s full of twist and turns which grabbed from start to finish. Another fantastic read from Alice Hunter.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.

I loved this one! I can never get enough of police procedurals, but this one came with the added bonus of a psychologist’s perspective in addition to a detective’s. I really liked that aspect of it because it was really interesting to get two absolutely polar opinions that had the same goal in mind. Or at least, that’s what they want you to think. I was pretty happy to see I was on the mark if not close to it with most everything that happened. There were a lot of “bad guys” with this one. For the most part, I knew who almost all of them were, and why they did what they did. I guessed what happened with Grace first, and that one was pretty obvious to me. The others came as I read through the story. It was so satisfying to see that I picked up on the clues! The characters were all great, and in some cases, surprising. I can see this being made into a limited mini-series. It was gripping and an absolute page turner!

Huge thanks to Avon Books UK | Avon and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!

Another fantastic book from Alice Hunter. This book was full of twists and turns and unexpected plots. The writing was great, easy to read and kept you wanting more.
Even though the pov is from different characters, it is easy to follow along and not get lost.
Highly recommend this book.

This was a great read. I felt it was a slow start but really picked up pace about 50% in.
I didn't particularly like the main FMC but I like when a character evokes and emotion, so this for me is a plus. The story does have twists and turns and i enjoyed the plot and ending.

Dr Eleanor ‘Ellie’ Spencer is a forensic psychologist working on the psychology team in HMP Westgate. Happily married to Michael, she rarely sees either of her parents since her sister Grace disappeared. When a new spate of murders starts it brings back all the memories Ellie has tried to hide. Told mainly from the perspective of Ellie and that of DS Sarah Knight the officer in charge of the murder cases, but with some old conversations between Ellie and Grace and the thoughts of an unnamed person. The timelines are staggered at times, which was disconcerting at first, but I soon got used to that and in the main the book maintained a good pace.

Briefly, at work Ellie has been consulting with Lucas Hayne, a convicted serial killer, whose MO was the same as that used by this new killer. Is it a copycat or is Hayne pulling someone’s strings? Hayne starts making comments that make Ellie think he knows something about the murders and about her missing sister. Keen to find out what happened to Grace, when she is approached by Sarah and asked to help by questioning Hayne, she agrees.

I wanted to like Ellie but she wasn’t an easy character to feel sympathy for, there was an edge to her that made me a little uncomfortable. The interaction between Ellie and Hayne was taught with friction, Hayne is a mind game expert and despite her professional experience Ellie can’t help being affected by, and showing it, with some of his comments. There are some really good twists and turns and I didn’t guess exactly where this was going or who the killer was. A good psychological thriller.

WOW
Completely gripping from the very beginning, and just when you think you've cracked it there's another twist. Fantastic book 5/5 HIGHLY recommend to anyone who loves a psychological thriller!

Thankyou Avon books & NetGalley for this arc copy. The book follows Ellie As a body is found with some processions of her missing sister. As the chase to find the serial killer Ellie interviews a serial killer in prison to find out more information and if he has any connection to the new found murders that was happening.

Throughout the book your second guessing who is actually innocent in this situation although I guessed part of the plot I was still intrigued by the back & forth hunt and how rhe story unfolded. I liked the dual chapters from Ellie and detective Sarah however coming close to the end I felt the book to be rushed it didn’t conclude in a satisfactory way for me.

This was my first Alice Hunter book and I quite liked it. The premise was intriguing but the story never quite came together for me. Ellie was not a sympathetic or interesting character and I found it difficult to care about her. I’ll definitely try the next Hunter release or start from the beginning and read an earlier one.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.