The Therapist by B.A. Paris

Hello everyone.  I hope your day is going well.

Suppose you went through the whole process of selling your house, getting a mortgage, packing, moving, getting the utilities turned on, sending out your cute little "we've mooved cards with the cow standing in front of a house" because you found your dream house.  But what would you do if you moved in and something didn't feel right?  You just have that, hair standing up on your arms, feeling that something is off.  It's just in your imagination right, because this is a great house.  Isn't it?

I've discussed several times that years ago (three houses) we had a haunted house.  It started when we purchased the large Victorian which was still divided into apartments.  We were living on the first floor that had been vacant for years.  When we woke up sometimes we would smell vanilla or lemon.  Later we found out we were sleeping in the original kitchen.  A few weeks later our dog would start barking at the ceiling, just in one particular area.  She would walk in circles, staring at the ceiling, growling and barking.  Very odd for a dog that never met anyone she didn't absolutely adore. 

Our neighbors had weird experiences too.  While not so spiritual, still odd.  One time the lady across the street had sent her kids to school and was making coffee, she turned around and there, silently, out of the blue, was standing a man she'd never seen before.  Seems she'd left her kitchen door open with the screen door letting in a pleasant breeze.  Some passerby apparently decided he was a pleasant breeze and wanted to come in for some coffee and a chat.  Not to worry, he left immediately after her request but she must have been terrified. 

I didn't hear your declare yet, what you would do if it was your house.  Would you stick it out?  Are you that brave?  Maybe you would investigate the house's history or just change the locks.  Perhaps you'd invite a medium or burn sage.  Or is it possible that you are just overly tired?

I recently read The Therapist by B.A. Paris.  Alice and Leo find a house in an exclusive, gated neighborhood.  The house is a bargain, something they couldn't usually afford.  They jump at the chance to live in The Circle, the snazzy community their new house is in.  But as Alice gets to know the neighbors she discovers some are nicer than others and when she tries to ask simple questions she finds herself quickly shut down.  Something is going on, and it most definitely concerns her new home.  Then as Leo starts traveling for business, it feels like someone is in the house. Maybe it is her imagination, then again, maybe not. When Alice finds out that something bad happened to Nina, the previous resident and therapist, she becomes obsessed with discovering what The Circle seems to be hiding.

This is a classic psychological thriller.  The tense story leaves the reader wondering who the evil person is and how many people know exactly what is going on.  The book is not too long, just over three hundred pages and uses it's space efficiently, no meandering off the plot.  This shoots straight through so quickly you'll wonder where your day went and how you've flipped so many pages.  This suspenseful read will have you confident you know the ending only to surprise the most seasoned reader.  Fun the whole way.  One of my favorites by Paris.

I dare you to read this and not check your locks before going to bed!

Bring Me Back by B.A. Paris

A few weeks ago, June 19th to be exact, B.A. Paris' new book Bring Me Back was released. I was very excited as I have read and enjoyed both of her previous books, Behind Closed Doors and The Break Down. I implored my husband to pick it up at the bookstore near his office on release date. I must read it immediately. Finally, after several deep breaths, who am I kidding practically hyperventilating, I said no. I would wait. I have tons of brand-new books here waiting, hell begging to be read. I would wait until this came out in paperback or when not in such a precarious position as to be crushed by my own stack of to be read books.

Alas, along came the dreaded Barnes and Noble 20% off coupon. Getting such a current release hard back for on $13 must be a sign, it is fate, meant to be. We were destined to become story-reader soul mates. Well, I've finished it and I'm unsure of our current status. If I had to purchase it again, I would...so I consider that a recommendation, but somethings keep nagging at me. Without a plot rehash I'll just say a man and his girlfriend on a trip, pull into a rest stop. He returns from the bathroom and she is missing. The story flashes forward 12 years and the same man (named Finn, if that matters), is about to be married, to the woman who disappeared sister. I don't know, my husband is very close to my family, I can already see him saying "ewe", not that he doesn't adore my sisters but not in a creepy incest kind of way.

Anyway, the story leads you to believe that the original girlfriend might still be alive and stalking Finn and her sister, his current love interest. Sounds super interesting. One of my pet peeves is when books yammer on about topics that don't matter to the story or rehash the same thing over and over. I have a lot to read (see leaning tower of to be read books above), and I want authors to be very respectful of my time. This book seemed to spend a lot of time pondering who it could be sending clues to Finn. He goes over the same people in his head repeatedly. That gets on my nerves and makes me feel like the story needed something else in the story line to take up space instead of me obsessing about Finn obsessing. Then there is the end. I don't want to spoil it for you but it kind of hit me like the Sopranos fade to black, it was neat and interesting, don't get me wrong and a great story idea but I kind of felt a teensy bit cheated, like he would have known and to say he had no idea is insincere.

None the less, I still liked to book very much. I will still try and show some self control the next time B.A. Paris releases a book and wait for the paperback or purchase the kindle version...at least until I have a bad day or a good day and MUST consol or reward myself with her newest book.