Helpful Score: 3
This book was so scary and disturbing! I couldn't stop reading though. It gave me a nightmare the first day I read it, so I quickly finished it on the second.
Helpful Score: 2
If you read only one book this year ... make it this one! It will play havoc with your emotions, make your stomach hurt, break your heart. It will make you angry, and it will make you think ... how well do you know someone close to you?
Jack and Grace have the perfect marriage ... the perfect life. Jack is an attorney who specializes in cases with battered women. Grace was a professional who gave up her job when she married Jack.
He is controlling, manipulative, evil .. as Grace discovers on her wedding night. What began as a love story turns into a living nightmare for her. I think the scariest thing for me is the realization that people like Jack ..and Grace ... actually exist.
The story bounces from the past to the present giving you insight on just how anyone could be vulnerable to a psychopath like Jack.
There are so many twists and turns .... there's no way you can second guess in which direction the author will be taking you. I found myself having to put this book down in order to catch my breath. But then I couldn't help but pick it up again almost immediately.
I highly recommend this book. It's a solid 5 rating.
Many thanks to the author / Harlequin (UK) Limited / NetGalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Jack and Grace have the perfect marriage ... the perfect life. Jack is an attorney who specializes in cases with battered women. Grace was a professional who gave up her job when she married Jack.
He is controlling, manipulative, evil .. as Grace discovers on her wedding night. What began as a love story turns into a living nightmare for her. I think the scariest thing for me is the realization that people like Jack ..and Grace ... actually exist.
The story bounces from the past to the present giving you insight on just how anyone could be vulnerable to a psychopath like Jack.
There are so many twists and turns .... there's no way you can second guess in which direction the author will be taking you. I found myself having to put this book down in order to catch my breath. But then I couldn't help but pick it up again almost immediately.
I highly recommend this book. It's a solid 5 rating.
Many thanks to the author / Harlequin (UK) Limited / NetGalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Helpful Score: 2
This is a thrilling, disturbing can't put down book. One of the best written I have read. Not for the squeamish as one of the characters is quite psycho. But the development of the people is so good. I lost sleep for 2 nights having a hard time putting it down. If you like books with interesting people, and thrillers this is for you.
Helpful Score: 1
Ok, now I love a good psycho thriller as good as the next person and I was sorely disappointed in this. Yes, it kept me reading, mainly cause I kept waiting for that twist that made it "breathless", "heart pounding", "chilling", or "simply: astounding". I mean 74% of the nearly 3500 people averaged it a 4* review on Amazon. Could that many readers be wrong? Surely not! So therefore, it must be me!
The characters were flat, I felt like the story was spoon fed to me rather than it actually happening, and what was psychological or thrilling about it? We knew who the bad guy was and why he was the way he was. Nothing surprising at all.
I found it very similar to other books and movies I've read and seen. There was no twisty ending or saving reveal, it simply after attempting (and failing) to build suspense, ended abruptly. Maybe, I've become jaded after reading so many great books but this one was not in any way remarkable. It was not the next "Gone Girl" nor "Girl On The Train". I really think hyping a book like this just makes you that more disappointed when it fails. I mean seriously, have you read a book that was hyped as the next "Harry Potter" and been blown away? No, and I doubt we ever will. That's why these books are so unique. There is nothing out there comparable.
If I'd read this 30 years ago before I'd experienced the thousands of books I've read since, it probably would have rated a bit higher but there was simply nothing that was new nor twisty to this story at all. The only saving grace is I bought it used and can pass it on to someone else who thinks it's going to be the next "it" book based on the reviews.
The characters were flat, I felt like the story was spoon fed to me rather than it actually happening, and what was psychological or thrilling about it? We knew who the bad guy was and why he was the way he was. Nothing surprising at all.
I found it very similar to other books and movies I've read and seen. There was no twisty ending or saving reveal, it simply after attempting (and failing) to build suspense, ended abruptly. Maybe, I've become jaded after reading so many great books but this one was not in any way remarkable. It was not the next "Gone Girl" nor "Girl On The Train". I really think hyping a book like this just makes you that more disappointed when it fails. I mean seriously, have you read a book that was hyped as the next "Harry Potter" and been blown away? No, and I doubt we ever will. That's why these books are so unique. There is nothing out there comparable.
If I'd read this 30 years ago before I'd experienced the thousands of books I've read since, it probably would have rated a bit higher but there was simply nothing that was new nor twisty to this story at all. The only saving grace is I bought it used and can pass it on to someone else who thinks it's going to be the next "it" book based on the reviews.
