Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris
(Format used for this read: Audiobook)
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.
This is our first book club pick for 2024….and the first of many “thriller” types of books.
This year we decided to do something a little different with the way we picked our monthly reads.
We got together the beginning of January and everyone brought a list of three books on their “want to read” list.
We wrote each title on slips of paper and randomly drew 12 of these…and there we had our monthly picks for the next year!
Lots of peeps in my book club enjoy thrillers….so we have quite a few on the list.
I’m not exactly thrilled about it 🤣
I don’t mind reading thrillers like I used to…and nowadays I even ENJOY them some of the time (SHOCKING to my past self 🤣)…but the TYPE of thriller I enjoy is quite slim.
A psychological thriller that has ANY type of abuse in the pages AIN’T IT FOR ME.
ESPECIALLY when it involves psychological abuse in a domestic situation…..
I have way too many people in my life who I love dearly that have been in similar entrapments.
It is just all too realistic and unpleasant and upsetting to read about.
And that is EXACTLY what we have in this book.
I know this is just a story and it isn’t real…BUT I don’t find any entertainment value in any accounts of psychological torture and physical abuse.
It just troubles me and stresses me out and makes my heart hurt.
This story just went on and on with difficult things….I was in a constant state of anxiety while listening.
(and LAWD I do NOT need to add ANY anxiety to my already taxed brain!)
I can understand why people enjoy thrillers similar to this…I mean even I do from time to time…but when it goes to a certain place with abuse of women or children, I just CAN NOT.
Too much for me.
The author is a very good writer, which is part of the reason I was so stressed the whole time…she is a master of her craft, I’ll give her that! 🤣
And if you enjoy this type of book, I’m sure you will have a grand time reading it.
But please read with care or don’t read at all if domestic abuse situations trigger you in any way, shape or form. This is probably NOT the pick for you.
I obviously did not enjoy this read…I listened to it fairly quickly because I just wanted to be DONE with it.
I’m crossing my fingers that the other thrillers on our book list are of a different type. 😬