Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris | Book Review

Behind Closed Doors
by B.A. Paris
Published on August 9, 2016 by St. Martin's Press
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 293
Genres: Adult, Suspense/Thriller

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.

Sometimes, the perfect marriage is the perfect lie.

My sister has been trying to get me to read Behind Closed Doors for years. I always meant to, but kept putting it off and putting it off. But lately I’ve been in the mood for thrillers, and this one kept nagging at me from the shelf. So, at long last, I finally picked it up. And wow. Behind Closed Doors has to be one of the most intense books I’ve ever read.

It’s hard for me to use words like “enjoyed” or phrases like “I loved it” with this kind of book. The story presented in Behind Closed Doors is deeply disturbing yet utterly compelling. It’s hard to read at times, but I couldn’t put it down. The psychological abuse that Grace faces is nauseating, and I needed to see how it would all end. Jack is easily one of the most vile characters I’ve ever read, constantly taking his even one step further until I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough just to make sure Grace would be okay. I ended up reading the last three hundred pages in one sitting and staying up way past my bedtime but it was so worth it just to get to that ending.

The characters were everything in this book. Grace stole my heart. I’ve heard that others get frustrated with some of her decisions while reading, but I never felt that way at all. her situation is so awful that I have absolutely no clue how I would react. She never felt weak to me, just scared and unable to escape but always trying. Jack was a true villain and felt so real that he was terrifying to read about. But my favorite characters were Millie, Grace’s sister, and Esther, Grace’s new friend. They were so pivotal to the story, I loved every moment that either of the was on the page. I saw myself reflected in them, how they and I cared about Grace and just wanted her to be safe.

This book really dug into my mind and made me think. It was infuriating to read about people ignoring Grace’s cries for help, but is that how it really is in the world we live in? That question has haunted me almost as much as the story itself. I also had to skip one part that involved a dog. I knew it was coming thanks to another review I’d read, so I wanted to put my own warning here for those who can’t stomach reading about animal cruelty. But for the most part this book is not physically violent on the page, it’s all psychological.

I thought Behind Closed Doors was a solid four-star read util I got to the last few pages. After I read the ending I was left stunned. The author pulled off one of those “you have to read it to believe it endings” and I loved it. The attention to detail, the payoff, it blew me away and I put the book down utterly satisfied by how it wrapped everything up. I highly recommend Behind Closed Doors, but with the disclaimer that it’s not an easy read. It is, though, a story that’s going to stick with me for a very long time.

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About Katie

I'm a twenty-something aspiring writer who really, really needs to get back to revisions. I've been reviewing books since 2014, and am determined to somehow make stories my day job. I truly think that every book out there contains something good and is meant for somebody.