Helpful Score: 1
Fast paced, sick, twisted and disturbing kinda of book. Main character is a psychopath and very skilled at getting what he wants. This is a twisted story and does have mind games, violence and manipulation throughout so be warned going in. It is a fast cant put down kinda read.
Book Description
Everyone knows a couple like Jack and Grace. He has looks and wealth; she has charm and elegance. He's a dedicated attorney who has never lost a case; she is a flawless homemaker, a masterful gardener and cook, and dotes on her disabled younger sister. Though they are still newlyweds, they seem to have it all. You might not want to like them, but you do. You're hopelessly charmed by the ease and comfort of their home, by the graciousness of the dinner parties they throw. You'd like to get to know Grace better.
But it's difficult, because you realize Jack and Grace are inseparable.
Some might call this true love. Others might wonder why Grace never answers the phone. Or why she can never meet for coffee, even though she doesn't work. How she can cook such elaborate meals but remain so slim. Or why she never seems to take anything with her when she leaves the house, not even a pen. Or why there are such high-security metal shutters on all the downstairs windows.
Some might wonder what's really going on once the dinner party is over, and the front door has closed.
My Review
This is a disturbingly horrid book but one you have keep reading in order to find out what happens. I don't want to say that the characters were believable because I hope nobody lives under these conditions. I suppose the author deserves credit for great writing though if she can make you hate the main character so much. She does a great job switching from the past to the present and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I would highly recommend this twisted psychological thriller to those who love books that grip you from the beginning and does not let go until the very last page.
Everyone knows a couple like Jack and Grace. He has looks and wealth; she has charm and elegance. He's a dedicated attorney who has never lost a case; she is a flawless homemaker, a masterful gardener and cook, and dotes on her disabled younger sister. Though they are still newlyweds, they seem to have it all. You might not want to like them, but you do. You're hopelessly charmed by the ease and comfort of their home, by the graciousness of the dinner parties they throw. You'd like to get to know Grace better.
But it's difficult, because you realize Jack and Grace are inseparable.
Some might call this true love. Others might wonder why Grace never answers the phone. Or why she can never meet for coffee, even though she doesn't work. How she can cook such elaborate meals but remain so slim. Or why she never seems to take anything with her when she leaves the house, not even a pen. Or why there are such high-security metal shutters on all the downstairs windows.
Some might wonder what's really going on once the dinner party is over, and the front door has closed.
My Review
This is a disturbingly horrid book but one you have keep reading in order to find out what happens. I don't want to say that the characters were believable because I hope nobody lives under these conditions. I suppose the author deserves credit for great writing though if she can make you hate the main character so much. She does a great job switching from the past to the present and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I would highly recommend this twisted psychological thriller to those who love books that grip you from the beginning and does not let go until the very last page.
Great read, kept my attention. Wasn't expecting the ending at all!
Excellent read. Makes you wonder..
A bit of a disappointment. I was looking for a psychological thriller, something with twists and interesting characters. Flawed characters in the lead role. This isn't it.
We know from the start that Grace has married a psychopath, someone who lured her with his charm, then turned the tables on her. Jack enjoys watching others suffer while presenting the image of the perfect husband to the world.
Grace is not able to reach out to others, as she is a captive in her luxury home, confined to a small bedroom with no phone, no way out. She is held captive as much by Jack's threats against her sister Millie as by physical means.
Millie has Down Syndrome. In this novel the author uses the outdated term "Down's Syndrome". Perhaps in Britain the term has not yet changed? Millie also speaks in sentences without articles, as a rule, similar to how some people speak when first learning English. I wasn't able to confirm exactly how children with Down Syndrome normally speak, but what I read suggests that the greater problems are with the production of sounds, a physical limitation, and that these children tend to speak in shorter sentences. Not that they use "Indian-speak" as demonstrated in older western movies.
There are other aspects of Millie's character that seemed off to me as well, although i am not an expert.
Jack is a lawyer in a firm. His job is to represent women who have been battered by their husbands. I know that the legal systems in the US and Britain differ, but not fundamentally. In the US, no private lawyer "represents" the victim; it is the job of the prosecutor to prosecute the accused. When Jack "wins" a case the husband goes to jail, which says to me that he should be a prosecutor, but he isn't. It is details like this, that show that the author didn't do much research, that bother me.
