TITLE/AUTHOR: The Therapist; B.A. Paris
PUBLISHER: Macmillan Audio
YEAR PUBLISHED: 2021
GENRE: Fiction / Thriller
FORMAT: audio download / LENGTH: 10 hours 2 min.
SOURCE: Publisher / Net Galley download
SETTING(s): A gated community near London
ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY: Another psychological thriller that could have been better .
BRIEF REVIEW: Alice Dawson is a freelance translator who recently moved from her quaint cottage to a gated community and home purchased by her boyfriend Leo Curtis. The couple had a distance, weekend relationship so this home was to enable them to spend more time together. Little does Alice know, until a private investigator appears at their door, the previous occupant Nina Maxwell, a "therapist" was murdered there. Her husband who was suspected of the murder later committed suicide. Leo, on the other hand, knew about the houses history but kept it from Alice. Once she finds out she doesn't want to live there yet, she can't resist finding out more about the decreased woman Nina (same first name as Alice's dead sister.) Leo does not want Alice getting too friendly with "The Circle" neighbors but, Alice is determined to find out more about the former occupants. He obsessiveness soon takes over her daily life and everyone including Leo seems to be a possible suspect of the murder.
Alice seemed like an easy person manipulate and quite foolish as well. I thought it seemed far-fetched that she'd get so obsessed about the previous residents of the house instead of just leaving Leo for covering up the murder and buying the place in the first place. The first 50-60% of this book moved very slowly and because Alice comes across as so dense, I found her annoying at times. Still I was very curious to see where the story was headed and how it would end. The story finally did pick up speed and gave me that unsettling feeling that I enjoy about psych thrillers. Don't read it before bed as at times it appears someone is hiding out in the home! Not bad overall if you don't mind the slow first half.
The audio book was read by Olivia Dowd and Thomas Judd - both did a good job.
RATING: 3.5/5
Thanks go to NetGalley, St Martins and Macmillan Audio for allowing me access to this audiobook as well as eGalley in exchange for my unbiased review.
I'm not sure I could believe in Alice, or like her enough, to like this book. Foolish and/or obsessive characters have never been a big draw for me.
ReplyDeleteYes, I'd have preferred an unreliable narrator.
DeleteCould have been better says a lot!
ReplyDeleteyes, with a different main character LOL
DeleteI've been reading psychological thrillers recently - just finished The Maidens - but I don't believe I'll be adding this one to my list.
ReplyDeleteOh I'm curious what you thought about Maidens - I'll check for a review.
DeleteI'm not sure I could have gotten through this one from what you describe as the "denseness" of the main character. I get impatient when it becomes obvious that such a character is only being so stupid because the author needs her to be dumb enough to advance the plot where they want it to go next. I start to feel I'm being as manipulated as the character itself.
ReplyDeleteYes, I'd much prefer an unreliable narrator to a space-cadet! LOL
DeleteOh boy. I feel like Alice will drive me nuts. I can't empathize with a malleable character such as her -- I mean, malleable in the negative sense of the word. A slow moving plot to boot? I think I'll give it a pass.
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend, Diane!
Oh yeah, she made me want to stop listening at least once.
DeleteI loved the first book/thriller by this author, but none of the others have appealed to me.
ReplyDeleteLes, yest, I loved the first 2 then she started to disappoint me.
DeleteI liked the premise on this but from your review I'm thinking it wouldn't work for me. Alice's actions do seem a bit hard to believe and I can't take more then half of the book dragging. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteYes, a slow stary is okay but not half the book.
DeleteLike Les, Paris' first book was really good, but the others have not worked for me. Alice drove me over the edge, and I couldn't suspend my disbelief.
ReplyDeleteDitto - loved her first 2 books.
DeleteIt sounds a little disappointing.
ReplyDeleteIt was as I loved her earliest books.
DeleteToo many books, too little time.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that the first half is slow moving, and Alice is an odd one. I don't buy her whole thing with women named Nina. I'm 75% through the book at this point. It's getting really suspenseful now though!
ReplyDeleteThat part about Nina bugged me as well - odd.
DeleteHmm, I don't think I'll be in a hurry reading this book after reading Jenclair's and your reviews. I think Alice will drive me crazy judging her behaviours but of course I'm still curious of this book, though.
ReplyDeleteYes, Alice was strange and her obsession with the name Nina (like her sister) seemed weird too.
DeleteI've read a couple of mixed reviews on this latest Paris book but it's on my radar. I'll go in with low expectations and hopefully enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteYes, her earlier books were better IMO.
DeleteHer books, ever since her first, have declined in my opinion. Very formulaic. Not sure I will get to this one. The reviews seem iffy.
ReplyDeleteI liked her first 2 a lot but, agree that the quality has slipped considerably.
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