The Breakdown

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Her husband Matthew is worried about her, and when the doctor says she may have early onset dementia, a disease which took her mother, Cass is naturally terrified. After the murder, Cass is terrorized and spends every second looking over her shoulder. And we do too. My heart was in my throat throughout most of this book, petrified for Cass, wondering if she was in danger or if she was imagining everything. B.A. Paris did an incredible job keeping the readers on the edge of their seats. I wanted to tear through the book as fast as possible but didn’t want to miss a second of it. When it comes to clues in any book, I usually don't have a clue--always seem to be surprised with most twists and never guess the endings. Maybe this is why I tend to enjoy these books.

Even harder to put down than Behind Closed Doors…with two in a row, Paris moves directly to the thriller A-list.”— Booklist (starred review) In the same vein as the author’s acclaimed debut, Behind Closed Doors, this riveting psychological thriller pulls readers into an engrossing narrative in which every character is suspect. With its well-formed protagonists, snappy, authentic dialog, and clever and twisty plot, this is one not to miss.” — Library Journal (starred) The next morning, Cass discovers that this woman was murdered that evening, on that dark wooded road. For fear of being judged, Cass told no one that she saw this young woman, not even her husband Matthew. This woman’s name was Jane, and it turns out that Cass knew her. And that triggers a chain of events, leading Cass to fear for her own life. She becomes scared, forgetful, paranoid and begins to show signs of early onset dementia, which what her mother passed away from.There were elements of this story that could have been tightened up and condensed but otherwise this was such an enjoyable unputdownable read! Cass seems to have it all—a loving husband, a job she enjoys, a secure financial position, and good friends. One night in the middle of a huge rainstorm, she takes a shortcut home through the woods (in her car, not with her picnic basket), even though she promised her husband she would avoid that route. When she's nearly home she comes upon a car on the side of the road, in the midst of the storm, and she sees a woman sitting in the car. A frighteningly cool portrait of a serious sadist, Behind Closed Doors is a gripping, claustrophobia-inducing thriller... Read at the risk of running from every handsome British lawyer who crosses your path.” — Romantic Times This is a psychological thriller that features Cass a young woman who fears she is suffering from early signs of dementia an illness that her mother had.The book starts with Cass taking a shortcut home by driving through the woods when she sees a car parked up. Through the heavy storm she glances into the car to see a woman who shows no signs of distress and decides to drive off without stopping. TW: mention of child death, kidnap, suicide attempt, alcoholism, brief mention of adult/minor relationship

Genres covered include Psychological thriller, Mystery, Psychological Fiction, Thriller and Suspense. The following day, news comes in that the same woman was brutally murdered the night before which sets off guilt, fear and paranoia and after subsequent events leaves her questioning her own sanity. She begins to lose control of her life and fears that she will be the next victim of the murderer.

Stop over-explaining. Show me, don’t tell me. I thought the author broke that rule at the end. It’s like she was afraid maybe we wouldn’t understand it all. We did. For one, I thought it was unnecessary for Cass to read all the texts and then to go to places and people to confirm what she had read. Where’s the tension? I need some! I guess I couldn’t feel any tension because little miss smarty pants here thought she knew exactly what was happening (it’s only fitting that I had half a comeuppance). But whatever the reason, feeling no tension when you’re reading a thriller is a total bummer. She starts struggling to remember things. Knowing her mother had been diagnosed with early onset dementia made all of her forgetfulness convince her that she too had the disease. Mysterious parcels arrive, silent phone calls, she is doubting her own sanity.

Cass is about to make the worst decision of her life when she decides to take a shortcut home on a dark and stormy night. The drive home takes her on a rural road through the woods during a torrential rainstorm. She passes a car parked near the woods with a woman inside, and she stops the car momentarily, thinking the woman will approach her if she needs help. The woman doesn't get out so Cass drives off. The next morning she discovers that the woman was later found dead in the car - and had been brutally murdered!Nope. I just don’t buy it. There are lots of things that just weren’t believable to me. They are spoilers, though, so I’ll hide them. The narrative is from several points of view, including Celeste, Jayne, & the detective who is investigating Lizzie's disappearance. Everyone, including Jayne & Dr Stephen (who is a bit of a creeper), has their own secrets which may or may not be relevant. I flew through this book in a few hours & really enjoyed reading it with its twists & turns - some of which I guessed correctly but not all - & that's the mark of a good book for me. I thought the ending may have been a little too neat but it's a minor quibble. It took me just an afternoon to read this book and by the end, my heart was pounding. If you like fast and frantic stories, you'll love this." — The Sun I’m on my way,” I tell him, fumbling for the door handle in the dark. “I’m just getting in the car.” On the positive side, I liked that Paris told the story from Cass’s perspective, which did help keep the tension going. As the title implies, there are multiple definitions of a breakdown. Not just the car, but Cass’s mental state.

Another sweltering month in Charlotte, another boatload of mysteries past and present for overworked, overstressed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan.To sum it all up it was an entertaining, gripping, fast-paced, and an easy read with an unexpected and exciting ending. Highly recommend!!