In this chilling thriller, Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris is a toe-curling story that explores how looks can be deceiving. Paris takes readers on a jaw-dropping journey of a woman realizing she made the biggest mistake of her life. If you’re a fan of The Silent Patient and are looking for another exciting psychological read, this novel is exactly what you need.
The main characters in the story, Jack and Grace Angel, are newlyweds living a seemingly perfect life. Jack is an attorney who defends battered wives and Grace is a talented homemaker. All their friends wonder, how can a couple be so happy?
The answer is: they aren’t. While Jack seems to be the perfect provider, he is anything but a godsend. Right at the start, readers learn of Jack’s controlling side. It is not until later that they realize how much of a monster he is. Grace is trapped in a relationship she cannot get out of. For reasons later explained, Grace cannot escape from Jack unless she wants to threaten the safety of Millie, her sister with Down syndrome. Millie is the reason Grace met Jack and the reason she cannot leave him.
Paris develops Jack and Grace’s relationship by alternating between the past and the present. The past reveals that at first, Jack seemed to be the most charming man on the planet, but slowly started to show his dark side. The switch to the present keeps readers engaged, wanting more details about how their relationship went downhill. As the past comes closer to aligning with the present, the events that take place become more shocking and suspenseful.
This novel emphasizes how difficult it is to leave an abusive relationship. Jack managed to gain complete control over every aspect of Grace’s life. He sees her every move and finds joy in taunting her with what she can’t have. To him, everything is a game to see how far he can push Grace. One might wonder why Grace never asked for help, considering she is always meeting with her friends. Well, everywhere she goes, Jack follows. Even if Grace could manage to find a moment alone with someone, it is unlikely they will believe her. Jack’s high social status and reputation means he can convince anyone that Grace is insane and suffers from mental illnesses.
Although Grace is living in a nightmare, she never gives in. She never becomes submissive. She fights back. Countless times she tries to escape and occasionally comes very close. As she starts to understand Jack’s mind more and more, Grace changes tactics. Instead of defying him, she starts to be more obedient, so he would be more inclined to give her what she wanted. This was mainly because Grace wanted to be able to keep visiting Millie at her private school over the weekends. If Grace misbehaves, Jack forbids her from seeing her sister. Grace’s resilience and survival instinct are her most important traits and serve her well as she deals with Jack.
The buildup to the climax is the best part of the novel. Since Millie is close to turning 18, she will leave her school and come live with Grace and Jack. Grace knows that Jack will do despicable things to torture Millie once she moves in, therefore her goal is to find a way out of her marriage before that happens. As the moving date starts creeping closer, Grace is determined to do whatever it takes to rescue her and Millie. She gains a form of confidence she never had before, and starts to hatch an escape plan.
I passionately recommend this thriller if anyone needs a book to get them out of a reading slump. It will leave you speechless as you try to grapple with what you just read. I physically could not put this book down and can guarantee it will be worthwhile.