But back to the story. We know from the start that Grace is kept hidden "behind closed doors", and both she and Jack present a united front of a happy marriage. Much of the book is a series of "this happened" then "that happened". Illustrations of how cruel Jack is and how Grace tries to escape. The episodes don't seem to build, although they do show us that Grace is trying to escape.
Things come to a head when Jack plans to have Millie move in and then to torture her. Grace is pressed for time to do something about it. Does she succeed??
The character of Jack is one-dimensional. Yes, he is a good actor, playing the part of the caring law partner and husband, but essentially he enjoys cruelty for its own sake. There is nothing interesting about this, nor is there any basis drawn to explain it. Grace is the plucky victim. She isn't particularly interesting either.
Overall, it works to while away the hours and moves enough that it kept me reading to the end. Others clearly enjoyed it more than I did and I expect and hope that others who read this copy do enjoy it.
We know from the start that Grace has married a psychopath, someone who lured her with his charm, then turned the tables on her. Jack enjoys watching others suffer while presenting the image of the perfect husband to the world.
Grace is not able to reach out to others, as she is a captive in her luxury home, confined to a small bedroom with no phone, no way out. She is held captive as much by Jack's threats against her sister Millie as by physical means.
Millie has Down Syndrome. In this novel the author uses the outdated term "Down's Syndrome". Perhaps in Britain the term has not yet changed? Millie also speaks in sentences without articles, as a rule, similar to how some people speak when first learning English. I wasn't able to confirm exactly how children with Down Syndrome normally speak, but what I read suggests that the greater problems are with the production of sounds, a physical limitation, and that these children tend to speak in shorter sentences. Not that they use "Indian-speak" as demonstrated in older western movies.
There are other aspects of Millie's character that seemed off to me as well, although i am not an expert.
Jack is a lawyer in a firm. His job is to represent women who have been battered by their husbands. I know that the legal systems in the US and Britain differ, but not fundamentally. In the US, no private lawyer "represents" the victim; it is the job of the prosecutor to prosecute the accused. When Jack "wins" a case the husband goes to jail, which says to me that he should be a prosecutor, but he isn't. It is details like this, that show that the author didn't do much research, that bother me.
But back to the story. We know from the start that Grace is kept hidden "behind closed doors", and both she and Jack present a united front of a happy marriage. Much of the book is a series of "this happened" then "that happened". Illustrations of how cruel Jack is and how Grace tries to escape. The episodes don't seem to build, although they do show us that Grace is trying to escape.
Things come to a head when Jack plans to have Millie move in and then to torture her. Grace is pressed for time to do something about it. Does she succeed??
The character of Jack is one-dimensional. Yes, he is a good actor, playing the part of the caring law partner and husband, but essentially he enjoys cruelty for its own sake. There is nothing interesting about this, nor is there any basis drawn to explain it. Grace is the plucky victim. She isn't particularly interesting either.
Overall, it works to while away the hours and moves enough that it kept me reading to the end. Others clearly enjoyed it more than I did and I expect and hope that others who read this copy do enjoy it.
WOW, couldn't put this one down!! Psycho thriller that held my attention throughout!
Jack woos Grace and her sister Millie, showing them the attention and affection they both need. Millie has Down syndrome and lives in a special school to help her develop. Grace marries Jack and settles into a luxurious home with him. They appear to be the Perfect Couple. What the outside world doesn't know is that Jack is evil and manipulative. He threatens Grace with harm and torture to Millie, so that keeps Grace in line. The horror she endures is at times unbelievable, but I will only say that she wins in the end.
Jack woos Grace and her sister Millie, showing them the attention and affection they both need. Millie has Down syndrome and lives in a special school to help her develop. Grace marries Jack and settles into a luxurious home with him. They appear to be the Perfect Couple. What the outside world doesn't know is that Jack is evil and manipulative. He threatens Grace with harm and torture to Millie, so that keeps Grace in line. The horror she endures is at times unbelievable, but I will only say that she wins in the end.
This was a very disturbing novel about a couple who seemed to have the perfect marriage but whose life is really not as it seems. The wife, Grace, had a good life and a good income as a buyer for Harrods in London. But she also has a sister, Millie, with Downs Syndrome who she promises to take care of once Millie turns 18 and leaves the expensive boarding school she attends. So how will Grace be able to cope with this added responsibility? She doesn't feel that a man would be willing to get into a relationship with her given her promise to Millie. Then along comes Jack who seems to love both Grace and Millie. The couple gets married but then the relationship goes very dark. Jack is definitely not what he appeared to be. He turns out to be a monster who feeds on fear and is just waiting for Millie to join the household...
