Behind Closed Doors: A Novel
THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLING DEBUT PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER YOU CAN’T MISS!
The perfect marriage? Or the perfect lie?
“A hair-raising debut, both unsettling and addictive…A chilling thriller that will keep you reading long into the night.” —Mary Kubica, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Good Girl
“This debut is guaranteed to haunt you…Warning: brace yourself.” —Bustle (10 New Thrillers to Read This Summer)
“The sense of believably and terror that engulfs Behind Closed Doors doesn’t waver.” —The Associated Press, picked up by The Washington Post
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.
From bestselling author B. A. Paris comes the gripping thriller and international phenomenon Behind Closed Doors.
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THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLING DEBUT PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER YOU CAN’T MISS!
The perfect marriage? Or the perfect lie?
“A hair-raising debut, both unsettling and addictive…A chilling thriller that will keep you reading long into the night.” —Mary Kubica, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Good Girl
“This debut is guaranteed to haunt you…Warning: brace yourself.” —Bustle (10 New Thrillers to Read This Summer)
“The sense of believably and terror that engulfs Behind Closed Doors doesn’t waver.” —The Associated Press, picked up by The Washington Post
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.
From bestselling author B. A. Paris comes the gripping thriller and international phenomenon Behind Closed Doors.
Jean M –
Suspense
This book was intense from start to finish. On the surface everything looks perfect, but it becomes clear pretty quickly that something is very wrong and that constant feeling of dread never lets up. I felt anxious the entire time reading, which honestly made it hard to put down.What really got me was how trapped and claustrophobic the story felt. You’re inside the situation with the characters, and it’s uncomfortable in the best and worst way. The pacing was great, the chapters were short, and I found myself reading faster and faster because I needed to know how it would end.It’s dark, emotional, and heavy at times, but very well done. Even when I had an idea of where things might be heading, it still hit hard. This is one of those books that sticks with you after you finish.Overall, this was a strong 5-star read for me. Disturbing, tense, and unforgettable. If you like psychological thrillers that get under your skin and stay there, this one is worth it.
Susanne S. –
Behind Closed Doors? Well, that was one frightening and super creepy psychological thriller.
Behind Closed Doors? Well, that was one frightening and super creepy psychological thriller. It made my stomach queasy and my palms sweaty. I tore through it so that I could get rid of those feeling of unease as quickly as possible. 4 stars.If you have ever dated someone who you felt controlled you, manipulated you, or tried to isolate you from friends and/or have you rely solely on them, well then, this book is bound to have made you feel ill. I know it did that to me, and I only dated someone like that for two months. It took me two month to get out of it because I grew up with the guy and thought I knew him (though he had previously moved away for several years). Turns out, I didn’t know him. But I learned who he was fairly quickly, and being strong willed and independent, I got out of it and though it was very scary, I prevailed. I still find myself looking over my shoulder sometimes and get chills every time I think of it. And this book: it gave me chills just reading it. I can’t imagine what it is like to read for others who have been through worse experiences than mine.In Behind Closed Doors, Grace falls for Jack quickly. He is the perfect gentleman and he sweeps her off of her feet. And he takes Grace’s sister, Millie, who has Downs, under his wing and treat her like his own. It melts Grace’s heart. And she is immediately smitten. Six months later, Grace and Jack marry, with nary a sign of anything wrong. After the wedding, Grace realizes that her relationship with Jack is not what she thought it was. Jack no longer has to hide his true self anymore: He is a controlling, manipulative man, who isolates Grace from everyone and everything, he mentally abuses her and threatens her with the one thing that he knows makes her powerless: Millie. Defenseless, her public persona becomes that of a “Stepford Wife” and all of their friends are envious of their relationship and of their perfect marriage. Little do they know, looks are deceiving and for Grace, there appears to be no escape. Grace, however, is resilient and she has a fighting spirit and will do anything to protect the one person she loves the most.Behind Closed Doors is a fantastic, stomach churning psychological thriller. It’s not for the faint of heart. Alternating between the past and the present, B.A. Paris does a great job in keeping the readers in suspense. The characters are phenomenally well written, and the ending: well, I loved it.I happened to read this novel after B.A. Paris’ The Breakdown and I thought that was absolutely stellar and felt immediately connected to the character of Cass, and I didn’t feel the same way about the characters of Grace and Jack in this novel, which is the reason for the 4 v 5 stars rating. All in all, this was a great read and I enjoyed it, even though it gave me the creeps.
Amber Uncorked –
Amazing Thriller That I Could Not Put Down! (Possible Spoilers) Download Immediately!
