Looks Can Be Deceiving —Review Of Behind Closed Doors

Sometimes the reviews and hype of a book on social media can be so fascinating that readers are convinced to read. I saw raving reviews of this book on Facebook by readers who enjoyed it immensely and also some who felt the storyline was meh.

So I downloaded an e-copy to see what the hype is all about and I wondered why anyone would turn their nose down on this thrilling mystery/thriller. This was my first read of B. A. Paris' novels.

^{Image is screenshot of the ebook}

Plot

Have you ever seen a lovely couple together and you get jealous, wishing you could have such a relationship? Well, looks can be deceiving as the author narrated in this chilling psychological thriller about a married couple with the perfect life: Jack and Grace.

Grace tells readers of her ordeal in a marriage that looks sophisticated and enviable on the outside but in the home, she is unhappy and a prisoner. She had a whirlwind romance with her charismatic husband, Jack and thereafter they got married. Grace later discovers that all is not as it seems. Jack, an attorney, delights in abuse and torture. With her down syndrome sister, Millie, living with them, how can she get them out of that hell?

Review

For a 293-page thriller to hold me on the edge of my seat can only mean it's great. This book touches on a sore subject that has become common in every society —domestic violence and abuse. You hear stories or witness sad situations of batter and abuse and wonder whether either couple did not see the signs before tying the knot. But looks and attitudes can be deceiving. In this book, the main character found out too late that she married a sick monster.

This is the first of B. A. Paris' books that I have read and I enjoyed her writing style. This author takes readers through Grace's ordeal by writing from the first person's POV. I walked in her shoes, felt her fears and anxiety. It was gripping and unsettling.

Every effort Grace made to get herself and sister out of the home met with obstacles due to her psychopath husband who is also an expert in defending abused women. Jack knew the loopholes in the law and how to circumvent to his favour. Grace exclaimed about Jack,

He is so clever, so very clever. Everything I have ever told him, he has used against me.

Did I mention this book is chilling? The author did a great job weaving through the past and present in the storyline concretising the characters. And the ending is satisfactory in my opinion.

Over all, the plot appears straightforward but tense and that's the way psychological thrillers should be. So when next you see a happy couple, try to imagine what the real story is behind closed doors. It may not be rosy!

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