This was really a very intense suspense novel that I read in a couple of sittings. Although I thought that Grace should have been able to get away from Jack earlier in the narrative, overall, I was drawn into the story and thought it was a very well-written and compelling novel. I'll probably be on the lookout for more by Paris.
This was really a very intense suspense novel that I read in a couple of sittings. Although I thought that Grace should have been able to get away from Jack earlier in the narrative, overall, I was drawn into the story and thought it was a very well-written and compelling novel. I'll probably be on the lookout for more by Paris.
Chilling and so disturbing that, initially, I was reluctant to continue beyond the first chapter. However, the story grabbed me and then I just couldn't stop myself. It's a tough and stomach-churning subject, even more horrifying because the relationship Grace finds herself in very probably represents so many others in real life. Nonetheless, I'd recommend this one to any reader who enjoys psychological suspense. 4 stars.
Excellent! Riveting - and very, very clever. Be prepared to stay up late... D.
Wow, this is what I call a thriller!
Brilliantly written! B.A. Paris has woven a the threads of a fairy tale romance and a spine-chilling thriller into a plot that continues to thicken to the very last page.
This book pulls you in immediately and completely! It is a page turner that I could NOT put down, even when I tried! And yes, I tried...
As a domestic abuse survivor, I became thoroughly disgusted by the cruelty being inflicted upon Grace; I did not want to revisit the feelings of anguish and despesration. I had to put the book down and walk away. I had no intention of finishing the read, the terror was too real.
As I tried to busy myself with the household chores that I needed to get done, I felt the pull of Grace's plight.
In much the same way that Jack's psychopathy lured Grace to her demise, this book captured my willpower and within 15 minutes I had picked the book up again and didn't put it down until the end!
This book pulls you in immediately and completely! It is a page turner that I could NOT put down, even when I tried! And yes, I tried...
As a domestic abuse survivor, I became thoroughly disgusted by the cruelty being inflicted upon Grace; I did not want to revisit the feelings of anguish and despesration. I had to put the book down and walk away. I had no intention of finishing the read, the terror was too real.
As I tried to busy myself with the household chores that I needed to get done, I felt the pull of Grace's plight.
In much the same way that Jack's psychopathy lured Grace to her demise, this book captured my willpower and within 15 minutes I had picked the book up again and didn't put it down until the end!
Wow, what a wild ride!
You can read about the plot in other reviews; I'll just say I was so engrossed with what psychopath Jack was planning next, I held my breath and almost had a panic attack! I dare you to put this book down until you finish.
What a perfectly ending!
Loved it.
You can read about the plot in other reviews; I'll just say I was so engrossed with what psychopath Jack was planning next, I held my breath and almost had a panic attack! I dare you to put this book down until you finish.
What a perfectly ending!
Loved it.
A great read! Keeps you guessing with each chapter.
This was a good physcological thriller, that really made you think. It has some unexpected twists and turns, that keeps you turning the paged. Goes to show, that sometimes you really don't know those you seem to be closest to.
This book is the epitome of suspenseful! Excellently written and fantastical story. You will despise Jack and root for Grace like they're your own friends. Well done B.A. Paris!
Jack and Grace are the perfect couple. They seem to have it all. A beautiful house, lavish vacations, and they seem totally smitten with each other. Things are not always how they appear to be however. Grace is never available to spend time with her friends. She never answers the phone and why is Jack always by her side? Do they really have the perfect life?
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This was our September book club pick. Let me start off by saying that I love books with messed up characters. If they're dark, disturbing, and twisted then bring it on! This will not be everyone's cup of tea though. However, I really enjoyed the story. I could not put the book down because I just had to know how everything was going to play out. There were some disturbing parts that were kind of hard for me to read and I yelled at Grace to myself more than once, but what an engrossing read. I'll definitely be reading more from @baparisauthor.
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Engrossing, dark characters, and disturbing.
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This was our September book club pick. Let me start off by saying that I love books with messed up characters. If they're dark, disturbing, and twisted then bring it on! This will not be everyone's cup of tea though. However, I really enjoyed the story. I could not put the book down because I just had to know how everything was going to play out. There were some disturbing parts that were kind of hard for me to read and I yelled at Grace to myself more than once, but what an engrossing read. I'll definitely be reading more from @baparisauthor.
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Engrossing, dark characters, and disturbing.