One of the best stores of 2016 hands down! I actually downloaded this book early and just got around to reading it a week ago and once I started I could not put it down unless absolutely necessary and since I have to work a full time job and be a wife and mommy that was often however, whenever I could read this book was in my hand.This book has been getting a lot of hype and for good reason. This is a skin crawling, chilling, suffocating, impossible to imagine story and yet it’s written so well that it’s damn hard to put down. It switches between past and present which I like although sometimes I’ll have to go back and reread a couple things to get my bearings but it’s put together extremely well.Let’s start with, I have never wanted a character to die as much as I wished Jack would. From the very beginning I loved Grace. She was sweet, independent, and absolutely adored her sister Millie. When she met Jack she thought she had met her soul mate. He was wonderful, charming, and seemed to adore her sister as much as she did. He had a successful career as a domestic volience attorney for women and had never lost a case. He wanted to marry Grace, build her a dream house, and even have her mentally disabled sister living with them. Dream come true, right? Wrong!After they are married Grace learns the awful truth. Jack isn’t who he says he is. He’s an evil monster of a man who now owns her. Grace and Jack put up a good front around people, they come off as the perfect couple but behind closed doors is a completely different story. It’s true what they say, you never really know what goes on behind closed doors.This story kept me on my toes and I’m not ashamed to say it scared the living hell out of me. Jack is a vile, horrible, man and the entire time I was reading this book I couldn’t help but pray he that he gets what’s coming to him.The only real down side for me was how the book ended. I mean it’s a great ending however it had me flipping an extra couple pages and I even turned to my husband and said, “That’s it?!” It would have been nice to know how the characters continued on after the ending. An epilogue would have been a nice addition to this story I believe. Other than that I have no real complaints. The story was well written, fast paced, the characters were well developed, and I feel like they didn’t spend too much time in one area or another. B.A. Paris hit it out of the park with her first novel and I applaud her.Although, I’ll tell you this right now if they make a movie out of this novel I WILL NOT be watching it. NO way, NO how! For those who worry about possible triggers this could definitely have a few. There were moments where I was holding my chest in anticipation of what was coming next however, I couldn’t stop reading.If you haven’t bought, downloaded, or read Behind Closed Doors yet I suggest you get this book in your library immediately! I downloaded the e-book then loved it so much I bought the hardcover as well. I’m serious, buy it now!
Guru –
Awesome. Very few books I liked. This is one of them. Trust me fear instills inside readers mind and you feel the pain of the protagonist until end. You will feel it’s not a made up or movie ending rather true.
Bel –
This book gripped me, and I listened to it in one go — more or less. If you’re a fan of the tv series ‘criminal minds’ you’ll probably enjoy it, although it isn’t as gory as the tv series. There’s a lot of suspense, though, the atmosphere is oppressive and scary, and the whole situation seems so very hopeless.I’ve seen other readers compare it to Gone Girl and Girl on the Train. I can’t do that, because I have read neither. I don’t think all these comparisons to other books are fair anyway, except for giving a potential reader a hint of the direction the book takes.This book is fast paced, scary, and I couldn’t switch it off. Georgia Maguire as the narrator was an excellent choice, she created the exact atmosphere which compelled me to listen to this book within just one day.
Sam –
This book made me so mad!But in a good way. It quickly takes you into the lives of the characters – one of whom is so detestable, that I was walking around in a grumpy kind of haze for a few days, wanting to take out my irrational anger at a fictional character on passers-by. The twists and turns and clever plot kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the whole book.It’s a breathtakingly good book – and the end won’t leave you disappointed either.
Luisa Mansi –
A great and well structured psychological thriller! It held emotions and attention from start to finish! I think this book is well written and very interesting for those involved in inusual plots. Very very suggesting! Good job!
Katherine Sunderland –
I thoroughly enjoyed this and had that gorgeous experience of starting to scan along the opening chapter in a spare minute “just to see what it’s like” and then finding myself unable to put the book down and hurtling towards the 50% mark without even pausing to complete the half started task I had been distracted from (probably feeding the children or something equally important but don’t worry, they are getting used to it!) I had some trepidation about reading it too after having seen so many fellow book bloggers review it with such endorsement and praise, and the publishers claim that this was the next “Gone Girl” or “Girl on the Train”.But there was no need for such concern! This is a truly gripping read. I was hooked from the very opening and completely fascinated by the whole scenario. The story is about Grace and Jack. Jack is handsome, confident and charming. Grace is controlled, slim, attractive and a dedicated housewife. They have the perfect marriage. They are always together. They are the ideal example of a couple who adore each other.But why can Grace never meet her friends alone? Why doesn’t she have a mobile phone? What does a young, bright woman in her early thirties do all day without a young family or a job? Why can’t the neighbouring women get to know her better? Is it really possible that all she needs is Jack? …..And then the killer lines from the blurb….. “Sometimes the perfect marriage is the perfect lie.”This is an “edge of your seat” read. It is reminiscent of “Sleeping with the Enemy,” Haynes’s “Into the Darkest Corner” and Watson’s “Before I go to Sleep” but this does not detract from its compelling and addictive plot line. I didn’t even pause to make any notes or mark any quotes while reading this, I was so caught up. I immediately posted a comment on Facebook and Twitter giving it a 5 star rating literally seconds after finishing the last sentence – then later worried if this had been a bit rash, but I think if you’ve been unable to tear yourself away from something and find yourself transported into the life of the main characters, visualising them as real people, reacting and responding to them with feeling then, to be honest, what more can you ask for from any author?Jack is a great character. Outwardly charming, controlled and rational but behind closed doors it is a completely different story. He is frightening, intimidating, calculating and heartless. A perfectly created “baddie”. Grace is also a strongly drawn character. Worn down by his bullying and cruelty, she has become a victim but never completely gives up or loses her fight however impossible and futile things seem. Her concern and responsibility for her mentally handicapped sister drive her to never stop looking for escape routes or ways to overcome Jack’s oppressive control.I liked the way details about the house and Jack’s actions revealed more about they way they lived, the extremity of his behaviour and brutal mind. It was eerie and unnerving. Paris was also great at reminding the reader that Grace was not pathetic or weak- every time the reader might begin to wish she stood up to Jack more or question why she didn’t just blurt something out to someone when she had the chance, Grace would recall how she had tried to escape her situation or seek help and the dramatic consequences. I liked the way Grace could trust nothing she saw or heard, so scarred by Jack’s cleverness and his ability to always think six steps ahead of her. It was claustrophobic and frightening. The only word for the ending is “nail biting”!This is a quick, easy, gripping, psychological thriller which I would highly recommend for anyone who loves this type of book. It is well written and alarmingly believable.