I have heard nothing but good things about B.A. Paris. I read The Breakdown and didn’t quite get the hype. However, everyone I talked to said that Behind Closed Doors was her best book, so I thought I would give it a try. Keep scrolling for my thoughts.

The Story

The perfect marriage? Or the perfect lie?

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.

My Thoughts

My conclusion is that I do not like B.A. Paris as an author. I’ve tried two of her books, and I didn’t like either of them. Unfortunately, Behind Closed Doors was even more predictable than The Breakdown. Chances are, this review is full of spoilers. However, I also don’t think they are spoilers because the book was very predictable. Thus, read at your own risk.

Have authors seriously run out of creativity to the point that everyone writes a male character as an overbearing and controllable husband? A man that women fear and become submissive to? Guess what. That’s real life for some women and it doesn’t make for a great story.

Because the book was so predictable, it dragged on. The repeated stories of abuse didn’t build suspense or keep me on the edge of my seat. It made me angry because it was lazy.

The “twist” at the end wasn’t a twist at all. You knew it was coming once you learned about the red room and the dog. Again, predictable. Also disgusting. How dare you write that kind of story for a dog. Shame on you, B.A. Paris.

In the end, I will not pick up another B.A. Paris novel. I’ve tried her writing, and it just isn’t for me.

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