31 Oct Book Review: Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris

Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris is one of those thrillers that promises darkness right from the title. We meet Grace and Jack Angel, a couple who, at first glance, seem to have the perfect life: a beautiful house, fancy dinner parties, and a romance that could make anyone swoon. But as soon as you peek behind that perfect exterior, the reality is anything but dreamy. Grace is stuck in a nightmare that no one else sees—Jack is as charming as a snake but about as poisonous too. He’s not just a controlling husband; he’s got a brutal, manipulative edge that keeps Grace isolated from friends and family and utterly at his mercy.

There’s this chilling sense of claustrophobia as we realize Grace has no way out—her every move monitored, her social connections carefully controlled, and even her sister, Millie, who has Down syndrome, somehow becoming a twisted pawn in Jack’s game. The story dives into Grace’s attempts to escape, taking us through both her increasingly desperate mental state and the intense, suffocating atmosphere of their home. It’s all about the psychological tension, that feeling of being trapped in plain sight

What’s it about?

Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris pulls you into the seemingly perfect world of Grace and Jack Angel. Grace has it all—or so it appears: the charming husband, the beautiful home, and the life of luxury that everyone around them envies. Jack, a successful lawyer known for his work defending abused women, seems like the ideal partner: attentive, handsome, and wildly in love with Grace. But once the front door shuts, we see a chilling, different side of Jack—one that is controlling, abusive, and calculating beyond belief. Grace’s life becomes a prison, each element carefully crafted by Jack to isolate her from the world and bend her to his twisted will. It’s more than just a case of manipulation; Grace’s every action is tightly monitored, with Jack using psychological tricks and threats to keep her obedient.

The stakes are raised when we learn about Grace’s sister, Millie, who has Down syndrome and is set to move in with them. Millie is someone Grace adores and would do anything to protect, which Jack uses as yet another way to tighten his hold on her. As the story unfolds, we follow Grace’s desperate attempts to outsmart Jack, watching her find small moments of rebellion while searching for an escape. The plot teeters between suspense and horror, as Grace’s every move holds the risk of bringing Jack’s wrath down on both her and Millie. It’s a classic tale of appearances versus reality, with enough tension to keep readers on edge as Grace attempts to navigate her nightmare.

What This Chick Thinks

I’m all about suspense and a plot that keeps me on edge, so I went in hoping for some heart-pounding moments—and this one definitely delivered those! But let me tell you, Behind Closed Doors was a bit of a mixed bag for me. On one hand, B.A. Paris nails the creepy, psychological manipulation; Jack is terrifyingly calculating, and the details of Grace’s confinement had me genuinely unsettled. I was flipping pages, hungry to see if Grace would outsmart him, even though some scenes felt like a recurring nightmare with no end in sight.

One thing that wore on me a bit, though, was how extreme Jack’s character is. He’s a classic villain—almost like he’s ripped straight from a horror film. He’s so unrelentingly evil that it borders on caricature, which made him a bit hard to believe. You know that feeling when a character is so over-the-top that they’re almost too easy to hate? Yeah, that. Sometimes, I wanted a bit more nuance or subtlety in his portrayal because it was so intense that it almost became predictable.

And then there’s Grace. I wanted to root for her all the way through, and I mostly did, but she sometimes felt a little underdeveloped, especially when pitted against Jack’s meticulous personality. I kept wanting to understand her better, get a little more insight into her motivations, especially since her loyalty to her sister Millie is such a big part of her drive. I think if we’d gotten just a bit more depth there, it would’ve really elevated the story.

But here’s the thing: despite those drawbacks, the book still got under my skin. Paris does a great job with pacing, and the final scenes are as satisfying as they are unsettling. For a psychological thriller, that’s not a bad place to end up, even if the journey there had a few bumps.

Final Thoughts

Behind Closed Doors gets a 7.5/10 from me. It’s intense, dark, and downright creepy—perfect for when you’re in the mood for something that keeps you wide-eyed and a little disturbed. If you’re after something deep and complex, it might not hit all the marks, but if you’re here for thrills and chills, it’ll scratch that itch.

Try it if you like:

• The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins: For that unreliable, suspenseful vibe and unmasking the dark secrets hidden in seemingly perfect lives.
• Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn: Because you’ll love the edge-of-your-seat, psychological manipulation that digs into the horrors of intimate relationships.
• The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena: Another twisted domestic thriller that takes you through the unnerving side of suburbia with a mystery that keeps you guessing.