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About the Book:
Everyone knows a couple like Jack and Grace. He has looks and wealth, she has charm and elegance. You might not want to like them, but you do.
You’d like to get to know Grace better. But it’s difficult, because you realise Jack and Grace are never apart.
Some might call this true love. Others might ask why Grace never answers the phone. Or how she can never meet for coffee, even though she doesn’t work. How she can cook such elaborate meals but remain so slim. And why there are bars on one of the bedroom windows.
From author B. A. Paris comes a thriller and international phenomenon Behind Closed Doors.
You can read an excerpt
You can purchase Behind Closed Doors
You can download the first five chapters of Behind Closed Doors FOR FREE
About the Author:
B. A. PARIS grew up in England but has spent most of her adult life in France. She has worked both in finance and as a teacher and has five daughters. Behind Closed Doors is her first novel.
My Opinion:
I am generally not a reader of thrillers but something about this one intrigued me. As you all know too I am trying to stretch myself out of my reading zones so I took a chance; what I got was a page turning read and a book that has stayed with me for days.
The chapters are either “past” or “present” and the book does go back and forth in time in a rather random pattern as a way to keep the reader a bit off balance. This is psychological thriller and there is no blood or gore; the abuse is all mental and it is pervasive. From the first chapter it’s almost as if the book is giving off evil gas or something but you don’t know exactly why or what until you get about a third of the way in.
It’s always tough with a book of this type to review it without spoiling it. Much can be gleaned from the synopsis but I’ll not give things away here! Grace and Millie are sisters; Millie has Down Syndrome and Grace is pretty much her caretaker as her parents just couldn’t handle having a child with a disability. Grace had about given up on finding a man that would love her and Millie until she meets Jack. He meets them in the park one day and from there it’s a whirlwind courtship. Soon Grace and Jack are getting married with plans to have Millie move into their house when she is finished with her school.
Jack and Grace appear to have the perfect marriage; their house is beautiful, their parties are exceptional and they are always together and happy. But looks can be deceiving but no one could possibly imagine what goes on within a marriage – especially this one.
I pretty much read this book in two sittings – it would have been one had I not started it at 10 at night. It was the devil to put down and when I did I had the bear of a time getting to sleep. Then the next day I just had to pick it up and finish it. Not being a reader of thrillers I did not read either of the two books it’s being compared to so I can’t offer my thoughts on that comparison, I can only speak to the utter and complete creepiness of this book. Jack is one complicated character. It’s hard to rectify his different parts. Grace is not as developed as a character and that is a shame – I think there was room for nuance in her that is lacking. Millie is a revelation and a true delight. Most of the ancillary characters are there to move the plot forward and are truly of minimal consequence. But that is OK – this is Jack, Grace and Millie’s tale.
And it is a whopper of a tale. One that will keep you looking over your shoulder and wondering about the nature of relationships. I am sure it would be, in some ways, even worse on a second read. It might be worth one as I went through it so quickly because I just wanted to know what was going to happen!
Rating:
4.5
You can pick up your own copy of Behind Closed Doors but be prepared to read it in one sitting – unless you don’t care about the quality of your sleep.
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