Title: Behind Closed Doors
Authors: B. A. Paris
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Mystery, Psychological Thriller
First Publication: 2016
Language: English
Major Characters: Grace Angel, Jack Angel, Diane, Adam, Rufus, Millie
Setting: London, England; Bangkok, Thailand
Theme: Good Versus Evil, Hope
Narrator: First person from Grace’s point of view, flipping between past and her present
Book Summary: Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris
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.
Book Review: Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris
Behind Closed Doors was a psychological thriller/suspense novel and it kept me turning the pages to see what was going to happen next!
Grace and Jack – you think they have the perfect marriage. He has a great job, she gets to stay at home. They tell their friends about their whirlwind romance and how they got married within 6 months of knowing each other. They have dinner parties with friends where Grace always cooks the perfect meals. How can they be so perfect and why can’t Grace ever go anywhere without Jack?
Grace has a sister named Millie who has down syndrome. The reason she fell so fast for Jack is because he accepted her sister for who she was and was willing to let her live with them once she needed a place to stay. Jack seems like the perfect husband, brother-in-law, friends, etc. until we find out he’s not. I won’t say much more but I will say that He Is Insane; in ways you probably won’t believe.
“Pretending to be broken would be much harder, simply because it was in my nature to fight back.”
What I loved about Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris was that it kept my attention the whole time. I was continuing to turn the pages to find out what was going to happen next and I couldn’t wait to get to the end to find out how everything turned out.
The writing is excellent—it flows seamlessly and there are no fillers. And the story is told by the woman, Grace. I always love first-person narration—it makes the story so believable (unless it’s an unreliable narrator, of course, which she is not). I won’t say anything about the plot because for me it’s more fun to go into a thriller blind.
Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris also brings up an interesting topic of façade. Things may look perfect to you on the outside but they are really horrible and gut wrenching behind closed doors. It’s interesting how people can really manipulate you and the outside world without you knowing what is going on in someone’s private life. Makes you wonder when you’re around other people or even friends if something is going on but they’re so scared for their lives and have to act like everything is good without breaking unless they want to face consequences.