If you're looking for something a bit evil, dark, and sadistic, this may be the one for you. In my opinion, some of the abuse in the book was a little uncalled for, but it does add to the story line. One of my main issues is that it was quite predictable in places. I read it within a couple of days so it's a pretty fast read. Just be warned that some of the abuse may be a little more than you bargained for if you don't like those types of books.
This twisted tale of a marriage gone wrong is brilliantly written, but very disturbing. I read it in three days because I had to know what happened, and then I had trouble going to sleep.
The character development of Jack, the antagonist, is fantastic. I've never hated a character more. Grace was frequently frustrating, but you had to root for her and her sister. I enjoyed Millie's and that she was pivotal to the story
I wasn't sure about the chapters switching between the past and the present, but as the story progessed, the time frames became closer and linked up better. I would definitely read more from this author!
The character development of Jack, the antagonist, is fantastic. I've never hated a character more. Grace was frequently frustrating, but you had to root for her and her sister. I enjoyed Millie's and that she was pivotal to the story
I wasn't sure about the chapters switching between the past and the present, but as the story progessed, the time frames became closer and linked up better. I would definitely read more from this author!
Creepy story about a creepy guy. Okay.
Wow! This is the very definition of "thriller"! I dare you to put it down! Well done!
Brilliantly written! B.A. Paris has woven a the threads of a fairy tale romance and a spine-chilling thriller into a plot that continues to thicken to the very last page.
This book pulls you in immediately and completely! It is a page turner that I could NOT put down, even when I tried! And yes, I tried...
As a domestic abuse survivor, I became thoroughly disgusted by the cruelty being inflicted upon Grace; I did not want to revisit the feelings of anguish and despesration. I had to put the book down and walk away. I had no intention of finishing the read, the terror was too real.
As I tried to busy myself with the household chores that I needed to get done, I felt the pull of Grace's plight.
In much the same way that Jack's psychopathy lured Grace to her demise, this book captured my willpower and within 15 minutes I had picked the book up again and didn't put it down until the end!
This book pulls you in immediately and completely! It is a page turner that I could NOT put down, even when I tried! And yes, I tried...
As a domestic abuse survivor, I became thoroughly disgusted by the cruelty being inflicted upon Grace; I did not want to revisit the feelings of anguish and despesration. I had to put the book down and walk away. I had no intention of finishing the read, the terror was too real.
As I tried to busy myself with the household chores that I needed to get done, I felt the pull of Grace's plight.
In much the same way that Jack's psychopathy lured Grace to her demise, this book captured my willpower and within 15 minutes I had picked the book up again and didn't put it down until the end!
The perfect couple, the perfect marriage. All is not what it seems.
Jack is a handsome, successful lawyer. Grace is a beautiful, dedicated wife, but is never allowed to leave the house. Locked up with minimal contact to other people, and only then when Jack is present.
Behind Closed Doors is a chilling page turner, being told by Grace from past and present. As the story unfolds you feel the danger Grace faces and want to help her plot her revenge.
The story line is so haunting, I had to keep reading and the ending couldn't have been better!
Jack is a handsome, successful lawyer. Grace is a beautiful, dedicated wife, but is never allowed to leave the house. Locked up with minimal contact to other people, and only then when Jack is present.
Behind Closed Doors is a chilling page turner, being told by Grace from past and present. As the story unfolds you feel the danger Grace faces and want to help her plot her revenge.
The story line is so haunting, I had to keep reading and the ending couldn't have been better!
This was so exciting, I could not put it down!A young wife with a sister with Downs Syndrome has married a controlling psychopath. Don't want to spoil it so will say no more, other than read this book...you will be glad you did!
Very Good Book! First time reading this Author.
This book was listed in our local paper as one of the top psychological thrillers to be written in the last decade, although it is a first book for author B.A. Paris.There are only a few characters in the book but few are needed to let us in on the fact that people are often not what they seem and often by the time we realize this, it is too late to change our circumstances. One of the characters is a Down syndrome girl who is almost eighteen years old. I was particularly fond of her character as I have a Down syndrome child of my own who is adopted. Because their disability is apparent upon meeting them, they are often deemed as not smart. This is such an unfair assessment just from their appearance. The book gives this character depth and shows how we might be missing a lot by not getting to know people like her.
The perfect marriage? A fast-paced read as you discover the true motive of this psychopath and his choice of bride! I loved this book; did not anticipate the ending -- you will love this one too!
This book is great! I could not put it down. One of those O read very quickly
