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

Title: Behind Closed Doors
Author: B.A. Paris
Genre: Thriller
Published: 2016
 
Description: 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 disables 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 remains so slim. Or why she never seems to take anything with her when she leaves the house, not even a pen. Or when they 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 is closed.
 
Review: I have not had the best luck with B.A. Paris yet. I read her 2024 release “The Guest” which I found extremely boring. But one bad book does not say everything about an author. I was interested in the story of Jack and Grace, who seem like they’re living the perfect life. But they have everybody fooled.
 
The story is told from the perspective of Grace and the chapters alternate between past and present. At first, I felt that Grace wasn’t the smartest main character. She made some questionable decisions and things that happened were a bit predictable. Grace did certain things and I knew what would happen next. What the consequences were to her actions. But as the story went along, there were some really good twists. And the book turned out to be above average because of the ending. I really loved that and I did not expect it either. So that makes “Behind Closed Doors” both predictable and unpredictable.
 
I have read my fair share of thrillers now. So even though this is still a good book, I feel it has a bigger impact if you are fairly new to the genre. And it’s most definitely better then the other book I have read by Paris.
 
Rating: 3,5/ 5

Book Review - The Guest by B.A. Paris

Title: The Guest
Author: B.A. Paris
Genre: Thriller
Published: 2024
 
Description: Iris and Gabriel have just arrived home from a make-or-break holiday. But a shock awaits them. One of their closest friends, Laure, is in their house. The atmosphere quickly becomes tense as she oversteps again and sleeping in their bed, wearing Iris’ closthes, even rearranging the furniture.
 
Laure has walker our on her husband – and their good friend – Pierre, over his confession of an affair and a secret child. Iris and Gabriel want to be supportive of their friends, but as Laure’s mood becomes increasingly unpredictable, her presence takes its toll.
 
Iris and Gabriel only respite comes in the form of a couple new to town. But with them comes their gardener, who has a checkered past. Soon, secrets from all their pasts will unravel, some more dangerous than they could have known
 
Review: I had never read from B.A. Paris before and I do have another one of her books on my physical TBR. Starting with her newest novel “The Guest” might not have been the best idea.
 
When Iris and Gabriel return from a holiday, they discover someone has been in their house. It’s their friend Laure, who has fled her husband, after finding out he had an affair and a child as a result of that. At first, Iris and Gabriel want to support Laure, but soon they get enough of her presence.
 
For a thriller to be a thriller, it should at least be thrilling. It is not. I found “The Guest” pretty boring. The book dragged and nothing interesting happens for a long time. And the book is also very repetitive. Sometimes when a characters talks about something or explains something, they later repeat it and this happens on several occasions in the story. This is very unnecessary, because it’s not something that is so complex they need to over explain it.
 
I didn’t like the characters. I felt like Iris was being very mean to Laure. Her friend is dealing with a difficult time in her life and I understand that you eventually wish they would leave, so you can have your house to yourself again. But Iris felt that very early on during Laure’s stay. She didn’t show a lot of empathy. It’s understandable for Laure to be upset. Gabriel and Iris’ relationship also felt flat. The way they talk to each other, is not the way a married couple is supposed to talk. At least not the ones I know. There is no love between the two, whatsoever. Esmee I did like, at first, but even she got annoying as the story moved on.
 
As for the plot itself. All these people kept secrets, many of them that had no reason to be kept. And the story was very predictable. In the end, there is this epilogue that gives us a final twist and explains everything to us. But I couldn’t care less. At this point, I didn’t care at all, not about the characters, not about the mystery, not about anything. The ending is not credible at all.
 
This book was boring, uninspiring and I just didn’t enjoy this book. I can’t believe I actually finished it.
 
Rating: 1/ 5